Weekly Current Affairs (1st to 7th July 2022) - 2 - UPSC PDF Download

Important News – India

Q.1. The government of India has banned the single-use plastic from?

Correct Answer is July 1, 2022.

• As per the notification on August 12, 2021, the government has prohibited the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of all identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential with effect from July 1, 2022.

Q.2. Which state has topped the 'Top Achievers' list as per the Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP)- 2020, was released by FM Nirmala Sitharaman?

Correct Answer is Andhra Pradesh.

• Top Achievers: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Punjab, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
• Achievers category: Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh
• Aspirers category: Assam, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, Kerala, Rajasthan and West Bengal.

Q.3. PM Narendra Modi has participated in which programme to launch various key initiatives to ramp up the MSME sector?

Correct Answer is Udyami Bharat.

• Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance: Aims to scale up the implementation capacity and coverage of MSMEs
• Capacity Building of First-Time MSME Exporters: To encourage MSMEs to offer goods and services of international standards for the global market.
• Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme

Q.4. Which state-owned organisation has planted 75 sapling under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to create Namami Gange Amrit Vatika at Kalindi Kunj Ghat on River Yamuna in New Delhi?

Correct Answer is National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).

• This activity was carried out under the initiative Yamuna Ghat par Vriksharopan.
• NMCG has also conducted the Cleanliness drive on River Yamuna in Delhi is a regular activity organized on the 4th Saturday of every month.

Q.5. PM Narendra Modi has virtually inaugurated Bosch India's first smart campus in which city, was built at a cost of Rs 800 crore?

Correct Answer is Bengaluru.

• The 76-acre, Spark.NXT campus facilitates multiple smart solutions based on security, sustainability, and user experience for associates, visitors, and facility management.
• At present, Bosch has 16 manufacturing sites and seven development and application centres in India.

Q.6. What is the theme of Digital India Week 2022, that was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi at Gandhinagar in Gujarat on July 4, 2022?

Correct Answer is Catalyzing New India’s Techade.

• He will also launch ‘Digital India GENESIS’ - a National Deep-tech Startup Platform, to discover, support, grow and make successful startups in Tier-II and Tier-III cities of India.

Q.7. Which train holds the title of the longest train route in the country (both in terms of distance and time), runs from Dibrugarh in Assam to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu?

Correct Answer is Vivek Express.

• The train covers total of nine states: Assam, Nagaland, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
• The announcement of the Vivek Express was made in presentation of the railway budget for 2011-12 by Mamata Banerjee (then Railway Minister of India).

Q.8. India’s largest floating solar plant is now fully operational in which state?

Correct Answer is Ramagundam, Peddapalli district of Telangana.

• Capacity : 100MW
• This floating solar power photovoltaic project was commissioned by the NTPC.
• As of July 1, the total commercial operation of floating solar capacity in the southern region has risen to 217 MW.

Q.9. Which organisation has develop a National Health Claims Exchange as a digital platform to settle health claims in association with IRDAI?

Correct Answer is National Health Authority (NHA).

• Debasish Panda (Chairman of IRDAI) has proposed for creation of a working group with representation from industry.
• This group will decide how to make the largest segment of general insurance in India attract more people to buy health insurance.

Q.10. Which state has been selected as the 'Best Performer State' for the third time in the States' Startup Ranking 2021?

Correct Answer is Gujarat.

• The ranking has categorized the states under two categories - category A and category B - based on their size.
• Top performers:
• A category: Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Telangana
• B category: J&K
• Startup leaders:
• Category A: Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Assam
• Category B: Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Q.11. Which state has come before Uttar Pradesh as the top state in the State Ranking Index for National Food Security Act (NFSA)?

Correct Answer is Odisha.

• The first edition of State Ranking Index for NFSA has been released by Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal.
• Special Category: Tripura, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
• Last: Ladakh (34), Meghalaya (33), Manipur(32)

Q.12. Who has launched the TiHAN, a Testbed for Autonomous Navigation for both ground and aerial vehicle testing at IIT Hyderabad?

Correct Answer is MoS, Jitendra Singh.

• Aim: to promote collaborative research between academia, industry and R&D labs.
• TiHAN refers to Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation.

Q.13. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved which organisation to acquire minority and non-controlling stake of 1.28% of equity capital of Bharti Airtel Limited?

