Daily Current Affairs and GK | 15 October 2022

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

1. India slipped six places in the Global Hunger Index.

• India ranks 107th position out of 121 countries on Global Hunger Index 2022. In 2021, India’s rank was 101st in the Global Hunger Index.
• India with a score of 29.1 has been kept in the ‘serious’ category of hunger level.
• India is behind its neighbours Nepal (81), Pakistan (99), Sri Lanka (64), and Bangladesh (84).
• India’s GHI score has reduced from 38.8 in 2000 to 28.2 by 2014. Since then India’s registered higher scores in GHI than 28.2.
• The proportion of undernourishment in India has increased from 14.8 in 2014 to 16.3 in 2022 and wasting in children under five years jumped from 15.1 in 2014 to 19.3 in 2022.
• India’s score has improved in Stunning in children under five. It has reduced from 38.7 in 2014 to 35.5 in 2022.
• India’s under-five mortality has reduced from 4.6 in 2014 to 3.3 in 2022.
• China and Kuwait are Asian countries that are ranked at the top of the list.
• 17 countries have been collectively ranked between 1 and 17 with a score of less than 5.
• Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Chile, China, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey and Uruguay are the top 17 countries.
• South Asian region has the highest hunger level, highest child stunting rate, and highest child wasting rate in the world.
• Yemen is at the last position in the Global Hunger Index 2022.
• The Global Hunger Index scores are based on four indicators- Undernourishment, Child stunting, Child wasting, and Child mortality.

Topic: State News/Uttar Pradesh

2. The new Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy-2022 have been approved by the Uttar Pradesh cabinet.

• The policy has been approved in an attempt to promote faster adoption of clean mobility solutions and create a conducive ecosystem for electric vehicles in Uttar Pradesh.
• The policy aims to develop an eco-friendly transport system in Uttar Pradesh.
• It also aims to make Uttar Pradesh a global hub for manufacturing of electric vehicles, batteries and related equipment.
• 100% road tax and registration fee exemption will be granted on the purchase of all categories of electric vehicles during the first 3 years of the new policy.
• This exemption will continue in the fourth and fifth years if electric vehicle is manufactured in the state.
• Electric Vehicle Manufacturing and Mobility Policy-2022 have a provision for a three-pronged incentive system.
• This includes incentives to consumers for purchasing EVs; to manufacturers of EVs, EV batteries and related components; and to service providers developing charging/swapping facilities.
• Under the new policy, the state government will give huge subsidy on the purchase of electric vehicles. Subsidies are provided below.
  • 15% subsidy will be given on factory cost for purchasing two-wheeler EV up to a maximum of Rs 5,000 per vehicle subject to first two lakh EVs purchased
  • Rs 12,000 per three-wheeler EV subject to a maximum first 50,000 such EVs purchased
  • Up to Rs 1 lakh per four-wheeler electric vehicle subject to maximum of first 25,000 EVs purchased
  • A subsidy of up to Rs 20 lakh per e-bus subject to maximum of first 400 such e-buses
  • 10% subsidy on factory cost for purchasing e-goods carriers of up to Rs 1,00,000 per vehicle to a maximum of first 1,000 carriers
  • Subsidy up to a maximum of Rs 10 lakh per project to the service providers developing 2,000 charging and battery swapping facilities in the state
  • Capital subsidy of up to Rs 5 lakh per swapping station to the service providers developing facilities of 1,000 such swapping stations

Topic: International Appointments

3. Abdul Latif Rashid has been elected as the new president of Iraq.

• Rashid replaced Barham Saleh as head of state after two rounds of votes in parliament on 13 October.
• Mohammed Shia al-Sudani was named as prime minister-designate.
• Al-Sudani replaces caretaker Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.
• Al-Sudani will now have 30 days to form a government.
• In an October 2021 parliamentary vote, influential Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr emerged as the biggest winner. He failed to form the government.
• Rashid hails from Sulaimaniyah, a major city in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
• Under Iraq’s power-sharing system, the premiership falls under Shia blocs and the speaker of parliament is a Sunni.
• The presidency is reserved for Kurdish groups to nominate.
• Iraq:
  • It is a country in Western Asia bordered by Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Persian Gulf.
  • Capital of Iraq: Baghdad
  • Type of government: Federal parliamentary republic
  • Currency of Iraq: Iraqi Dinar

Topic: Important Days

4. World Students Day: 15 October

• World Students Day is observed every year on 15 October in India.
• World Students Day is observed to honour former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
• Since 2010, World Students Day is observed on the birth anniversary of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
• The theme for this year’s World Students’ Day is not announced yet.
• The theme for World Students Day 2021 was 'Learning for people, planet, prosperity, and peace.”
• World Students Day is only observed in India. It has not been officially declared by United Nations.
• As per the UN, October 15 is celebrated as the International Day of Rural Women.
• The world observes International Students’ Day on November 17. UN celebrates World Childrens’ Day on November 20.

