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 VISION IAS Mains 2022 Test 14 With Solution PDF

1)  International Day of Cooperatives observed on 2 July

•International Day of Cooperatives is marked annually on the first Saturday of July. This year, the day will be observed on 2 July to highlight the contributions of the cooperative movement. The aim of this celebration is to increase awareness about cooperatives by highlighting how the United Nations shares similar goals and objectives as the international cooperative movement.

International Day of Cooperatives 2022: Theme

•On July 2, cooperatives all around the world will celebrate the 100th International Day of Cooperatives (#CoopsDay). A decade on from the UN International Year of Cooperatives, which showcased the unique contribution of cooperatives to making the world a better place, this year’s #CoopsDay slogan — “Cooperatives Build a Better World”— echoes the theme of the International Year.

2)  World Sports Journalist Day 2022 observed on 2nd July

•World Sports Journalists Day is observed on July 2 every year to celebrate the services of sports journalists for the promotion of sports. Sports journalism is a form of reporting that focuses on matters pertaining to any subject or topic related to sports. It is an essential component of every media organization. Sports journalists work on various media platforms including print, broadcast, and the internet. There are several local and national journalism organisations active in sports reporting.

World Sports Journalist Day 2022: Significance

•World Sports Journalist Day is intended to encourage and recognise various sports journalists for their outstanding efforts. It motivates the journalists to set good examples for future generations and inspires them to pursue a career in sports journalism. On this day, many media organisations conduct special events to felicitate their sports journalists.

3)  World UFO Day: 02 July

•The World UFO Day (WUD) is held on July 2 every year globally. It is a day dedicated to the undoubted existence of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) by World UFO Day Organization (WUFODO). WUD aims to raise awareness about the existence of UFOs and encouraging people to think about the possibility of us not being alone in the Universe. The World UFO Day provides an opportunity to these explorers and enthusiasts to discuss, decode, and deduce multiple theories related to UFOs.

World UFO Day 2022: Significance

•The day is observed to acknowledge all the theories that are associated with UFOs, although there is no conclusive evidence to support the sightings. On this day, space enthusiasts run their imagination wild and have themed parties. Many go on investigative hunts and research in hopes of finding evidence of UFOs.

4)  State Bank of India (SBI) celebrates 67th Foundation Day

•The oldest commercial bank in the country, State Bank of India, is celebrating its 67th year on 1st July. SBI descends from the Bank of Calcutta founded in 1806 through the Imperial Bank of India. The Bank of Madras merged into the other two presidency banks, the bank of Calcutta and the bank of Bombay to form the Imperial Bank of India which in turn became the SBI in 1955.

5)  Bosch India’s “smart” campus is opened by PM Modi in Bengaluru

•The new smart campus of Bosch India, a top provider of technology and services in Bengaluru, was essentially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to a business statement, Modi noted in his inauguration address that this year is a historic one for both India and Bosch India as both countries mark their 75th anniversaries of independence.

6)  PSLV-C53 rocket carrying three Singapore satellites launched by ISRO

•Three Singaporean satellites were successfully launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as part of a commercial mission for the New Space India Limited. This was the space agency’s second launch of the year; its first, had put an Indian Earth Observation Satellite in orbit. The space agency also carried six in-orbit experiments mounted on the fourth stage of the rocket on the current mission in addition to the commercial satellites.

7)  UN projected India’s urban population to be 675 million in 2035

•According to a UN report, India‘s urban population is expected to reach 675 million in 2035, ranking second only to China‘s urban population of one billion people. The report also noted that after the Covid-19 pandemic, the world’s urban population is once again on track to increase by another 2.2 billion people by the year 2050.

8)  Ketanji Brown Jackson sworn in, becomes 1st Black woman on US Supreme Court

•The United States made history as Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. The 51-year-old’s appointment by Democratic President Joe Biden means white men are not in the majority on the nation’s highest court for the first time in 233 years. Four of the justices on the nine-member court are now women, making it the most diverse bench in history — although they all attended the elite law schools of Harvard or Yale.

