Current Affairs June 16th 2022| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Union Cabinet approves to conduct 5G spectrum auction to be held by end of July:

• The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal from the Department of Telecommunications to conduct a 5G spectrum auction to be held by the end of July 2022.
• The spectrum will be assigned to the successful bidders for providing 5G services to the public and enterprises.
• A total of over 72 thousand Mega Hertz of the spectrum with a validity period of 20 years will be put to auction.
• The auction will be held for spectrum in various Low, Medium, and High-frequency bands.
• It is expected that the spectrum will be utilized by Telecom Service Providers for the roll-out of 5G technology-based services capable of providing speed and capacities which would be about 10 times higher than the current 4G services.
• The Cabinet also decided to enable the development and setting up of Private Captive Networks to spur a new wave of innovations in Industry 4.0 applications such as machine-to-machine communications, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) across automotive, health care, agriculture, energy, and other sectors.

Key Points:

• Digital connectivity has been an important part of the policy initiatives of the Government through its flagship programs such as Digital India, Start-up India, and Make in India. Broadband, especially mobile broadband, has become an integral part of the daily lives of citizens.
• This received a big boost through the rapid expansion of 4G services across the country since 2015.
• Eighty-crore subscribers have broadband access today compared to ten-crore subscribers in 2014.
• Spectrum is an integral and necessary part of the entire 5G eco-system.
• The upcoming 5G services have the potential to create new-age businesses, generate additional revenue for enterprises, and provide employment arising from the deployment of innovative use-cases and technologies.
• The 4G eco-system created in the country is now leading to 5G indigenous development.
• The 5G test bed set-up in eight top technology institutes of India is speeding up the launch of domestic 5G technology in India.

Cabinet approves development of new Dholera greenfield airport in Gujarat:

• Union Cabinet has approved the d development of f new Dholera greenfield airport in Gujarat.
• The Airport is planned for operationalization from 2025 to 2026.
• Information and Broadcasting Mr. Minister Anurag Thakur, this airport will be connected through multi-model connectivity like railways and highways.
• Over one thousand 305 crore rupees will be spent on the first phase and it will be completed within 48 months.
• The initial passenger traffic is estimated at three lakh passengers per annum.
• The passenger traffic is expected to up to 23 lakh in 20 years.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has directed to recruit ten lakh people in government jobs in a mission mode in the next 18 months.

GoI launched Agnipath military recruitment scheme:

• The Government of India has introduced the Agnipath Recruiting Plan, a 4-year plan for military defense.
• The program will facilitate the introduction of additional troops in a shorter time frame.
• The program is planned and organized by the Department of Military Training.

About the Scheme:

• ‘Agnipath’ is a short-term service youth recruitment scheme for the armed forces that operate across India.
• Women will be inducted into the ‘Agnipath’ scheme.
• Approximately 45,000 people between the ages of 17.5 and 21 will be inducted into the service for four years under the scheme.
• The recruitment process will begin in the next 90 days, with the first batch expected to be completed by July 2023.
• The selection will be made using a centralized online method.
• Agniveers will be required to have the same educational requirements as normal officers in the armed forces.

India’s first centralized AC railway terminal in Bangalore becomes operational:

• The ultra-luxurious Sir M Visvesvaraya railway station in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, has opened.
• The Ernakulam Tri-Weekly Express train passed through the station to mark the special occasion.
• According to railway officials, the air-conditioned SMV railway station is a project of Rs 314 crore.
• It has solar panels on the roof and a rainwater collection mechanism.

Key Points:

• The railway station in the city’s Baiyappanahalli district, named after Bharat Ratna Sir M. Visvesvaraya, is equipped with modern facilities and is claimed to have an airport-like atmosphere.
• It was a moment of joy for crew and passengers as the first to use the city’s third main terminal, located between Banaswadi and Baiyyappanahalli in the city.
• The other two major stations in Bangalore are Bangalore Railway Station and Yashwanthpur Railway Station.

