30th May, 2022 Current Affairs

Archana Lakkavajula

NATIONAL

Justice Mohanty gets additional charge of Lokpal chairperson

President Ram Nath Kovind has given Justice Pradip Kumar Mohanty the additional charge of Lokpal chairperson after Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose completed his term as the Lokpal chief. At present, there are six members in the Lokpal. President Ram Nath Kovind had on March 23, 2019, administered the oath of office to justice Ghose as the Lokpal chairperson.
Two posts of judicial members have been lying vacant for over two years.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, which envisages the appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, was passed in 2013.
A Lokpal chief and members are appointed for a term of five years or until attaining the age of 70 years.
A Lokpal chief and its members are appointed by the President after obtaining the recommendations of a selection committee headed by the Prime Minister and comprising the speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Leader of Opposition in the lower house, the Chief Justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court nominated by him, and an eminent jurist as recommended by the chairperson and members of the selection panel.

Uttarakhand formed panel to implement Uniform Civil Code

Uttarakhand government has announced the formation of a 5-member drafting committee to implement the much-debated Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.
The retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai, who currently heads the Delimitation Commission of India is the Head of the committee. Other members of the committee are: Delhi High Court judge Pramod Kohli, ex-state chief secretaries Shatrughan Singh, Manu Gaud and Surekha Dangwal.
The Governor has given his permission to establish an expert committee to check all the relevant laws which control personal matters for people living in Uttarakhand and to prepare a report on amendments in the present laws.
The UCC is referred to a common set of laws governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance and succession for all citizens, irrespective of religion.
The UCC will be an important step to solidify the spirit of the Constitution. This will also be an effective step toward Article 44 of the Constitution which talks about securing a UCC for every citizen of the country. The apex court, too, from time to time has emphasised on its implementation.

Ease of living: Common platform called Jan Samarth to be launched soon

The government intends to launch Jan Samarth, a unified platform for the delivery of multiple initiatives administered by several ministries and departments, in order to make life easier for the average man.
The new portal will initially enroll 15 credit-linked government initiatives, as part of the Narendra Modi government’s objective of minimum government maximal governance.
They noted that because some of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes include various agencies, the services will be gradually increased based on compatibility.
Different ministries, for example, run initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (CLCSS).
The proposed portal aims to put various schemes together on a single platform so that beneficiaries can access them easily. State Bank of India and other lenders are doing pilot testing and tying up loose ends before the official launch, according to the statement.

Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala shot dead

29-year old Punjabi singer, Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jawaharke village of Mansa district, Punjab. The incident happened a day after the Punjab Police ordered the withdrawal of security of his security along with more than 420 people, including former MLAs, Jathedars of two Takhts, heads of Deras, and police officers.
Born on June 17, 1993, Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu aka Sidhu Moose Wala belonged to the Moose Wala village in Mansa district.
Moose Wala had a fan following running into millions and was popular for his rap.
Moose Wala held a degree in electrical engineering. He had learned music during his college days and had later moved to Canada. Sidhu Moose Wala had contested this year’s Punjab assembly election on a Congress ticket from Mansa and was defeated by AAP candidate Vijay Singla by a huge margin of 63,000 votes.

Adani Green commissions India’s first wind-solar hybrid power facility

Adani Green subsidiary Adani Hybrid Energy Jaisalmer One Limited has commissioned a 390 MW wind-solar hybrid power facility in Jaisalmer, contributing significantly to India’s green energy effort.
The plant will be India’s first hybrid wind-solar power producing facility. The hybrid power plant, which combines solar and wind generating, unlocks the full potential of renewable energy by eliminating generation intermittency and providing a more stable option to meet rising power demand.
The new plant has a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), with a tariff of Rs. 2.69 per kWh, which is significantly lower than the national Average Power Procurement Cost (APPC), ensuring that everyone has access to affordable, modern, and clean energy.
Wind-Solar Hybrid energy, according to Vneet S Jaain, MD and CEO of AGEL, is a key part of the company’s business strategy, which aims to address India’s growing demand for green energy.
The inauguration of this hybrid power plant is a small step toward India’s long-term energy aspirations.
This project is part of Adani Green’s first construction facility, which was funded by foreign banks. It is impressive that the project was completed effectively despite the global pandemic’s uncertainty.
AGEL now has a 5.8 GW operational capacity because to the plant’s successful commissioning. AGEL’s overall renewable portfolio of 20.4 GW puts it on track to fulfill its 2030 goal of 45 GW capacity.

ECONOMY

RBI’s Banknote Survey: Rs 100 is the most preferred banknote

The Reserve Bank of India’s Banknote Survey of Consumers’ findings revealed that, among banknotes, Rs.100 was the most preferred while Rs. 2,000 was the least preferred denomination.
The survey that was published in the Reserve Bank of India Annual Report this year said that Rs. 100 notes were most preferred among Indians, while Rs 2000 notes were the least preferred.
The RBI survey also found out that the total number of Rs. 2000 notes comprised only 214 crores or 1.6 per cent of the total currency notes in circulation.
A diverse sample of 11,000 respondents from rural, semi-urban, urban and metropolitan areas, spanning 28 states and three union territories participated in the survey. The survey also included 351 visually impaired respondents (VIR). The survey covered respondents from the age of 18 to 79 years with a gender representation of 60:40 for males and females.

