GK Today July (16-31) 2022

Current Affairs [PDF] - July 16-31, 2022
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Current Affairs [PDF] - July 16-31, 2022
Contents
......................... .... ...... ....... ... . . ......................................................
News Headlines ..................................................................................................................................................... 3
July 16, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 3
July 17, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 4
July 18, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 4
July 20, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 5
July 21, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................... 5
July 22, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 6
July 23, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 6
July 24, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................. 7
July 25, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 7
July 26, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................. 8
July 27, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................. 8
July 28, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................. 9
July 29, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................ 10
July 30, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................ 10

July 31, 2022 .................................................................................................................................................. 11
July 16, 2022 ......................................................................................................................................................... 11
Extension of RoSCTL scheme ................................................................................................................... 11
Ahmedabad in 'Time's World's 50 Greatest Places of 2022' ............................................................ 12
CRS-25: SpaceX Cargo Dragon ............................................................................................................... 13
Jerusalem Declaration ................................................................................................................................. 14
KVIC Knowledge Portal for Khadi .......................................................................................................... 14
Dunagiri- Project 17A stealth frigate ....................................................................................................... 15
‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ Nationwide Campaign ........................................................................................... 16
NSO Survey on proportion of unmarried persons .............................................................................. 17
Varanasi: First 'Cultural and Tourism capital of SCO' ........................................................................ 17
July 18, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................................ 18
U.P Bundelkhand Expressway ................................................................................................................... 18
NIRF Rankings 2022 – Highlights .......................................................................................................... 19
Jagriti: Mascot for Consumer Rights ...................................................................................................... 20
Kala Azar (Black fever) Case in West Bengal ....................................................................................... 21
Badminton: PV Sindhu wins Singapore Open title ............................................................................... 21
Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2022 .................................................................................................................... 22
NHA Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Hackathon Series ............................................................... 23
Cornechiniscus mystacinus: New Tardigrade Species in Kyrgyzstan .............................................. 23
INS SINDHUDHVAJ Decommissioned ................................................................................................. 24
Ashish Kumar Chauhan: New NSE chief .............................................................................................. 25
July 19, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................................ 25
Jeddah Summit for Security and Development .................................................................................... 25
National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment ......................................................................... 26
DoT License for Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON) ..................................................................... 27
Nelson Mandela Day 2022 ....................................................................................................................... 28
Presidential Elections- Key Facts ............................................................................................................. 29
Indian Navy ‘SPRINT Challenges’ ........................................................................................................... 29
NTPC- Indian Oil Joint venture firm ...................................................................................................... 30
© 2022 GKToday | All Rights Reserved | https://www.gktoday.in | For printed books & notes visit GKTBOOKS.COM 2
US: Waiver to India against CAATSA sanctions ................................................................................... 31
Rajasthan: AI-based Lok Adalat ............................................................................................................... 32
James Webb telescope: Discovery of water on distant planet ........................................................... 32
July 20, 2022 ....................................................................................................................................................... 33
Sanjay Agarwal Committee on MSP ...................................................................................................... 33
What is Karakoram Anomaly? ................................................................................................................. 34
Telangana- UNDP MoU on DiCRA ....................................................................................................... 34
National Standards for Civil Service Training Institutions ................................................................. 35
RBI: Four-tiered regulatory for Urban Cooperative Banks ............................................................... 36
New Technologies used in Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana ................................................... 37
Himachal Pradesh: First to connect all VLTD vehicles with ERSS .................................................. 38
Cut in Windfall Tax on petrol, diesel, ATF ........................................................................................... 39
Conclave on India Africa Growth Partnership ..................................................................................... 39
July 21, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................................ 40
What are key features of India Innovation Index 2021? .................................................................... 40
What is EU-India Human Rights Dialogues? ......................................................................................... 41

What are current trends in inward remittances in India? .................................................................. 42
What is WhatsApp banking? How does it work? ............................................................................... 42
What is Jayant Kumar Banthia Commission? ....................................................................................... 43
What are NITI Aayog proposals for regulation of Digital Banks? .................................................. 43
What is ‘imported’ human embryo? Why the government has banned import of human embryo?
................................................................................................................................................................. 44
What is India-Namibia MoU on Cheetah Restoration? ...................................................................... 45
What are highlights of Basic Road Statistics in India 2018-19? ....................................................... 45
What is Varroa Mite plague in Australia? ............................................................................................. 46
July 22, 2022 ....................................................................................................................................................... 46
What are the reasons of persistent extreme heat in Europe? ........................................................... 46
What is Web 3.0? How it will be different from Web 2.0? .............................................................. 47
What is open radio access network technology (O-RAN)? .............................................................. 48
What is significance of finding of first case of polio in US in a decade? ....................................... 49
What are some lesser-known facts about Draupadi Murmu, 15th President of India? .............. 49
How India has performed in the Henley Passport Index 2022? ...................................................... 50
July 23, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................................ 51
What is the key agenda of 13th Petersburg Climate Dialogue’ 2022? ............................................ 51
What are current trends in India’s GDP growth forecast? ................................................................. 51
What are the key schemes for strengthening Pharmaceuticals Industry of India? ....................... 52
What is outcome of the NITI Aayog Study on India’s R&D expenditures? ................................... 52
What is Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology? ........................................ 53
India- Bangladesh Agreement on Trans-Border Crimes ................................................................... 54
Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 - Update (July, 2022) ............................................................................... 54
National Film Awards 2022- Winners ................................................................................................... 55
National Broadcasting Day 2022 ............................................................................................................ 55
What is e-FIR system launched by Gujarat Police? ............................................................................. 56
July 25, 2022 ....................................................................................................................................................... 57
What is the significance of recent SC judgement on 'Right to be forgotten'? .............................. 57
What are the Key features of 'UIDAI Aadhaar FaceRD App'? ......................................................... 57
What are the key highlights of 'India's Bioeconomy Report 2022'? ............................................... 58
Monkey Pox: Why WHO declared it a public health emergency of international concern
(PHEIC)? .............................................................................................................................................. 59
What are the features of Andhra's ‘Family Doctor Project'? ............................................................ 59
Wentian Space Station Module: Important Facts to know! .............................................................. 60
Recent Update on National Land Management Corporation (NLMC) ........................................... 61
Income Tax Day: What are the recent Direct Tax Reforms in India? ............................................. 61
Highlights of ZSI Study on Snow Leopard and its prey .................................................................... 62
July 26, 2022 ....................................................................................................................................................... 62
5G spectrum auction: All you need to know about India’s biggest Spectrum Auction! ............. 62
July 25: World Drowning Prevention Day ............................................................................................ 63
Jharkhand Tourism Policy: What are its objectives? ........................................................................... 64
Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill 2019: What are the key features? ............................................................. 65
36th National Games of India 2022: When and Where will it be held? ........................................ 65
Significance of India's USD 2.5 million contribution to UNRWA ................................................... 66
Why do we celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas? ............................................................................................ 66
Multi-Agency Group for investigation of Foreign Asset Cases ........................................................ 67

What is India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX)? ........................................................................ 68
Indermit Gill: World Bank Chief economist from India .................................................................... 68
July 27, 2022 ....................................................................................................................................................... 69
Five new Ramsar Sites designated by India .......................................................................................... 69
July 26: International Day for Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystem ........................................... 70
California Oak Fire ..................................................................................................................................... 70
Rajasthan all women-run cooperative bank .......................................................................................... 71
Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022 ................................................................................................ 72
India lost 329 tigers in 3 years: Govt Data ........................................................................................... 72
IMF World Economic Outlook- Update ................................................................................................ 73
Recent Data on Bank Frauds and NPA ................................................................................................. 73
Winston Churchill Leadership Award to Ukraine's President ........................................................... 74
Russia to quit International Space Station after 2024 ........................................................................ 75
July 28, 2022 ....................................................................................................................................................... 75
European Investment Bank (EIB) joins CDRI ...................................................................................... 75
Israel unveils Roman-era coin .................................................................................................................. 76
Han Kuang military exercises 2022 ....................................................................................................... 76
India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics of containerised Cargo ..................................................... 77
Merger of BSNL- BBNL ........................................................................................................................... 78
CSR funds for ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ ......................................................................................................... 78
National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021 .............................................................................................................. 79
World Hepatitis Day 2022 ....................................................................................................................... 80
InterNations Expat Insider 2022 Survey – Highlights ....................................................................... 80
44th International Chess Olympiad to be inaugurated by PM ......................................................... 81
July 29, 2022 ........................................................................................................................................................ 81
Adventure Tourism recognised as Niche Tourism Product .............................................................. 81
UNGA Resolution: Healthy Environment declared as “Human Right” .......................................... 82
Internet in India report 2022- Highlights ............................................................................................. 83
Commonwealth Games 2022- Day 1 updates ..................................................................................... 83
International Tiger Day 2022 .................................................................................................................. 84
11th Agricultural Census 2021-22 ........................................................................................................... 85
Indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant ................................................................................................. 85
What is Crypto Jacking? ........................................................................................................................... 86
Bandhan Bank opens currency chest in Deedargunj .......................................................................... 86
July 30, 2022 ....................................................................................................................................................... 87
IIT Madras: Centre to build Open-source AI for Indian languages ................................................ 87
New health warning on Tobacco Product Packages ......................................................................... 88
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund Awards 2022 .................................................................................... 88
Mosi-oa-Tunya’: Zimbabwe's Gold Coin to Curb Inflation .............................................................. 89
India House at Paris Olympics 2024 ..................................................................................................... 90
Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-27 ............................................................................................... 90
RBI: Relaxations in Card Storage Norms ............................................................................................... 91
Google Maps Street View in India ........................................................................................................... 91
Kerala tops in Assembly sittings in 2021 ............................................................................................... 92
Twitter Transparency Report on India .................................................................................................. 93
Mock Test ............................................................................................................................................................ 94
Answer Key ........................................................................................................................................................ 102

Note: .................................................................................................................................................................... 103
News Headlines
July 16, 2022
Here are Today’s News Headlines by GK Today for July 16, 2022
INDIA
– IIT, Madras is the best educational institute in Education Ministry’s India Rankings 2022 of Higher
Educational Institutions
– Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu and Assam’s CM Himanta Biswa Sarma sign pact to resolve
decades-old border dispute
– RJD MLA Anant Singh, convicted in arms case, disqualified by Bihar assembly
– Varanasi to be the first city in SCO to be granted the rotating title of ‘Cultural and Tourism capital
of SCO’ in September when India assumes SCO Presidency
– Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches indigenously built Y- 3023 Dunagiri, Project 17A frigate
in Kolkata
– Supreme Court slams Nagaland government for delaying 33% women’s quota in local bodies
– Indian Navy participating in RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific exercise) in US from July 12 to August 4
– Kerala has become the first and only state in the country to have its own internet service: Chief
Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– India’s horticultural crops output increase marginally to 341 million tonne in 2021-22
– e-NAM (electronic-National Agriculture Market) platform linked to private agri-services providers;
will enable more farmers use the online platform to sell their produce to buyers of their choice
– Trade deficit in April-June quarter jumps to a record $70.8 billion
– Govt launches “Jagriti” mascot for empowering consumers and generating awareness towards
their rights
– Heavy Industries Minister Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey virtually attends the meeting of Ministers of
Industry of the member states of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Uzbekistan
– LIC estimates its embedded value at Rs 5.41 lakh crore as of March 2022
– G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting held in Bali, Indonesia
– PNB, 3 other PSU banks activate account aggregator system which is a financial data exchange
where banks, fintechs or NBFCs can exchange customer data after taking consent from such users
– Privatise all public sector banks except SBI for now: Economists Poonam Gupta & Arvind
Panagariya suggest
– Country’s foreign exchange reserves declined by USD 8.062 billion to USD 580.252 billion in the
week ended July 8
– Rajkiran Rai G recommended for post of MD of NaBFID (National Bank for Financing
Infrastructure and Development) by Financial Services Institutions Bureau
– Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurates 166 Compressed Natural Gas
(CNG) stations across 14 states
– Google buys 1.2% stake in Bharti Airtel for $700 million
– Facebook-owner Meta releases first human rights report in India
– US House of Representatives approves amendment on CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries
Through Sanctions Act) waiver to India
WORLD
– Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as Sri Lanka’s interim president
– Ukraine: Russian missiles kill 23 in Vinnytsia city
– India’s Adani Ports, Israel’s Gadot win tender to buy Haifa port from Israel govt
– International North-South Transport Corridor: Russia’s 1st rail transit cargo to India reaches Iran
– Only risks, no gains, for 15-39 age group from alcohol consumption: Lancet
– North Korea recognises Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republics (LPR) in
Ukraine as independent countries; 3rd after Russia and Syria
– US carries out test of hypersonic missile ARRW (Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon)
– World Youth Skills Day celebrated on July 15; theme: ‘Transforming youth skills for the future’
– World Plastic Surgery Day observed on July 15
SPORTS
– England (246/10 in 49) defeat India (146/10 in 38.5) by 100 runs in 2nd ODI of 3-match series at
Lords in London; series at 1-1
– Surya Sekhar Ganguly wins Chess960 Rapid Open at 55th Biel Chess Festival in Switzerland
July 17, 2022
INDIA
– BJP announces West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as its Vice-Presidential candidate
– UP: PM inaugurates 296-km-long Bundelkhand Expressway constructed at a cost of Rs 14,850
crore
– 18th All India Legal Services Authority Meet held in Jaipur
– J&K: Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawan shoots 3 colleagues before killing self at a camp in
Udhampur district
– Former Punjab speaker, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Nirmal Singh Kahlon dies at 79
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Centre amends Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules; will allow electronics industries
industry to declare information in digital form through QR Code
WORLD
– US decides not to impose sanctions against India for purchasing S-400 missiles from Russia; India
gets CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) waiver
– World Emoji Day being celebrated on July 17
SPORTS
– International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Changwon, Korea: Aishwary Pratap
Singh Tomar wins gold medal in Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) event
July 18, 2022
INDIA
– India crosses milestone of administering 200 crore COVID vaccine doses
– Home Minister Amit Shah holds meeting with all CMs, LGs, Administrators of UTs on Har Ghar
Tiranga Programme
– 52nd BGB-BSF (Border Guards Bangladesh-Border Security Force) Director General level
conference starts in Dhaka
– Army Chief Manoj Pande proceeds on three-day visit to Bangladesh
– Ex-Union minister Margaret Alva of Congress to be Opposition’s vice-presidential candidate
– Indian Navy’s INS Sindhudhvaj submarine decommissioned at Visakhapatnam after 35 years in
service
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– PSU Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) starts Bikers Cafe near Shimla
WORLD
– Cargo plane operated by Ukrainian airline crashes in Greece; was going from Serbia to Jordan
– Saudi Arabia: “Jeddah Summit for Security and Development” held; attended by leaders of the Gulf
Cooperation Council, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and the US
– World Day for International Justice observed on July 17
SINGAPORE OPEN SUPER 500 BADMINTON WINNERS
– India’s P V Sindhu: women’s singles
– Indonesia’s Anthony Sinisuka Ginting: men’s singles
– Indonesia’s Leo Rolly Carnando & Daniel Marthin: men’s doubles
– Indonesia’s Apriyani Rahayu & Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti: women’s doubles
– Thailand’s Dechapol Puavaranukroh & Sapsiree Taerattanachai: mixed doubles
SPORTS
– Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa wins Paracin Open Chess title in Serbia
July 20, 2022
INDIA
– Shiv Sena splits in Lok Sabha as 12 out of 19 MPs join rebel camp; Rahul Shewale named party
leader in House
– ‘Beyond the Misty Veil – Temple Tales of Uttarakhand’, a book by IAS Officer Aradhana Johri,
released
– 1,63,370 renounced Indian citizenship in 2021, US top choice: Govt
– Chhattisgarh government to purchase cow urine at Rs 4 per litre under ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ from
July 28
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– ED arrests former Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey in connection with a money
laundering probe
– Centre sets up committee, headed by former Union Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal, on the
minimum support price and other issues in the farming sector
– CBIC clarifies on GST changes; 5% GST on these food items, like pulses, flour and rice, will not
apply in case the pack size is over 25kg
– Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) releases compilation of success stories of 75,000
farmers
– Indian rupee declines to a record low of 80.0125 per dollar
– RBI hikes capital adequacy ratio for urban cooperative banks to 12%
– SEBI approves name of Ashish Kumar Chauhan as MD & CEO of NSE
– 17th CII – Exim Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership held in New Delhi
– Go Digit General Insurance 1st to offer a ‘pay as you drive’ feature for motor insurance
– US was the top source country for inward remittances in India in 2020-21
– Yes Bank selects JC Flowers ARC as partner for sale of stressed loan portfolio
– Govt releases Natural Resource Accounting to track mineral, energy deposits
WORLD
– UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for bold, coordinated responses to global food crisis
– India and European Union (EU) hold 10th round of talks on human rights,
SPORTS
– Athletics World Championships at Eugene (US): Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar wins men’s high
jump gold in 2.37m
– International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Changwon, Korea: Rhythm Sangwan
and Anish Bhanwala win bronze in mixed 25 m rapid fire pistol team event
– Former SC judge Vineet Saran appointed BCCI ethics officer & ombudsman
July 21, 2022
INDIA
– India, Namibia sign MoU for bringing cheetah to Kuno-Palpur National Park in MP; extinct since
1952
– Proposed reservoir at Mekedatu to severely impact water flow; TN tells SC, Karnataka refutes
claim
– Govt bans human embryo import in line with surrogacy, assisted reproductive tech laws
– China conducts military exercise with attack helicopters over Pangong Lake
– Renowned ghazal singer Bhupinder Singh dies at 82
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Govt slashes windfall tax on petrol (from Rs. 6/litre to nil), diesel (Rs 11 from Rs 13 per litre) and
ATF (Rs 17,000 per tonne)
– Rajarshi Gupta appointed MD of ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL)
WORLD
– Sri Lanka: Ranil Wickremesinghe elected president by MPs
– EU to defreeze some Russian assets to enable trade of food & fertilisers
– Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation awards Dissident Human Rights Award to Ukraine
– World Chess Day observed on July 20, marks the date of the establishment of the International
Chess Federation (FIDE) in Paris in 1924
– International Moon Day observed on July 20, NASA’s Apollo 11 mission landed on Moon on July 20,
1969
July 22, 2022
INDIA
– BJP’s candidate Droupadi Murmu elected as President with 64% of votes; defeats opposition
candidate Yashwant Sinha (36%)
– UN World Food Programme’s (WFP) Executive Director David Beasley visits India
– 9th ASEAN-India Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crimes (SOMTC) held virtually
– Running of ships in Lakshadweep handed over to Shipping Corporation of India
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Asian Development Bank (ADB) cuts India’s GDP growth forecast to 7.2% for 2022-23 from 7.5%
estimated earlier
– NITI Aayog releases 3rd edition of India Innovation Index; Karnataka (Major States), Manipur
(North East & Hill States) and Chandigarh (Union Territories & City States) topped in different
categories
– India’s R&D spend (0.7% of GDP) among lowest in the world; Israel’s highest (4.5% of GDP): NITI
Aayog
– Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Promotion and development Scheme (PMDPS) launched for
strengthening pharmaceuticals industry by Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Dr. Mansukh
Mandaviya
– ICC (Indian Chamber of Commerce)-North East Initiative and NEDFi (North Eastern Development
Finance Corporation Ltd) sign MoU to promote investment in North East
WORLD
– Italy: PM Mario Draghi resigns after coalition allies boycott confidence vote
– Russia biggest pipeline resumes pumping gas to Europe after a 10-day outage; Nord Stream 1 runs
under the Baltic Sea to Germany
SPORTS
– International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Changwon, Korea: Anish Bhanwala,
Vijayveer Sidhu and Sameer win silver in men’s 25m rapid fire pistol team event
July 23, 2022
NATIONAL FILM AWARDS 2020
– Best Feature Film: ‘Soorarai Pottru’ (Tamil)
– Best Actor (shared): Suriya for ‘Soorarai Pottru’ & Ajay Devgn for ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’
(Hindi)
– Best Actress: Aparna Balamurali for ‘Soorarai Pottru’
– Best Popular Film – Providing Wholesome Entertainment: ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’
– Best Director: KR Sachidanandan for ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’ (Malayalam)
INDIA
– Lok Sabha passes Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 that seeks to extend the application of domestic laws
to the two research stations set up by India in the Antarctic region: Maitri and Bharti
– National Security Adviser Ajit Doval meets his UK counterpart Stephen Lovegrove in New Delhi
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– India, 17 others unveil roadmap for long-term resilient supply chains
– India’s foreign exchange reserves drop $7.5 billion to $572.7 billion during the week ended July 15
– upGrad acquires online learning institution Harappa Education for Rs 300 crore
– Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air to start from Mumbai-Ahmedabad route on August 7
WORLD
– Russia and Ukraine agree to release blockaded grain exports; sign UN-brokered in Istanbul,
Turkey
– Sri Lanka: Dinesh Gunawardena sworn in as new PM
SPORTS
– World Athletics Championships in US: Shericka Jackson (Jamaica) wins gold in women’s 200 m in
21.45 seconds
July 24, 2022

INDIA
– Enforcement Directorate arrests West Bengal Minister & TMC leader Partha Chatterjee in teacher
recruitment scam
– Issue of holding simultaneous polls referred to Law Commission: Law Minister Kiren Rijiju
– National Broadcasting Day observed on July 23; day of country’s 1st broadcast in 1927 from
Bombay
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– ADB approves USD 96.3 million loan for Himachal Pradesh Rural Drinking Water Improvement and
Livelihood Project
– Housing & Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri addresses 16th meeting of National
Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) in New Delhi
– Tata Motors bags order for 1,500 electric buses from Delhi Transport Corp
WORLD
– WHO declares monkeypox outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC)
– Russian missiles strike Odesa port day after grain deal, Ukraine claims
– World Brain Day observed on July 22
SPORTS
– World Athletics Championships in US: Sydney McLaughlin (US) wins women’s 400m hurdles gold
in 50.68 seconds; breaks her own world record
– India (308/7 in 50) beat West Indies (305/6 in 50) by 3 runs in 1st ODI of 3-match series at Queen’s
Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
July 25, 2022
INDIA
– Centre amends Flag Code to allow people to display tricolour 24X7
– Centre to launch “Har Ghar Tiranga” (hoisting of the flag at every home in the country) campaign
from August 13 to 15
– Human Space Flight Expo organized by ISRO at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru on
July 22-24
– Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen refuses to accept Banga Bibhushan award of West Bengal
govt.
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Govt directs major ports to exempt passenger ferries from paying port, vessel charges for 6 months
– Income Tax Day observed by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on July 24
WORLD
– China launches 2nd space station module Wentian after Tianhe in April 2021; launch of 3rd named
Mengtian later to complete its permanent space station
– Russia insists strike on Ukrainian port of Odesa hit military targets
– Japan: Evacuation alert after Sakurajima volcano erupts in Kagoshima
SPORTS
– Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark) of Team Jumbo–Visma wins 3328-kms Tour de France cycle race
– Neeraj Chopra (88.13 m) wins silver in men’s javelin throw at World Athletics Championships in
US; gold won by Anderson Peters (90.54 m) of Grenada
– Red Bull driver Max Verstappen wins Formula One French Grand Prix at Le Castellet
– India (312/8 in 49.4) beats West Indies (311/6 in 50) by 2 wickets in 2nd ODI at Queen’s Park Oval,
Port of Spain (Trinidad & Tobago)
– SAI launches Create for India campaign to cheer for Team India participating in Commonwealth
Games
July 26, 2022
INDIA
– 4 Cong MPs suspended from Lok Sabha for rest of session for disrupting proceedings
– Droupadi Murmu takes oath as India’s 15th President
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Fresh milk and pasteurised milk fully exempted from Goods and Service Tax, clarifies Government
– Multi-Agency Group set up by govt for expeditious and coordinated investigation of various
categories of foreign asset cases: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
– Maersk creates fast, reliable India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics solution using inland
waterways
WORLD
– India contributes $2.5 million to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in
the Near East (UN RWA)
– Boat carrying Haitian migrants sinks off Bahamas, killing 17; 25 rescued
– Myanmar: Military rulers execute four democracy activists, the first execution conducted in the
country in decades
– World Drowning Prevention Day observed on July 25
SPORTS
– World Athletics Championships in US: Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan breaks world record in women’s
100m hurdles in 12.12 seconds
July 27, 2022
INDIA
– Lok Sabha passes Family Courts’ Amendment Bill, 2022; validates existence of the 3 family courts
in Himachal Pradesh and 2 in Nagaland with retrospective effect
– 19 Opposition MPs suspended over misconduct from Rajya Sabha for a week
– Prasar Bharati signs MoU with IIT, Kanpur to develop Next Generation Broadcast solution
– Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrated across the country on July 26; marks victory in Operation Vijay in
1999
– Gujarat: Death toll in hooch (spurious liquor) tragedy in Botad district rises to 33
– EAM Jaishankar meets USAID (United States Agency for International Development) Administrator
Samantha Power in New Delhi
– India lost 329 tigers in last 3 years due to poaching, natural and unnatural causes: Govt.
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Bidding for first ever auction of 5G spectrum begins; Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and
Adani Data Networks in the fray
– Defence ministry approves arms procurement proposals worth Rs 28,732 cr
– Defence’s Ministry iDEX-DIO (Innovations for Defence Excellence–Defence Innovation
Organization) signs its 100th innovation contract
– IMF slashes India’s 2022-23 GDP growth forecast by 0.8% to 7.4%
– 8% decline in amount of bank frauds in last two years: MoS for Finance Bhagwat Karad
– Non-Performing Assets of Scheduled Commercial Banks in country declined in last four years: Govt
WORLD
– Russia will withdraw from International Space Station (ISS) project after 2024; jointly run by space
agencies of Russia, USA, Europe, Japan and Canada since 1998
– IMF cuts growth forecast for global economy in 2022 to 3.2% in its World Economic Outlook
(WEO) report
– US actor Paul Sorvino dies at 83, famous for his role in the gangster classic “Goodfellas”
SPORTS
– Hosts US top medals tally at World Athletics Championships; Armand Duplantis of Sweden breaks
own world record in men’s pole vault with 6.21 metres
July 28, 2022
INDIA
– India adds 5 new wetlands, total Ramsar sites now at 54; new additions — Karikili Bird Sanctuary,
Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest & Pichavaram Mangrove in Tamil Nadu, Pala wetland in Mizoram
and Sakhya Sagar in MP
– Mission Parivar Vikas 2016 boosted National Family Planning Programme, says Minister of State
for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar
– LS Speaker Om Birla and Esperanca Bias sign MoU of Cooperation between Parliaments of India
and Mozambique
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Govt to provide 4G mobile services in 24,680 uncovered villages at cost of Rs 26,316 crore
– Cabinet approves Rs 1.64 lakh crore revival package for BSNL; BBNL (Bharat Broadband Network
Limited) to be merged with BSNL
– Govt. approves additional investment by BPRL (Bharat Petro Resources Limited) for development
of BM-SEAL-11 Concession Project in Brazil
– BPRL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
– DGCA asks SpiceJet to operate 50% of approved flights for 8 weeks following snags
– Campbell Wilson gets security clearance, to take over as Air India MD-CEO
– Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies, has been named the wealthiest woman
on Kotak Private Banking – Hurun Leading Wealthy Women List 2021
– Companies can spend CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds for ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’
campaign activities: Govt
WORLD
– Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy given Churchill Leadership Award of UK
– Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China ‘epicenter’ of Covid-19 pandemic: Study
– Russia’s Gazprom cuts gas supply to Europe through Nord Stream 1 to 20% of full capacity
– US to sell additional 20 million barrels of oil from strategic reserve
– Russia taking over ownership stakes in Arctic oil field now held by French and Norwegian
companies
SPORTS
– England: Leicester Cricket Ground named after Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar
– Lok Sabha passes National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021; provides for constitution of National Anti-
Doping Agency (NADA) for regulating anti-doping activities in sports
July 29, 2022
INDIA
– Indian Navy gets 1st indigenously-built aircraft carrier (IAC-1) from Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL);
will commission it as INS Vikrant
– Indian Navy gets 3 of the 24 MH-60 ‘Romeo’ multi-mission helicopters from the US; made by
Lockheed Martin Corporation
– PM Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone of multiple projects of Sabar Dairy in Sabarkantha,
Gujarat
– 2 Indian peacekeepers killed in violent anti-UN protests in Democratic Republic of Congo
– Kerala govt to launch online cab service ‘Kerala Savari’ in August
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– Govt launches 11th agricultural census 2021-22 to collect data on various parameters, including
operational holdings
– India’s installed capacity of electricity generation at 403 Giga Watt as on June 30: Govt.
WORLD
– US Federal Reserve hikes interest rate by 75 basis points to check inflation
– World Hepatitis Day observed on July 28
– World Nature Conservation Day observed on July 28
SPORTS
– India beat West Indies by 119 runs in 5rd and final ODI to clinch series 3-0 at the Queen’s Park
Oval in Port of Spain
– Four times Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel to retire at season end
– PM inaugurates 44th Chess Olympiad at Jawaharlal Nehru indoor stadium in Chennai
July 30, 2022
INDIA
– Indian Air Force to retire all squadrons of MiG-21 Bison aircraft by 2025
– Rajasthan: 2 pilots killed after IAF’s MiG-21 crashes in Barmer district
– Govt. notifies new set of specified health warnings on tobacco product packs that will have to
display image with text ‘Tobacco Causes Painful Death’
– Parliamentary delegation from Mozambique calls on President Droupadi Murmu
– India tops list of nations seeking blocking scribe, news co tweets: Twitter report
– West Bengal School jobs scam: Arrested Minister Partha Chatterjee stripped of cabinet portfolios,
party posts
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– SC upholds strict PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) provisions and backs sweeping
powers of ED (Enforcement Directorate)
– PM launches ‘India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX)’ at Gujarat International Finance Tec-
City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar.
– Core sector output rises by 12.7% in June
– India April-June fiscal deficit widens to 21.2% of 2022-23 aim
– India receives record high FDI inflow of Rs 6,31,050 crore in 2021-22
– India’s foreign exchange reserves down by $1.152 billion to $571.560 billion in the week to July 22
– Banks’ boards must engage more to address climate concerns: RBI
– RBI eases card data storage norms; new rules allow the merchant or its payment aggregator to
save card data for a maximum period of four days
– Google Maps launches Street View in India in collaboration with Tech Mahindra and Genesys
International
WORLD
– International Tiger Day observed on July 29; India has over half of the world’s wild tigers – 2,226
– India votes in favour of a UNGA resolution that recognises the right to a clean, healthy and
sustainable environment as a human right
– US Congress passes $280 bn bill to aid computer chip firms, counter China
– Tunisia referendum: Voters give President Kais Saied near unchecked power
– 7.0-magnitude earthquake kills five, injures 130 in northern Philippines
SPORTS
– Citing Kashmir, Pakistan pulls out on Chess Olympiad eve
July 31, 2022
INDIA
– PM addresses first All India District Legal Services Authorities Meet in New Delhi; urges judiciary
to speed up the release of undertrials
– Home Minister Amit Shah opens conference on drug trafficking and national security in
Chandigarh
– Over 30,000 kg of drugs were burnt and disposed of by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) teams in
Delhi, Chennai, Guwahati and Kolkata.
– External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar attends Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at Tashkent in Uzbekistan
– Pranay Kumar Verma appointed India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh
– 1999 Kargil war: Point 5140 named as ‘Gun Hill’ to honour supreme sacrifice of gunners in
‘Operation Vijay’
– Actor Rasik Dave, known for Hindi and Gujarati films and TV shows, dies at 65
ECONOMY & CORPORATE
– EPFO launches face authentication for pensioners to submit digital life certificates
– PM launches National Solar rooftop portal to enable online tracking of the process of installation of
rooftop solar plants
– PM launches Power Ministry’s flagship Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme that aims at
improving the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of the Distribution Companies
(DISCOMs)
WORLD
– World Day against Trafficking in Persons observed on July 30
– International Day of Friendship celebrated on July 30
– United States, Japan to launch new semiconductor research hub
SPORTS
– Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham: Mirabai Chanu bags India’s first gold in women’s
49kg weightlifting
– India beat West Indies by 68 runs in first T20 at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad
and Tobago
July 16, 2022
Extension of RoSCTL scheme
Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently extended the “Scheme for Rebate of State
and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL)” till March 31, 2024.
About RoSCTL Scheme
RoSCTL scheme will be continued with the same rates as announced by Textile
Ministry for exports of apparel or garments and made-ups.
Scheme was extended in order to enhance exports and generate employment in

