Daily Current Affairs June 26 & 27 2022

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking: June 26

• Every year on June 26th, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2022 is commemorated to raise awareness about the impact and negative consequences that drugs have on society.

Theme :

• The theme of this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse is “Share Drug Facts, Save Lives.”
• The goal, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is to counteract misconceptions about drugs by disseminating facts about them, ranging from health dangers and remedies to evidence-based prevention, treatment, and care.

HISTORY:

• International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations observation that takes place internationally.
• On this day, the agenda is to advocate against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade.
• It has been observed annually since 1989.
• The date June 26 commemorates Lin Zexu’s dismantling of the opium trade in Humen, Guangdong.
• This incident took place on June 25, 1839, just a few days before the First Opium War in China.
• The United Nations instituted the observation on December 7, 1987.
• On June 26, 1987, at the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Vienna, it was recommended that an annual day should be observed to commemorate the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Government to transfer NDPS from Ministry of Finance to Ministry of Home Affairs:

• The government is reportedly considering moving the administration of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988, from the finance ministry to the Ministry of Home Affairs to consolidate all matters relating to narcotics under one department.

Key Points:

• The Department of Revenue (DoR) under the finance ministry is now responsible for administering the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985 and the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1988, with the Narcotics Control Bureau falling under the jurisdiction of the home ministry.
• There is currently discussion about DoR handing over management of the two Acts to MHA.
• The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), significant law enforcement and intelligence agency tasked with combating drug usage and trafficking, was established by the NDPS Act.

The Transfer’s details:

• According to the Rules, DoR is in charge of “all matters about international treaties, accords, conventions, etc. about narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursor chemicals,” except those delegated to MHA.
• The Narcotics Control Bureau is located at MHA, even though it has a drug section.
• By Section 4(3) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985, the MHA is in charge of “all matters relating to Narcotics Control Bureau established under Section 4(3) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and coordination of all measures for preventing and combating abuse of and illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.”

About NDPS:

• The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985, or NDPS Act, prohibits the production, manufacturing, cultivation, holding, sale, purchase, transportation, storage, use, and possession of any narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.
• The Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act of 1988 provides for incarceration in certain situations to suppress the illegal trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
• The 1961 Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules were followed when considering the transfer.

Delhi airport becomes India’s first to run entirely on hydro and solar energy:

• In a significant step toward realizing the ambitious aim of being a Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030, Delhi Airport, also known as Indira Gandhi International Airport, became the first airport in the nation to function totally on hydro and solar power as of this month.
• A long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) was signed with a hydropower-producing company in Himachal Pradesh for the supply of hydroelectricity for the airport until 2036 by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a consortium led by GMR Infrastructure Limited that manages and operates the Delhi Airport.

Key Points:

• Since June 1, the hydropower plant has been providing up to 94 percent of the airport’s total electrical needs, ending its reliance on non-renewable sources of energy.
• Currently, the airport receives around 6 percent of its electricity needs from onsite solar power plants.
• The Delhi International Airport will be a Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030, far ahead of the worldwide objective of 2050.
• To do this, DIAL recently approved a program for green transportation, and we have already reached another milestone for the program for green energy.

7th Anniversary to commemorate the launch of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban celebrated by MoHUA:

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) organized a virtual event to celebrate 7 years of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), which was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 25th June 2015.
• The event was presided by Shri Manoj Joshi, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and attended by senior officials of the Ministry, Principal Secretaries of States/UTs, MDs of States/UTs, and stakeholders from Central and State Governments.

Key Points:

• Seventh-anniversaries celebrations highlighted the important initiatives implemented under the PMAY-U Mission, which is one of the largest urban housing programs in the world.
• At the outset, a video depicting the glorious 7 years of journey of PMAY-U was showcased depicting how the Mission is fulfilling the dream of a pucca house for millions of Indians.
• An e-Book encapsulating achievement of the Mission was then released by Secretary, MoHUA.
• The book takes the readers through the initiatives and reforms that have been undertaken by the Mission to transform the urban landscape of India and more importantly, the impact it has had on the lakhs of beneficiaries of PMAY-U, who are proud owners of a pucca house with all basic amenities.