Topic: Space and IT

5. ISRO is developing Next-Gen Launch Vehicle to replace PSLV.

• The Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) rocket is being developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
• The NGLV will replace the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which was created in the 1980s.
• ISRO chairman S Somanath made the announcement during a press conference on the sidelines of the 'Engineers Conclave 2022' at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Valiyamala.
• NGLV will be a cost-efficient, three-stage reusable heavy-lift vehicle with a payload capability of ten tonnes to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).     
• NGLV will use 'semi-cryogenic' technology which is both efficient and cost-effective.

Topic: Sports

6. Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil won a gold medal at the Shooting World Championships in Egypt.

• On 14 October, Indian shooter Patil won a gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle event at the ISSF World Championship in Cairo, Egypt.
• Along with this, he has also secured a place in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
• He defeated Italy's Danilo Dennis Sollazzo 17-15 in the gold medal match.
• He is the second Indian after Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra to achieve this feat.
• Bindra won a gold medal in this event in 2006 in Zagreb, Croatia.
• Rudrankksh entered the competition for the first time in the World Championship.
• Earlier, India won a bronze medal in the women's 25m pistol team junior event.
• In the bronze medal match, the trio of Esha Singh, Namya Kapoor, and Vibhuti Bhatia beat Germany 17-1.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. Coal India Ltd has signed three separate MoUs with BHEL, IOCL and GAIL (India) Ltd.

• The MoUs have been signed for setting up coal gasification projects.
• Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi addressed a function organized by Coal India Ltd. to sign MoUs with five leading PSUs for Coal gasification projects.
• He said that in next few months India is likely to become Aatmanirbhar in thermal coal production. 
• Forty million ton of coal stock will be available with thermal power plants by March 2023.
• As on 1st October 2022, the stock with thermal plants is 24 million ton.
• Government has planned to establish proposed surface coal gasification (SCG) projects in West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
• The proposed surface coal gasification (SCG) projects will be established at an aggregated estimated cost of Rs.35,000 crores.
• Through SCG, coal is converted into syngas. This can then be processed for the downstream manufacturing of value-added compounds that are otherwise generated at extremely high cost using imported natural gas or crude oil.
• Coal Ministry has targeted to achieve 100 million ton (MT) coal gasification by 2030.
• India has 163 BT of proven coal reserves and 344 billion tonnes (BT) of coal reserves.

Topic: Indian Economy

8. WPI inflation eased to 18 month low of 10.7% in September 2022 as compared to 12.41% in August 2022.

• WPI Food Index based food inflation decreased to 8.08% in September 2022 from 9.93% in August 2022.
• As per the Commerce and Industry Ministry data released 14 October, WPI inflation declined amid a fall in prices of Food index.
• The rise in prices of crude petroleum and natural gas, mineral oils, chemicals, and chemical products, basic metals, electricity, and textiles were the main contributors to inflation in September 2022.
• The WPI inflation was 11.8% in the corresponding month of the previous year (September 2021).
• The WPI inflation continued to fall in September for the fourth consecutive month.
• It remained in double-digits for the 18th consecutive month beginning April last year.
• The Wholesale inflation reached at a record high level of 15.88% in May this year.

Topic: Space and IT

9. ISRO is set to launch 36 satellites of the UK’s global communications network OneWeb.

• The satellites will be launched from Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mark III (GSLV MkIII) from Satish Dhawan Space Center on 23 October.
• GSLV MkIII will be used for the first time for launching a commercial satellite.
• The cryogenic engine stage and the equipment bay assembly have been completed.
• NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) has signed a contract with OneWeb for launching broadband communication satellites in low earth orbit.
• It will be the company's 14th mission to deploy satellites into orbit.
• In the next few months, NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL) will launch at least six commercial missions.
• OneWeb is a London-based global communications network. Bharti Global is a major investor in OneWeb.
• Currently, India has three operational launch vehicles – the PSLV, GSLV, and GSLV Mk III.
• GSLV Mk III:
  • It is a three-stage launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
  • It has been designed to launch communication satellites into geostationary orbit.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. India participated in the 6th East Asia Summit Education Minister’s Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam.

