DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: June 14, 2022

Retail inflation eases to 7.04% in May

Tags: Economy/Finance

Retail inflation has come down to 7.04% in the month of May. At the same time, it had reached a record 7.79% in April.

• Food price inflation, which hit a 17-month high of 8.31% in April, eased slightly to 7.97% in May.

• Rural food inflation has come down to 7.76% from 8.5 percent.

• However, the Consumer Food Price Index surged further for urban India from 8.09% in April to 8.2% in May.

• A rise in tomato prices as well as a rise in potato prices pushed up inflation in vegetables, with wheat and rice prices also rising, keeping grain inflation high.

• Food continued to be the main inflation driver, contributing around 50%.

• Inflation is expected to hover in the 6.75%-7% range in June as well. 

• Inflation in vegetables rose to 18.26 per cent in May from 15.41 per cent in April, while that of meat and fish rose to 8.23 per cent from 6.97 per cent.

• The pace of increase in the prices of milk and related products was 5.64% in May from 5.47% in April.

• pulses and eggs recorded negative inflation of 0.42% and 4.64%, compared to 0% and 1.86% in April, respectively. 

• Food inflation eased slightly from 5.96% in April to 5.33% in May.

• The highest inflation rates in states are as follow-

• Telangana (9.45%), Maharashtra (8.52%), Andhra Pradesh (8.49%), West Bengal (8.27%), Jharkhand (7.51%) and Gujarat (7.48%).

• The lowest inflation rates in states are as follow-

• Kerala (4.82%), Delhi (5.57%), Himachal Pradesh (5.63%), Tamil Nadu (5.72%) and Punjab (5.77%).  

• Rates above RBI's fixed rate  

• The government has asked the RBI to keep retail inflation at 4 to 2 per cent. In such a situation, the rate recorded in May is much higher than the margin of RBI.

• 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

India's coal imports may drop by 11% to 186 MT in FY23

Tags: Economy/Finance

India's coal import is likely to decline by 11.4% to 186 million tonnes (MT) in the current financial year. 

• India imported 210 MT of coal in 2021-22.

• According to the Coal Ministry, in the current financial year, the company is expected to import 186 MT of coal of which 130 MT is non-coking coal and 56 MT is coking coal.

• Non-coking coal is aboundently used as thermal coal for power generation.

• India imported 215 MT of coal in FY'21 and 249 MT of coal in FY'20.

• India will import 172 MT of coal in 2024-25, 173 MT in 2027-28 and 170 MT in 2029-30.

• Coal India last week floated its first tender for import of 2.416 million tonnes of coal and also floated two international competitive bidding e-tenders for 3 million tonnes.

• Coal India Limited (CIL)

• It is an Indian government’s owned coal mining and refining corporation. 

• It is owned by the Ministry of Coal, Government of India.

• It was established in November 1975

• Headquartered - Kolkata, West Bengal

• Coal India is the largest producer of coal in the world.

• It contributes around 82% to the total coal production in India. 

Russia overtakes Saudi Arabia to become India's second largest oil supplier

Tags: Economics/Business International News

Russia has overtaken Saudi Arabia to become India's second largest oil supplier after Iraq.

• Indian refiners bought about 25 million barrels of Russian oil in May, which is more than 16% of all Russian oil imports.

• India is the world's third largest oil importer and consumer.

• Iraq remained India's top oil supplier in May and Saudi Arabia is now the third largest supplier.

• India has taken advantage of concessional prices to increase oil imports from Russia at a time when global energy prices are rising.

• After the US and China, India is the world's third largest oil consumer, importing more than 85% of its oil.

• Largest Oil Producer countries in the world

1. United States

2. Russia

3. Saudi Arabia

4. Canada

5. Iraq

6. China

7. United Arab Emirates

8. Brazil

9. Kuwait 

10. Iran

India expanding its nuclear arsenal - SIPRI

Tags: Popular Defence

Stockholm-based defence think tank SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) claimed on June 13 that India had 160 nuclear warheads as of January 2022, indicating India's expansion of nuclear arsenal.

• India's nuclear stockpile increased from 156 in January 2021 to 160 in January 2022.