About PMAY:

• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is an initiative by the Government of India in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 2 crore affordable houses by 31 March 2022.
• Launch year: 2015
• Launched by (prime minister): Shri Narendra Modi

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya chairs the inaugural session of the Seminar on Production & Use of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia in Process Industry:

• Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya addressed a two-day seminar being organized on the subject ‘Production and use of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia in Process Industry’ by the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Delhi, New Delhi.
• Shri Bhagwant Khuba, Minister of State for Chemical & Fertilizers was also present at the meeting.

Key Points:

• Under the visionary leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, we have observed the proliferation and promotion of usage of non-fossil fuel.
• Hon’ble Prime Minister launched the National Hydrogen Mission on India’s 75th Independence Day.
• The Mission aims to aid the government in meeting its climate targets and making India a green hydrogen hub.
• The world is looking toward us for our green hydrogen policy and we will soon launch the document with production, heavy transport logistics industries, and shipping details.
• The main aim is to achieve a 500Gigawatt production target capacity of non-fossil fuel by 2030

India’s 1st Government MLD Desalination Plant for Industrial Use inaugurated in Dahej, Gujarat:

• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has inaugurated India’s first government desalination plant only for industrial use at Dahej in Bharuch with a capacity of 100 MLD (million liters per day), set up for Rs 881 crore.
• The price of 1000 liters of treated water will be Rs 26.
• Bharuch(Bharuch) In dowry (Dahej) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel(CM Bhupendra Patel)Of the country’s first 100 MLD desalination plant for industrial purposes(Desalination plant)Dedicated.
• The plant will be able to purify seawater and use it for industrial purposes.
• The plant will purify 30,000 TDS of seawater and make it 200 TDS drinkable.
• The state’s industries have a great contribution to making Gujarat the growth engine of the country’s development.
• The first 100 MLD of the newly constructed country for industrial purposes was installed at Dahej-2 Industrial Estate in Wagra Taluka of Bharuch District by Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation.

GoI Reconstitutes Committee to Examine the Representation of Officials Sacked for Alleged Corruption:

• In New Delhi, Chemical and Petrochemicals Secretary Arti Ahuja will now be part of a committee to examine the representation of officials sacked for alleged inefficiency or corruption in the government service.
• The three-member panel has been reconstituted by the ministry.

PANEL MEMBERS:

• Ahuja has been appointed in place of Leena Nandan, Secretary of the ministry of environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Puneet Kansal, Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat has replaced Ashutosh Jindal, Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat in the panel.
• One member nominated by the cadre controlling authority (under whose administrative control the alleged corrupt officials come)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

J&K to host G-20 meetings in 2023

• The union territories of Jammu and Kashmir will host the 2023 meetings of the G20 summit.
• The J & K government has set up a 5 member high-level committee for overall coordination of G20 meetings to be held in the Union Territory.

Members of the Committee :

• The committee was established in response to a notification from the Ministry of External Affairs.
• Principal Secretary to the government, Housing, and Urban Development department, has been nominated as chairman of the committee.
• He is also nominated as a UT-level nodal officer to coordinate the arrangements for G-20 meetings in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The 4 members of the committee are the Commissioner, Transport Department; Administrative Secretary, Tourism Department; Administrative Secretary, Hospitality and Protocol Department; and Administrative Secretary, Culture Department.

Key Highlights :

• This will be the first major international summit in J&K after the state’s special status guaranteed under Article 370 of the Constitution was withdrawn.
• India’s representation at G20 summits has been led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi since 2014.
• As per the Ministry of External Affairs, India will hold the G-20 presidency from December 1, 2022, and convene the first G20 leaders’ summit in 2023.
• In September 2021, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal were appointed as India’s Sherpa for the

Note :

• G20, 2024 will be hosted by Brazil
• G20, 2025 will be hosted by South Africa

About G20 :

• The G20 brings together 19 of the world’s leading economies and the European Union.
• India has been a member of the G20 since its inception in 1999.
• The G20 countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

About J&K :

• Lieutenant Governor: Manoj Sinha
• Capital: Srinagar, Jammu

Israel signs first Arab free trade agreement with UAE

• Israel signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), its first such deal with an Arab state.