textile industry.
It is a forward-looking and growth-oriented scheme. The scheme has always
provided a predictable and stable policy regime.
It has led to improvement in cost efficiency and export competitiveness in global
market.
Scheme also promoted incubation of start-ups & entrepreneurs in this field.
Under the scheme, huge number of MSMEs have joined the apparel export business.
Background
In March 2019, government had replaced the RoSL (Rebate of State Levies) scheme by new
RoSCTL (Rebate of State and Central Taxes Levies) scheme, after the implementation of
GST in 2017.
Aim of the RoSCTL scheme
RoSCTL Scheme was launched with the aim of reimbursing all embedded State and
Central Taxes or Levies for exports of manufactured goods and garments. Importer-
Exporter Codes (IECs) are required to apply for RoSCTL programme. It also seeks to
enhance productivity in garment and made-up sectors as it rebates all the embedded
State and Central Taxes & Levies. It further aims to compensate State and Central Taxes
and Levies apart from the Duty Drawback Scheme on export of apparel or garments and
Made-ups.
Rebate of State Taxes and Levies
Rebate of State Taxes and Levies comprises of:
1. VAT on fuel used in transportation
2. Captive power
3. Farm sector
4. Mandi tax
5. Duty of electricity
6. Stamp duty on export documents
7. Embedded SGST which are paid on pesticides, fertilizers etc.
Ahmedabad in 'Time's World's 50 Greatest Places of 2022'
List of World’s 50 Greatest Places of 2022 were recently released ‘Time Magazine”.
Ahmedabad and Kerala have been listed among 50 extraordinary places to explore.
Key Facts
Ahmedabad and Kerala are big attraction for a huge number of tourists from India
as well as abroad.
Kerala is famous for its beaches and backwaters, on the other hand Ahmedabad is
famous for Sabarmati riverfront and Gandhi Ashram.
Time Magazine has prepared profile pages for both the destination, highlighting the
reasons why they are part of its prestigious list.
Magazine has tagged Kerala as “Ecotourism hot spot” and Ahmedabad as a “city of
higher learning”.
Time Magazine’s profile for Kerala
According to Time magazine’s profile for Kerala, it is among India’s most beautiful states.
It has a number of spectacular beaches and lush backwaters, palaces, as well as temples.
Reason being this, it is called as “God’s own country”. In year 2022, Kerala is boosting
motor-home tourism, in a bid to inspire new pas de deux for exploration and
accommodation.
Time Magazine’s profile for Ahmedabad
According to profile, Ahmedabad is the first UNESCO World Heritage City in India. It
exaggerates ancient landmarks as well as contemporary innovations. Reason being this,
Ahmedabad is known as “mecca for cultural tourism.”
Other cities in the list
Other destinations included in the list of top 50 are- Seoul, Buahan in Bali, Great Barrier
Reef in Australia, Arctic, Doha, Nairobi, Seoul, Ras Al Khaimah in UAE, International Space
Station, Kyushu Island in Japan, Istanbul, Kigali in Rwanda etc.
CRS-25: SpaceX Cargo Dragon

CRS-25 SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft was launched, recently. It was launched from
“launch complex 39A” of the Kennedy Space Centre towards International Space Station.
Highlights
It was scheduled to be launched in June 2022, but the launch got delayed by over a
month due to a hydrazine leak on the spacecraft.
Spacecraft was lifted off on Falcon 9, which deployed the CRS-25 into low Earth orbit
after 12 minutes.
It will dock with the International Space Station on July 16.
This was the 30th launch for SpaceX, so far in 2021, as compared to 31 in 2021.
Falcon 9 launch vehicle
Falcon 9 is the first stage of spacecraft. After deploying CRS-25 into low Earth orbit, it
landed on a drone ship in Atlantic Ocean 7 & a half minutes later lift-off.
It completed its fifth flight. Earlier it launched the Crew-3, Crew-4 and CRS-22
missions for NASA. It had also launched Turksat 5B communications satellite.
About Dragon Spacecraft
The Dragon spacecraft is carrying a mission called CRS-25. It is carrying 2,668 kilograms of
cargo, apart from science investigations, spacewalk equipment, hardware and crew
supplies. It is also carrying 544 kilograms of equipment located in unpressurized trunk
section the Dragon.
Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT)
Dragon Spacecraft is carrying a science payload called “Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source
Investigation”. This payload will be installed on the exterior of the International Space
Station. EMIT will help in studying the dust mineral in atmosphere and its interaction with
the ecosystems globally.
Propellants of Dragon
Monomethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide are used as propellants in the Dragon
spacecraft, for its Draco thrusters. Draco thrusters are used to control its approach to and
departure from space station.
Jerusalem Declaration
On July 14, 2022 US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister of Israel Yair Lapid inked a
joint strategic declaration in Jerusalem, which is officially called as “Jerusalem US-Israel
Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration”.
About Jerusalem Declaration
In the Jerusalem Declaration, US pledge to use all elements under its national power,
to ward off Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
As a part of declaration, US has affirmed the commitment for working in association
with other partners to oppose Iran’s aggression and destabilizing activities, either
directly or through proxies and terrorist organizations including Hamas, Hezbollah,
and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
USA and Israel have committed to continue discussions regarding challenges and
opportunities in Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
However, US President has affirmed his support of a two-state solution as well to
progress toward a reality in which Israelis and Palestinians can get equal measures
of security, prosperity and freedom. The United States is set to work with Israel,
Palestinian Authority, as well as regional stakeholders to achieve this objective.
Jerusalem declaration also comprises of US commitment to completely implement
the terms of USD 38 billion memorandum of understanding.
Cooperation in defence technologies
United States and Israel also committed for cooperation in “cutting-edge defence
technologies like high energy laser weapons systems to protect Israel and other security
partners of US and Israel.
USD 38 billion MoU
The USD 38 billion MOU was signed in 2016, for security assistance. It is an agreement of
10-year. It came into effect in 2018.
Abraham Accords
Jerusalem Declaration also highlights the importance of Abraham Accords as well as
Negev Forum which was started in Manama in June 2022. Abraham Accords is a joint
peace declaration which was inked on September 15, 2020. It seeks to normalize the
diplomatic relations between Bahrain, Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
KVIC Knowledge Portal for Khadi
KVIC knowledge Portal for Khadi was inaugurated on July 14, 2022 by CEO of KVIC, Preeta
Verma.
Knowledge Portal for khadi
This portal has been developed by Centre of Excellence for Khadi, in a bid to provide
design directions to Khadi institutions.
KVIC under Ministry of MSME, has set up the Centre of Excellence for Khadi at NIFT.
This centre will extend support to Khadi Institutions.
Knowledge Port for Khadi seeks to spread knowledge related to design among
broader section of Khadi Institutions.
It seeks to create design intervention by simplifying trends, which are suitable for
Khadi.
Volume I of the Portal
Volume I of the portal has conceptualised and presented four stories or design directions.
Each story comprises of a key theme, colour palette, and directions for woven designs,
texture, prints, and surfaces. Each story has been divided into two segments, namely
Home and Apparel. Apart from themes, Knowledge portal also provides size charts,
buttons & closures, silhouette boards, seams and finishes for both the segments.
Information updates
The information will be updated on the knowledge portal for two times in year. It will be
updated to provide directions in accordance with seasons and trends. Information will be
valuable for not only Khadi institutions but also for those organisations providing support
for the development of apparel, packaging for khadi and home products.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
KVIC is a statutory body, established in April 1957, in accordance with “Khadi and Village
Industries Commission Act, 1956”. It is an apex organisation, working under Ministry of
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). KVIC seeks to plan, promote, organise,
facilitate, and assist in establishing and developing khadi and village industries across
rural areas in association with other agencies.
Dunagiri- Project 17A stealth frigate
On July 15, 2022 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the second Project
17A stealth frigate ‘Dunagiri’.
About Dunagiri
Dunagiri frigate was launched into the Hooghly River in Kolkata.
It will be a very big asset for India as it has the potential to conclude its work in any
situation.
The ship has been named after a mountain range “Dunagiri” in Uttarakhand. This
mountain range was brought to Sri Lanka by Lord Hanuman to bring ‘sanjeevani
booti’ for Lord Laxman.
It is the fourth ship of P17A Frigates.
It is the improved version of P17 Frigates (Shivalik Class), with some improvements in
stealth features, platform management systems, advanced weapons and sensors.
Background
Dunagiri frigate is the renewal of ‘Dunagiri Leander class ASW frigate. Leander class
frigate was in her service for 33 years, from May 1977 to October 2010. It had gone
through several challenging operations and multinational exercises.
Project P17A
Under project P17A, first two ships were launched 2019 and 2020. First ship was launched
at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. On the other hand, second ship was launched at
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited. On May 17, 2022, the third ship named
Udaygiri was launched at MDL. All the ships under project P17A have been designed in-
house by Directorate of Naval Design (DND) of Indian Navy.
Launch of AI products
Recently, during the first ever AI in Defence Symposium and exhibition, defence minister
inaugurated 75 newly-developed Artificial Intelligence (AI) products, as a part of ‘Azadi Ka
Amrit Mahotsav’. Products belong to different domains including AI platform automation,
blockchain-based automation, computer & intelligence, cyber security, surveillance and
reconnaissance etc.
‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ Nationwide Campaign
Central Government is all set to launch a nationwide campaign “Har Ghar Tiranga”,
marking the 75th Independence Day.
Key Points
Under this campaign, citizens will be encouraged to raise the national flag at their
residences.
This initiative was launched as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, by the nodal
Ministry of Culture.
About Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign
The Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign was launched to encourage Indians worldwide to fly
the National flag.
This campaign will serve as a symbol of citizen’s dedication to nation-building and
personal connection to the flag, in light of 75th years of In Independence.
Its main goal is to inculcate a sense of patriotism in hearts of citizens and raise
awareness on the national flag.
How is the National Flag regulated in India?
In India, government has formulated the “Flag Code of India 2002”. It provides guidelines
on usage, exhibition and hoisting of National Flag. The Flag Code of India was
operationalised on January 26, 2002. It regulates the display of Flag by Public, Private and
Government Institutions. It formulates and compiles all laws, practices, customs, and
guidelines to do so.
Revised Flag Code of India, 2022
In 2021, the 2002 code was revised. As per revised norms, Indian flag can now be made
using machine and polyester fabric. National Flag can now be made using cotton,
polyester, silk, Khadi and wool.
Shape and size of the National Flag
The national flag of India must be in rectangular shape. It can be made in any size. But it
shall follow a length to width ratio of 3:2.
Restrictions on display
The Flag Code of India, 2002 provides no restriction on display of National Flag by
members of private organisations, general public, or educational institutions, if it is being
displayed with dignity and honour.
NSO Survey on proportion of unmarried persons

The Social Statistic Division of National Statistical Office (NSO) recently released a report
on proportion of Unmarried person in India.
Key Findings of the report
As per NSO report, percentage share of unmarried young people is increasing. This
number is commonly increasing among men and women.
Percentage of youth (aged 15-29 years) who are never married witnessed an
increase among male population by 26.1 percent in 2019, as compared to 20.8
percent in 2011.
In 2019, highest percentage of youth share who never married was witnessed across
Jammu & Kashmir. It was followed by Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Punjab.
Lowest percentage share was witnessed across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
and Himachal Pradesh.
What is the reason for this trend?

The NSO report does not highlight any reason for the increasing trend. However,
according to government officials, it was highly due to “lifestyle and influence of
celebrities”. In modern lifestyle, being unmarried or becoming single mother or father is a
new trend. This trend is being followed when sex ratio of total population has increased to
1020 in the 5th National family Health Survey, as compared to 991 in 4th round of survey.
Declining youth population
According to NSO report, population of India had reached 1211 million in 2011. It is likely
to reach 1363 million in 2021. Population in India was youngest worldwide, with 27.3
percent of the population accounted for people aged 15–29 years. However, the report
notes that, during 201-2036 population pyramid of India will shift in terms of absolute
numbers, because of decreasing fertility rate and increasing life-expectancy.
National Statistical Office (NSO)
National Statistical Office (NSO) is the merger of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)
and Central Statistical Office (CSO). NSSO and CSO were merged on May 23, 2019. Ministry
of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is the parent ministry of NSO.
Varanasi: First 'Cultural and Tourism capital of SCO'
Varanasi City is all set to be declared as the “first Cultural and Tourism Capital of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)”.
Key Facts
Varanasi has been showcasing the culture and tradition of India for ages.
It will become the cultural and tourism capital of the SCO for year 2022-23, as a part
of SCO’s new rotating initiative that seeks to promote people-to-people ties and
tourism among member countries.
Under the initiative, a city of cultural heritage from member states will be designated
as cultural and tourism capital of SCO each year. Varanasi has become the first city to
get the title.
City will be selected from member country, which will take over the Presidency of
SCO on rotational basis.

Title will be given to cities in a bid to highlight its prominence.
When will this initiative be implemented?
The new initiative of the organisation will be implemented after the Samarkand Summit
2022. The Samarkand Summit of SCO is scheduled to be held at Samarkand, Uzbekistan
from September 15-16 2022. After this initiative, India is set to take over SCO’s Presidency
and will host next Heads of the State summit. This is why, Varanasi has won the title of
first Cultural and Tourism Capital of the SCO.
Other Initiative by SCO member
Member countries of the SCO were considering various initiatives for promoting tourism
in a bid to boost people-to-people ties, when the norms related to Covid-19 pandemic is
relaxed. Kazakhstan has announced to launch a “visa-free policy for tourists from India
and other countries”.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security alliance. It is the successor of Shanghai
Five, which was established in 1996. Formation of SCO was announced on June 15, 2001.
Following this, the SCO Charter was inked on July 7, 2002 which came into effect on
September 19, 2003. Membership of SCO has expanded to 8 countries now, viz., China,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, India and Pakistan. India and
Pakistan got membership on June 9, 2017.
July 18, 2022
U.P Bundelkhand Expressway
Bundelkhand Expressway was recently inaugurated in Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
Highlights
Bundelkhand Expressway is a 296 km long expressway.
It will pass through 7 districts and lastly connect with Agra- Lucknow expressway.
The expressway will provide a seamless connectivity and boost economic progress in
this region, by bringing in an industrial boom.
Which places will be covered under expressway?
The Bundelkhand expressway starts at Bharatkoop in Chitrakoot district. It connects with
the Agra-Lucknow expressway at Kudrail village in Etawah district. It crosses seven
districts namely, Chitrakoot, Mahoba, Banda, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Aurraiya, and Etawah. It
crosses rivers like Bagen, Ken, Birma, Shyama, Betwa, Chandawal, Yamuna, and Sengar.
Outlay of the project
The Bundelkhand expressway has been built at a cost of Rs 14,850 crore. It was built under
Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA). It is a 4-lane
expressway, which can later be expanded up to 6-lanes.
Significance of the expressway
This expressway will help in improving the connectivity in state. is one of the major links
improving the connectivity in the state. It will reduce the journey between Delhi and
Chitrakoot by 3-4 hours. Journey from Delhi to Chitrakoot can be completed in 6 hours,
which earlier used to take 9-10 hours. It is also significant for the Uttar Pradesh defence
corridor project. In Banda and Jalaun districts, an industrial corridor is also being
constructed which will be benefited from the expressway.
Expressways in UP
In Uttar Pradesh, total of 13 expressways were proposed. Out of 13, 6 expressways with
length 3200km are in use. On the other hand, 7 are under construction. In the state,
expressways and highways are becoming industrial areas. Airstrips are also being
developed by air force, to use it in emergencies.
Focus on connectivity
Connectivity and Infrastructure are the main focus of Narendra Modi’s government. In
budget 2022-23, Rs 1.99 lakh crore were allocated for the Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways, as compared to Rs 30,300 crore in 2013-14.
NIRF Rankings 2022 – Highlights
NIRF Rankings 2022 were released on July 15, 2022 by the Union Education Minister
Dharmendra Pradhan.
Key Points
In year 2022, rankings were announced in 11 categories viz., Engineering, Colleges,
Universities, Management, Overall, Medical, Law, Architecture, Research, Dental, and
Pharmacy.
Number of colleges or universities or institutions taking part in NIRF ranking has
been increasing over the year.
In 2021 rankings, 6,000 colleges took part for eleven categories. Indian Institute of
Management (IIM) Ahmedabad was ranked first that year, in management category.
It was followed by IIM Bangalore, and IIM Kolkata.
NIRF Rankings 2022-highlights
In Engineering institutes category, IIT Madras has been ranked at first position.
In Medical college category, AIIMS New Delhi has been ranked as best.
Savitha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai was ranked best in
dental college category.
Miranda House was tagged as best college, followed by Hindu college and
Presidency college.
IIM Ahmedabad was ranked as best B-school in India, in management category. IIM
Bangalore ranked 2nd while IIM Calcutta 3rd.
What is NIRF Ranking?
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is provided by Ministry of Human
resource development. Ministry has launched the NIRF on September 29, 2025. It provides
a methodology for providing rank to institutions across India in different categories. This
methodology is prepared from overall recommendations and broad understanding, which
was arrived at by a Core Committee. This committee was formed by MHRD, in a bid to
identify broad parameters of providing ranks to universities and institutions. The
parameters cover- Teaching, Learning & Resources; Graduation outcomes; Research &
Professional Practices; Perception and Outreach & Inclusivity.
Jagriti: Mascot for Consumer Rights
Recently, Jagriti Mascot was launched by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), in a
bid to empower consumers and generate awareness on their rights.
About Jagriti Mascot
Jagriti Mascot will help in empowering consumers and generating awareness among
them about “consumer rights”.
The Mascot will be presented as an empowered consumer, mushrooming awareness
on consumer rights and addressing solutions for the problems faced by consumers.
It will raise consumer awareness on several themes of the Department such as,
Hallmarking, provisions of Consumer Protection Act 2019, provisions of weights &
measures Act, National Consumer Helpline toll free number 1915, decisions of
Central Consumer Protection Authority besides the consumers’ testimonials on

grievance redressal.
Jagriti mascot will be displayed along with tagline “Jago Grahak Jago” across all the
media campaigns.
Jagriti Mascot and “Jago Grahak Jago tagline” are new synonymous with young
aware consumers. Both of these seek to bring sharp focus towards consumer rights
knowledge and movement.
Aim of the Jagriti Mascot
Through the Jagriti Mascot, DoCA aims to build up campaign on consumer awareness
campaign in digital and multimedia. It also seeks to support for a young, empowered and
informed consumer as consumer rights awareness recall brand.
Jago Grahak Jago Program
Jago Grahak Jago is consumer awareness campaign. Department of Food has launched in
2005. Government used different mediums to raise awareness among consumers
including- Media advertisements, Printings, Audio campaigns, Video campaigns and
Posters.
What are Consumer Rights?
Consumer right can be defined as the “right to have information regarding quality,
quantity, potency, price, purity, and standard of goods or services”.
Consumer Protection Act 1986
Consumer Protection Act 1986 was enacted in 1986, for the protection of consumers’
interests in India. It came into effect on December 24, 1986. Consumer Protection Act,
2019 has now replaced the 1986 act.
Consumer Protection Act 2019
Consumer Protection Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 8, 2019. The act came
into force from July 20, 2020. In line with the Consumer Protection Act 2019, the e-
commerce entity are mandated to display the country of origin, on every product.
Kala Azar (Black fever) Case in West Bengal

In West Bengal, around 65 cases of Kala Azar (black fever) were reported across 11
districts in recent weeks.
Key Facts
However, there is no outbreak of the disease in state and cases are in limit, set by
Union government.
Union government aims to reduce Black fever cases to less than one per 10,000
population at block level, in a bid to eliminate the disease.
The disease is endemic to 11 districts of West Bengal, including Malda, North
Dinajpur, Darjeeling, South Dinajpur, and Kalimpong.
In India, cases of Black fever are mainly reported from 54 districts across four states
viz., West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
What is Kala-azar?
Kala-azar or Black fever is scientifically called as Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL). It is a complex
protozoan parasitic disease, caused due to parasite called Leishmania donovani. Sandfly
Phlebotomine argentipus is the medium of its transmission.
What are the causes of Kala-Azar?
The Kala-Azar disease is caused due to weak immune system, malnutrition, poor housing.
It mainly affects poorest people. It can also be caused due to environmental changes like
deforestation, irrigation schemes, building of dams, and urbanization.
Symptoms of Kala-Azar
As per World Health Organisation (WHO), people with Kala-azar can be characterized by
symptoms like irregular bouts of fever, enlargement of the spleen & liver, weight loss, and
anaemia.
Treatment of Kala-Azar
Kala-Azar can be diagnosed by merging the clinical signs with parasitological, or
serological tests like rapid diagnostic tests.
Badminton: PV Sindhu wins Singapore Open title
On July 17, 2022 PV Sindhu acquired the first Super 500 title in her career, after defeating
Asian champion Wang Zhi Yi from China.
Highlights
PV Sindhu secured the title, by defeating Wang Zhi Yi by 21-9, 11-21, 21-15 in the final
of Singapore Open.
The first two games were lop-sided, while the third game became a battle.
This is Sindhu’s first 500 title, since she won the world championship in 2019.
This is also the first 500 title or better final for year 2022.
In year 2022, she has won two titles of Super 300, before this win. However, she has
made to the semi-finals for 7 times and quarters for 10 times in 13 tournaments.
Singapore Open
Singapore Open badminton event has been held every year, in Singapore starting from
1929. The tournament is categorized as one among the seven BWF World Tour Super 500
events by Badminton World Federation. In 2023, it is set to be upgraded to a Super 750

event. The tournament is organised by Singapore Badminton Association, which was
created in 1929 to promote sport and organise competition. The tournament became an
open invitation championship in 1960. In 2007, the tournament became a part of BWF
Super Series event.
Singapore Badminton Association (SBA)
It is the national governing body for badminton. The body is an affiliate of Singapore
National Olympic Council. It was created in 1929, to govern, encourage and develop sports
across the Singapore. SBA is also member of Badminton World Federation (BWF) and
Badminton Asia. As of now, it has 32 member clubs across the country.
Badminton World Federation (BWF)
BWF is the international body, created in 1934, to govern badminton. the International
Olympic Committee (IOC). It was founded as an International Badminton Federation (IBF)
comprising of 9 member nations viz., Canada, France, Ireland, Denmark, England,

Scotland, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Wales.
Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2022
Bharat Rang Mahotsav 2022 is being held from July 16, 2022 to August 14, 2022 in New
Delhi.
Highlights
Year 2022 is making the 22nd edition of the Bharat Rang Mahotsav.
It is being held as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, under name “22nd Bharat Rang
Mahotsav 2022 (Azadi Segment).
Event was inaugurated by Arjun Ram Meghwal, Malini Awasthi, and Arvind Kumar.
Who is organising the event?
22nd Bharat Rang Mahotsav is being held by National School of Drama (NSD) New Delhi.
Aim of the event
22nd edition of the event aims to showcase incidents and raise awareness about unsung
heroes of India’s freedom struggle who have not made to India’s history. For instance, in
1913, tribal people were brutally tortured and killed in Maangarh. But this incident is
hardly known to people. Thus, theatre artists can prepare plays based on these incidents.
About Bharat Rang Mahotsav
National School of Drama started the Bharat Rang Mahotsav two decade ago, in a bid to
revive the growth and development of theatre across India. It is a national festival, that is
held annually to showcase the work of most creative theatre workers in country.
National School of Drama (NSD)
NSD is a theatre training institute, based in New Delhi. It was established in 1959 as an
autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture. Sangeet Natak Akademi had set up
the school. In 1975, NSD became an independent school. It was given the status of
deemed university in 2005. However, this status was revoked in 2011. Currently, Paresh
Rawal is the Chairperson of NSD.
NHA Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Hackathon Series

The National Health Authority (NHA) recently organised the “Ayushman Bharat Digital
Mission Hackathon Series.
Highlights
It was the first organising first hackathon under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
Hackathon Series.
The hackathon was concluded on July 17, 2022.
Events were organised at Smart City Operations Centre, Pune, in a hybrid format.
Who organised the hackathon?
The hackathon was organised as a part of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) in
coordination with the Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSCDCL) and
Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Agenda of the hackathon
During the hackathon, several teams comprising of innovators, data experts and
developers joined physically and virtually. They collaborated and built innovative solutions.
Hackathon also focussed on mobilizing health Start-up ecosystem in country. This
objective was fulfilled by bringing the organisations and individuals together for
developing innovative solutions.
Prize pool
For Round 1-Kickstarting UHI (Unified Health Interface)’, Rs 60,00,000 has been fixed as
tentative prize pool. Organisations or individuals will be awarded for developing
innovative solutions. Their solutions will be assessed by independent jury. The prize will be
given to top performers in each challenge track, under two themes:
1. Innovation Track: Under this theme, organisations or individuals are required to
find innovative solutions to power digital health in open network across multiple use
cases like ambulance booking, teleconsultation, physical consultation booking and
lab tests booking.
2. Integration Track:Under this theme, organisations and individuals have been
challenged to accelerate development of applications which are compatible with UHI.
They have also been asked to integrate these applications with applications of other
participants in a bid to enable digital health transactions across UHI network.
National Health Authority (NHA)
NHA is the nodal agency for implementation of India’s flagship scheme called Ayushman
Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). It was set up to implement PM-JAY
at the national level. In the States, State Health Agencies (SHAs) have been established to
implement the scheme.
Cornechiniscus mystacinus: New Tardigrade Species in Kyrgyzstan
Recently, a study was conducted on new specimens of Cornechiniscus, found from
Kyrgyzstan, Argentina and Italy.
About Tardigrades
Tardigrades were first discovered in 1773. They are a diverse group of microscopic
invertebrates. They are best known for their capability to survive in extreme conditions.
The species is also called as water bears or moss piglets. The maximum age of the species
can be 60 years. They grow up to a maximum size of 0.5 mm.
Survival of Tardigrades
Tardigrades can survive for up to 30 years, without food or water. They can also survive
for a few minutes at temperatures below minus 272 degrees Celsius or even at
150 degrees Celsius. At minus 20 degrees Celsius, they can survive for decades. They are
resistant to pressures from 0 atm in space to 1200 atm in Mariana Trench. They can also
withstand the radiation levels up to 5,000-6,200 Gy.
About Cornechiniscus
It is an emblematic genus of large-bodied tardigrades. They are more than 0.3 mm in
length. Members of emblematic genus usually inhabit mosses and lichens with large
amounts of dusty soils. They are exposed to frequent and long drought. The species are
found across all continents, except Antarctica and Australasia.

