Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Examinations: December 08, 2022
Current affairs are included in significant government exams including the SSC, RRB NTPC, UPSC CDS, Railways, and more. The current events section of the test is given a higher weightage. This section’s preparatory phase is essential. How well-versed the candidate is in current affairs will determine whether or not they can pass this section. We have analysed the most current news from The Hindu, Indian Express, the Economic Times, and other sources to assist all the contenders in performing well in this part.
Current Affairs: Days and Events
Armed Forces Flag Day 2022
Every year on 7 December, India commemorates Armed Forces Flag Day in order to raise donations for the welfare of the Armed Forces Staff.
This day is observed to honour Indian soldiers, sailors, and pilots. The day also pays tribute to hundreds of thousands of men who have died protecting the country.
History:
On 28 August 1949, a committee was constituted under the then Defence Minister of India.
The Committee decided that Flag Day would be observed on 7 December every year.
The initial idea behind celebrating the Indian Armed Forces Flag Day was to distribute small flags to civilians and, in return, collect donations for the soldiers.
Over the years, the day has held great significance as it is believed that it is the responsibility of the common people of India to take care of the families of the armed forces personnel who have fought battles to defend the country.
Significance:
This day is observed to encourage public engagement and support across the country for the following goals:
To provide rehabilitative assistance to the relatives of war victims
To take initiatives to safeguard the well-being of service members and their families
To assist former service veterans and their families with their welfare and resettlement
Question:
Every year on December 7, India commemorates Armed Forces Flag Day. In which year was this day first observed?
A. 1946
B. 1949
C. 1952
D. 1965
Answer: B
Current Affairs: Science and Technology
IIT Madras Researchers Develop ‘Sindhuja’, Which Generates Electricity from Sea Waves
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Researchers have developed an ‘Ocean Wave Energy Converter’ that can generate electricity from sea waves.
The trials of this device were successfully completed recently.
Details:
The device was deployed at a location about 6 km off the coast of Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, at a location with a depth of 20 metres.
This device targets generating 1 MW of power from ocean waves in the next three years.
Helpful in Achieving UN Environment Targets:
The success of this project will help fulfil several objectives, such as the UN Ocean Decade and Sustainable development goals.
India’s goals include deep water missions, clean energy and achieving a blue economy.
It could help India meet its climate change-related goals of generating 500 GW of electricity by 2030 through renewable energy.
About the Development:
IIT Madras faculty Prof Abdus Samad, who has been working for over a decade on wave energy, leads the mission.
He established a state-of-the-art ‘Wave Energy and Fluids Engineering Laboratory’ (WEFEL) at IIT Madras.
His team designed and tested a scaled-down model.
The lab is also researching other applications for this technology, such as producing power for smaller devices for the ocean like navigational buoys and data buoys, among others.
What Is Sindhuja-I and How Does It Work?
The product has been named ‘Sindhuja-I,’ which means ‘generated from the ocean.’
The system has a floating buoy, a spar, and an electrical module. The buoy moves up and down as the wave moves up and down.
In the present design, a balloon-like system called a ‘buoy’ has a central hole that allows a long rod called a spar to pass through it.
The spar can be fixed to the seabed, and passing waves will not affect it, while the buoy will move up and down and produce relative motion between them.
The relative motion gives rotation to an electric generator to produce power. In the present design, the spar floats, and a mooring chain keeps the system in place.
Question:
What is the name of the ‘device’ recently developed by IIT Madras that can generate electricity from sea waves?
A. Jaladhi-I
B. Udadhi-I
C. Sindhuja-I
D. Sagar-I
Answer: C
Current Affairs: International
India, Germany sign Migration and Mobility Agreement
India and Germany recently inked an agreement on a Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership, which will help the citizens of both nations study, research and work in each other’s country.
Rationale:
The agreement aims at facilitating the two-way movement of students, professionals and researchers and is also set to address the challenges of illegal migration.
How Is the Deal Set to Benefit Indians?
The migration and mobility partnership is set to encourage an increased exchange of students between the two countries.
Further, the deal ensures active people-to-people exchanges, including among students, academia and the professional workforce.
This will enhance the internationalisation of higher education systems.
This means Indian students can now get an increased opportunity to participate in research programs in Germany.
The migration and mobility partnership also ensures that Indian students can now get joint degrees and dual degrees.
Apart from academia, this deal also ensures a joint and collaborated effort in tackling future pandemics.
The pact will also facilitate German business owners to travel to India and invest here. This, in turn, will also create more employment opportunities for the country’s skilled labourers.
Question:
Recently India has inked an agreement on a Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership with which of the following countries?
A. France
B. Germany
C. Israel
D. USA
Answer: B
Current Affairs: National
Technotex 2023
India’s premier show on Technical Textiles – ‘Technotex 2023’, will be held in Mumbai from 22nd to 24th February 2023.
Details:
The largest event of the technical textile industry in India will be held during the G-20 Presidency.
