Daily GK Update: 18th June 2022

National & International Organizations

India ranked third in the REN21 Renewables 2022 Global Status Report (GSR 2022) globally
India’s total renewable power capacity additions in 2021 was 15.4 GW
Top performer of the report: China (136 GW) and US (43 GW)
India installed 843 MW of hydropower capacity in 2021, brings the overall capacity to 45.3 GW,
India was the 2nd-largest market for new solar PV capacity in Asia and for the first time, it surpassed Germany (59.2 GW) in total installations (60.4 GW).

National & International Appointments

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (72-years) has been appointed as the Chairperson of Press Council of India
She succeeded former Supreme Court judge Justice CK Prasad, who held the office from 2014 to 2022.
She became the first women chairperson of Press Council of India
She was a judge of the Supreme Court from 2011 to 2014
She also headed the Delimitation Commission on J&K
PCI: statutory regulatory watchdog of the press, founded in 1966

National Affairs

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated National Yoga Olympiad 2022 and quiz competition in New Delhi.
It is being organized jointly by Ministry of Education and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)
The Olympiad will be participated by about 600 students from 26 states and UTs and Demonstration Multipurpose Schools of Regional Institutions of Education
This year’s theme: Yoga For Humanity.

Agreement

India and European will be re-launching negotiations for India-EU Free Trade Agreement, after a gap of 9 years
Negotiations for an Investment Protection Agreement and GI Agreement has also been launched at a joint event at the EU headquarters in Brussels.
Among the most significant FTAs for India as the EU is its 2nd largest trading partner,
India-EU merchandise trade registered an all-time high value of 116.36 Billion dollars in 2021-22 with a year-on growth of 43.5%

Sports

Indian women's hockey team has won FIH Women's Hockey Pro-League Tournament after defeating Argentina by four-goal to three.
In stipulated time both the teams scored three goals, but in the shoot-out, India strike two to one.
First match of the tournament was played at Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Indian team is currently placed at the third position in the points table with 22 points in 10 games
Argentina team is at the top with 38 points in 14 matches.

Sports

Indian para-powerlifters Manpreet Kaur and Parmjeet Kumar have won bronze medals in World Para-powerlifting 2022 Asia Oceania Open Championships at Pyeongtaek in South Korea
Manpreet Kaur (women’s category) won bronze medal in the 41 kg category and had the best lift of 88 kg and the total lift of 173 kg.
Parmjeet Kumar (men’s category) also won the bronze medal in 49 kg category and lifted 160 and 163 kilograms in two rounds which were his lifetime best lifts.

National Affairs

Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to reserve 10% vacancies for recruitment in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Assam Rifles for Agniveers under Agnipath scheme
Ministry has also decided to give 3 years age relaxation beyond the prescribed upper age limit to Agniveers
Age relaxation will be for 5 years beyond for the first batch of agniveer
The scheme will not only empower, discipline & skill youth with military ethos in civil society

Agreement

India and Bangladesh will hold first physical Joint Consultative Commission Meeting in New Delhi
JCC meet will be co-chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Bangladesh counterpart A. K. Abdul Momen.
It will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including cooperation in the wake of COVID-19, border management and security, trade and investment, connectivity, energy, water resources, development partnership and regional-multilateral issues.

Science & Technology

China has launched its third aircraft carrier named 'Fujian', which is the most advanced as well as the first fully domestically built naval vessel of China
Its launching ceremony was held at the Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard.
Fujian is the name of eastern coastal province of Fujian, China
China's first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, is so far the only Chinese aircraft carrier with the initial operational capability or the basic level of combat readiness.

Banking & Finance

RBI increase the number of digital payment transactions by more than 3X by 2025 and to curb volume of cheque-based payments to less than 0.25% of total retail payments
Core theme of vision documents: E-Payments for Everyone, Everywhere, Everytime (4Es)
It covers 47 specific initiatives and 10 expected outcomes
It provide users with safe, secure, fast, convenient, accessible, and affordable e-payment options
It also envisages annualized growth of 50% for UPI payments

Banking & Finance

Equitas Small Finance Bank has announced to launch an exclusive savings account for kids named as ‘ENJOI’.
Aim: Introducing young kids to the financial world and encourage them to develop the saving habit early.
It will allow kids of 0-18 years to open savings accounts under the supervision of their parents.
It will be launched on June 19 to coincide with Father’s Day.
Headquarters of Equitas Small Finance Bank: Chennai.