DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: July 13, 2022

Industrial output jumped 19.6% in May

Tags: Economy/Finance

According to data released by the National Statistical Office, the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) has increased by 19.6 per cent in May this year, from 7.1 per cent in the previous month.

Important facts

• The manufacturing sector's output grew by 20.6% in May this year.

• In May 2022, mining output increased by 10.9% and electricity generation increased by 23.5%.

• Industrial production has been affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020, when it stood at 18.7%.

• It shrank by 57.3% in April 2020 due to a decline in economic activity in the wake of the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19.

• Industrial production had increased by 13% in August 2021.

• Thereafter, IIP growth remained below 4.4% (in September) and touched an all-time low of 1% in November as well as December 2021.

Retail inflation

• Meanwhile, retail inflation declined marginally to 7.01% in June, mainly due to a marginal moderation in food prices.

• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation stood at 7.04% in May and 6.26% in June last year.

• According to government data, inflation in the food basket stood at 7.75% in June 2022, up from 7.97% in the previous month.

• The central bank has been asked to ensure that inflation remains at 4% with a margin of 2% on either side.

Index of Industrial Production (IIP)

• It is an index that shows the growth rate in different industry groups of the economy over a given period.

• The index is calculated and published on a monthly basis by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO).

Industry groups which are classified under IIP

1. Broad sectors - Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity

2. Use-based sectors - Basic Goods, Capital Goods and Intermediate Goods

India's retail inflation eases to 7.01 percent in June

Tags: Economy/Finance

Retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined to 7.01 per cent in June this year from 7.04 per cent in the previous month.

Important facts

• This is mainly on account of marginal reduction in prices of vegetables and pulses, though it still remained above the Reserve Bank's level for the sixth consecutive month.

• According to data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation stood at 6.26 per cent in June 2021. 

• The increase in prices in rural India was faster in the month of June as compared to the urban parts of the country.

• CPI-based inflation for rural areas rose marginally to 7.09 per cent in June from 7.08 per cent in May.

• Rural inflation was 6.16 per cent in June 2021.

• Urban inflation declined to 6.92 per cent in June 2022 from 7.08 per cent in May 2022.

• Inflation in the food basket in June 2022 was 7.75 per cent, compared to 7.97 per cent in the previous month. 

• The inflation figure in vegetables eased to 17.37 percent during June from 18.26 percent in May 2022.

• The central bank has been asked to ensure that inflation remains at 4% with a margin of 2% on either side.

• What is CPI based inflation or retail inflation?

• CPI (Consumer Price Index) monitors retail prices at a certain level for price movement of a particular commodity, goods and services at rural, urban and all India levels.

• The change in the price index over a period of time is known as CPI-based inflation, or retail inflation.

• CPI formula - (Price of basket in current period / Price of basket in base period) x 100

Kindly see also 14 June 2022 post

Paper Import Monitoring System will come into effect from 1st October

Tags: Economy/Finance

The Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) is being implemented from October 1 this year.

Important facts

• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)  introduced the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) by making amendments to the import policy of major paper products.

• The online facility of registration will be available from 15th July 2022.

Process of registration

• Under PIMS, an importer needs to obtain an automatic registration number by paying a registration fee of Rs 500 through the online system.

• This registration number will be allotted not later than the 75th day preceding the expected date of arrival of the import consignment and not later than the fifth day preceding the expected date of arrival of the consignment.

• This automatic registration number will be valid for a period of 75 days and within the validity period of registration, Bill of Entry (BOE) of miscellaneous consignments will be allowed under the same registration number for the sanctioned quantity.

What are major paper products on which the import system will apply?

• The PIMS will apply to imports by a domestic sector unit on a wide range of paper products covering 201 tariff lines, such as newsprint, handmade paper, tissue paper, toilet paper and cartons etc.

• Paper products like currency paper, bank bond and check paper, security printing paper etc. have been kept out of the purview of compulsory registration.

Objectives of Paper Import Monitoring System

• Ban on dumping of paper products in the domestic market through under-invoicing

• Prohibition of entry of prohibited goods by false declaration

• Prohibiting the re-transport of goods through other countries in lieu of trade agreements

First images from James Webb Space Telescope released by NASA

Tags: Science and Technology

NASA on July 12 released the deepest and most accurate infrared image of the universe ever taken from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.

What is the image about?

• Webb's first deep field galaxy cluster is SMAC 0723 which is filled with thousands of galaxies including the weakest objects seen in the infrared.

• The image of Webb is about the size of a grain of sand held on a hand, a tiny piece of the vast universe.

• The collection also includes fresh images of another galaxy cluster known as Stephen's Quintet, first discovered in 1877.

James Webb Space Telescope

• NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope was launched by rocket on 25 December 2021 from South America’s north-eastern coast.

• It is the most powerful infrared telescope ever launched by NASA.

• It has been built in collaboration with NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency.

