Weekly Current Affairs (15th to 21st June 2022) - 2 | Weekly Current Affairs - UPSC PDF Download

Important News – India

Q.1. Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has released the NeSDA 2021 Report which provides suggestions for governments to further enhance their e-Governance service delivery systems, which state had the highest overall compliance score amongst all the States and UTs?

Correct Answer is Kerala.

• Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan are the leading states with compliance of more than 75 percent across all parameters for their Services Portals.
• Jammu and Kashmir scored the highest amongst all UTs for six sectors

Q.2. Which airport has become India’s first airport to launch a one-of-its-kind Vertical Axis Wind Turbine & Solar PV hybrid (Solar Mill) to explore the possibility of utilization of wind energy at the airport. ?

Correct Answer is Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai.

• WindStream Energy Technologies India Pvt Ltd has developed this technology.
• The energy generated through this technology can be customized on a need-specific basis.

Q.3. What is the ranking of India in the Asian economies as per the annual World Competitiveness Index 2022?

Correct Answer is 37th.

• The Index has been compiled by the Institute for Management Development.
• Denmark has moved to the top of the 63-nation list from the third position last year, while Switzerland slipped from the top ranking to the second position and Singapore regained the third spot from the fifth.

Q.4. The CCEA chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for the development of Phase I of New Greenfield Airport at?

Correct Answer is Dholera, Gujarat.

• The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 1305 crore and to be completed within 48 months.
• The project is being implemented by DIACL, a JVC of AAI, Govt of Gujarat and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust.

Q.5. The Indian Railways' 'Bharat Gaurav' scheme was flagged off between which two stations?

Correct Answer is Coimbatore and Shirdi.

• Indian Railways had launched the operation of the theme-based Bharat Gaurav train in the month of November 2021.
• Aim: to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world.

Q.6. What is the unemployment rate of India, as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for 2020-21 (July-June)?

Correct Answer is 4.2%.

• The survey was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme.
• The labour force participation rate has been raised to 41.6%.
• The unemployment rate was 4.8% and the labour force participation rate was 40.1% in 2019-20. 

Q.7. Which electric power company has been tagged as 'green loan' by Sustainalytics for its USD 700 million revolving loan facility?

Correct Answer is Adani Transmission Limited (ATL).

• ATL has also signed an energy compact goals as part of COP26 and the energy compact with the UN in November, 2021.
• This revolving facility project is being implemented in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Q.8. Who has inaugurated Industrial Decarbonization Summit 2022 in New Delhi?

Correct Answer is Nitin Gadkari.

• Aim: Carbon Neutrality by 2070
• He emphasized on maintaining balance between ecology, environment and development.

Q.9. What percentage of vacancies has been reserved by the Ministry of Home Affairs for recruitment in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles for Agniveers under Agnipath scheme?

Correct Answer is 10%.

• Ministry has also decided to give 3 years age relaxation beyond the prescribed upper age limit to Agniveers
• Age relaxation will be for 5 years beyond for the first batch of agniveer
• The scheme will not only empower, discipline & skill youth with military ethos in civil society

Q.10. Who has inaugurated National Yoga Olympiad 2022 and quiz competition in New Delhi?

Correct Answer is Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

• It is being organized jointly by Ministry of Education and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)
• The Olympiad will be participated by about 600 students from 26 states and UTs and Demonstration Multipurpose Schools of Regional Institutions of Education

Q.11. PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Brain Cell Research Centre in which city?

Correct Answer is Bengaluru.

• It cost 450 crore rupees, which was donated by Kris Gopalakrishnan (co-founder of Infosys).
• PM will also lay foundation stone for an 850 bed Bagchi-Parthasarathy Research hospital at IISc being funded by MindTree IT company.

Q.12. Which company has invested $5,00,000 (₹3.88 crore) in association with UN Women to create employment opportunities for women?

Correct Answer is LinkedIn.

• The pilot project will launch in Maharashtra to cultivate the digital, soft and employability skills of 2,000 women.
• After the completion of 15-month of the pilot project, the UN Women and LinkedIn will incorporate lessons learned and evaluative feedback.

Q.13. Which country has signed a joint declaration with Haryana in integrated water resources management and capacity building?

Correct Answer is Israel government.