•Jackson had picked up support from three Senate Republicans during a grueling and at times brutal confirmation process, delivering Biden a bipartisan 53-47 approval for his first Supreme Court nominee. Jackson’s swearing-in marks a major moment for Biden, who chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 1980s and ’90s, meaning he has the unprecedented distinction of both naming and overseeing the appointment of a Supreme Court justice.

9)  Crisil projects India’s FY23 GDP growth estimate to 7.3%

•Domestic rating agency Crisil has cut the real GDP growth forecast for India to 7.3 percent in FY23 (FY 2022-2023). Earlier this was estimated at 7.8 percent. It attributed the downward revision to higher oil prices, slowing of export demand and high inflation.

•Crisil said there are a slew of negatives like high commodity prices, elevated freight prices, drag on exports as global growth projections get lowered, and the largest demand side driver of private consumption remaining weak. Inflation, which has been pegged to average at 6.8 per cent in FY23 as against 5.5 per cent in FY22, reduces purchasing power and would weigh on revival of consumption the largest component of GDP which has been backsliding for a while, the agency said.

10)  Government authorised SBI to issue and en-cash electoral bonds

•The government gave its approval for the 21st tranche of electoral bonds to be issued, and the bonds’ sales. In an effort to increase openness in political fundraising, electoral bonds have been proposed as a substitute for financial contributions to political parties.

GS SCORE Current Affairs June 2022 Week 4 PDF

 Why in news?

The Central Government kept interest rates on small savings schemes, unchanged for the July to September quarter of FY23.

What are Small Savings Schemes?

• SSS-Small Savings Schemes are a set of savings instruments managed by the central government with an aim to encourage citizens to save regularly irrespective of their age.
• These schemes are launched by the government, banks, and public sector financial institutions.
• Since 2016, the Finance Ministry has been reviewing the interest rates on small savings schemes on a quarterly basis.
• All deposits received under various small savings schemes are pooled in the National Small Savings Fund (NSSF) which is used by the central government to finance its fiscal deficit.
• Classification- The schemes can be grouped under three heads - Post office deposits, savings certificates and social security schemes.
  • Post Office Deposits- It includes savings deposit, recurring deposit and time deposits with 1, 2, 3 and 5 year maturities and the monthly income account.
  • Savings Certificates- It includes National Savings Certificate and the Kisan Vikas Patra.
  • Social security schemes- It includes Public Provident Fund, Sukanya Samriddhi Account and Senior Citizens Savings Scheme.
• Benefits
  • Provide returns that are generally higher than bank fixed deposits
  • Has a sovereign guarantee and tax benefits
  • Highly reliable as they are backed by the government
  • Not subject to stock market movement
  • Inculcate the saving habit among individuals

National Small Saving Fund (NSSF) was established in 1999 within the Public Account of India. It is administered by the Ministry of Finance, under the National Small Savings Fund (Custody and Investment) Rules, 2001, derived from Article 283(1) of the Constitution.

What about the government’s decision on small savings rates?

• Determination of small savings rate- Small savings rates are linked to yields on benchmark government bonds.
• But despite the movement in G-Sec (government securities) yields, the government has not reduced the interest rates in the last two years.
• Current decision- The government has decided to keep interest rates on small savings instruments unchanged.
• As per the recent decision, schemes like Public Provident Fund (PPF) and the National Savings Certificate (NSC) will continue to carry an annual interest rate of 7.1% and 6.8%, respectively.
• Term deposits of 1-5 years will fetch a rate in the range of 5.5-6.7% while five-year recurring deposits will earn a higher interest of 5.8%.

What does it mean for banks and savers?

📰 DRDO carries out test flight of autonomous UAV

Vision IAS Weekly Focus Sustainable Agriculture Part-II PDF

 Rath Yatra of Puri is the annual chariot festival of Odisha which is traditionally known as Puri Rath Yatra. The Puri Rath Yatra 2022, has begun with devotion and traditions all over Odisha. The Chariot festival is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and his sister Subhadra. The journey of the deities begins from the iconic Puri Temple and reaches the Gundicha Shrine after twelve the Lord returns to his adobe. The idols of the three deities are brought out by three priests out of the sanctum sanctorum or Garbha Griha and carried to Gundicha Shrine in three giant wooden chariots.