• It has opened a new era of astronomy.

• Its goal is to search for the first galaxies that formed after the Big Bang.

• It will reveal new and unexpected discoveries, and help to understand the origins of the universe and the human position.

• It reached its destination in solar orbit about 1.6 million km from Earth after travelling 2 weeks in space. 

• It is also considered a successor of the Hubble Telescope which was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990.

CBI joins Interpol's ICSE initiative on child sexual abuse

Tags: National News

Central Bureau of Investigation, an investigating agency of India has joined the Interpol’s International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) initiative. 

Important facts

• Now the CBI is allowed to work with investigators in other countries to trace child sexual abuse online and trace abusers from audio-visual clips using specialized software, identify victims and crime scenes.

• India has become the 68th country to have access to this database and software.

What is the ICSE database?

• The ICSE database uses image and video image comparison to analyse Child Sex Exploitation Material (CSEM). 

• It makes interconnections between victims, abusers and places.

• As of July 2022, more than 30,000 victims of child abuse and over 13,000 perpetrators have been identified by Interpol using this database and software.

What is Interpol?

• The International Criminal Police Organization, or Interpol, is an intergovernmental organization with 194 members.

• It was formed in 1923 as the International Criminal Police Commission, and it was named Interpol in 1956.

• India joined Interpol in 1949, and is one of its oldest members.

• It is the world’s largest international police organization.

• Its work focuses on public safety and combating terrorism, crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes, environmental crimes, etc.

• Headquartered - Lyon, France

NE region witness more than 85 pc export growth in last six years

Tags: Economy/Finance

The export of agricultural products to the North-East region has increased by more than 85 percent in the last six years.

Important facts

• According to the Commerce and Industry Ministry the export has reached over 17 million dollars in 2021-22 from 2.52 million dollar in 2016-17.

• The major destinations of exports have been Bangladesh, Bhutan, Middle East, UK and European countries.

• There has been a significant increase in the export of agricultural products from the northeastern states like Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Meghalaya.

• In the last three years, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Development and Authority (APEDA) has conducted 136 capacity building programs on export awareness in different parts of the North Eastern Region.

• APEDA organized a conference on Export Potential of Natural, Organic and Geographical Indications (GI) agricultural products in Guwahati on 24 June.

India's North-East region

• The North Eastern Region (NER) comprises eight States - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

• The North Eastern region of India is a landlocked region with no access to the sea.

• It is geographically isolated from the rest of India and is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land called the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s Neck).

• Sikkim - the ‘Brother’ of the Seven Sisters

• Assam- World’s largest ‘Tea Producer’ 

• Manipur- Jewel of India

• Arunachal Pradesh- Land of Rising Sun

• Meghalaya- Scotland of India

• Tripura- the most ‘Literate’ in the Northeast around 95% Literacy rate

• Mizoram- Molasses Basin

• Sikkim- Sparsely Populated, the only state having world’s largest ‘Kanchenjunga Mountain’

• Nagaland- famous for Mon’s Ethnicity

Uttarakhand first state to implement NEP at pre-primary level

Tags: State News

For the first time in the state of Uttarakhand, the new National Education Policy-2020 has been implemented in primary education under school education.

Important facts

• In the Directorate General of Education, the new education policy has been formally launched in the state by the Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami by inaugurating the Balvatikas.

• With this, Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country to implement NEP.

• In the first phase, operation of Balvatikas classes under NEP will be started in five thousand Anganwadi centres operating in government primary schools under the education department.

• At the pre-primary level in the state, children will be educated in Balwatikas under the provisions of NEP.

New Education Policy, 2020

• The new education policy was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29 July 2020, which has been prepared in consultation with everyone.

• Current Policy Space scientist K. Based on the report of the committee headed by Kasturirangan.

• Under the new National Education Policy, 2020, a target has been set to bring the Gross Enrollment Ratio to 100% by the year 2030.

• Under the new education policy, a target of 6% of GDP has been set for public expenditure on the education sector in collaboration with the central and state governments.

• With the announcement of the new education policy, the name of the Ministry of Human Resource Management has been changed to Ministry of Education.

• In education up to class V, emphasis has been laid on adopting mother tongue/local or regional language as the medium of instruction.

• Along with this, it has been suggested to give priority to mother tongue for class 8 and further education.

• The 'National Curriculum Framework for School Education' will be prepared by the 'National Council of Educational Research and Training' (NCERT).

School Education Provisions

• The new education policy proposes a 5+3+3+4 design educational structure that covers children in the age group of 3 to 18 years.

• Five Years Foundational Stage - 3 Years of Pre-Primary School and Grades 1, 2

• three year preparatory stage

• Middle (or upper primary) stage of three years - grades 6, 7, 8 and

• 4 year higher (or secondary) stage - grades 9, 10, 11, 12

• The last National Education Policy was formulated in 1986 which was amended in the year 1992.

