Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – June 27-30 2022
( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for the June 27- 30, 2022)
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Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – June 2022
Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 312: June 2022, Week 4 | Watch Video Quiz Video
June 27-30, 2022
Tapan Kumar Deka appointed as new Director of Intelligence Bureau
Tapan Deka has been appointed as the new Chief of the Intelligence Bureau for a tenure of two years. He will succeed incumbent Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Tapan Kumar Deka.
About Tapan Kumar Deka
- Tapan Deka, is a 1988 batch Himachal Pradesh Cadre officer.
- He is currently serving as the Special Director of Intelligence Bureau and he is also in charge of counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir.
- He has given preference to an officer over some four seniors in the Intelligence Bureau with the objective of adding more strength to the Intelligence Agency.
Global Liveability Index 2022
Recently, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) launched the Global Liveability Index for 2022. A total of 173 cities were ranked by EIU based on a range of criteria, including the availability of green space, infrastructure, crime rates, political stability, and health care.
Key points
- The first place on the list is acquired by Vienna followed by Copenhagen in second place and Zurich in third place.
- The cities in India have fared poorly in the list of the world’s most liveable cities. India’s national capital New Delhi has been ranked 112th on the list while Mumbai is ranked at 117th position.
- The Pakistani city of Karachi and Bangladesh capital Dhaka are among the least liveable cities in the world.
- Several of the top 10 cities have the minimum COVID-19 rules. Museums, Schools, eateries, and shops have all resumed operations.
Top 10 liveable cities
1.Vienna, Austria
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Calgary, Canada
- Vancouver, Canada
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Toronto, Canada
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Osaka, Japan and Melbourne, Australia (tie)
Least 10 liveable cities
Tehran, Iran
Douala, Cameroon
Harare, Zimbabwe
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Port Moresby, PNG
Karachi, Pakistan
Algiers, Algeria
Tripoli, Libya
Lagos, Nigeria
Damascus, Syria
Nitin Gupta appointed as the new chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
Nitin Gupta has been appointed as the new Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman.
He is an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the 1986 batch of the Income Tax cadre, is currently serving as member (investigation) in the CBDT and is scheduled to retire in September next year.
About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
- The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is the administrative body for the Income Tax department.
- It was established as per the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.
- It is administered by the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance.
- It is headed by a Chairman and can have six members who are in the rank of special secretary.
- It deals with matters related to levying and collecting Direct Taxes and formulation of various policies related to direct taxes.
Partners in the Blue Pacific’ initiative
Recently, the United States and allied countries namely Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have – launched a new initiative called ‘Partners in the Blue Pacific’ for “effective and efficient cooperation” with the region’s small island nations.
About Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP)
- It is an initiative of a five-nation “informal mechanism” to support Pacific islands and to boost diplomatic, economic ties in the region.
- It speaks of enhancing “prosperity, resilience, and security” in the Pacific through closer cooperation among the member nations.
- Member countries would cooperate in areas including climate crisis, transportation, connectivity, health, maritime security & protection, prosperity and education.
- The initiative members will “elevate Pacific regionalism”, and forge stronger ties with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
Reasons behind the PBP Initiative
- As China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands, the deal flagged serious concerns about the Chinese military getting a base in the southern Pacific, close to the US island territory of Guam, and right next to Australia and New Zealand.
- China’s quest to dominate crucial shipping lanes pushed 10 Pacific nations to endorse a game-changing agreement called the “Common Development Vision”.
- Common Development Vision is a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development, to build a closer China-Pacific Island Countries community with a shared future.
- The vision is to follow cooperative and sustainable security measures and promote regional peace – strengthening dialogue and cooperation in governance and cybersecurity.
Efforts of the US and its allies to counter China
- Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF): US and its partners had launched “Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)” before the launch of Partners in the Blue Pacific Initiative. It is a trade-boosting framework, launched in association of 13 member countries; namely, Brunei, India, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Fiji.
- G7 announced a plan- Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) to rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative by promising to raise 600 billion dollars to fund development projects in low and middle-income countries.
- Asia-Africa Growth Corridor: A collaboration between India and Japan for development, connectivity, and cooperation between Asia and Africa.