The Raths or the Chariots are huge and the priests and devotees pull the three Raths with immense devotion. Devotees eagerly wait for Rath Yatra to pull the gigantic Raths of Lord Jagannath, Balbhadra, and Subhadra. Here, the diversity of people will leave you mesmerized. People from any caste, any gender, any background, and any age are allowed to pull the Raths of the three deities. The Rath Yatra is also telecasted live from Puri to all over India. You can connect with the live event on DD-Odia, DD-Bharati, and DD-India and enjoy the virtual Darshan of Lord Jagannath.

Puri Rath Yatra 2022: The Raths or Chariots

The three chariots of the deities are constructed every year with wood from specific trees such as Phassi and Dhausa. There is a specialist carpenter team for bringing the wood for making the Raths of the deities from the ex-princely state of Dasapalla. The logs brought by them are traditionally set afloat as rafts in the Mahanadi River. The three chariots are decorated with specific and unique instructions given below in the table from years.

Puri Rath Yatra 2022: Chandan Yatra

On Akshaya Tritiya, the construction of the chariot begins, with a ritual of fire worship. The ritual takes place in front of the palace of the King of Puri. This day also marks the new agricultural season for the farmers of Odisha and they start plowing their fields it also marks the beginning of the summer festival of the deities which is known as the Sandalwood festival or Chandan Yatra. The Chandan Yatra lasts three weeks and, in this festival, the representative image of the presiding deities are taken out in color processions and given a ceremonial boat ride in the Narendra Pokhri every day. There is an interesting demonstration of the assimilative character of the Jagannath cult, Madanmohan and Rama-Krishna, representing Jagannath and Balarama partake in the festival with the representative images of the presiding deities of five main Shiva temples in Puri. These are known as Pancha Pandava, the five brothers of the Mahabharata. Later, the deities are given a ritual bath in a small temple in the middle of the tank, in stone tubes filled with water, sandalwood paste, scents, and flowers.

Puri Rath Yatra 2022: Suna Besha

1)  National Doctor’s Day celebrates on 1st July

•India celebrates National Doctor’s Day on July 1, the birth anniversary of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, an eminent physician, academician, freedom fighter and politician. Doctor’s Day is celebrated globally on different dates. The date changes from country to country. National Doctor’s Day marks the role of doctors who work tirelessly to ensure that patients remain in good health. The day celebrates the efforts taken by the healthcare staff for their hardwork and dedication.

National Doctor’s Day 2022: Theme

•Each year a new theme is given. For 2022, the theme for National Doctor’s Day is “Family Doctors on the Front Line.”

2)  Chartered Accountants Day 2022 observed on 01st July

•The Chartered Accountants’ Day or CA Day is held on 01 July every year in India. It is also known as ICAI Foundation Day. The day is marked to commemorate the foundation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on July 1, 1949. ICAI is among the oldest professional institutions in the country and also the second largest professional accounting and finance body in the world in terms of members.

3)  Karnataka government launched ‘Kashi Yatra’ scheme

•Karnataka government has launched the ‘Kashi Yatra’ scheme. The Kashi Yatra project, which offers a cash assistance of Rs 5,000 to each of the 30,000 pilgrims willing to conduct a pilgrimage to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

•For this scheme, the government will be using funds of up to Rs 7 crores from the accounts head of ‘Assistance to Manasa Sarovara Pilgrims’ which was announced in the chief minister’s budget speech for the financial year. Shashikala Jolle, the Minister for Religious Endowment, Hajj and Wakf, said, any pilgrim taking up the government-sponsored ‘Kashi Yatra’ would get the benefit only once in a life time.