First Display Manufacturing Plant in India to Be Set Up In Telangana Worth Rs 24,000 Crore:

• Elest, a subsidiary of gold retailer Rajesh Exports, will be setting up the country’s first display fab facility in Telangana with investments worth Rs 24,000 crore.
• Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao along with Chairman of Rajesh Exports Rajesh Mehta announced the setting up of Generation 6 AMOLED Display FAB.
• The Telangana government signed an MoU with Karnataka-based Elest for the proposed fabrication unit which will manufacture next-generation displays for smartphones, tablet computers, and laptops.
• Rajesh Exports (Elest), a Fortune-500 company, set up India’s first Display FAB to manufacture the most advanced AMOLED displays, with an investment of Rs 24,000 crore, making it one of the largest investments in the high-tech manufacturing sector in India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India-EU First-ever Security and Defence Consultations held in Brussels

• The first-ever India-European Union (EU) Security and Defence Consultations took place in Brussels, Belgium.
• The consultations were held by the decision taken at the India-EU Summit in July 2020.

Key Highlights :

• The consultations were co-chaired by the Ministry of Defence Joint Secretary (IC) Somnath Ghosh and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint Secretary (Europe West) Sandeep Chakravorty from the Indian side and Joanneke Balfoort, Director of Security and Defence Policy, from the EU.
• The wide range of discussions covered the evolving security situation in Europe, India’s neighborhood, and the Indo-Pacific.
• The two sides noted several positive developments in the area of security and defense cooperation in recent years, including the establishment of a regular maritime security dialogue.
• During the consultations, the two sides also discussed various means of increasing India-EU cooperation on maritime security, implementation of the European code of conduct on arms export to India’s neighborhood, cooperation in co-development, and co-production of defense equipment including India’s participation in Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO).

Maritime Security Dialogue :

• First-ever joint naval exercises between India and the EU were held in June 2021.
• For the second time, the Maritime Security Dialogue met in February 2022.

Note :

• The European Union is India’s third-largest trading partner, it accounted for 1% of total Indian trade, followed by China (12%) and the US (11.7%).
• The EU is the second-largest destination for Indian exports, after the USA.
• India is the 10th largest trading partner of the European Union, accounting for 1.8% of the total trade of EU in goods in 2020.

About European Union :

• The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states.
• It has 24 Official languages.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Delhi government Partners with the UNDP to set up an oxygen generation plant at G B Pant Hospital

• Delhi Government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India, has set up an oxygen generation plant at G. B. Pant Hospital in Delhi to augment the oxygen supply capabilities.
• United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Kanni Wignaraja inaugurated the oxygen plant in the presence of Medical Director G. B. Pant Hospital Dr. Anil Agarwal.
• The oxygen plant utilizes pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology to produce over one thousand liters of oxygen per minute.
• It will serve approximately 750 hospital beds, including those supported by ventilators and the Intensive Care Unit.
• The hospital is a super-specialty tertiary care center and manages referrals from across the country.

About UNDP :

• Established: 22 November 1965
• Headquarters: New York, United States
• Administrator :Achim Steiner
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a UN agency entrusted with assisting countries in eradicating poverty and achieving long-term economic and human development.
• It is the largest UN development aid agency, with operations in 170 countries.
• UNDP has worked in India since 1951

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin launches Ennum Ezhuthum scheme

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the State government’s ambitious Ennum Ezhuthum Mission, to bridge the learning gap that was caused due to the COVID pandemic among students aged below 8 at an event in Azhinjivakkam panchayat union middle school, Tiruvallur.

Aim :

• To ensure foundational literacy and numeracy by 2025.

Objective :

• To make the classroom suitable for conducting lessons. Lessons have been designed in the format of dance, songs, storytelling, and puppetry, among others.

About Ennum Ezhuthum Mission :

• Under the program, the education department will distribute workbooks to students from Classes 1 to 3 to assess and bridge the learning gap.
• The program is designed to help each child individually and a high-level committee has been formed for the purpose.
• The children will be trained in 3 subjects – Tamil, English, and
• A total of 92,386 primary teachers participated in the session organized to provide their opinions on the scheme.