About Cornechiniscus Mystacinus
In the recent study, it was found that, one tardigrade represented a previously
undiscovered species, called Cornechiniscus Mystacinus. It is the eleventh species of the
genus. The species are commonly found in mountains of Tashkomur in Jalalabat region of
northern Kyrgyzstan. It is found in yellow to dark orange colour. The species has a plump
body; large, round & black crystalline eyes; smooth claws besides a long peribuccal cirri.
INS SINDHUDHVAJ Decommissioned
On July 16, 2022, INS Sindhudhvaj was decommissioned from Indian Navy, after providing
service for 35 years.
About INS Sindhudhvaj
Sindhudhvaj means “flag bearer at sea”.
The crest of the submarine portrays a nurse shark un grey colour.
This Ship was the flag bearer of indigenisation as well as efforts of Indian Navy in
attaining Atma Nirbharta in Sindhughosh class submarines throughout her service in
the Navy.
She is the first ship to operationalise indigenised sonar USHUS, Inertial Navigation
System & Indigenised Torpedo Fire Control System, as well as Indigenised Satellite
Communication systems Rukmani & MSS.
It has also undertaken mating and personnel transfer successfully, with Deep
Submergence Rescue Vessel.
Sindhudhvaj is the only submarine, to receive the CNS Rolling Trophy. Prime Minister
Narendra Modi had awarded the trophy for Innovation.
It was a Sindhughosh-class submarine, in service from 1987.
Sindhughosh-class submarines
Sindhughosh-class submarines are diesel-electric submarines from Kilo-class. They were
designed under Project 877. The submarines were constructed as a part of contract
between Rosvooruzhenie and Indian Ministry of Defence. They have a displacement of
3,000 tonnes, max speed of 18 knots, and the max diving depth of 300 meters. These ships
are capable to go solo with a crew of 53, for 45.
Kilo class submarine
They are diesel-electric attack submarines, designed in 1970s. They were built in Soviet
Union for the Soviet Navy.
Ashish Kumar Chauhan: New NSE chief
Ashish Kumar Chauhan is all set to become the new chief of National Stock Exchange
(NSE).
Key Facts
Candidature of Ashish Kumar Chauhan was cleared by ‘Securities and Exchange
Board of India (SEBI)’.
He will become the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of NSE.
Presently, he is the MD & CEO of the BSE.
His name was cleared after Vikram Limaye resigned the office of MD & CEO of the
NSE.
Now, approval from shareholders will be required in for Ashish Kumar Chauhan to
take charge of NSE.
Background
The NSE had put forward the names of two candidates for the office of MD & CEO.
Four-member internal panel
NSE has formed a four-member internal panel to look after the responsibilities of MD &
CEO until Ashish Kumar Chauhan joins. Members of the committee are:
1. Chief Financial Officer of NSE Yatrik Vin
2. Chief Regulatory Officer Priya Subbaraman
3. Chief Technology & Operations Officer Shiv Kumar Bhasin
4. Chief Enterprise Risk Officer K S Somsundaram.
Ashish Kumar Chauhan at BSE
Ashish Kumar Chauhan is the current MD & CEO of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). This is
his second five-year tenure. His tenure is scheduled to end in November 2022.
Who is Ashish Kumar Chauhan?
Ashish Kumar Chauhan is alumnus of IIT and IIM. His career started at IDBI Bank, before
he moved to NSE. He worked in developing derivatives segment at the NSE, during
1993-2000.
National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE)
NSE is the leading stock exchange in India, headquartered in Mumbai. In 2021, it became
the largest derivatives exchange of the world in terms of number of contracts traded. In
terms of cash equities, NSE is ranked at 4th position. NSE was set up in 1992.
July 19, 2022
Jeddah Summit for Security and Development
On July 16, 2022, the Jeddah Security and Development Summit was organised in Jeddah
city of Saudi Arabia.
Key Facts
The summit marked the presence of leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),
and United States of America.
During the summit, leaders highlighted the historic ties countries share.
It aimed at boosting the countries’ joint cooperation across all the areas.
Agenda of the Summit
During the summit, gulf leaders vindicated the important role played by United
States in their strategic partnerships in Middle East region.
Leaders also recapped their joint vision for a prosperous and peaceful Middle East
and stressed upon the importance of taking all necessary measures in protecting the
security and stability in the region.
Leaders committed for developing the mutual areas of cooperation & integration,
tackling common threats together while sticking to doctrines of good
neighbourliness & mutual respect.

They stressed upon the need of supporting Palestinian economy and UNRWA, that
stands for “United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees”.
During the summit, commitment of building joint projects among the countries to
attain sustainable development, was also renewed.
Global issue of climate change was jointly discussed. Leaders discussed to boost
climate ambition, supporting innovation & partnerships among the countries,
including “Circular Carbon Economy Framework.”
Electrical Grids between GCC and Iraq
Leaders held discussions on sustainable energy. Finalisation of agreements for connecting
electrical grids between Egypt, Jordan, & Iraq, between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) &
Iraq as well as between Saudi Arabia, Jordan & Egypt, was appreciated. They also
applauded the “Saudi Green Initiative” and “Middle East Green Initiative”. Both the
projects were announced by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Combined Task Force 153
During the summit, leaders welcomed the setting up of Combined Task Force 153 and
Task Force 59. Both the task forces have been established to strengthen the joint defence
coordination, improve joint naval defence and tackle the maritime security threats.
National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment
National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment was recently conducted by
“Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG)”, in partnership
with Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG) and National Association of Software &
Service Companies (NASSCOM).
Key Points
In the assessment, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was ranked first under the
Central ministries’ portal.
MHA is followed by “Digital Police portal” of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
MHA was shortlisted for evaluation as parent ministry, while the digital police portal
of NCRB was shortlisted under the services portal of MHA.

National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment
The National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment is done periodically, with the
objective of improving the effectiveness of states and Union Territories as well as Central
government in terms of delivering their online services to citizens. In the assessment,
services portal is assessed along with their parent ministry and department’s portal.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
NCRB is an Indian government agency, which is involved in collecting and analysing crime
data defined under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as Special & Local Laws (SLL). It is
headquartered in New Delhi. Ministry of Home Affairs is its parent ministry. It was
established in 1986, to act as a repository of information related to crime and criminals in
a bid to assist the investigators in linking crime to perpetrators.
National Association of Software & Service Companies (NASSCOM)
NASSCOM is a non-governmental, non-profit trade association and advocacy group in
India. It mainly focuses on technology industry of India. It was set up in 1988.

DoT License for Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON)
Kerala bas become the first and only state in India to launch its own internet service,
Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON).
Key Facts
It was announced by Chief Minister of Kerala, after Department of Telecommunications
granted an Internet Service Provider (ISP) licence to KFON Ltd, to provide internet access
to everyone in state.
About KFON
The Kerala Fibre Optic Network Ltd (KFON) is an initiative of Kerala government, launched
with the aim of eliminating the digital gap in state. According to government,
infrastructure created under this project will complement current telecom ecosystem in
Kerala.
What are the objectives of K-FON?
Important objectives of KFON include-
1. To create core network infrastructure or an information highway, in a bid to provide
non-discriminatory access to all service providers in order for them to augment their
connectivity gap.
2. To provide a reliable, secure and scalable intranet across all government offices,
hospitals and educational institutions.
3. To do partnership with Internet Service Providers, Multiple System Operators and
Telecommunication Service Providers in order to provide free internet to
economically backward households.
What is the basic principle behind KFON?
KFON has been kickstarted with the basic principle of “non -discriminatory” treatment.
Thus, no service provider or business segment will receive preferential treatment, in line
with recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Any internet
provider, at any level of business segment are free to use KFON network for bridging the
connectivity gaps at their core networks.
Significance of KFON
KFON will help in bridging the digital gap. It will complement the existing telecom
ecosystem in Kerala as well as act as perfect catalyst in ranking the state of Kerala as a
Gigabit Economy. This network can be utilized in providing affordable and better
broadband connectivity across households. It will play a critical role in delivering remote
education, providing remote access to healthcare, bringing in job opportunities,
strengthening infrastructure development, sharing information related to e-governance &
agriculture matters etc.
Nelson Mandela Day 2022
The Nelson Mandela International Day is observed on July 18, annually in the
remembrance of Nelson Mandela, who was the first democratically elected President of
South Africa.
Highlights
The Nelson Mandela International Day calls for bringing change in actions of people
and inspiring others.
The day also remembers long years of struggle of Nelson Mandela, to get justice
against apartheid.
It celebrates the legacy of Nelson Mandela who taught to promote peace, to be in
harmony with nature, to have dignity for all and to uphold human rights.
Theme of the day
The Nelson Mandela International Day 2022 was observed under the theme “do what you
can with what you have and where you are”. The theme is significant considering the
geopolitical landscape in eastern Europe, conflicts in Horn of Africa, crisis in Sri Lanka &
Afghanistan, etc. In year 2021, the theme was “One Hand Can Feed Another.”
History of the day
The Nelson Mandela International Day was set up in November 2009, following the
recognition of contributions made by Mandela in bringing peace and fight for freedom, by
UN General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA approved a resolution highlighting the values
and dedication to service of humanity in the midst of conflict resolution, protection of
human rights, race relations, promotion, and fight against poverty. The day is observed on
the birthday of Mandela.
Nelson Mandela Prize
UNGA launched the “Nelson Mandela Prize” in 2014. It is presented to those who
dedicated their lives to humanity.
About Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela was a lawyer, human rights activist, and international promoter of peace.
He was born on July 18, 1918. He was the first democratically elected President of South
Africa. He was orphaned at a young age and claimed the Presidentship early. He was
honoured with Nobel Peace Prize in October 1993. He died aged 95, in 2013.
Presidential Elections- Key Facts

Voting for the presidential election lasted on July 18, 2022. 98.90 percent of electors were
allowed to vote in Parliament house.
Key facts
The election is pitted between NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu and joint opposition
pick Yashwant Sinha.
Polling started with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vote.
According to Election Commission, more than 99 per cent of total electors cast their
ballot.
Out of 736 electors (727 MPs and 9 MLAs), 728 electros (719 MPs and 9 MLAs) cast
their votes.
Counting is scheduled to be done on July 21, 2022.
Background
The term of President Ram Nath Kovind will end on July 24, 2022. According to Presidential
and Vice-Presidential Elections Act 1952, a notification calling for election is issued by
Election Commission on or after 60th day, before the term of current President ends.
Presidential Election in India
In India, The President is elected by the members of an electoral college. The electoral
college comprises of-
Elected members of Lok Sabha (LS)
Elected members of Rajya Sabha (RS)
Elected members of Legislative Assemblies of states, including Delhi and Puducherry.
The nominated members from both the House of Parliament or Legislative Assemblies are
not eligible to cast vote or they are not the members of electoral college. Thus, the
electoral college comprises of 543 members of LS, 233 members of RS and 4120 members
of Legislative Assemblies.
Voting Process
Voting in the Presidential election is done on the basis of “system of proportional
representation” through single transferable vote. No election symbol is put on the ballot
paper. But it comprises of two columns. First column comprises of the name of candidates
while second column has the order of preference. Members of electoral college are
supposed to mark their preference against each candidate. Later, votes are counted.
Members do not abstain from voting. Ballot paper is not cancelled in case preference is
not properly marked.
Indian Navy ‘SPRINT Challenges’
The “SPRINT Challenges” were launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled for
Indian Navy, on July 18, 2022.
Highlights
SPRINT Challenge were launched during Swavlamban seminar in New Delhi. The seminar
was organised by “Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO)”.
What are SPRINT Challenges?
SPRINT Challenges were launched with the aim of increasing the usage of
indigenous technology in Indian Navy.
NIIO have planned to achieve ‘Aarmanirbharta’ in defence. Thus, it has aimed to
launch 75 new indigenous technologies or products in the Indian Navy, in
collaboration with the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO).
NIIO-DIO collaborative project has been named as SPRINT, that stands for
“Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX),
NIIO and Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC)”.
Swavlamban seminar
It is a two-day seminar, being held on July 18-19 2022. It is aimed at engaging Indian
industry and academia for achieving self-reliance in Defence sector. The seminar will
provide a common platform for leaders from Academia, Industry, Services and
Government, in a bid to ideate and make recommendations for Defence Sector. Sessions
dedicated to Innovation, Armament, Aviation and Indigenisation were held. It will also
witness outreach to Indian Ocean Region, in order with SAGAR Vision of Indian
government.
Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO)
Defence Ministry had launched the NIIO in August 2020, to encourage innovation and
indigenisation for self-reliance in defence sector, in line with the vision of Atmanirbhar
Bharat. It is a three-tiered organisation:
1. Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC)- Created to bring the double
aspects of innovation and indigenisation together besides providing apex level
directives.
2. Working group– Created under the N-TAC, for implementing the projects.
3. Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC)– Created to induct new
disruptive technology in accelerated time frame.
NTPC- Indian Oil Joint venture firm
NTPC has inked an agreement with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to create a joint venture
company, in a bid to meet the power requirements for upcoming projects of IOC
refineries.
Highlights
Both the entities have joined hands with the objective of increasing the usage and
capacity of renewable energy sources in India.
As per plan. renewable energy-based power plants will be set-up by NTPC Green
Energy (NGEL) for Indian Oil refineries.
NGEL will act as an umbrella company, to consolidate NTPC’s total renewable energy
businesses.
Indian Oil seeks to fulfil the additional power requirement of its refineries through
renewable energy equal to 650MW by December 2024 through the joint venture.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
IOCL is an oil and gas explorer and producer in India. It is headquartered in New Delhi. It
is a public sector undertaking. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is the parent
organisation, to look after the operations of IOCL. In the Fortune Global 500 list of biggest
corporations of the world, Indian Oil has been ranked at 212th position. It is the largest
government owned oil corporation in India. Subsidiaries of IOCL have been set up in Sri
Lanka (Lanka IOC), Middle East (IOC Middle East FZE) and Mauritius (Indian Oil (Mauritius)
Ltd).
NTPC Limited
NTPC is an Indian public sector undertaking, that generates electricity and involved in
other allowed activities. It is headquartered in New Delhi. Core function of NTPC is to
generate and distribute electricity to State Electricity Boards in India. Government of India
had established NTPC in 1975.
US: Waiver to India against CAATSA sanctions
US House of Representatives passed an amendment, that approves waiver to India

against CAATSA Sanctions.
Key Facts
Amendment was passed by voice vote.
It provides waiver to India, under CAATSA sanctions, to purchase S-400 missile
defence system from Russia.
US’s waiver is directed towards countering China.
Amendment was passed during floor consideration of National Defence
Authorisation Act (NDAA).
About CAATSA Amendment
CAATSA amendment was prepared and introduced by Indian-American Congressman Ro
Khanna. The amendment asks the Joe Biden administration to provide waiver to India
under CAATSA, in order to help deter aggressor countries like China.
What is CAATSA?
CAATSA stands for Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. The law
authorises US administration to put sanctions on countries, which purchase major defence
equipment from Russia. This act was passed in 2017, to respond against Russia’s
annexation of Crimea in 2014 as well as and Russia’s interference in the 2016 US
presidential elections. US government are free to take punitive actions, under CAATSA,
against countries involved in transactions with Russian defence & intelligence sectors.
India-Russia S-400 Deal
India and Russia had inked USD 5 billion deal, to purchase five units of S-400 air defence
missile systems, even though US had warned India. S-400 is the most advanced long-
range surface-to-surface air missile defence system of Russia. In previous instance, US has
put sanctions on Turkey under the CAATSA, when it purchased a batch of S-400 missile
defence systems from Russia.
Rajasthan: AI-based Lok Adalat

Chairman of NALSA, Uday Umesh Lalit, launched India’s First AI-powered, end-to-end
digital Lok Adalat in Rajasthan.
About AI-based Lok Adalat
The AI-based Lok Adalat was launched during 18th All India Legal Services
Authorities’ Meet. It was held in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
The digital Lok Adalat has been designed and developed by the technology partner
Jupitice Justice Technologies of Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (RSLSA 22).
Significance of the AI-based Lok Adalat
In India, the number of pending cases is increasing over the years. Covid-19 pandemic
induced lockdown has further led to addition of pending cases. Recently, in Bihar, district
court gave its verdict in a land dispute case after 108 years. It was one of the oldest
pending cases in India. According to NITI Aayog report, it would take an around 324 years
to dispose of all current pending cases in country. NITI Aayog report further states that,
75% to 97% of justiciable problems do not reach to the Courts. Thus, 5 million to 40 million
people never reach to Court every month.
Role of Jupitice
Jupitice is the world’s first Justice Technology company. It has been working with several
quasi-judicial bodies and ADR centres across India, in a bid to transform and reboot
dispute resolution ecosystem, digitally. Jupitice has developed the “digital Lok Adalat”, to
fill the existing justice gap and to address problems of digital divide. It seeks to ensure
that justice reaches to common people even in remotest villages by means of mobile,
CSCs, and web.
About Digital Lok Adalat
The Digital Lok Adalat will help in disposing off the pending disputes or disputes which are
at the pre-litigation stage. Cases will be disposed-off by Rajasthan State Legal Service
Authority. This platform will provide end-to-end dispute resolution processes like- easy
drafting & filing of applications, smart templates to formulate settlement agreements,
one-click generation of e-notices, digital hearings through tailor-made video conferencing
tools, etc.
James Webb telescope: Discovery of water on distant planet
James Webb Telescope will help in discovery of water on distant planet. This telescope will
help the researchers in measuring the chemical makeup of atmospheres of planets across
other stars. Researchers hope that, one or more of the planets will show chemical
signature of life.
Highlights
According to researchers, Life might exist in solar system where there is liquid water.
For instance, on subsurface aquifers on Mars or in oceans of Europa (Jupiter’s
moon).
However, search of life across these places is difficult, as it is hard to reach there.
In order to detect life, scientists would need to send a probe which can return to
Earth with physical sample.

Theoretical calculations
According to theoretical calculations, there are about 300 million potentially habitable
planets alone in Milky Way galaxy. Astronomers have discovered more than 5,000
exoplanets till date, of which hundreds are potentially habitable planets. using indirect
methods that measure how a planet affects its nearby star.
How will scientists detect life on distant planet?
Astrobiologists will study about starlight, that has interacted with surface or atmosphere
of a plant, in a bid to detect life on distant planet. If the surface or atmosphere was
transformed by life, the light will carry a clue “biosignature.”
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
It is a space telescope, that has been designed specifically to conduct infrared astronomy.
It is the largest optical telescope in space. Its improved sensitivity and infrared resolution
allow it to look too old, distant, or faint objects for Hubble Space Telescope. It was
launched on December 25, 2021 from Kourou in French Guiana, on an Ariane 5 rocket.
July 20, 2022
Sanjay Agarwal Committee on MSP
Union Government has constituted “Sanjay Agarwal Committee on Minimum Support
Price (MSP)”, to make it more effective and transparent. Committee has been created
around eight months later the three farm Acts were repealed.
Members of the Panel
The committee will be headed by Sanjay Agarwal.
Other members of the committee include:
1. Member of NITI Aayog, Ramesh Chand
2. Professor of IIM Ahmedabad, Sukhpal Singh
3. Chairman of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative, Dilip Sanghani
4. Secretary of Department of Agriculture
5. Secretary of Department of Indian Council of Agricultural Research
6. Secretary of Food and Consumer Affairs
7. Secretary of Cooperation and Textiles
8. Representatives from state governments of Karnataka, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, and
Odisha.
Background
Sanjay Agarwal Committee has been created, keeping the promise made to farmers when
they were protesting against the controversial farm acts. Government had assured to
form a committee to consider their demand for legalising MSP.
Tasks given to the committee
The Sanjay Agarwal committee has been tasked to make suggestions, in a bid to
provide greater autonomy to “Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices”. This
move is directed towards strengthening agricultural marketing system, in line with
changing requirements of India.
Committee would deal with issues related to natural farming, including:

1. Formulating strategies to make krishi vigyan kendras and other R&D institutions as
knowledge centres on natural farming,
2. Established a chain of laboratories, to provide organic certification to products
produced by natural farming.
Committee will also work on crop diversification, in order to take farmers out of
wheat and rice cycles.
It will finally map the existing cropping patterns of producer and consumer and help
in creating a system to provide remunerative prices for sale of new crops.
What is Karakoram Anomaly?
Recently, Researchers unravelled why some areas of glaciers in the Karakoram Range are
going against the worldwide trend of glacial melt due to climate change.
Highlights
Even in Himalayas, glaciers are losing mass.

Researchers linked this phenomenon to “resurgence of western disturbances
(WDs)”.
The phenomenon of Karakoram not losing glacier mass, is known as Karakoram
Anomaly”.
What is the issue?
In India, Himalayan glaciers are very significant, specifically for people living downstream.
They depend on perennial rivers for daily water needs. However, due to global warming
and climate change, the water bodies are rapidly disappearing. On the other hand,
glaciers in central Karakoram have remained the same. In fact, they have risen slightly in
past few decades. This phenomenon is restricted to a relatively small area. Apart from
Karakoram range, similar or comparable phenomenon can be witnessed from Kunlun
ranges.
About the New Study
Recently, a study was published in American meteorological Society’s Journal of Climate,
explaining about the unusual pattern in Karakoram range. Researchers are claiming that,
revival of western disturbances is the main factor of triggering and sustaining Karakoram
Anomaly since the 21st century started. For the first time, this research brought forth the
significance that increased Western disturbances precipitation during accumulation
period modulates the regional climatic anomalies.
The Karakoram Range
The Karakoram Range is located in Kashmir, spreading across the borders of Pakistan,
China, and India. In northwest, it spreads to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Most part of the
Karakoram Mountain range lies in Gilgit-Baltistan, the region controlled by Pakistan. K2 is
the highest peak of Karakoram range, which is also the world’s second highest peak.
Telangana- UNDP MoU on DiCRA
Government of Telangana recently announced “Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture
(DiCRA)” as a part of Digital Public Goods Alliance, in association with the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP).

What is DiCRA?
DiCRA is the latest addition to Digital Public Goods Registry.
This platform is powered by Artificial Intelligence and aims to strengthen food
systems and food security.
It is important milestone in Government’s commitment towards open data policy,
anticipatory governance to tackle global challenge of food security and service
delivery to farmers.
DiCRA supply intelligence on climate resilience at farm-level.
Significance of the platform
DiCRA is a digital solution, launched with the aim of attain the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs). It will help farmers in reducing the effects of climate change on crops &
livestock, improving the resilience of their livelihoods, and wider food security. This is first-
of-its kind digital solution, launched to bring stakeholders like data scientists,
organizations, government, and citizens together, with the objective of promoting open
innovation & strengthening climate resilience in agriculture.
How will DiCRA help in mitigating climate change impact?
Climate change affects the crop yield, nutritional quality as well as livestock productivity.
DiCRA will help in identifying which farms are resilient to climate change and which are
highly vulnerable, using its remote sensing and pattern detection algorithms. It will use
open-source technologies for facilitating analysis and insights sharing on climate
resilience. It will provide the vital data and analytics to farmers in India and by this enable
the farmers to reduce the climate change effects on crops and livestock.
Effects of climate change on agriculture
In India, agriculture is vulnerable to climate change. High temperature reduces the crop
yields, while favours the weed and pest proliferation. Climate change negatively effects
the irrigated crop yields across agro-ecological regions because of increasing temperature
and changing pattern of water availability.
India-UNDP Collaborations
UNDP has been collaborating in various areas with different State Governments in India.
For example:
1. UNDP and Odisha government partnered for water management,
2. UNDP is working with governments and innovators for creating digital public goods
of the future.
3. UNDP and Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare inked MoU, under which UNDP
provides technical support to Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
scheme and Kisan Credit Card.
National Standards for Civil Service Training Institutions
On July 18, 2022, Union government unveiled the “National Standards for Civil Service
Training Institutions (NSCSTI)”, with the aim of raising their quality and capacity.
Key Facts
NSCSTI was launched at the headquarter of Capacity Building Commission.
With this, India has become the world’s first country to launch a unique model for
creating a national level standard for civil service training institutions.
A web portal and approach paper for national standards were also unveiled, during
the launch event
How will national standards raise capacity and quality?
Capacity Building Commission develops the national standards to,
1. Formulate a baseline for central training institutes on their current capacity
2. To elevate quality and capacity of training delivery and
3. To harmonise standards for training.
These standards will also lay down aspirations for training institutions, to endeavour
towards excellence.
Capacity Building Commission
Capacity Building Commission was created as a part of Mission Karmayogi for civil
servants. The commission comprises of experts in related fields and global professionals.
It will help in preparing and monitoring annual capacity building plans as well as audit
human resources present in the government.
Mission Karmayogi
Mission Karmayogi is a “National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building
(NPCSCB)”. It was launched to build a future-ready civil service with right skill, knowledge
and attitude. The scheme seeks to prepare civil servants in India for future by making
them more constructive, creative, imaginative, innovative, progressive and technology-
enabled.
Why was Mission Karmayogi launched?
Indian bureaucracy is facing several challenges such as political interference, rule
orientation, promotional inefficiency and generalist & specialist conflict. Thus, this mission
was launched to make changes in status quo of civil services.
Who will be covered under the scheme?
Mission Karmayogi will cover 46 lakh central government employees. It has been launched
at an outlay of Rs. 510 crores for a period of five-years.
RBI: Four-tiered regulatory for Urban Cooperative Banks
On July 19, 2022, a simple four-tiered regulatory framework was adopted by the Central
Bank, for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs).
Key Facts
The RBI adopted the framework on the basis of size of deposits.
This move is aimed at strengthening their financial soundness.
N. S. Vishwanathan Committee
1. S. Vishwanathan Committee was created to make recommendations on
strengthening the Urban Co-operative Banks. It had recommended to adopt four-
tiered regulatory framework, on the basis of size of deposits of banks and area of
operations. Committee had recommended a differentiated regulatory approach for

key parameters like net worth, branch expansion, Capital to Risk-weighted Assets
Ratio (CRAR) and exposure limits. It had also suggested for ‘membership to an
Umbrella Organisation’.
Which recommendations have been adopted?
The central bank accepted following recommendations of the committee.
1. Simple four-tiered regulatory framework has been adopted, with differentiated
regulatory prescriptions.
2. Minimum net worth of Rs 2 crore has been specified for Tier 1 UCBs operational in
single district and Rs 5 crore has been specified for all other UCBs (across all tiers).
CRAR framework
Currently, a minimum Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) requirement of 9% is retained for Tier
1 banks, based on Basel I. For Tier 2, Tier 3 and Tier 4 UCBs, RBI has decided to increase
minimum CAR to 12%, in a bid to strengthen their capital structure.

Automatic Route for Branch Expansion
The RBI will also initiate automatic route for branch expansion of UCBs, meeting some
specific norms. This move will bring in growth opportunities in the sector.
Umbrella Organisation for UCB sector
The N. S. Vishwanathan Committee had recommended for membership to an Umbrella
Organisation (UO) in UCB sector. RBI will examine this recommendation, after the entity is
fully operational.
New Technologies used in Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
Union Government had launched the “Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-I (PMGSY-I)”,
to provide rural connectivity. As of July 13, 2022, road length of 6,45,566 km has been
sanctioned and 6,17,013 km has been completed.
PMGSY phase I
PMGSY phase I was launched as a one-time special intervention to impart rural
connectivity, by providing a single all-weather road.
All the eligible unconnected areas of designated population size were connected
under the scheme. Pain areas with 500+ population and Himalayan States,
Himalayan UTs and North-Eastern States with 250+ population have been connected.
PMGSY Phase II
PMGSY Phase II was launched in 2013, in a bid to consolidate the existing Rural Road
Network, for improving efficiency as transportation services providers as well as vehicle of
socio-economic development. Under the phase two, Selected Through Routes and Major
Rural Links (MRLs) were upgraded. Target was set to upgrade 50,000 Km across the states
and Union Territories.
PMGSY Phase III
PMGSY Phase III was approved by central government in 2019. It mainly focuses on
consolidating 125000 Km existing through routes and Major Rural Links which connect
habitations to Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Hospitals and Higher Secondary
Schools.
New technologies used under PMGSY
Under PMGSY, government has been taking several steps to ensure efficiency. One such
step is “use of new or green technologies”. Use of new or green technologies is helping
the agencies to save carbon footprint as well as save fuel. Using the green technology,
roads are constructed economically. It also helps in effective disposal of different
industrial and municipal waste. This in turn saves the environment.
Guidelines on technology Initiatives
Guidelines on technology initiatives were issued by NRIDA in May 2013. These guidelines
were directed towards promotion of cost-effective and fast construction technologies in
constructing the rural roads by using new materials or locally available materials or Waste
materials. This initiative has helped in launching over 40 technologies including cold mix
technology, waste plastics, stabilization using cement & lime, cell filled concrete, full Depth
Reclamation and nanotechnology.

