Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Examinations: December 30, 2022
Government examinations like the SSC, RRB NTPC, UPSC CDS, Railways, and so on include a current affairs section. In the test, the current affairs part has more weightage. The preparation part of this section is crucial. Successfully cracking this section is completely dependent on how informed is the candidate, about current events. In order to help all the candidates score well in this section, we have analysed the most recent news from The Hindu, Indian Express, the Economic Times, and so on.
Motivation++
“Don’t count the days, Make the days count.”
Muhammad Ali
Current Affairs: National Interest
Election Commission Begins ‘Delimitation’ in Assam
The Election Commission of India recently said it has begun the process of delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in Assam.
The process will be based on Census data from 2001.
The last delimitation of constituencies in Assam was done in 1976 on the basis of the 1971 Census.
In March 2020, the Centre notified a Delimitation Commission for Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.
Current Representation of Assam:
The State has 14 Lok Sabhas, 126 Assemblies, and seven Rajya Sabha seats.
The term of the current Assam Legislative Assembly will end on 20th May, 2026.
What is Delimitation?
Delimitation is the act of redrawing boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Assembly seats to represent changes in population.
The main objective of delimitation is to provide equal representation to equal segments of a population.
For instance, in 1971, Assam’s population was 1.46 crore. In 2001, it increased to 2.66 crores.
Further, the population does not grow uniformly across all areas of a state.
Hence, delimitation of constituencies is periodically carried out to reflect not only an increase in population but changes in its distribution.
Who Carries out Delimitation?
Delimitation is carried out by an independent Delimitation Commission, appointed by the Government of India, under the provisions of the Delimitation Commission Act.
The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India.
It is composed of the following: a retired Supreme Court judge, the Chief Election Commissioner of India, and respective State Election Commissioners.
The Delimitation Commission is to work without any executive influence.
The Constitution mandates that the Commission’s orders are final and cannot be questioned before any court as it would hold up an election indefinitely.
How is Delimitation Supposed to be Carried Out?
Under Article 82, the Parliament is to enact a Delimitation Act after every Census. Once the Act is in force, the Union government sets up the Delimitation Commission.
The Commission is supposed to determine the number and boundaries of constituencies in a way that the population of all seats, so far as practicable, is the same.
The Commission is also tasked with identifying seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
How many Delimitation Commissions have been constituted in India?
In the history of the Indian Republic, Delimitation Commissions have been set up four times
In 1952, under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952
In 1963, under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962
In 1973, under Delimitation Act, 1972
In 2002, under Delimitation Act, 2002
Question:
Consider the following statements:
Election Commission has recently begun the ‘delimitation’ process in Assam.
The State has 14 Lok Sabhas, 126 Assemblies, and seven Rajya Sabha seats.
The Delimitation Commission is appointed by the Election Commission of India.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
A. only 1 and 2
B. only 2 and 3
C. only 1 and 3
D. all are correct
Answer: A
Current Affairs: Art & Culture
GEOGLYPHS: Ratnagiri’s Prehistoric Rock Art
Experts and conservationists have raised concerns over the proposed location for a mega oil refinery in Barsu village of Maharashtra’s Ratnagiri district.
They claim that the refinery might damage prehistoric geoglyphs found in the area.
About the Art:
The sites are protected by the state archaeology department and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
In April, these sites in the Konkan region were added to a tentative list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites.
While the UNESCO listing dates these sites to be over 12,000 years old, some experts have claimed that these sites might go as far back as 20,000 years, and that this can be ascertained through carbon and geological dating.
The Barsu-Solgaon site was proposed after the original plan to construct a refinery in Nanar village of the district was dropped in 2019.
What are Geoglyphs?
Geoglyphs are a form of prehistoric rock art, created on the surface of laterite plateaus by removing a part of the rock surface through an incision, picking, carving, or abrading.
They can be in the form of rock paintings, etchings, cup marks, and ring marks.
Ratnagiri Art:
The figures depicted in the geoglyphs include humans and animals such as deer, elephant, tiger, monkey, wild boar, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, cattle, pig, rabbit, and monkey.
Ratnagiri’s rock art is evidence of the continued existence of human settlements from the Mesolithic (middle stone age) to the early historic era.
The geoglyphs also show the existence of certain types of fauna that are no longer present in the region.
Question:
Geoglyphs are a form of prehistoric rock art recently seen in the news, is located in which of the following states?
A. Maharashtra
B. Madhya Pradesh
C. Himachal Pradesh
D. Assam
Answer: A
Current Affairs: National Interest
President Inaugurates ‘PRASAD’ Project to Create a Slew of Facilities at Srisailam
President of India Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the ‘PRASAD’ project at the tourism facilitation centre in the pilgrim town of Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh recently. She was accompanied by Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.