• The joint declaration was signed by ambassador Eynat Shlein, Head of MASHAV- Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel and the Irrigation and Water Resources Department, Government of Haryana, India.

Q.14. Which food delivery app has collaborated with the Jio-bp to support its commitment towards “The Climate Group’s EV100 initiative of 100% EV fleet by 2030"?

Correct Answer is Zomato.

• This partnership will accelerate EV adoption in the rapidly growing Indian delivery and transportation segment.
• Zomato will get the EV mobility services from Jio-bp and access to ‘Jio-bp pulse’ battery swapping stations for last-mile delivery.

Q.15. India holds first physical Joint Consultative Commission Meeting in New Delhi with which country?

Correct Answer is Bangladesh.

• JCC meet will be co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Bangladesh counterpart A. K. Abdul Momen.
• It will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including cooperation in the wake of COVID-19, border management and security, trade and investment, connectivity, energy, water resources, development partnership and regional-multilateral issues.

Q.16. India and European will be re-launching negotiations for India-EU Free Trade Agreement, after a gap of how many years?

Correct Answer is 9.

• Negotiations for an Investment Protection Agreement and GI Agreement has also been launched at a joint event at the EU headquarters in Brussels.
• Among the most significant FTAs for India as the EU is its 2nd largest trading partner,

Q.17. A 3-day National Conference of Chief Secretaries is being organized in which state?

Correct Answer is  Dharamsala, HP.

• It will deliberate to further strengthen the partnership between the Central and State Governments.
• PM Narendra Modi will chair over 1st National Conference.

Q.18. In a major boost to the export of mangoes, APEDA launched an eight-day-long Mango Festival in which country?

Correct Answer is Bahrain.

• At the show, 34 varieties of mangoes from eastern states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, are being displayed at eight different locations of Bahrain's Al Jazira group supermarket.

Q.19. The Eighth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians has been started in which country to address climate change?

Correct Answer is Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

• The two-day conference is being jointly organized by the House of Representatives and the InterParliamentary Union (IPU).
• Nagaland's first woman elected as Member of Parliament to Rajya Sabha, S. Phangon Konyak is representing India at the Conference.

Q.20. Which initiative was started by Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Hardeep Singh Puri for skill training of construction workers?

Correct Answer is  ‘NIPUN’.

• NIPUN refers National Initiative for Promoting Upskilling of Nirman workers.
• MoHUA has launched this initiative under its flagship scheme of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM).

Q.21. Who has inaugurated the 20th Folk Fair (National tribal/folk song & dance festival) and 13th Krishi Fair 2022 at Saradhabali in Puri, Odisha?

Correct Answer is Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu.

• Aim: At preserving tribal culture and promoting innovation in agriculture respectively

Q.22. Union Health & Family Welfare Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya has virtually addressed the inaugural session at the G20 Health Ministers meeting at which place?

Correct Answer is Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

• Indonesia has hosted two Health Working Group Meetings in Yogyakarta and Lombok.
• Priority issues: Harmonizing Global Health Protocol Standards and Building Global Health System Resilience.

Q.23. Which health care company has signed an agreement with Imperial Hospital Ltd to operate and manage the latter's 375 bedded multi-specialty tertiary care hospital in Chittagong, Bangladesh?

Correct Answer is Apollo Hospitals.

• The state-of-the-art facility in Chittagong was built with the support of World Bank and will be rebranded as Apollo Imperial Hospital.

Important News – State

Q.1. Which state has launched the Ennum Ezhuthum scheme to bridge the learning gap that was created due to the COVID-19 pandemic among students aged below eight?

Correct Answer is Tamil Nadu.

• Aim: To ensure foundational literacy and numeracy by 2025.
• Under this programme, the education department of state will provide workbooks to students from Classes 1 to 3.

Q.2. Which state has become the first state in the nation to launch 'Balika Panchayat' with an aim to strengthened girl power in the state?

Correct Answer is Gujarat.

• This unique initiative was started in several villages of Gujarat’s Kutch district.
• This initiative was started by the Women and Child Development Welfare department of the Gujarat Government under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign.

Q.3. The three days international literary festival “Unmesh” was held in which state?

Correct Answer is  Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.

• This festival was organised by the Union Ministry of Culture and the Sahitya Akademi in association with the state Department of Art and Culture.
• The festival was inaugurated by Minister of State for Culture, Arjun Ram Meghawal.

