ANSWER: A

• State-run Coffee Board is planning to focus on developing new varieties that will be resistant to the changing climatic patterns.
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Coffee Board and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was signed with regard to breeding climate-resilient varieties and assessing the carbon sequestration potential in coffee among others.
• The Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI) in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka conducts plant-related research activities under the Board in the areas of plant breeding, agronomy, agriculture chemistry and soil science, plant physiology, pathology, entomology, and post-harvest technology, among others.
• In recent years, coffee growers in the country have borne the brunt of changing climatic patterns. The number of extreme weather events affecting growers, such as excessive rain in a short period or deficit rainfall, is increasing.

ANSWER: D

• Nokia has partnered with the Indian Institute of Science to set up the Nokia Center of Excellence in networked robotics at IISc Bengaluru.
• The Center of Excellence (CoE) will promote inter-disciplinary research involving robotics and advanced communication technologies in 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• It will also develop use cases across industrial automation, agriculture and disaster management.

About the center:

• The center will facilitate engagement and cooperation between academia, start-ups and industry ecosystem partners to research and develop these use cases.
• The research projects undertaken by the CoE will include the design of advanced robotics, AI and automation solutions built upon next-generation telecom networks and their applications for solving societally relevant problems.
• Nokia has been present in India since the last 22 years and deployed all technologies that have been used for mobile communication starting from 2G in 2000, 3G in 2011, 4G in 2012 and gearing up for commercial 5G.

ANSWER: A

• The proposal to set up the Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Park, under the PM-MITRA scheme, near the Mattewara forest and on the river Sutlej floodplains, was red-flagged by locals, environmentalists, and Opposition parties on the ground that it will disturb the biodiversity of the protected forest and even lead to chemical discharge from factories into the river.
• Apart from cutting trees this project would have also led to massive pollution in the river water thereby jeopardising human life along with flora and fauna in the region.

ANSWER: A

• The Japanese government has decided to award with the country’s highest order posthumously.
• Abe will receive the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum.
• The longest-serving PM of Japan will be the fourth former prime minister to receive the decoration under the postwar Constitution.

ANSWER: C

• A report released by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has stated that about 50,000 wild species globally can meet the needs of billions of people.

KEY POINTS

• The IPBES assessment of the sustainable use of wild species aims to address challenges faced by policymakers and will be completed in 2022.
• Wild species provide half of the world’s seafood, a significant proportion of timber and energy, and remain a major source of protein, fiber and medicines for many communities in both developing and developed countries.
• Policies and decisions relating to the use of wild species will have consequences for people who depend on these species and affect progress towards the SDGs.

ANSWER: C

• In order to promote growth of global trade with emphasis on exports from India and to support the increasing interest of global trading community in INR, it has been decided to put in place an additional arrangement for invoicing, payment, and settlement of exports / imports in INR. Before putting in place this mechanism, Authorised Dealer (AD) banks shall require prior approval from the Foreign Exchange Department of Reserve Bank of India.
• Forex dealers say the Rupee Payment Mechanism could be used by Indian exporters/importers for their trade with countries such as Russia, Iran and Sri Lanka.

The broad framework for cross border trade transactions in INR under Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) is as delineated below:

• Invoicing: All exports and imports under this arrangement may be denominated and invoiced in Rupee (INR).
• Exchange Rate: Exchange rate between the currencies of the two trading partner countries may be market determined.
• Settlement: The settlement of trade transactions under this arrangement shall take place in INR in accordance with the procedure laid down in Para 3 of this circular.
• In terms of Regulation 7(1) of Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016, AD banks in India have been permitted to open Rupee Vostro Accounts.

The balance in Special Vostro Accounts can be used for:

• Payments for projects and investments.
• Export/Import advance flow management
• Investment in Government Treasury Bills, Government securities, etc. in terms of extant guidelines and prescribed limits, subject to FEMA and similar statutory provision

ANSWER: C

• The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, which for the last two years was held virtually, is set for a comeback. The festival will take place in Melbourne from August 12-20.
• The line-up this year is more diverse than ever before with over 100 films in 23 languages having been selected for the festival. The Movie 83, directed by Kabir Khan, will be celebrated at IFFM and the festival has invited legendary cricketer Kapil Dev to be the guest of honour.