Signatories :

• Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry Ms. Orna Barbivay and the UAE Minister of Economy Mr. Abdalla Bin Touq Al-Marri signed the agreement in Dubai.
• With this agreement, the UAE was the first Gulf country to normalize ties with Israel and only the third Arab nation to do so after Egypt and
• For the UAE, the deal with Israel is its second bilateral free trade agreement after signing a similar accord with India in February 2022.

About the free trade agreement :

• The agreement, which is comprehensive, significant, and ground-breaking, is expected to increase bilateral trade in goods and services, increase Israeli exports to the United Arab Emirates and provide customs exemption immediately or gradually on 96% of trade between the countries: food, agriculture, cosmetics, medical equipment, medication &, etc.
• It also relates to regulatory and standardization issues, customs, collaboration, government procurement, e-commerce, and intellectual property rights.
• The agreement will accelerate economic growth and strengthen the common belief that the only way to build durable and sustainable economies in the complex world is together.

About Israel :

• President : Isaac Herzog
• PM: Naftali Bennett
• Capital: Jerusalem
• Currency: New shekel

About UAE :

• President: Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Capital: Abu Dhabi
• Currency: UAE dirham
• The UAE is the second-largest economy in the Arab world (after Saudi Arabia)

Nearly 5 mn in India displaced due to Climate Change, Disasters in 2021

• As per United Nations, Five million people in India were internally displaced due to climate change and disasters in 2021
• Another report by the UN Refugee Agency highlighted that globally 100 million people were forced to flee their homes last yeardue to violence, human rights abuses, food insecurity, the climate crisis, etc.
• In addition to that, there were 23.7 million new internal displacements globally due to disasters which resulted in to decrease of by23%, compared to the previous year.
• The main cities which observed the largest displacements in the context of disasters in 2021 occurred were China, the Philippines, and India.
• Apart from that,  it has also been observed that the number of people forced to flee their homes has increased every year over the past decade.
• It has been estimated that by the end of 2021, 89.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, including 27.1 million refugees, and 21.3 million refugeesunder UNHCR’s mandate.
• While considering the latest figures as of May 2022, more than 100 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide by persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, etc

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

26th Sindhu Darshan Yatra begins in Leh, Ladakh

• The 4-day 26th Sindhu Darshan Yatra began with festive fervor in Leh, Ladakh.
• Taking forward the theme of “Unity & Integrity” of the nation and the concept of “Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat”, this national Sindhu festival was inaugurated by Union Territory of Leh-Ladakh Lieutenant Governor His Excellency Radha Krishna Mathur.

About Sindhu Darshan Yatra :

• On the first day of Yatra, hundreds of pilgrims took a dip in the Sindhu river.
• The Sindhu Darshan Yatra would help in understanding the Ladakh region and the people and the Army who are guarding the country’s boundaries in the toughest climatic conditions.
• On the occasion, Mr. Mathur also released 50 rupees worth of commemorative envelopes with Sindhu Ghat and snow-covered mountains.

About Ladakh :

• Lieutenant Governor: Radha Krishna Mathur
• Capital: Leh, Kargil

BLS International inks pact with West Bengal for computerization, e-governance of registration offices

• BLS International Services, a tech-enabled services partner for governments and citizens, has entered into an agreement with the West Bengal government for the computerization and e-governance of registration offices in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in the Presidency Zone.
• BLS International Services has been selected by the Directorate of Registration and Stamp Revenue, Govt. of West Bengal.

Key Highlights :

• In this project, the company will procure, install & commission the hardware for 81 offices under the Presidency Zone.
• Deployment of manpower, management, and maintenance of manpower & hardware will be done for 5 years.
• In this project, BLS will process 700,000 transactions per annum.

About BLS International :

• Founded: 2005
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• MD: Nikhil Gupta
• The company provides services in the domain of visa, passport, consular, citizen, e-governance, attestation, biometric, e-visa, and retail services

About West Bengal :

• Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar
• Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee
• Capital: Kolkata

Syngenta India launches price guarantee insurance scheme for chili farmers

• Syngenta India has entered into an exclusive agreement with the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC).

Aim :

• To safeguard Chili farmers from unfavorable price fluctuations due to unpredictable market conditions.
• This is considered to be the first initiative in the market to ensure the crop against the fluctuation of prices.

