Current Affairs Quiz 27th May 2022 : Daily GK Update

Exp. Kolkata became 1st major metro city to get its biodiversity register

During the UN International Biodiversity Day on 22 May, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) released the People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) for the city, the first-of-its-kind report of any Indian metro.

The Biodiversity Register is prepared by the Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) of the civic body under the supervision of the state biodiversity board and with help from NGOs.

Kolkata is the first major metro to prepare the PBR. Chandigarh and Indore are other important cities which have prepared the document.

PBR was released by Firhad Hakim – Mayor of KMC. PBR contains elaborate details about the various flora and fauna within Kolkata as well as its land uses and human activities. PBR is a 520-page documentation of 399 plant and 283 animal species.

Exp. President inaugurated first-ever National Women Legislators Conference

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the National Women Legislators’ Conference-2022 in Thiruvananthapuram on May 26, 2022.

The Conference is being hosted by the Kerala Legislative Assembly as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

According to Assembly sources, the two-day conference will focus on modern issues such as women’s rights, gender equality, and enough female representation in decision-making bodies.

Exp. PM Modi inaugurated India’s biggest drone festival in New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s biggest drone festival at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi and interact with kisan drone pilots as well as witness open-air drone demonstrations.

‘Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022’ is a two-day event and being held on May 27 and 28.

The mahotsav will also witness a virtual award of drone pilot certificates, product launches, panel discussions, flying demonstrations, display of a Made in India drone taxi prototype.

Exp. Rajasthan approved new guidelines for implementation of Indira Gandhi Shehri Rozgar Guarantee Yojana

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has recently approved new guidelines for the implementation of ‘Indira Gandhi Shahari Rozgar Yojana’.

It is an urban employment scheme announced by CM Ashok Gehlot in the 2022-23 Rajashthan’s state budget. The government will incur Rs 800 crore annually for the implementation of this scheme.

Under this scheme, at least 100 days of employment per year will be provided to the people residing in the urban areas. It is designed on lines of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

According to the new guidelines, an individual who is in the age group of 18 to 60 years and resides in the local body area will be registered based on the Jan Aadhaar card. The Jan Aadhaar card will be issued by the state government and it will be the primary eligibility document for enrolment under the scheme.

Exp. Meenakshi Lekhi participated in 7th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting

Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs Smt Meenakshi Lekhi attended the 7th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting via video conference, which was hosted by the People’s Republic of China and attended by all BRICS Member Nations.

Under the subject Establishing a Cultural Partnership Featuring Inclusiveness and Mutual Learning among BRICS, a discussion was conducted to promote and expand cultural activities among the BRICS countries.

The Ministers approved the BRICS Action Plan 2022-2026, which aims to expand cultural cooperation and execute the 2015 BRICS Cultural Cooperation Agreement.

Exp. France’s Total Energies bought stake in Adani’s hydrogen business

French oil and gas major, Total Energies will acquire a minority stake of 10% or more in Adani group’s hydrogen business under the newly formed company Adani New Industries Ltd (ANIL).

In India, Total had earlier partnered with Adani in 2018 with investments in Adani Gas Limited, city gas distribution business, associated LNG terminal business and gas marketing business.

Total acquired 37.4% stake in Adani Gas Limited and 50% stake in Dhamra LNG project.

Total and Adani agreed the acquisition of a 50% stake in a 2.35 GWac portfolio of operating solar assets owned by Adani Gas and a 20% stake in Adani Green Energy for a global investment of $2.5 billion.

Exp. Moody’s projected India’s economic growth forecast to 8.8% for 2022

Moody’s Investors Service lowered its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for India to 8.8% for calendar year 2022 (CY22) from its March estimate of 9.1%, citing high inflation.

In its update to Global Macro Outlook 2022-23, Moody’s said high-frequency data suggest that the growth momentum from December quarter 2021 carried through into the first four months this year.

Moody’s expects India’s retail inflation to increase to 6.8% in 2022 from 5.7% in 2021. It also projected inflation to be around 5.2% for 2023. Retail inflation touched a near eight-year high of 7.8% in April.

Exp. India Post Payments Bank introduced issuer charges for AePS

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), Department of Post (DoP), Ministry of Communication has introduced issuer charges for the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS).

AePS Issuer transaction charges will be in effect from June 15, 2022.