Himachal Pradesh: First to connect all VLTD vehicles with ERSS
Himachal Pradesh has become India’s first state to connect the Vehicle Location Tracking
Device (VLTD) with the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS).
Highlights
All the registered commercial vehicles equipped with VLRD will be connected with
ERSS.
Through this mechanism, these vehicles can be tracked anywhere in India.
Over 9,423 vehicles have been registered and connected with ERSS.
Under this mechanism, both Police and transport department can now monitor the
vehicles.
This system was launched by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur at Peterhof, in Shimla.
Panic Button for safety
Chief Minister also launched the facility of panic button for women’s and child’s safety in
public vehicles. Vehicle Location Tracking Device, comprising of Emergency Panic Button
System and Command Control Centre has been linked with the Emergency Response
Support System 112. When this panic button is pressed at the time of distress, it would
send a signal through satellite to 112. Following this, the system will connect the person in
distress and alert the police.
Significance of the system
Establishment of this monitoring centre or command control centre would help in
detecting the theft of vehicles and vehicle accidents easily.
It would easy to monitor the movement of vehicle, in order to ensure safety of
women and children.
This innovative initiative would make roads in states more safe and secure.
VLTD System in Punjab
Government of Punjab has also decided to introduce the “Vehicle Location Tracking
Device (VLTD)” system in all the passenger service vehicles (PSV). This mechanism will be
introduced from August 1, 2022 in order to monitor the vehicles effectively.

Cut in Windfall Tax on petrol, diesel, ATF
On July 20, 2022, Union government reduced the windfall tax on petrol, diesel, crude oil
and jet fuel, following the cut in international rates.
Highlights
Windfall tax on diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) has been reduced by Rs 2 per
litre and that on export of petrol has been reduced by Rs 6 per litre.
Tax on ATF has been reduced from Rs 6 per litre to Rs 4 per litre. On the other hand,
tax on diesel has been reduced from Rs 13 per litre to Rs 11 per litre.
Tax on crude oil produced domestically has been reduced from Rs 23,250 per tonne
to Rs 17,000 per tonne.
Ministry of Finance also imposed a cess of Rs 23,250 per tonne on domestically
produced crude oil, on July 1, 2022.
Background
India imposed the windfall tax on refiners and oil producers on July 1, 2022. These refiners
and oil producers had increased product exports to get profit from higher overseas
margins. It also applied export levy on the products.
What is windfall tax?
Windfall tax is a one-off tax, which is imposed by a government on a company. The tax
targets those who are gaining from something they were not responsible for. This tax is a
higher tax rate on sudden huge profits. Domestic producers sell crude oil at international
parity prices, to the domestic refiners. Thus, they make windfall gains and attracts windfall
tax. It is a one-time tax more than the normal rates of tax, imposed on profits.
Why had government imposed windfall tax?
In the aftermath of Russian-Ukraine conflict, energy companies are gaining profit from
sale or export of oil. There is no any improvement in their domestic processes. Thus,
governments are imposing windfall tax on profits being earned by these companies. This
tax will help in boosting government’s finances as well as help in funding the efforts being
made by government for protecting vulnerable sections from inflation.
Conclave on India Africa Growth Partnership
On July 19, 2022, Union Commerce and Industry minister Piyush Goyal attended the
“Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)-Exim Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth
Partnership”.
Key Facts
During the conclave, he called to strengthen and expand India-Africa ties.
According to him, India can present emerging technologies to expand commerce
investment, trade, and opportunities for youth of Africa.
He highlighted the immense possibilities between both the countries and asked the
countries to expand the bilateral relation.
The Conclave showcased how India can play a significant role in economic
development of countries in Africa. India can help in skill development in industries,
financial inclusion, employment, creation of infrastructure, providing connectivity by

increasing penetration of telecom networks besides fulfilling the basic needs of
people across the African continent.
India-Africa Cooperation
India and Africa shared a strong partnership during COVID-19 pandemic. Both the
countries extended support to several other countries through the vaccine Maitri
program. After pandemic, India and Africa are showing signs of recovery, resilience and
renewal. They can work in guiding cost-effective solutions in several areas including
logistics, drinking water, education, healthcare, solar power and fintech.
Four Areas of Aspirations
During the conclave, Piyush Goyal highlighted four areas of cooperation, which can help in
fulfilling the aspirations of both the countries:
1. Solar power- to bring clean energy, Energy security and Jobs in Africa
2. Defence trade
3. Physical and digital infrastructure, and
4. Co-creating a start-up ecosystem.
About CII-Exim Bank event
The CII-Exim Bank event was inaugurated in 2005 with the help of Ministry of External
Affairs and Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Till date, 16 editions have been organised.
Conclave has been playing a significant role in encouraging companies in India to
establish and strengthen their footprints in Africa.
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
It is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group. Headquarter of CII is
situated in New Delhi. It was established in 1895.
July 21, 2022
What are key features of India Innovation Index 2021?
Third edition of the India Innovation Index released by NITI Aayog on July 21, 2022. The
index assesses performance of states in innovation ecosystem on the basis of NITI
Aayog’s ranking released the previous year. 2021 report was prepared in the backdrop of
covid-19 pandemic.
Key Features of India Innovation Index 2021 can be summed up as:
1. The index inspects the innovation capacities and ecosystems across states, at the
sub-national level.
2. It highlights recent factors and catalysts, in a bid to promote covid-19 like crisis-
driven innovation.
3. It provides a more comprehensive outlook to measure innovation performance
across country based on 66 new & unique indicators, as opposed to 36 indicators in
India Innovation Index 2020.
4. To compare the performance of States and UTs, it has categorised them into 17
major states, 9 UTs and 10 northeast & hill states.
5. In Major State’s category, Karnataka (Score 18.01) has been ranked at first position.
It is followed by Telangana and Haryana. Chhattisgarh has been ranked last with
score 10.97.
6. Among North-Eastern & Hilly States, Manipur (19.37) was ranked as best performer.
Uttarakhand and Meghalaya have been ranked at second and third. Nagaland (Score
11) ranked at last position.
7. Among Union Territories and City-States, Chandigarh (Score 27.88) has been ranked
as top performer, which is followed by Delhi (Score 27.00). Ladakh remained at the
bottom with a score of 5.91.
Thus, the India Innovation Index 2021 provides state-wise rankings on the basis of
innovation landscape and performance of states and union territories in India. This edition
has been prepared on the basis of Global Innovation Index, which is published by World
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), on annual basis. It is based on 7 pillars viz.,
human capital, investment, business environment, safety & legal environment, knowledge
workers, knowledge output, and knowledge diffusion.

What is EU-India Human Rights Dialogues?
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The 10 EU-India Human Rights Dialogue was organised on July 15, 2022 in New Delhi. On
the occasion, both India and the EU restated their commitment of protecting and
promoting all human rights.
Highlights of the EU-India Human Rights Dialogues:
India and EU highlighted the indivisibility, universality, interrelatedness and
interdependence of human rights.
Participants from India and EU discussed on several human rights and presented
their approaches, efforts and achievements made in India and the EU, since the EU-
India Human Rights Dialogues of 2021.
They exchanged their views and concerns related to civil and political rights, freedom
of religion or belief, rights of minorities & vulnerable groups, freedom of expression
& opinion, Children’s rights, women empowerment, Migrant’s rights, LGBTQI+ rights,
use of technology in democracy & human rights, issues of security & human rights,
co-operation in public health and humanitarian assistance & disaster relief.
India and EU agreed on significance of safeguarding freedom, independence and
diversity of civil society actors like journalists.
Greater Cooperation on Human rights
Both the sides expressed the need for greater cooperation on the basis of international
human rights laws and standards. Implementation of UN Guiding Principles on Business &
Human Rights were also updated during the dialogue. They discussed the recent
initiatives launched in respective countries. For instance, India updated on status of
“National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights”, on which both sides have agreed
to deepen cooperation.
Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
They restated their commitment towards multilateralism, including Universal Periodic
Review (UPR) mechanism, and significance of enhancing cooperation on human rights at

international forum, specifically at UN General Assembly and UN Human Rights Council
(UNHRC).
What are current trends in inward remittances in India?
India recently became the largest recipient of remittances worldwide. As per World Bank,
it received USD 87 billion in 2021, accounting for a growth of 4.6%. India is followed by
China and Mexico, each accounting for USD 53 billion remittances.
If we were to talk about current trends in India’s inward remittances
In India, the overall inward remittances remained adaptable during the pandemic
situation.
However, there can be witnessed a big shift now.
As per survey of central bank, share of remittances from Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC), inward remittances in India have decreased from over 50% in 2016- 17 to 30
per cent in 2020- 21.

Remittances from Gulf countries to India declines due to migration from India to
GCC region, strict labour laws, high work permit renewal fees, slow-moving oil prices,
and taxes.
Share of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has reduced to half in 2020-2021. Earlier,
these states were dominating in GCC region and were big contributors in terms of
remittance. These states now account for 25% of total remittances since 2016-17.
Maharashtra has become the largest recipient state, leaving behind Kerala.
Advanced economies have emerged as big sources of remittances to India, in the midst of
steady migration of skilled workers. The US, the UK and Singapore accounts for 36% of
total remittances in 2020-21. The US, with 23% of total remittances, left behind the UAE as
top source of remittances to India. According to World Bank, economic recovery in the US
was an important factor of India’s remittances growth.
What is WhatsApp banking? How does it work?
Recently, the State Bank of India launched its “WhatsApp Banking Services”. This service
will help SBI customers to avail some of the banking services on WhatsApp. This will make
banking easier for the customers as it will reduce the need of downloading the SBI app or
going to ATM anymore. This service can be availed by sending a “Hi” Message on
+919022690226.
SBI WhatsApp Banking Service will help their customers,
To check their Account Balance and get Mini Statement on WhatsApp.
By ensuring seamless and secure integration between systems of banks and
customers. It will facilitate easy data transfer between both the ends.
To do specific banking transactions.
WhatsApp-based services will also be available to SBI’s credit card holders, under the
name “SBI Card WhatsApp connect”. Through this service, SBI credit card customers
would be able to check account summary, outstanding balance, reward points and make
card payments.
Application Programming Interface (API)
SBI will also launch API banking for corporate clients and aggregators. Under this system
APIs are used to communicate between bank and client servers.
About WhatsApp Banking
WhatsApp had rolled out the payment services in India in 2020, after getting approval
from National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in July 2017. NPCI also imposed a cap
of 30% of total transactions being done through Unified Payments Interface (UPI), in effect
from January 1, 2021. WhatsApp users can send money on WhatsApp through UPI
supported app, without knowing the bank information of the recipient.
What is Jayant Kumar Banthia Commission?
On July 20, 2022, The Supreme Court of India accepted the report of Jayant Kumar Banthia
Commission. Court also gave direction to Maharashtra State Election Commission to hold
elections in accordance with the report. It also directed to take steps for holding the
stalled elections in the state, on urgent basis and asked to announce the schedule for
Election in next two weeks. The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Rahul Wagh in
2021, against the reservation.
Highlights of the Jayant Kumar Banthia Commission report include:
This report has paved way for candidates who belong to Other Backward Classes in
Local Bodies’ Elections in Maharashtra.
Commission has recommended to provide 27& reservation in local bodies. This
recommendation has been accepted by the supreme court. Thus, OBCs will get 27%
political reservation in local self-government elections to be held in state.
As per report, reservation should be provided to OBCs in proportion to their
population in each local body. However, this reservation should not affect the
statutory reservation for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. It is subject to
reservation limit of 50%.
As per commission, the backward class of citizens (including OBCs) accounts for 37%
of the total population. But it is different in each of the local body.
Jayant Kumar Banthia Commission is a six-member commission, set up by Maharashtra
government in March 2022, to look into matter of reservation of Other Backward Classes
(OBCs) in local bodies. It submitted its report on July 7, 2022.
What are NITI Aayog proposals for regulation of Digital Banks?
On July 20, 2022, NITI Aayog released a report on digital banks titled “A proposal for
Digital Banks in India: Licensing and Regulatory Regime’’ In the report, government’s
think tank has provided template and roadmap for licensing and regulatory regime for
India. NITI Aayog prepared this report on the basis of inter-ministerial consultations
Important features of the report include:
1. NITI Aayog report seeks to avoid regulatory or policy arbitrage and provide a level
playing field to incumbents and competitors.
2. It studies the gaps and niches which remain underserved as well as the best
practices of licensing digital banks, considering the need of supporting technology in

an effective way. This move seeks to cater the needs of banking in India.
3. It also maps prevalent business models in the digital domain and highlights
challenges faced by ‘partnership model’ of neo-banking.
The NITI Aayog report presents following recommendations:
1. Report recommends to issue a restricted digital bank licence (to a given applicant).
License will be restricted with respect to volume/value of customers serviced.
2. It also recommends to enlist the licensee in a regulatory sandbox framework,
provided by the RBI.
3. It asks to Issue full-scale digital bank licence.
In the report, the methodology used to provide licensing and regulatory template is based
on ‘digital bank regulatory index’. It comprises four factors viz., entry barriers,
competition, business restrictions and technological neutrality.
About Digital Bank

The digital bank would be a bank defined in accordance with the Banking Regulation Act,
1949. It will have its own balance sheet and legal existence. Digital banks are different
from 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs). DBUs were announced in Union Budget 2022-23.
What is ‘imported’ human embryo? Why the government has banned import of human embryo?
On July 20, 2022, Union government restricted the import of human embryos in
accordance with the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 and Assisted Reproductive
Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021. Before this, such imports were restricted or prohibited
except for research purposes.
Important features of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021
include:
Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill 2020 was passed in December
2021.
It asks to constitute a “national registry and registration authority”. This authority
looks after the clinics and medical professionals serving in India.
Act defines ART to include all techniques which tries to obtain pregnancy by handling
sperm outside the human body and then transferring the embryo into reproductive
system of a woman.
Some of the ART services are- in-vitro-fertilization, gamete donation, and gestational
surrogacy.
ART Procedures:
Under the ART procedures, eggs are removed from woman’s ovaries by surgery. It is then
combined with sperm in the laboratory. Following this, it is either injected to woman’s
body or are donated to another woman. Such treatments handle woman’s egg as well as
man’s sperm. This procedure is used to treat infertility.Ban on Embryos Import:
There are many Indian couples, who freeze their egg or embryos in foreign countries.
Once they move to India, they think of going through IVF and bring the embryos back.
Such embryos are called as “Imported” Human Embryo. In India, importing embryo is
considered an illegal act. India had banned the import of embryo, ovum or sperm in 2015.
However, exception was given for research purposes. Government banned the import of
embryos because several parents want a child with “non-Indian looks”. This was leading
to illegal import, in which IVF clinics were also involved.
What is India-Namibia MoU on Cheetah Restoration?
On July 20, 2022, India and Namibia inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to
reintroduction cheetahs in historical range in India. 8 Cheetahs (4 males and 4 females)
are likely to reach India, in August 2022. They will be reintroduced in Kuno National Park of
Madhya Pradesh.
Highlights of the MoU include;
It seeks to promote conservation and restoration of cheetahs in the historical range,
where they are extinct species now.
India and Namibia will collaborate on areas including climate change, environmental
governance, pollution, waste management, and environmental impact assessments,
pollution and waste management, as a part of the MoU.
MoU was inked with the goal of establishing viable cheetah metapopulation across
India, allowing the species to perform its functional role of top predator.
Cheetah Restoration Plan:
India has planned to introduce 8 to 10 cheetahs each year.
In next five years, a total 50 cheetahs will be relocated to India from Namibia, South
Africa and other African countries.
About Cheetah:
The cheetah is scientifically known as Acinonyx jubatus. The large cat is native to Africa
and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, running at the speed of 80 to 128 km/h. They
can be found in variety of habitats like savannahs of Serengeti, arid mountain ranges of
Sahara and hilly desert terrain of Iran. In the IUCN Red list, Cheetah is listed in Vulnerable
category.
What are highlights of Basic Road Statistics in India 2018-19?
Transport Research Wing of Ministry of Road Transport & Highways released its annual
publication “The Basic Road Statistics of India 2018-19”, on the road sector. This edition
presents information regarding different facets of road statistics across India, during
2018-19.
Important findings of the 2018-19 report include:
India has a network of more than 63,31,757 kilometres of roads, as on March 2019.
This figure is second highest worldwide.
During 1950-51 to 2018-19, construction of roads under several categories has
increased consistently.
From 2018 to 2019, it witnessed the growth of 1.9 percent, in terms of road
construction.
Road transport dominated the transport sector in India. It contributed 3.06% to GVA
as compared to total transport sector contribution of 4.58% for 2019-20. Share of
Railways stands at 0.74%, Air Transport at 0.125 and that of Water Transport at
0.08%.
Contribution of National Highways:
National Highways accounts for 2.09 % of total road network in India. Total length of
National Highways was 1,32,499 kms as in March 2019. It accounted for an increase of 4.9
% as compared to last year. States with largest network of highways (as of March 2019)
are:
Maharashtra with 13.4% of highways network stands at top position.
It is followed by Uttar Pradesh with 8.9% highways network and Rajasthan with 7.8 %
of highways network.
State Highways accounts for 2.8 percent of total road network in India. Maharashtra
(17.83%) has largest State Highways network. It is followed by Karnataka, Gujarat,

Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Together, these states accounted for 53.9% of total State
Highways network in India.
What is Varroa Mite plague in Australia?
In the recent weeks, Australian authorities have killed millions of honeybees in a bid to
stop the spread of catastrophic parasite to its south-eastern part. Honey-sector in
Australia is under huge threat from recent outbreak of deadly varroa mite. It is a sesame
seed-sized parasite, discovered at a port in near Sydney recently.
Varroa mite or Varroa destructor:
It is a parasitic bug, involved in attacking and feeding on honeybees. They are small pests,
reddish-brown in colour. They are known to destroy entire colonies of honeybees. They
move frequently through beekeeping supplies such as detached combs and hives. Varroa
mite affects the honeybee colonies severely;
Decrease in number of honeybees colonies across the world can be linked to the
proliferation of mite. Bee colonies worldwide have been affected by it.
It could negatively affect the development of various crops, including macadamia
nuts, blueberries, and almonds in Australia, if left uncontrolled. This is because, these
products depend on hives for pollination.
Australia’s agriculture business is going through several challenges including, Mouse
plague, supply-chain concerns, Bushfires, Increasing energy costs due to Russia-Ukraine
conflict, floods, and supply-chain issues. Furthermore, the outbreak of mice has spread to
over 400 different locations. To stop the spread, around six million bees have been killed.
Authorities have also implemented biosecurity zones in a bid to restrict the movement of
honey, bees, hives and comb.
July 22, 2022
What are the reasons of persistent extreme heat in Europe?
In July 2022, Poland and other parts of East Europe are suffering due to persistent extreme
heat. Earlier, France recorded the hottest May in history. Temperatures across Europe are
climbing again. Wildfires are also catching due to heat in many countries, and the
continent is also suffering due to lengthy drought.
In Europe, heat waves are increasing at a faster rate as compared to other part of World,
because of:
1. Global warming– Global warming is playing a critical role persistent extreme heat in
Europe. Due to global warming, temperatures have reached 1.1 degrees Celsius
higher, as compared to temperature in 19th
2. Circulation of atmosphere and the ocean– Circulation of atmosphere and ocean is
another factor, adding to heat waves in Europe. Present high temperatures in
England and Wales were caused in parts because, region of upper-level low-pressure
air has been blocked off the coast of Portugal. This phenomenon of blockade is
called as “cut-off low”, as it got cut off from a river of westerly winds. As a result of
this, Low-pressure zones have been created over Europe, which is pulling hot air
toward them from North Africa.
3. Changes in the jet stream– According to researchers, many heat waves in Europe
occurs when jet stream temporarily split in two. It leaves an area of weak winds and
high pressure between both the branches of jet stream. This is a favourable
condition for extreme heat to build-up. Current heatwaves in Europe can be linked to
this reason, because double jet has been there over Europe for past two weeks.
4. Warming in the Arctic– Arctic is warming at a faster rate. Due to this, temperature
differential between Arctic and equator is decreasing. Temperature difference is
decreasing the summertime winds, which in lastly affecting the weather systems and
making it to linger for longer.
5. Changes in Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation– It might have affected
Europe’s climate.
Period of extreme heat waves in Europe is drying out the soil. When there is moisture in
soil, sun’s energy is used in water evaporation, which generates some cooling effect.
However, one heat wave dries almost all the soil moisture. As a result, sun’s energy starts
penetrating the surface, which gets added to the heat.
What is Web 3.0? How it will be different from Web 2.0?
On July 19, 2022, Wipro reorganised its operating model from being industry-organised to
market-organised. Under this transformation, it has target to invest USD 1 billion in cloud
services vertical and emerging areas like web 3.0. Web or World Wide Web is the basic
stage for how internet is used. It provides website and application services.Web 3.0 is the
third generation of evolution of web technologies. It is still evolving. Thus, its universally
accepted definition is still not clear. It will use the block-chain based technologies
extensively and emphasis on decentralized applications. It will also use machine learning
and artificial intelligence (AI), in a bid to empower intelligent and adaptive applications.
Importance features of Web 3.0 include:
It may be constructed with AI and semantic web, in a bid to provide fast and relevant
data to end users.
It provides for social bookmarking search engine. It will thus provide better results
than Google because results will be based on users’ votes.
AI would separate legitimate results from falsified results. It will also
It is decentralised, against the first two generations of web, where governance and
applications were centralized.
Web 3.0 is based on blockchain and is Cryptocurrency-enabled.
It will provide for more automation, largely powered by AI.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the foundational stage with Web 3.0, similar to
Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 technologies. However, its way of connecting data sources and
where data sources reside, is different from previous generations. Application and
services use centralized database in Web 2.0. Web 2.0 can be defined as websites and
applications that uses user-generated content for end users. It seeks to providing
universal network connectivity & communication channels.
What is open radio access network technology (O-RAN)?
Recently, Open Radio Access Network Technology (O-RAN) certificates were awarded to
Keysight Open Radio Access Network Architect (KORA) solutions enabled MICAS. MICAS is
a world class Independent Design House, that provides signal chain reference solutions
including O-RU (FR1 and FR2) reference designs. O-RAN Conformance Certification was
issued by Asia & Pacific OTIC in PRC (APOP).
O-RAN badges and certificates are issued by Open Testing and Integration Centre
(OTIC).
OTICs provide collaborative, open and impartial working environment, in a bid to
ensure consistency and quality in O-RAN products and solutions testing.
O-RAN Certification & Badging Program has been designed to ensure
interoperability and conformance of O-RAN products.
The certification and badging programme were launched by O-RAN ALLIANCE in
association with the OTIC.
O-RAN certificates specifies that an equipment or function is allowable to O-RAN
specifications.
On the other hand, O-RAN badges confirm interoperability or functionality of O-RAN
solution.
Open Radio Access Network (O- RAN):
O-RAN is a significant part of a mobile network system, which make use of cellular radio
connections for linking devices to other parts of a network. It includes antennae.
Antennae transmits and receives signals to and from smartphones or similar compatible
devices. After this, the signal is digitised in RAN-base station and later connected to the
network. The main objective of Open RAN is to allow operators to mix and match
components, as opposed to the traditional set-up where Radio Access Network is provided
in integrated form of hardware and software. O-RAN is based on interoperability and

standardization of RAN elements.
What is significance of finding of first case of polio in US in a decade?
Recently, the first case of Polio was reported in United States, nearly after a decade. An
unvaccinated young adult from New York contracted polio and has developed paralysis.
He developed symptoms around June 2022, even though he did not travel outside the
country. Thus, it is likely that, he got contracted to vaccine-derived strain of the polio virus,
perhaps from someone who received live vaccine.
History of Polio in US:
In Past, Polio was one the most feared diseases in US. It caused thousands of cases
of paralysis annually, many being children. Vaccination against polio was started in
1955.
The national vaccination campaign reduced the number of cases in US to below 100
in 1960s and to below 10 in 1970s.

Polio was declared eliminated from US, in 1979. It meant that, there was no routine
spread of the virus.
However, some travellers brought polio infection in the country in 2013.
Types of polio vaccines:
There exist two types of polio vaccines. U.S. uses vaccines made of inactivated version of
the virus. But some countries use weakened live virus given to children as drops in mouth.
In such countries, polio has become a more recent threat. In some cases, the weakened
virus can mutate and become capable of triggering new outbreaks. In US, children are still
administered the inactivated vaccine against polio. Four doses are recommended by
officials-
First to be given at age of 2 months
Second at 4 months
Third during 6 to 18 months
Fourth during 4 to 6 years.
Spread of Polio:
Polio usually spreads from person to person or via contaminated water. It infects the
spinal cord of person, causing paralysis, permanent disability or death. It mostly affects
children. The disease is endemic to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Countries in Africa, Middle
East and Asia have reported some cases in recent years.
What are some lesser-known facts about Draupadi Murmu, 15th President of India?
Droupadi Murmu recently elected as the 15th President of India. She is scheduled to take
oath in July 25, 2022. There was the contest between Droupadi Murmu (BJP-led NDA
candidate) and Yashwant Sinha (Joint Opposition Candidate), for the President’s position.
Lesser-known facts about Draupadi Murmu:
Droupadi Murmu, aged 64, has become the first tribal President and second female
President of India.
She is also the first President, belong to Odisha. She was born in Mayurbhanj district
in Odisha, in the Santhal tribal community.
She was born on June 20, 1958 and has become the youngest President of India. She
was born to Biranchi Narayan Tudu, who was a farmer in Baldaposi village of Odisha.
In 1997, she became the vice-chairperson of Rairangpur NAC and vice-president of
state ST Morcha of BJP.
After completing her graduation from Ramadevi Women’s College, Bhubaneswar,
she got a chance to work as honorary assistant professor in Shri Aurobindo Integral
Education and Research, Rairangpur.
During 1979 to 1983, she worked as a junior assistant in irrigation department of
Odisha.
She was married to Shyam Charan Murmu. They had two sons and a daughter.
However, she lost her husband and two sons.
She is also India’s first president to be born after Independence.

Her political career started in 1997, after she joined the BJP. In 1997, she got elected as
councillor of Rairangpur district in Odisha. Later in 1998, she became the vice-chairperson
of Rairangpur NAC. Between 2000-2002, she was the transport and commerce minister in
Odisha government. In 2007, she received the ‘Nilakantha Award’ for best MLA of the
year. She became the 9th and 1st tribal governor of Jharkhand in 2015 and served till 2021.
How India has performed in the Henley Passport Index 2022?
Henley Passport Index 2022 was recently published by immigration consultancy Henley &
partners. In the index, India has been ranked at 87th position, among 199 world’s most
powerful passports in 2022. Ranking was based on the number of destinations the
passport holders could access without prior visa.
Performance of the countries in index:
Among the 199 countries, Japan was ranked first. It is followed by Singapore and
South Korea.
These three countries have reversed the pre-covid-19 pandemic rankings, in which
European nations were dominating.
Japan’s passport provides entry to 193 countries without prior visa. On the other
hand, Singapore and South Korea allows hassle-free entry to 192 countries.
Top 10 countries in World’s most powerful passports list include-Japan, Singapore,
South Korea, Germany, Spain, Finland, Italy, Luxemburg, Austria and Denmark (in the
order).
European nations, US and UK are among other top-ranked countries.
Passport holders from Afghanistan have access to just 27 countries. On the other
hand, Iraqi passport provide hassle free entry to 29 countries. These two countries
have been ranked at lowest position.
Performance of India and its neighbour:
Among Asian countries; India, Mauritius and Tajikistan share the 87th position, with
hassle-free entry to 67 countries, without prior visa.

