Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
U.S announced USD 5 billion to be made available under the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.
It aims to build a national electric vehicle charging network. The money will be used over five years to build thousands of electric vehicle charging stations.

Notes:
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union road transport and highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the Munger Ganga Bridge.
It is named after the state’s first Chief Minster Sri Krishna. It is the third rail-cum-road bridge across the Ganges, at Munger in the Indian state of Bihar.

Notes:
India has cut its tax on crude palm oil (CPO) imports to 5 percent from 7.5 percent. The reduction in the tax, known as ‘Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC)’, will widen the gap between the CPO and refined palm oil import duties.
This will make it cheaper for Indian refiners to import CPO. India is the world’s biggest edible oil importer.

Notes:
Medaram Jatara is the second-largest fair of India, after Kumbh Mela, celebrated by Koya Tribal Community of Telangana, for four days
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sanctioned ₹2.26 Crores for various activities related to Medaram Jathara 2022.  At present, the Jathara festival is biennially celebrated by the Koya Tribes in collaboration with the Tribal Welfare Department, Telangana.

Notes:
The Tata Group has appointed Ilker Ayci, former Turkish Airlines Chairman, as Air India’s Managing Director and CEO.
The decision is in line with the Tata Group’s plans to appoint an expatriate chief to run Air India, which it took over from the Indian government recently.

Notes:
Environment clearance has been issued to as many as 60 mining areas and legal mining of Bajri (riverbed sand) is initiated in Rajasthan.
Four years ago, the Supreme Court banned the sand mining activities in riverbeds until a scientific replenishment study was completed. The apex court later appointed a Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to probe the issue of illegal sand mining.

Notes:
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked a never-before-used emergency power to curtail protests demanding end of Covid restrictions.
This decision was taken after anti-government protests in the Canadian capital and blockades at border crossings with the US. The country is witnessing over two weeks of “Freedom Convoy” protests by Canadian truckers and their supporters, demanding an end to all Covid restrictions.

Notes:
After Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Karnataka High Court has struck down the state’s ban on online gambling, declaring it to be ultra vires under the Constitution.
The Court struck down key amendments to the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, which were brought in last year to ban all forms of gambling in the state. The Court said that the state may bring in legislation to regulate betting and gambling, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

Notes:
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is an international organization founded in 1969, consisting of 57 member states. It is headquartered at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Union government of India described the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) remarks on the ongoing hijab controversy in Karnataka as ‘motivated and misleading’.

Notes:
Veteran Bengal Singer Sandhya Mukherjee passed away at the age of 90. The singer’s last rites were conducted with full state honours.
She has sung several popular songs and won many awards including Banga Bibhushan. In January 2022, she had refused to accept the Padma Shri award saying it did not befit her stature.