Current Affairs Quiz - June 2022

Notes:
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recently launched Operation Rakth Chandan recovered 14.63 MT of Red Sanders estimated at Rs 11.70 crores in the international market.
The red sanders were seized from a consignment at ICD Sabarmati which was to be exported to Sharjah, UAE. The suspect container was scanned through a ‘container scanning device’.

Notes:
The second-year anniversary of ‘National AI Portal’ (INDIAai) is celebrated on May 30, 2022. The portal is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and NASSCOM. INDIAai released a book on the basics of AI titled ‘AI for Everyone’.
The portal focuses on promoting a unified AI ecosystem in the country and use AI for economic growth. The portal has a repository of over 1000 articles on AI and several news stories, reports, case studies and videos. It has the databases featuring details of government initiatives and start-ups related to AI.

Notes:
The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the supply of ASTRA MK-I Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air to Air Missile (AAM).
The contract includes associated equipment for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, along with the missile, at a cost of ₹ 2,971 crore under Buy (Indian-IDDM) category. ASTRA MK-I BVR AAM has been indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

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:
United States Department of Defense (DoD) announced the authorization of a security assistance valued at up to USD 700 million.
The assistance has been announced to meet critical Ukrainian needs for its fight. This authorization is the eleventh drawdown of equipment from the country for Ukraine since August 2021. The United States has now committed USD 5.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.

Notes:
Railway Protection Force (RPF) launched a pan India drive “Operation Mahila Suraksha” was launched from May 3 to May 31, 2022.
During this drive, RPF has arrested more than 7,000 persons who were travelling in the coaches reserved for women without being authorised. RPF also rescued 150 women from becoming victims of human trafficking. Another pan India initiative “Meri Saheli” is also operational to provide safety and security to lady passengers.

Notes:
Denmark is set to join the European Union’s defence policy after it held a referendum for the decision. Denmark is the only EU member that is not part of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
The Denmark government has succeeded in abolishing an exemption secured in a 1993 referendum on the Maastricht Treaty. Sweden and Finland also placed historic bids to join NATO, which will be taken up at the upcoming summit.

Notes:
IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has partnered with an e-marketplace for agricultural land, SFarms India, to develop a farm land price index based on the sales and purchases done on the platform.
The ‘IIM-Ahmedabad SFarmsIndia Land Price Index (ISALPI)’ records and presents the data on prices of agricultural land in the country. It can be used by local governments to compensate people who lose land for highway expansion

Notes:
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched “Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas” (SHRESTHA).
It aims to provide quality education and opportunities for the poorest Scheduled Caste students. Under this scheme, a certain number of meritorious SC students per year will be selected through a National Entrance Test for SHRESHTA (NETS), conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). They will be admitted in the good private residential schools, affiliated to CBSE.

Notes:
National Cadet Corps (NCC) has launched the recent phase of its nationwide flagship campaign ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’ from May 30 to June 5 2022 (the World Environment Day).
Puneet Sagar Abhiyan was launched by NCC to clean Sea Shores and other water bodies including rivers and lakes, of plastic and other waste. It aims to increase awareness among the local population about importance of keeping the beaches and river fronts clean.