China and Bolivia are ranked at 69th Their passports allow access to 80 destinations.
Bangladesh is at 104th position.
Pakistan has the fourth worst passport worldwide, with access to 32 destinations.
The ranking was given to countries on the basis of data from International Air Transport
Association. It maintains the largest database of travel information of the world.
July 23, 2022
What is the key agenda of 13th Petersburg Climate Dialogue’ 2022?
The 13th Petersburg Climate Dialogue was held on July 19 th and 20 th , 2022 in Berlin,
Germany. It was chaired by Germany and Egypt, which are also hosting the 2022 annual
climate meet (COP-27). During the informal ministerial meeting, countries agreed on
consensus and provide political direction in a bid to resolve divergences, with the objective
of improving implementation of climate action, in line with the goal of COP-27.
Key agenda of the ministerial meeting include:

Ministers and delegations called back the need of moving towards implementation
of all previous resolutions, which were made during the last meeting, with the goal
of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
In the previous resolution, countries had agreed to preserve the Congo Basin forests,
in order to fight against climate change. This resolution as made because, Congo
Basin forests alone absorb 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon per year.
The 13th Petersburg Climate Dialogue’ 2022 will open way for a successful global climate
conference, which is scheduled to be held in Egypt in November 2022. Petersburg
Dialogue was started in 2010 by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Since then, it is
serving as a forum for ministers for building political consensus to resolve differences on
issues in negotiations. The forum brings the selected countries together annually, to bring
about successful negotiations at the UNFCCC climate change conferences.
What are current trends in India’s GDP growth forecast?
Recently, India’s GDP Growth Forecast for current financial year was lowered to 7.2
percent by Morgan Stanley. It marked a reduction by 40 basis points, as compared to last
forecast. Growth forecast was lowered in light of a slowdown in global growth.
Trends in India’s GDP Growth:
Morgan Stanley has also reduced the Growth Forecast for 2023-24 by 30 basis points
to 6.4%. India’s overall exports to GDP is at 21 percent.
India is witnessing a slower-than-expected global growth trend, which is likely to
delay full-fledged growth recovery.
It would also weaken the external demand.
The downside risks are emerging due to weaker-than-expected global growth trend,
faster tightening of financial conditions and supply-side-driven commodity price
increase.
According to Morgan Stanley, Consumer Price Index inflation is likely to be about 6%,
starting from November 21, 2022. Risks for the same could be due to unexpected
changes in food price trajectory.
CPI inflation on an average be at 6.5 percent, as opposed to 7 percent earlier in the
fiscal year 2022-23. For the next fiscal, CPI will remain at 5.3 percent.
The terminal policy repo rate is likely to reach at 6.5 percent by April 2023, against
the current level of 4.9 percent.
However, Morgan Stanley remained constructive on medium-term growth path of India,
despite the slower global growth trend. It expects supportive supply-side policy reforms,
which would help the Indian economy to grow above pre-covid-19 pandemic rates in 2022
and 2023.
What are the key schemes for strengthening Pharmaceuticals Industry of India?
On July 21, 2022, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers unveiled three schemes in order to
strengthen Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in pharmaceutical sector.
Schemes were launched under the banner of ‘Strengthening Pharmaceuticals Industry’

(SPI). SIDBI will act as project management consultant to implement the scheme.
Three schemes are:
1. Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS)– PTUAS
would will provide pharmaceutical MSMEs with proven track record, in a bid to
upgrade their technology. It will provide a capital subsidy of 10% on loans up to Rs 10
crore. Minimum repayment period has been fixed at three months.
2. Assistance to Pharma Industries for Common Facilities Scheme (API-CF)- API-CF
will help in strengthening existing pharmaceutical clusters’ capacity to attain a
sustained growth. Under it, assistance of up to 70 per cent of project cost or Rs 20
crore (Whichever is less) will be provided.
3. Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Promotion and Development Scheme
(PMPDS)- PMPDS scheme would help in preparing study reports on important topics
related to Indian pharma and medical device industry. It aims to create a database of
pharma and medical device sectors.
These schemes anticipate technology upgradation, liquid waste treatment plants in
clusters and setting up of common research centres for pharma MSMEs. Schemes would
help the small companies in upgrading their facilities to international manufacturing
standards. They would also increase investment, boost research and innovation and help
industry to develop futuristic products and ideas.
What is outcome of the NITI Aayog Study on India’s R&D expenditures?
As per NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index 2021, gross expenditure on research and
development (R&D) in India is lowest in the world. India spends USD 43 per capita on R&D.
India Innovation Index was recently released by NITI Aayog, providing ranks to states and
union territories based on their innovation performance.
NITI Aayog says,
India needs to increase this expenditure, in order to be on a par with the BRICS or
ASEAN countries.
Russia spends USD 285 per capita, Brazil spends USD 173 while Malaysia spends USD
293, on the R&D.
Gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) in India, as a percentage of GDP has remained
consistent on 0.7% for about a decade.
India’s expenditure is lower as compared to Brazil (1.16%) and South Africa (0.83%).
Only Mexico (0.31%) had a lower share of GERD as percentage of GDP, than India.
Despite low expenditure on R&D, India has published more research papers as
compared to countries like Russia, Brazil, and South Korea.
According to Government’s think tank, government spends more than 55% on R&D which
needs to be changed. It needs to find an inflexion point after which private sector can to
the task. Though, businesses or private sector led R&D has been increasing rapidly from
2005-06. But it is not fast enough to overtake government led R&D. In order for India to be
on a par with developed countries; it needs to encourage R&D by businesses, so that, it

could intersect the government led R&D and rise.
What is Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology?
A Desalination Plant has been developed by National Institute of Ocean Technology
(NIOT), that will convert the saline or saltish seawater into drinking water. This technology
has been successfully demonstrated in Lakshadweep islands.
Salient Features of the Desalination Plant include:
The Desalination Plant is based on Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD)
technology.
The LTTD technology converts the salt or saline water into potable drinking water.
LTTD technology was suitable for Lakshadweep islands, because there is a
temperature difference of 15 degree Celsius between sea surface water and deep-
sea water, as required by the technology.
Three desalination plants developed:
NIOT has developed three plants, on the basis of LTTD technology. Plants have been
installed and demonstrated at Kavaratti, Agati and Minicoy Islands of Lakshadweep. Each
plant has the capacity of 1 Lakh litre of potable water per day. Lakshadweep has target to
establishing 6 more LTTD plants at Amini, Chetlet, Kadmat, Androth , Kiltan and Kalpeni
islands, each having a capacity of 1.5 lakhs litres per day.
This technology was developed considering that; water is available in plenty across the
coastal regions and towns & villages located along the sea shore. However, it is not
suitable and cannot be used for drinking because sea water is rich in salt and other
minerals content.
About LTTD Technology:
Low-temperature thermal desalination (LTTD) is a technique for desalination. It works on
the notion that; water evaporates at lower temperatures, at low pressures. It utilizes
vacuum pumps for creating a low pressure and low-temperature environment, resulting
into evaporation of water at a temperature gradient of 8 °C. Cooling water is supplied

from deep sea depths, which is pumped up to condense evaporated water vapor. We get
purified water from the resulting condensate.
India- Bangladesh Agreement on Trans-Border Crimes
nd
At 52 Director General-Level coordination conference, India and Bangladesh agreed to
curb trans-border crimes and launch necessary measures for ensuring peace and
tranquillity across the border. The conference was held from July 17 to July 21, 2022 in
Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Highlights of the conference include:
During the five-day conference, the Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards
Bangladesh (BGB) highlighted the need of building mutual trust and harmony
between them.
Indian side was represented by Director General of BSF General Pankaj Kumar Singh
while Bangladesh was represented by DG BGB Major General Shakil Ahmed.

Both the sides appreciated mutual concerns and committed to settle down different
border issues by means of continued, constructive and positive engagements across
all the levels.
They also accepted to implement decision of this conference at ground level in spirit.
They further agreed to make joint efforts for lowering down the number of incidents
of assault and border crime by launching public awareness programmes and
developmental programmes across vulnerable areas.
Countries also agreed on facilitating river bank protection works across the common
bordering rivers, in line with approval given by Joint River Commission.
Coordinated Border Management Plan (CBMP):
Countries noted the significance of Coordinated Border Management Plan in curbing the
instances of smuggling contrabands including narcotics, gold, firearms etc. They also
agreed to be cautious and steadfast in curbing smuggling by sharing information in real-
time. A Joint Record of Discussions was signed, which includes joint efforts for curbing
trans-border crimes by taking extra precautionary measures such as- increased
coordinated patrols and enhanced vigilance.
Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 - Update (July, 2022)
Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 was passed in Lok Sabha on July 22, 2022. The bill is aimed at
broadening the application of domestic laws to research stations that has been
established by India in Antarctic region. It is applicable to both Indian citizens and foreign
citizens.
Important provisions of the bill include:
It forbids Indian expedition to Antarctica without any permit or written authorisation
of another party to Antarctic Treaty.
It also includes provisions of inspection by an officer appointed by the government.
It prohibits the introduction of plants, animals, birds, or microscopic organisms
which are not native to Antarctica. In case of breach of this provision, violators would
face imprisonment and penalties.
Finally, it aims to set up a fund for the welfare of Antarctic research work as well as
for the protection of environment there.
Committee on Antarctic governance and environmental protection will be set to
monitor, implement and ensure compliance with available international laws,
standards of emissions and protection rules.
It prohibits drilling, excavation or collection of mineral resources, except for the
purpose of “scientific research with a permit”.
India’s research stations in Antarctic:
India has two active research stations in the Antarctic viz., Maitri at Schirmacher Hills and
Bharti at Larsemann Hills. Maitri was commissioned in 1989 while Bharti was
commissioned in 2012. Antarctica is the southernmost continent on Earth. It comprises
the geographic South Pole. By area, it is the fifth-largest continent and is located in
Antarctic region of Southern Hemisphere.
National Film Awards 2022- Winners
Soorarai Pottru won the best feature film award at the 68th National Film Awards. Overall,
Soorarai Pottru won three out of four biggest awards while Tanhaji also won major
trophies.
National Film Awards 2022 Winner List:
Best Actor Award was shared by actors Suriya for Soorarai Pottru and Ajay Devgan
for Tanjaji.
Best Actress award was given to Aparna Balamurali for Soorarai Pottru.
Best Director award given to Sachidanandan KR for Ayyappanum Koshiyum
Best Choreography award given to Natyam (Telugu)
Best Male Playback Singer award was shared by Anish Mangesh Gosavi for Taktak
and Rahul Deshpande for Mi Vasantrao.
Best Feature Film award in Hindi won by Toolsidas Junior.
Best Film on Family Values award given to Kumkumarchan, Abhijeet Arvind Dalvi.
No winner was announced in Best Film Critic category.
Madhya Pradesh won the award for ‘Most Film Friendly State’. On the other hand,
Uttarakhand (Certificate) and Uttar Pradesh (Certificate) received Special Mention.
The National Film Awards were established in 1954. It is the most prominent film award
ceremony in country. Directorate of Film Festivals (India) presents the award, along with
International Film Festival of India and Indian Panorama. Awards are presented at Vigyan
Bhavan in New Delhi. Directorate of Film Festival (Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting) organised the National Film Awards 2022 in New Delhi on July 22. This year,
films from 2020 were awarded because of covid-19 induced delays and lockdown.
National Broadcasting Day 2022
On July 23, India celebrates the National Broadcasting Day, with the aim of reminding
people regarding the impact of radio on our lives. It marks the establishment of first-ever
radio broadcast “All India Radio (AIR)” in India. All India Radio (AIR) celebrated the day by
holding a symposium on Creation of New India and Broadcasting Medium in New Delhi.
The day is significant for India because;
Indian radio played an important role in creating an independent India.
Azad Hind Radio of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as well as Congress Radio helped
uniting Indians to fight against the British.
Akashvani also helped Bangladesh in gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971
war.
Journey from IBC To Akashvani:
In India, Radio broadcasting services were rolled out during the British rule in 1923
as a part of an initiative of Radio Club of Bombay.
India’s first ever radio broadcast went on air from Bombay Station, in accordance
with Indian Broadcasting Company in 1927.

All India Radio was established on July 23, 1927 as a private company named “Indian
Broadcasting Company ltd (IBC)”. To mark this, National Broadcasting Day is
celebrated. The National Broadcasting Day was created in 1936.
IBC was transformed into All India Radio (AIR) on June 8, 1936.
In 1956, Akashvani name was formally adopted for AIR. Akashvani means voice or
announcement from the skies. This name was given on the basis of a “Akashvani
poem” written by Rabindranath Tagore in 1938.
All India Radio (AIR):
It is a division of Prasar Bharati. Earlier, government was controlling AIR, but now it has
become an autonomous body.
What is e-FIR system launched by Gujarat Police?
Gujarat Government is all set to offer e-FIR service for the crimes like mobile or two-
wheeler theft. Taking a step towards digital governance, the “e-FIR system” was launched
in State. The e-governance initiatives and e-FIR system has been launched as a part of “e-
GujCop project”. This move is aimed at resolving the mentioned incidents in faster
manner.
Citizens can avail the e-FIR system of Gujarat Police by:
Filing complaints or e-FIR in online mode.
Gujarat police will then contact the complainant within first 48 hours of registering
an e-FIR and visit the place of incident.
Police will complete the investigation process within 21 days.
Following this, a status report will be submitted to the court.
Thus, citizens will get freedom from visiting the police station to register FIR for
common crimes like theft of mobile or two-wheeler.
The e-FIR system is currently offering 16 Police-related services in online mode. These
services include registration of senior citizens, domestic help, tenants, or property
registration, Police NOC and missing person report, etc. In order to identify the stolen
two-wheeler, police will synchronise the e-FIR system with Gujarat State police CCTV
Command and Control Centre. It will flash the number of stolen vehicles on the screens of
command control-room, when the stolen vehicle will make movement across the city.
eGujCop Project
The eGujCop Project was launched on September 19, 2013. It is a unique system,
integrating IT into working of the Home Department. The project helps in preventing the
wrongdoers from committing crimes in society.
July 25, 2022
What is the significance of recent SC judgement on 'Right to be forgotten'?
Recently, the Supreme Court recognised the ‘right to be forgotten’ as part of ‘right to
privacy’ and ordered to develop a mechanism of removing personal details of litigants
involved in matrimonial litigation. The bench was considering a plea of women which
noted that; her personal information should either be deleted or masked from judgement
of her case because the judgement is easily accessible to public.
Though the judgement masked women’s identity, but revealed the identity of her
husband, though which acquaintances were able to link her with the case.
This was leading to immense loss for her, through social stigma.
She maintained that, such kind of public visibility was against her right to privacy,
which also include the right to be forgotten.
Right of be forgotten can be defined as;
The right to have private information removed from internet, in specific circumstances.
The right allows individual to decide the course of life in an autonomous way, without
being ‘stigmatised’ because of an action of the past. It is a part of right to privacy, which
was recognised by Supreme Court in Puttaswamy case, implicitly in Article 21. Right to be
forgotten came to limelight in 2014 in Google Spain Case at Court of Justice of the
European Union. In India, this right is also recognised under the Personal Data Protection
Bill 2019.
Significance of the Right to be forgotten include:
Allows an individual to control what information anyone access.
Can remove defamatory and false information form the internet.
Allows to remove illegally uploaded content by a third party.
Allows to remove details that have become threat to personal and financial security.
In India, there is no legal standard for right to be forgotten currently. However, if the
recent judgement of Supreme Court is implemented, citizens would no longer require to
file a case making requests to remove information from search engines and other public
platforms.
What are the Key features of 'UIDAI Aadhaar FaceRD App'?
Recently, Aadhaar FaceRD App was revealed by the Unique Identification Authority of
India (UIDAI. This app would allow the Aadhaar Authentication User Agencies (AUA) to
capture person’s face for authentication purposes. UIDAI has developed the “Aadhaar
Face Authentication Technology” in house.
The app would allow the verification of Aadhaar card holders anytime and at any
place.
It would also do away the need for Aadhaar holders to carry physical identification.
UIDAI would store the biometric data of Aadhaar card holders in Central Identity
Data Repository. Thus, data would not go into private hands.
It can be used for Aadhaar face authentication for other apps as well.
People can use Aadhaar Face Authentication feature by downloading UIDAI FaceRD App. It
can be used for several other Aadhaar Authentication Apps such as PDS, CoWIN
vaccination app, Scholarship schemes, Farmer Welfare schemes etc.
About Aadhaar:
Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique identity number in India, obtained voluntarily by people. The
resident foreign nationals can also get the Aadhaar, for which they require to spend more
than 182 days in twelve months immediately before the date of application for enrolment.
This identity card is created on the basis of biometric and demographic data. All the data
is collected by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).
About UIDAI:
It is a statutory authority, formed in January 2009. It works under the jurisdiction of
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
What are the key highlights of 'India's Bioeconomy Report 2022'?
The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) recently released its
“India Bioeconomy Report 2022”. Report has been prepared on the basis of data on
contribution of biotech sector to the economy.
Key findings of the report include:
As per report, India’s bioeconomy is expected to reach USD 150 billion by 2025 and
more than USD 300 billion by 2030.
In 2021, India’s bioeconomy has touched USD 80 billion, accounting for a growth of
14.1 per cent growth, as compared to USD 70.2 billion in 2020.
USD 219 million of bioeconomy were generated daily in 2021.
Three biotech start-ups were set up every day, on an average, in 2021. Thus, 1128
biotech start-ups were set up in 2021.
Bioeconomy industry spent over USD 1 billion in research and development.
India administered around 4 million vaccine doses for Covid-19 per day. Thus, in
2021, a total of 1.45 billion doses were administered.
3 million Covid-19 tests were conducted, every day in 2021, accounting for 506.7
million tests in total.
Number of biotech start-ups in India has hiked from 50 to more than 5,300 in last 10 years
due to growth in enabling ecosystem and priority given by government to this sector.
Biotech Start-up is likely to increase further by 2 times, and will cross 10,000 by 2025.
BIRAC has set up a network of 74 specialised bio-incubation centres across 21 states/UTs

in a bid to nurture bio-entrepreneurial ecosystem and boost local bioeconomy. India is
known for the 2nd highest number of USFDA approved manufacturing plants, outside the
United States.
Monkey Pox: Why WHO declared it a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)?
Over 16000 cases of monkeypox have been identified across 75 countries since May 2022.
On July 23, World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak a Public
Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Majority of the cases are being
reported in WHO European Region. In India, 4 cases have been reported till date.
Currently, most cases are being resolved without hospitalization or any medication. Death
rate is also less.
The WHO had constituted a committee in June 2022, to study if monkeypox is PHEIC.
It reconvened the committee on July 21 and declared the monkey pox a PHEIC.
Last time WHO declared an PHEIC was in 2020 for covid-19.

Monkeypox disease is caused by monkeypox virus.
It involves fever for few days and lymph node swelling and a rash, that can leave
scars.
It is much less severe than Covid-19 and spreads less easily. This is why, WHO
declared an emergency.
Monkeypox was declared PHEIC because, it is fulfilling the first two criteria of an
emergency:
Spread of the Virus outside West and Central Africa are unusual pattern
It has already spread internationally, with cases in 75 countries.
PHEIC vs Pandemic:
PHEIC is different than the pandemic. Pandemic is an epidemic that occur over a wide area
and affects large number of people. On the other hand, PHEIC is a carefully defined term.
It is defined as a situation that is under control, but has potential to grow out of control.
Till date, only 6 PHEICs have been declared including Zika, Ebola and Covid-19.
What are the features of Andhra's ‘Family Doctor Project'?
State Government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to implement the “Family Doctor
Project” on pilot basis in Padmanabham mandal of Visakhapatnam district. Project is likely
to be implemented from August 15, 2022. This Project will be launched with the aim of
improving health services, among rural population
As a part of the “Family Doctor Project”, a doctor from Primary Health Centre (PHC)
will be made available to look after health needs of people in Ward and Village
Sachivalayam.
The doctor will provide patient services for the residents of ward from 9 a.m. to 12
.30 p.m.
Lunch breaks will be given from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Following the break, same doctor will visit again from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm, to the
patients’ who are severely sick and need of antenatal & postnatal care.
Before Doctor’s visit, ANMs, ASHA workers and Mid-Level Health Providers (MLHPs)
will visit door-to-door and identify people who require doctor’s services.
Detailed list will be submitted by them, to the doctor. PHC doctor will then visit these
houses and deliver health services.
Health Services in Padmanabham Mandal:
There are 2 PHCs and 14 Ward Schivalayams in the Padmanabham Mandal. Every PHC has
doctors. Under the project, one doctor will stay at the hospital, while the other doctor will
implement “family doctor concept”.
Training Programme for Staff:
To implement the “Family Doctor Project”, Health Department officials are already
conducting training programme for staff at PHCs to train ASHA workers, MLHPs and ANMs
in Padmanabham mandal.
Wentian Space Station Module: Important Facts to know!

China’s new scientific lab “Wentian Space Station Module” was launched recently onboard
Long March 5B launch vehicle. The module was docked with the China’s under-
construction space station on July 25, 2022.
Highlights of the launch:
It was the second module of the three modules planned for the space station.
Module launch took place from Wenchang Space Launch Centre on southern island
of Hainan.
It marked the third launch since the construction of Chinese Space Station started in
April 2021.
Second module is preceded by Tianzhou-class cargo spacecraft and Shenzhou-14
crewed spacecraft.
Launch of Wentian will be followed by second lab module called Mengtian, which is
scheduled to be launched in October 2022.
Tianhe module is the core cabin module for the space station. Three astronauts are
currently living there and are on a six-month mission.
Wentian Space Station Module:
Wentian Space Station Module has been designed to conduct science and biology
experiments. It weighs 23-ton and is heavier as compared to other single-module
spacecraft present in space. It is a 17.9 meters long module. Wentian module features an
airlock cabin, which will act as the main exit-entry point for extravehicular activities after
the construction of space station is completed. It will also serve the purpose of short-term
living quarters for astronauts on crew rotations to the station.
Mengtian Module:
Mengtian Module is scheduled to be launched in October 2022. It will be docked with
Tianhe, and form a T-shaped structure.
Recent Update on National Land Management Corporation (NLMC)

In order to operationalise National Land Management Corporation (NLMC), Central
government has appointed a joint secretary to the Department of Public Enterprises
(DPE). He will work as an interim chief executive officer (CEO) of special purpose vehicle.
He will monetise the surplus land and buildings of public sector undertakings (PSUs).
Sanjay Kumar Jain has been appointed as the interim CEO.
Government has also appointed its nominees to the board of NLMC.
Government will start the process of monetising 3,479 acres of surplus land, that
have been identified by nine PSUs, as well as building assets.
Other PSUs and government departments will also prepare a list of assets, to be
monetised through NLMC.
The National Land Management Corporation (NLMC);
NLMC was set up on June 3, 2022 as a wholly-owned Government of India company.
Initial authorized share capital of Rs 5,000 crore was fixed apart from paid-up share
capital of Rs 150 crore.
It will Hold, own, manage & monetise land and assets of the PSUs which will be
closed down
It will look after surplus non-core land assets of government-owned companies as a
part of strategic disinvestment.
Structure of NLMC
Directors of NLMC include;
Additional Secretary of Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Rajesh Kumar
Chaudhary.
Joint secretary of Department of Investment & Public Asset Management, who
handles the asset monetisation.
Nominees from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Department of Heavy
Industries and Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade.
NLMC will have 13 directors. Out of them, 7 would be government officials and 6 would be
officials from private sector. Board will finalise the guidelines and criteria to select the
professionals from private sector in real estate, construction, investment banking, and the
legal sector.
Income Tax Day: What are the recent Direct Tax Reforms in India?
India observes the “Income Tax Day” on July 24, every year. This day was introduced in
2010, for commemorating 150 years of Income Tax in India. The day is celebrated with
multiple outreach programmes and events, in a bid to promote tax payments and raise
awareness among potential taxpayers that paying taxes is their duty.
History of the Day:
James Wilson had introduced the Income Tax in India on July 24, 1860, for
compensating for the losses incurred by British regime during World War I.
This practice continued for years and in 1922 a formal structure or department was
introduced to manage tax collection.

Specific nomenclatures were given to different Income-tax authorities, under the
Income-tax Act of 1922.
Amendment to Income-tax Act 1992:
Income-tax Act 1922 was amended in 1939.
Two important structural changes were introduced by the amendment:
1. Appellate functions got separated from administrative functions
2. Central charge was established in Mumbai.
Income Tax is an important component of the government’s earning. It acts as the source
of funds to carry different development works across India. Over the year, system of
income tax collection has undergone several changes. In the Union Budget 2022, a new
direct tax structure was introduced. It proposes lower tax rates on various tax slabs. To go
with the new tax structure, taxpayers are required to let go of deduction applicable in old
tax regime. Under new structure, annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh is tax free.
Highlights of ZSI Study on Snow Leopard and its prey
Recently, the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) conducted survey on Snow Leopard,
throwing some interesting insights in Snow Leopard and and its prey species.
Highlights of the study include;
ZSI study highlights a strong link between habitat use by Snow Leopard and its prey
species like blue sheep and Siberian ibex.
According to the study, the chances of detecting a snow leopard was high if that site
was used by its prey species.
In case of prey species, the chances of detection were low when the snow leopard
was present and detected.
About Snow Leopard:
Snow Leopard is scientifically called as Panthera uncia and also called as the ounce. It has
been categorised as ‘Vulnerable’ in IUCN Red list. It is a Schedule-I species of Indian
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Global population of the snow leopard is less than 10,000.
The species is threatened by habitat destruction and poaching. It can be found in alpine
and subalpine zones at the height of 3,000–4,500 m across Afghanistan, Himalayas and
Tibetan Plateau, Mongolia, Siberia, and western China. In India, it is found in Himachal
Pradesh, Ladakh, Sikkim and Uttarakhand.
Significance of the Snow Leopards:
Predators like snow leopard help in regulating the population of herbivores at higher
latitudes. Thus, it helps in safeguarding grasslands health. If the species is absent for long,
it could lead to trophic cascades because then populations of herbivores like blue sheep
and Siberian ibex would increase, resulting into depletion of vegetation cover.
July 26, 2022
5G spectrum auction: All you need to know about India’s biggest Spectrum Auction!
On July 26, 2022, India started its biggest-ever spectrum auction, involving telephone and
internet data signals. Under the spectrum process, 72 GHz (gigahertz) of 5G airwaves have
been put on offer at the cost of Rs 4.3 lakh crore.
Significance of the 5G spectrum include:
Fifth generation or 5G spectrum offers ultra-high speeds, which is 10 times more
than the speed of 4G.
It will also provide lag-free connectivity.
It would finally enable connected devices to share data in real-time.
5G spectrum also powers the ultra-low latency connections, allowing the download
of full-length high-quality movie or video on a mobile device in few seconds.
It will also enable solutions like e-health, life-saving use cases, connected vehicles,
advanced mobile cloud gaming and immersive augmented reality & metaverse
experiences.
Bidding process has started in which,
Reliance Jio, Bharati Airtel, Adani Enterprises and Vodafone Idea are ready to bid for
5G spectrum.
Auction is being held for spectrum in three bands:
1. Low Frequency Band: 600 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz,
2300 MHz
2. Mid Frequency Band: 3300 MHz
3. High Frequency Band: 26 GHz
Bidding started on July 26 and will continue for the next day as well, if there is a
demand for spectrum and bidders are ready to put in bids.
The 5G spectrum is likely to be rolled out by September 2022. Initially, 5G spectrum would
be rolled out in phases and will stay limited to metros and larger cities, because just 7% of
overall smartphone base in India, is 5G-enabled.
July 25: World Drowning Prevention Day
On July 25, the World Drowning Prevention Day is observed across the world. This day was
recognised by the United Nations in a bid to collectively start action towards drowning
prevention with the objective of making the world sustainably-developed.
UN General Assembly Resolution:
United Nation General Assembly had recognized the World Drowning Prevention Day
in April 2021 through a resolution.
This global advocacy event has now become an opportunity to put in public the
tragic impact of drowning on families and communities.
The day seeks to provide solutions in a bid to prevent the drowning as well.
The World Drowning Prevention Day is celebrated globally, in which;
Stakeholders including UN agencies, governments, private sector, civil society
organisations, academia and individuals are asked to observe this Day by focusing
on the requirement of take coordinated, urgent and multi-sectoral action on proven
measures to prevent drowning.
Preparations for the World Drowning Prevention Day is done by the World Health
Organisations (WHO), by producing advocacy materials, supporting local & national
activities across the world and hosting a global launch event.
In year 2022, WHO invited public to ‘do one thing’ to save lives on the occasion. It
recommended to use hashtag #DrowningPrevention, on social media.
Global estimate on Drowning
As per UN, around 236,000 people drown annually. Thus, it has become a major health
problem across the world. Drowning is among the major causes of death for people aged
1 to 24 years. It is the third leading cause for unintentional injury death. It accounts for 7%
of all injury-related deaths. As per WHO estimate, over 90% of drowning deaths occur in
low and middle-income countries.
Jharkhand Tourism Policy: What are its objectives?
Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, launched the “Jharkhand Tourism Policy” with
the aim of reviving, renewing and revamping the tourism sector in State. With this policy,
state shall no more be known for extractions. Its attractions would mesmerize India and
the world.
Jharkhand Tourism Policy was launched with following objectives:
It is aimed at reviving, renewing, and revamping the tourism sector in Jharkhand.
It seeks to provide a different dimension and perspective on how the world sees the
state.
It further seeks to bring out the marvels of Jharkhand, that is a mixture of old-world
charms and new age excitements.
The policy also focuses on providing civic amenities and adopting ways for the
beautification of sites including Parasnath, Deoghar, Itkhori and Madhuban.
Religious Tourist Units:
Under the policy, a Religious Tourists Units will also be set up, with the aim of elevating
the potential of religious tourism in Jharkhand.
Events to be organised:
Under the newly launched policy following events would be organised:
1. Food Festivals and Interstate Culture Exchange Programs & conferences: Such
events would be organised to help the tourists in experience the regal and
resplendent culture of state. Events would showcase the vibrant and diverse culture.
2. Annual Adventure Sports Events: Sports events would be organized and Water
sports activities would be developed. It will be extended to water bodies such as
Tilaiya, Chandil, Massanjore, Kelaghagh, Pataratu, Getalsud, Hatia Dam and Kanke
Dam.
3. Regulatory frameworks: Regulatory frameworks would be created to ensure safety
standards.
Provisions for investors:
The policy also proposes attractive provisions for prospective investors. It includes road
permit, direct purchases of land of tourism enterprises, subsidy limit of 20-25%. New
tourism units will be allowed for reimbursement of 75& of net state GST, that has been
paid for 5 years since the commercial operation started.
Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill 2019: What are the key features?
Union government brought the “Anti-Maritime Privacy Bill 2019”, in line with India’s
commitment with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982.
India had ratified the UNCLOS in 1995. Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill 2019 was introduced in the
aftermath of kidnapping of 18 Indians aboard a crude oil carrier, off the coast of Nigeria
Key Features of the Bill include:
The Bill enables Indian authorities to take action against piracy in the high seas.
It will be applicable to all parts of the sea adjacent to and beyond the Exclusive
Economic Zone of India.
Under it; the act of piracy will be a punishable offence. It provides for life
imprisonment or death, if the piracy comprises of attempted murder, or results into

death. In cases of attempt to commit piracy, or directing others to participate in it,
there will be punishment of up to 14 years along with a fine.
Offences will be extraditable. Thus, accused can be moved to any country for
prosecution with which India has inked an extradition treaty.
It empowers the authorities to seize a ship or aircraft under the control of pirates
and property on board.
Designated Court:
The central government can notify the Sessions Courts as “Designated Courts” in
consultation with Chief Justice of concerned High Court. These courts will look after
offences committed by;
Person of any nationality, in custody of the Indian Navy or Coast Guard
A citizen of India, a resident foreign national in India, or even a stateless person.
It will have no jurisdiction over offences committed on a foreign ship, if any intervention is
requested.
36th National Games of India 2022: When and Where will it be held?
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Gujarat Olympic Association (GOA) and Gujarat State Government to jointly conduct the
36th National Games 2022 on July 22.
Important facts:
The 36th National Game 2022 will be held in Gujarat.
It is scheduled to be held from September 27, 2022 to October 10, 2022.
It will be held across 6 cities of Gujarat, in which all the 28 states and 8 Union
Territories will participate.
In all, 36 sports will be hosted, in line with the tagline “Sports for Unity”.
This year, Yogasana and Mallakhamba have been added to the list of games. Thus, it
will promote indigenous sports in India.
Inaugural function will be held at the Narendra Modi stadium.

