Current Affairs Quiz - June 2022

Notes:
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to monetise highway stretches to the extent of 1,750 km in the year 2022-23.
This asset monetisation move would help NHAI raise around Rs 20,000 crore. It has also prepared a list of road assets to be monetised in the current fiscal from different parts of the country. NHAI’s debt burden stood at worrisome Rs 3.5 trillion at the end of last financial year.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India increased the limit for auto-debit mandates done through cards and unified payment interface (UPI) to ₹15,000 from the earlier ₹5,000.
It means Customers will no longer be required to authenticate recurring transactions on their subscriptions, utility bills, EMIs up to ₹15,000 with a one-time password (OTP) every time during payment.

Notes:
Ministry of Science and Technology launched the Geospatial Self Certification portal, for adherence to provisions of Geospatial Guidelines by individuals, companies, organisations, and government agencies.
On February 15, 2021, the government issued new Geospatial Data Guidelines, replacing the process of prior approvals, security clearances, licenses, and other restrictions. The portal has been developed in collaboration with the NIC.

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:
Algeria has decided to immediately suspend the “treaty of friendship, good neighbourliness and cooperation” signed in 2002 after Spain reversed decades of neutrality in the Western Sahara dispute.
Spain depends on Algeria for its natural gas supply and this move is a blow to their relations. Spain’s government regretted Algeria’s decision and reaffirmed its commitment to the friendship treaty.

Notes:
Ace Music Director A R Rahman was named the season ambassador of the British Council’s ‘India/UK Together 2022, a Season of Culture’.
The initiative was launched to celebrate India’s 75th anniversary and bilateral relations between the two nations. Under the program, over 1,400 artists from India-UK will showcase collaborations in dance, music, theatre, poetry, literature, visual arts and creative technology.

Notes:
INS Khukri (P49), the first indigenous missile corvette of the Indian Navy, was transferred to the Diu Administration after 32 years of glorious service to the nation and Navy, to be converted to a ship museum.
Recently the Khukri Museum was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The newly inaugurated ship museum and the existing Khukri Memorial are housed in Diu.

Notes:
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix to extend his Formula One championship lead over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
After clinching the title, Verstappen became the most successful driver in the Red Bull of all time. The 24-year-old racing driver now has 66 podiums for Red Bull and is tied ninth for the most race wins sharing the place with Jim Clark and Niki Lauda.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal of the Department of Telecommunications for the auction of 72 GHz of spectrum for a 20-year-period.
It will make way for providing 5G services to public and enterprises. 5G services is said to be about 10 times faster than 4G.The Cabinet also decided to enable the development of ‘Private Captive Networks’ to promote innovation in industry 4.0 applications.

Notes:
The leaders of the West Asian QUAD – India, Israel, the US and UAE will meet for the first ever virtual summit. The meeting has been called by the White House and will be addressed by the US President Joe Biden.
US President Joe Biden is also making a visit to West Asia – Israel and Saudi Arabia. The White House has given a new acronym to identify the new grouping as I2U2: India, Israel and UAE and the US. Recently, UAE and Israel had signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), while India and the UAE too have signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).