• Nuclear stockpile of neighbouring countries

• Pakistan's nuclear stockpile remains at 165 in January 2021 and January 2022.

• In January 2021 and January 2022, China had 350 nuclear warheads.

• China is nearing substantial expansion of its nuclear weapons arsenal, satellite images indicate, including the construction of more than 300 new missile silos.

• India and Pakistan appear to be expanding their nuclear arsenals, and both countries introduced the new type of nuclear system in 2021 and continue to develop it.

• Countries with nuclear weapons

• As per SIPRI, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea have nuclear weapons. 

• Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

• SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. It is funded mainly by the Swedish Government.

• Established in 1966 

• Headquarters : Solna, Sweden

J&K at the Top of all Union Territories in the delivery of e-Governance services

Tags: National State News

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh releases the e-governance service delivery assessment (NeSDA) 2021 Report.

• Jammu and Kashmir has topped among all the Union territories in e-Governance services delivery.

• J&K has managed to save around Rs 200 crore annually which was earlier spent on transportation of files.

• According to the report, Kerala had the highest overall compliance score amongst all the States and UTs.

• Meghalaya and Nagaland are the major state portals among the northeastern and hill states with an overall compliance of more than 90 per cent in all assessment parameters.

• Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh had nearly 90 per cent compliance.

• Among the central ministries, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Rural Development, Education, Environment, Forest and Climate Change are the major ministry portals with an overall compliance of over 80% in all assessment parameters.

• The Home Ministry portal had the highest overall compliance score.

• About National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA)

• It was constituted in 2019 by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG).

• It is a biennial study.

• It assesses effectiveness of e-Governance service delivery of states, union Territories (UTs) and Central Ministries.

• Criteria of NeSDA

• Finance, Labour & Employment, Education, Local Governance & Utility Services, Social Welfare, Environment and Tourism sectors.

• The evaluation covered 56 essential services for each of the states and union territories and 27 services for the central ministries.

Bikram Keshari Arukh elected Speaker of Odisha Assembly

Tags: State News

Bikram Keshari Arukh, a six-time MLA of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has been elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

• He has been elected as the 21st Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

• Arukha replaces 'SN Patro', who resigned from the post of Speaker of the Assembly due to health reasons.

• MLA Bikram Keshari Arukha was earlier serving as the Chief Whip of the government.

• Arukha is a continuous MLA from Bhanjnagar since the year 1995.

• About Odisha State 

• The modern state of Odisha was established as a state in India on 1 April 1936 at the Kanika Palace in Cuttack.

• April 1 is celebrated as Utkal Divas (Odisha Day) in the state.

• Hirakud Dam, located near Sambalpur in Odisha, is the longest earthen dam in the world.

• Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar are the most popular tourist destinations in the state which is called the Golden Triangle of Eastern India.

• Odisha is ahead of all the states of India in the production of Chromite, Manganese Ore and Dolomite.

• Capital- Bhubaneshwar

• Governor- Ganeshi Lal

• Chief Minister- Naveen Patnaik

• Legislative Assembly seats- 147

• Rajya Sabha Seats- 10

• Lok Sabha seats - 20

Suraksha-Mitra project launched in Kerala

Tags: State News

Kerala State Transport Ministry has launched a vehicle monitoring system named 'Suraksha-Mitra Project'.

• What is the Suraksha-mitra  Project?

• Suraksha-Mitra Project is a vehicle monitoring system.

• It sends distress messages in case of any mishap.

• The system will send a distress message to the mobile phones of the owners in case of any untoward incident during the journey.

• The Motor Vehicles Department has started this project under the Nirbhaya scheme.

• How the system will work?

• A Vehicle Location Tracking Device (VLTD) will be fitted with the vehicles.

• If the vehicle is involved in an accident or if the driver over-speeds the vehicle, the owners will receive an SMS alert from VLTD.

• Alerts will be sent instantly through SMS and E-mail to the relevant number and email ID provided by the owners during the installation of the device.

• About Kerala State 

• Kerala is located at the south-west end of India. Travancore-Cochin state was formed on July 1, 1949 by merging the princely states of Travancore and Cochin.