It offers an exceptional opportunity for India to contribute to the global agenda on insistent matters of global importance.
The Ministry of Textiles is organising the event Government of India, in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce Industry, under National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).
What Are Technical Textiles?
These products are broadly classified into 12 different categories: Agrotech, Oekotech, Buildtech, Meditech, Geotech, Clothtech, Mobiltech, Hometech, Sportstech, Indutech, Protech, and Packtech.
Technical textiles are defined as textile materials and products used primarily for their technical performance and functional properties rather than their aesthetic or decorative characteristics.
As a component or part of another product, they are used to enhance the strength, performance or other functional properties of that product.
Technical textile accounts for approximately 13% of India’s total textile and apparel market and contributes to India’s GDP at 0.7%.
What Is the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM)?
The Ministry of Textiles has launched NTTM to increase the penetration level of technical textiles in India while leveraging the extraordinary growth rate of the sector.
The aim of the mission is to position India as a global leader in Technical Textiles.
The mission will comprise four components: Research, Innovation and Development; Promotion and Market Development; Export Promotion; Education, Training, and Skill Development.
Implementation period: Four years starting from FY 2020-21 till FY 2023-24. The total outlay of the mission is ₹1480 Cr.
Target: To take the domestic market size of the technical textile sector to $ 40-50 Bn by 2024 with an average growth rate of 15-20% per annum.
Question:
Which of the following cities will host ‘Technotex 2023’, India’s premier show on technical textiles, in February?
A. Delhi
B. Panjim
C. Mumbai
D. Ahmedabad
Answer: C
Current Affairs: Defence
Exercise Sangam
The 7th edition of Exercise Sangam, a joint Naval Special Forces exercise between Indian Navy MARCOs and US Navy SEALs commenced in Goa recently.
The present edition, which will see personnel from SEAL Team Five based in San Diego, USA and Indian Navy MARCOs from INS Abhimanyu together, aims at the exchange of ideas and experiences on various aspects of Maritime Special Operations.
About Sangam:
Exercise Sangam was first conducted in 1994 and is an important military and diplomatic initiative between the two nations, reflective of their trust and friendship.
The exercise is planned for three weeks, wherein personnel will exercise and hone their skills in Maritime Interdiction Operations, Direct Action Missions, Combat Fall Jumps, Special Heliborne Operations, and various other evolutions.
About MARCOs?
Indian Navy MARCOs were raised in 1985 as the Indian Maritime Special Force (IMSF).
2 Years later, ‘MARCOs’ was renamed the Marine Commando Force (MCF) with the deadliest motto, “The Few The Fearless”.
Question:
The 7th edition of Exercise Sangam, a joint Naval Special Forces exercise between Indian Navy MARCOs and US Navy SEALs recently held in which of the following states?
A. Andhra Pradesh
B. Kerala
C. Tamil Nadu
D. Goa
Answer: D
Current Affairs: Reports and Index
India Inequality Report 2022
India Inequality Report 2022, with the name Digital Divide, was recently released by the NGO Oxfam India.
Details:
Indian women are 15 per cent less likely to own a mobile phone and 33 per cent less likely to use mobile internet services than men.
India’s growing inequality is accentuated due to the digital divide as it gets replicated in the digital space.
The reach of digital technologies remains largely limited to male, urban, upper-caste, and upper-class individuals.
India fares the worst, with the widest gender gap of 40.4% in the Asia-Pacific region.
Major Outcomes of the Report:
Women constitute only one-third of internet users in India.
The likelihood of a digital payment by the richest 60% is four times more than the poorest 40% in India.
The report also highlights that the use of computer devices decreased in rural areas post-pandemic.
3% of the rural population used to own a computer before the pandemic, and the number slipped to just 1% post-COVID.
Internet Penetration among States
Highest – Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala
Lowest – Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand
Digital Divide
Access to phone
Male
61%
Female
31%
Rural
31%
Urban
67%
Salaried permanent workers
95%
Unemployed (willing and looking for a job)
50%
Caste
Access to a computer or a laptop
General
8%
SC
2%
ST
1%
Question:
According to the India Inequality Report 2022 recently released by Oxfam India, which of the following has the highest internet penetration among states?
A. Uttarakhand
B. Gujarat
C. Maharashtra
D. Uttar Pradesh
Answer: C
Current Affairs: National
Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week, SHE STEM 2022
As part of the Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week, SHE STEM, the annual event to celebrate women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and sustainability, was successfully held for the third year in a row.
The annual event has been organised by the Embassy of Sweden in India in partnership with the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, the Government of India and the German Centre of Innovation and Research (DWIH New Delhi).
About the Event
SHE STEM 2022 kicked off with a musical performance by students from Darbari Lal DAV Model School in New Delhi, the host school for SHE STEM 2022.
This was followed by talks and a panel discussion with women in STEM and business, including Dr Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
She spoke to the audience about the importance of women in STEM fields bringing their unique perspectives to problem-solving to ensure a sustainable future.