About the agreement :

• The agreement will facilitate guaranteeing a fair price to farmers for their produce by indemnifying them for losses incurred due to a fall in market prices.
• Guntur is the best place to launch the scheme since around 80% of the red dry chili is auctioned at the Agricultural  Product Marketing Committee in Guntur.
• About 2,000 farmers of Atchampet in the Guntur district have been given the insurance cover for about Rs.1.5 lakh per acre.
• The insurance offered by AIC would protect policyholders against unexpected falls in market prices.

About Syngenta India :

• Headquarters: Pune, Maharashtra
• MD: Susheel Kumar
• Syngenta India Ltd. manufactures seeds and crop protection products.
• The Company develops new varieties of hybrid seeds for crops such as rice, corn, cotton, oilseeds, and vegetables.

About AIC :

• Founded: 2002
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Chairman & Managing Director: Sh, Malay Kumar Poddar
• AIC is a nationalized insurance company under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance, GoI.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING & FINANCE

GoI collaborates with SBI to create an integrated pension portal

• The Centre’s Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, GoI, will collaborate with the State Bank of India (SBI) to create an integrated pension portal to enhance the ease of living of pensioners.
• The announcement was made at a two-day Bankers’ Awareness Program organized by DoPPW in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

About the Program :

• The program is mainly for officers of the State Bank of India handling pension-related work, covering the Northern Region of India.
• The program was the first in a series of Awareness Programs for Central Pension Processing Centers and field functionaries handling pension-related work in various banks.
• A team of officers from DoPPW took sessions on Pension policy reforms & digitization regarding the disbursement of pensions to Central Government pensioners, to update the field functionaries of the State Bank of India.
• Special sessions were organized on Income Tax matters related to pensioners as well as Digital means of submitting the Annual Life Certificates.
• Digital life certificate and face authentication technology would be a game-changer for pensioners and banks in the submission of life certificates.
• Along similar lines, awareness programs will be conducted in collaboration with other Pension Disbursing Banks in the year 2022-23.

About SBI :

• Established: 1 July 1955
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairman: Dinesh Kumar Khara

LIC introduces ‘Dhan Sanchay’ savings life insurance plan

• The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched a Dhan Sanchay Savings scheme, which is a non-linked, non-participating, individual, savings life insurance plan that combines life protection and savings.
• The plan provides guaranteed income benefit during the pay-out period from the date of maturity and guaranteed terminal benefit.

About Dhan Sanchay’s plan :

• The Dhan Sanchay plan is available for a term of a minimum of 5 years to a maximum of 15 years depending on the option chosen by the policyholder.
• Policy Term for Option A & B: 10 and 15 years
• Policy Term for Option C & D: 5, 10, and 15 years
• In case of the unfortunate death of the policyholder during the term policy, after the commencement of the policy, the plan will provide financial support to the family.
• The death benefits can be paid in a lump sum and/or in installments over 5 years, depending on the option chosen by the policyholder.
• The installments shall be paid in advance at yearly or half-yearly or quarterly or monthly intervals, as opted by the policyholder (subject to minimum installment amount).
• Optional riders are available on payment of additional premium subject to conditions.

Key Highlights :

• Under the LIC Dhan Sanchay plan, 4 types of plans have been introduced; these are options A, B, C, and D.
• The minimum sum assured under the option A & B of the plan is Rs 3,30,000.
• For option C it is Rs 2,50,000
• For option D it is Rs 22,00,000.

• The minimum age at entry is 3 years (complete) and the maximum entry age is as follows:
• Options A & B: 50 years (nearer birthday)
• Option C: 65 years (nearer birthday)
• Option D: 40 years (nearer birthday)

• There is no maximum limit on premium contributions.
• However, the Minimum Annualized / Single Premium limit for different options of the plan is as follows.

• Option A & B: Rs 30,000
• Option C & D: Rs 2,00,000

Where to buy LIC’s Dhan Sanchay Plan :

• LIC’s Dhan Sanchay Savings Life Insurance plan can be purchased offline through agents or other intermediaries including Point of Sales Persons-Life Insurance (POSP-LI), Common Public Service Centres (CPSC-SPV).
• The plan can be purchased online directly through LIC’s official website www.licindia.in.