• Ms Neeta Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Ministry of Education virtually addressed the meeting.
• She also informed about the key initiatives of National Education Policy 2020 and the efforts of India and East Asia Summit countries in the field of education and research.
• She also mentioned the recently launched PM SHRI scheme for developing more than 14,500 exemplary schools.
• She emphasized India’s commitment to working with East Asia Summit member countries in the field of education and research.
• East Asia Summit (EAS):
  • It is the Indo-Pacific's premier forum for strategic dialogue.
  • It has 18 members- the ten ASEAN countries and Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
  • The first East Asia Summit was held in 2005 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • Cambodia is the current chair of East Asia Summit.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

11. India will experience warmer winter nights this year: SASCOF-23 report.

• The South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF-23) report claimed that this year nights will be warmer in winter in most parts of India.
• Despite La Nina, the temperature of November and December will be above normal.
• As per the report, some parts of Maharashtra and the south peninsular may experience normal night temperatures till December.
• Due to more clouding, except extreme north and northeast, most parts of India will witness cooler days from October to December.
• Tropical (Oct-Dec) and temperate mid-latitude (Dec-Feb) circulation systems influence the South Asian climate in winter.
• The North East Monsoon affects Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and the southern coastal areas of Myanmar.
• Western disturbances influence can be found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, north India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
• La Nina Effect:
  • It is an oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon that is the colder counterpart of El Nino.
  • It occurs due to the cooling of surface ocean water on the tropical west coast of South America.
  • According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the Pacific Ocean is experiencing the La Nina for the third year in a row.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

12. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Gujarat have been categorized as achievers in the logistics index chart 2022.

• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released the fourth LEADS (Logistics Ease Across Different States) 2022 report.
• Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat have been kept in the ‘achievers’ category of the logistics index chart 2022.
• Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are the other states and UTs in the ‘achievers’ category.
• Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir, and Arunachal Pradesh are in the ‘aspirers’ category.
• Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Puducherry, Sikkim and Tripura are in the ‘fast movers’ category.
• The first logistics report was released in 2018. This index is an indicator of the efficiency of logistical services across India.
• The main objective of the Index is to improve logistics performance across states, which is essential for promoting trade and reducing transaction costs.
• The LEADS survey assessed many key points including shippers, terminal infrastructure service providers, logistics service providers, etc.
• The report ranks the states on the basis of the logistics ecosystem. Gujarat was at the top in the 2018 and 2019 rankings.

Topic: State News/ Nagaland

13. Nagaland government launched Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme.

• The Department of Health and Family Welfare of Nagaland has launched the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme.
• It is implemented in convergence with Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana.
• The beneficiary families will get free health insurance coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year.
• Its main goal is to provide free and cashless treatment to state citizens for various ailments. It will reduce out-of-pocket expenditure on hospital care.
• It will cover two beneficiary categories- State government employees and pensioners, and the Indigenous and/or Permanent residents of the State who are not covered under the AB PM-JAY or any public-funded insurance scheme.
• The Department of Health said that it is a step towards Universal Health Coverage and fulfilling Nagaland SDG Vision 2030.

Topic: Art and Culture

14. 3^rd World Kuchipudi Natyotsavam started from October 14 in Vijayawada.

• It is a three-day dance festival that is being organized to commemorate the 93^rd birth anniversary of renowned Kuchipudi dance artist Vempati China Satyam.
• It is being organized by the Department of Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Kuchipudi Art Academy, and Jayaho Bharateeyam.
• In this dance festival, around 3000 Kuchipudi artists from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana would take part.
• Every day Kuchipudi dance students would give ‘Maha Brinda Natyam’ (a grand performance). 1000 students would present a dance performance on the dance choreographed by China Satyam.
• During the festival, Dr Vempati China Satyam Lifetime Achievement Award would be presented to Bala Kondala Rao, and Kumari Lanka Annapoorna Devi Lifetime Achievement Award would be given to Vanaja Uday.
• Padmaja Reddy will receive the Dr. Sobha Naidu Lifetime Achievement Award, while Vempati Venkat Seva Puraskar will be presented to Srikant Raghupatruni.
• Kuchipudi:
  • It is one of the eight classical dance styles of India.
  • It is the most popular traditional dance form in South India, and its origin is believed to be from Andhra Pradesh.
  • Its roots are in the ancient text Natya Shastra.