Recent News :

• Recently Tamil Nadu conducted a special training program for teachers and handbooks were distributed & teachers were advised to opt for interactive learning methods and encourage students to read newspapers and books in the school library.
• The CM of TN had announced a free breakfast scheme for primary school children and a nutrition scheme for malnourished children
• He also announced a Rs 1,000 incentive for girl students pursuing higher education.

About Tamil Nadu :

• Chief minister: M. K. Stalin
• Governor: R. N. Ravi
• Capital: Chennai

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar launches pilot project for ‘Sujal’ initiative to conserve water

• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched a pilot project the ‘Sujal’ initiative for Panchkula to monitor the water supply and control its flow in the region.

About ‘Sujal’ :

• Under the initiative, a device will be installed in every drinking water meter, tube well, and connection of Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) that will store the water usage data online.
• With this technology, it will become easy to estimate the flow of water in every house and at every commercial site that falls under HSVP.
• The initiative was unique and environment-friendly, & will prove to be a benchmark in the field of water conservation by helping them save precious resources.
• It will also help in detecting inactive connections and meters so that they can be turned off.

About Haryana :

• Governor : Bandaru Dattatreya
• CM : Manohar Lal Khattar
• Capital: Chandigarh

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

Indian Bank launches KCC Digital renewal scheme

• Public sector Indian Bank has launched Kisan Credit Card (KCC) digital renewal scheme enabling eligible customers to renew their Kisan Credit Card accounts via digital modes.
• The initiative is part of the bank’s digital transformation under project ‘WAVE’ – World of Advanced Virtual Experience.
• The account renewals can be done using Indian Bank’s IndOASIS mobile app, internet banking, and via its website.
• The facility is available through SMS for feature phone users with no internet or with limited internet access.

About KCC Digital renewal scheme :

• Currently, it is being offered to customers having outstanding loans below ₹60 lakh.
• The scheme eliminates the need to visit a branch or submit added physical documents and would be beneficial to customers unable to renew their KCCs due to paucity of time due to harvest season.

Recent News :

• In April 2022, the Indian bank launched its first end-to-end digital product – A pre-Approved Personal Loan.

About Indian Bank :

• Founded: 15 August 1907
• MD & CEO: Shanti Lal Jain
• Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

HSBC India to offer USD 250 million to startups

• Mumbai-based retail banking and financial services provider, Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India) announced to lend $250 million to startups in the country.
• The bank did not specify the timeframe for disbursal of the amount.
• HSBC stated that the lending will be done to high-growth, tech-led startups in the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world.
• The announcement comes at the time when startups’ debt needs by financial intermediaries locally have accelerated amidst ‘funding winter’ impacting equity funding to the sector.
• HSBC has prepared a credit model and offerings to suit the specific requirements of a wide spectrum of startups and new-age entities, ranging from growth stage to unicorns.
• In 2021, HSBC’s commercial banking vertical in India had registered a growth of 42% in its profit to $265 million compared to $187 million in 2020.
• Further, the lender’s loans to small and medium enterprises have tripled to around $1 billion as compared to $300 million in 2018.

About HSBC India :

• Founded: 1853
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• CEO: Hitendra Dave
• It is a foreign bank under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and thus is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

Retail inflation for May matches estimates at 7.04%:

• According to data released by the Department of Statistics and Program Implementation, India’s headline retail inflation rate fell to 7.04 percent in May from an almost eight-year high to 7.79% in 2018.
• April thanks to a favorable base effect. May’s drop in inflation is unlikely to slow the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rate hike cycle.
• Inflation according to the consumer price index (CPI) in April was 7.79%.
• In May 2021, retail price inflation stood at 6.3%.

Key Points:

• Meanwhile, price increases on everything from fuels to vegetables and cooking oils pushed WPI, or wholesale price inflation, to a record high of 15.08% in April and retail inflation at the highest level in 8 years is 7.79%.
• Retail inflation is tracked by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures price changes from the retail buyer’s perspective.
• The Reserve Bank, which takes into account the CPI in its monetary policy, earlier this month raised its inflation forecast for the current financial year to 6.7% from its previous estimate of 5. 7%.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Justice Bhimanagouda Sanganagouda Patil sworn in as Karnataka Lokayukta

• On a recommendation by Karnataka Chief Minister Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Former Karnataka high court judge Mr. Justice B S Patil has been appointed as the new Lokayukta of Karnataka.
• Governor Shri Thaawar Chand Gehlot administered the oath of office to the new Lokayukta at a ceremony in Raj Bhavan, Bengaluru.
• The post was vacant for the last 5 months after the retirement of Mr. Justice Vishwanath Shetty.
• Chief Minister Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, and others were present on the occasion.

