Daily GK Update: 15th June 2022

 National Affairs

1. India's first private train service under Bharat Gaurav Scheme flagged off

• The 1st train operated by a private operator between Coimbatore and Shirdi under the Indian Railways' 'Bharat Gaurav' scheme was flagged off.
• Indian Railways had launched the operation of the theme-based Bharat Gaurav train in the month of November 2021. 
• Aim: to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world.  
• South Star Rail is the registered service provider that operates this Bharat Gaurav train.

 National & International Appointments

2. B S Patil sworn in as Karnataka Lokayukta

• Former Karnataka High Court judge  Bhimanagouda Sanganagouda Patil was sworn in as the Lokayukta of Karnataka.
• Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office to Justice Patil. 
• The post of the head of the anti-corruption ombudsman in Karnataka was vacant after the end of the tenure of Justice P. Vishwanath Shetty in January 2022, served in the post for five years.
• He, was elevated to the post of Lokayukta on June 14.

 Important Dates

3. World Wind Day 2022: 15th June

• World Wind Day, also known as Global Wind Day, is observed on the 15th of June every year.
• The day is celebrated to realize, address, and execute wind energy and its possibilities for the future.
• Wind Europe (Brussels) initiated the Global Wind Day in 2007.
• Global Wind Day 2022 is based on the theme is celebrate to enjoy the benefits of Wind energy and providing education to individuals about the power and potential of wind energy to change the world.

 Important Dates

4. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022: 15th June

• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed on June 15 every year to raise awareness about abuse and neglect of older persons.
• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day came into existence in June 2006. 
• In the year 2011, the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• This year theme of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2022 is “Combatting Elder Abuse”.

 National Affairs

5. Kerala tops in National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment 2021

• Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh released the NeSDA 2021 Report which provides suggestions for governments to further enhance their e-Governance service delivery systems.
• Kerala had the highest overall compliance score amongst all the States and UTs.
• Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan are the leading states with compliance of more than 75 percent across all parameters for their Services Portals.
• Jammu and Kashmir scored the highest amongst all UTs for six sectors

 Banking & Finance

6. TotalEnergies SE and Adani Group agreed to invest $50 bn in Green Hydrogen

• France’s TotalEnergies SE and Adani Group have agreed to invest $50 billion over the next 10 years in India to produce green hydrogen.
• As part of the plan, TotalEnergies will buy 25% in a new clean energy company, Adani New Industries Ltd, a unit of Adani Enterprises Ltd, to jointly build the world’s biggest green hydrogen ecosystem.
• In the initial phase, Adani New Industries will develop a green hydrogen production capacity of 1 million tonnes per annum by 2030.

 National Affairs

7. Mumbai Airport launches first-of-its-kind VAWT & Solar PV System

• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai has become India’s 1st airport to launch a one-of-its-kind Vertical Axis Wind Turbine & Solar PV hybrid (Solar Mill) to explore the possibility of utilization of wind energy at the airport. 
  
• WindStream Energy Technologies India Pvt Ltd has developed this technology.
• The energy generated through this technology can be customized on a need-specific basis.

 Banking & Finance

8. CASHe launches instant credit line on WhatsApp

• Financial wellness platform CASHe has launched an industry-first credit line service using its AI-powered chat capability on WhatsApp.
• Aim: to provide customers with a fast, seamless and convenient way to access instant credit line by merely typing their name. 
• The firm offers an instant credit limit without the need for any documents, app downloads or filling up tedious application forms.
• CASHe’s WhatsApp chat service is built on the WhatsApp Business Platform.

 Summits & Conferences

9. First National Conference of Chief Secretaries begins today in Himachal

• A 3-day National Conference of Chief Secretaries is being organized in Dharamsala, HP.  
• It will deliberate to further strengthen the partnership between the Central and State Governments.
• PM Narendra Modi will chair over 1st National Conference.
• Three themes of the Conference: (i) Implementation of the National Education Policy; (ii) Urban governance; and (iii) Crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds, pulses and other agri-commodities.

 Banking & Finance

10. Retail inflation eases to 7.04% in May from 7.79% in April

• Retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index eased to 7.04 percent in May from 7.79 per cent in April this year. 
• As per the MoSPI data released, inflation slipped mainly due to easing prices in ‘Food & Beverages’ and ‘Fuel & light’ sections.
• As the Food and Beverages have a weightage of more than 54% in CPI, the dip in food prices contributed the most to the ease in inflation.
• Rural inflation lowered to 7.01% in May as compared to 8.38% in April. 

 National Affairs

11. India Moves Up 6 Places To 37th In World Competitive Index

• India has witnessed the sharpest rise among the Asian economies, with a six-position jump from 43rd to 37th rank on the annual World Competitiveness Index 2022.
• The Index has been compiled by the Institute for Management Development. 
• Denmark has moved to the top of the 63-nation list from the third position last year, while Switzerland slipped from the top ranking to the second position and Singapore regained the third spot from the fifth.

 Summits & Conferences

12. APEDA organizes 8-day-long mango festival in Bahrain

• In a major boost to the export of mangoes, APEDA launched an eight-day-long Mango Festival in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
• At the show, 34 varieties of mangoes from eastern states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, are being displayed at eight different locations of Bahrain's Al Jazira group supermarket.
• The mango show in Bahrain is part of APEDA’s new initiatives to explore international markets for Indian mangoes under the ‘Mango Festival 2022’.

 National Affairs

13. Cabinet approves Development of New Greenfield Airport Dholera, Ahmedabad

• The CCEA chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for the development of Phase I of New Greenfield Airport at Dholera, Gujarat. 
• The estimated cost of the project is Rs. 1305 crore and to be completed within 48 months. 
• The project is being implemented by DIACL, a JVC of AAI, Govt of Gujarat and National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust. 
• Dholera Greenfield Airport is situated at an aerial distance of 80 Km from Ahmedabad, Airport.