Q1. Who was awarded the Sahitya Akademi’s Bal Sahitya Puraskar in Assamese language for the year 2023?
Rothindranath Goswami
Shyamalkanti Das
Pratima Nandi Narzaree
Naorem Bidyasagar
Rothindranath Goswami
His has been awarded for his novel Powalmoni Aru Chichingar Duhxahaxik Abhijan.
Q2. Which state’s Yak Churpi has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag?
Himachal Pradesh
Sikkim
Jammu and Kashmir
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh’s Yak Churpi has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. It is a naturally fermented dairy product crafted from the milk of yaks. Churpi is a traditional food of the tribal yak herders in the state.
Q3. When is the International Day of Non-Violence celebrated?
October 1st
October 2nd
October 5th
October 7th
October 2nd
The International Day of Non-Violence is celebrated on October 2nd each year, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. This day is an occasion to disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness, and reaffirm the desire for a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence.
Q4. Which county won the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup?
South Africa
Australia
England
India
Australia
Q5. Which of the following Indian states has received a GI tag for its Pashmina craft?
Rajasthan
Himachal Pradesh
Uttarakhand
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu &and Kashmir
Basohli Pashmina, a renowned traditional craft from the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, has recently received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag. This recognition not only celebrates the exceptional craftsmanship of the artisans but also protects the authenticity and uniqueness of this artisanal heritage.
Q6. Who won the winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2023?
Drew Weissman and Haruki Murakami
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman
Pierre Agostini and Katalin Karikó
Louis Brus and Ferenc Krausz
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman
Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine “for their discoveries concerning nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19”. Their work was critical for the development of the mRNA vaccines that have been used to vaccinate billions of people around the world against COVID-19. Their discoveries have also paved the way for the development of mRNA vaccines for other diseases.
Q7. When is World Nature Day observed on
September 31
October 2
October 3
October 5
October 3
World Nature Day is celebrated on October 3 every year. It is a day to raise awareness about the challenges facing our environment, particularly due to climate change. The theme for World Nature Conservation Day 2023 is ‘Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet’. This theme highlights the importance of forests for both people and the planet. Forests provide us with essential resources such as food, water, and clean air. They also play a vital role in regulating the climate and protecting biodiversity.
Q8. Who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2023?
Annie Ernaux
Abdulrazak Gurnah
Louise Glück
Jon Fosse
Jon Fosse
Jon Fosse won the Nobel Prize in Literature 2023 “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable”. Fosse is a Norwegian playwright and novelist. His work is known for its spare, poetic prose and its focus on themes such as birth, death, and faith.
Q9. Who won the Maldives presidential election in 2023?
Ibrahim Solih
Mohamed Muizzu
Abdulla Yameen
Mohamed Nasheed
Mohamed Muizzu
Q10. Annual joint military exercise SAMPRITI being held between India and which country?
Nepal
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Bangladesh
The 11th edition of the India-Bangladesh annual joint military exercise SAMPRITI is being held in Umroi, Meghalaya. The exercise is being organized alternately by both countries and highlights their robust bilateral defence cooperation initiatives. SAMPRITI-XI began on October 3, 2023, and will continue for 14 days. The focus of the exercise is on enhancing interoperability, sharing tactical drills, and promoting best practices.
Irene Dkhar of Meghalaya was crowned Miss Northeast after she won the hearts of the judges in the final round, raising the issue of mental health.
Q2. The National Cancer Awareness Day observed on
November 03
November 07
November 09
November 17
November 07
National Cancer Awareness Day is observed every year on November 7 to raise awareness about the deadly disease.
Q3. Which institution has recently released the report titled ‘Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts the world at risk’?
NASA
NITI Aayog
UNEP
World Bank
UNEP
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) launched a report titled ‘Adaptation Gap Report 2022: Too Little, Too Slow – Climate adaptation failure puts the world at risk’.
Q4. Which team has won the ‘Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022’ for the first time?
Mizoram
West Bengal
Kerala
Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai defeated Himachal Pradesh to win the 2022 edition of the ‘Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022’.
Q5. Which country has recently created a world record by operating the world’s longest passenger train?
China
Australia
Switzerland
USA
Switzerland
Switzerland has created a world record by operating the world’s longest passenger train. The train is designed to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the country’s first train system. The train has 100 coaches, measures 1910 metres and consists of 4,550 seats.
Q6. Which organisation released the ‘State of the Global Climate in 2022’ report?
UNEP
World Meteorological Organization
World Bank
IUCN
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization released the provisional State of the Global Climate in 2022 report.
Q7. Which technology giant company has recently launched the FloodHub platform that will display when and where floods may occur?
Meta
Microsoft
Amazon
Google
Google
Google, an American technology giant, has launched a platform that displays flood forecasts, namely ‘FloodHub’.
Q8. Reliance India Limited will develop India’s first multi-modal logistics park in which state?
Tripura
Gujarat
Tamil Nadu
Odisha
Tamil Nadu
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has been awarded the project to build India’s first multimodal logistics park (MMLP) in Chennai by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
Q9. Which aerospace company will launch India’s first privately developed rocket Vikram-S?
Garuda Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace
Antrix Corporation
Skylabs Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace
Skyroot Aerospace, a Hyderabad-based private space startup, is set to launch India’s first private rocket between November 12 and 16 from the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Sriharikota.
Q10. Which country hosts the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC?
USA
Egypt
Sri Lanka
France
Egypt
The 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022.
Q11. Which country is the leading producer of millets with 41 per cent of world’s total production?
Pakistan
India
China
Malaysia
India
India is one of the leading producers of millet in the world with an estimated share of 41 per cent of the global production.
Q12. Which country has taken over the G20 Presidency in 2023?
UK
Bangladesh
China
India
India
The theme of India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 is ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘One Earth One Family One Future’.
Q13. Who has been appointed as the Chairperson of the 22nd Law Commission of India?
Rituraj Awasthi
Shri Rajiv Kumar
Anup Chandra Pandey
Arun Goel
Rituraj Awasthi
Q14. Which of the following tiger reserves has recently unveils the elephant adoption scheme?
Kaziranga National Park
Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
Manas Tiger Reserve
Ranthambore National Park
Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
The Anaimalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) has launched an Elephant Adoption Programme in which NGOs, institutions, trusts, or individuals can sponsor the costs of the Forest Department’s camp elephants.
Q15. Who has become the first batter in cricket history to reach 4000 runs in T20 Internationals?
The Sikkim government hiked the minimum wage for unskilled workers by 67 percent to Rs 500.
Key Points
The daily wage for unskilled laborers was Rs 300 which is now increased to Rs 500 with retrospective effect from 11th July 2022.
The daily wage for semi-skilled workers was increased to Rs 520 from Rs 320, while skilled workers will get Rs 535 instead of Rs 335.
Highly skilled labor will be paid Rs 565 per day, instead of Rs 365 per day.
These updated wages will be applicable for laborers who are working at altitudes up to 8,000 feet, while 50 percent more wages will be given to those working at altitudes from 8,001 feet to 12,000 feet.
The laborers working in the altitudes of 12,001 feet to 16,000 feet will be paid 75 percent more than the normal wage. The laborers working at places above 16,001 feet will get double the normal wage.
The new rates would be effective from July 11, 2022, and the labourers will be given arrears.
The Kibithu military camp was renamed as Gen Bipin Rawat Military
Kibithu, A military station on the banks of Arunachal’s Lohit Valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has been renamed as ‘Gen Bipin Rawat military garrison’ in honour of the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) who was killed in a chopper crash.
The camp was renamed as Gen Bipin Rawat Military Garrison wherein a grand gate constructed in accordance with the region’s traditional architectural style was inaugurated by the Governor.
The 22-km road stretch connecting Walong and Kibithu was also named as Gen Bipin Rawat Marg by the Chief Minister.
India’s First Forest University will be Established in Telangana
India’s First Forest University will be Established in Telangana. The Telangana legislative assembly approved the University of Forestry (UOF) Act 2022.
Key Points
As per the act, The University of Forestry (UoF) will be India’s first of its kind. It will be the third University of Forestry in the world, following Russia and China.
The Telangana Govt decided to expand the Forestry College and Research Institute (FCRI) in Hyderabad.
Once the FCRI is upgraded to University, it will have additional programmes including a PhD, diploma, and certificate courses in Urban Forestry, Nursery Management, Agro-Forestry, Tribal livelihood enhancement, Forest entrepreneurship, Climate-smart Forestry & Forest Parks Management.
The University’s goals will be to promote research and development of appropriate methods for propagation of plantation crops to meet industry demand.
The university will also work to develop Agro-Forestry models suitable for different Agro-ecological situations to reduce pressure on natural forests, economic upliftment of farming communities, and enhance ecological conditions.
Under the flagship program ‘Telangana Ku Haritha Haram,’ the Telangana government has planted 268.83 crore saplings.
Indore will become the first Indian city with ‘Smart Addresses’
Indore will become the country’s first Smart City with ‘Smart Addresses’. The Memorandum of Understanding is signed by Rajat Jain, co-founder of Pataa Navigations, and Rishav Gupta (IAS), CEO of Indore Smart City for implementing a fully digital addressing system.
Key Points
Pataa has developed patented technology and is working with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) to develop a digital addressing system for the nation.
Pataa is a brief and distinctive code, comparable to KUMAR100, SINGH221, or other commonly used codes, that will help the user find the specific geotagged location.
Users of the Pataa App can upload images of their homes, landmarks, etc., along with their addresses in full text.
About Pataa app
Pataa Navigation will integrate with government platforms like those for the departments of electricity, agriculture, excise, women and child welfare, and education.
The Pataa App is a free service and aims to help delivery providers find a specific geotagged location.
Government agencies and emergency services including police, fire department, and ambulance will use the Pataa app.
This app will help in necessary services like E-KYC and banking geotagging. It can be accessible to everyone at the business.
All significant public assets, including bus stops, light poles, public restrooms, and bus stops, should have digital address numbers pasted on them.
This app will also be essential for bringing down Indore’s pollution levels.
World’s largest museum of Harappan culture will be built in Rakhigarhi
The world’s largest museum of Harappan culture will be built in Rakhigarhi, Haryana. Rakhigarhi is a famous archaeological site from the Indus Valley civilisation period.
Key Points
The museum on Harappan culture in Rakhigarhi would showcase some 5,000-year-old artefacts belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization.
The museum would give recognition to Rakhigarhi at the international and national levels and increase job opportunities for the local communities.
This world class museum would display photographs depicting Rakhigarhi’s history and would also house an open-air theatre and a library.
A special zone is being created in the museum for children to make them aware of the history in a recreational manner.
The village of Rakhigarhi was part of the Indus Valley Civilisation from 2600-1900 BC. The place was one of the largest settlements of the ancient civilisation located in the Ghaggar-Hakra River plain.
The two villages Rakhi Khas and Rakhi Sahapur currently host the archeological remains of the Indus Valley site.
HDFC Bank issues first Electronic Bank Guarantee in India
HDFC Bank became the first bank in India to issue an Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) in collaboration with the National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
Key Points
Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) has been developed to simplify the process and eliminate the possibility of fraud and manipulation.
e-BG will be issued on the NeSL portal through an API-based digital workflow.
eStamping has replaced physical stamping and with e-BG, the applicant and beneficiary can immediately view a bank guarantee on the NeSL portal.
