Daily Current Affairs and GK | 6 July 2022

Topic: Personality in News

1. P. Gopinathan Nair, a freedom fighter, passed away at the age of 100.

• The Indian freedom fighter died due to age-related ailments.
• He was known for following Gandhian ideology in his life.
• He took part in the 1942 Quit India movement.
• For his contribution to society, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri in 2016.
• He served as the chairman of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi (Mahatma Gandhi National Memorial Trust), an organization run by the Indian government.
• Narendra Modi also condoled the death of the freedom fighter and said he would be remembered for his contribution to India's freedom movement.

Topic: Defence

2. INS Satpura and P8I of the Indian Navy took part in the 28th edition of the RIMPAC Harbor Phase.

• At Pearl Harbour in Hawaii, the indigenous Frigate INS Satpura and the P8I LRMRASW aircraft are taking part in the largest multilateral Naval Exercises, the Rim of the Pacific exercise.
• It is also known as RIMPAC. The theme of RIMPAC 2022 is “Capable, Adaptive, Partners.”
• The P8I aircraft arrived in Hawaii on July 2, while Satpura arrived on June 27.
• The multi-dimensional exercise involves 26 countries, 38 warships, 9 land forces, 31 unmanned systems, 170 aircraft, and more than 25,000 personnel.
• The exercise will run over six weeks and aims to improve interoperability and build trust among Navies of friendly foreign countries.
• The sea phase will start on July 12 and end on August 4 with the closing ceremony.
• RIMPAC started in 1971 as an annual exercise but from 1974, it is held every two years in June and July of even-numbered years in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is led by US.
• The last RIMPAC was held from August 17 to 30, 2020, as an on-sea only exercise due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Indian Economy

3. S&P Global India Services PMI Business Activity Index increased to 59.2 in June 2022.

• It reached its highest level since April 2011. It stood at 58.9 in May 2022.
• The services sector recorded an expansion in output for the eleventh straight month.
• PMI score above 50 means expansion while a score below 50 means contraction.
• The services sector has a share of over 53% in gross value added (GVA).
• PMI is prepared on the basis of responses to questionnaires sent to a panel of around 400 service sector companies.

Topic: National News

4. The third International Drone Expo is being organized at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

• It is being organized from 06-07 July 2022. Nexgen Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. is its organiser.
• It is a platform to connect with buyers and industry stakeholders.
• It is a display of capabilities, Drone & Anti Drone/UAV and Unmanned Systems for various applications.
• It is supported by the Electronic Security Association of India.
• 2nd International Drone Expo was held on 18-19 August 2021 in New Delhi.

Topic: Indian Polity

5. Notification for filing nomination for Vice-Presidential election 2022 has been issued by Election Commission on 05 July 2022.

• Vice-Presidential election 2022 will be the 16th Vice-Presidential election.
• The last date for making nomination is 19 July 2022. The election will be held on 6th August 2022.
• The term of Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu is ending on 10th August 2022.
• For the 16th Vice-Presidential Election, the Electoral College comprises 233 elected members and 12 nominated members of Rajya Sabha, and 543 elected members of Lok Sabha.
• The Electoral College consists of a total of 788 members of both Houses of Parliament.
• About the Vice-Presidential election:
  • The Vice-President is elected indirectly by the members of the Electoral College consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament.
  • For election as Vice-President, a person should be a citizen of India, who has completed 35 years of age.
  • Further, he should be qualified to be elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha. He should not hold any office of profit under any government or authority. 

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Reports and Indices

6. The first-ever comprehensive report on ‘System Improvement’ in Rajya Sabha Secretariat was presented to Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu.

• The report consists of 130 recommendations. The study has been conducted by Advisor and former Secretary General Dr. PPK Ramacharyulu.
• The recommendations include an increase in the tenure of Parliamentary Standing Committees from one year to two years.
• The recommendations also include a 'Committee Hour' to discuss major reports by Parliamentary Standing Committees in Parliament.
• The study has recommended that the field visits should be raised to three visits for a maximum of 15 days from two visits and ten days in a year.
• A standard structure of Standing Committee reports has also been suggested for easy understanding.
• The report recommends delegation of administrative and financial powers so that about 75 % of the issues are disposed at the lower and middle level.
• It recommended that the present 10-layer hierarchy should be reduced to four to five layers.  It also recommended the reorganization of 64 sections into 14 divisions.
• The report recommended that the financial power of divisional heads, who hold the rank of Joint Secretary, be increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

Topic: Reports and Indices

7. The first edition of the State Ranking Index for National Food Security Act (NFSA) has been released.

• Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal released it during the conference on ‘Food Nutrition and Security in India’.
• Odisha (1st rank), Uttar Pradesh (2nd rank) and Andhra Pradesh (3rd rank) have achieved the top three ranks amongst the General Category States in the ‘State Ranking Index for NFSA’.
• Tripura (1st rank), Himachal Pradesh (2nd rank) and Sikkim (3rd rank) are ranked in the top three positions in the Special Category States/UTs. 
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu is the top ranked UT among the 3 UTs where Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) - Cash is operational.
• The National Food Security Act (NFSA) was enacted on July 5, 2013 and in order to celebrate the day, the conference on ‘Food Nutrition and Security in India’ was organized.
• About First edition of “State ranking Index for NFSA”:
  • It is largely focused on NFSA Distribution and will include procurement and PMGKAY Distribution in the future.
  • It is built on three key pillars. These pillars are NFSA— Coverage, targeting and provisions of the Act, Delivery platform and Nutrition initiatives.