4)  New Delhi: 4th Synergy Conference between Indian Army and DAD

•In New Delhi, there was the fourth Synergy Conference between the Indian Army and the Defense Accounts Department (DAD). Senior commanders of the Indian Army and DAD attended the one-day meeting, which was co-chaired by Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) Lt Gen BS Raju and Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) Shri Rajnish Kumar.

5)  Nitin Gadkari presented National Highway excellent Award 2021

•Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari gave away National Highways Excellence Awards-2021. Awards were given to the stakeholders and companies engaged in the highway construction and maintenance of road assets in New Delhi.

•Excellence Awards were constituted in 2018 & awards were given away in 9 categories including Excellence in Project Management, Excellence in Highway Safety, Excellence in Toll Management, Excellence in Operation and Maintenance, Innovation, Green Highways, Outstanding Work in Challenging Condition, Bridge Construction and Tunnel Construction.

6)  Mumbai, Delhi: Most costly cities in India for foreigners

•According to a survey, Kolkata is the least costly city in Asia, while Mumbai and Delhi are among the top 40 most expensive cities for expats. Mumbai is the most expensive city in India in terms of both living expenses and lodging costs, according to Mercer’s 2022 Cost of Living assessment. Hyderabad is the most expensive Indian city in the ranking, followed by New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The least expensive Indian cities are Pune and Kolkata.

7)  Successful flight testing of high-speed expendable aerial target ABHYAS in Odisha

•The Defence Research and Development Organization’s (DRDO) Abhyas high-speed expendable aerial target (HEAT), which was created as a target for the testing of missile systems, underwent a successful flight testing from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), off the coast of Odisha. The Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a DRDO unit with a Bengaluru location, created Abhyas.

8)  9th Army to Army Staff Talks between India and Australia held in Dehradun

•The ninth Army to Army Staff Talks, which were held in Dehradun, between the Australian and Indian armies were centred on developing a roadmap for improved defence cooperation and joint military exercises. The Indian Military Academy (IMA) was the location of the discussions, where both parties went over the road map for initiatives promoting defence cooperation, according to the Army.

9)  India will have 122 unicorns in 25 cities within next 2-4 years

•According to a report by the Hurun Research Institute titled Hurun India Future Unicorn Index 2022, India is predicted to have 122 new unicorns in the following 2-4 years. The total worth of these potential unicorns is currently 49 billion US dollars. When a startup is valued at $1 billion USD, it is considered to be a Unicorn.

10)  KK Venugopal Re-Appointed Attorney General For Three Months

•Attorney General (A-G), K.K. Venugopal has been re-appointed as the country’s top law officer for a period of three months. Mr. Venugopal, whose current one-year term ends on June 30, agreed to a short tenure following a request from the government. The sources cited above said that he was initially not willing to continue in the Constitutional post due to “personal reasons”.

•In July 2017, Mr. Venugopal, 90, was appointed by the President of India to succeed Mukul Rohatgi as the A-G. The government’s top law officer enjoys a tenure of three years. However, when Mr. Venugopal’s first term as A-G was to end in 2020, he requested the government to give him a one-year tenure keeping in mind his advanced age. Last year too, he was reappointed for one year.

11)  Sandeep Kumar Gupta named as next chairman of GAIL

•Sandeep Kumar Gupta, Director for Finance at Indian Oil Corporation, has been picked to head India’s largest gas utility GAIL (India) Ltd. He will replace Manoj Jain, who is scheduled to retire on August 31. The PESB recommendation will be vetted by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the go-ahead of anti-corruption bodies such as the CVC and CBI.

12)  Ferdinand Marcos Jr. takes oath as Philippine president

•Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr, won the elections on 9th May with 31.6 million votes and was swore as the 17th President of the Philippines. He took the oath at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila before the Supreme Court Justice, Alexander Gesmundo. The former President’s daughter and his running mate, Sara Duterte Carpio, swore as vice president on 19th June. The two will be serving the nation until 2028.

•Marcos Jr. is more popularly known as “Bongbong” in the country and won on the platform of national unity, promising more jobs, lowering prices, and increasing investment in agriculture and infrastructure.

Vision IAS Weekly Focus Sustainable Agriculture Part-I PDF