Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
Pakistan’s Cabinet endorsed the country’s first-ever National Security Policy (NSP), which emphasised that economic progress should be at the center of national security.
The Cabinet has adopted the document which was approved by the high-powered National Security Committee (NSC). The Policy is a five-year policy document covering the period 2022-26.

Notes:
Telangana became the country’s first large state to record 100 per cent first-dose vaccinations. The state has vaccinated 2.77 crore citizens with the first dose, as per the Central government’s estimated adult population target.
The state is ahead of the national average by 9 per cent in terms of the first dose and ahead of the national average by 3 per cent in second dose.

Notes:
China is the world’s top producer of rare earth material. Recently, the country has 3 state-owned rare earth mining companies to form a new entity named ‘China Rare Earths Group’.
China has been strengthening its supply chain of rare earth materials. Rare earth is a combination of 17 minerals used as vital ingredients in the production of consumer electronics as well as military equipment.

Notes:
The Appointments Committee of Union Cabinet has approved the appointment of  Vinay Kumar Tripathi as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Railway Board.
Presently, he is serving as the General Manager, North Eastern Railway. He is an 1983 batch Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers (IRSEE).

Notes:
Jammu and Kashmir is set to become the first Union Territory to have a district-level Good Governance Index.
The Department of administrative reforms and public grievances will carry out this task in association with the Jammu and Kashmir government. The framework will have 58 indicators to assess different aspects of development and district administration such as agriculture, commerce and industry, public safety, public health among others.

Notes:
The Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) awards the “Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration” since 2006.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh has recently launched the Web Portal for PM’s Excellence Award, whose registrations began. The prize money was doubled this year from 10 lakh rupees to 20 lakh rupees. The Scheme was restructured in 2020, to recognize the performance of District Collectors towards economic development of the District.

Notes:
Ladakh is celebrating, Losar, the traditional new year. Losar festival is being celebrated by Buddhist Community in the region.
The festival began with the celebration of Birth and Nirvana Anniversary Je Tsongkhapa. People celebrated the festival at religious places like Monasteries, Stupas and other places. The festival is celebrated in Tibetan Buddhism in the month of February or March.

Notes:
The YSR Rythu Bharosa – PM Kisan Samman scheme provides eligible farmers with financial assistance of Rs.13500 per acre in three annual instalments.
For the third consecutive year, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy released the third tranche of the YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan scheme. Rs.7500 is deposited in May for  Kharif crops, Rs.4000 is deposited in October for Rabi crops, and Rs.2000 is deposited for Sankranti.

Notes:
Puducherry Union Territory government is making arrangements to host the 25th National Youth Festival on January 12.
The Day marks the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Over 7,000 youth from across the country will take part in the events, held in association with the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Minister also unveiled the festival logo and mascot, “Saksham Yuva-Shashakt Yuva”.

Notes:
REACH is the acronym for the ‘Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals’. The regulation was agreed by all EU member states in 2020.
It introduced ban on 4,000 chemicals including isopropanol alcohol used in colouring inks, that may cause cancer or other health issues. The European Chemical Agency helped to draft the new legislation.