Current Affairs Quiz - June 2022

Notes:
The World Bank released its latest edition of the ‘Global Economic Prospects’ report. As per the report, the World Bank cut its FY23 gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for India to 7.5 per cent from 8 per cent.
The reasons cited are inflationary pressures, supply-chain pressures, and geopolitical tensions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  World Bank also lowered its global growth forecast for 2022 to 2.9 per cent from 4.1 per cent.

Notes:
Earth Science Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announced that India will launch the first Human Space Mission ‘Gaganyaan’ as well as the first Human Ocean Mission in the second half of 2023.
Addressing the World Oceans Day celebrations in New Delhi, The Minister also said that the government will soon unveil the Blue Economic Policy and around 40 million people will be employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.

Notes:
Enhanced Access and Service Excellence-EASE 5.0 ‘Common reforms agenda’ of EASE Next program was recently launched by the Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman.
They have been developed for reforms in Public Sector Banks. PSB Manthan, 2022 unveiled the EASENext program, which would comprise 2 major initiatives namely EASE 5.0 reforms agenda and Bank specific strategic 3-year roadmap, based on individual bank’s business priorities.

Notes:
Union Road transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the longest steel bridge in the country, Mahatma Gandhi Setu (bridge).
The 5.6km-long bridge has been rebuilt over the River Ganga between Patna and Hajipur, at a cost of Rs 1,742 crore on National Highway-19.  The Minister also laid the foundation stones for 15 national highway projects worth Rs 13,585 crore in Bihar.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Power has notified the Green Open Access Rules 2022 to accelerate India’s renewable energy programmes.
Under the new rules, consumers can demand green power from power distribution companies (Discoms). The green open access is allowed to all consumers and the limit of open access transaction has been reduced from 1 MW to 100 kW for green energy.

Notes:
European Parliament lawmakers recently voted to support an EU ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.
EU lawmakers also endorsed a 55 percent reduction in CO2 from automobiles in 2030 compared with 2021. The EU assembly voted in Strasbourg, France to mandate automakers to cut carbon-dioxide emissions by 100 percent by the middle of the next decade.

Notes:
The central government has approved new guidelines for the central sector scheme ‘Promotion of MSMEs in North Eastern Region and Sikkim’.
The Ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) announced that the scheme will be implemented during the 15th finance commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26). The financial assistance of the central government will be 90 per cent.

Notes:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the National Museum of Customs and GST ‘Dharohar’ in Goa.
It was inaugurated as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Iconic week of the Ministry of Finance. The Finance Minister removed the golden sand from single piece of rock art installed at the heritage ‘Blue building’, which was earlier known as Alfandega, during the period of Portuguese rule in Goa. Dharohar Museum also houses a ‘GST Gallery’.

Notes:
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal represented India in the 12th Ministerial conference (MC12) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) at Geneva.
The Minister while speaking at the plenary session of MC12, said that finding a permanent solution to the issue of public stockholding for food security should be the top-most priority. India co-sponsored a G-33 proposal for solution to permanent stock holding at WTO in 2021.

Notes:
The West Bengal Assembly passed a Bill for making the Chief Minister the Chancellor of universities run by the state government, replacing the Governor from the position.
States including Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have also recently reduced the authority of Governors as Chancellors. The Governor may give his assent to the Bill, or withhold assent, or send it back to the Assembly for reconsideration. But if the Assembly passes the Bill again, with or without amendments, and sends it back the Governor has to give his assent.