ANSWER: D

• National Skill Development Corporation, NSDC in partnership with Seva Bharti and Yuva Vikas Society launched the second phase of Grameen Udyami Project to augment skill training in tribal communities for their inclusive and sustainable growth. Under the initiative, the endeavour is to multiskill India’s youth and impart functional skills to them for enabling livelihoods.
• Launching the programme, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said, Central Government’s complete focus is on strengthening sustainable livelihood for tribal population and it has sanctioned a budget of 85 thousand crore rupees exclusively for tribal areas.

About

About Gramin Udyami Project:

• It is a unique multiskilling project.
• It is funded by NSDC.
• Its target is to train 450 tribal students in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.
• The project is being implemented in 6 states: Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
• The training will be provided for the following Job roles:
• Electrician & Solar PV Installation Technician
• Plumbing & Masonry
• 2-Wheeler Repair & Maintenance
• IT/ITES with e-Governance
• Farm Mechanization
• The project is implemented under Sansadiya Parisankul Yojana.

ANSWER: B

• The Central government has awarded Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Mithila Makhana. With this move, growers will get the maximum price for their premium produce. Over five lakh farmers of Mithila region of Bihar will be benefitted from this decision.
• Makhana” is one of the choicest aquatic cash fruit crops of Mithila region of Bihar. In Mithila culture of Bihar, Makhana is known as Makhaan in Maithili. It is an auspicious ingredient in offerings to the God and Goddesses during festivals and is used to show reverence.
• The word “Makhana” comes from the Sanskrit word for grain Mak. Mak is the meaning of sacrifice.
• Geographical area of production of “Mithila Makhana” takes place in 21 out of 38 districts, mostly situated in the North of the Bihar state.
• Its major regions include Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Champaran, Begusarai, Madhubani, Katihar among many others.
• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said, Mithila Makhana registered with GI Tag, farmers will get profit and it will be easier to earn. Due to Geographical Indication Tag to Mithila Makhana in the festive season, people outside Bihar will be able to use this auspicious material with reverence.
• Once a product gets this tag, any person or company cannot sell a similar item under that name. This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.
• The other benefits of GI registration include legal protection to that item, prevention against unauthorised use by others, and promoting exports.

About Geographical Indication (GI)

• It is an insignia on products having a unique geographical origin and evolution over centuries with regard to its special quality or reputed attributes.
• It is a mark of authenticity and ensures that registered authorized users or at least those residing inside the geographic territory are allowed to use the popular product names.
• GI tag in India is governed by Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999.It is issued by the Geographical Indications Registry (Chennai).

ANSWER: D

• Greece has announced that it has exited the European Union’s enhanced surveillance framework. Country’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made this announcement.
• Mitsotakis said, it ends 12 years of pain and allows the country greater freedom in policymaking. EU officials had confirmed yesterday’s exit earlier this month, saying Athens had delivered on the bulk of its commitments.
• Greece was hit with waves of pension cuts, spending constraint, tax increases and bank controls after it was forced to seek its first bailout in 2010. The economy shrank 25 per cent during the bailouts.
• Greek economic developments and policy have been monitored under the framework since 2018, after Athens exited three international bailouts, totaling more than 260 billion euros, from the European Union and the IMF between 2010 and 2015.

ANSWER: C

• The Secretary General of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Tenzin Lekphell will arrive in Delhi on a 4-day official visit.
• The Secretary General is visiting India on the invitation of Saurabh Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs.

ABOUT

• BIMSTEC is a regional multilateral organization comprising 7 Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal.
• It came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
• The seven Member States ae Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.
• It has its secretariat at Dhaka, Bangladesh.

ANSWER: D

• Every year on the 20th of August India observers Akshay Urja Diwas or Renewable Energy Day. Akshay Urja Diwas 2022 or Renewable Energy Day aims to spread awareness about the development and adoption of renewable energy in India.
• Akshay Urja Diwas 2022, marks its importance by promoting and lining up the alarming rate of depletion of Natural resources. This day makes people aware of the use of natural resources like wind energy, solar energy, and hydropower.

HISTORY

• Akshay Urja Diwas was first established in 2004to support renewable energy development programs in India and promote the usage of natural resources. In 2004, the first event was facilitated by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, where he released a stamp with 12000 children forming a human chain to promote the use of green energy sources.

ANSWER: A

• Cmde Sanjay Panda Commanding Officer, INS Mandovi flagged off a sailing expedition from Goa to Port Louis, Mauritius at early hours of 20 Aug 22. The expedition is being undertaken by a crew of six (incl three women officers), onboard INSV Tarini.
• Covering a distance of almost 2500nm (approx 4500 km) one way, the crew, over a period of 20 – 21 days is expected to face extreme weather and rough sea conditions of monsoons.
• In addition to sailing in these conditions the crew will also be undertaking boat upkeep, machinery routines and preparing their meals. The passage would be nonstop once they leave the Indian shores.
• The Indian Navy has six ocean going Indian Naval Sailing Vessels (INSVs) viz Mhadei, Tarini, Bulbul, Hariyal, Kadalpura and Neelkanth in her inventory.

ANSWER: A

• Exemptions specified in a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with regard to the country of origin would prevail in case of a conflict between the revenue department and an importer, the Finance Ministry has said.
• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs said customs field officers should be sensitive to applying CAROTAR and maintain consistency with the provisions of relevant trade agreement or its Rules of Origin.
• Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) or CAROTAR Rules, came into effect from September 21, 2020.
• It empowers officers to seek further information from an importer, consistent with the trade agreement, in case the officer has reasons to believe that the country-of-origin criteria have not been met. Where the importer fails to provide the requisite information, the officer can make further verification consistent with the trade agreement.

About:

• CAROTAR, 2020 set guidelines for enforcement of the ‘rules of origin’ for allowing preferential rate on imports under Free Trade Agreements.
• They supplement the existing operational certification procedures prescribed under different trade agreements.
• They were notified in August, 2020 by the Ministry of Finance.

ANSWER: A

• 17-year-old Haryana wrestler Antim Panghal has become the first Indian woman wrestler to win Gold medal at Under-20 World Wrestling Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria. She scored an 8-0 win over Atlyn Shagayeva of Kazakhstan in 53kg category to achieve this feat.
• This gold medal is historic in its own ways as India has never won any gold medal in women’s wrestling at U20 World Championships. Antim Panghal belongs to Haryana’s Bhagana village in the Hisar district.
• Sonam Malik and Priyanka won silver medals in 62 kg and 65 kg respectively after losing the gold medal bouts.

ANSWER: C

• In Himachal Pradesh, the 10th National Conference of Women Police will begin in Shimla. More than two hundred women police officers and employees across the country are participating in this two-day National conference.
• The conference is being organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) in collaboration with Himachal Police.
• Union Minister of State for Home affairs Nityanand Rai will inaugurate the conference.
• The main objective of this conference is to enhance the leadership potential of women police officers and discuss their problems and challenges. It will also highlight and discuss the new roles and responsibilities of women in terms of changing technology and crime.
• State Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu said, at present the strength of women in the police force in Himachal is 13 percent and the women quota in the police has been increased to 25 percent.

ANSWER: D

• The three-day Pori festival concluded at the Triloknath temple in Lahaul and Spiti.
• The festival was inaugurated by Technical Education Minister Ram Lal Markanda.
• The festival plays an important role in keeping cultural heritage intact.
• The minister added that the Triloknath temple is worshipped by the Hindus and Buddhists in the form of Lord Shiva and Avalokiteshvara.