Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
The Ratings agency ICRA has maintained its forecast of a 9.0% GDP expansion for India in FY2022. It maintained that a K-shaped divergence will be seen amongst the formal and informal sectors of the economy.
The ratings agency also expects the economy to maintain a similar 9.0% growth in the next fiscal year FY2023.

Notes:
Telangana became the country’s first large state to record 100 per cent first-dose vaccinations. The state has vaccinated 2.77 crore citizens with the first dose, as per the Central government’s estimated adult population target.
The state is ahead of the national average by 9 per cent in terms of the first dose and ahead of the national average by 3 per cent in second dose.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu Government recently unveiled “New Policy for Women 2021”, which includes features such as compulsory martial arts training for school and college females.
It also proposes 50 additional person-days under MGNREGS for all single and women-headed households, and 33.3 percent representation in registered parties. The policy also seeks to make all modes of transportation women-friendly.

Notes:
The Indian Army has set up a ‘Quantum computing laboratory and a Centre for artificial intelligence (AI)’ at Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
The centres will carry out research in developing transformative technologies to be used by the armed forces. It has been established by the Indian Army, with support from the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).

Notes:
The UK government has launched a new initiative named ‘Better Health Smoke-Free’ campaign, which highlights the impact of adult smokers on younger people.
The campaign has urged the smokers to quit smoking. As per the data released by the campaign, 4.9 per cent of teenagers whose parents smoke have also adopted the habit. New Zealand has also set goals to go smoke-free by 2030.

Notes:
World Customs Organization (WCO) has been issuing the Harmonised system of Nomenclature (HSN) codes, to classify and regulate global trade since 1988. It maintains and periodically updates the codes in line with the changing nature of global trade.
From January 1, 2022 onwards, the HSN codes that are used to classify the internationally traded items are set to be updated. The latest set of codes (HSN 2022) will be used to capture the trade in several of new fields.

Notes:
The GST Council decided to defer the increase in the rate for textiles to 12% from 5%. It has referred the matter to a panel of Ministers, to review Rate Rationalisation.
The GST on all readymade textile items, except those made with cotton, was earlier hiked to 12 per cent. The GST on footwear, except those below Rs 1,000, was also hiked to 12 per cent from 5 per cent. State representatives from Gujarat, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu opposed the hike.

Notes:
The girl child savings scheme Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana will earn 7.6% as interest as of January 2022.
The Government of India has recently announced that the interest rates on small savings schemes will remain unchanged for Q4 2020-21, including NSC and PPF which would earn 7.1 per cent and 6.8 per cent, respectively.

Notes:
Food aggregators like Swiggy and Zomato will have to collect and deposit tax at 5% rate from January 1, 2022.
At present, only those restaurants registered under GST are collecting and depositing the tax. Cab aggregators like Uber and Ola will have to collect 5% Goods and Services Tax for booking 2 and 3 wheeler vehicles.

Notes:
Sudan’s Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok announced his resignation amid political deadlock and widespread pro-democracy protests.
As part of an agreement with the military after the October Coup, former UN official Hamdok was appointed as the Prime Minister.  Now the military coup has again hindered the country’s transition to democratic rule.