Paper-based bank guarantees take 3-5days for completing the physical pick process from the bank, courier to the beneficiary, stamp it, and re-verify it. Before e-BG, there was no central repository for bank guarantees.
e-BG offers advanced security, bringing inefficiency of time. The applicant and beneficiary can instantly view a bank guarantee on the NeSL portal.
Amlan Borgohain breaks 100m national record at All India Railway Championships
Assam’s Amlan Borgohain has broke the 100m national record at the 87th All India inter-Railway Championships in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh,
He clocked 10.25s (wind speed +1.8, legal) to break the six-year-old national record of Amiya Kumar Mallick (10.26s).
The 24-year-old Amlan, is now the reigning national champion in the 100m and 200m. Amlan Borgohain holds the 200m national record of 20.52s, set in April this year at the Federation Cup.
Meanwhile, Himashree Roy won the women’s 100m in 11.42s while R. Rajesh (46.73s) and Kiran Pahal (53.91s) took the men’s and women’s 400m titles.
World Resource Institute (WRI) India launches online geospatial platform in Guwahati
World Resource Institute (WRI) India in partnership with Assam Energy Development Agency (AEDA) launched an online, open source, interactive geo-spatial platform, called Energy Access Explorer (EAE).
Key Points
Energy Access Explorer (EAE) will help visualize the extent of energy access at Assam’s health, education, and livelihood infrastructures.
It claims to assist policy-makers, renewable energy industry entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers from the development sector to make integrated and impactful decisions to expand energy access in the state in the most efficient, cost-effective and sustainable way possible.
In the past decade, 37.7 percent of health sub-centres and 41 per cent of schools in rural Assam lack access to reliable and sustainable power, while Assam has made great strides in electricity provisioning to homes.
The leverage data will be provided by the platform and create a scenario of viability and affordability for consumers.
University Grants Commission launched ‘e-Samadhan’ portal
Recently. University Grants Commission (UGC) has launched an online portal, e-Samadhan for addressing student-related grievances.
UGC will now monitor and address all grievances of students and teaching/non-teaching staff through a centralized portal called ‘e-Samadhan’.
Key Points
The e-Samadhan Portal will handle issues like non-refund of fees, making admission contrary to merit, refusal of admission in accordance with the declared admission policy, withholding of original degrees/diplomas/certificates by institutions, etc.
The portal will be the one-stop solution for all grievances; and all other existing portals and helplines will be merged with it except for the anti-ragging helpline.
Through this portal, the users can register their complaints on the portal anytime within 24 hours by following a simple procedure using their email id or by placing a call on the toll-free number 1800-111-656.
About University Grants Commission (UGC)
University Grants Commission is a statutory body set up by the UGC Act 1956.
It is set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India in accordance and is charged with coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of higher education in India.
Its headquarters are in New Delhi, and it has six regional centres in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore.
It provides recognition to universities in India, and disbursements of funds to such recognized universities and colleges.
It provides doctoral scholarships to all those who clear JRF in the National Eligibility Test.
Cabinet approves an MoU with Govt of Nepal on biodiversity conservation
Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for signing an MoU with the Government of Nepal on biodiversity conservation
The MoU aims to strengthen and enhance the coordination and cooperation in the field of forests, wildlife, environment, biodiversity conservation and climate change, including restoration of corridors and interlinking areas and share knowledge and best practices, between the two countries.
The MoU is expected to help in promoting cooperation between the Parties in the field of forests, wildlife, environment, biodiversity conservation, and climate change, including restoration of corridors and interlinking areas and sharing knowledge and best practices.
India’s first indigenously developed Vaccine for Cervical Cancer will be launched
India will launch its first indigenously developed Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (qHPV) against Cervical cancer with the help of the Serum Institute of India (SII) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
Key Points
The CERVAVAC vaccination will be the first quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) in India, to prevent cervical cancer.
The vaccine would be launched once an adequate quantum of doses is manufactured and ready for distribution and will be administered with a two-dose schedule for girls in the age group of 9-14 and a three-dose schedule for girls and women in the age group of 15-26.
Cervical cancer is the 2nd most prevalent cancer in India and accounts for nearly one-fourth of the world’s cervical cancer deaths despite being largely preventable.
Every year approximately 1.25 lakhs women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and over 75 thousand die from the disease in India and 83 % of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPVs 16 or 18 in India, and 70% of cases worldwide.
The most promising intervention for preventing cervical cancer is vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV).
It is estimated that HPV types 16 and 18 (HPV-16 and HPV-18) together contribute to approximately 70% of all invasive cervical cancer cases worldwide.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched virtual school
Recently, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the virtual school called the ‘Delhi Model Virtual School’, in which students from across India will be eligible for admission in classes 9 to 12.
Key Points
Delhi Model Virtual School will be affiliated to the Delhi Board of School Education (DBSE).
The virtual school will prove to be a milestone in the education sector in the country.
The admission will be open for students across India who are aged between 13 and 18. who has cleared class 8 from any recognised school can apply for admission to DMVS
The classes will be online and recorded lectures will also be uploaded online.
Q1. The literacy rate of which of the following districts is highest in Assam?
Jorhat
Kamrup
Kamrup Metropolitan
Dibrugarh
Kamrup Metropolitan
Q2. Who is crowned as the Femina Miss India World 2022?
Sini Shetty
Shinata Chauhan
Manasa Varanasi
Shikha Gayatri
Sini Shetty
Q3. Which new body has been approved to replace the Banks Board Bureau (BBB)?
Banks and Insurance Companies Bureau
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Financial Services Institution Bureau (FSIB)
Financial Institutions Bureau (FIB)
Financial Services Institution Bureau (FSIB)
The government has set up the Financial Services Institution Bureau (FSIB) to replace the Banks Board Bureau (BBB).
The BBB was entrusted with the task of selecting candidates for appointments to the senior management-level posts.
Q4. Maryna Viazovska was named as one of four recipients of the 2022 Fields Medal. Fields Medal is associated with which field?
Sports
Science & Technology
Computer Science
Mathematics
Mathematics
Fields Medal is also described as the Nobel Prize in mathematics. Ukrainian mathematician Maryna Viazovska, who works in Switzerland, was named as one of four recipients of the 2022 Fields Medal.
The Fields Medal is awarded by the International Mathematical Union (IMU), an international non-governmental and non-profit scientific organisation to promote international cooperation in mathematics.
Q5. Droupadi Murmu has been selected as the
12th President of India
15th President of India
17th President of India
18th President of India
15th President of India
The 2022 Presidential Election is conducted to choose the 15th President of India are being held in India.
NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu and the opposition’s Yashwant Sinha are participating in the election.
The President is elected by the members of the Electoral College, comprising elected members of both houses of Parliament and legislative assemblies of all states as well as the NCT of Delhi and the UT of Puducherry.
Q6. India reported its first monkey-pox case in Kerala. Monkeypox in humans and other animals is caused by?
Virus
Bacteria
Fungus
Chemical pollutant
Virus
India reported its first monkey-pox case in the state of Kerala. Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, with a lesser clinical severity.
Q7. Which is ranked first in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2022?
IIT Madras
IISc Bangalore
IIT Kharagpur
Jawaharlal Nehru University
IIT Madras
The Ministry of Education has released the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the year 2022.
Indian Institute of Technology Madras has retained its first position for the fourth consecutive year in the overall category and for the seventh consecutive year in Engineering. Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi was ranked second while Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, was ranked third.
Q8. Which state is ranked first in the NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index (2021)?
Uttar Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Telangana
Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka has been ranked first in the NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index (2021) for the third time in a row. The first edition was released in October 2019. India Innovation Index ranks states and union territories on the basis of innovation capabilities.
Manipur topped the ‘North East and Hill States’ section.
Chandigarh won the ‘Union Territory and City States’ category.
TOP State Ranks
Karnataka
Telangana
Haryana
Maharashtra
Q9. Which institution releases the ‘Global Gender Gap Report’?
World Economic Forum (WEF)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
International Court of Justice
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Iceland (90.8%) led the Global Gender Gap Index 2022 ranking in the first place.
India is ranked at 135 out of 146 countries. Last year, India was ranked 140 out of 156 countries.
Q10. Which Indian state is included in the ‘World’s 50 Greatest Places of 2022’ by Time Magazine?
Uttarakhand
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Kerala
Kerala has been included in the list of the “World’s 50 Greatest Places of 2022” by Time Magazine. TIME has described Kerala as ‘one of India’s most beautiful states.
India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City, Ahmedabad has also been included in the list of the World’s 50 Greatest Places of 2022.
Q11. Kharchi festival is celebrated in which state?
Tripura
Nagaland
Manipur
Assam
Tripura
Q12. Which Indian shuttler won the ‘Singapore Open 2022’ championship title?
Lakshya Sen
Ashwini Ponnappa
Aparna Popat
P V Sindhu
P V Sindhu
India Ace shuttler PV Sindhu defeated China’s Wang Zhi Yi in the final match of women’s singles at the Singapore Open 2022.
The two-time Olympic medallist clinched her maiden Super 500 title of the year 2022. The Singapore Open 2022 is Sindhu’s third title of the 2022 season after winning the Syed Modi International and Swiss Open BWF Super 300 titles.
Q13. Which city has been selected as the first Cultural and Tourism Capital of SCO for 2022-23?
Varanasi
Ahmedabad
Kolkata
Jaipur
Varanasi
Varanasi is declared the first Cultural and Tourism Capital of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
Varanasi will become the Capital of SCO for 2022-23 under a new rotating initiative by the eight-member organisation, which aims to promote people-to-people contacts and tourism among the member states.
Q14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently unveiled a 30-ft bronze statue of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, he was a freedom fighter from which present-day state?
Maharashtra
Andhra Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Andhra Pradesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 30-ft bronze statue of legendary freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju on his 125th birth anniversary.
The 15-tonne statue was carved out at a cost of Rs 3 crore and installed by the Kshatriya Seva Samiti in Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh. The leader was known for the ‘Rampa Rebellion’ or ‘Manyam Uprising’, in the Rampachodavaram forest area, which was undertaken against the mighty British forces.
Q15. Which Union Ministry implements the ‘Mission Shakti’ scheme’?
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of MSME
Ministry of Women and Child Development
Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Women and Child Development
‘Mission Shakti’ was launched as an integrated women empowerment programme as umbrella scheme for the safety, security and empowerment of women for implementation during the 15th Finance Commission period 202l-22 to 2025-26. ‘Mission Shakti’ has two sub-schemes – ‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya’.
NITI Aayog and World Food Program have released a report titled ‘Take Home Ration-Good Practices across the State/Union Territories’.
The report presents a set of good and innovative practices adopted in the implementation of the Take Home Ration value chain by the States and UTs.
Key Points
In this report, various good practices at the State/UTs level have been identified and are documented which would serve as a guidebook to policymakers and administrators in strengthening their Take-Home Ration system.
Take-Home ration is provided by Government of India, under Supplementary Nutrition component of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS).