About the ‘PRASAD’ Project:
The PRASAD Projectscheme launched in the year 2014-2015 focuses on developing and identifying pilgrimage sites across India for enriching the religious tourism experience.
It comes under the Ministry of Tourism.
It aims to integrate pilgrimage destinations in a prioritised, planned, and sustainable manner to provide a complete religious tourism experience.
The Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to state governments under the PRASAD scheme to promote tourism at pilgrim sites.
The Central Government will cover 100% of the costs under this program.
For improved sustainability, it also includes a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Cities identified under the PRASAD scheme:
Amritsar (Punjab)
Kedarnath (Uttarakhand)
Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)
Ajmer (Rajasthan)
Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
Gaya (Bihar)
Kamakhya (Assam)
Dwaraka (Gujarat)
Puri (Odisha)
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh)
Kanchipuram(Tamil Nadu)
Velankanni (Tamil Nadu)
Question:
The President of India Droupadi Murmu recently inaugurated Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) Project. Which of the following cities is not included in this project?
A. Kamakhya (Assam)
B. Dwaraka (Gujarat)
C. Puri (Odisha)
D. Sree Padmanabhaswamy(Kerala)
Answer: D
Current Affairs: National Interest
Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Year End Review 2022
The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), and Swachh Bharat Mission–Grameen (SBM–G) have recently released the year-end review for the year 2022.
Jal Jeevan Mission Data:
As on 21st December, 2022 under the Jal Jeevan Mission, more than 10.76 Crore (55.62 %) of rural households are being provided with tap water connection in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality on a regular basis.
Four States namely Goa, Telangana, Gujarat, and Haryana, and three Union Territories of Puducherry, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, are reported as “Har Ghar Jal”, i.e., every rural household in these regions has provision of tap water supply.
State Data:
Goa becomes the First ‘Har Ghar Jal’ Certified State, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu becomes the First ‘Har Ghar Jal’ Certified Union Territory (UT) in India in August, 2022.
The Burhanpur District of Madhya Pradesh becomes the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified district in India in July, 2022.
Har Ghar Jal Certification Data:
Once a village is declared as Har Ghar Jal, the Gram Panchayat of that village conducts a special Gram Sabha and passes a resolution with the concurrence of all the village members that all the households, schools, Anganwadi, and public institutions in their village have functional tap connection, and thus declare themselves as ‘Har Ghar Jal Certified.
As on date, 56 districts, 413 blocks, 34,452 panchayats, and 49,928 villages are ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified, i.e., all the households have access to tap water connection.
Coverage of Potable Tap Water in Aspirational Districts
There are 112 Aspirational districts of which eight districts have provided 100% tap water connection to its rural households.
Today, out of a total of 2.77 Crore households in Aspirational districts, 1.49 Crore households (53.99%) are getting water through taps, which at the time of the launch was only 21.66 lakh (7.83%).
Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Data:
Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), a centrally sponsored scheme, was launched by the Prime Minister on 2nd October, 2014, with the main aim to make the country Open Defecation (ODF) by 2nd October, 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, by providing access to toilets to all the rural households in the country.
All the villages in the country had declared themselves ODF by 2nd October, 2019.
Achievements:
Around 1.25 lakhs villages declared Open Defecation (ODF) Plus between 1st January, 2022 to 20th December, 2022.
Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2023 Data:
DDWS has launched Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2023 on 2nd November, 2022 with an objective to create healthy competition amongst States, Districts, and Gram Panchayats, and to ascertain progress of SBM-G Phase II.
Under SSG 2023, assessment will be undertaken at the Gram Panchayat and District levels.
To make SSG 2023 more participatory, Gram Panchayats will undertake village self-assessment on ODF Plus parameters.
Question:
Consider the following statements about Drinking Water and Sanitation Year End Review 2022:
Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu became the First ‘Har Ghar Jal’ Certified Union Territory (UT) in India.
In India, there are 112 Aspirational districts of which eight districts have provided 100% tap water connection to its Urban/rural households.
Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2023 assessment will be undertaken at the Gram Panchayat and District levels.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
A. only 1
B. only 1 and 3
C. only 2
D. only 2 and 3
Answer: B
Current Affairs: Awards and Recognitions
IIT Madras Won Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards 2022
The Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards, also known as “the Oscars of Education,” gave significant recognition to the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M).
The best programme awards went to the IIT Madras courses, BS Data Science, and NPTEL in partnership with IISc Bangalore.
Details:
The BS in Data Science and Applications programme earned Silver in the category of “Best Online Program,” according to a statement released by IIT Madras.
The National Program on Technology Enhanced Learning, or NPTEL, won the Gold award in the category of “Lifelong Learning”.
In spite of a student’s location, the BS programme and NPTEL serve as examples of how technology may be used to provide them with a top-notch education.