Correct Answer is Google International LLC.

• Along with this investment agreement, both companies have also entered into certain commercial deals through their affiliates.
• Google International LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Google LLC, latter is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.

Q.14. Which energy company has collaborated with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and SelfEmployed Women’s Association of India (SEWA) to launch ‘Project Surya’?

Correct Answer is ReNew Power.

• Aim: To train low-income women salt pan workers to work as solar technicians.
• Women salt pan workers will be trained as solar panel and solar pump technicians at Dhokavada village in the Patan district of Gujarat.

Q.15. Greenko has signed MoU with which IIT to launch nation's first dedicated school for sustainable science and technology?

Correct Answer is IIT Hyderabad.

• Aims: Fill the gap in research, education and skills in the sustainable development space.
• The school will also promote studies in climate change mitigation; artificial intelligence and space technology; energy transition and industrial transformation.

Q.16. India has signed MoU with which country on High Impact Community Development Projects, with financial and technical assistance from India?

Correct Answer is Armenia.

• The MoU was signed at the 8th India-Armenia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological, Cultural and Educational Cooperation (IGC) held in Yerevan.
• Later, Mahatma Gandhi Auditorium was inaugurated at the Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU).

Q.17. The centrally sponsored scheme, Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) was launched in which year?

Correct Answer is 29th June 2020.

• By the Ministry of Food Processing Industries under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• Aim: formalising the food processing sector and celebrating their tremendous support towards the economy.

Q.18. Which ministry organize “Hariyali Mahotsav” on 8th July, 2022 at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi?

Correct Answer is Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.

• Aim: To create awareness about the importance of trees in the life.
• This is being organized by Ministry of Environment in association with the State Governments, Police Institutions and Schools of Delhi for undertaking plantation drives.

Important News – State

Q.1. Which state Chief Minister has launched the ‘Naari Ko Naman’ scheme to provide 50 % concession on fares in state buses to women commuters within the state boundaries?

Correct Answer is Jai Ram Thakur (CM of Himachal Pradesh).

• He has also announced a reduction in the minimum bus fare from Rs 7 to Rs 5 to all passengers across the state.

Q.2. NTPC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with which state government for the development of 10 GW Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Park?

Correct Answer is Rajasthan.

• The MoU was signed in the presence of Rajasthan Energy Minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati.
• In addition to this, the NTPC REL is developing one UMREPP of 4.75 GW capacity in Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.

Q.3. Tata Power has signed an MoU with which state government to invest Rs 3,000 crore for setting up a greenfield 4GW solar cell and 4 GW solar module manufacturing?

Correct Answer is Tamil Nadu.

• The plant will be set up in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
• Tata Power has also built a manufacturing unit in Bangalore, which has a production capacity of 635 megawatts of modules and 500 megawatts of cells.

Q.4. Which electricity company has developed 'EV Mitra' mobile app with an aim to provide information about EV charging stations?

Correct Answer is BESCOM, Bengaluru.

• Earlier, the BESCOM had introduced the EV Jagruthi Web portal, in a joint initiative of NITI Ayog and the United Kingdom.
• This web portal gives state specific information on the availability of electric vehicles, incentives, support mechanisms and initiatives of the state government regarding electric mobility.

Q.5. Which state government is planning to introduce in the Assembly the Right to Health Bill, the first of its kind in India?

Correct Answer is Rajasthan.

• To provide quality and affordable health care services through government and private health care providers.
• Earlier, the government had prepared a draft bill that defines the rights of patients, attendants and health care providers.

Important News – World

Q.1. Which group has now become an official promoter of Eveready Industries?

Correct Answer is Burman family.

• The investment firms of the Burman family entities had acquired a 14.55% share of Eveready Industries from the open market and now collectively own a majority stake.
• Prior to this, the family had acquired a 23.83% stake in Eveready Industries.
• Besides Dabur, the Burman family owns other businesses which include Aviva Life Insurance Co, Lite Bite Foods, HealthCare atHOME (HCAH).

Q.2. Which country of Africa has recently announced the discovery of a deposit of 31 million tonnes of gold ore, with extractable pure gold estimated to gross 320,000 tonnes?

Correct Answer is Uganda.

• It will attract big investors to develop the Sector hitherto dominated by small wildcat miners.
• To boost the country’s economy, the Ugandan Government has licensed Wagagai Gold Mining Company, a Chinese firm to start producing gold products in the Busia district.