Q.4. PM Narendra Modi has launched Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana in which state under its Integrated Child Development Services, Poshan Abhiyan?

Correct Answer is Gujarat government.

• The scheme will cover 7 lakh women to deal with the dietary deficiency within the first 1,000 days of the conception of a child.
• The scheme will also distribute 2 kg chickpeas, 1 kg toor daal and 1 litre fortified ground nut oil.

Important News – World

Q.1. Which company has announced a program for women founders, 'startup accelerator program', which will help them address challenges such as fundraising and hiring?

Correct Answer is Google.

• The first batch of the Google for Startups Accelerator India – Women Founders will enroll up to 20 womenfounded co-founded startups in the country, and support them through a three-month program.
• The selected Startups will receive support and mentorship around AI/ML, Android, Web, Product Strategy and Growth.

Q.2. Name the Japanese Prime Minister who will attend North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, which will be held in Madrid and becomes the Japan's first leader to join NATO summit?

Correct Answer is Fumio Kishida.

• Sweden and Finland will also send delegations to the summit and South Korea’s new President Yoon Suk-yeol will also become the first leader from his country to join the meeting.

Q.3. Which state of India has been ranked as the best in Asia and fourth in terms of Affordable Talent, as per the Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER)?

Correct Answer is Kerala.

• Bengaluru city, has been moved up to number 22 in the ranking.
• The report also showed that the Bengaluru’s tech ecosystem value is at $105 billion which is higher than that of Singapore at $89 billion and Tokyo at $62 billion.
• Top five: Silicon Valley, followed by New York City, London, Boston, and Beijing

Q.4. What is the rank of India in the Coursera latest Global Skills Report (GSR) 2022?

Correct Answer is 68th position globally.

• In Asian countries, India stands at the 19th position.
• West Bengal leads the Indian states in terms of skills proficiency.
• For the second consecutive year, Switzerland had the highest-skilled learners followed by Denmark, Indonesia, and Belgium.

Q.5. What is the rank of India in the REN21 Renewables 2022 Global Status Report (GSR 2022) globally?

Correct Answer is third.

• India’s total renewable power capacity additions in 2021 was 15.4 GW
• Top performer of the report: China (136 GW) and US (43 GW)
• India installed 843 MW of hydropower capacity in 2021, brings the overall capacity to 45.3 GW.

Q.6. Khuvsgul Lake National Park of which country has been added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO?

Correct Answer is Mongolia.

• This decision was made during the 34th session of the International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme taking place in Paris, France.

Q.7. The 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) of World Trade Organisation concluded on 16th June 2022 in which place?

Correct Answer is WTO headquarters in Geneva.

• The Conference was co-hosted by Kazakhstan and chaired by Mr Timur Suleimenov (Deputy Chief of Staff of Kazakhstan's President).

Q.8. Which country has announced to provide 50 million US dollars support to Sri Lanka for meet urgent food and health care needs?

Correct Answer is Australia.

• Presently, Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis in 70 years, which leads to food shortage, medicine and fuel.
• Australia will provide 22 million dollars to the World Food Programme (WFP) for emergency food assistance to meet their daily nutritional needs and 23 million dollars in development assistance to Sri Lanka in 2022-23.

Q.9. Which four Indian companies have been featured in the top 100 global biggest brands, along with companies like Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft?

Correct Answer is TCS, HDFC Bank, Infosys and LIC.

• TCS has been placed on the 46th spot of the list with an estimated of $50 billion by Kantar Brands 2022.
• HDFC Bank placed on 61st with $35 billion brand value.
• Infosys was ranked at 64th position and LIC placed on 92nd.
• Top 10: Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Tencent, McDonalds, Visa, Facebook, Alibaba, Louis Vuitton

Honor & Awards

Q.1. Which airport has been awarded the 'best regional airport in India and South Asia' title in the 2022 skytrax World Airport awards?

Correct Answer is The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.

• The award is based on the customer experience from check-in to arrivals, transfers, shopping, security, immigration and arrangements in the departure’s gates.
• Skytrax, is a UK-based, global consultancy firm that runs an airline and airport review and ranking site.

Q.2. Which Initiative of Ministry of Education under a PM eVIDYA during the COVID-19 has received the UNESCO’s recognition?

