Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 08 January 2022

SSC CGL Current Affairs

Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 09 January 2022

::NATIONAL::

Election Commission hikes expenditure limit for candidates in elections

The Election Commission of India has enhanced the candidate expenditure limit for Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Constituencies.
The poll body increased the expenditure limit for the LokSabha constituencies to Rs 95 lakh from the earlier threshold of Rs 70 lakh for bigger states and Rs 75 lakh from the earlier Rs 54 lakh for smaller states. Likewise, the expenditure amount has been revised to Rs 40 lakh from earlier Rs 28 lakh for assembly constituencies in bigger states while that in smaller states have been increased to Rs 28 lakh from Rs 20 lakh.
The EC’s statement came after a notification by the law ministry that said the decision to enhance the expenditure limit was taken after consulting the Election Commission.
The poll body said that the new expenditure limits will be applicable in all upcoming polls including the five assembly elections scheduled in the coming months in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. The poll dates for these states are likely to be announced in the coming days.
The last major revision in the election expenditure limit for candidates was carried out in 2014, which was further increased by 10 per cent in 2020 as an interim measure. Simultaneously, the Election Commission formed a committee to study the cost factors and other related issues and make suitable recommendations.
Having regard to demand from political parties to raise existing election expenditure limit for candidates and increase in electors from 2014 to 2021 from 834 million to 936 million (up by 12.23 per cent) and rise in Cost Inflation Index from 2014-15 to 2021-22 from 240 to 317 (up by 32.08 per cent), the committee made its recommendations to enhance the ceiling limit, reported PTI.
The Commission accepted the recommendations and decided to enhance the existing election expenditure limit for candidates. The revised limits have now been notified by the Law Ministry, it said.

::INTERNATIONAL::

Sri Lanka and India jointly sign agreement for strategic redevelopment of World War II-era Trincomalee oil tank complex

India and Sri Lanka have inked a formal agreement to collaboratively redevelop a significant World War II-era oil tank farm in Trincomalee port city of Sri Lanka. The deal signed on January 6 will develop the important Trincomalee Oil Tank Complex, also called the Trinco Oil Tank Farms, citing the Sri Lankan Energy Minister UdayaGammanpila.
Gammanpila further said that the Treasury Secretary for the Sri Lankan Government, the Land Commissioner General, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), the local operators of the Indian Oil Company (LIOC), and the recently created Trinco Petroleum Terminal Ltd, were among the signatories.
After speaking to Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris on Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that he extended his New Year greetings to the Sri Lankan leader. Calling Sri Lanka a reliable friend, the EAM said India will support Sri Lanka in these difficult times.
Jaishankar also stated that trade, as well as business, have grown and strengthened between India and Sri Lanka. He added that there is bilateral collaboration in the domains of development, education, culture, as well as defence. As per the MEA, both nations have a broad awareness of significant international concerns, ANI reported.

::ECONOMY::

Delay by DMRC in award execution costs taxpayers Rs 1.75 cr daily: DAMEPL

The Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Limited (DAMEPL) has told the Delhi High Court that Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is deliberately trying to delay the execution of the over Rs 4,600 crore arbitral award against it, which is costing taxpayers a daily interest of almost Rs 1.75 crore.
The Reliance Infrastructure subsidiary, in an application filed in the ongoing execution proceedings before the high court, stated that DMRC is trying to defeat the process by making a limited disclosure of bank account details only with respect to Rs 1642.69 crores in spite of the order directing it to disclose all its bank account details.
It claimed that DMRC, in an affidavit filed in December, had disclosed total available funds to the tune of Rs 5800.93 crores.
The Decree Holder (DAMEPL) submits that the present application has been necessitated in view of the conduct of the Judgment Debtor (DMRC) of making only partial disclosure of its bank accounts.
"This is only an attempt on part of the Judgment Debtor to delay the process of execution of the decree in favour of the Decree Holder as well as to somehow ensure that the hearing scheduled before this Hon'ble Court on 11 .01.2022 is ineffective, the application filed by DAMEPL said.
On December 22, Justice Suresh Kait had directed DMRC to file an affidavit furnishing the details of its bank accounts along with the balance amount.
The judge had observed that while the attachment of DMRC's properties was not permitted under Section 89 of The Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, there was no such embargo with respect to its bank accounts.
DAMEPL submitted, in the application, that DMRC ought to comply with the high court order in letter and spirit and furnish complete details of all of its bank accounts and the total amount lying to the credit of such accounts along with the respective bank statements.

::SCIENCE AND TECH::

ICMR approves India's first Omicron kit 'Omisure'

In a successful attempt to cut down delays in genome sequencing to detect the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2 (Covid-19), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has approved a made in India ‘Omisure’ test kit.
This RT-PCR test kit has been developed by Tata Medical and Diagnostics to specifically detect the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
Currently, Omicron patients are detected only after genome sequencing. However, the Omisure test kit helps to eliminate this step and detects the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV2 in the nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal specimens during the RT-PCR tests.
TATA MD has fixed the cost of the Omisure test kit at Rs 250 per test, which is cheaper than current test kits available in the market.
However, additional charges by labs for testing may be added as it is not a home-based test.
As per reports, the Omisure test kit is likely to be available on the market for procurement by private or state labs in the next 7 to 10 days, most probably on January 12.

::SPORTS::

Mohammad Arif Khan, who is going for the Winter Olympics, included in the target Olympic podium plan

The Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell has approved the inclusion of Alpine Skiing athlete MdArif Khan in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme Core group, until the Winter Olympics, scheduled this February in Beijing, China.
Khan will take part in the Winter Olympics in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events. He has also been approved an amount of Rs 17.46 Lakh under TOPS towards training in Europe and procurement of equipment, ahead of the grand event in China.