It is provided to fill the gap in nutrition among children as well as Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW).
To generate a document on good practices under the programme, aspects related to production, distribution, formulation, packaging, labelling, quality assurance, monitoring, and social & behavioural change have been reviewed.
This document will help in adopting good practices in Take-Home Ration programmes across states and UTs.
Recommendations made by the report:
In order to realize the full potential of the THR, all components of this value chain need to function at optimum.
Building a robust system for procurement, supply chain management and monitoring that ensures complete transparency, standardized process, sustainability, full coverage, leverages local ties, fosters a culture of collaboration and builds trust within a community.
About World Food Program
The World Food Program was founded in 1961 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) headquartered in Rome, Italy.
It is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations.
It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization in the world, saving lives in times of need and utilising food aid to help people recover from war, natural disasters, and the effects of climate change create a road to peace, stability, and prosperity.
The WFP was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for its efforts to provide food assistance in areas of conflict, and to prevent the use of food as a weapon of war and conflict.
It is is an executive member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.
India’s Largest Floating Solar Power Project Commissioned
Recently, the National Thermal Power Corporation(NTPC) has commissioned India’s largest floating solar power project at Ramagundam, Telangana.
Key Points
It is a 100-megawatt(MW) floating solar power photovoltaic project commissioned by the National Thermal Power Corporation(NTPC).
It is endowed with advanced technology as well as environment friendly features.
The floating platform comprises a transformer, inverter and a HT breaker.
The project spreads over 500 acres of its reservoir divided into 49 blocks and each block has a capacity of 2.5MW and each block comprises one floating platform and a matrix of 11,200 solar modules.
The solar modules are kept on floaters which are manufactured with HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) material.
Benefits of this project
Minimum land requirement mostly for associated evacuation arrangements.
With the presence of floating solar panels, the evaporation rate from water bodies is reduced, thus helping in water conservation.
The water body underneath the solar modules helps in maintaining their ambient temperature, thereby improving their efficiency and generation.
World Cities Report 2022
Recently, United Nations-Habitat(UN-Habitat) has released the World Cities Report 2022.
Key Points
The UN-Habitat World Cities Report 2022 highlights that, rapid urbanization in India was delayed temporarily due to the covid-19 pandemic.
According to the report, the urban population in India is estimated to reach 675 million in 2035. It will be the second-highest figure, behind China’s one billion.
In lower income countries, existing urban populations continuing to increase naturally with increasing birth rates. Urban population is expected to grow from 56 percent of the world’s total in 2021 to 68 per cent by 2050.
In last two decades, India and China experienced rapid urbanisation and economic growth which led to massive reduction in the number of people living in poverty.
India’s urban population is likely to reach 675,456,000 in 2035, as compared to 483,099,000 in 2020.
The percentage of the population in urban areas of India will be 43.2 percent, by 2035.
About UN-Habitat
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) was established in 1978 headquartered at the United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya.
It is a member of the United Nations Development Group.
It is the United Nations programme for human settlements and sustainable urban development.
It is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.
IIE, Guwahati signs MoU with IIM, Shillong to boost entrepreneurship ecosystem in North Eastern Region
The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre of Indian Institute of Management Shillong (IIMS) to boost the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the North Eastern Region (NER).
Objectives
To encourage entrepreneurship, incubation, and startups in the North Eastern Region.
To support professional development in the areas of management, entrepreneurship, and skill development.
To meet the larger demand for capacity building and entrepreneurship promotion in the North Eastern Region.
By collaborating on this initiative, both institutes will benefit from each other’s strengths in promoting skill development in the NER and the country at large.
The institutes will together conduct certified courses on entrepreneurship development and also train startups and incubates under the Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre, IIM Shillong. They will also promote educational lectures, workshops, exhibitions, and other knowledge dissemination programmes in the region.
ISRO launches PSLV-C53 satellites
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV-C53 with three Singapore Satellites onboard.
Key Points
PSLV-C53 is the second dedicated commercial mission of New Space India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO. This was ISRO’s 55th mission of PSLV.
The rocket placed the three customer satellites in the precise orbit of 570 km with a 10 degree inclination.
The four-stage, 44.4-metre-tall rocket had a lift-off mass of 228.433 tonnes.
The launch vehicle has carried three satellites – DS-EO, a 365 kg and NeuSAR, a 155 kg satellite and 2.8 kg Scoob-1 satellite.
DS-EO carries an Electro-Optic, multi-spectral payload which will provide full colour images for land classification, and for serving humanitarian assistance and disaster relief needs.
NeuSAR satellite will provide images in day and night and under all weather conditions and the Scoob-I satellite is the first satellite in the Student Satellite Series (S3-I), which is a hands-on student training programme.
Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022
Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022, under the Forest (conservation) Act, 1980.
Provisions of Forest (conservation) Rules 2022
It constituted an Advisory Committee, a regional empowered committee and a screening committee at each of the integrated regional offices and a screening committee at State/Union Territory (UT) government-level.
The Advisory Committee is restricted to advise or recommend with regards to grant of approval under relevant sections in respect of proposals referred to it and any matter connected with the conservation of forests referred to it by the Central government.
Integrated Regional Office will be set up to examine all the linear projects (Highways and roads) on land up to 40 hectares and those projects using forest land up to 0.7 canopy density. These rules provide for a fixed time for reviewing each project quickly.
States are given the responsibility of settling forest rights of forest dwellers (Forest Rights Act, 2006) and allowing diversion of forest land. They will also allow diversion of forest land.
Compensatory afforestation (CA) will now be allowed in other states. If the state already has over two-thirds area under green cover or over one-third area under forest cover, then CA could be taken in other states/UTs where the cover is less than 20%.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has also proposed the removal of imprisonment as a penalty for the “less severe’’ contraventions and replace it with a monetary penalty. However, serious violations of EPA which lead to grievous injury or loss of life shall be covered under the provision of Indian Penal Code.
Sini Shetty crowned Femina Miss India 2022
Karnataka’s Sini Sadanand Shetty won the Femina Miss India 2022. She will now represent India at the 71st Miss World pageant.
Sini Shetty hails from Karnataka. Shetty was born in Mumbai in 2001. The 21-yr-old, who holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and financing, is currently pursuing a course in Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
Femina Miss India 2022’s first runner-up is Rubal Shekhawat from Rajasthan, while the second runner-up is Shinata Chauhan, who hails from Uttar Pradesh.
Femina Miss India 2022 was the 58th edition of the Femina Miss India beauty pageant.
Raja Kumar has been appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
T. Raja Kumar has been recently appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the anti-money laundering watchdog.
Raja Kumar, who hails from Singapore has replaced Marcus Pleyer. He will discharge his service for next two years.
He has been working against global terror financing for quite a long time. As soon as he took over the charge, he presented his objectives for the coming Plenary period (July 2022 -June 2024) to strengthen the FATF.
During the Singapore Presidency, the FATF will continue its core work of identifying and analysing money laundering and terrorist financing methods and trends, developing and refining the FATF Standards, and evaluating and supporting the assessments of countries within the Global Network.
About Financial Action Task Force
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an intergovernmental organisation. Headquarters at Paris, France.
It is also known by its French name, Groupe d’action financière (GAFI).
It was founded in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering.
The objectives of FATF are to set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
In 2001, its mandate was expanded to include terrorism financing.
Arunachal Pradesh Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan pact signed with WWF India
To develop the State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (SBSAP) a pact has been inked by Arunachal Pradesh with WWF India. The SBSAP will be aligning with the Pakke Declaration and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
This pact will be showcasing Arunachal Pradesh’s participatory conservation initiatives and will be looking to develop an action plan that will be inclusive in nature and will be looking to secure nature’s contribution to people.
The plan will also be reflecting the people as well as the state’s aspirations toward sustainable development.
FACTFILE – Pakke Declaration
In 2021, the “Pakke Tiger Reserve 2047 Declaration on Climate Change Resilient and Responsive Arunachal Pradesh” was adopted by the state government and aims to promote development that is climate-resilient in the state.
This declaration also focuses on multi-sectoral approaches for climate-resilient development and low emission which are based on five themes which are Health and Well-being for all; Environment, Forest, and Climate Change; Livelihoods, and opportunities; Sustainable and Adaptive living; and Evidence generation, and collaborative action.
ADB Loan to Nagaland for Urban Infrastructure Projects
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a USD 2 million Project Readiness Financing (PRF) Loan for strengthening the institutional capacity, designing urban infrastructures that are climate-resilient, and improving the mobilization of municipal resources in Nagaland’s 16 district headquarter towns (DHTs).
The loan has been signed by Additional Secretary Rajat Kumar Mishra of the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, Takeo Konishi.
The PRF loan will help in the facilitation of various key preparatory activities to ensure projects that are aimed to improve urban infrastructure and other services to boost the economic potential of Nagaland.
The loan will ensure the state’s project readiness by undertaking feasibility studies, preparing the implementation of detailed engineering designs for selected subprojects and an urban sector strategy, and capacity building of various state-level agencies for the purpose of project implementation, anchoring reforms, and resource mobilization.
The cities and towns of Nagaland are facing challenges related to climate change, poor connectivity, and lack of basic amenities.
The state’s major transport routes are also affected due to landslides during the monsoon season. The urban roads of the state are in poor condition as they do not have a proper stormwater drainage system.
A lot of the cities of the state also face acute water shortages and have inadequate sewerage management systems.
The loan will help in designing sanitation, water supply, urban roads, and solid waste management infrastructures having climate-resilient features and improved access to the state’s vulnerable and poor.
OIL commissioned Jorhat Green Hydrogen Pilot Plant
Oil India Limited (OIL) has commissioned India’s first commercial-grade green hydrogen production plant at Jorhat, Assam.
To produce hydrogen, this plant will be using renewable energy from Oil India’s 500kW solar plant pump station. The produced hydrogen will be blended with natural gas to run hydrogen buses in the state of Assam.
This newly commissioned pilot project has a daily production capacity of 10kg, which will be increased to 30kg per day.
Green Hydrogen is being produced in the plant from the electricity that is generated by the existing 500kW Solar plant utilizing a 100 kW Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) Electrolyser array. This is the first time AEM technology is being used in India.
NIXI-CSC and Tripura signed MOU to set up International Standard Data Centre
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been inked between the government of Tripura and the NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre to establish an international standard Data Centre in the state.
To set up this proposed data centre, CSE e-governance services Ltd and the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) have floated a joint venture.
Rs 150 crore will be invested by the joint venture company while the state government will only be providing the space for setting up the Data Centre.
In the next one or two months, the NIXI-CSC Data Services Centre will kick start the Data Centre while it will take a year to raise the Data Centre’s standards to a world-class level.
This collaboration will enable the state government to host all of its data in the proposed Data Centre, while the state will also be provided with data free of cost. The company will be charging for data exchange to other private players and governments other than Tripura.
Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture (MeghEA) Project won UN Award
The government of Meghalaya’s Planning Department’s initiative of the “e-Proposal System”, has won the UN Award – World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum Prizes 2022. The “e-Proposal System” is a part of Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture (MeghEA), which eliminates 75 per cent physical work of files in all government departments in the state.
