Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
Union Health Ministry of India set up the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) in 2020, to monitor genome sequencing and variation of Covid strains.
INSACOG is jointly initiated by the Union Health Ministry, along with Department of Biotechnology, CSIR and ICMR. An INSACOG Lab has asked States to temporarily pause sending COVID-19 positive samples.

Notes:
Delhi Assembly passed an amendment Bill to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1971, to recognise Takht Damdama Sahib as the fifth Takht of Sikhs.
A Takht, or a throne, is a seat of temporal authority for Sikhs. There are five Sikh Takhts, three in Punjab and one each in Maharashtra and Bihar. The amendment also adds one more ex officio member in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Managament Committee (DSGMC) house from the earlier 4.

Notes:
Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia handed over the first caste certificate based on the mother’s credentials to a single mother.
Earlier, SC/ST caste certificates were issued only based on the fathers’ caste certificates or paternal side certificates. Hence, this is considered as a landmark move

 

Notes:
The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change released the draft notification for regulations for the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for Waste Tyres.
If finalised, the draft will be effective from the new fiscal year. India discards around 275,000 tyres each year but the country does not have a comprehensive plan for that. EPR means responsibility of producer of tyres to ensure environmentally safe management of waste tyres.

Notes:
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP) 2.0, at the International Conference of Academic Institutions (ICAI-2022)
It aims to financially support school students in innovation and will be implemented for the next five years till March, 2027. The financial support has been increased from Rs 200 of the previous edition to Rs 500 crore.

Notes:
A new tropical, evergreen tree from Cameroon has been named after Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
The critically endangered tree has been named ‘Uvariopsis dicaprio’ to recognise his campaigning efforts to protect Ebo forest from logging.  The tree was previously unknown to science and to local communities. It has glossy yellow-green flowers that grow on its trunk.

Notes:
The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DAPRG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Government of Telangana organized the 24th National Conference on e-Governance at Hyderabad.
The theme of this Conference is “India’s Techade: Digital Governance in a Post Pandemic World”. The Conference has unanimously adopted the Hyderabad declaration.

Notes:
Wolf Volcano, also known as Mount Whiton, is the highest peak in the Galápagos Islands. It is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean.
The volcanic mountain recently erupted, spewing lava and clouds of ash over the Pacific Ocean. The cloud of gas and ash from Wolf Volcano rose to 3,793 meters above sea level after the eruption. The islands are part of the province of Ecuador.

Notes:
Ace Tennis Player Rafael Nadal won the Melbourne Summer Set ATP 250 event title recently. The 20-time Grand Slam champion defeated American Maxime Cressy.
It was also Rafael Nadal’s 89th tour-level crown. Nadal made a successful return to competitive action as this was his first tournament since August 2021. He is also preparing to win the upcoming Australian Open Tournament.

Notes:
India and South Korea set a bilateral trade target of USD 50 billion before 2030. South Korea’s Trade Minister Yeo Han-Koo and Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held bilateral talks in New Delhi.
In 2021, South Korea’s exports to India increased 38.5 per cent (USD 7.4 billion), imports increased 37.4 per cent ( USD 3.6 billion), and the trade balance recorded a surplus of USD 3.8 billion.