According to SBI report, India’s GDP growth to be 8.2-8.5 percent in FY22

According to the State Bank of India‘s research paper Ecowrap, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in FY22 is predicted to be in the range of 8.2 to 8.5 percent.
Uncertainties abound in Q4FY22 GDP estimates, as normal quarterly data adjustments are tough to fathom, but the research produced by SBI’s Economic Research Department predicts that it will meet the 3 to 3.5 percent mark.
On May 31, the government will disclose GDP figures for the fourth quarter of FY22. The data are tough to understand, according to SBI, and a flurry of regular quarterly revisions in FY22 on May 31st could make it a forecaster’s nightmare.
According to the newspaper, SBI’s Group Chief Economic Adviser Soumya Kanti Ghosh believes that FY22 GDP estimates will be closer to 8.5 percent than Q4 GDP numbers.
Given the robust growth in tax receipts, the disparity between GVA and GDP numbers in Q4 could be another major problem. This could result in a considerable increase in GDP, despite the fact that GVA may be much smaller.
The Central Statistics Office forecast Q4 GDP at Rs. 41.04 lakh crore and FY22 real GDP growth at Rs. 147.7 lakh crore, an increase of 1.7% over pre-pandemic levels, according to the study.
The growth rate of Q4 GDP is pegged at Rs. 40 lakh crore by the SBI Nowcasting model, which is lower by Rs 1 lakh crore than the CSO early predictions.

SPORTS

IPL 2022 Final: Gujarat Titans won the title

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 ended with Gujarat Titans (GT) lifting the trophy by defeating inaugural champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on May 29. The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, was the 15th edition of the professional Twenty20 cricket league established by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

IPL 2022 Final: List Of All Prize Winners

Aramco Purple Cap Winner Of The Season: Yuzvendra Chahal (27 Wickets)
Aramco Orange Cap Winner Of The Season: Jos Buttler (863 Runs)
Player Of The Match (Final): Hardik Pandya
Upstox Most Valuable Player Of The Season: Jos Buttler
Punch Super Striker Of The Match (Final): David Miller
Dream11 Game Changer Of The Match (Final): Hardik Pandya
Unacademy Let’s Crack It Sixes Award (Final): Yashasvi Jaiswal
CRED Powerplayer Of The Match (Final): Trent Boult
Upstox Most Valuable Asset Of The Match (Final): Hardik Pandya
SwiggyInstamart Fastest Delivery Of The Match (Final): Lockie Ferguson
Rupay On The Go 4s Of The Match (Final): Jos Buttler
IPL 2022 Emerging Player Of The Season: Umran Malik
Unacademy Let’s Crack It Sixes Award Of The Season: Jos Buttler
Punch Super Striker Of The Season: Dinesh Karthik (SR – 183.33)
Dream 11 Game Changer Of The Season: Jos Buttler
PayTM Fairplay Award: Gujarat Titans & Rajasthan Royals
CRED Powerplayer Of The Season: Jos Buttler
SwiggyInstamart Fastest Delivery Of The Season: Lockie Ferguson (157.3 KMPH)
Rupay On The Go 4s Of The Season: Jos Buttler
Tata IPL Catch Of The Season: Evin Lewis

ENVIRONMENT

New Arunachal monkey named after Sela pass

A new species of old world monkey, “The Sela Macaque” was geographically separated from the Arunachal Macaque by the Sela, an eastern Himalayan pass located at an altitude of 13,700 feet.
Sela macaque ( Macaca selai), the new-to-science primate was identified and analyzed by a team of experts from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the University of Calcutta. Their study has been published in the latest edition of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
Phylogenetics relates to the evolutionary development and diversification of a species or group of organisms.
The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Sela macaque was geographically separated from the Arunachal macaque ( Macaca munzala) of the Tawang district by Sela. This mountain pass acted as a barrier by restricting the migration of individuals of these two species for approximately two million years. Sela is situated between Dirang and Tawang towns in western Arunachal Pradesh.

INTERNATIONAL

UNICEF-WHO release the first Global Report on Assistive Technology

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have released the first Global Report on Assistive Technology (GReAT).
The paper, which was created in conjunction with UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti, includes 10 important actionable suggestions for enhancing access to assistive technology for all children, as well as evidence-based best practice examples.
Through a network of academic institutions, researchers, policymakers, donors, and practitioners, UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti is at the forefront of the establishment of a Global Research Agenda and Platform for Children to amplify the voice of children and youth with disabilities.
With the help of UNICEF‘s Office of Research – Innocenti, UNICEF and WHO created a series of 11 free-access background papers to accompany the Report.
Around the world, 2.5 billion people require assistive technology. According to the estimate, by 2050, the population will have grown to 3.5 billion people.
The gaps between low- and middle-income countries and high-income countries in terms of access to assistive technology are disturbing.

Published date : 30 May 2022 06:37PM