FACTFILE – MeghEA Project
The Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture Project (MeghEA) was launched in 2021 with the aim of improving governance and service delivery for the people of the state using the power of various digital technologies.
Enterprise Architecture (EA) is the process by which various organisations standardise and organise their Information Technology related infrastructure to achieve various business objectives.
The MeghEA initiative is spread across 6 pillars i.e. Governance, Human Resources, Entrepreneurship, Primary Sector, Infrastructure and Environment, and envision to make Meghalaya a high income state by 2030.
The project aims to improve service delivery and governance for the people using power of Digital technologies.
MeghEA is supporting the digital government goals that are:
A planned transformation initiative of the state government which demands efficient coordination among policies, strategies, services, processes, and organizational capacity.
All information and communications technology (ICT) initiatives will be coordinated under one umbrella to provide a better holistic perspective.
Implementation of ICT enabled state government process with the aim of providing multi-channel service delivery.
Ensuring that the systems and applications of the state government provide users with all relevant information.
Crafting an ecosystem to boost the digital economy by leveraging ICT for growth and employment.
The week-long Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival began on 28th April 2022 till 4th May 2022 and it will be showcasing the potential of the Northeast region.
This week-long festival will be held across the 8 states of the northeast region in their own significant and special manner.
This festival is being leveraged to discuss the various fundamental aspects of the development of India’s Northeast region.
This festival will be celebrating aspiration, hope, and vision for a prosperous and developed North East Region.
Cultural programs will also be held that will celebrate the uniqueness of this region and will also be highlighting its potential.
The valedictory session of this festival would be celebrated on 4th May at Guwahati.
Themes of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival
Shillong: Investment Potential and future energy needs of North East (29th April)
Itanagar: Welfare of Tribals and Border Management (30th April)
Gangtok: The Smart City Revolution in the North East (30th April)
Agartala: Role of women in the development of North East (1st May)
Aizawl: Eco-Tourism in North East (2nd May)
Dimapur: Agri Horti and organic products potential of North East (2nd May)
Sports Potential of the North East region will be celebrated as a parallel to Sports week.
Imphal: The culmination would be celebrated (3rd May)
Open Neobank become India’s 100th Unicorn Start-up
Open, a Bengaluru-based neobank platform has become the 100th unicorn start-up in India.
The start-up has raised fresh funds that increased its valuation to USD 1 billion. The new investment round to raise funds was led by IIFL, a Mumbai-based investment firm along with the existing investors, Temasek, Tiger Global, and 3one4 Capital. USD 50 million was raised in the latest round.
Temasek, Google, SoftBank, and Visa have invested USD 100 million in this neobank start-up Open.
FACTFILE – Open Neobank
The start-up was founded in the year 2017 by Anish Achuthan, his wife Mabel Chacko, and his brother Ajeesh Achuthan. Deena Jacob is the fourth founding member of this organization. In the month of May 2018, USD 2 million was raised by this start-up.
CEO- Anish Achutan, Chief Operating Officer- Mabel Chacko, Chief Technology Officer- Ajeesh Achutan and Chief Financial Officer- Deena Jacob
FACTFILE – Neobanks
Neobanks are digital banks having zero branches. Instead, such organizations have their presence online. Neobank organizations target the tech-savvy customers. Neobanks basically are fintech firms providing mobile-first and digital services like debit cards, payments, lending, money transfers, etc. The services of the neobanks can be accessed via an app.
FACTFILE – Unicorns
A Unicorn is a start-up company that is privately held and has been valued at more than USD 1 billion. This term was made popular by venture capitalist Aileen Lee who is the founder of Cowboy Ventures.
Rajasthan became the first state to surpass 10 GW solar capacity
Rajasthan became the first state in the country to surpass 10 GW of cumulative large-scale solar installations, as per the Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker.
Rajasthan has a total of 32.5 GW of installed power capacity.
Renewable energy contributes to 55% of Rajasthan’s total installed power capacity. Whereas thermal energy contributes 43%, and nuclear energy contributes the remaining 2%.
Solar is the predominant source in Rajasthan, which accounts for around 36% of the power capacity mix and 64% of renewables.
Rajasthan has over 16 GW of solar projects under development.
Some of the favorable conditions for the generation of solar power in Rajasthan are:
Rajasthan enjoys the highest solar irradiation levels in India.
Availability of land to commission solar projects.
Minimal power curtailment issues.
FACTFILE – Rajasthan’s Solar Energy Policy 2019
Rajasthan’s Solar Energy Policy 2019, which aims to achieve a target of 30 GW of solar power by the FY 2024-25.
Of this, utility or grid-scale solar parks have a major share, which will account for 24 GW.
Installed solar capacity of India
As of December 2021, the cumulative solar installed capacity of India is 55GW. Within the 55GW, grid-connected utility-scale projects contribute 77%.
Cynthia Rosenzweig awarded 2022 World Food Prize
Cynthia Rosenzweig, NASA’s head of the Climate Impacts Group and a senior research scientist at Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) received the 2022 World Food Prize from the World Food Prize Foundation. She received USD 250,000 along with a commemorative sculpture and a diploma.
She received the award for her research that helped understand the relationship between food systems and climate and the forecast of how both will be changing in the future.
FACTFILE – World Food Prize
The World Food Prize is an award that is given with the aim of recognizing the achievements of individuals from across the world who have helped in advancing the development of humans by improving the quantity, quality, or availability of food across the world.
The award was conceived by Norman Borlaug, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
This prize was established in 1986 and the first prize was given in the year 1987 to S. Swaminathan.
This prize has been awarded annually since to recognize contributions in all those fields that involve world food supply like:
Aquaculture
animal science
water conservation
soil science
health
nutrition
seed science
plant science
crop protection
plant pathology
food safety
food technology
research
policy
emergency relief
infrastructure
hunger
poverty alleviation
India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System Train set handed to NCRTC
The first trainset of India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) was recently handed over to National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC). These trains are 100% indigenous. This is in line with the government’s Make in India program and Aatmanirbhar Bharat’s ambition.
The trainset was designed at Alstom’s Hyderabad engineering center and manufactured in Alstom’s factory in Savli (Gujarat). The propulsion systems and electricals are manufactured in Maneja (Gujarat).
FACTFILE – Delhi–Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)
It is an 82.15 km long semi-high speed rail corridor connecting Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Meerut. The corridor is under construction.
It is one of the three rapid rail corridors planned under Phase I of the Regional Rapid Transport System (RRTS) project of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC).
The Delhi-Meerut RRTS will be the first in India to adopt the European Train Control System (ETCS) hybrid Level 2 signaling system.
The RRTS corridors will operate the fastest trains in India with a design speed of 180 kmph.
FACTFILE – National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC)
National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) is a joint venture company of the Government of India and the States of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh (UP).
It is mandated for implementing the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project across the National Capital Region (NCR) of India.
World Bank Report on World Governance Indicators (WGI)
The Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) project reports governance indicators for over 200 countries for the following six dimensions of governance:
Voice and Accountability
Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism
Government Effectiveness
Regulatory Quality
Rule of Law
Control of Corruption
These aggregate indicators are based on over 30 individual data sources produced by a variety of survey institutes, think tanks, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, and private sector firms such as Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project and Freedom House, etc.
Concern of the Indian government
According to the government, World Governance Indicators (WGI) is based on impressions from the Western press or small surveys of NGOs and a handful of academics, many of them do not even have an India expert.
Due to the negative commentary on India by these institutes there will be a drop in WGI scores.
This could downgrade India’s Sovereign Ratings.
The government reached out to sovereign rating agencies. On October 5, 2021, Moody’s Investors Service raised the outlook on India’s sovereign rating to ‘stable’ from ‘negative’.
B.V. Doshi conferred with the Royal Gold Medal 2022
Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi has been conferred with the prestigious Royal Gold Medal 2022, which is one of the world’s highest honours in the field of architecture.
Simon Allford who is the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) presented this award to B.V. Doshi at his residence in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
This award is presented to recognize a lifetime’s work of an individual that had a significant impact on advancing the field of architecture. Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom personally approves this prestigious medal.
BIOGRAPHY – B.V. Doshi
· B.V. Doshi became the first Indian to be conferred with the Pritzker Architecture Prize when he was awarded it in 2018.
· After receiving the Royal Gold Medal, he became the first Indian and very few from across the globe to have received both prizes.
· He was conferred the Padma Bhushan by the Indian central government in the year 2020. It is the country’s third-highest civilian award.
· B.V. Doshi has worked on 100 projects that include educational facilities, cultural buildings, housing developments, etc. Some of his important projects include:
Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
Ahmedabad School of Architecture
Aranya Low-Cost Housing
Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur
Tagore Hall and Memorial Theatre, Ahmedabad
NIFT Delhi
National Technology Day celebrated on May 11
Every year, May 11th is celebrated in India as National Technology Day, to mark the anniversary of the Pokhran nuclear tests (Pokhran-II) conducted in May 1998.
Pokhran-II nuclear tests were a series of five nuclear tests conducted under the administration of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan’s Thar desert from 11th to 13th May 1998.
Pokhran-II nuclear tests was code named Operation Shakti.
The first nuclear tests were conducted by India in 1974. It was code-named, Smiling Buddha.
Theme for this year’s National Technology Day is Integrated Approach in Science & Technology for Sustainable Future.
Tomato Flu Outbreak in Kerala
Kerala has been struck by another viral disease known as the Tomato Flu. It is a rare viral disease due to which blisters shaped like tomatoes are formed. As of 11th May 2022, around 80 children of the state who are under the age of five have already been affected.
All the 80 cases in Kerala have been detected from the Kollam district. Due to this outbreak, the neighbouring states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have increased their border surveillance.
This disease has no specific treatment for Tomato Flu. This disease is also highly contagious.
FACTFILE – Tomato Flu
This is a flu that causes red blisters and rashes on the body of the infected child. They are mostly generally red in colour and hence it is known as Tomato Fever or Tomato Flu. The main symptoms of this disease include:
Large blisters that are red in colour and are tomato sized
Body ache
High fever
Swelling of joints.
Nausea
Abdominal cramps
Fatigue
Vomiting
Discolouration of knees, hands, and buttocks.
Rajiv Kumar elected New Chief Election Commissioner of India
From May 15th, 2022, Rajiv Kumar, the current Election Commissioner (EC), will take over as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). This announcement was made by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.
Since September 1st, 2020 Rajiv Kumar is serving as the Election Commissioner (EC).
Sushil Chandra is the incumbent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) who will demit his office on May 14th, 2022.
FACTFILE – Election Commission of India (ECI)
According to Article 324 (2) of the constitution, the Election Commission of India (ECI) shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from time to time fix.
Currently, ECI consists of the CEC and two Election Commissioners (ECs).
The salary of the CEC is the same as the salary of a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) can be removed from office only in a manner and on grounds similar to a Judge of the Supreme Court of India.
Czech Republic to replace Russia on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in a secret ballot voting elected the Czech Republic to replace Russia on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
157 countries voted in favor of the Czech Republic in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and there were 23 abstentions.
The Czech Republic retains the UNHRC seat till 31 December 2023.
Russia was suspended from UNHRC by a vote in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its human rights violations in Ukraine. Still Russia can participate in the UNHRC sessions as it has observer status.
