Current Affairs Quiz - July 2022

Notes:
India and European Union (EU) recently attended the 10th round of ‘Human rights dialogue’ in New Delhi.
India and the European Union deliberated on the importance of safeguarding freedom, independence and diversity, including human rights defenders and journalists. Germany, a key member of the EU, had earlier criticised Indian authorities over fact-checker Mohammed Zubair’s arrest.

Notes:
The World Bank has approved a loan of USD one billion to provide support to India’s flagship PM Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
The loan includes two complementary loans of USD 500 million each namely for ‘Transforming India’s Public Health Systems for Pandemic Preparedness Program (PHSPP)’ and ‘India’s Enhanced Health Service Delivery Program (EHSDP)’.

Notes:
As per a recent government data, Tamil Nadu tops the list of states so far as utilisation of funds under Smart City Mission.
Tamil Nadu has spent over Rs 3932 crore out of the Rs 4333 crore released by the Centre, Uttar Pradesh is at second position with utilisation of Rs 2699 cr out of the release of Rs 3142 crore. Ther Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was launched on 25 June, 2015.

Notes:
Every year, India celebrates the National Flag Day on July 22. On the same day in the year 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the National Flag.
When the members of the Indian Constituent Assembly met in the Constitution Hall in Delhi on July 22, 1947, the first thing the Assembly discussed was a motion by Jawaharlal Nehru to adopt the national flag for free India.

Notes:
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana was launched on July 21, 2017. The scheme recently completed five years since its launch.
Under the scheme, senior citizens above the age of 60 can make a lump sum investment and can monthly or a yearly pension. PMVVY has been extended up to 31st March, 2023. The amendment in 2020 allowed an assured rate of return of 7.40 % per annum for the year 2020-21 per annum and thereafter to be reset every year.

Notes:
Varuna, India’s first drone that can carry human pay-load has a range of 25 km. The passenger drone can carry 130 kg payload and has 25-33 minutes of flight time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently watched the demonstration of India’s first passenger drone, Varuna. ‘Varuna’ drone has been designed and developed by a startup ‘Sagar Defence Engineering’.

Notes:
NITI Aayog launched E-AMRIT (Accelerated e-Mobility Revolution for India’s Transportation) mobile application to raise awareness on electric mobility, in collaboration with UK.
It also launched a report on Advanced Chemistry Cell Battery Reuse and Recycling Market in India. NITI Aayog has been collaborating with the UK Government in the areas of e-vehicles, charging infrastructure and battery storage.

Notes:
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched ‘Swanirbhar Naari’, an initiative of the Handloom and Textiles Department.
The scheme aims to empower the indigenous weavers of the State and to provide financial support to their families. Under the scheme, the government has decided to procure handloom items directly from the indigenous weavers without involving any middle men through Swanirbhar Naari web portal.

Notes:
Political veteran Dinesh Gunawardena, an ally of Rajapaksa family was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka a day after Ranil Wickremesinghe was elevated to the President’s post.
The 73-year-old leader has previously held multiple Cabinet posts. Wickremesinghe replaced former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, after an unprecedented economic and political crisis.

Notes:
The migratory ‘Monarch butterfly’ has been listed in the endangered species category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
IUCN listed the butterfly, a subspecies of monarch (Danaus plexippus) as endangered, which indicates that the subspecies is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. The main threats to the butterfly are habitat loss, pesticide and herbicide use and climate change.