About Reimagine Education Awards:
Reimagine Education is a global conference and competition, open to educational innovators from all around the world.
The Reimagine Education Awards—the ‘Oscars’ of Education—reward innovative approaches that enhance student learning outcomes and employability, offering $50,000 in funding to the overall winners.
Question:
Which of the following educational institutes in India won the Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards, the ‘Oscars’ of Education?
A. St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata
B. Birla Institute Technology of Science, Pilani
C. Indian Institute of Technology, Madras
D. Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
Answer: C
Current Affairs: International
India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement Comes into Force
The India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement comes into force from today.
India and Australia signed the Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) on the 2nd of April this year.
ECTA is the first trade agreement of India with a developed country after more than a decade.
The agreement encompasses cooperation across the entire gamut of bilateral economic and commercial relations between the two friendly countries.
About the Agreement:
Under this trade agreement, Indian exports will benefit from preferential zero-duty market access in Australia for 100 per cent of its tariff lines.
It will benefit India’s labour-intensive sectors such as gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, furniture, food and agricultural products, engineering products, and medical devices.
Facts:
India has provided preferential access to Australia on over 70 percent of its tariff lines, which are primarily raw materials and intermediaries.
As a result of this agreement, 10 lakh jobs are estimated to be created in the country.
The total bilateral trade is expected to cross 45 to 50 billion dollars in five years from the existing 31 billion US dollars.
FactBook – 29th December 2022
1. ‘Dhanu Yatra’ Begins in Odisha’s Bargarh
The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival, considered to be the world’s largest open-air theatre, has commenced recently in the Western Odisha town of Bargarh.
The plays in the festival start with the dethroning of Emperor Ugrasen of Mathura by an angry Kansa over the marriage of his sister Devaki with Vasudev.
The festival will conclude with the death of demon king Kansa and the restoration of the throne to Ugrasen.
2. Revamped e-HRMS 2.0 Portal
The government (Department of Personnel and Training) launched a revamped probity portal and e-HRMS 2.0 portal for central government employees.
Previously, employees could avail limited Human Resources Services and were not connected with other HR applications.
Now with the revamped portal, employees will get end-to-end HR services and save time and money on the management of human resources of the central government.
3. Indian Energy Exchange Forms a Subsidiary
Energy exchange platform Indian Energy Exchange has incorporated a subsidiary to explore business opportunities in the voluntary carbon market.
The wholly-owned subsidiary company is named International Carbon Exchange Private Limited (ICX).
The new entity will enable participants to buy and sell voluntary carbon credits at competitive prices through its platform.
It will facilitate the reduction of global Greenhouse Gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 to get on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
Voluntary carbon markets are markets where carbon credits are purchased, usually by organisations, for voluntary use rather than to comply with legally binding emissions reduction obligations.
4. Indian Firm Bags Consultancy Contract for Bangladesh Port
An Indian firm has bagged a contract for providing consultancy for a capacity building project at Mongla port, the second largest seaport in Bangladesh, which will boost sub-regional connectivity in South Asia.
The contract was signed between Mongla Port Authority and EGIS India Consulting Engineers Pvt Ltd
The total project cost under the Government of India Concessional Line of Credit is $530 million, of which PMC contract awarded to EGIS India Consulting Engineers Ltd. is for $9.60 million.
The project is scheduled to be completed by July 30, 2024.
The project includes constructing a container terminal, handling and delivery yards, a residential complex and community facilities, marine workshop, and service jetty.
5. Praveen Shrivastava Appointed as the New CVC
Praveen Shrivastava has been appointed as the new Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) of India. The post of CVC is a crucial one as it is responsible for the prevention of corruption and the maintenance of integrity in the government.
A 1982-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Shrivastava will be taking over from the Outgoing CVC, Sanjay Kothari, who has completed his term.
The Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) is appointed by the President of India for a fixed term of four years, or until the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
The term of the CVC cannot be extended, and the CVC must retire upon completion of the term or reach the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
6. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Inaugurates the First Metro Rail in Dhaka
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the first ever metro rail service with Japanese assistance in the country.
Along with the PM, the newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador Kiminori Iwama, and Ichiguchi Tomohide, the chief representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also inaugurated the service.
The funding of the project was made by The Japan International Cooperation Agency, which is a governmental agency that delivers the bulk of Official Development Assistance for the government of Japan. It also assists economic and social growth in developing countries.
7. Prabhu Chandra Mishra Honoured With Atal Samman Award
On the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister of the country, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, many personalities who played an important role in various fields were honoured recently at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi during ninth Atal Samman Samaroh.
Shri Prabhu Chandra Mishra received an honourable Atal Samman Award (Atal Anveshi Shikhar Samman) during this event for his excellence in field of science and research.
His area of work is Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine in infertility, especially when IVF also fails.
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