FACTFILE – United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a UN organization that aims to protect human rights.
It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2006.
It replaced the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR).
The headquarters of UNHRC is in Geneva in Switzerland.
The UNHRC has 47 members elected for three-year terms and the seats are divided on a regional group basis.
No member can occupy the UNHRC seat for more than two consecutive terms.
The UNHRC seats are divided into the following regional groups: 13 for Africa, 13 for Asia, 6 for Eastern Europe, 8 for Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC), and 7 for the Western European and Others Group (WEOG).
Niti Aayog launced National Data & Analytics Platform
NITI Aayog launched the National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) for open public use. In August 2021, a beta version of the platform was released, which provided access to only a few users for testing and feedback.
National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) aims to make public government data accessible, interoperable, and available on a user-friendly platform. The platform contains data from different government agencies. It provides tools for analytics and visualization of the data.
It has 203 datasets from 46 central government ministries and agencies which were selected based on use cases and expert advice. These datasets are interoperable with each other. The datasets will be regularly updated to ensure that it remains relevant.
The datasets will be available in multiple languages. Users can follow any particular dataset they’re interested in. When there is an update in the dataset followed by the users, they will notification. The platform can be easily accessed by visually-impaired users as it will have audio and video tutorials in Hindi and English.
The NDAP makes the datasets interoperable with each other, which will enable easy cross-sectoral analysis. It will also democratize the use of public government data, by ensuring its availability till the last mile. It will promote data-driven policy-making and evidence-based decision-making.
Manik Saha became Tripura’s New Chief Minister
Manik Saha has taken oath as the new Chief Minister of Tripura on 15th May 2022. He was elected as the new Chief Minister of the state after former CM Biplab Kumar Deb resigned.
The Governor of the state Satyadeo Narain Arya had administered the oath of secrecy to Manik Saha at a ceremony that was held at Raj Bhawan.
Manik Saha is the BJP State unit president of Tripura as well as the only Rajya Sabha MP from the state.
India wins Thomas Cup for the first time
India created history by winning the Thomas Cup title for the first time. Thomas cup 2022 was held in Bangkok, Thailand.India defeated defending champions Indonesia in the Thomas cup finals by 3-0.
India’s Lakshya Sen won the first match against Anthony Sinsuka Ginting. In the second match, Satwik and Chirag defeated the Indonesian pair of Ahsan and Sukamuljo. In the third match, K. Srikanth defeated Jonathan Christie in straight. In this tournament, Srikanth played won all the six matches played by him.
Badminton Association of India (BAI) President announced prize money of Rs 1 crore for the Thomas Cup-winning team. Prize money of Rs 20 lakh will be given to the support staff.
FACTFILE – Thomas Cup
It is an international badminton competition among men’s teams of various countries of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
Since 1982, Thomas cup championships are held every two years. Before that, they were conducted once every three years. The first Thomas cup tournament was conducted in 1948–1949.
Indonesia is the most successful team, as it won the Thomas cup 14 times. China comes second with 10 titles. Malaysia is ranked third with 5 titles.
Only six countries have won the Thomas cup title. India is the sixth country to win the Thomas Cup.
Bangladesh offered India the use of the Chittagong Port
Bangladesh Prime Minister offered India the use of the Chittagong Port. Access to Bangladesh’s Chittagong Port will benefit India’s northeastern states like Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
Chittagong Port, Bangladesh’s principal seaport is built on the Karnafuli River. It is the busiest port along the coastline of the Bay of Bengal. It is also used for transshipment by India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
In March 2021, the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh inaugurated the Maitri Setu Bridge. It was built over the Feni River and reduced the distance between Tripura and the Chittagong port in Bangladesh.
Road infrastructure in Meghalaya’s Dawki, Assam’s Sutarkandi, and Tripura’s Akhaura linking Bangladesh is also being improved.
Mizoram is planning to build bridges across the Khawthlangtuipui river for faster access to the Chittagong port.
Historical Prospective
Before India’s independence, the northeastern part of India had access to Chittagong Port via the Brahmaputra and Barak River systems. After partition in 1947, India’s Northeast lost access to the sea. The Chittagong Port had gone to East Pakistan and India lost a major trade route. However, India continued to use the ports of East Pakistan until the 1965 war with Pakistan. After that, the northeast had to depend on a narrow strip in West Bengal for goods and passenger transportation.The revival of pre-Partition trade routes would improve the trade for the Northeast region and generate revenue for Bangladesh.
Novak Djokovic and Iga Świątek won Italian Open 2022 singles
Novak Djokovic and Iga Świątek won Italian Open 2022 Men’s singles and Women’s singles respectively. The 2022 Italian Open was concluded recently on 15th May 2022.
Men’s doubles winners are Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić (Croatia) and Women’s doubles: Veronika Kudermetova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia).
The Prize money in Italian Open 2022 is €6,008,725 for men and USD 2,527,250 for women.
FACTFILE – Italian Open 2022
The Italian Open is a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It is held in Rome, Italy.
Italian Open 2022 was the 79th edition of the Italian Open. It was classified as an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour Masters 1000 event on the 2022 ATP Tour and a non-mandatory event on the 2022 Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour. It was held from 2 May 2022 – 15 May 2022.
Rafael Nadal (Spain) won the Italian Open men’s singles title a record 10 times.
First Incredible India International Cruise Conference (IIICC) organised
Recently, the first Incredible India International Cruise Conference (IIICC), a two-day event jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Strategies for developing India as a cruise hub, port infrastructure, and the potential of river cruise tourism in India were some of the issues focused on at the conference.
Some of the MoUs signed are
Mumbai Port signed MoUs with Angriya Sea Eagle Ltd and Waterways Leisure Tourism P. Ltd for homeporting their cruise ships in Mumbai and Chennai respectively for the upcoming cruising season.
Mumbai Port and Training Ship Rahaman signed MoU for being an existing service provider in the field of Maritime Training for Cruise Vessels.
Mumbai Port and The Apollo Group USA signed MoU for being an existing service providers to cruise operators in the country.
Chennai Port and Waterways Leisure Tourism P. Ltd. Signed MoU for home porting their cruise ship in Chennai for the upcoming cruising season.
A MoU was signed between the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and Adventure Resorts and Cruises for the Development of Long Cruise on Backwaters of Kerala.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed MoUs with JM Baxi River Cruise and Antara Luxury River Cruises for River Cruise between Varanasi and Bogibeel via Kolkata under the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.
Mayiladumparai is the oldest Iron Age site currently found in India. Radiocarbon dating Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (C14-carbon dating) method of excavations from the Mayiladumparai site confirmed that it is the oldest Iron Age site currently found in India.
After excavations at the Mayiladumparai site, it is now confirmed that iron was used in Tamil Nadu state as early as 2172 BCE or 4,200 years ago.
Mayiladumparai site is located in the Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu. It is habitation-cum-burial site.
The Mayiladumparai site was first excavated in 2003 by K Rajan of the Thanjavur-based Tamil University. In 2021, excavations were resumed by Tamil Nadu’s Department of Archaeology.
Iron Age in Tamil Nadu has been identified as early as 2172 BCE or 4,200 years ago. The late Neolithic phase (the last part of the Stone Age) is identified before 2200 BCE.
World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) Report
According to the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report that was released by the United Nations, the global economy this year is expected to grow by only 3.1 per cent. The earlier prediction in January was 4.0 per cent but the rate was slashed mainly due to the war in Ukraine. This report has been published by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the UN.
The forecast has revealed that the Ukraine conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic have increased commodity and food prices, thus increasing the inflationary pressures. Global inflation this year is set to reach 6.7 per cent. The high inflation rate in the developing and least developed countries is reducing the real income of the households.
Higher food and energy prices are mostly affecting the developing economies that import a lot of commodities, especially the African countries.
The growth prospects downgrade is affecting all countries across the world including major economies like the United States, the European Union, China, etc as well as other major economies.
Due to this war between Russia and Ukraine, energy prices have increased drastically. The European Union faced a blunt of this effect as around a quarter of Europe’s energy consumption is in the form of natural gas and oil imports from Russia.
This report has highlighted that India is still the world’s fastest-growing major economy across the globe. In 2022, India has been projected to grow by 6.4 per cent. This is slower than 2021’s 8.8 per cent.
‘India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage’ to be setup in Lumbini, Nepal
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba recently laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage in Lumbini, Nepal.
The construction of the center is undertaken by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) on a plot allocated by the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT), under an agreement between the IBC and the LDT signed in March 2022. Ministry of Culture, Government of India is providing financial support to the center.
The center will be a world-class facility and pilgrims from all over the world can have the essence of the spiritual aspects of Buddhism at this center. The center will also be Nepal’s first ‘Net Zero Emission’ building.
International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) was formed in 2013 and has its headquarters in New Delhi, India. IBC serves as a common platform for Buddhists all over the world. IBC aims to preserve and promote Buddhist values and teachings.
FACTFILE – Lumbini
Lumbini is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha).
This Buddhist pilgrimage site is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
The Indian emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini and erected a commemorative pillar.
Sweden and Finland request to join NATO
Finland and Sweden submitted their application to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Although Finland and Sweden have a non-alignment policy, they were always close to NATO. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine prompted them to join NATO and seek its safety net.
FACTFILE – North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance consisting of 30 ember states belonging to Europe and North America (28 European states, USA, and Canada). NATO takes all decisions by consensus. The last country to join NATO was North Macedonia in 2020.
NATO headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium.
NATO aims to guarantee the security of its members through political and military means.
According to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, an armed attack against any NATO member in Europe or North America will be considered an attack against all NATO members. Article 5 is invoked only once, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the USA.
India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program
India President Ram Nath Kovind highlighted India’s assistance to Jamaica in capacity building and skill development through various courses under the India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme.
India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme is India’s bilateral assistance program that focuses on addressing the needs of developing countries.
Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) administers ITEC.
Around USD 2 billion has been spent by the Indian government under the program till now.
Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) played a crucial role in facilitating ITEC assistance.
Earlier, India was the world’s largest recipient of aid, but since the 2000s India emerged as a net donor of foreign aid.
Along with the Special Commonwealth Assistance for Africa Programme, ITEC covers around 158 countries across Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Caribbean nations. 70% of the grants under ITEC go to South Asian countries. African countries are the major beneficiaries of Lines of credit (LoC).
Nanjarayan Tank declared 17th Bird Sanctuary of Tamil Nadu
The Nanjarayan Tank, a bio-diversity hotspot, has just been announced as the 17th bird sanctuary of Tamil Nadu.
The Nanjarayan Tank also known as Sarkar Periyapalayam Reservoir, is located on the outskirts of Tirupur city near Koolipalayam, about 60 kilometres from Coimbatore.
It was built by King Nanjarayan as a source for irrigation.
The undisturbed mudflats in the middle of the lake ensure a thriving ecosystem and also attract many birds. Pelicans, painted storks, coots, etc can be found here. It is also a haven for migratory birds. In 2010, four bar-headed geese, one of the world’s highest-flying birds from Europe were spotted in the tank. A flock of 14 ruddy shelducks that breed in parts of Europe and Central Asia was spotted in 2020.
