Table of Contents
Important Days
World Paper Bag Day 2022 observed on 12th July
Every year, World Paper Bag Day is observed on July 12 to raise awareness of the importance of using paper bags instead of plastic bags.
This day is dedicated to spreading awareness of the ill effects of plastic and how detrimental they are to our environment.
Paper bags can easily be used to replace one-time-use plastic bags which are non-biodegradable or, in other words, take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills.
The theme for Paper Bag Day this year is, “If You’re ‘fantastic’, Do Something ‘dramatic’ To Cut The ‘Plastic’, Use ‘Paper Bags’.”
National
PM inaugurated Deoghar Airport and several other development projects
Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated and set the cornerstone for a number of construction projects totaling more than 16,800 crores of rupees in Deoghar.
At a public event held on the grounds of Deoghar College, the prime minister declared that the government is funding religious institutions in order to preserve our culture and faith for future generations.
The inauguration of flights to Ranchi, Delhi, and Patna, as well as the trip from Deoghar to Kolkata, made the prime minister happy. He revealed that work was ongoing on the airports in Bokaro and Dumka.
India’s 1st elevated urban expressway “Dwarka” to be operational by 2023
The Dwarka Expressway, which is being developed as the first elevated urban expressway in India, will be operational in 2023, said Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.
Dwarka Expressway will reduce pressure on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway (part of the Delhi-Jaipur-Ahmedabad-Mumbai arm of the Golden Quadrilateral) and arterial roads that experience severe traffic congestion, primarily from the commuters of West Delhi.
It will be a 16-lane access-controlled highway with the provision of a minimum three-lane service road on both sides.
I&B Ministry unveils New Logo of Prasar Bharati on its Silver Jubilee
India’s public broadcaster Prasar Bharati unveiled its new logo on July 11, 2022, in its silver jubilee year.
The new logo was released by the secretary of I&B Apurva Chandra, secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) in the presence of Mayank Kumar Agrawal, CEO, Prasar Bharati, DPS Negi, Member (Finance), Prasar Bharati, and officers of Ministry of I&B and Prasar Bharati.
The elements in the central circle and map of India signify the service of trust, security, and perfection to the Nation, its color, ‘Dark Moderate Blue’ represents both the sky and the sea and is associated with open spaces, freedom, intuition, imagination, inspiration, and sensitivity, the broadcaster said in an official statement.
Useful Notes for all competitive exams:
- Prasar Bharati CEO: Shashi Shekhar Vempati (2017–);
- Prasar Bharati Founded: 23 November 1997;
- Prasar Bharati Headquarters: New Delhi.
NIFT, Panchkula was officially inaugurated by Union Minister Piyush Goyal
The 17th campus of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Panchkula was officially opened by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who referred to it as the “fulcrum of development of the textile sector in the state.”
According to Khattar, 20% of seats at this institute will be earmarked for people from Haryana in accordance with NIFT rules. He said that this campus’ foundation stone was set on December 29, 2016, by Smriti Irani, who was the Union Textiles Minister at the time.
Delhi Lt Gov launches scheme to reward RWAs for property tax compliance
Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena has announced significant changes in the property tax policy of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after its unification.
The L-G also launched a SAH-BHAGITA scheme to increase the involvement of the Residential Welfare Association (RWAs) in optimal tax collection and waste management systems. The RWAs will be incentivized for their efforts to improve efficiency and compliance in tax collection.
The RWAs, on achieving 90% tax collection from the total number of properties in their societies, can recommend development work to the tune of 10% of the tax collection subject to a ceiling of Rs 1 lakh in their areas.
AAI Leh Airport is being built as the nation’s first carbon-neutral airport
The Airports Authority of India, Leh airport is being built as a carbon-neutral airport, a first in India. A “Geothermal system” in hybridization with Solar PV Plant will be provided in the New airport Terminal Building for heating and cooling purposes.
This system works by exchanging heat between the air and the ground as its heat pumps are used for space heating and cooling, as well as water heating.
The main feature of this process is that naturally existing heat is concentrated and used. It is estimated that 900 tons of carbon emissions per year will be reduced after adopting the Geothermal system at the Leh Airport Terminal Building project.
Useful Notes for all competitive exams:
- Airports Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi;
- Airports Authority of India Founded: 1 April 1995;
- Airports Authority of India Chairman: Sanjeev Kumar.
Appointments
Sanjai Kumar recommended for the post of CMD, Raitel
The public enterprise’s selection board (PESB) has selected Sanjai Kumar for the post of Chairman & Managing Director, RailTel Corporation of India Ltd (RCIL).