Q.3. Jayshree V Ullal has been named on the eighth edition of Forbes’ list of America’s richest self-made women among Indians. She is a president of?

Correct Answer is Arista Networks.

• Other Indian American: Neerja Sethi, Neha Narkhede, Indra Nooyi, Reshma Shetty
• Diane Hendricks, co-founder and chairman of ABC Supply has topped the list.

Q.4. Which city has emerged as the best city for students, according to the QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023?

Correct Answer is London.

• Focus area of study: Affordable, student facilities, and university standard among other factors.
• Top four (2nd to 5th): Seoul, Munich, Zurich and Melbourne
• India’s highest-ranked student city is Mumbai at 103 spot, followed by Bengaluru at 114 ranks.
• Chennai and Delhi have made their entries to the list this year at 125 and 129, respectively.

Honor & Awards

Q.1. Who has been conferred with CII Quality Ratna Award 2021 for his contribution to building the competitiveness of the Indian industry through quality Initiatives?

Correct Answer is Ashok Soota.

• He is founder and Executive Chairman of Happiest Minds Technologies.
• The Annual CII Quality Ratna Award was constituted in the year 2019 for outstanding leadership, contribution, and distinguished service to the Quality Movement in India.

Q.2. Who was awarded the Ayurveda Ratna Award by the UK Parliament?

Correct Answer is Director of AIIA, Tanuja Nesari.

• She received the award for her contribution to furthering the growth of Ayurveda in India and abroad.
• The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences was formed to promote the knowledge of Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotish, Vastu, Unani and Sangeetam in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Q.3. Who has been crowned as the Femina Miss India World 2022 title at the grand finale of VLCC Femina Miss India?

Correct Answer is Sini Shetty (Karnataka).

• Rubal Shekhawat from Rajasthan has emerged as Femina Miss India 2022 first runner-up and Shinata Chauhan from Uttar Pradesh was named Femina Miss India 2022 second runner-up.
• She will represent India at the prestigious 71st Miss World pageant.

Q.4. Which organisation has been honoured with the Microsoft Partner of the Year Award for Healthcare and Life Sciences (global winner) and the 2022 UK Microsoft Partner of the Year Award (country winner)?

Correct Answer is HCL Tech.

• These awards have recognized the Microsoft partners that have developed and delivered outstanding Microsoft-based applications, services, and devices during the past year.

Q.5. Which state owned organisation has been recognized as the “Most Preferred Workplaces of 2022" in the premier edition of “Most Preferred Workplaces 2022"?

Correct Answer is NTPC.

• It was organized by the Team Marksmen in association with India Today.
• It highlights that how the organizations manage the wellbeing of employee, engagement and productivity alongside organizational performance.

Q.6. Who becomes the second woman to win the Fields Medal for Mathematics after Maryam Mirzakhani (Iranian), who received the prize in 2014?

Correct Answer is Maryna Viazovska (Ukrainian mathematician).

• Other winners: Frenchman Hugo Duminil-Copin, Korean-American June Huh, Britisher James Maynard
• The Fields Medal is awarded by the International Mathematical Union (IMU).

Q.7. Who has received the prestigious Shiromani Award from G. P. Hinduja, co-chairman of Hinduja Group at NRI World Summit 2022, United Kingdom for her contribution to the field of Art?

Correct Answer is Michelle Poonawalla.

• She was a speaker at the House of Lords, UK.
• Oher winners: Sadhu Bhramvihari, Lord Rami Ranger, Rita Hinduja Chhabria, Dr. Kamel Hothi OBE and Falguni Shane Peacock.

Q.8. Dr. Jitendra Singh, has announced to set up Memorial Award in public administration in the field of academic excellence in the memory of the which President of India?

Correct Answer is Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

• Dr. Rajendra Prasad has laid the foundation stone of the IIPA building complex in New Delhi.
• The 320th meeting of Executive Council of Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) was chaired by Dr. Jitendra Singh.

Sports News

Q.1. Which Indian Javelin thrower has clinched silver medal with a massive throw of 89.94 meter, at the prestigious Diamond League meet in Stockholm?

Correct Answer is Neeraj Chopra.

