Current Affairs Quiz - June 2022

Notes:
The Centre has recently proposed a scheme worth Rs 1,000 crore to invite private companies to set up manufacturing zones in power and renewable energy (RE) equipment.
The Ministries of power and new and renewable energy have jointly proposed a scheme for establishment of three manufacturing zones, in which two would be brownfield on already developed land and one greenfield manufacturing zone in a coastal area of the country.

Notes:
Indian Council for Cultural Relations organised a ten days programme named ‘Gen-Next Democracy Network’ concluded.
Under the Gen Next Democracy Network programme, Youth from various democratic countries come to India and get acquainted with India’s heritage, culture and functioning of Indian democracy. ICCR is an autonomous organisation involved in India’s global cultural relations, through cultural exchange with other countries.

Notes:
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award will be introduced in the state for sportspersons.
The Chief Minister also said the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Rural Olympics’ will start from August 2022 and over 27 lakh players of all ages will participate in it. He also inaugurated Rajasthan High Performance Sports and Rehabilitation Centre.

Notes:
National Statistical Office (NSO) marginally slashed its year-on-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to 8.7 per cent, down from 8.9 per cent estimated in February.
The fourth quarter (January-March period of 2021-22) GDP growth was recorded at 4.1 per cent. The economy witnessed a 6.6 per cent contraction in 2020-21. The latest GDP growth estimate is lower than the second advance estimate of 8.9 per cent (released in February) and first advance estimate of 9.2 per cent (released in January).

Notes:
‘Hurricane Agatha’, the first of the Pacific season hit Mexico and the casualties climbed to at least 10 dead and around 20 missing in southern Mexico.
Heavy rains triggered landslides and flooding in the country. The storm was the strongest to make landfall along Mexico’s Pacific coast in May since record keeping began in 1949. Mexico is regularly hit by tropical storms on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts, between May and November.

Notes:
Union Minister Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Lavender Festival, the first-of-its kind in India, in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
Bhaderwah in Doda district is the birthplace of the purple revolution and it is known for lavender cultivation in terms of land and climate. CSIR-Aroma Mission, under the Ministry of Science & Technology, aims to develop aroma-related science and technology to reach farmers, industry, and society.

Notes:
The Har Ghar Dastak campaign 2.0 was organised across the country to ensure complete Covid-19 vaccination of all eligible beneficiaries.
The special focus was on those in the 12-14 age group and precaution dose for those above 60. The two-month long door-to-door campaign will run between June 1 and July 31. The first Har Ghar Dastak campaign was conducted in November 2021. As many as 193.6 crore doses have been administered across the country, so far.

Notes:
GST revenue for May was recorded at nearly Rs 1.41 lakh crore, a 44 per cent increase over the same month last year, as per the Finance Ministry.
This is the fourth time that the monthly GST collection has crossed Rs 1.40 lakh crore mark since the inception of GST and the third straight month since March 2022. In March GST revenues were at Rs 1.42 lakh crore, while in February it was at Rs 1.33 lakh crore.

Notes:
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is on a five day visit to Slovakia and the Czech Republic. He is set to attend the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum in Slovakia and speak on the topic ‘Taking Friendship to the Next Level: Allies in the Indo-Pacific Region’.
He is scheduled to meet Minister of European and International Affairs of Austria Alexander Schallenberg on the sidelines of the GLOBSEC 2022 Forum. The Czech Republic will be taking over the EU Presidency from next month.

Notes:
The world’s largest plant- the ribbon weed (Posidonia australis) has recently been discovered off the West Coast of Australia.
It is a sea-grass which is measured to be 180 km in length. Ribbon weed rhizomes can usually grow to around 35cm per year and with this, the scientists arrived at its lifespan of 4,500  years. It has double the number of chromosomes than other similar plants, and managed to survive the volatile atmosphere of the Shark Bay.