About Mr Justice Bhimanagouda Sanganagouda Patil  :

• Mr Bheemanagouda Sanganagouda Patil was born on June 1, 1956.
• He enrolled as an advocate on September 5, 1980, and has practiced at trial courts and the High Court as well.
• He was appointed as a Permanent Judge of the Karnataka High Court on October 21, 2004, rendered service for 14 years, and retired from the post in 2018.
• Justice Patil, who served as the Upalokayukta of Karnataka, was elevated to the post of Lokayukta on June 14, 2022.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

38th India-Indonesia CORPAT begins in the Andaman Sea

• The 38th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy Units of Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) and the Indonesian Navy is being conducted in the Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca an 11-day coordinated patrol from June 13 to 24, 2022.
• The 38th CORPAT is the first post-pandemic Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) between the two countries.

About 38th INDIA-INDO CORPAT :

• As part of the exercise, Indonesian naval units will visit the ANC headquarters at Port Blair from June 13-15,2022, followed by a sea phase in the Andaman Sea and then a visit by Indian Navy units at Sabang in Indonesia from June 23-24,2022.
• As part of the Government of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region), the Naval Component under the aegis of HQ ANC undertakes coordinated patrols with other littoral countries of the Andaman Sea along respective Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) towards enhancing regional maritime security.
• The IND-INDO CORPAT contributes toward forging strong bonds of friendship across the Andaman Sea and Malacca Strait
• The two Navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2002.

About CORPAT :

• CORPATs help build understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitate the institution of measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery, and piracy.

Other Exercises held between India and Indonesia:

• Samudra Shakti: A bilateral maritime exercise.
• Garuda Shakti: A joint military exercise.

About Ministry of Defence :

• Defence Minister: Rajnath Singh
• Minister of State: Ajay Bhatt

About the Indian Navy :

• Founded: 26 January 1950
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Chief of the Naval Staff: Hari Kumar

About Indonesia :

• President: Joko Widodo
• Capital: Jakarta
• Currency: Indonesian rupiah

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKS & REPORTS

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh releases the 2nd edition of the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment 2021, NeSDA 2021 – Kerala topped among states                       

• Union Minister of State, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh released the second edition of the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment 2021, NeSDA 2021.

About NeSDA 2021 :

• The NeSDA 2021 framework was finalized after multiple consultative workshops with States, UTs, and Central Ministries from March 2021 to May 2021.
• The NeSDA 2021 Portal was formally launched in June 2021 to conduct the entire assessment process online.
• These portals were assessed on 4 parameters, viz., accessibility, content availability, ease of use, and information security and privacy.
• The Services Portals were assessed on an additional 3 parameters, viz., End-service Delivery, Integrated Service Delivery, and Status and Request Tracking.
• The report covers services across 7 sectors: finance, labor, and employment, education, local governance and utility services, social welfare, environment, and tourism sectors.
• The assessment covered 56 mandatory services for each state and UT and 27 services for the focus Central Ministries.
• The report has been prepared covering the assessment of States, and UTs, and focuses on Central Ministries on their effectiveness in delivering online services to citizens.
• The report also provides suggestions for governments to further enhance their e-Governance service delivery systems
• NeSDA has followed the Good Governance Index 2021 grouping of the States and UTs.

• 1st group: North-East and Hill States
• 2nd group: Union Territories
• 3rd group: Remaining States Group A
• 4th group: Remaining States Group B.

Overall Ranking :

• Kerala had the highest overall compliance score among all states and UTs.
• Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh had a compliance of more than 85 percent among the Remaining States category.
• Among the Remaining States, the overall score of Tamil Nadu increased the most in 2021 compared to 2019.
• Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Goa, and Odisha also improved the compliance of their Services Portals by 100 percent.
• Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan are the leading states with compliance of more than 75 percent across all parameters for their Services Portals.