Correct Answer is use the ICT in education.

• The PM eVIDYA was started as part of Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan by the Ministry of Education in 2020 with an aim to use technology to minimise learning losses.
• National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been awarded with the UNESCO’s King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education for the year 2021.

Q.3. Name the person from Ladakh who has been awarded the PM's award for outstanding contribution for promotion of Yoga for the year 2021?

Correct Answer is Bhikkhu Sanghasena (Ladakh).

• Other winners: Marcus Vinicius Rojo Rodrigues (Brazil); The Divine Life Society from Uttarakhand; and British Wheel of Yoga from United Kingdom.
• The winners will be felicitated with a trophy, certificate and cash award of 25 lakh rupees.

Sports News

Q.1. Which three cities have been named among the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico?

Correct Answer is Los Angeles, Toronto and Mexico City.

• USA: Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami and New York/New Jersey.
• Canada: Vancouver and Toronto.
• Mexico: Gadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey

Q.2. Name two Indian para-powerlifters (Men and Women individual) who have won bronze medals in World Parapowerlifting 2022 Asia Oceania Open Championships at Pyeongtaek in South Korea?

Correct Answer is Manpreet Kaur and Parmjeet Kumar.

• Manpreet Kaur (women’s category) won bronze medal in the 41 kg category and had the best lift of 88 kg and the total lift of 173 kg.
• Parmjeet Kumar (men’s category) also won the bronze medal in 49 kg category and lifted 160 and 163 kilograms in two rounds which were his lifetime best lifts.

Q. 3. Who has flagged off the first ever-torch relay for the 44th Chess Olympiad, which will be held in Mahabalipuram between 28 July and 10 August?

Correct Answer is PM Narendra Modi.

• The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has instituted the torch relay for the very first time.
• President of FIDE, Arkady Dvorkovich handed over the torch to PM Modi, who gave it to Viswanathan Anand.

Q.4. Who has clinched gold in javelin throw in the 2022 Kuortane Games in Finland?

Correct Answer is Javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra.

• He threw 86.69 metres.
• Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad has settled for silver with a throw of 86.64 metres.
• Anderson Peters has won the bronze with a throw of 84.75 metres.
• Sandeep Chaudhury from India got eighth position in the standings with a throw of 60.35 metres.

Q.5. Which mixed team has won the 10m air pistol mixed team title at the 20th Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting competition?

Correct Answer isManu Bhaker and Shiva Narwal.

• They beat the duo of Amanpreet Singh and Shweta Singh of ONGC by 16-8 to clinch the gold medal.
• Esha Singh (Telangana) had teamed up with Kaushik Gopu to win bronze in both the senior and junior mixed team competitions.

Q.6. Who will lead the 37-member Indian athletics contingent in Birmingham, 2022 Commonwealth Games in July August?

Correct Answer is Neeraj Chopra.

• The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has named a 37-member contingent for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Birmingham.

Books and Authors

Q.1. Who is the writer of the book titled, Bhartiya Samvidhan: Ankahi Kahani’?

Correct Answer is Ram Bahadur Rai.

• This book of Shri Rai will be in the tradition of New India’s effort to remember the forgotten thoughts to ensure that in the India of the future, consciousness of the past remains strong.
• The book with the history of independence and the untold chapters of our constitution will give a new thinking to the youth of the country.

Science and Defence

Q.1. Which country has launched its third aircraft carrier named 'Fujian' ? 

Correct Answer is China.

• It is the most advanced as well as the first fully domestically-built naval vessel in China
• Its launching ceremony was held at Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard.

Q.2. Which Indian Short-Range Ballistic Missile has been test fired successfully from an integrated test range in Chandipur, Odisha?

Correct Answer is Prithvi-II.

• This missile system is capable of striking targets with a very high degree of precision.
• It is an indigenously developed, surface-to-surface missile.
• Range: 250 km and can carry one-ton payload.

Q.3. Which region of Indian Coast Guard has inducted the indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Mark III, the first aircraft of the newly created “840 Squadron”?

Correct Answer is The Eastern Region.

• The new squadron will be stationed at the headquarters of the Eastern Region of the Coast Guard, Chennai.
• ICG will add three more ALHs to the inventory of ‘840 Squadron’ soon.