State of Inequality in India Report
Bibek Debroy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) recently released the “State of Inequality in India” Report, which was written by the Institute for Competitiveness.
The report puts forward a comprehensive analysis of inequality in the country. It collates data on inequities across various sectors such as health, education, and the labor market, which makes people more vulnerable to poverty and leads to multidimensional poverty.
The report is an attempt to stock-take measures introduced by the government. It also contributes to the policy debates, formulation of strategies, and preparing a roadmap for social progress.
Highlights of the report
Using income data from PLFS 2019-20, the report showed that a salary of Rs 25,000 per month is amongst the top 10% of total incomes earned in India.
There is a significant improvement in the infrastructural capacity of the health sector. However, nutritional deprivation remains a big concern.
High out-of-pocket expenditure also directly affects inequality.
Cognitive development from the foundational years of a child is a long-term corrective measure for inequality.
The government’s focus on providing access to sanitation and safe drinking water ensured dignified life for many. According to NFHS-5 (2019-21), 96% of households have access to safe drinking water.
Cotton Council of India set up
Cotton Council of India has been recently set up by the Union government. The objective of the council is to resolve the issues related to cotton & yarn pricing and bring substantial improvements in the sector.
Suresh Bhai Kotak is appointed as the chairman of the Cotton Council of India.
In 2021-22, the Cotton textile exports, including raw cotton were USD15.29 billion. The cotton prices increased by more than 100% during the last one and half years.
More than 60% of cotton and cotton yarn are exported to countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, which are competitors for India in the textiles sector.
BioRRAP: National Portal for Biotech Researchers and Start-ups
Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Science and Technology, has launched a “Single National Portal for Biotech researchers and start-ups”, named Biological Research Regulatory Approval Portal (BioRRAP) will be catering to the needs of all those seeking regulatory approval for biological development and research in India.
The portal will help to strengthen the interdepartmental synergies and will also bring transparency, accountability, and efficacy to the functioning of various agencies that are regulating the various aspects of biological research and also issuing permissions.
This portal is in line with the government’s “ease of start-ups” and “ease of doing science and scientific research.”
This portal is only for research-related activities and cannot be used for the purpose of product development.
FACTFILE – Indian biotechnology industry
Over 2,700 biotech start-ups and more than 2,500 biotech companies are currently working in India. By the year 2025, India will become a Global Bio-manufacturing Hub and will also be featured among the top five countries across the globe in this field.
The Indian biotechnology industry, which stood at US$ 63 billion in 2019, is expected to reach US$ 150 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 16.4%.
By 2025, the contribution of the Indian biotechnology industry to the global biotechnology market is expected to grow to 19%
International Day for Biological Diversity observed on 22nd May
On the 22nd of May, the International Day for Biological Diversity is observed annually across the globe. This day is observed to generate awareness about the biodiversity issues that are overwhelming the world.
Biodiversity is the foundation of the planet’s ecosystem services and this is tied to the well-being of humans as well as other species. The world is filled with a variety of plants, animals, fungi, as well as microbes such as bacteria, hence, each of these species works in tandem to preserve the balance of the ecosystem and support life.
In the year 2000, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated 22nd May as the International Day for Biological Diversity.
After the United Nations conducted the “Earth Conference” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the year 1992, special emphasis was given to conserving and protecting the environment. Following that conference, on 29th December, Biodiversity Day was observed till the year 2000.
Centre of Excellence for Hyperloop Technology setup in IIT Madras
The Ministry of Railways will collaborate with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras to develop an indigenous Hyperloop system. The ministry will also help to set up a Centre of Excellence for Hyperloop Technologies at IIT Madras.
The Centre will be built by IIT Madras through its existing Centre of Railway Research (CRR). This project is a significant step towards the ‘Make in India’ and the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives.
For this project, IIT Madras will receive Rs 8.34 crore in funding from the Indian Railways. Along with the financial support, the Indian Railways will also help in the manufacturing, and formulation of safety standards. Also, access to electrical testing facilities of the railways will be provided.
IIT Madras will be responsible to deliver design documentation for pod, tube, and track for the hyperloop system.
FACTFILE – Hyperloop
Hyperloop is a new type of transport technology that uses magnetic levitation in low-pressure tubes or tunnels to transport people and goods. In 2020, the US-based company “Virgin Hyperloop” tested the Hyperloop system with passengers for the first time.
There are two major differences between hyperloop and standard rail. One is passengers sit in pods that travel via tubes or tunnels in which most of the air is removed to reduce friction. The second difference is that instead of using wheels, the pods will float on air skis or use magnetic levitation.
Hyperloop is faster and less expensive to construct than regular high-speed rail. The energy requirement is also less.
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)
Joe Biden, the President of the United States unveiled a discussion on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). This discussion has been held with a dozen initial partner countries that also include India. The countries represent 40 percent of the world’s GDP.
The IPEF framework discussion was launched with the vision of an open, free, resilient, and secure Indo-Pacific region where economic growth is inclusive and sustainable.
The IPEF is also looking to strengthen economic partnerships among the countries with the aim of boosting resilience, sustainability, economic growth, inclusiveness, competitiveness, and fairness in the Indo-Pacific region.
On 23rd May 2022, India and the United States signed an Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA). This agreement was signed to make a path for strengthening and promoting Development Finance Corporation’s (DFC) investments in India in various key sectors.
India’s FDI Inflow in Fiscal year 2021-22
India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow in the Financial Year 2021-22 reached an all-time high of USD 83.57 billion, despite the Russia-Ukraine war and Covid-19 pandemic.
India’s foreign investment inflows increased 20-fold since the financial year 2003-04 when it was mere USD 4.3 billion. Post Covid-19 pandemic, FDI inflow increased by 23%. In the financial year 2020-21, the FDI inflow stood at USD 1.60 billion.
In FY 2021-22, the “computer software and hardware” sector with a share of 25% remained the top sector, followed by the services sector and automobile sector. FDI inflow in the manufacturing sectors increased by 76% in 2021-211 as compared to 2020-21.
In FY 2021-22, Singapore with a share of 27% is the top investor country of FDI equity inflow. Singapore is followed by the U.S. (18%) and Mauritius (16%).
Karnataka is the top recipient state with a 38% share of the total FDI Equity inflow, followed by Maharashtra (26%) and Delhi (14%).
World Economic Forum 2022- Key Facts
The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland scheduled from May 22nd to 26th The theme for WEF annual Meeting 2022 is ‘working Together, restoring Trust’. This year’s WEF meeting will be the first global in-person leadership event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Around 2,500 world leaders from business, politics, and civil society took part in the meeting. The meeting provides the leaders from all over the world an opportunity to take stock of the world’s situation and shape policies for the future.
From India Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas will attend the event on Energy Outlook: Overcoming the Crisis. YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, CM of Andhra Pradesh, will attend the event on Future-proofing Health Systems. Aaditya Thackeray, Tourism Minister of Maharashtra will attend Forum Initiative Briefing – Global Plastic Action Partnership event, and Embracing Climate Adaptation Action event. KT Rama Rao, Information Technology Minister of Telangana will attend the event on AI on the Street: Managing Trust in the Public Square.
The focus areas of the WEF meeting are
Pandemic recovery
Tackling climate change
Building a better future for work
Accelerating stakeholder capitalism
Harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
India Bangladesh Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) Exercise
The fourth edition of the two-day India-Bangladesh Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) exercises began on 22ndst May in the Bay of Bengal. The exercise aims to strengthen mutual understanding and enhance the interoperability between the navies of India and Bangladesh in countering maritime threats.
For the exercise, the Indian Navy deputed two indigenous warships (INS Kora and INS Sumedha). INS Kora is a guided-missile corvette and INS Sumedha is an offshore patrol vessel (OPV). Bangladesh Navy deputed BNS Ali Haider and BNS Abu Ubaidah.
Maritime patrol aircraft of navies of both countries will also undertake joint patrols along the international maritime boundary line (IMBL).
India ranked 54th in WEF Travel and Tourism Development Index
In the WEF Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021, India has been ranked at 54th In 2019, India had ranked at 46th position. India topped within the South Asia region.
In the 2021 index, the top place has been grabbed by Japan, followed by the United States, Spain, France, and Germany respectively.
Top 10 countries are
Japan (5.2)
United States (5.2)
Spain (5.2)
France (5.1)
Germany (5.1)
Switzerland (5.0)
Australia (5.0)
United Kingdom (5.0)
Singapore (5.0)
Italy (4.9)
FACTFILE – Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021
Travel and Tourism Development Index 2021 of the World Economic Forum comprises 117 countries. This index has shown that despite various positive trends, the tourism and travel industry is still facing hurdles and are yet to recover properly. 117 countries have been assessed by this index and it has identified certain key factors for enabling resilient and sustainable growth of tourism and travel economies.
India and US signed Investment Incentive Agreement
On 23rd May 2022, India and the USA signed the Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) in Tokyo. The agreement was signed by India’s foreign secretary and CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). The investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) is a legal requirement for DFC to continue providing investment support to India.
The agreement will help in increasing the investment support from USA’s development finance institutions in various sectors. The investment support is given in the form of debt, equity investment, investment guaranty, reinsurance, grants, etc.
FACTFILE – US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)
US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is the successor agency of the erstwhile Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), established after the enactment of the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD) Act of 2018.
DFC provided investment support worth USD 5.8 billion since 1974.
DFC provided investment support in various sectors such as healthcare, renewable energy, financial inclusion, etc.
DFC is also involved in funding the vaccine manufacturing capabilities under the vaccine partnership of Quad.
The third edition of the Bongosagar Naval exercise commenced at Port Mongla, Bangladesh on the 24th of May 2022 between the navies of India and Bangladesh.
The harbour phase of this naval exercise was held from 24th to 25th May 2022. This will be followed by the sea phase which is scheduled to be held in the Northern Bay of Bengal from 26th to 27th May 2022.
This exercise is aimed to develop a high level of interoperability as well as joint operational skills through conducting various maritime operations and exercises between both navies.
During the exercise, the Navies from both countries will be discussing various operational procedures, conducting joint drills, and exchanging best practices. Apart from this, there will be discussions on tactical level planning regarding the conduct of the exercises at sea.
The sea phase of this Naval exercise will facilitate the participation of the ships from both the navies in intensive weapon firing drills, surface warfare drills, coordinated air operations in a tactical scenario, and seamanship evolutions.
India joins First Movers Coalition
India joined a global public-private partnership initiative called the First Movers Coalition. The First Movers Coalition initiative was launched by President of the USA Joe Biden and the World Economic Forum (WEF) at COP26. It was joined by 50 new corporate members with a collective market capitalization of USD 8.5 trillion.
The First Movers Coalition aims to decarbonize the most carbon-intensive sectors such as the heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors, which are responsible for 30% of global emissions.
It is expected that emissions from these sectors will increase to around 50% by mid-century unless urgent actions are taken on clean technology innovation. The targeted sectors of the First Movers Coalition include aluminum, aviation, chemicals, concrete, shipping, steel, and trucking.
Apart from India, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, and the UK joined the First Movers Coalition as government partners. India, Japan, and Sweden also joined the steering board of the First Movers Coalition.