AePS is a bank-led model that enables online interoperable financial inclusion transactions at the Point of Sale (MicroATM) using Aadhaar verification through any bank’s business correspondent. AePS provides six different transaction types.

The monthly first 3 cumulative AePS Issuer transactions, such as cash withdrawal, cash deposit, and mini statement, will be provided free of charge.

Over the free transaction limit, AePS issuer cash withdrawals and cash deposits will be charged Rs. 20 plus GST each transaction, and mini statement transactions will be charged Rs. 5 plus GST per transaction.

Exp. CCEA cleared sale of GoI’s 29.5% stake in Hindustan Zinc valued at Rs 38,000 crore

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the government’s 29.5% stake sale in Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL).

The sale of a 29.58% stake represents more than 124.96 crore shares which would raise around Rs 38,000 crores at the current market price.

This decision will strengthen the government’s disinvestment drive in the current fiscal year. The government has budgeted Rs. 65,000 crores from PSU disinvestment and strategic sale.

Till April 2002, the Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) was a government-owned company. In 2002, the government offloaded a 26% stake in HZL to Sterlite Opportunities and Ventures Ltd (SOVL).

Exp. HDFC Securities launched Robo-advisory platform ‘HDFC Money’ for mutual fund investments

HDFC Securities has launched a robo-advisory platform ‘HDFC Money’ for all mutual fund investments.

HDFC Money is a 100% digital platform that doesn’t require opening or having a Demat Account.

This also manages other aspects of finances such as accessing, managing, and tracking portfolios, starting goal planning, insurance planning, and managing/filing taxes.

Exp. Narinder Batra resigned as President of the Indian Olympic Association

Narinder Batra has resigned from his position as president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Mr Batra also indicated that he will not run for president of the IOA again. He is also the president of International Hockey Federation (FIH).

In a letter, Batra stated that his involvement with FIH as president will take more time due to the organization’s different activities.

Exp. Anwar Hussain Shaik appointed new chair of WTO’s committee on technical barriers on trade

An Indian government officer, Anwar Hussain Shaik has been made the chair of the WTO’s Committee on Technical Barriers on Trade (TBT). He replaced Elisa Maria Olmeda de Alejandro from Mexico.

Anwar Hussain Shaik was in PMI (Permanent Mission of India) Geneva.

The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement aims to ensure that technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures are non-discriminatory and do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade.

WTO is a 164-member multilateral body which formulates rules for global exports and imports and adjudicates disputes between countries on trade-related issues. India has been a member since 199

Exp. Geetanjali Shree’s ‘Tomb of Sand’ became first Hindi novel to win International Booker Prize

Delhi-based author Geetanjali Shree and American translator Daisy Rockwell won the International Booker Prize for their novel “Tomb of Sand,”.

Originally written in Hindi, it’s the first book in any Indian language to win the high-profile award, which recognizes fiction from around the world that has been translated into English.

The 50,000-pound ($63,000) prize money will be split between New Delhi-based Shree and Rockwell, who lives in Vermont.

“Tomb of Sand” is published in Britain by a small publisher Tilted Axis Press. It was founded by translator Deborah Smith, who won the 2016 International Booker for translating Han Kang’s “The Vegetarian” to publish books from Asia.

Shree’s book beat five other finalists including Polish Nobel literature laureate Olga Tokarczuk, Claudia Piñeiro of Argentina and South Korean author Bora Chung to be awarded the prize at a ceremony in London.

Exp. ATC signed MoU with RRU to launch AI-powered wargame centre ‘Project WARDEC’ in New Delhi

Army Training Command (ATC) has signed an MoU with Gandhinagar-based Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) to develop first-of-its-kind simulation-based training centre ‘Wargame Research and Development Centre’ in a military zone in New Delhi.

A prototype name ‘WARDEC’ has been given to this project and use artificial intelligence (AI) to design virtual reality wargames.

The centre will be used by the Army to train its soldiers and test their strategies through “metaverse-enabled gameplay”. The wargame models will be designed to prepare for wars as well as counter-terror and counter-insurgency operations.

Exp. ISSF Junior World Cup 2022 held in Suhl, Germany

International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup 2022 was held at Suhl in Germany from May 09 – 20, 2022. The Indian contingent was led by ace shooters Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary.

At the ISSF Junior World Cup 2022, the Indian junior shooting team came in first position overall. They won 33 medals in total, including 13 gold, 15 silver, and 5 bronze.  With four gold medals, Italy came in second place.