Venue for the National Games:
The National Games 2022 will be held across 6 cities in Gujarat, viz., Gandhinagar, Surat,
Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, and Bhavnagar.
Logo of the National Games:
On the occasion of signing of the MoU, a logo for the 36th National Game 2022 was also
launched. The logo depicts Gujarat’s two enduring and proud symbols viz., Statue of Unity
of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Gir Asiatic Lion.
Last Edition of the National Games:
Last edition of the National Games was organised in 2015, in Kerala. 2022 edition of the
National Games will be held after a gap of seven years.
Significance of India's USD 2.5 million contribution to UNRWA
On July 22, 2022, India made the contribution of USD 2.5 million towards the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), for Palestine Refugees in Near East. Signing
ceremony as held on July 22, at the headquarter of UNRWA in East Jerusalem.
Significance of the contribution include:
This contribution highlights India’s strong demonstration and unwavering support
to the work of UNRWA.
It also highlights India’s commitment towards the wellbeing of Palestine r
It backs the Palestine refugees across Middle East.
India at UNRWA
India is a dedicated donor to UNRWA. Since 2018, it has contributed USD 20 million to
support the UNRWA core services to Palestine refugees in Middle East.
About UNRWA:
The UNRWA was set up in 1949, as a humanitarian agency. It is completely funded via
voluntary contributions and grants from donor nations. It was set and mandated to
provide protection and assistance to around 5.6 million Palestinian refugees, in the Gaza
Strip, West Bank, and across refugee camps of Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Under its
services, UNRWA provides education, relied materials, infrastructure, health care,
microfinance, camp improvement and protection. recently, UNRWA had announced that it
requires 1.6 billion US dollars from international community in 2022, for covering the
expenses and provide services & humanitarian development programs to Palestinian
refugees.
Palestinian refugees:
They are the citizens of Mandatory Palestine, who were expelled or fled from their country
during 1947–49 Palestine war. This event is known as 1948 Palestinian exodus. They mostly
live across Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Gaza Strip, Syria, and West Bank.
Why do we celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas?
India celebrates the Kargil Vijay Diwas on July 26, every year. The day is celebrated to mark
India’s victory in Kargil War, that it fought with Pakistan. Year 2022 marked the 23rd
anniversary of India’s victory.

The Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated;
To mark India’s victory over and sacrifices of soldiers during the Kargil war.
Kargil war was fought between Mat 1999 to July 1999 in Kargil-Drass sector of Jammu
& Kashmir.
The troops from Pakistan had illegally invaded some regions of along the Line of
Control (LoC). Pakistan was positioned over the mountain tops of Northern Kargil
District in Ladakh.
To regain its control over the region, Indian Army launched the “Operation Vijay”.
Finally, on July 26, 1999, Indian soldiers recaptured several mountains in the
Himalayas of Kashmir region, that Pakistani intruders had captured.
To defuse the war situation, Lahore Declaration was signed by India and Pakistan in
February 1999. The declaration was about finding a peaceful and bilateral solution to
the Kashmir conflict.

The Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated with great pride across India. On this day, Prime
Minister of India pays tribute to martyrs, every year at the Amar Jawan Jyoti. In a tribute,
Indian Army has built the “Kargil War Memorial”, at the foothills of Toloing Hills in Drass.
At its gateway, a beautiful poem title ‘Pushp Ki Abhilasha’ has been engraved. In the year
2022, a bike rally was flagged off in Jammu and Kashmir to celebrate the day.
Multi-Agency Group for investigation of Foreign Asset Cases
Indian Government has set up a “Multi-Agency Group for investigation of Foreign Asset
Cases”. The Group comprises of representatives from various enforcement Agencies and
Organizations. It will involve in the investigation of various categories of foreign asset
cases such as Paradise paper leaks, Panama paper leaks, and Pandora paper leaks.
The Multi-Agency Group was set up in the light that;
No official estimate has been there with the government, regarding the money
deposited by Indian citizens and companies in Swiss banks.
As per media reports, Indian funds in Swiss Banks have increased in 2021, against
the 2020.
These deposits do not indicate the quantum of black money, which is held by Indians
in the Swiss Bank.
In the recent times, Government of India has taken several proactive measures to tax the
undisclosed foreign assets and income;
In HSBC Case, government has brought over 8468 crore rupees to tax. It has also
imposed penalty of over 1294 crore rupees.
Assessments has been completed in 368 cases, in accordance with Black Money
(Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015. This
accounted for tax demand of more than 14,820 crore rupees.
Government disclosed 648 undisclosed foreign assets of worth Rs 4164 crores in one-
time three months compliance window. This window was closed on September 30,
2015. Disclosures were made under the stated act. Government was collected 2476
rupees through tax and penalty in these cases.
India has been engaging proactively with Switzerland, in a bid to get information in
relevant cases under Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between both the countries.
What is India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX)?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the “India International Bullion Exchange” on
July 29, 2022. It will be operationalised at the “Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT
City)”.
Key Points
On the occasion, Prime Minister Modi will also lay down the foundation stone of IFSC
Authority (IFSCA) headquarter building.
IFSCA is the unified regulator for development and regulation of financial products,
financial institutions and financial services in IFSCs in India.
Purpose of IIBX
IIBX will provide for efficient price discovery with assurance of responsible sourcing
and quality.
It will give impetus to financialization of gold across the country.
It will also empower India to gain its rightful place at the global bullion market.
IIBX will serve the purpose of global value chain with integrity and quality.
With the launch of IIBX, India would be able to affect international bullion prices as a
principal consumer.
Three Vaults of the IIBX
IIBX will have three vaults:
1. One will be operated by Sequel. It is ready and has been approved.
2. Second will be operated by Brinks. It is ready but awaiting the final approval
3. Third is still under construction.
NSE IFSC-SGX Connect launch
NSE IFSC-SGX Connect will also be launched on July 29. Under this, all orders on NIFTY
derivatives, that have been made by members of Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX), will
be diverted to and matched on the “order matching and trading platform of NSE-IFSC”. It
will help in deepening the liquidity in derivative markets at GIFT-IFSC. Thus, it will attract
more international participants and create a positive impact on financial ecosystem in the
GIFT-IFSC.
Indermit Gill: World Bank Chief economist from India
Indermit Gill has recently been appointed as Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of
Development Economics of the World Bank. He will succeed American economist Carmen
Reinhart, for the post.
Highlights:
Indermit Gill will be appointed on September 1, 2022.
He is currently the Vice President for Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institution and
is leading the work on macroeconomics, debt, poverty, trade, and governance.
For the post of Chief economist, he will bring the combination of leadership, practical
experiences and invaluable by working with country governments on
macroeconomic imbalances, growth, institutions, poverty, conflict, and climate
change.
He is known for his intellectual contributions towards development economics.
He has become only the second Indian to serve as chief economist at the World
Bank. Before him, Kaushik Basu had worked as Chief Economist from 2012 to 2016.
Chief Economist of the World Bank:
Chief Economist of the World Bank is the senior economist there. He is tasked to provide
intellectual leadership and direction to the overall international development strategy and
economic research agenda of the World Bank. Strategy is provided at the country,
regional and global levels. He is the member of senior management team of the World
Bank, and thus he gives advice to the President and Management on economic issues.
World Bank:
It is an international financial institution, which provides loans and grants to the
governments across low-income and middle-income countries to start capital projects.
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and International
Development Association (IDA) are collectively called as World Bank.
July 27, 2022
Five new Ramsar Sites designated by India
Three wetlands from Tamil Nadu and One each from Mizoram & Madhya Pradesh have
been identified under the Ramsar Convention, which is also called as “Convention on
Wetlands”. Thus, India has added Five new Ramsar Wetlands Sites of international
importance. With the latest addition, total number of Ramsar Sites in India has reached to
54, as opposed to 49 earlier.
New Ramsar Sites include;
1. Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest, Tamil Nadu: It is a freshwater marsh in Chennai.
It is the only surviving wetland ecosystem Chennai. It is counted among last
remaining natural wetlands of South India.
2. Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu: It is a 61.21-hectare protected area located in
Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu. It is located at a distance of 75 km from
Chennai.
3. Pichavaram Mangrove, Tamil Nadu: It is located near Chidambaram in Cuddalore
District of Tamil Nadu. It covers an area of 1100 hectares and thus counted among
largest mangrove forests in country.
4. Pala wetland, Mizoram: It is the largest natural wetland in Mizoram. The wetland is
surrounded by green woodlands. It is known for rich diversity of animal species
including several species of animals and birds.
5. Sakhya Sagar, Madhya Pradesh: This lake is an integral part of Madhav National Park
in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh.
About Ramsar Convention:

The Ramsar convention was established by UNESCO on February 2, 1971. It is an
intergovernmental environmental treaty, named after Ramsar city in Iran because it was
signed there. The convention came into effect on 1975. It encourages the international
cooperation and national action to conserve the wetlands and sustainably use their
resources. Under it, wetlands of international importance are identified worldwide.
July 26: International Day for Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystem
The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is observed on July
26, annually. It seeks to raise awareness on importance of mangrove ecosystems.
Mangroves are considered as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem”. It also seeks
to provide solutions for sustainable management, conservation and uses of the
mangroves.
When was the day adopted?
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) had adopted the

International Day for Conservation of Mangroves Ecosystem in 2015.
The day commemorates the Greenpeace activist Hayhow Daniel Nonoto.
On July 26, 1998, the activist died of a heart attack while protesting for re-
establishment of mangrove wetlands in Muisne, Ecuador.
Significance of the day
Mangroves are significant for the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal
communities across the world.
They extend support to the rich biodiversity, including fish and crustaceans.
They act as a barrier against tsunamis, storm surges, erosion and rising sea levels.
They also act as boundaries between sea and land as well as provide protection and
food security to several coastal communities.
Soils of Mangrove ecosystem acts as carbon sinks, and are capable of storing 10
times more carbon as compared to land-based forests.
Mangroves in India
As per Forest Survey Report 2021, Mangrove cover in India has increased by 17 sq km as
compared to 2019 assessment. It now spread to 4,992 sq km. Three states in which
highest increase in mangrove cover was observed include- Odisha (8 sq km), Maharashtra
(4 sq km) and Karnataka (3 sq km).
California Oak Fire
Oak Fire recently broke out in Mariposa, California. It is the largest fire so far in 2022,
overtaking 17,242 acres area. US firefighters (3000 in numbers) are trying to control the
wildfire and stop its eastward expansion towards Yosemite National Park.
Highlights:
The oak fire is expanding amidst heatwaves in several parts of United States.
The oak fire started in the foothills of Sierra Nevada, located in west of Yosemite
National Park.
Authorities are still investigating the main cause of the wildfire.

Fire is moving towards north-east into the Sierra National Forest.
As of July 26, fire has burned 18,532 acres while 26% of the fire has been controlled.
It is the largest Oak fire so far, following the similar incidents in 2020 and 2021.
Wildfires have become a common phenomenon in California and other parts of US;
Due to continued years of drought and warming climate.
Low humidity and high temperatures are also adding fuel to the fire.
High number of dead trees and steep slopes in the region are among other reason.
The Oak Fire has become a threat to several communities in rural Mariposa County,
including Midpines, Darrah, and Jerseydale.
In some parts of Sierra Nevada, including Lake Tahoe Basin, visibility has lowered
due to the smoke. Air quality level has also reached from unhealthy to hazardous
levels.
Yosemite National Park:

Yosemite National Park is located in Sierra Nevada mountains of California. It is known for
the giant & ancient sequoia trees, Tunnel View, granite cliff of El Capitan & iconic vista of
towering Bridalveil Fall. It was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984.
Rajasthan all women-run cooperative bank
Government of Rajasthan recently signed a MoU with Stree Nidhi Credit Cooperative
Federation of Telangana government to set up first ever all women-run cooperative bank
called “Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi”. It will promote women’s empowerment by extending
support to their enterprises.
Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi:
Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi will be set up on the lines of Telangana Stree Nidhi.
It will strengthen the women’s self-help groups in Rajasthan, by providing timely
loan facility for their enterprises.
It will be operated by all women staffs.
It will be set up as a complementary body with formal banking system.
The institution is likely to decrease the number of loan applications pending in
banks.
All the cluster-level federations of Rajeevika will be members of the institution.
Proposal to set up Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi was put by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in
2022-23 budget speech.
Funds for Rajasthan Mahila Nidhi:
During the initial two years of operations, state government would provide a grant of
Rs 50 crore. Apart from that, state government has asked the Central government to
provide a grant of Rs 110 crore.
Apart from that, Rs 10 lakh will be provided as share capital by Rajeevika to each of
the 561 cluster-level federations.
Districts to get benefits:
In the first year, Mahila Nidhi will be operational in 15 districts of Rajasthan. Currently, it
has started working in 6 districts viz., Karauli, Kota, Alwar, Rajsamand, Jodhpur and
Dungarpur.
Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022
Family Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed in Lok Sabha on July 26, 2022. The bill
granted statutory status to family courts set up in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Bill
has also validated all the actions taken by these courts.
Provisions of the Family Courts (Amendment) Bill 2022 includes;
Bill seeks to add a provision in sub-section 3 of section 1, for setting up family courts
in Himachal Pradesh in effect from February 15, 2019 as well as in Nagaland effective
from September 12, 2008.
It also seeks to add a new section 3A to validate all the action taken by these courts,
retrospectively.
It will also validate the actions taken by Himachal Pradesh government and
Nagaland government under the Family Court Act of 1984.
In Nagaland, two family courts were set up in 2008 and in Himachal Pradesh three
family courts were set up in 2019.
Family Courts in India:
Family Courts Act 1984 was enacted to set up family courts in every district. Under the Act,
State governments are mandated to set up family courts for every city or town with
population more than one million. Thus, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju recently requested the
state government across India to establish one family court in every district. In India, there
are 715 family courts. Burden of pending cases has increased to 11,49,907 as of May 2022.
Till May 2022, around 69,464 new cases have been registered while 75,386 cases have been
resolved.
India lost 329 tigers in 3 years: Govt Data
Union Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey presented data on tigers
in Lok Sabha recently. According to him, 329 tigers got lost in India in past 3 years.
Poaching and other natural or unnatural causes were responsible for the loss.
Highlights of the Ministry’s data on Tigers:
In 2019, India had lost 96 tigers; In 2020, it lost 106 tigers while 127 tigers were lost in
2021.
Out of 329 deaths, 68 tiger died due to natural causes, 5 due to unnatural causes, 29
due to poaching and 30 due to seizure.
Currently, 197 tigers have been put to scrutiny.
Number of poaching cases has decreased from 17 in 2019 to 4 in 2021.
Ministry’s data on elephants:
India lost 307 elephants in the same period due to poaching, poisoning, train
accidents and electrocution.
222 elephants lost their life to electrocution in part three years.
41 cases were reported in Odisha, 34 in Tamil Nadu and 33 in Assam.

45 elephants have died in train accidents.
12 train fatalities were reported in Odisha while 11 in West Bengal.
29 elephants lost life to poaching. Out of this number; 12 deaths occurred in
Meghalaya and 7 in Odisha.
11 elephants died due to poisoning, of which 9 deaths occurred in Assam.
Human-Animal Conflict:
As per government’s data, 125 people got killed in “tiger attacks” in last three years. 61
deaths occurred in Maharashtra and 25 in Uttar Pradesh.
IMF World Economic Outlook- Update
India’s economic growth forecast has been reduced from 8.2% to 7.4%. The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) released India’s growth prediction in its World Economic Outlook on
July 26, 2022.
Key Findings of the IMF’s Outlook:

India’s economic growth forecast was estimated to be 8.2% in April.
IMF reduced the estimate to 7.4% due to vulnerability of Indian economy considering
the external shocks and rapid monetary policy tightening.
IMF recommends the policymakers to prioritize suggested policymakers prioritize
heal the inflation through monetary policy tightening.
India’s growth forecast for fiscal year 2023-24 has also been reduced by 0.8 percent
point, to 6.1% due to increasing economic risks.
India’s growth forecast by other institutions:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has estimated India’s growth to 7.2% in 2022-23.
Asian Development Bank has decreased India’s growth forecast to 7.2% for 2022-23.
Global Growth Outlook:
Global Growth Outlook has also been reduced by the IMF. It has warned that, world is
moving towards recession. Global economic expansion is expected to slow down to 3.2%
in 2022. This expansion is slower as compared to 3.6% in April 2022.
India to remain Fastest Growing economy:
According to IMF, India will continue to be fastest growing major economies worldwide in
2022-23 and 2023-24. Only Saudi Arabia is likely to be ahead of India. Saudi Arabia is
estimated to grow at 7.6% in 2022. Growth in China is likely to slow down to 3.3% in 2022.
Russia, South Africa, and Brazil witnessed an upward revision economic forecast.
Recent Data on Bank Frauds and NPA
According to Minister of State for Finance, Bhagwat Karad, amount involved in bank
frauds as well as select financial institutions has decreased by 8% in past two years. The
amount has decreased from Rs 32,178 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 3,785 crore in 2021-22.
Key Points of the govt data:
As per RBI data, in 2020-2021, frauds involving Rs 11,800 were detected.
Gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) of India have decreased to 5.9%. It is lowest in
six-year.
However, NPA ratio is highest among countries. India’s NPA is highest after Russia
that reported bad loans of 8.3%.
In terms of NPA ratio, India is followed by South Africa with 5.2 per cent NPA ratio.
China has NPA ratio of 1.8%, Indonesia has 2.6% NPA ration while US has NPA ratio of
1.1%. USA’s NPA is lowest among all.
Ex-gratia relief provided by India:
India has provided ex-gratia relief to several eligible borrowers, in light Covid-19 situation.
Reliefs were provided through way of payment of the difference between compound
interest and simple interest. Around 19.92 crore borrowers have been benefited. An ex-
gratia amount of Rs 6,474 crore have been provided to them.
Non-performing asset (NPA):
NPA is a loan or advance which are in default, usually because its principal or interest
payment have not been paid for 90 days.

Gross non-performing assets (GNPAs):
GNPAs are defined as sum of all the loans defaulted by individuals, who have received
loans from financial institution.
Winston Churchill Leadership Award to Ukraine's President
Winston Churchill Leadership Award was presented to President of Ukraine Volodymyr
Zelensky. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson presented the award on July 26, 2022, after
comparing Winston Churchill and Zelensky in times of crises.
Volodymyr Zelensky was presented this award for standing against Russian invasion
of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 and fighting back. The situation was similar to what
Churchill had faced in 1940.
He received the award in virtual mode, during a ceremony at held at London Office
of Boris Johnson.
Event was attended by members of the Churchill family, Ukrainian Ambassador
Vadym Prystaiko as well as Ukrainians who have trained by British soldiers.
Boris Johnson and Zelensky share a close relationship, ever since Boris Johnson has
become the first Western leader to visit Ukraine amid Russia-Ukraine Conflict.
The Churchill leadership award:
The Winston Churchill Leadership award was first given in 2006. It has been present to
Prince Charles, former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former British Prime
Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major in the past.
Winston Churchill:
Sir Winston Churchill was a British statesman, writer and soldier. He also served as Prime
Minister of the United Kingdom during Second World War, as well as from 1951-1955. He
was an economic liberal and imperialist. For most of his career, he was the member of
Conservative Party.
Russia to quit International Space Station after 2024

Russia is all set to exit the International Space Station after 2024. Russia took this decision
after escalation of tensions between Russia and the West due to Russian military
intervention in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.
Russia and the United States have been working side by side on the International
Space Station since 1998, when it was deployed.
Space exploration was among few areas where cooperation between United States
and Russia and other allies was not affected due to tensions over Ukraine.
Russia is likely to focus on building its own space station.
The International Space Station;
is jointly run by space agencies of US, Russia, Japan, Canada and Europe.
It was first placed in orbit in 1998. It is continuously inhibiting since last 22 years.
The space station is used to carry scientific research in zero gravity and test other
equipment for future space missions.

NASA and other space partners will keep space station running until 2030.
Soviet Space Programme:
It was the national space program of former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
The programme was running from 1955 until 1991, when Soviet Union was disintegrated.
Soviet research started with establishment of a research laboratory in 1921. It could not be
successful due to World War II in 1940s. Soviet space program was significant in making
many firsts, such as-
It launched the first satellite through first intercontinental missile and
Sent first animal in Earth orbit in 1957.
It also placed the first human in space in 1961.
July 28, 2022
European Investment Bank (EIB) joins CDRI
The European Investment Bank (EIB) recently joined the Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure (CDRI). CDRI is led by India. EIB-CDRI coalition is aimed at limiting the
destruction caused due to climate change.
As a part of this;
EIB will work in association with national governments, multilateral development
banks, UN agencies, and private sector for encouraging the fast development of
infrastructure which are resilient to climate change and natural disasters in
developing as well as developed countries.
It will provide advisory and financial support to members of CDRI.
It will also make sure that, members of CDRI get benefits from all the relevant EU
initiatives.
EID seeks to work with CDRI members, in a bid to unlock the benefits of EU
initiatives, that are aimed at attaining sustainable global connectivity like Global
Gateway as well as climate action initiatives like EU Green Deal.
EIB will work as “EU climate bank”, within the CDRI. It will share knowledge through its
newly deployed development branch- “EIB Global”. It will also focus on developing
standards and certification, which are required for disaster-resilient infrastructure. EIB will
also help CDRI in evolving the research & knowledge-management capabilities of its
members.
About CDRI
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was launched by India in 2019, at
the UN Climate Action Summit. It allows the members to share knowledge and resources
as well as help countries in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ (SDGs).
About European Investment Bank
EIB is the investment bank of European Union. It is possessed by the EU Member States. It
is among the largest supranational lenders worldwide.
Israel unveils Roman-era coin
Archaeologists from Israel recently unveiled a rare and “remarkably well preserved” coin
belonging to Roman-era. The coin dates back to around 1,900 years. It was discovered by
archaeologists of Israel Antiquities Authority while exploring Haifa in northern Israel. Coin
is the first such discovery in Israeli waters.
Features of the coin include:
The coin portrays the moon goddess Luna.
It is minted in Alexandria (present-day Egypt).
Zodiac sign Cancer has been featured below Luna.
On the other side of the coin, Roman emperor from that era- Antoninus Pius, has
been featured.
Coin is dated “year eight”, which refers to 8th year of rule of Antoninus Pius. He ruled
from 138 to 161. This part of the era is called as Pax Romana. During this part, there
happened to be relative peace across the Roman Empire.
Luna is part of a series of 13. Specimens of this series have also been discovered
elsewhere in the world.
It depicts 12 signs of zodiac and another the complete zodiac wheel.
These coins were lost at the sea. They got disappeared from sight for thousands of years.
However, they have been well preserved. Some of the coins are rare. Their discovery is
significant because it solves the parts of historical puzzle of Israel’s past.
The Roman Empire:
Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. It comprised of large
territories across Mediterranean Sea in Europe, Western Asia and North Africa.
Han Kuang military exercises 2022
First stage of the Han Kuang Military Exercises was concluded recently and its second
stage started on July 25, 2022. Second stage will run until July 29. The exercises involve all
branches of Military of Taiwan.
During the Han Kuang Exercises;
A hostile enemy tried to seize control of key waterway near to capital of Taiwan.
Invading forces attacked from sea & air and target mouth of Tamsui River on
northern coast of Taiwan. Tamsui River is a strategic estuary which provides direct
access to the centre of Taipei.
To answer the invading forces, Taiwan’s military scrabbled the Indigenous Defence
Fighter (IDF) jets and tanks. On the other hand, on ground troops blasted explosives
to control their advancement.
Significance of the Exercises include:
In the year 2022, these exercises have a greater significance, due to increasing
concerns over China’s intentions towards Taiwan.
Taiwan is a self-governing island. But the ruling Communist Party of China claims
Taiwan as its territory.
These concerns have been further increased due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
because, China has not ruled out to use force to take over Taiwan.
Furthermore, China asks US take relevant actions in a bid to comply with China’s
commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’.
About Han Kuang Exercise:
Han Kuang Exercise is the annual military exercise of all the branches of Taiwan’s military
and its reserve forces in Taiwan, Kinmen, Penghu and Matsu. It is being held since 1984. It
is held to boost overall defence capabilities of the forces, in a bid to combat readiness
during an attack from People’s Liberation Army of China.
India-Bangladesh cross-border logistics of containerised Cargo
India and Bangladesh have successfully completed the first “Cross-border logistics of
Containerised cargo” through inland waterways of “Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route for
Coca-Cola Bangladesh Beverages”. It has been completed by A.P. Moller – Maersk.
The cross-border logistics of containerised cargo provides new opportunity for
customers to avail the faster, and more reliable inland waterways solution
connecting both the countries.
Maersk has transported 50 containers from Kolkata (India) to a river port near Dhaka
(Bangladesh). It was transported on a barge on Indian side National Waterways 1.
Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route has provided trade opportunities for both the
countries in last decades.
With the advancement towards containerised transport through this route,
opportunities for importers and exporters are being expanded from both sides.
Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route also extends the connection to Bhutan.
Maersk provide an option of end-to-end integrated logistics solution, through which
customers would be able to move their cargo from origin to destination by utilising
the first-mile and last-mile services.
The cross-border logistics containerised cargo is significant because, the delivery schedule
of the cargo via transhipment hub used to be affected with delays. Under the new
mechanism, the delivery speed over inland waterways is going to benefit both the
countries.
Cargo movement on inland waterways or rivers:
Cargo movement through inland waterways or rivers is reliable, specifically in monsoons.
This is because, turbulent weather causes delays when goods are transported through
ocean. The ocean network runs under capacity pressure. Thus, alternative inland
waterways are being welcomed by shippers as it is quicker and more reliable.
About A.P. Moller – Maersk:
It is an integrated container logistics company, that works to connect and simplify the
supply chains of its customers. It operates across 130 countries as the global leader in
shipping services.
Merger of BSNL- BBNL
Merger of Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) with the Bharat Sanchar Nigam
Limited (BSNL) was recently approved by the Union Cabinet. BSNL will work as
government’s executive arm and the ownership of assets will be with the government.
Currently, BSNL has an optical fibre cable network of more than 6.83 lakh kilometre.
With the merger of BSNL and BBNL, BSNL will get an additional 5.67 lakh kilometre of
optical fibre.
67 lakh kilometre of optical fibre has been laid in 1.85 lakh village panchayats of India
using the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
USOF is a Rs 55,000-crore strong reserve, that has been created to provide
connectivity to rural and remote areas of India.
The merger was first announced the merger of BBNL with BSNL in April 2022. BBNL is a
special purpose vehicle (SPV), that was established to implement BharatNet project.
Bharat Broadband Network limited (BBNL)
Bharat Broadband Network Limited is also known as BharatNet. It is owned by
government and provides broadband infrastructure. It was established by the
Department of Telecommunications, under Ministry of Communications. It is involved in
the establishment, management and operation of National Optical Fibre Network, under
which government seeks to provide a minimum of 100 Mbit/s broadband connectivity
across 250,000-gram panchayats in India.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)
BSNL is headquartered in New Delhi. It works under the ownership of Department of
Telecommunications. It was set up on October 1, 2000. BSNL is the largest government-
owned, wireless telecommunications service provider in country.
CSR funds for ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’
Recently, government announced for companies to spend CSR funds on activities related
to ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. Government is organising the “Har Ghar Tiranga
Campaign” as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The campaign is intended to encourage
people to hoist national flag at their home to celebrate the 75 th years of India’s
independence.
The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):

Some classes of profitable companies are mandated to transfer at least 2% of their
annual average net profit towards the CSR activities, in accordance with the
Companies Act, 2013.
As per governments’ circular, CSR funds will be spent for the activities related to Har
Ghar Tiranga campaign including mass scale production & supply of the national
flag, amplification efforts and other related activities.
These activities are eligible for CSR funds, in accordance with the provisions of
Schedule VII of the Companies Act. Schedule VII is related to promotion of education
relating to culture and CSR activities.
Government’s circular also provides that, companies can undertake these activities,
which are subject to complying with Companies (CSR Policy) Rules, 2014.
Har Ghar Tiranga campaign:
Har Ghar Tiranga is a campaign under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. It is being organised by
government for encouraging people to bring the National Flag home and hoist to
celebrate the 75th year of India’s independence. The main objective of this initiative is to
invoke the feeling of patriotism in heats of people. The campaign also seeks to raise
awareness on the Indian National Flag.
National Anti-Doping Bill, 2021
On July 27, 2022, the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2022 was passed in the Lok Sabha. Bill was
passed considering that, legislative powers would put brake on doping. Bill was
introduced in December 2021 by Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
Important provisions of the bill include;
Bill would help in establishing National Board of Anti-Doping in sports, comprising of
competent and independent personnel.
It also seeks to achieve time-bound justice for athletes.
It will also enhance cooperation among agencies to fight against doping.
It also seeks to strengthen India’s commitment to fulfil international obligations
towards clean sports.
It will help in setting up robust, independent mechanism for anti-doping
adjudication.
It will provide legal sanctity to functioning of NADA and National Dope Testing
Laboratory (NDTL).
It would lead to setting up of more dope testing laboratories in India, besides
providing support in academic research and manufacture of things related to anti-
doping.
Thus, the National Anti-Doping Bill 2022 provide a statutory framework in the form of
legislation, to stop doping in sports in India. Currently, the National Anti-Doping Agency
(NADA) has been performing anti-doping measures in accordance with the norms of
World Anti-Doping Agency.
National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)
It is the national organisation, that promotes, coordinates, and monitor the doping control
program in all forms of sports in country. It deals with adoption and implementation of
anti-doping rules and policies, in line with the World Anti-Doping Agency. It was
established by Central Government, under the societies Registration Act.
World Hepatitis Day 2022
On July 28, World Hepatitis Day is celebrated across the World, annually. The day seeks to
raise awareness on the Hepatitis, which cause deaths of around 125 000 people in Africa
every year, even though the disease can be cured.
Theme of the World Hepatitis Day 2022:
In year 2022, the World Hepatitis Day is being celebrated under the theme- “Bringing
hepatitis care closer to you”.
This theme is aimed at highlighting the usefulness of bringing hepatitis care closer to
primary health care facilities and communities.

