Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2022

Notes:
The Delhi Metro has recently completed 20 years of operations, since it started its journey in December 2002 with a corridor of just 8.2 km spanning six stations on the Red Line.
The DMRC’s network span is nearly 392 km with 286 stations in 2022. An exhibition named ‘Tracing Delhi Metro’s Journey’ was launched to mark the 20^th year. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided financial support for rapid expansion of the metro network in Delhi-NCR.

Notes:
The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for 22 crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
The Union Cabinet approved minimum support prices (MSPs) for copra for 2023 season, based on recommendations of CACP and prices and views of major coconut-growing states. MSP is fixed at Rs 10,860 per quintal for milling copra and at Rs 11,750 per quintal for ball copra.

Notes:
As per a new research, two-thirds of Antarctica’s native species, including emperor penguins, are under threat of extinction or major population declines by 2100.
This is due to current trajectories of global heating. The study was conducted by scientists, conservationists and policymakers from 12 countries.  It has identified emperor penguins as the Antarctic species at greatest risk of extinction, followed by other seabirds and dry soil nematodes.

Notes:
India and Bangladesh agreed to start negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) at an early date. The decision was taken in a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his Bangladeshi counterpart Tipu Munshi.
A joint feasibility study on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), has been carried out after the two countries agreed to explore the possibility of negotiating a trade pact. The bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh increased to USD 18.2 billion in 2021-22.

Notes:
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has detected large-scale anomalies in the updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam.
It also flagged the risk of data tampering due to improper software development for the exercise. The updation process of the 1951 NRC for Assam was done under the supervision of the Supreme Court. The updated final NRC was released on August 31, 2019 and it left out 1.9 million of the 33 million applicants on suspicion of their claims as Indian citizens.

Notes:
Russia and India planned to drop all use of the US dollar and the euro in bilateral settlements and conduct all trade transactions in rupee and rouble.
As per the officials, it is necessary to address the imbalance in trade for a full-fledged transition to national currencies.

Notes:
The Union government and the Manipur government have signed a cessation of operations agreement with the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF).
ZUF is a Manipur-based Naga armed group, which has been demanding a separate State for the Zeliangrong Naga tribe. The agreement seeks rehabilitation and re-settlement of the armed cadres.

Notes:
Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) announced that India will become the third economic superpower by 2037 and a USD 10-trillion economy by 2035.
This growth trajectory will see India rise from fifth place on the World Economic League Table in 2022 to third in the global rankings by 2037.  The annual rate of India’s GDP growth is expected to average 6.4% in the next five years, average 6.5% in the subsequent nine years.

Notes:
The Election Commission of India has developed a prototype of a remote electronic voting machine (RVM) for domestic migrant voters.
It has invited political parties for a demonstration. If implemented, migrant voters do not need to travel to their home district to exercise their franchise and this will be a major move to increase voter participation.

Notes:
Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully test-fired the extended-range version of BrahMos Air-Launched missile.
It was test fired against a ship target from a frontline SU-30MKI aircraft. The maiden test of the extended range of the Brahmos Air Launched missile was conducted on May 12. BrahMos missiles are designed, developed and produced by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture company set up by India’s DRDO and Russia’s Mashinostroyenia.