Currently, he is serving as Director (Network Planning & Marketing) and (Project, Operations & Maintenance – Additional Charge) in Railtel.
Kumar holds a bachelor’s degree in technology in electronic and telecommunication engineering from the University of Allahabad and a post-graduate diploma in management from Management Development Institute, Gurgaon.
Pratik Pota hired by Advent International to head Eureka Forbes
Pratik Pota was appointed by PE firm Advent International to run Eureka Forbes, one of its portfolio companies. Pratik will join Eureka Forbes as Managing Director & CEO.
Pratik will guide the management group is continuing to grow the company and produce cutting-edge goods. Pratik will start at Eureka Forbes on August 16.
The CEO of Jubilant Foodworks Ltd. was Pratik. The JFL expanded into new areas under his direction, including Turkey and Bangladesh.
Over the course of his more than 30-year career, Pratik has held executive positions with PepsiCo, Airtel, and Hindustan Unilever Ltd. before JFL.
Useful Notes for all competitive exams:
- Managing Director of Advent: Sahil Dalal
Economy
India’s retail inflation at 7.01% in June
Retail inflation, based on the consumer price index (CPI), eased to 7.01 percent in June this year compared to 7.04 percent in the preceding month.
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said inflation eased marginally mainly due to easing prices in the “Food & Beverages” section.
Month-wise list of consumer price index:
| 2022 | CPI |
| January | 6.01% |
| February | 6.04% |
| March | 6.95% |
| April | 7.79% |
| May | 7.04% |
| June | 7.01% |
On October 1st, this year, Paper Import Monitoring System to go into Action
The Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) was established by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) by changing the import policy for major paper products from “free” to “free subject to mandatory registration under PIMS.”
According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the new rule will take effect on October 1, 2022. However, the ministry announced in a statement that the online registration option will be available as of July 15, 2022.
Science and Technology
1st Webb Telescope image reveals earliest galaxies formed after Big Bang
US President Joe Biden has released one of the James Webb Space Telescope’s first images in a preview event at the White House in Washington.
This first image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe to date.
Known as Webb’s First Deep Field, this image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 is overflowing with detail. Thousands of galaxies including the faintest objects ever observed in the infrared have appeared in Webb’s view for the first time.
Sports
Jonny Bairstow & Marizanne Kapp named ICC Players of the Month for June
International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the ICC Player of the Month awards for June 2022.
England’s in-form batter Jonny Bairstow bagged the Men’s Player of the Month title while South Africa’s power-hitting batter Marizanne Kapp was awarded Women’s Player of the Month.
Useful Notes for all competitive exams:
- ICC Founded: 15 June 1909;
- ICC Chairman: Greg Barclay;
- ICC CEO: Geoff Allardice;
- ICC Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Indian women’s cricket team for upcoming Commonwealth Games announced
The Indian women’s cricket team has been announced by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, which will take place in Birmingham from July 28 through August 8.
The 15-person team will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur. The team included Sneh Rana, Harleen Deol, and Taniya Bhatiya as the wicket-keeper. Yastika Bhatia will be the team’s top pick for a wicketkeeper.
Awards
Japan’s ‘Order of the Rising Sun’ award conferred to Narayanan Kumar
The government of Japan has conferred the ‘Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star’ award on Sanmar Group Vice Chairman Narayanan Kumar in recognition of his contribution toward strengthening economic relations between Japan and India. Kumar was honored by the Consul General of Japan in Chennai, Taga Masayuki.
Masayuki lauded Kumar’s dedicated efforts in promoting friendship, goodwill, and mutual understanding between Japan and India.
Kumar also heads the Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He had served the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as its president and was among the ‘Spring 2022 Imperial Decorations recipients’.
Obituary
British composer Monty Norman, known for James Bond theme, passes away
Monty Norman, a British composer who wrote the theme tune for the James Bond films, died at the age of 94. He was hired by producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli to compose a theme for the first James Bond film, “Dr. No,” released in 1962.
Born Monty Noserovitch to Jewish parents in the East End of London in 1928, Norman got his first guitar when he was 16.
Former New Zealand cricket captain Barry Sinclair passes away
Former New Zealand cricket captain and batter Barry Sinclair died at the age of 85. The former skipper was the third Kiwi batter after Bert Sutcliffe and John R Reid to score 1,000 runs in Test cricket.
Sinclair played 21 Tests for New Zealand between 1963 and 1968, scoring 1148 runs at 29.43, including three centuries – against South Africa, Pakistan, and England.