Following the success of the Insta-reels Video Challenge in 2021, ‘SHE STEM’ hosted the SHE STEM 2022 Video Challenge across Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Google Drive for students aged 13 to 17, asking them to imagine themselves in the year 2047 and speak about an innovation that has aided in the fight against climate change.
What Is Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)?
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of our country.
Question:
The annual event, SHE STEM, was held recently to celebrate women in which of the following fields?
A. Sports
B. Science
C. Defence
D. Finance
Answer: B
Todays FactBook – 7th December 2022
Advisory Group for streamlining the development of the Bamboo sector
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has approved the formation of an Advisory Group for streamlining the development of the Bamboo sector.
The Advisory Group has a representation of various stakeholders, including academicians, researchers, innovators, progressive entrepreneurs, designers, farmer leaders, marketing specialists, and policymakers.
The inter-ministerial and public-private consultation is envisaged to help revamp the developmental architecture of the sector by incorporating synergy between all the sections related to the bamboo value chain.
The restructured National Bamboo Mission was launched during 2018-19 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
It mainly focuses on the development of a complete value chain of the Bamboo sector to link growers with consumers. The bamboo industry is witnessing a phase change by the opening of multiple avenues of resource utilisation.
Matiri Diwas
The 51st anniversary of ‘Maitri Diwas’, marking the recognition granted to Bangladesh by India in 1971, was celebrated in Dhaka on Tuesday, 6th December.
Liberation warfighters, Parliamentarians, members of civil society, media, dignitaries, and other prominent people took part in the event organised by the High Commission of India in Dhaka.
Minister for Liberation War Affairs of Bangladesh A.K.M Mozammel Haque was the Chief Guest on this occasion.
Minister Mozammel Haque thanked India for its support extended to the people of Bangladesh during the Liberation War in 1971.
International Lusophone Festival begins in Goa
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in association with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Government of Goa, has recently organised the International Lusophone Festival, a four-day colourful event in Goa.
The Lusophone Commonwealth, or the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, is a multilateral forum.
It was founded on 17th July 1996 at the 1st CPLP Heads of State and Government Summit in Lisbon.
The founding members were Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, and Sao Tome and Principe.
India joined CPLP as an associate observer in July 2021.
New minerals discovered in a meteorite found in Somalia
Recently researchers have discovered two new minerals that have been named ‘Elaliite’ and ‘Elkinstantonite’.
These two new minerals have never been seen on Earth before and were found in a meteorite in Somalia.
At 15 tonnes, the meteorite is the ninth-largest meteorite ever found.
Stepwell at Bansilalpet in Hyderabad won the prestigious Big 5 Construction Impact Award in Dubai
Big 5 Construction Impact Awards was created to inspire the Middle East, Africa and South Asia’s construction industry.
The Sustainable Initiative of the Year award is given to a single initiative demonstrating successful implementation, showing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles in its work.
The Big 5 Construction Impact Award was given to Bansilalpet Stepwell under the Sustainable Initiative of the Year category.
The 6-layer Bansilalpet stepwell is located in Hyderabad.
The stepwell was disused and turned into a dump yard in the area.
The Rain Water Project along with the architectural firm Kshetra carried out the restoration work.
The 17th-century well was originally part of a garden of tamarind and palmyra trees before.
A British Resident, TH Keyes developed a well-planned model village around the stepwell in 1933.
This was funded by Seth Bansilal, and hence the village (Bansilalpet) was named after him.
The boundary wall with arches was also built around the well’s periphery.
The stepwell can hold nearly 22 lakh litres of water.
ChatGPT
Recently an artificial intelligence tool called ChatGPT was released on the internet.
The tool has been developed by OpenAI, a research institute founded in 2015.
This tool ‘knew’ every topic under the sun; it could answer questions and carry on a conversation.
This tool interacts with humans in natural language and is impressive because, aside from answering general queries, it has many other functions.
ChatGPT is much more than a chatbot. For example, you can ask it to write a program or even a simple software application.
It can also do creative tasks such as writing a story. It can explain scientific concepts and answer any question that needs factual answers.
RBI MPC Meeting-RBI hikes repo rate by 35 basis points to 6.25%
The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) today hiked the repo rate by 35 basis points (bps) to 6.25% with immediate effect.
The RBI policy rate is now at its highest level since August 2018.
Consecutive rate hikes by the RBI this year were aimed at re-anchoring inflation expectations and maintaining financial stability.
This is the fifth rate hike by the central bank in this financial year.
The move by the RBI was quite expected to keep the economy on track in the current highly volatile scenario.
The rate hike is likely to shrink liquidity in the economy overall, especially impacting the investor’s sentiments.
There will be a short-term pause on the minds of the investors while assessing the volatility of the current market dynamics. However, there is hope that the investors are bound to return soon to the market once things stabilise.
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