ANSWER: A

• Ahmedabad based Zydus Lifesciences launched top anti-diabetic drug molecule Sitagliptin in India under the brand names Sitaglyn and Siglyn to address Type 2 diabetes.
• Sitaglyn and Siglyn will add on to a comprehensive solution for the management of Type 2 diabetes by providing access to quality care to the patients at an affordable cost, approximately 60 pc less than the originator.
• Ahmedabad based Zydus Lifesciences on Friday launched top anti-diabetic drug molecule Sitagliptin in India under the brand names Sitaglyn and Siglyn to address Type 2 diabetes.
• Sitaglyn and Siglyn will add on to a comprehensive solution for the management of Type 2 diabetes by providing access to quality care to the patients at an affordable cost, approximately 60 pc less than the originator.
• The launch of the generic version has become possible after US pharma major Merck drug’s Sitagliptin, previously marketed under the brand Januvia, fell off patent.
• More Indian pharma companies are expected to announce generic versions now. While the original drug regime cost around Rs 450 a day treatment, the new will cost less than Rs 18 a day, iSitaglyn and Siglyn offer an oral solution to the patients providing ease of convenience and better compliance. Sitagliptin is the gold standard drug with over 62 pc market share in the global market.
• With more than 77 million active patients, India is the diabetes capital of the world after China.
• The drug will help patients achieve their treatment goals reducing the disease burden and providing better patient-care and quality of life.”
• India’s oral anti-diabetic market is worth Rs 125 billion.

TYPES OF DIABETES 

• In Type 1 diabetes (previously called juvenile diabetes) the body’s immune system mistakenly targets its pancreatic tissues, interrupting insulin production and leading to high blood sugar. It is not caused due to lifestyle issues and does not go away on its own. It requires lifelong management.
• In Type 2 (the most common form of diabetes), the body’s cells are unable to use insulin properly leading to high blood sugar and diabetes. This is caused by factors including genetics and lifestyle and is easier to manage with lifestyle changes.

ANSWER: C

• The self-help groups (SHGs) of urban women in the state have recorded the highest online sale of their products on Amazon and Flipkart among SHGs across the country over the last one year.
• SHGs have done business worth Rs 4.40 lakh, the highest among SHGs across the country.
• As per the report of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the second spot was bagged by SHGs from Kerala that did business worth Rs 1.98 lakh in the same time frame.
• The Department of Urban Development made these products available on e-commerce portals to provide these SHGs a bigger and regular market.
• The department organises exhibitions, fairs and special haats to help these SHGs sell their products.
• Sold under the brand name of ‘SonChiraiya’, the most sought-after products on e-commerce portals are Kullu caps, Kullu shawls, Kullu socks, Chamba sandals, Chamba plates, etc.
• According to State Mission Manager, National Urban Livelihood Mission., The products made by the Kullu and Chamba SHGs are the most sought after at the moment.

ANSWER: B

• Various organisations took out a march at Nahan opposing the ST status to residents of the trans-Giri area of Sirmaur district as the area has 40 per cent SC population.
• Various organisations, including the SC Adhikar Sarankshan Samiti, the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Morcha, the Bhim Army, the Vishvkarma Sabha, the Yuva Koli Samaj, the Akhil Bhartiya Koli Samaj and the Balmiki Sabha got together against the move.
• They gave a memorandum through the DC, Sirmaur, to the Prime Minister.
• Various speakers highlighted that the Registrar General of India’s 2017 report had stated that there was no tribe named Hattee and it could not be granted constitutional status under Section 342(2)
• The speakers also claimed that there was no social community named as Hattee.
• They said the declaration of the Hattee community as ST would render the Prevention of SC ST Atrocities Act, 1989, defunct and this would further increase the acts of atrocities against this community.
• As many as 122 cases of atrocities have been registered in Sirmaur district from 2015 to 2022 and 106 pertained to the trans-Giri area.
• They feared that if all castes were declared Hattee ST, it would deprive them of reservation in panchayati raj institutions.
• They gave the example of Kinnaur where the posts of pradhan were reserved for ST while OBC and SC communities were deprived of this benefit as per the 2020 reservation roster.
• They claimed that the survey report of the Registrar General had failed to take into account the 40 per cent SC population.