Indian Army and DRDO successfully tests Ingeniously- developed Anti Tank Guided Missile
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the final deliverable configuration of an indigenous Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile (MPATGM)
The Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) was successfully test-fired from Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Army at KK Ranges with support of Armoured Corps Centre & School (ACC&S) Ahmednagar
The ATGM has been developed with multi-platform launch capability and is currently undergoing technical evaluation trials from the 120 mm rifled gun of MBT Arjun.
With the trial, the ATGM’s capability to engage targets from minimum to maximum range has been established. Earlier trials have been successful for maximum range.
Vijay Amritraj honored with 2021 Golden Achievement Award
Vijay Amritraj has been named the 2021 recipient of the Golden Achievement. The award is annually presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and International Tennis Federation.
He is the first recipient from India and he joins an esteemed list of tennis leaders who have received the honour, including Brian Tobin of Australia, Eiichi Kawatei of Japan, and Peachy Kellmeyer of the United States.
The Golden Achievement Award
- The award is selected from a pool of nominations submitted by tennis federations and individuals from around the world.
- The annual honouree is selected by the Golden Achievement Award Committee, which is comprised of tennis administrators.
Iran and Argentina apply to join BRICS
Recently , Iran and Argentina submitted an application to become a full member of BRICS. As per Iran’s Foreign Minister Spokesperson, Iranian membership in BRICS will result in added values for both sides.
BRICS is a grouping of 5 powerful economies joining which will provide Iran and Argentina an international platform to present their regional and economic issues.
China hosted the most recent 14th BRICS summit on 24 June 2022 virtually. Theme of the 14th BRICS Summit is Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development.
India is the chair for 2021.
About BRICS
- BRICS is the acronym coined to associate five major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
- In 2001, the British Economist Jim O’Neill coined the term BRIC to describe the four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
- BRICS powers had their first summit in 2009 in Russia and South Africa joined in 2010.
- The grouping was formalised during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers’ in 2006.
Ambubachi Mela
Four-day Ambubachi Mela begins in Guwahati’s Kamakhya temple atop the Nilachal Hills.
This annual festival is held in the middle of June, when the Brahmaputra River is at its highest flow, during the monsoon season, which also happens to fall within the Assamese month of Ahaar.
About Ambubachi Mela
- The Ambubachi Mela is an annual Hindu mela held at Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.
- It is the celebration of the yearly menstruation course of goddess Kamakhya.
- It is believed that the presiding goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, the Mother Shakti, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation during this time stretch.
- The temple remains closed for three days during the mela for it is believed that the goddess rests for three days like the traditional women’s menstrual seclusion.
- After three days devi Kamakhya is bathed and other rituals are performed to ensure that the devi retrieves her purity. Then the doors of the temple are reopened[and prasad is distributed.
- On the fourth day the devotees are allowed to enter the temple and worship devi Kamakhya.
Salt Sector Crisis
Recently, the Salt Industry is facing enormous challenges in meeting the demand and handling the crisis faced by salt farmers and workers.
Farmers are facing low prices as there is no minimum support price, Workers are also in distress due to a lack of a proper system for wages and social security.
Issues
- Indian Salt Manufacturers Association(ISMA) has demanded the classification of salt production as an agricultural activity under the Ministry of agriculture.
- This is because mining produces hardly 0.5% salt. 99.5% of salt is produced either from sea water or from subsoil water and the whole process is done by seeding, farming and harvesting.
- Unseasonal rains and floods are resulting in demand for Minimum Support Prices for the Salt industry.
- Salt companies have replaced cooperatives and they decide the wages of these workers and the production of farmers. Most of them are migrant labourers with no minimum wages or social security.
- Moreover, projects such as Rann Sarovar, a freshwater lake construction project in 5,000 square kilometers of this area, will render about 50,000 people jobless.
Salt Industry in India
- India is the third producer of salt in the world next to the USA and China.
- Initially, the farmers were getting ₹ 17/per tonne which touched up to ₹70 by 1991.
- Salt is a central subject listed as item number 58 of the Union List of the 7th Schedule of the Constitution.
- Gujarat produces about 28.5 million tonnes of salt per year which is more than 80% of the country’s total production.
Current Affairs GK & Quiz Monthly – June 2022
Assam Current Affairs and GK Quiz – Set 312: June 2022, Week 4 | Watch Video Quiz Video
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