About LIC :

• Founded: 1 September 1956
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairperson : M R Kumar
• Managing Directors: B C Patnaik, Smt. Ipe Mini, Siddharth Mohanty, Rajkumar

ICICI Bank Launches ‘Campus Power’ Digital Platform For The Student Ecosystem

• Private sector lender ICICI Bank has launched a digital platform Campus Power

Aim :

• To address the needs of the students aspiring to pursue higher education in India and abroad.
• The platform caters to the varied needs of the entire student ecosystem comprising students, parents, and institutes.

About Campus Power :

• Campus Power assists users to explore financial products matching their needs ranging from bank accounts including overseas accounts, education loans, and its tax benefit, foreign exchange solutions, payment solutions, cards, other loans, and investments.
• The platform provides information regarding a host of value-added services related to higher studies in India and foreign countries including Canada, the UK, Germany, the USA, and Australia.
• The impaneled partners provide value-added services on courses/ universities, destinations, admission counseling, test preparation, overseas accommodation, and travel assistance.
• The first branch has been set up at IIT Kanpur and seven more will be added to the campus of top premier institutes across India.
• The ‘Campus Power’ offers a host of banking as well as value-added features to students, parents, and institutes:
• It offers 360-degree curated solutions to students who are aspiring to go for higher studies in India and abroad.
• The services include funding education, assistance in finding out the course and the university, helping students to prepare themselves for tests, offering debit/credit cards, and creating overseas student accounts.
• To support the child’s education journey, ‘Campus Power’ offers parents education loans and remittance services.
• Moreover, it has other solutions for them in terms of savings accounts, investment products, travel, and health insurance.
• It provides institutes and international schools with various products and services under one umbrella to facilitate all the financial needs including funding, payments, collections, investments, and insurance
• The private sector lender has collaborated with reputed companies like IDP Education (for admission counseling, information on universities, and online test prep), the British Council (for IELTS preparation and English language improvement courses), Casita (for accommodation solutions), and EaseMyTrip (for travel booking).

About ICICI Bank :

• Founded: 5 January 1994
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

RBI appoints Mr. Venkat Nageswar Chalasani as a member of the advisory committee of SIFL & SEFL

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Mr. Venkat Nageswar Chalasani, former Deputy Managing Director of SBI, as a member of the Advisory Committee of Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited (SIFL) and Srei Equipment Finance Limited (SEFL).
• He Succeeds Former MD & CEO of Indian Overseas Bank, R Subramaniakumar.
• The Advisory Committee shall advise the Administrator on the operations of the SIFL and SEFL during the corporate insolvency resolution process.
• The other 2 members of the committee are T T Srinivasaraghavan (former Managing Director, Sundaram Finance Limited) and Farokh N Subedar (former Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary, Tata Sons Limited).
• In October 2021, the RBI filed applications for initiation of the corporate insolvency resolution process against SIFL and SEFL at the Kolkata Bench of the National Company Law Tribunal.
• The RBI had decided that the three-member committee ”shall continue as the advisory committee” constituted under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019.

About Venkat Nageswar Chalasani :

• He holds a Bachelor of Science in Botany, PGDJ from Bhavan’s Institute and CAIIB.
• Nageswar has served as the Chairman of the board of directors of the State Bank of India (California) since 2018.
• He is also Deputy Managing Director of the International Banking Group (IBG), with the bank.
• With over 34 years of banking experience, He has held various positions across a wide range of domains including Corporate Banking, Retail Banking, Treasury, Trade Finance, Risk, and Compliance.

About Srei Group :

• Srei Group, which mainly caters to the MSME and infrastructure sectors, owes around Rs 18,000 crore to around 15 lenders, including Axis Bank, UCO Bank, and State Bank of India, and another nearly Rs 10,000 crore of external commercial borrowings and bonds.
• Founded: 1989
• Headquarters: Kolkata, West Bengal

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Bharti Airtel (Airtel), has launched Xstream multiplex, India’s first multiplex in the metaverse on the Partynite Metaverse platform

• Bharti Airtel has launched  India’s first multiplex on the Partynite Metaverse platform.
• The Airtel Xstream multiplex is an extension of Airtel’s Xstream Premium offering.
• It is a 20-screen platform with access to content portfolios from leading OTT partners available on the application.
• Airtel has released a YouTube video for users to check out the multiplex experience.
• Users can download the “Partynite Metaplex” app on Windows and Android devices from their respective app stores.
• The multiplex will enable sampling of top original shows and movies with content pieces such as the first episode of an OTT original or the initial minutes of a movie in regional languages, besides English and Hindi.
• Viewers can get complete access to the subscription with a paid plan.
• According to the company, Xtream Premium recently witnessed a 2-million subscriber milestone within 100 days of its launch.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

Defence Ministry approves to establish of ‘BRO Cafes’ at 75 border locations across 12 states/UTs

• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved the setting up of wayside amenities under the brand of ‘BRO Cafes’ at 75 locations on different sections of roads with Border Roads Organisation across 12 states and Union territories.