Ola Electric Unveils Indigenous Lithium-Ion Cell

Tags: Science and Technology

Electric vehicle company Ola Electric has unveiled its indigenously developed lithium-ion cell, the NMC 2170.

Important facts

• The specialty of this cell of Ola is that it can store more energy than the ordinary lithium cell used in an e-vehicle.

• Apart from this, its life cycle is also long, due to which it can be used for a long time.

• Ola Electric claims that this new cell will help in increasing the range of electric vehicles.

• Ola will start mass production of SAIL from its Gigafactory by 2023.

• Ola is building the world's most advanced cell research centre that will enable us to rapidly expand and innovate and manufacture the most advanced and cost-effective EV products in the world.

• The company said it is committed to invest in research and development to create indigenous advanced SAIL technologies, strengthen manufacturing capabilities and create an integrated Ola electric vehicle hub.

About Ola Electric 

• Ola Electric Mobility is an Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturer, based in Bangalore.

• Its manufacturing plant is located in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, India.

• Ola Electric launched its first electric vehicle in August 2021 and has set up the world's largest 2W manufacturing facility in India.

• Founder & CEO - Bhavish Aggarwal

Dwarka Expressway to be the first elevated urban highway in India

Tags: National News

The under-construction Dwarka Expressway between Delhi and Gurugram in Haryana is being developed as India's first elevated urban expressway.

Important facts

• With the construction of the 29 km long Dwarka Expressway, being built at a cost of about 9.5 thousand crore rupees, the traffic pressure on Delhi-Gurugram Expressway will be reduced.

• The expressway will be operational in 2023.

• The Delhi-Gurugram Expressway is a part of the 'Delhi-Jaipur-Ahmedabad-Mumbai' branch of the Golden Quadrilateral.

• It is also known as Northern Peripheral Road

• This expressway is of 16 lanes with provision of minimum three lane service road on both the sides.

• The foundation stone of Dwarka Expressway was laid almost three years back in March 2019.

• A total of 2 lakh metric tons of steel and 20 lakh cubic metric concrete are being used in the construction of this expressway.

What is elevated road?

• Elevated roads are constructed in those places where there is more traffic.

• An elevated road is technically a bridge.

• Elevated road construction is preferred in areas where land acquisition becomes difficult due to dense population.

Additional information

• The longest expressway in India is the Agra - Lucknow Expressway with a length of 302.02 km.

• India's first expressway was started in January 2001 between Delhi-Noida.

• The state with the most (13) expressways in the country is Uttar Pradesh. Out of the total 13 expressways of 3200 km, seven are under construction while six expressways are in operation.

6th National Conference on Mines and Minerals

Tags: National News

The 6th National Conference on Mines and Minerals was inaugurated by Union Minister of Mines Prahlad Joshi in New Delhi.

Important facts

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah attended the program as the chief guest.

• The Union Home Minister presented the 'National Mineral Development Awards' and other awards in various categories in this conclave.

• The Ministry of Mines launched the National Mining Conclave in 2016 with the aim of providing a platform for interaction between various stakeholders such as Central and State Government officials, industry and industry associations.

India's Coal and Mines Sector

• India's coal production was 566 million tonnes in 2013-14, which increased to 777 million tonnes in 2021-22.

• India ranks third in the world in coal production after the US and China.

• Chhattisgarh state ranks first in coal production in India.

• Jharkhand has the largest reserves of coal in India, followed by Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Jonny Bairstow, Marizanne Kapp win ICC Player of the Month award for June

Tags: Sports News

England batsman Jonny Bairstow was awarded the Men's Player of the Month by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for June 2022.

Important facts

• Bairstow beat compatriot Joe Root and New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell to win the award.

• Bairstow had scored centuries in both the innings of the fifth Test against India and led England to victory. Apart from this, he also performed brilliantly in the Test series against New Zealand.

• In Women's Cricket, South Africa's Marizanne Cap has been selected for the ICC Player of the Month for the month of June.

• Marizanne Cap became the second ICC female player from South Africa to receive this award after Lizelle Lee.

• The ICC Player of the Month Award is given by the International Cricket Council every month from January 2021.

ICC Player of the Month List 2022

ISSF World Cup : Arjun Babuta strikes gold in 10m air rifle

Tags: Sports News

Recently Arjun Babuta of India has won his first gold medal in International Shooting Sports Federation-ISSF World Cup.

Important facts

• He defeated Lukas Kozenisky of America 17-9 in the final held in Changwon, South Korea.

• Arjun secured the first position in the ranking round with a score of 261.1, while Lucas finished second with a score of 260.4.

• Israel's Sergei Richter won the bronze medal and India's Partha Makhija finished fourth.

• Arjun Babuta has won this gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle event of the ISSF World Cup.

• India topped the medal tally with four gold, two silver and one bronze in the ISSF World Cup 2022, organised by the International Shooting Sports Federation in Cairo.

• Norway finished second in the table with three gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

• France finished third with three golds.