FACTFILE – First Movers Coalition
The First Movers Coalition is a global initiative harnessing the purchasing power of companies to decarbonize seven “hard to abate” industrial sectors that currently account for 30% of global emissions: Aluminum, Aviation, Chemicals, Concrete, Shipping, Steel, and Trucking; along with innovative Carbon Removal technologies.
The First Movers Coalition’s unique approach assembles ambitious corporate purchasing pledges across the heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors responsible for a third of global emissions. For these sectors to decarbonize at the speed needed to keep the planet on a 1.5-degree pathway, they require low-carbon technologies that are not yet competitive with current carbon-intensive solutions but must reach commercial scale by 2030 to achieve net-zero emissions globally by 2050.
The 50+ companies who make up the Coalition seek to send a powerful market signal to commercialize zero-carbon technologies.
Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022
The biggest drone festival Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 is being celebrated at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on 27th and 28th May 2022. The Prime Minister will also be interacting with Kisan drone pilots and with start-ups in the drone exhibition centre and will be witnessing the open-air drone demonstrations.
Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), i.e. an aircraft without any human pilot, passenger or crew on board. These UAVs are making the lives of security, farmers, and defence personnel easier.
More than 1,600 delegates comprising foreign diplomats, government officials, central armed police forces, armed forces, private companies, PSUs, drone start-ups etc. will be participating.
Captain Abhilasha Barak appointed Army’s First Woman Combat Pilot
Captain Abhilasha Barak of Haryana has become the Indian Army’s first woman combat aviator. On 25th May 2022, she successfully completed her Combat Army Aviation Course which was of six months to join the Army Aviation Corps as a helicopter pilot. Captain Barak has been designated to the 2072 Army Aviation Squadron’s second flight which operates the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH).
Till now, women were only given the posts of ground duty and traffic control in the Aviation Department, but Captain Barak will be taking over the responsibility of being the first woman pilot.
FACTFILE – Army Aviation Corps
The Army Aviation Corps was established on 1st November 1986 and it is the component of the Indian Army. The corps was inducted immediately into ‘Operation Pawan’ (operation of the Indian Peace Keeping Force to take control of Jaffna from the LTTE) and this played a crucial role in testing the newly formed corps.
The Army Aviation Corps carries out the primary operations of evacuating injured troops during operations or during health emergencies from the high-altitude areas. The Aviation Corps are also deployed for reconnaissance, observation, combat search and rescue, casualty evacuation, and dropping essential supplies.
National Achievement Survey 2021 released by Union Education Ministry
The National Achievement Survey 2021 report was released by the Union Ministry of Education. National Achievement Survey (NAS) is a national-level assessment survey conducted to evaluate the progress and learning achievement of school students. It provides a system-level reflection on the effectiveness of school education and is useful to chalk out new educational policies.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) developed the Assessment Framework to assess the competencies attained by the students vis-a-vis learning outcomes.
National Achievement Survey 2021 – Highlights
NAS has registered a dip in performances across subjects and grades at the national level as compared to the last achievement survey conducted in 2017.
Punjab was the best performer in India across all grades and subjects.Punjab has the highest mean score for subjects across Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10.
WMO released State of Global Climate Report 2021
The State of the Global Climate Report 2021 has been released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). According to the report, four key climate change indicators which are sea-level rise, greenhouse gas concentrations, ocean acidification, and ocean heat set new records in 2021. The report shows that human activities are causing planetary level changes in the ocean, land, and the atmosphere, with long-lasting and harmful effects on ecosystems and sustainable development.
Due to extreme weather, the world has witnessed hundreds of billions of dollars worth of economic losses. It has also wreaked a heavy toll on the lives of humans and their well-being and triggered shocks for water and food displacement and security that have accentuated in the year 2022.
The past seven years are the warmest seven years that have been recorded. In 2021, the average global temperature was around 1.11 (± 0.13) °C above the pre-industrial level.
State of Global Climate Report 2021 – Highlight
Greenhouse gas concentrations: In 2020, the concentrations of greenhouse gases reached a new global high as carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration reached 413.2 parts per million (ppm) globally which is 149 percent of the pre-industrial level.
Global Annual Mean Temperature: In 2021, this was around 1.11 ±0.13 °C above the pre-industrial average of the 1850s and the 1900s. This was less warm compared to some recent years due to the cooling La Niña conditions at the beginning and end of the year. On record, the seven warmest years are from 2015 to 2021.
Ocean Heat: In 2021, the upper 2000m depth of oceans continued to warm up. It is expected to rise in the future, a change that is irreversible. The rates of ocean warming have increased in the past two decades.
Ocean acidification: 23 percent of the annual emissions of anthropogenic CO2 are absorbed by the oceans. This reacts with seawater which leads to ocean acidification. This is threatening the ecosystem, organisms, tourism, food security, and coastal protection.
Global Mean Sea Level: In 2021, it reached a new record high after it increased from 2013 to 2021 at an average of 4.5 mm per year. This is mainly attributed to the accelerated loss of ice sheets and ice mass.
Food security: Due to economic shocks, extreme weather events, and the COVID-19 pandemic the food security of the globe worsened.
Displacement: Due to hydrometeorological hazards, internal displacement has increased.
Ecosystems: A lot of the world’s ecosystems such as water towers, mountain ecosystems, etc, are degrading at an unmatched rate. The increase in temperature is increasing the risk of irreversible coastal and marine ecosystem loss.
Q1. India won how many medals at the Deaflympics 2021?
8
9
13
17
D. 17
2021 Summer Deaflympics medal table
Rank
NDSC
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Total
1
Ukraine (UKR)
62
38
38
138
2
United States (USA)
20
11
24
55
3
Iran (IRI)
14
12
14
40
4
Japan (JPN)
12
8
10
30
5
South Korea (KOR)
11
18
14
43
6
Poland (POL)
8
22
12
42
7
Turkey (TUR)
8
19
17
44
8
France (FRA)
8
3
5
16
9
India (IND)
8
1
8
17
Q2. Which country hosted the Summer Deaflympics 2021?
Spain
Argentina
China
Brazil
D. Brazil
The 2021 Summer Deaflympics, officially known as the XXIV Summer Deaflympic Games, and commonly known as Caxias 2021, was the international multi-sport event held in Caxias do Sul, Brazil, as the main host city from 1 May to 15 May 2022. In addition to Caxias, there are events scheduled for the neighboring cities of Farroupilha and Flores da Cunha. On April 12, 2022, CISS has announced that due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarussian athletes were barred from competing in Caxias do Sul, and in the same press release it was also announced that the bowling tournament was scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during October 20–30, 2022.
Q3. China has reportedly planned a project named Closeby Habitable Exoplanet Survey to hunt habitable exoplanets around sun-like stars?
US
China
UK
Japan
B. China
China is reportedly planning a project named Closeby Habitable Exoplanet Survey to hunt habitable exoplanets around sun-like stars.
Q4. Who is appointed as the new Chief Minister of Tripura?
Manik Saha
Manik Sarkar
Biplab Kumar Deb
S.N. Arya
A. Manik Saha
Q5. Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary was recently declared as India’s 52nd tiger reserve. It is located in which state?
Chhattisgarh
Assam
Rajasthan
Uttar Pradesh
C. Rajasthan
Rajasthan’s Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary is now India’s 52nd tiger reserve. With this new addition, India now has a total of 52 tiger reserves.
Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary is located between Rajasthan’s famous Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and Mukundra Hills Tiger. The area is an important tiger corridor.
The new sanctuary is Rajasthan’s fourth tiger reserve. The three others are Ranthambore, Sariska and Mukundra.
Q6. India recorded how much annual FDI inflow in FY 2021-22?
USD 95.20 billion
USD 85.87 billion
USD 83.57 billion
USD 78.70 billion
C. USD 83.57 billion
India has recorded the highest ever annual FDI inflow of USD 83.57 billion in the Financial Year 2021-22,” it noted. FDI equity inflow in manufacturing sectors has increased by 76 per cent in 2021-22 (USD 21.34 billion) compared to 2020-21 (USD 12.09 billion)
Q7. Which University has been ranked first among all public universities in India by Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2022?
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Calcutta University
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
C. Calcutta University
Q8. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad is a strategic security dialogue between which of the countries?
Australia, India, Japan, and the United States
Australia, UK, Japan, and the United States
India, Japan, UK and the United States
India, China, Japan, and the United States
A. Australia, India, Japan, and the United States
Q9. What is the surplus transfer by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to the Govt for 2021-22?
Rs 25201 crores
Rs 29500 crores
Rs 30307 crores
Rs 38784 crores
C. Rs 30307 crores
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer Rs 30,307 crore as surplus to the government for 2021-22. RBI decided that after maintaining the contingency risk buffer at 5.50 per cent of its balance sheet.
Q10. ‘India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC)’ is associated with which Ministry of Indian Govt.?
Ministry of Electronics and IT
Ministry of Science and Technology
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of External Affairs
D. Ministry of External Affairs
India Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme is an initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs, wherein participants from ITEC member countries are trained. India increased the ITEC slots from 30 to 60 for Jamaica.
Q11. India’s rank in global production of coal is
Second
Fourth
Fifth
Seventh
A. Second
The top six largest coal-producing countries in the world
China – 3.7 billion tonnes
India – 783 million tonnes
United States – 640 million tonnes
Indonesia – 616 million tonnes
Australia – 550 million tonnes
Russia – 430 million tonnes
Q12. India signed ‘Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA)’ with which country?
Japan
Singapore
Saudi Arabia
USA
D. USA
India and the United States recently signed the Investment Incentive Agreement (IIA) in Tokyo. It is a legal requirement for US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to continue providing investment support in India. This agreement will lead to enhanced investment support from the development finance institution in several sectors.
Q13. Which city hosts the 51st annual summit of the World Economic Forum?
Davos, Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland
New York, US
London, UK
A. Davos, Switzerland
The World Economic Forum celebrates the 51st edition of its annual meeting in the Swiss city of Davos in May 2022.
Q14. Which country is the top-most investor in India during fiscal year 2021-22?
Singapore
Mauritius
USA
UAE
A. Singapore
India has recorded highest ever annual FDI inflow of USD 83.57 billion in the Financial Year 2021-22. FDI equity inflow in manufacturing sectors has increased by 76 per cent in 2021-22. Singapore was the topmost investor in India last fiscal year, accounting for 27% of the FDI, followed by the US at 18% and Mauritius at 16%. In 2020-21, the inflows were USD 81.97 billion.
Q15.Indian Navy recently undertook Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) Exercise with
China
Myanmar
Indonesia
Bangladesh
D. Bangladesh
Karnataka is the top recipient state with 38 per cent share of the total FDI equity inflow reported during the FY 2021-22 followed by Maharashtra (26 per cent) and Delhi (14 per cent)
Q1. Which Indian Bank launched the ‘Open-for-all’ Digital ecosystem for MSMEs?
HDFC Bank
Asix Bank
State Bank of India
ICICI Bank
D. ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank has launched ‘Open-for-all’ Digital ecosystem for MSMEs. The digital service for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can be used by customers of other banks.