• Under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the state of Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 by joining Travancore-Cochin and Malabar.

• Kerala was known as Aranyaka in ancient times.

• It is the world's first Baby Friendly State recognized by UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO).

• Kerala is also known as 'God's own home'.

• Kerala accounts for 98% of the country's black pepper production. The rubber sector in Kerala is 83% of the country. There are plantations of tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom and spices here.

• Lake - Vembanad, Ashtamudi

• Festival - Onam is celebrated at the time of harvesting.

• Folk Dance - Kathakali

• Major tribes - Adyan, Irrawalan, Kamar, Kurman

• Capital - Thiruvananthapuram

• Sex Ratio -1084 (State with Highest Sex Ratio)

• Literacy -93.91% (Most literate state)

World Blood Donor Day

Tags: Important Days

World Blood Donor Day is also celebrated every year on 14th June to thank voluntary blood donors for their life saving gifts.

• History of the day

• World Blood Donor Day is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner, who was born on 14 June 1868.

• In the year 2004, WHO celebrated World Blood Donor Day for the first time, to encourage people of all countries to donate blood to save lives.

• The theme of this year's World Blood Donor Day is "Donating blood is an act of solidarity, so be a part of the effort and save lives".

• Blood related information

• During 1900-1901, Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood group of human blood and the Rh factor, an important element found in blood.

• Blood pressure is measured with a sphygmomanometer.

• The highest amount of iron or iron metal is found in the blood.

• The pH value of human blood is 7.4.

• The blood group O is called "Universal Blood Donor".

• Blood group AB: is "Universal Blood Recipient".

• Blood is a type of "liquid connective tissue".

• Blood is present in the body in the amount of 07 percent of the total weight of the human body.

• Antibody is not found in blood group AB.

• Both antibodies are found in blood group O.

38th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol in Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca

Tags: International Relations International News

The 38th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) is being conducted from June 13 to 24 2022 in the Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca. 

• About India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol

• It is the first post pandemic Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) between the two countries.

• The navies of both the countries have been operating CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2002.

• This has helped in building understanding and interoperability between the two navies.

• It has facilitated measures to prevent and suppress illegal fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy etc.

• India and Indonesia have enjoyed particularly close ties, which include a broad spectrum of activities and interactions that have strengthened over the years.

• This CORPAT contributes to the strong ties between the two countries in the Andaman Sea and the Straits of Malacca.

• Aim of India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol

• Keeping the Indian Ocean Region safe for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate maritime activities.

• Other Exercises between India and Indonesia

• Garuda Shakti - A joint military exercise

• Samudra Shakti - A bilateral maritime exercise

Centre unveils ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruitment of youth in the Armed Forces

Tags: Government Schemes

India unveiled a new scheme called "Agnipath" on 14 June for the recruitment of soldiers in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, on a short-term contractual basis.

• About ‘Agnipath’ scheme

• Under this scheme, to reduce the rising salary and pension expenses, short-term soldiers will be recruited on contract basis, which will be called 'Agniveer'.

• Under the scheme the soldiers will be recruited initially for a period of four years and some of them would be retained.

• Indian youth will be provided an opportunity to serve in the Armed Forces as 'Agniveer'.

• Women will also be recruited into armed forces under the scheme.

• This will help in ensuring optimum balance between youth and experience in the Army.

• The "Agneepath" scheme, earlier named as "Tour of Duty", was initiated in the presence of the Chiefs of the three Services.

• At present, the Army recruits youth under Short Service Commission for an initial tenure of 10 years, which can be extended up to 14 years.

• Salary of Agniveers

• Agniveers will get a salary of Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 per month plus applicable allowance.

• The Seva Nidhi will be exempt from Income Tax. 

• No one will be entitled to gratuity and pensionary benefits.

• Agniveers will be provided a non-contributory life insurance cover of Rs 48 lakh.

• Aim of the scheme

• Reducing the salary and pension expenses of the three services.

• To bring a paradigm shift in recruitment in the armed forces. 

• To ensure a wider talent pool for recruitment in the armed forces.