Current Affairs Quiz - June 2022

Notes:
Union Minister for External Affairs Dr. S Jaishankar and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the Squash Courts at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium in New Delhi.
These are the first-ever Squash courts opened by the Sports Authority of India across the country. The construction of the Squash Courts was sanctioned for a total cost of Rs 5.52 crore. The state-owned National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) completed the project.

Notes:
The UN refugee agency, UNHCR released the ‘2022 Global Trends Report’. As per the report, 100 million people have now been forced to flee their homes globally.
UNHCR also highlighted worldwide food insecurity, the climate crisis, war in Ukraine and other emergencies from Africa to Afghanistan as leading causes. As per the report, the number displaced by war, violence, persecution and human rights abuses stood at 89.3 million, by the end of 2021.

Notes:
Europe’s biggest start-up conference – Vivatech 2020 has recognized India as the ‘Country of the year”
Union Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the India pavilion at the Vivatech technology exhibition. Around 65 start-ups from India are participating in the conference with government support. India has created 100 unicorns in few years while Europe has created 26 unicorns.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently released a document titled “Payments Vision 2025”, with guidelines on payments.
The document also focussed on the architecture of digital finance. It includes regulations for BigTechs and fintechs in payments; guidelines on payments involving ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ (BNPL) services; introducing the central bank digital currency (CBDC); and linking credit cards and credit components of banking products to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

Notes:
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), HDFC Bank, Infosys, and Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) were included in the Global Top 100 list in the Kantar Brandz 2022 Most Valuable Global Brands report.
TCS jumped 12 positions to 46th position from 58th in 2021 and its brand value was up 61 per cent. HDFC Bank’s rank was up five positions while LIC saw its rank slip 19 positions to 92, and its brand value was down by 4 per cent compared to 2021.

Notes:
The ‘Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)’ functions under the aegis of Ministry of Labour and Employment.
ESIC has announced that its Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme will be implemented throughout the country by the end of 2022. The health insurance scheme is fully implemented in 443 districts and partially implemented in 153 districts. As many as 148 districts are not covered under the ESI Scheme at present.

Notes:
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) notified the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for telecom in 2021, aimed towards incentivising design-led manufacturing in the sector.
Recently the DoT has extended the PLI scheme by one year, and has amended the scheme to raise the incentive rate by an additional 1 per cent. The Centre will provide additional incentives of over Rs 4,000 crore.

Notes:
Sri Lankan cabinet passed the 21st Amendment to the Constitution to empower Parliament over the executive president.
The 21st Amendment is expected to dissolve the section, which gives unfettered powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after abolishing the 19th Amendment that will strengthen Parliament. It also includes reforms including barring dual citizens from contesting elections to hold public office.

Notes:
The Sun Temple at Gujarat’s Modhera village was built under the administration of the Chaulukya king Bhima I in the early 11th century. It is located on the bank of River Pushpavati. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.

Notes:
Noc Kupaly is celebrated by Poland and other Slavic countries during the shortest night of the year (summer solstice). This pagan festival celebrates the idea of fertility and purification. The celebrations involve bonfire lighting, herb collecting and bathing in a river.