One of the new services it provides is sanction of instant and paperless overdraft facility up to Rs 25 lakh through ‘InstaOD Plus’. The feature enables customers of any bank to avail of an overdraft instantly.
Q2. Which is the first airline in Asia to use the ‘GAGAN’ satellite-based navigation system during landing?
IndiGo
Air India
Air Asia
Vistara Airlines
A. IndiGo
IndiGo became the first airline in Asia to use the indigenously developed satellite-based navigation system ‘GAGAN’ during landing.
The system has been jointly developed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation. It provides corrections to the global positioning system (GPS) signal to improve air traffic management, with the help of reference and uplink stations.
Q3. World Bee Day is celebrated on
May 20
April 10
May 05
April 09
A. May 20
World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20. On this day Anton Janša, the pioneer of beekeeping, was born in 1734. The purpose of the international day is to acknowledge the role of bees and other pollinators for the ecosystem.
Q4. Atal New India Challenge is a flagship program of Atal Innovation Mission of which institution?
Parliament of India
NASSCOM
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
NITI Aayog
D. NITI Aayog
Q5. Which organisation releases the State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) Report?
Forest Survey of India
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)
D. Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)
Q6. The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) signed an MoU with which major telecom operators for cooperation in the area of IoT/M2M?
Reliance Jio
BSNL
Vodafone India
Airtel
C. Vodafone India
C-DOT and Vodafone Idea Limited sign MoU for cooperation in area of IoT/M2M.
Q7. The ‘Vulture Gene Bank’ is to be set up in which city for conservation of the critically-endangered species?
Jodhpur
Mangaluru
Mysuru
Haridwar
C. Mysuru
Q8. The headquarters of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is located in
Geneva
London
New York
Singapore
A. Geneva
Q9. Who Directed the India – Bangladesh co-production feature film ‘Mujib– The Making of a Nation’?
Rituporno Ghosh
Shyam Benegal
Chashi Nazrul Islam
Humayun Ahmed
B. Shyam Benegal
Mujib: The Making of a Nation is an upcoming Bangladeshi Bengali-language biographical film directed by Shyam Benegal. It stars Arifin Shuvoo as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first President of Bangladesh popularly known as Bangabandhu, who lead his country to independence.
Q10. Which is the top ranked Indian firm in the Forbes’ latest Global 2000 list of public companies?
Reliance Industries
Tata Sons
Adani Enterprises
State Bank of India
A. Reliance Industries
Q11. Which state was crowned as the champion of the 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2022?
Bihar
Karnataka
Jharkhand
Odisha
D. Odisha
Odisha were crowned as the champions of the 12th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2022. Odisha clinched a 2-0 victory over Karnataka in the final of the competition, held in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Jharkhand earned a third-place finish in the competition after defeating Haryana.
Q12. Which is the first state in India to surpass 10 GW of cumulative large-scale solar installations?
Karnataka
Uttar Pradesh
Rajasthan
Gujarat
C. Rajasthan
Rajasthan became the first state in India to surpass 10 GW of cumulative large-scale solar installations, as per Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker
Q13. Which tennis player won the Italian Open 2022 women’s single title?
Ashleigh Barty
Ankita Raina
Naomi Osaka
Iga Swiatek
D. Iga Swiatek
Q14. Who won a gold medal recently in the 52kg flyweight category at the Women’s World Boxing Championships to become the fifth Indian woman to win a gold medal in a world championship?
Nikhat Zareen
Pinki Jangra
Laishram Sarita Devi
Lovlina Borgohain
A. Nikhat Zareen
A 25-year-old boxer from the southern Indian state of Telangana has become the fifth Indian woman to win a gold medal in a world championship. Nikhat Zareen on Thursday beat Thailand’s Jitpong Jutamas in the 52kg flyweight category at the Women’s World Boxing Championships held at Istanbul, Turkey. 20-05-2022
Q15. Which state was the top recipient of FDI equity inflows in FY 2021-22?
Kerala
Karnataka
Andhra Pradesh
Maharashtra
B. Karnataka
Karnataka is the top recipient state with 38 per cent share of the total FDI equity inflow reported during the FY 2021-22 followed by Maharashtra (26 per cent) and Delhi (14 per cent)
Q1. Which was the top recipient country for remittances in 2021?
China
Bangladesh
India
Russia
C.India
The top five recipient countries for remittances in 2021 were India, Mexico, China, the Philippines, and Egypt.
According to the World Bank’s latest Migration and Development Brief, remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries are expected to increase by 4.2 percent this year to reach USD 630 billion. Remittances to Ukraine, which is the largest recipient in Europe and Central Asia, are expected to rise by over 20 percent in 2022.
Q2. Where is the first Incredible India International Cruise Conference (IIICC) held in 2022?
Ahmedabad
Kolkata
Vishakhapatnam
Mumbai
D. Mumbai
Union Tourism Minister, G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated the first Incredible India International Cruise Conference (IIICC) in Mumbai.
He also invited domestic and international tourists to ‘Come, Cruise in India.’ It was jointly organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Government of India and FICCI. Eight Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the conference.
Q3. Which institution/organization has launched the ‘National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP)’?
C-DAC
NIELIT
NITI Aayog
NASSCOM
C. NITI Aayog
NITI Aayog launched the National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) for open public use. The platform aims to democratize access to public government data by making data accessible, interactive, and available on a user-friendly platform.
It presents foundational datasets from various government agencies and provides tools for analytics and visualization. This public launch follows a beta release of the platform in August 2021 that had provided access to a limited number of users for testing and feedback.
Q4. What is India’s retail inflation in April 2022, as it touched its highest point in eight years?
11.8 %
7. 85 %
7.50 %
7.79 %
D. 7.79 %
India’s retail inflation in April 2022 surged to 7.79 per cent in April, largely driven by rising fuel and food prices, touching its highest point in last eight years.
The previous high was recorded at 8.33 per cent in May 2014. 6.95 per cent inflation is recorded in the month of March. Food inflation accounted for nearly half the consumer price index (CPI) basket, reached high in April. Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) upper tolerance limit for retail inflation is 6 %.
Q5. The first state in India to offer breakfast in government schools?
Maharashtra
Kerala
Punjab
Tamil Nadu
D. Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has become the first state in the country to offer breakfast in government schools, along with the mid-day meal.
Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the breakfast scheme for students studying in Classes 1 to 5 in the state. The special nutritional scheme is based on a public health study by the government on the malnourished children in the state. Tamil Nadu was also a pioneer of the midday meal scheme
Q6. Which is the first Indian company to cross USD 100 billion annual revenue?
TCS
Adani Industries
Reliance Industries
Adani Ports Industries
C. Reliance Industries
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd first became the first Indian company to cross USD 100 billion annual revenue.
For the fiscal 2021-22, Reliance reported a net profit of ₹60,705 crore on a revenue of ₹7.92 lakh crore (USD 102 billion). The earnings rose due to the high oil refining margins, growth in telecom and digital services and strong retail business. Rise in broadband subscribers, online retail and new energy investment are also the reasons for rise in earnings.
Q7. ‘Tomato Flu’, which is in the news recently, is endemic to which state?
Punjab
Andhra Pradesh
Kerala
Tamil Nadu
C. Kerala
After the recent outbreak of ‘Tomato flu’, which was endemic to Kerala, the neighbouring states are ramping up surveillance to prevent the disease.
The tomato flu is a rare viral disease, which causes fever, skin irritation, rashes and dehydration. It affects children below five years of age and gets its name from the large red-coloured blisters it causes. There is no specific drug and the infected children are to be isolated, as it is contagious like other flu types.
Q8. India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) is being setup between
Delhi and Mumbai
Delhi and Meerut
Mumbai and Pune
Delhi and Noida
B. Delhi and Meerut
Q9. Who received the 2022 World Food Prize from the World Food Prize Foundation?
Cynthia Rosenzweig
Rattan Lal
Fazle Hasan Abed
Sanjaya Rajaram
A. Cynthia Rosenzweig
Cynthia Rosenzweig, a senior research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), received the 2022 World Food Prize from the World Food Prize Foundation.
World Food Prize is a prestigious award conceived as the ‘Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture’. Rosenzweig was selected for the award for her research to understand the relationship between climate and food systems and forecast how they will change in the future.
Q10.Rakhigarhi is a Harappan site located in which state?
Gujarat
Rajasthan
Haryana
Uttar Pradesh
C. Haryana
As per the Archaeological Survey of India, the latest round of excavations at the Rakhigarhi in Haryana’s Hisar has revealed street system on raised platforms, houses with extensive layouts, and a drainage system.
It is a 5,000-year-old Harappan site and was one of the five iconic sites announced in the 2020 Budget Speech. The site is also considered the biggest Harappan-era site.
Q11. As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), what is the new Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India?
2.5
2.3
2.0
1.8
C. 2.0
The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) which is measured as the average number of children per woman has come down from 2.2 to 2.0 at the national level between NFHS-4 and 5. There are only five states in India, which are above the replacement level of fertility of 2.1. This includes Bihar (2.98), Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Manipur.
Q12. India’s rank in the ‘RSF 2022 World Press Freedom Index’ is
98
107
134
150
D. 150
According to the RSF 2022 World Press Freedom Index, India’s ranking has fallen down to 150th position from last year’s 142nd place.
Norway (1st) Denmark (2nd) and Sweden (3rd) were ranked at the top positions, while North Korea remained at the bottom of the list of 180 countries and territories. Reporters sans frontieres (RSF) or Reporters without Borders, a global media watch-dog releases the report every year.
Q13. India’s first green-field grain-based ethanol plant has been inaugurated in
Uttar Pradesh
Bihar
Chhattisgarh
Gujarat
B. Bihar
India’s first greenfield grain-based ethanol plant is inaugurated in Purnea. The 105-crore plant by Eastern India Biofuels is the first one developed since the Centre gave approval to Bihar’s ethanol production and promotion policy-2021. The state government has proposed opening at least 17 ethanol plants over the next two years.
Q14.Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is a
an initiative to promote an open platform for all aspects of the exchange of goods and services through electronic networks.
an initiative to open e-commerce platforms in India to global players.
an initiative to promote an open platform for all aspects of the exchange of only services through electronic networks.
an initiative to promote similar pricing across ecommerce platforms for all goods and services through electronic networks.
A. an initiative to promote an open platform for all aspects of the exchange of goods and services through electronic networks.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched the pilot phase of the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
It is a first-of-its-kind initiative globally to pave way for democratising digital commerce to enhance the penetration of digital commerce in the country. The initiative aims to promote an open platform for exchange of goods and services through electronic networks. ONDC would standardise operations, promote inclusion of local suppliers and increase efficiencies in logistics.
Q15. First Indian state to set up a Gene Bank Project is
Haryana
Goa
Kerala
Maharashtra
D. Maharashtra
Maharashtra has announced to set up a ‘Gene bank project’, to conserve native and endangered animals, crops, marine and biological species. It will be implemented by the Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board (MSBB) and Rs 172.39 crore has been allocated for the next five years.
The project will work on seven themes — marine, crop, veterinary, freshwater, grassland biodiversity, protection and management of forest right areas, and regeneration of forests. The project will focus on mitigating the impact on the food chain due to climate change.