Aim :

• To provide basic amenities and comfort to tourists and lead to boosting of economic activities in border areas, besides generating employment for the local people.
• The contract will have a 15-year term that may be later extended for an additional five years.

Key Highlights :

• The BRO has reached the remotest border areas and besides addressing strategic needs, it has been instrumental in the socio-economic upliftment of the northern and eastern borders.
• The scheme provides for the development and operation of wayside amenities in a public-private partnership mode with agencies, on a license basis, which will design, build and operate the facility as per guidelines of BRO.
• Amenities like parking for two and four-wheelers, a food plaza, a restaurant, separate restrooms for men, women, and differently-abled, first-aid facilities, MI rooms, etc. are proposed to be provided.
• The selection of licensees will be done through a competitive process.

About BRO :

• Established: 7 May 1960
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Director-General: Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhary

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China launches new batch of Yaogan-35 Remote Sensing Satellites

• China successfully launched the 2nd batch of the Yaogan-35 series, 3 new remote sensing satellites by a Long March-2D carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
• The satellites will be mainly used to conduct science experiments, land resource surveys, yield estimation of agricultural products, and disaster prevention and reduction.
• This launch marked the 424th mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.
• The Long March carrier rocket series, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, is responsible for about 96.4% of all the launch missions in China.
• China launched the first batch of three Yaogan-35 satellites on November 6, 2021.

About China :

• President: Xi Jinping
• Capital: Beijing
• Currency: Renminbi

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKS & REPORTS

India needs USD 223 billion to meet 2030 renewable capacity goals: BNEF Report

• According to a BloombergNEF (BNEF)’s new report titled’ Financing India’s 2030 Renewables Ambition’, published in association with the Power Foundation of India, India will need USD 223 billion of investment to meet its goal of wind and solar capacity installations by 2030.
• The government has set a target of increasing non-fossil power capacity to 500 GW by 2030.
• Shantanu Jaiswal, lead author of the report and head of India research at BloombergNEF.

Key Highlights of the report :

• As per the report, corporate commitments from Indian companies could help India achieve 86 percent of its 2030 goals of building 500GW of cumulative non-fossil power generation capacity.
• The Central Electricity Authority forecasts the country’s reliance on coal to drop from 53 percent of installed capacity in 2021 to 33 percent in 2030, whereas solar and wind together make up 51 percent by then, up from 23 percent in 2021.
• In the short-term, rising interest rates, a depreciating rupee, and high inflation create challenges for the financing of renewables.
• Scaling up financing to meet 2030 goals requires Independent Power Producers to tap into new or underutilized sources of capital.
• These could be revolving around construction debt, investment infrastructure trusts, and funding from retail investors, insurance companies, and pension funds.
• Higher funding requirements also need measures that can increase the availability of financing, such as de-risking renewable projects to offering contractual terms that provide greater comfort to investors

Additional info :

• At COP26 in November 2021, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced that India plans to reduce emission intensity by more than 45 percent by 2030 to below 2005 levels.
• He also announced a net-zero by 2070 target.
• By 2021, 165 GW of zero-carbon generation had already been installed in the country.

About BloombergNEF :

• Founded: 2004
• Headquarters: London, England

EIU Global Liveability Index 2022: Vienna named the world’s most liveable city in 2022

• According to a report  Global Liveability Index 2022 published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the Austrian capital Vienna is the world’s most livable city for the 3rd time in the past 5 years.
• Vienna snatched the top spot from Auckland, which tumbled down to 34th place due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions
• In 2021, Vienna was ranked 12th as its museums and restaurants were closed due to the pandemic & it was ranked 1st position in 2018 & 2019.