• He broke his own national record (89.30m) for the second time in a month.
• Anderson Peters (Grenadian athlete) won gold medal with a best throw of 90.31 meter.
• Earlier, he clinched silver at Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku (Finland).

Q.2. Which sports brand has become the principal sponsor with the Indian Olympics Association (IOA) for the upcoming games, Birmingham Commonwealth 2022, Hangzhou Asian Games 2022, and Paris Olympic 2024?

Correct Answer is Adani Sportsline.

• This is the second time that the Adani Group has collaborated with IOA after the Tokyo Olympics.

Q.3. Eoin Morgan has announced his retirement from international cricket, belongs to which cricket?

Correct Answer is England.

• Under his captaincy, England Men has clinched their first-ever ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup trophy at Lord’s in 2019.
• He has also competed for England in the 2010 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, which was held in the Caribbean.

Q.4. Who has won his maiden Formula One British Grand Prix 2022 at Silverstone?

Correct Answer is Carlos Sainz (Ferrari driver).

• He beat Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes.
• World champion, Max Verstappen has finished at the seventh spot for Red Bull.
• Charles Leclerc has finished at fourth ahead of Fernando Alonso of Alpine and Lando Norris of McLaren.

Q.5. Who has defeated Stuart Broad for 29 runs to create a world record for maximum runs off a single over in Test cricket?

Correct Answer is Jasprit Bumrah (India captain).

• He also breaks the legendary Brian Lara’s feat by one run.
• The world record stayed with Lara for 18 years, he had hit South African left-arm spinner, Robin Peterson for 28 runs in a Test match in 2003-04.

Q.6. Who has clinched 2022 Malaysia Open title after defeating Japan's Kento Momota?

Correct Answer is Viktor Axelsen (Danish).

• Women's singles: Ratchanok Intanon (Thailand)
• Men's doubles: Takuro Hoki (Japan), Yugo Kobayashi (Japan)
• Women's doubles: Apriyani Rahayu (Indonesia); Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti (Indonesia)
• Mixed doubles: Zheng Siwei (China), Huang Yaqiong (China)

Q.7. Two Indian female boxers, Alfiya Pathan (81 kg) and Gitika have won gold medals at the Elorda Cup held in?

Correct Answer is Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

• Kalaivani Srinivasan and Jamuna Boro have signed off with silver medals.
• Alfiya has defeated 2016 world champion, Lazzat Kungeibayeva by a 5-0 margin.
• While Gitika has beat Kalaivani in all-Indian women's 48 kg final.

Q.8. Which country has signed a five-year deal to pay women’s players at both international and domestic level receive the same match fees as men across all formats and competitions?

Correct Answer is New Zealand.

• The deal will come into effect from August 1.
• As per the deal, professional women’s players will receive equity in matters such as travel, accommodation, and the wider playing and training environment.

Books and Authors

Q.1. Name the author-journalist who has written the memoir Mind Master: Winning Lessons from a Champion’s Life?

Correct Answer is Susan Ninan.

• Hachette India has announced the paperback edition of five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand’s widely acclaimed memoir “Mind Master: Winning Lessons from a Champion’s Life”.
• It is written by Anand with author-journalist Susan Ninan.

Science and Defence

Q.1. Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has inaugurated a new manufacturing facilities at the Bhanur Unit of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) in which state?

Correct Answer is Telangana.

• Includes: Warhead facility at the Bhanur Unit; a Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker facility at Kanchanbagh Unit.
• The RF Seeker Facility is an integrated Centre for the production and testing of RF seekers.

Q.2. Which organisation has conducted successfully maiden flight of the Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator from the Aeronautical Test Range, Karnataka?

Correct Answer is DRDO.

• It is powered by a small turbofan engine.
• The unmanned aerial vehicle is designed and developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment.
• The aircraft system such as airframe, undercarriage and entire flight control and avionics systems had been developed indigenously.

Q.3. Indian Navy has commissioned Indian Naval Air Squadron in the presence of Vice Admiral, Biswajit Dasgupta at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam?

Correct Answer is Indian Naval Air Squadron 324.

• This is the first Naval Squadron on the Eastern Seaboard operating indigenously designed and built Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III (MR) helicopters.
• This has been named as ‘Kestrels’, after a bird species, that has good sensory capabilities, symbolising the role envisaged of the aircraft and the air squadron.