Topic: Important Days

8. World Zoonoses Day: 6 July

• World Zoonoses Day is observed annually on 6 July to raise awareness about those diseases that can spread from animals to humans.
• World Zoonoses Day was started on 6 July 1885 to raise awareness about zoonotic diseases.
• Louis Pasteur successfully administered the first vaccine against Rabies virus on 6 July 1885.
• Zoonoses Diseases:
  • They are the diseases that can transmit from animals to humans. They are caused by viruses, parasites, bacteria and fungi.
  • Zoonotic pathogens spread to humans through direct contact or through food, water, or the environment.
  • The most common zoonoses diseases are Plague, Rabies, Tuberculosis, Scabies, Roundworms, etc.

Topic: Awards and Rewards

9. Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Award in public administration will be set up for academic excellence.

• In memory of India's first President, the Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh has announced the establishment of the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Award in public administration for academic excellence.
• The 320^th meeting of the Indian Institute of Public Administration's (IIPA) Executive Council was also presided over by Dr. Singh in New Delhi.
• Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu serves as the Executive Council's President, while Dr. Jitendra Singh serves as its chairman.
• Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA): It was founded in 1954 and functions as a research and training organization under the Ministry of Personnel of the Indian government.

Topic: Personality in News

10. EN Sudhir, a former Indian goalkeeper, passed away.

• He was in his early 70s when he passed away in Mapusa, Goa.
• At the 1972 Olympic qualifiers, Sudhir made his debut for India against Indonesia in Rangoon (now Yangon) and represented in 9 matches for India.
• Sudhir also played in the national team's 1973 Merdeka Cup and 1974 Asian Games squads.

Topic: National News

11. PM Modi to inaugurate 50^th anniversary celebrations of Agradoot group of newspapers on 6 July.

• Assam Chief Minister and the Chief Patron of Agradoot’s Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma will also be present.
• 'Agradoot' was established by Kanak Sen Deka as an Assamese bi-weekly newspaper. Kanak Sen Deka is a senior journalist of Assam.
• A daily newspaper Dainik Agradoot was started in 1995. Its headquarters is located at Dispur, Guwahati.
• Note:
  • India's first English Newspaper was 'Bengal Gazette'.
  • ‘Udant Martand’ is the first Hindi-language newspaper in India. It was started on 30 May 1826 from Calcutta.
  • India has the second-largest newspaper market in the world.

Topic: Sports

12. Indian young boxer Alfiya Pathan and Gitika have clinched gold at the Elorda Cup in Kazakhstan.

• Indian female boxers Kalaivani Srinivasan and Jamuna Boro have won silver medals at the Elorda Cup in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
• In the women's 81kg category, Alfiya defeated Lazzat Kungeibayeva by 5-0.
• Gitika defeated Kalaivani in the finals of the women's 48-kg category.
• The Indian contingent has won a total of 14 medals. Both Alfiya and Gitika bagged prize money of $700 for their gold medals.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Defence

13. Indian Navy commissioned the first ALH Squadron INAS 324.

• The Indian Naval Air Squadron (INAS) 324 has been commissioned into the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam.
• INAS 324 has been named ‘Kestrels’, which are prey birds with good sensory capabilities.
• It is the first Naval Squadron on the Eastern Seaboard operating the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK III (MR) helicopters.
• The ALH MK III helicopters are equipped with modern surveillance radar and electro-optical sensors. It has also an airborne Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU).
• The INAS 324 will be commanded by Commodore SS Dash.
• The commissioning of the first ALH MK III Squadron will enhance the surveillance capability of the Eastern Naval Command.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

14. NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL) inked MoU with the Rajasthan government.

• The MoU has been signed for the development of 10 gigawatts (GW) Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Park in the State.
• This comes under NTPC Group’s target of 60 GW renewable energy (RE) capacity by 2032.
• NTPC REL is a subsidiary of NTPC. It is developing one UMREPP (Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Park) of 4.75 GW capacity in Rann of Kutch, Gujarat. 
• Recently, NTPC has declared that the 100 MW Ramagundam floating solar PV project in Telangana is in commercial operation with effect from July 1, 2022. 
• NTPC’s total installed capacity is 69,134.20 MW with 23 coal-based, 7 gas-based, 1 hydro, and 19 renewable energy projects.