Top 10 Most liveable cities:

Rank	City & Country	Score
1	Vienna – Austria	99.1 points
2	Copenhagen – Denmark	98 points
3	Zurich – Switzerland	96.3 points
4	Calgary – Canada	96.3 points
5	Vancouver – Canada	96.1 points
6	Geneva -Switzerland	95.9 points
7	Frankfurt -Germany	95.7 points
8	Toronto -Canada	95.4 points
9	Amsterdam -Netherland	95.3 points
10	Osaka – Japan & Melbourne – Australia	95.1 points

Key Highlights :

• The top 10 rankings were dominated by western European cities i.e. 6 cities ranked.
• France’s capital Paris came 19th, 23 places up from 2021.
• The Belgian capital Brussels was 24th, just behind Canada’s Montreal.
• The United Kingdom’s capital London was the world’s 33rd most liveable city, while Spain’s Barcelona and Madrid came 35th and 43rd respectively.
• Italy’s Milan ranked number 49, the US city of New York 51, and China’s Beijing came 71st.
• As for the bottom of the list, Damascus in Syria (172), Lagos in Nigeria (171) and Tripoli in Libya (170) continue to lag.
• The Ukrainian capital Kyiv was not included after Russia invaded the country in February 2022.
• While Russian cities Moscow and St Petersburg fell in the rankings over “censorship” and the impact of Western sanctions.
• Lebanon’s capital Beirut, which was ravaged by a 2020 port explosion and is battling a crippling financial crisis, was not included in the ranking of business destinations.

About EIU Index :

• In ELU’s index every city is assigned a rating for relative comfort for over 30 factors across 5 general categories:

1. Stability
2. Healthcare
3. Culture and environment
4. Education
5. Infrastructure.

The rapid transition to clean energy could create 1.5 crore jobs by 2025: Report

• The report titled ‘Creating Jobs and Cutting Bills: the economic opportunities of a clean energy transition’, published by the ‘We Mean Business Coalition’ and Cambridge Econometrics released ahead of the G-7 leaders’ summit.
• As per the report, a swift shift from fossil fuels to clean energy could lead to the creation of 1.5 crore new jobs in India by 2025 and increase savings on electricity bills.

Key Highlights :

• According to the report, India could witness an eight dollars or 10 percent reduction in per capita energy expenditure by 2025 when compared with a business as usual scenario.
• The reduction in per capita energy expenditure in India is projected to be 34 dollars or 31 percent by 2030 and 74 dollars or 52 percent by 2035 from the business as usual scenario.
• The report suggested that the governments set out national action plans in 2022 to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies by 2025 and repurpose the monies towards energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other measures to support a people-centered and equitable clean energy transition.
• It asked G-7 nations to phase out domestic coal-fired power generation by 2030 and rapidly scale up renewable energy deployment towards achieving 70 percent of power generation by the next 8 years.
• The report also asked G-7 nations to commit to 100 percent sales of zero emissions by 2035 for new light-duty vehicles and increase public spending for energy efficiency.

About We Mean Business Coalition :

• Founded: 2014
• Headquarters: Washington, DC, USA
• CEO: Maria Mendiluce

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ENVIRONMENT

Glischropus meghalayanus: New Species of Bamboo-Dwelling Bat Found in Meghalaya

• Scientists have discovered a new species of bamboo-dwelling bat in the Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
• It is the first report of a thick-thumbed bat not only from India but also from South Asia.
• The species, found near the forested patch of Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, has been named  Glischropus meghalayanus.
• The newly discovered species is small in size and has a dark brown color with a sulphur-yellow bell selling bats are a particular kind of bats living in the internodes of bamboos with specialized morphological characteristics that help them to adapt to the life inside a bamboo.
• With this discovery, the total number of bat species known from India stands at 131. 
• Meghalaya, a state with a small geographical area, harbors the highest bat diversity in the country with 67 species, which is about 51% of the total bat species in the country.
• Dhriti Banerjee, Director of the ZSI, Meghalaya, because of its unique terrain, vegetation, and climate condition, was a haven for both flora and fauna.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS

Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launches Policy & Portal of e-auction for Commercial earning, Non-Fare Revenue (NFR) contracts:

• Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launched an e-auction for Commercial earning, Non-Fare Revenue (NFR) contracts in Rail Bhavan.
• This will not only increase Railway’s earnings but also bolster efforts being taken by the Government for ease of doing business.
• This policy is in line with the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister to change the experience of the common man by the use of technology.
• With this new policy, the tedious process of tendering would get simplified.
• Also, it would give opportunities for youth to join the e-auction process.
• This policy enhances ease of living, promotes transparency, and adds to Digital India initiatives in Railways

Salient Features of New System:

• The Auction will be conducted online through the ‘E-Auction Leasing’ module of IREPS: www.ireps.gov.in
• Policy for e-Auction and Standard Conditions of Auction issued by Railway Board:
• The earlier system of physical registration of contractors Division-wise has been done away with, only financial criteria – based on self-declaration of past turnovers by contractors
• Financial turnover criteria rationalized and standardized – No turnover requirement up to Rs. 40 lacs annual contract estimates
• One-time online self-registration of contractors
• No geographical restrictions for participation in any auction of any Division

Daily CA on June 26 & 27:

• Every year on June 26th, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2022 is commemorated to raise awareness about the impact and negative consequences that drugs have on society.
• the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988, from the finance ministry to the Ministry of Home Affairs to consolidate all matters relating to narcotics under one department.
• Net Zero Carbon Emission Airport by 2030, Delhi Airport, also known as Indira Gandhi International Airport, became the first airport in the nation to function totally on hydro and solar power as of this month.
• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) organized a virtual event to celebrate 7 years of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), which was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 25th June 2015.
• Mansukh Mandaviya addressed a two-day seminar being organized on the subject ‘Production and use of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia in Process Industry’ by the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Delhi, New Delhi.

• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has inaugurated India’s first government desalination plant only for industrial use at Dahej in Bharuch with a capacity of 100 MLD (million liters per day), set up for Rs 881 crore.
• In New Delhi, Chemical and Petrochemicals Secretary Arti Ahuja will now be part of a committee to examine the representation of officials sacked for alleged inefficiency or corruption in the government service.
• The union territories of Jammu and Kashmir will host the 2023 meetings of the G20 summit.
• Israel signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), its first such deal with an Arab state.
• As per United Nations, Five million people in India were internally displaced due to climate change and disasters in 2021
• The 4-day 26th Sindhu Darshan Yatra began with festive fervor in Leh, Ladakh.
• BLS International Services, a tech-enabled services partner for governments and citizens, has entered into an agreement with the West Bengal government for the computerization and e-governance of registration offices in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in the Presidency Zone.
• Syngenta India has entered into an exclusive agreement with the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC).
• The Centre’s Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, GoI, will collaborate with the State Bank of India (SBI) to create an integrated pension portal to enhance the ease of living of pensioners.
• The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched a Dhan Sanchay Savings scheme, which is a non-linked, non-participating, individual, savings life insurance plan that combines life protection and savings.
• Private sector lender, ICICI Bank has launched a digital platform Campus Power to address the needs of the students aspiring to pursue higher education in India and abroad.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Mr. Venkat Nageswar Chalasani, former Deputy Managing Director of SBI, as a member of the Advisory Committee of Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited (SIFL) and Srei Equipment Finance Limited (SEFL).
• Bharti Airtel has launched  India’s first multiplex on the Partynite Metaverse platform.
• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved the setting up of wayside amenities under the brand of ‘BRO Cafes’ at 75 locations on different sections of roads with Border Roads Organisation across 12 states and Union territories.
• China successfully launched the 2nd batch of the Yaogan-35 series, 3 new remote sensing satellites by a Long March-2D carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
• According to a BloombergNEF (BNEF)’s new report titled’ Financing India’s 2030 Renewables Ambition’, published in association with the Power Foundation of India, India will need USD 223 billion of investment to meet its goal of wind and solar capacity installations by 2030.
• According to a report  Global Liveability Index 2022 published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the Austrian capital Vienna is the world’s most livable city for the 3rd time in the past 5 years.
• The report titled ‘Creating Jobs and Cutting Bills: the economic opportunities of a clean energy transition’, published by the ‘We Mean Business Coalition’ and Cambridge Econometrics released ahead of the G-7 leaders’ summit.
• Scientists have discovered a new species of bamboo-dwelling bat in the Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
• Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw launched an e-auction for Commercial earning, Non-Fare Revenue (NFR) contracts in Rail Bhavan.