North-East and Hill States :

• Meghalaya and Nagaland are the leading State Portals with an overall compliance of more than 90 percent across all assessment parameters among the northeast and hill states.
• Among the Services Portals for North-East and Hill States, the highest-ranking states of Meghalaya and Tripura showed improvement across all six sectors compared to NeSDA 2019

Union Territories :

• Jammu and Kashmir, assessed for the first time, ranked the highest among Union Territories with an overall compliance of nearly 90 percent for the national e-governance service delivery assessment (NeSDA).

Ranking of central ministries:

• Home Affairs, Rural Development, Education, and Environment, Forest & Climate Change are the leading Ministry Portals with an overall compliance of more than 80% across all assessment parameters.
• The Central Public Procurement Portal, Digital Police Portal, and Bhavishya Portal are the leading Ministry Services Portals with an overall compliance of more than 85% across all assessment parameters.

About NeSDA :

• NeSDA is the biennial study that provides suggestions for governments to further enhance their e-Governance service delivery systems.
• It is Constituted in 2019 by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ENVIRONMENT

Asia’s ‘longest-tusked’ elephant Bhogeshwara dies of natural causes:

• Bhogeshwara said to be Asia’s longest-tusked elephant, died of natural causes at the age of 60.
• The wild elephant, also known as Kabini, was found dead in the Gundre range of Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka.
• According to forestry department officials, Bhogeshwar tusks are 2.54 meters long and 2.34 meters long Known for his gentle temperament, this elephant has frequented the waters of Kabini for the past three decades.
• Both tusks almost touched the ground and watching him roam through the jungle was a delight.
• Organ samples were sent to the Mysuru Regional Forensic Laboratory.
• Experts say there was no foul play and consider it a natural death.

Daily CA on June 16 :

• The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal from the Department of Telecommunications to conduct a 5G spectrum auction to be held by the end of July 2022.
• Union Cabinet has approved the d development of f new Dholera greenfield airport in Gujarat.
• The Government of India has introduced the Agnipath Recruiting Plan, a 4-year plan for military defense.
• The ultra-luxurious Sir M Visvesvaraya railway station in Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka, has opened.
• Elest, a subsidiary of gold retailer Rajesh Exports, will be setting up the country’s first display fab facility in Telangana with investments worth Rs 24,000 crore.

• The first-ever India-European Union (EU) Security and Defence Consultations took place in Brussels, Belgium.
• Delhi Government in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India, has set up an oxygen generation plant at G. B. Pant Hospital in Delhi to augment the oxygen supply capabilities.
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Shri M.K. Stalin launched the State government’s ambitious Ennum Ezhuthum Mission, to bridge the learning gap that was caused due to the COVID pandemic among students aged below 8 at an event in Azhinjivakkam panchayat union middle school, Tiruvallur.
• Haryana Chief Minister Shri Manohar Lal Khattar launched a pilot project the ‘Sujal’ initiative for Panchkula to monitor the water supply and control its flow in the region.
• Public sector Indian Bank has launched Kisan Credit Card (KCC) digital renewal scheme enabling eligible customers to renew their Kisan Credit Card accounts via digital modes.
• Mumbai-based retail banking and financial services provider, Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India) announced to lend $250 million to startups in the country.

• According to data released by the Department of Statistics and Program Implementation, India’s headline retail inflation rate fell to 7.04 percent in May from an almost eight-year high to 79% in 2018.

• On a recommendation by Karnataka Chief Minister Shri Basavaraj Bommai, Former Karnataka high court judge Mr. Justice B S Patil has been appointed as the new Lokayukta of Karnataka.
• The 38th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy Units of Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) and the Indonesian Navy is being conducted in the Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca an 11-day coordinated patrol from June 13 to 24, 2022.

• Union Minister of State, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh released the second edition of the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment 2021, NeSDA 2021.
• Bhogeshwara said to be Asia’s longest-tusked elephant, died of natural causes at the age of 60.