It also seeks to ensure better access to treatment and care.
About Hepatitis:
It is inflammation of the liver tissue. Some people or animals show no symptoms of
hepatitis. On the other hand, others people develop yellow discoloration of skin and
whites of the eyes, vomiting, poor appetite, abdominal pain, tiredness, and diarrhoea. The
disease is acute, if it is treated within six months. It can be turned chronic, if it lasts more
than six months. Acute hepatitis can be treated on its own, while chronic hepatitis causes
failure of liver. Chronic hepatitis can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure.
Hepatitis case burden in WHO African Region:
In Africa, over 90 million people are living with hepatitis. It accounts for 26% of total cases
worldwide. The disease goes undetected mostly, because of absence of any symptoms. As
per WHO, prevalence of Hepatitis B in around 8% of the total populations across 19
countries. Hepatitis C is prevalent among 1% population across18 countries. Transmission
of Hepatitis B from mother to child is high.
InterNations Expat Insider 2022 Survey – Highlights
Mexico has been placed at top position in terms of expats in “Expat Insider 2022 survey”.
It is followed by Indonesia and Taiwan. The Expat Insider 2022 survey was conducted by
InterNations from February 1 to 28, 2022. Survey was conducted across 52 countries.
Top 10 countries for Expats:
Top 10 countries for Expats are: Mexico, Indonesia, Taiwan, Portugal, Spain, UAE, Vietnam,
Thailand, Australia and Singapore (in that order) Expats find it easy to settle in Mexico and
Indonesia as well as other top 10 countries. They are happy with personal finances in
Mexico. But they are unhappy about the low quality of life in Indonesia. In Taiwan, they
get high quality of life, ease of personal finances and ease of settling in. USA has been
ranked at 14th place, Canada at 23rd while United Kingdom is ranked below India, at 37.
Bottom 10 countries for Expats:
Bottom 10 countries for Expats are- Kuwait, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Cyprus,
Luxembourg, Japan, South Africa, Turkey, Italy and Malta. Hong Kong, New Zealand and
Kuwait turned out to be worst places for expats.
Ranking based on other parameters:
Based on the quality of life, top 5 counties are- Spain, Taiwan, Austria, Portugal and the
UAE. India has been ranked low in the Quality-of-Life Index. India has placed at bottom 10
spot for all subcategories except for Health & Well-Being, in which it is ranked at 19 th
position. For air quality, India was ranked as worst country by expats.
44th International Chess Olympiad to be inaugurated by PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate 44th International Chess
Olympiad on July 28, 2022. The Olympiad will be inaugurated at the Jawaharlal Nehru
Stadium in Chennai. Inauguration event will start from 6PM.
Facts to know about 44th International Chess Olympiad:
The 44th Chess Olympiad is scheduled to be conducted from July 28 to August 10,
2022.
It will be conducted at Poonjeri Village in Mamallapuram district of Chennai.
The International Chess Olympiad is scheduled to held in India, for the first time,
after it moved out of Russia.
It is attracting a huge number of entries. 188 entries have been registered under
open section and 162 in Women section.
Three teams will participate from India in the Open and Women’s section.
Viswanathan Anand will mentor the players.
India’s ‘A’ team (Open section) comprises of P Harikrishna, Arjun Erigaisi, LK
Narayanan, Vidit Gujrathi and K Sasikiran.
India’s ‘A’ team (Women’s section) comprise of Koneru Humpy, D Harika, Bhakti
Kulkarni and R Vaishali.
The event is organised by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE).
The 44th chess Olympiad was originally scheduled to be organised at Khanty-Mansiysk,
along with the Chess World Cup 2019. However, it later moved to Moscow for 5 to 17
August 2020. However, it was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the event
was relocated to Chennai, in the aftermath of Russian invasion of Ukraine. France’s
International Arbiter Laurent Freyd will be the Chief Arbiter of the event.
July 29, 2022
Adventure Tourism recognised as Niche Tourism Product
Adventure Tourism was recently recognised as a “Niche Tourism Product” by the Ministry
of Tourism. Adventure Tourism includes Water Sports activities. It received the recognition
in a bid to promote country, including Bihar, as a 365 days destination as well as to attract
tourist with specific interest.
National Strategy for Adventure Tourism:
Ministry has prepared a “National Strategy for Adventure Tourism”, with the
objective of making India as a preferred destination for adventure tourism
worldwide.
A National Board for Adventure Tourism has also been set up, with Secretary of
Tourism as its Chairperson.
The board consists of representatives from Central Ministries or organizations, State
Governments or UT Administrations besides the Industry Stakeholders.
Board has been set up with the objective to operationalize and implement the
strategy for the promotion and development of adventure tourism in India.
Strategy of the board will cover:
Action plan and formulation of dedicated scheme in detail
Certification Scheme
Safety guidelines
Capacity building, reproduction of national and global best practices
Assessment of state policies and ranking
Marketing and promotion

Development of destination and product
Participation of Private sector
Specific strategies for adventure tourism
Any other measures for growth of adventure tourism in India
About Niche Tourism
When a specific tourism product is tailored to meet the requirements of particular
audience or market segment, it is known as Niche Tourism. Locations associated with
specific niche products manages to establish and position themselves as niche tourism
destinations. Niche Tourism include outdoor pursuits, cultural tours, nature-based
tourism, screen tourism, and other such travel experiences.
UNGA Resolution: Healthy Environment declared as “Human Right”
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) recently passed a resolution that recognises the
Healthy Environment as Human Right. India has voted in favour of this resolution. As per
the resolution, right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment has become human
right.
Highlights:
UN General Assembly passed the resolution on July 28, 2022.
Out of 193-members, 161 members voted in favour.
Belarus, China, Cambodia, Russia, Syria, Ethiopia, Iran and Kyrgyzstan were absent to
vote.
India has voted in favour. However, it is concerned regarding the procedure and
substance of the resolution.
The historic UN Resolution;
Recognises the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human
right.
It ensures that; promotion of human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable
environment needs full implementation of multilateral environmental agreements in

accordance with the principles of international environmental law.
What are India’s concerns?
India is though ready to support any effort made towards better environment and to
strengthen international cooperation for environmental protection. For this, country has
voted in favour. But India has dissociated itself from operative paragraph 1 of the
resolution, which reads that, “UN general assembly Recognises the right to a clean,
healthy and sustainable environment as a human right’. India is of the view that, this
statement shall be included in official records. Furthermore, the resolution does not
clearly define the terms clean’, healthy’ and sustainable’.
Internet in India report 2022- Highlights
The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) recently released its report titled
“Internet in India”. as per report, about 346 million Indians practices online transactions
including digital payments and e-commerce. India has outnumbered United States, where
population practicing digital transactions is at 331 million.
Key Findings of the report:
As per report, global covid-19 pandemic has resulted an increase of 51% in digital
transactions. In 2019, 230 million people were involved in digital transaction.
Number of male internet user is greater than female users across rural as well as
urban areas.
Internet users are mostly engaged in activities like social media, entertainment and
communications, across India.
As a part of communications, text and email is are popularly used by the users.
As per report, use of voice and Indic languages are going to become key drivers of
growth in future.
Apart from that, the usage of OTT platforms is more in rural India. However, penetration
of online gaming, digital payments, e-commerce, is angled towards urban areas of India.
Currently, there are 692 million active internet users in country. Out of them, 351 million
are from rural areas and 341 are from urban areas. As per IAMAI, the number of internet
users in India is likely to reach 900 million by 2025.
Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
IAMAI is a not-for-profit industry body in India. It has been registered under “The
Societies Registration Act of 1860”. It speaks about the interests of online and mobile
value-added services industry.
Commonwealth Games 2022- Day 1 updates
The 2022 Commonwealth Games was officially inaugurated on July 28, 2022, following a
grand opening ceremony at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. During the event,
Indian contingent was led by PV Sindhu and Manpreet Singh. Neeraj Chopra will not take
part in the CWG 2022 due to an injury.
CWG 2022 is set to become the biggest and most expensive sporting event in United
Kingdom, since 2012 London Olympics.
Prince Charles was the chief guest of opening ceremony.

Queen’s Baton reached the CWG village in Birmingham on July 27.
Opening ceremony was entirely created by British screenwriter Steven Knight.
In the Games, athletes from more than 72 nations and territories will take part.
Youngest member of Indian contingent is 14-year-old squash player Anahat Singh.
He will play against Jada Ross of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
In the last edition of CWG, India had won 66 medals. Last edition was held at Gold
Coast in Australia.
On Day 1 of the CWG; a contingent of 210 athletes, including 106 male and 104 female, will
be competing in 16 events. Women’s cricket is making debut in the CWG this year,
through T20s. India will play against Australia on Day 1; who is T20 world champion.
Indian badminton team will open the game today. Apart from that, 2018 CWG gold
medallist will also start their game, against Pakistan. Indian women’s hockey team is also
scheduled to start game against Ghana.

International Tiger Day 2022
On July 29, the International Tiger Day is celebrated across the world. It is also known as
World Tiger Day. Year 2022 is marking the 12th International Tiger Day. The day is aimed at
promoting a global system to protect natural habitats of tigers, raising public awareness
on risks and challenges faced by tigers worldwide.
History of the day:
The World Tiger Day was founded in 2010, during Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit
2010.
During the summit, representatives from 13 countries declared that; tiger-populated
countries will start initiatives to double the population of tiger by 2022.
Risks faced by Tigers:
As per World Wildlife Fund (WWF), number of wild tigers have decreased by over 95%
and only 3900 wild tigers are left in the world.
The number of tigers is decreasing due to cutting down trees and destruction of
natural habitat.
Climate change, poaching, Illicit commerce, and killing are other factors leading to
decrease in population.
Tigers are now counted among those animals, which are on the verge of extinction.
Thus, the International Tiger Day is celebrated every year, to raise awareness on
importance of tiger conservation.
Tigers in India:
Tiger is the national animal of India. The country is home to more than half of world’s wild
tigers, with an estimated 2,226 number of Tigers. However, since 2012, India has lost 1,059
tigers. Madhya Pradesh recorded highest number of deaths. Madhya Pradesh is known as
‘tiger state’ of India. As per National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), 75 tigers have
lost life so far in 2022.
11th Agricultural Census 2021-22

th
11 Agriculture Census 2021-22 was launched by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on
July 28, 2022. It was launched to gather data on several parameters, including operational
holdings. This year, data will be collected via smartphones and tablets for the first time.
Key facts to know about Agricultural Census 2021-22:
The fieldwork for the 11th Census will start in August 2022.
Agriculture Census is conducted after every 5 years.
11 th Agricultural Census 2021-22 is being undertaken in 2022, due to covid-19
pandemic.
Main focus of the census is on increasing income of the farmers and empowering
them by organizing small farmers.
Agriculture Census in India:
Agriculture Census Scheme is being undertaken by Agriculture Ministry since
1970-71. For this, 1970-71 was taken as reference year.

So far, ten Agriculture Censuses have been conducted. Last edition of Agriculture
census was conducted in 2015-16.
Under this exercise, centre government provides funds to states to do entire work.
Agriculture Census is being conducted in India, on the basis of guidelines of decennial
World Census of Agriculture (WCA) that has formulated by Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) of United Nations. In the census, operational holding is considered as
statistical unit at micro-level to collect data. Periodic Agriculture Census provides
information regarding the basic characteristics of operational holdings like cropping
pattern, land-use, tenancy, irrigation status, and dispersal of holdings etc. The Agriculture
Census Scheme was converted to Central Sector Scheme, from a Centrally-Sponsored
Scheme, in 2007-08. Thus, central government provides 100 percent financial assistance to
States or UTs for payment of salaries, honoraria, office expenses, and printing of
schedules, etc.
Indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant
The Indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant was delivered to Indian Navy on July 28, 2022. It
is India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier that has been built by Cochin Shipyard. Thus, the
final countdown for commissioning has started.
Key Facts about INS Vikrant:
INS Vikrant is a 45,000-tonne warship, constructed at a cost of around Rs 20,000-
crore.
It is 262-meter long and 62-meter wide. It has an operational endurance of 7500
nautical miles, with cruising speed of 18 knots.
The aircraft carrier is capable of carrying 30 fighters and helicopters.
They are scheduled to be commissioned in August 2022.
The carrier will be christened INS Vikrant, in the honour of India’s first aircraft carrier
that was acquired in 1961 from United Kingdom. India’s first aircraft carrier had
played a significant role in 1971 war and was decommissioned in 1997.

INS Vikrant is powered thorough four gas turbines, with total power of 88 MW.
It has an overall indigenous content of 76%.
It will have a crew of 1,700, including women.
Delivery of MH-60 Romeo Helicopters:
In similar development, 2 out of 24 submarine-hunting MH-60 Romeo helicopters
were delivered at Kochi from United States. MH-60 Romeo Helicopters have been
armed with Hellfire missiles, precision-kill rockets and MK-54 torpedoes.
All 24 choppers will be delivered by 2025. The choppers are also equipped with night-
vision devices and multi-mode radars.
Indian government had signed a contract of Rs 15,157 crore with the US in February
2020 for the choppers.
Choppers will operate from Indigenous Aircraft Carrier and other frontline warships.
Currently, India has 130-warship force against China’s 355 warships and submarines.
China has the world’s largest navy. The US has 11 super 100,000-tonne nuclear-powered
carriers.
What is Crypto Jacking?
According to recent report, Crypto Jacking has increased to a record high in 2022, even
though the number of digital assets has decreased. In the first half of 2022, the number of
global crypto jacking has increased by approximately USD 66 million as compared to 2021.
About Crypto Jacking:
It is a type of cybercrime, in which cryptocurrencies are mined through hacked computer.
Due to this, cyber-criminals are developing and distributing crypto mining malware. When
the malware gets loaded onto a compromised device, it mints new coins. However, it
creates vulnerabilities in the web browsers and extensions of browser.
Generally, cybercriminals are using Log4j vulnerability to attack the cloud.
Crypto jacking is a lower-risk attack, as compared to ransomware or any other sort of
cybercrimes.
Financial industry has suffered multiple crypto jacking attacks. Retail is the second-
most vulnerable industry.
In the crypto jacking; victims are not aware that their computers or networks have
already been compromised.
Recent research has revealed that; attackers have changed their preferred targets in last
some months. It has moved from the government, education and healthcare sectors
towards retail and financial sectors. Crypto jacking attacks have increased by 200% in the
financial sector. Attacks have turned lucrative with recent advancements in technology.
Thus, investors are required to understand the volatility of crypto coins and ensure that
they don’t fall prey to such scams.
Bandhan Bank opens currency chest in Deedargunj
Bandhan Bank recently inaugurated its currency chest in Deedargunj, Patna. It is the first
ever currency chest of the Bandhan bank. It will help in cash management for ATMs and
branches in Patna.
Key features of the currency chest of Bandhan bank include;
Currency chest of Bandhan Bank would help people, small traders and MSMEs in
supplying currency notes to the bank branches and the ATMs, when it is required.
In Patna, a lot of cash transactions is witnessed on daily basis. Thus, the currency
chest will help the bank branches in storing cash.
Bandhan Bank has planned to open over 530 new bank branches in India in financial year
2022-23. New branches will be mainly be distributed across North, West and South India.
About Bandhan Bank Ltd:
Bandhan Bank is a banking and financial services company. It is headquartered in Kolkata.
It is present across 34 out of 36 states and union territories in India. It has 5,639 banking
outlets, catering to 2.63 crore customers. The Reserve Bank of India had accorded
‘universal banking licence’, following which the Bank started operating on August 23,
2015. Initially, it had 501 branches, 50 ATMs besides 2,022 Banking Units (BUs). Bandhan
was constituted in 2001 as a not-for-profit entity. Its primary objective was to bring in
financial inclusion and women empowerment by creating sustainable livelihood.
July 30, 2022
IIT Madras: Centre to build Open-source AI for Indian languages
On July 29, 2022, the “Nilekani Centre at AI4Bharat’ was launched, in a bid to build Open-
Source AI for Indian Languages. It was launched by the Indian Institute
of Technology Madras (IIT) Madras.
Nilekani Centre at AI4Bharat:
The Nilekani Centre at AI4Bharat will work to advance Indian Language technology.
Rohini and Nandan Nilekani are supporting the centre, with a grant of Rs 36 crore via
Nilekani Philanthropies.
During the launch ceremony, a workshop open to students, researchers, and start-
ups was organised, in a bid to discuss the resources available for building Indian
language technologies.
About AI4Bharat:
AI4Bharat is an initiative by IIT Madras.
It has been started to build open-source language AI for Indian Languages.
In last two years, a team led by Dr Mitesh Khapra, Dr Pratyush Kumar and Dr Anoop
Kunchukuttan has contributed to Indian language technology, which also include
state-of-the-art models for Machine Translation and Speech Recognition.
This initiative would contribute to and accelerate Indic language AI work as a public
good.
It has been aligned with objectives of Digital India Bhashini Mission.
The Digital India Bhashini mission was launched with the objective of making all
services and information available to citizens in their own language. Collaborative AI is at
the core of the design. In India, there is a rich diversity of languages, which required to be
in sync with the expanding digital world. Thus, it is essential to make significant advances
in language technology for the benefit of common man.
New health warning on Tobacco Product Packages
According to Union Health Ministry, a new display image, with a warning written as
“Tobacco causes painful death” will be printed on tobacco products manufactured,
imported, or packaged on or after December 1, 2022. Existing specified health warning will
continue till November 30, 2022.
About the New Health Warning:
The norm related to the new display image on tobacco packs will be in place for
period of one year, starting from December 1, 2022.
From December 1, 2023, another display image will be used with warning written as
“tobacco users die younger”.
Ministry has made new amendments to Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products
(Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008. These amendments were notified on July 21,
2022.
Person engaged in manufacture, production, import, supply, or distribution of any
tobacco products, directly or indirectly, have been mandated to ensure that all
tobacco product packages have specified health warnings.
Violation of the new health guidelines will attract imprisonment or fine in accordance with
Section 20 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement
and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.
Tobacco Use in India:
As per Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2016-2017, prevalence of tobacco smoking is
lowest in Maharashtra, among states in India. More than, 91% of smokers in India believe
that smoking results serious illness. In India, 10.7% of the adults smoke tobacco while,
28.6% adults use tobacco either in smoke or smokeless form. According to Tobacco Free
Union, tobacco-related diseases in India is responsible for death of more than 1 million
people every year.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund Awards 2022
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar is set to present Agriculture Infrastructure
Fund Awards on July 30, 2022 in New Delhi. Awards are presented as a part of Agriculture
Infrastructure Fund, which was launched in the year 2020, under Aatmanirbhar Bharat
Initiative. It is a central government scheme.
About Agriculture Infrastructure Fund:
Union Cabinet approved the “Agriculture Infrastructure Fund Scheme” to inoculate
formal credits to farm and farm-processing based activities.
This scheme is a part of “Rs. 20 lakh crore stimulus packages”, that was announced
amid Covid-19 crisis.
Scheme has been launched for financial year 2020-2029.
It is aimed at providing medium-long term debt financing facility to invest in projects

related to community farming assets and post-harvest management Infrastructure.
Under the scheme, funds are provided to set up cold stores and chains, silos,
warehousing, grading & packaging units, e-marketing points etc.
Important Features of the Scheme include;
As a part of the scheme, loan amount of Rs. 1 Lakh Crore were provided by banks
and financial institutions, to the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, Farmer
Producers Organisations, Marketing Cooperative Societies, Self Help Group (SHG),
Farmers, etc.
Loans are being disbursed in four years. Rs 10,000 crore was provided in the first
year while, Rs. 30,000 crores are being provided in three instalments over three
years.
Moratorium for repayment has been fixed as 6 months to 2 years.
Loans have the interest subvention of 3% per annum, with a limit of up Rs. 2 crores.
As per reports, ministry has received 23000 applications on integrated Portal of Agri Infra
Fund. Out of these, 13700 applicants have been sanctioned more than 10,000 crore
rupees.
Mosi-oa-Tunya’: Zimbabwe's Gold Coin to Curb Inflation
Recently, Zimbabwe launched gold coins named “Mosi-oa-Tunya” in a bid to control the
inflation in country. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe announced the launch and distributed
2,000 coins to commercial banks. In July, the annual inflation rate increased to 190%, and
thus interest rate of central bank increased by two times to 200%.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing high inflation for a decade now. It has been trying
to control it in many other ways.
In 2022, the value of Zimbabwe’s dollar decreased against major currencies.
As a result, black marketing of US dollars started by citizens in Zimbabwe.
Thus, Zimbabwe launched new gold coins to control the black marketing of dollar.
These gold coins can be used by international investors, to do insurance against
inflation and conflict.
Features of the Gold Coin include;
The gold coin is called as “Mosi-oa-Tunya”. It means “The Smoke Which Thunders”.
It also refers to Victoria Falls in native Tonga language.
Coins have been given the status of liquid asset. Thus, they can be easily converted
into cash.
They are also easily tradable, locally and internationally tradable.
Coins can be used by Individuals or companies. They can purchase coins from banks
and other authorised outlets.
Foreigners can also purchase the coins, however, only in foreign currency.
The coin holders can trade coins for cash, after 180 days from the date of purchase.
Price for the gold coins will be decided on the basis of international market rate for an
ounce of gold. Additional 5% will be added for cost of production of the coin.
India House at Paris Olympics 2024
Reliance Industries (RIL) has partnered with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to set up
first-ever India House at Paris Olympics 2024. RIL-IOA partnership is directed towards
elevation of performances of Indian athletes. They will also extend support to national
sports federations.
Highlights of the Partnership;
RIL-IOA partnership will build credentials of India as a global sporting nation, with
the goal of being the host of Olympic Games in future.
As a part of partnership, RIL will extend support to Indian athletes in major multi-
sport events such as Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics Games.
Before the Paris 2024 Olympics, India is scheduled to host the 140th prestigious IOC
Session at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, in June 2023. The IOC Session coincides with
75th year of Independence. It will highlight the role of sport in India as well as celebrate
India’s contribution to the Olympic Movement.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA)
Indian Olympic Association is also called as Indian Olympic Committee (IOC). It selects
athletes to represent India at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and other such
international athletic meets. It is also responsible for managing the Indian teams at these
events. As the Indian Commonwealth Games Association, it also selects athletes to
represent India at Commonwealth Games.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL)
RIL is a multinational conglomerate company, with headquarter in Mumbai. The company
was co-founded by Dhirubhai Ambani and Champaklal Damani as Reliance Commercial
Corporation, in 1960s.
Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-27
Gujarat Government recently unveiled a dedicated ‘Gujarat Semiconductor Policy
2022-27’. The policy aims created at least 2,00,000 new employment opportunities over the
five years. Gujarat is the first state in India to release a dedicated semiconductor policy.
Government has also proposed to develop a special ‘Semicon City’ as a part of Dholera
Special Investment region.
Important facts and features of the policy include;
Under the Gujarat Semiconductor Policy 2022-27, Gujarat Government will provide
heavy subsidies on power, water and land tariffs for entrepreneurs who are
interested in investing in semiconductors or display fabrication manufacturing in
Gujarat.
The policy is aimed at making the state first in developing Electronics System Design
& Manufacturing (ESDM) ecosystem.
It will provide for effective and timely execution of eligible projects, in a bid to set up
a robust semiconductor and display fabrication ecosystem.
It focuses on providing guidance to a significant portion of investments under the
India Semiconductor Mission policies towards Gujarat.

It also aims to develop a ‘Semicon City’.
Under it, an additional capital assistance will be provided at 40% of the capex
assistance provided by the central government, for projects approved under India
Semiconductor Mission.
Projects approved under Design-linked Incentive scheme of Union government will not be
eligible to avail benefits under new policy. Eligible projects will be given 75% subsidy to
procure first 200 acres of land in Special Investment region. On the other hand, additional
land for upstream or downstream projects will be given 50% subsidy on land cost.
India Semiconductor Mission
Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) launched ‘India Semiconductor Mission’ in 2021, with
total financial outlay of Rs 76,000 crore. The mission is aimed at providing financial
support to companies that invest in semiconductors, design ecosystem and display
manufacturing.
RBI: Relaxations in Card Storage Norms
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently revised its guidelines on payment aggregators as well
as reopened the window to grant licences until September 30, 2022. Before the new
guidelines, online non-bank payment aggregators (PAs) were needed to apply to RBI by
September 30, 2021 to get authorisation under Payment and Settlement Systems Act,
2007.
Highlights of the revised guidelines include;
RBI also revised norms related to card storage. Now, RBI does not allow non-banks
from storing card information.
As per new rules, merchant or its payment aggregator will be allowed to save card
data for a period of up to four days from transaction date or till the settlement date,
or whichever is earlier.
Stored data can only be used to settle such transactions and must be removed
thereafter.
Relaxation in the card storage norms will provide for smooth transition to an
alternate system, with respect to transactions where cardholders submit their card
details manually.
Card tokenization:
Card tokenization has started for customers who do not wish to manually enter card
numbers every time they make a purchase. On the other hand, E-commerce websites have
been mandated to temporarily store numbers for customers who enter card details
manually while checking out. Apart from merchants and PAs, acquiring banks have been
mandated to store the card data until January 31, 2023. The deadline for the ban on card
storage norms is October 1, 2022.
Google Maps Street View in India
Google Maps recently launched its “street view service” in 10 cities in India in association
with two local companies Genesys International and Tech Mahindra. Earlier, government
had not allowed to show the panoramic images of roads and other sited, highlighting the
security reasons.
Highlights of the Google Maps Street View:
The Street View Services will be available on Google Maps.
For this service, fresh imagery has been licensed from local partners covering more
than 1,50,000 km in ten cities in India.
The 10 cities in which this service has been launched include; Bengaluru, Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Nasik, Hyderabad, Vadodara, Amritsar and Ahmednagar.
Google has planned to expand the services to over 50 cities by end of 2022.
The Street view is being brought to life in India, by local partners making it first such
instance in the world.
Street View APIs will also be provided to local developers. It will enable them to
deliver rich mapping experiences in their services.
Important features of the Google Map Street View in India include;

As a part of the Street View Services, Google Maps will showcase speed limits data,
that will be shared by traffic authorities. This facility will start from Bengaluru.
In Bengaluru, Google will also partnership with traffic police in a bid to deliver
models that optimises traffic light timings in a better manner.
It will help the local traffic authority to manage road congestion at important
intersections.
Google-CPCB collaboration:
Google also announced to collaborate with Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in a
bid to provide air quality information. Information regarding the air quality can be
accessed through ‘Layers’ button at top right in Maps app and clicking the ‘Air Quality’
option.
Kerala tops in Assembly sittings in 2021
Kerala has been ranked at top slot, in terms of holding State Assembly Session in 2021. In
2020, amid the first wave of covid-19 pandemic, state had slipped to 8th position. There
were House sitting for 61 days in Kerala in 2021. The rankings were provided by PRS
Legislative Research, in its study on function of State Assembly for 2021.
Important findings of the report include;
During 2016-2019, Kerala remained at top slot, with an average House sitting of 53
days.
Kerala announced 144 orders in 2021, that stands highest in India in 2021.
Kerala is followed by Odisha, with 43 sitting days.
Karnataka is ranked at 3rd place, with 40 sitting days.
Tamil Nadu, with 34 sitting days, has been ranked at 4th
For top three states, average number of sitting days in State legislature is less than
the present average of 21 days.
Out of the 28 State Assemblies and 1 legislature in Union Territory, 17 made sittings
in less than 20 days. furthermore, Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, and
Delhi made sittings in less than 10 days.
Rules for minimum sittings:
The National Commission for Review of Constitution (2000-02), provides that, House of
State of Union Territories legislatures like Puducherry, with lower than 70 members shall
meet for at least 50 days in a year. On the other hand, Houses like in Tamil Nadu shall
meet for at least 90 days. States like Manipur, Punjab, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh provides
for minimum number of sitting days under Rules of Procedure. It prescribes 40 days
sittings in Punjab while 90 days in Uttar Pradesh.
Twitter Transparency Report on India
According to microblogging platform Twitter, India accounts for highest number of legal
demands worldwide, to remove content posted by journalists and news outlets on the
platform, in July-December 2021. It made 114 such requests. This data was presented in
Twitter Transparency Report.

