Current Affairs Quiz - July 2022

Notes:
According to NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index 2021, India’s gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) is one of the lowest in the world, with just USD 43 per capita.
It said that India needs to boost this expenditure and at least be on a par with its BRICS or ASEAN counterparts like Russia (USD 285) and Brazil (USD 173). In India, the government spends more than 55% on R&D and private sector is to be encouraged to take up research.

Notes:
India signed an ‘Agreement to curb trans-border crimes’ with Bangladesh. The countries also decided to complete pending developmental work within 150 yards of the international border.
The agreements were signed during the Director-General level border co-ordination conference between India and Bangladesh, held in Dhaka after two years.

Notes:
Government of India is to provide a financing facility worth about Rs. 1600 Crore through the World Bank for the “Himachal Pradesh Power Sector Development Program”.
The total program cost will be approximately Rs. 2000 Crore, along with the state equity. The Program duration is five years from year 2023 to 2028. It aims to undertake holistic power sector reforms to allow for improvements in the renewable energy capacity in the state.

Notes:
Union Minister Home Minister Amit Shah launched the e-FIR system of Gujarat Police in Gandhinagar.
The system will enable the citizens to file an FIR online, without visiting the police stations. All important services of Gujarat Police will be made available online. Within 48 hours of registering the FIR, the police will contact the complainant directly.

Notes:
National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), which was launched under Health Ministry in the year 2007-08, is implemented through National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC) at Central level, State Tobacco Control Cell (STCC) at State level and District Tobacco Control Cell (DTCC) at District level.
Recently, the Government has proposed changes in packaging and labelling norms to be adhered by the Cigarette-makers and tobacco companies from December 1. The packaging of the products should read two warning texts with different pictures.

Notes:
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani replied in Lok Sabha that over 2,000 children have died in specialised adoption agencies since 2014.
As many as 27,085 children have been adopted since 2014. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) developed an application namely Monitoring App for Seamless Inspection (MASI) for real-time monitoring of the Child Care Institutions (CCIs).

Notes:
Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh released the ‘India’s Bioeconomy Report 2022’ recently. India’s Bio-economy has reached over USD 80 billion in 2021 with 14.1% growth over 2020. It is likely to touch 150 billion dollars by 2025 and over 300 billion dollars by 2030.
Dr Jitendra Singh also launched Special ‘Biotech Ignition Grant call for North East Region’ (BIG-NER) with a financial support of Rs 50 Lakhs each to 25 start-ups and entrepreneurs from North East Region to develop biotech solutions.

Notes:
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched ‘Aadhaar Face RD’ app to enable Aadhaar card holders to authenticate their unique 12-digit identity number using face.
UIDAI enabled Aadhaar Authentication User Agencies (AUAs) to capture Aadhaar card holders face for authentication purpose. The App captures live person’s face for authentication using Face Authentication Technology. A Aadhaar card holder need not to carry physical identification and the biometric data will be restored in the Central Identity Data Repository (CIDA).

Notes:
India has designated five new wetlands of International importance, as the Ramsar sites in the country have been increased from 49 to 54.
The new sites include three wetlands (Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest and Pichavaram Mangrove) in Tamil Nadu, one (Pala wetland) in Mizoram and one wetland (Sakhya Sagar) in Madhya Pradesh.

Notes:
California declared a state of emergency near Yosemite National Park as the Oak Fire burned homes. Over three thousand people were forced to evacuate.
The Oak Fire had burned around 17000 acres and is seen as the largest wildfire of 2022. The wildfire has spread faster due to the prevalent hot, dry weather and drought conditions.