Important findings of the report include;
India is only behind United States in asking for Twitter account information.
India accounts for 19% of total information requests worldwide.
India is among top five countries to give content-blocking orders to Twitter, for all
kinds of users, in July-December 2021.
After India, other countries accounting for high legal demands include- Turkey,
Russia, and Pakistan.
Turkey made 78 such demands, Russia made 55, and Pakistan made 48 demands.
Government information requests comprises of emergency as well as routine legal
demands for account information.
In India, during January-June 2021, 17 tweets from verified journalists and news
outlets were withheld, without giving details.
Routine requests are also known as non-emergency requests. These are legal demands,
which are issued by government or law enforcement authorities. Such requests include
court orders, subpoenas, and search warrants. Such requests compel Twitter to turn over
account information. Twitter can disclose account information to law enforcement
agencies against a valid emergency request, if enforcement agencies provide enough
information to support to belief that, there is danger to death of serious physical injury to
person.
Mock Test
The questions in this Mock Test are sourced from GKToday’s Current Affairs 2022 Daily 20 MCQ Series in
GKToday Academy Android Application.
1. India reported its first monkey-pox case in which state/UT?

[A] Uttar Pradesh [B] Kerala
[C] Sikkim [D] Punjab
2. What is the rate of inflation based on All-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) in June 2022?
[A] 11.18 % [B] 13.18 %
[C] 15.18 % [D] 17.18 %
3. Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) Scheme is associated with which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of External Affairs [B] Ministry of MSME
[C] Ministry of Commerce and Industry [D] Ministry of Finance
4. Which Indian state is included in the ‘World's 50 Greatest Places of 2022’ by Time Magazine?
[A] Karnataka [B] Kerala
[C] Tamil Nadu [D] Rajasthan

5. In which year, the ‘Skill India Mission’ was launched in India?
[A] 2014 [B] 2015
[C] 2018 [D] 2020
6. ‘Right to Repair’ framework, which was seen in the news, is associated with which Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution [B] Ministry of MSME
[C] Ministry of Commerce and Industry [D] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
7. What is Dunagiri, which was recently launched by the Union Defence Minister?
[A] Stealth frigate [B] Anti-ship Missile
[C] Inter-continental Ballistic Missile [D] Submarine
8. The UN Deputy Secretary-General commended India’s efforts regarding which portal?
[A] CoWin Portal [B] SDG India Index dashboard
[C] Digi Locker [D] UIDAI Portal
9. What is the proportion of unmarried persons in the range of 15-29 years in 2019, as per a recent NSO Survey?
[A] 9 per cent [B] 15 per cent
[C] 23 per cent [D] 32 per cent
10. Which state government restored the ‘Emergency pension scheme’?
[A] Tripura [B] Maharashtra
[C] Karnataka [D] Chhattisgarh
11. Which authority recently issued an advisory to e-commerce platforms on the sale of AYUSH Drugs?
[A] Central Consumer Protection Authority [B] Ministry of AYUSH
[C] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare [D] NITI Aayog
12. K Kamarajar, whose birth anniversary was recently observed, was a Chief Minister of which state?
[A] Kerala [B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Karnataka [D] Andhra Pradesh
13. Port-au-Prince, which was seen in the news, is the capital city of which country?
[A] Haiti [B] Maldives
[C] Madagascar [D] Mauritius
14. ‘Jerusalem Declaration’ which was seen in the news, is a strategic agreement between Israel and which country?
[A] UK [B] USA
[C] Australia [D] UAE
15. ‘Jagriti’, which was seen in the news recently, is a mascot related to which field?
[A] Income Tax [B] Climate Change
[C] Consumer Awareness [D] Crypto currency
16. Which Indian state launched the ‘e-FIR service and a Police app’?
[A] Gujarat [B] Sikkim
[C] Uttarakhand [D] Odisha
17. Which institution launched the ‘Knowledge Portal for Khadi’?
[A] NABARD [B] KVIC
[C] Ministry of Textiles [D] NITI Aayog
18. What is the name of the flag campaign to be hosted by India in the month of August 2022?
[A] ‘Humara Tiranga’ Campaign [B] 'Har Ghar Tiranga' Campaign
[C] Azadi Ka Amrit Tiranga Campaign [D] Bharat Tiranga Campaign
19. What is the theme of ‘World Youth Skills Day 2022’?
[A] Transforming youth skills for the future [B] Re-imagining youth skills post-pandemic
[C] Decent work and entrepreneurship [D] Up-skilling youngsters
20. Which country tested the ‘Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW)’ hypersonic missiles system?
[A] Russia [B] USA

[C] North Korea [D] Israel
21. What is the total Horticulture production in 2021-22, as per the Second Advance Estimates?
[A] 41.63 Million Tonne [B] 141.63 Million Tonne
[C] 241.63 Million Tonne [D] 341.63 Million Tonne
22. ‘A report on the Natural Asset accounts’ which was recently released by CAG’s Advisory Board, is associated with
which resource?
[A] Water Bodies [B] Minerals and Fossil Fuels
[C] Natural gas [D] Stone and sand
23. ‘Podu’ or shifting cultivation, which was seen in the news, is practised by the tribal people of which state?
[A] Madhya Pradesh [B] Telangana
[C] Bihar [D] Uttar Pradesh
24. Arunachal Pradesh recently signed a pact to end the decades-old border dispute with which state?
[A] Assam [B] Nagaland
[C] Manipur [D] Meghalaya
25. Which is the host country of the ‘Rim of the Pacific exercise (RIMPAC)’?
[A] Australia [B] USA
[C] New Zealand [D] India
26. ‘CAATSA sanctions’, which was seen in the news, is associated with which country?
[A] Russia [B] USA
[C] China [D] UK
27. What is the name of the submarine which was recently decommissioned from the Indian Navy?
[A] INS Sindhudhvaj [B] INS Rajput
[C] INS Ranjit [D] INS Nishank
28. Which type of animal is called ‘water bears or moss piglet’ and are known for its ability to survive extreme
conditions?
[A] Spider mite [B] Tardigrade
[C] Rotifers [D] Loricifera
29. Where is the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR CIFT) located?
[A] Kochi [B] Chennai
[C] Mumbai [D] Vishakhapatnam
30. South European countries have recently witnessed which disaster?
[A] Floods [B] Wildfire
[C] Drought [D] Tornado
31. Which Indian state has reported cases of black fever or ‘Kala-Azar’ disease?
[A] Bihar [B] West Bengal
[C] Uttar Pradesh [D] Jharkhand
32. Which Indian player won the Paracin Open 'A' chess tournament 2022 in Serbia?
[A] Gukesh [B] Praggnanandhaa
[C] Viswanathan Anand [D] Soumya Swaminathan
33. The Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB)- Border Security Force (BSF) Border Conference was recently hosted in
which city?
[A] Dehradun [B] Guwahati
[C] Dhaka [D] Chattogram
34. Which is the first and only state in India to have its own internet service?
[A] Tamil Nadu [B] Kerala
[C] Odisha [D] Andhra Pradesh
35. Which bank was named as 'World's Best SME Bank' by Euromoney?
[A] RBS Bank [B] DBS Bank

[C] State Bank of India [D] Standard Chartered Bank
36. Which PSU signed pacts to develop green hydrogen technology in Leh and Kargil?
[A] NTPC [B] GAIL
[C] BHEL [D] NHPC
37. Which Union Ministry’s website has been ranked first in the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment?
[A] Ministry of Culture [B] Ministry of Home Affairs
[C] Ministry of Defence [D] Ministry of Finance
38. Some public sector banks have recently connected to the AA ecosystem. What is the expansion of AA?
[A] Amount Aggregator [B] Account Aggregator
[C] Affiliate Aggregator [D] Account Administrator
39. Who has been recommended as the MD of National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID)?
[A] G Rajkiran Rai [B] K V Kamath
[C] Urjit Patel [D] V K Singh
40. Which Indian state/UT has launched first AI-powered digital Lok Adalat?
[A] Kerala [B] Telangana
[C] Rajasthan [D] Odisha
41. 'SPRINT Project’ which was launched by the Prime Minister, is associated with which field?
[A] Taxation [B] Environment
[C] Sanitation [D] Defence
42. NTPC has partnered with which company for a new a joint venture company in Renewable Energy?
[A] SAIL [B] GAIL
[C] ONGC [D] IOC
43. Kinyang mabokoensis and Kinyang tchernovi are the names of which species discovered recently?
[A] Giant dwarf crocodiles [B] Giant dwarf elephants
[C] Giant dwarf giraffes [D] Giant dwarf Rhinos
44. Which country launched an ‘Aviation Passenger Charter’ to sensitise passengers on their rights?
[A] India [B] United Kingdom
[C] USA [D] Australia
45. ‘Karakoram Anamoly’, which was seen in the news recently, is associated with which phenomenon?
[A] Green house Gas Emission [B] Melting of Glaciers
[C] Air Pollution [D] Biodiversity Loss
46. Which country hosted the ‘BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting 2022’?
[A] India [B] China
[C] Russia [D] South Africa
47. Which state celebrated ‘Happiness Utsav’ to mark the fourth anniversary of its Happiness Curriculum?
[A] Madhya Pradesh [B] New Delhi
[C] Goa [D] Tamil Nadu
48. When is the ‘International Moon Day’ celebrated annually?
[A] July 18 [B] July 20
[C] July 22 [D] July 23
49. Capacity Building Commission (CBC) recently developed a set of National standards (NSCSTI) for which
institutions?
[A] Banking and Finance Institutions [B] Civil Service Training Institutions
[C] Higher Education Institutions [D] MSMEs
50. The Reserve Bank has adopted a four-tiered regulatory framework for which institutions?
[A] Primary Agriculture Societies [B] Urban Co-operative Banks
[C] Rural Cooperative Banks [D] Nidhi Companies

51. Which is the first Indian state to connect all commercial vehicles equipped with Tracking Device with Emergency
Response Support System (ERSS)?
[A] Gujarat [B] Himachal Pradesh
[C] New Delhi [D] Haryana
52. In July 2022, which milestone was achieved by India in Covid Vaccination?
[A] 50 million [B] 1 billion
[C] 2 billion [D] 2.5 billion
53. As per CBIC’s notification, what is the minimum weight of food items package above which GST will not be
applied?
[A] 5 kg [B] 10 kg
[C] 20 kg [D] 25 kg
54. Which institution released a compilation of success stories of 75,000 farmers?
[A] Union Ministry of Agriculture [B] ICAR
[C] NABARD [D] CSIR
55. Which Indian public sector bank has launched the ‘WhatsApp banking service’?
[A] Canara Bank [B] Indian Bank
[C] State Bank of India [D] Punjab National Bank
56. Which country is the top source of India’s remittances in 2021?
[A] UAE [B] USA
[C] Singapore [D] Canada
57. India recently held ‘Human rights dialogue’ with which global bloc?
[A] ASEAN [B] OECD
[C] EU [D] BRICS
58. Who has been appointed as the BCCI ethics officer and Ombudsman?
[A] Ranjan Gogoi [B] Vineet Saran
[C] A K Sikri [D] V K Singh
59. Which is the first company to directly obtain and implement 5G spectrum?
[A] L&T Technology [B] Tata Elxsi
[C] Tech Mahindra [D] Infosys
60. Which is the first insurance company to launch ‘Pay as you drive’ feature for motor insurance?
[A] Bharti AXA [B] Go Digit
[C] HDFC Ergo [D] ICICI Prudential
61. Which state is ranked first in the NITI Aayog's India Innovation Index (2021)?
[A] Tamil Nadu [B] Karnataka
[C] Kerala [D] Telangana
62. ‘Banthia Commission’ report, which was seen in the news, is associated with which field?
[A] Reservation in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha [B] Reservation in Local bodies
[C] Reservation in Promotion [D] Minimum Support Price
63. Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, which was seen in the news, is associated with which Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Home Affairs [B] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
[C] Ministry of Women and Child Development [D] Ministry of External Affairs
64. What is the theme of the ‘World Brain Day (WBD) 2022’?
[A] Brain Health for all [B] Exercise for Brain Health
[C] Quit Smoking [D] Eat and Sleep Healthy
65. As per the report ‘Basic Road Statistics in India-2018-19’, which state has the largest network of National
Highways, State highways as well as Rural Roads?
[A] Tamil Nadu [B] Maharashtra
[C] Gujarat [D] Rajasthan

66. Which country is under a severe threat of ‘Varroa mite plague’?
[A] Australia [B] Egypt
[C] China [D] Japan
67. The World Bank has approved a loan of USD one billion to support which program in India?
[A] PM KISAN [B] Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission
[C] Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission [D] Mission Vatsalya
68. What is the rank of India in the 2022 edition of Henley Passport Index?
[A] 82 [B] 85
[C] 87 [D] 91
69. Which country has added Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei and Macau to a human trafficking blacklist?
[A] India [B] USA
[C] China [D] Russia
70. Who are the beneficiaries of ‘Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana’?
[A] School Students [B] Senior Citizens
[C] Below-Poverty-Line Women [D] MSMEs
71. Which tech company funds the ‘DigiVaani Call Center’ set up recently by NASSCOM?
[A] Microsoft [B] Google
[C] Twitter [D] Meta
72. Which Union Ministry launched three new schemes under 'Strengthening Pharmaceuticals Industry' (SPI)?
[A] Ministry of MSME [B] Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers
[C] Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare [D] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
73. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) demonstrated ‘Desalination plants’ in which state/UT?
[A] Gujarat [B] Maharashtra
[C] Tamil Nadu [D] Lakshadweep
74. The World Bank has approved a funding of Rs 1600 Crores to which state for power sector development?
[A] Gujarat [B] Himachal Pradesh
[C] Karnataka [D] Tamil Nadu
75. WHO has recently declared which outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern” (PHEIC)?
[A] Tomato Flu [B] Monkeypox
[C] Bird-Flu [D] African swine fever
76. Dinesh Gunawardena was sworn in as which position in Sri Lanka?
[A] President [B] Prime Minister
[C] Finance Minister [D] External Affairs Minister
77. Monitoring App for Seamless Inspection (MASI), which was seen in the news, is associated with which action?
[A] Monitoring of Healthcare Institutions [B] Monitoring of Child Care Institutions
[C] Inspection of Sports Institutions [D] Inspection of Education Institutions
78. Which countries signed a landmark deal with the United Nations and Turkey on resuming grain shipments?
[A] Russia and Ukraine [B] India and Sri Lanka
[C] India and Nepal [D] Russia and Belarus
79. The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) is based at which city?
[A] Paris [B] Tokyo
[C] Mumbai [D] Colombo
80. When is the Income Tax Day or ‘Aaykar Diwas’ celebrated in India?
81. ‘Viva Engage’ is a new application of which tech major?
[A] Meta [B] Amazon

[C] Microsoft [D] Google
82. Indian Navy conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with which country in the Andaman Sea?
[A] China [B] Japan
[C] USA [D] France
83. Which is the venue of the ‘1st Khelo India Fencing Women's League’?
[A] Uttarakhand [B] New Delhi
[C] Odisha [D] Karnataka
84. Which Union Ministry released the 'India's Bioeconomy Report 2022'?
[A] Ministry of Science & Technology [B] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change
[C] Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare [D] Ministry of Power
85. Which state is associated with the ‘Family Doctor’ pilot project?
[A] Kerala [B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] Tamil Nadu [D] Karnataka
86. Which country successfully launched its space station module called ‘Wentian’?
[A] Russia [B] Israel
[C] China [D] UAE
87. Which Indian state has instituted district climate change missions (DCCM)?
[A] Himachal Pradesh [B] Assam
[C] Tamil Nadu [D] Gujarat
88. Who has been appointed as the interim CEO of National Land Management Corporation (NLMC)?
[A] K V Kamath [B] Sanjay Kumar Jain
[C] V K Singh [D] Mahesh Kumar Jain
89. ‘NCFDC’ is a proposed umbrella body for which institutions?
[A] Child Care Institutions [B] Urban Cooperative Banks
[C] Non-Banking Finance companies [D] Specialised Adoption Agencies
90. Which country filed a case with International Court of Justice (ICJ) alleging breach of Genocide Convention by
Myanmar?
[A] Gambia [B] South Africa
[C] Myanmar [D] Bangladesh
91. Which institution has launched campaign ‘Create for India’ to cheer the Indian contingent of the Commonwealth
Games?
[A] Sports Authority of India [B] National Sports University
[C] Army Sports Institute India [D] Board of Control for Cricket in India
92. Which is the host city of ‘International Conference on Chemistry and Applications of Soft Materials (CASM 2022)’?
[A] Pune [B] Hyderabad
[C] Thiruvananthapuram [D] Bengaluru
93. When is the ‘World Drowning Prevention Day’ observed?
[C] July 30 [D] August 5
94. Which animal features in the 36th National Games 2022, to be held in Gujarat?
[A] Rhino [B] Lion
[C] Tiger [D] Elephant
95. Which Indian economist has been appointed the chief economist of World Bank?
[A] Raghuram Rajan [B] Urjit Patel
[C] Indermit Gill [D] Viral Acharya
96. Which Union Ministry has set up a ‘Multi-Agency Group for investigation of foreign asset cases’?
[A] Ministry of Corporate Affairs [B] Ministry of Finance

[C] Ministry of External Affairs [D] Ministry of Home Affairs
97. Which is the location of the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX)?
[A] BSE, Mumbai [B] GIFT City, Ahmadabad
[C] RBI, Mumbai [D] NSE, Mumbai
98. Which city hosted ‘Incredible India Kargil Marathon and Tourism Festival, 2022’?
[A] Shimla [B] Manila
[C] Kargil [D] Sri Nagar
99. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, which was seen in the news recently, is located in which state/UT?
[A] Lakshadweep [B] Andaman and Nicobar Islands
[C] Goa [D] Gujarat
100. Kais Saied, who was seen in the news, is the President of which country?
[A] France [B] Tunisia
[C] Germany [D] Australia
101. Yosemite National Park’ which was seen in the news for Oak fire, is located in which country?
[A] USA [B] Australia
[C] Germany [D] Italy
102. Which country topped the medal tally of the ‘2022 World Athletics Championship’?
[A] China [B] USA
[C] Russia [D] Japan
103. When is the ‘International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem’ observed?
104. India's biggest spectrum auction for .................... of 5G airwaves worth ₹ 4.3 lakh crore has commenced
recently.
[A] 1.2 Gigahertz [B] 12 Gigahertz
[C] 7.2 Gigahertz [D] 72 Gigahertz
105. As per the recent update from the IMF (July 2022), what is India’s growth forecast for 2022-23?
[A] 6.8 % [B] 7.0 %
[C] 7.4 % [D] 8.0 %
106. Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award was recently presented to which leader?
[A] Joe Biden [B] Narendra Modi
[C] Volodymyr Zelenskyy [D] Jacinda Ardern
107. Which country has announced to quit the International Space Station after 2024?
[A] China [B] Russia
[C] USA [D] Israel
108. India has been elected as the host of ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in which year?
[A] 2023 [B] 2025
[C] 2027 [D] 2030
109. As per recent government data, how many tigers died in the last three years in India?
[A] 29 [B] 129
[C] 329 [D] 529
110. What is the amount involved in frauds reported by banks and other financial institutions in 2021-22?
[A] Rs 37850 Crores [B] Rs 13875 Crores
[C] Rs 3785 Crores [D] Rs 378.5 Crores
111. What is the approximate amount of gross NPA of scheduled Commercial banks in 2022?
[A] Rs 2.5 lakh crore [B] Rs 5 lakh crore
[C] Rs 7.5 lakh crore [D] Rs 10 lakh crore

112. Prasar Bharati has signed a MoU with which institution to develop Next-Gen Broadcast Solution?
[A] IISc Bengaluru [B] IIT Kanpur
[C] Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers [D] BSNL
113. Which institution funds and manages iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence)?
[A] Defence Innovation Organization (DIO) [B] Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
[C] Bhabha Atomic Research Centre [D] Indian Institute of Science
114. Shipping Major Maersk recently completed the cross-border logistics of containerised cargo between India and
which country?
[A] Japan [B] Bangladesh
[C] Sri Lanka [D] Myanmar
115. Nobel laureate David Trimble, who recently passed away, was the first Minister of which country?
[A] USA [B] Ireland
[C] UK [D] Germany
116. Which country organises the annual military exercises named ‘Han Kuang’?
[A] China [B] Taiwan
[C] South Korea [D] Japan
117. Which Indian bank has acquired the consumer banking operations of Citibank?
[A] HDFC Bank [B] Yes Bank
[C] Axis Bank [D] ICICI Bank
118. When is the ‘International Tiger Day’ observed every year?
119. Who has been selected as the Team India Flagbearer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games?
[A] Mary Kom [B] P V Sindhu
[C] Neeraj Chopra [D] Mirabhai Chanu
120. Which telecom provider executes the recent project which aims to provide 4G mobile services in all uncovered
villages?
[A] Bharti Airtel [B] BSNL
[C] Jio [D] Vi
121. Which Union Ministry is associated with the ‘CSR Funds’?
[A] Ministry of Finance [B] Ministry of Corporate Affairs
[C] Ministry of Home Affairs [D] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
122. National Anti-Doping Bill, which was recently passed, seeks to give effect to which convention against doping in
sports?
[A] UNICEF [B] UNESCO
[C] IOA [D] Common-wealth
123. The Union Cabinet approved the merger of BSNL with which institution?
[A] Bharat Broadband Network Limited [B] Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited
[C] Telecommunications Consultants India Limited [D] ITI Limited
124. Which state has launched a 24-hour toll free number to provide information on ‘Lumpy skin disease’ of cattle?
[A] Odisha [B] Gujarat
[C] Madhya Pradesh [D] Haryana
125. The highest damage of crop area due to natural calamities has been recorded in which Indian state in 2022-23?
[A] Odisha [B] Jharkhand
[C] Assam [D] Sikkim
126. ‘National Policy on Blue Economy’ is associated with which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Defence [B] Ministry of Earth Sciences
[C] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change [D] Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
127. When is the ‘World Nature Conservation Day’ celebrated?
128. Which shipyard built India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier— Vikrant?
[A] Cochin Shipyard [B] Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
[C] Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers [D] Hindustan Shipyard
129. The Indian Navy recently received two MH-60 R multirole helicopters from which country?
[A] Russia [B] United States
[C] Israel [D] France
130. Which country emerged as the top sourcing nation in FDI equity flows into India in FY 2021-22?
[A] Singapore [B] USA
[C] Netherlands [D] UAE
131. Which Indian state is the first to launch ‘Breakfast Scheme’ for students of Government schools?
[A] Kerala [B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Karnataka [D] Rajasthan
132. Which Ministry notified new health warnings to amend the Labelling Rules of Tobacco Products?
[A] Union Health Ministry [B] Union Home Ministry
[C] Union Law and Justice Ministry [D] Union Commerce and Industry Ministry
133. Which institution launched the ‘AI4Bharat’ initiative to build open-source language AI for Indian languages?
[A] IIT Bombay [B] IIT Madras
[C] IISc Bengaluru [D] IIT Kanpur
134. Birmingham, which hosts the 22nd Commonwealth Games, is a city of which country?
[A] USA [B] UK
[C] Australia [D] New Zealand
135. Which Indian institution launches the Digital Payments Index (DPI)?
[A] NPCI [B] NITI Aayog
[C] RBI [D] Ministry of Finance
Answer Key
1. B 2. C 3. C 4. B 5. B 6. A 7. A 8. B 9. C 10. B 11. A 12. B 13. A 14. B 15. C 16.
C 17. B 18. B 19. A 20. B 21. D 22. B 23. B 24. A 25. B 26. B 27. A 28. B 29. A 30.
B 31. B 32. B 33. C 34. B 35. B 36. D 37. B 38. B 39. A 40. C 41. D 42. D 43. A 44.
B 45. B 46. B 47. B 48. B 49. B 50. B 51. B 52. C 53. D 54. B 55. C 56. B 57. C 58.
B 59. A 60. B 61. B 62. B 63. B 64. A 65. B 66. A 67. B 68. C 69. B 70. B 71. B 72.
B 73. D 74. B 75. B 76. B 77. B 78. A 79. B 80. C 81. C 82. B 83. B 84. A 85. B 86.
C 87. C 88. B 89. B 90. A 91. A 92. C 93. B 94. B 95. C 96. B 97. B 98. C 99. B 100.
B 101. A 102. B 103. C 104. D 105. C 106. C 107. B 108. B 109. C 110. C 111. C 112.
B 113. A 114. B 115. B 116. B 117. C 118. B 119. B 120. B 121. B 122. B 123. A 124.
B 125. C 126. B 127. B 128. A 129. B 130. A 131. B 132. A 133. B 134. B 135. C
Note:
The above 120 questions are part of Daily Current Affairs 20 MCQs Series in GKToday Android
Application. This series with daily 20 MCQs, Answers and Explanations can be subscribed in the app
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July 30, 2022 ................................................................................................................................................ 10

What is EU-India Human Rights Dialogues? ......................................................................................... 41

Multi-Agency Group for investigation of Foreign Asset Cases ........................................................ 67

Answer Key ........................................................................................................................................................ 102

Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

July 24, 2022

Scheme was extended in order to enhance exports and generate employment in

CRS-25: SpaceX Cargo Dragon

NSO Survey on proportion of unmarried persons

What is the reason for this trend?

SCO on rotational basis.

Central Consumer Protection Authority besides the consumers’ testimonials on

Kala Azar (Black fever) Case in West Bengal

events by Badminton World Federation. In 2023, it is set to be upgraded to a Super 750

comprising of 9 member nations viz., Canada, France, Ireland, Denmark, England,

NHA Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission Hackathon Series

found across all continents, except Antarctica and Australasia.

neighbourliness & mutual respect.

of NCRB was shortlisted under the services portal of MHA.

India. It mainly focuses on technology industry of India. It was set up in 1988.

Presidential Elections- Key Facts

US House of Representatives passed an amendment, that approves waiver to India

Rajasthan: AI-based Lok Adalat

Earth with physical sample.

Committee would deal with issues related to natural farming, including:

Even in Himalayas, glaciers are losing mass.

Development Programme (UNDP).

operations. Committee had recommended a differentiated regulatory approach for

minimum CAR to 12%, in a bid to strengthen their capital structure.

Reclamation and nanotechnology.

introduced from August 1, 2022 in order to monitor the vehicles effectively.

financial inclusion, employment, creation of infrastructure, providing connectivity by

workers, knowledge output, and knowledge diffusion.

Review (UPR) mechanism, and significance of enhancing cooperation on human rights at

per cent in 2020- 21.

practices of licensing digital banks, considering the need of supporting technology in

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(17.83%) has largest State Highways network. It is followed by Karnataka, Gujarat,

in integrated form of hardware and software. O-RAN is based on interoperability and

in 1960s and to below 10 in 1970s.

She is also India’s first president to be born after Independence.

hassle-free entry to 67 countries, without prior visa.

Key agenda of the ministerial meeting include:

Schemes were launched under the banner of ‘Strengthening Pharmaceuticals Industry’

on a par with developed countries; it needs to encourage R&D by businesses, so that, it

into evaporation of water at a temperature gradient of 8 °C. Cooling water is supplied

while Bangladesh was represented by DG BGB Major General Shakil Ahmed.

with Indian Broadcasting Company in 1927.

BIRAC has set up a network of 74 specialised bio-incubation centres across 21 states/UTs

Last time WHO declared an PHEIC was in 2020 for covid-19.

Wentian Space Station Module: Important Facts to know!

Recent Update on National Land Management Corporation (NLMC)

introduced to manage tax collection.

imprisonment or death, if the piracy comprises of attempted murder, or results into

Inaugural function will be held at the Narendra Modi stadium.

anniversary of India’s victory.