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Current Affairs for IAS Exams - 06 August 2022

::NATIONAL::

With the objective of connecting with the youth of the nation, and to instil a deeper sense of patriotism among them, the Ministry of Culture, has decided to create a youth centric activation for greater outreach of Amrit Mahotsav named ‘Badhe Chalo’.

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It is designed to involve the youth of the country encouraging them to come forward and imbibe the true spirit of our democracy and celebrate 75 years of India’s independence with youthful fervour.
Through this mass movement or ‘Jan Bhagidari’ initiative,the Ministry of Culture also intends to amplify and support the ‘Har GharTiranga’ movement.
This movement has been initiated by the Honourable Prime Minister and Home Minister and it calls upon every Indian to hoist a Tiranga in their homes between August 13th– 15th, 2022.
To connect and to bring the youth and people together from across the country on one platform,Badhe ChalowillfeatureFlash Dances, wheredancers will performon a specially created ‘Youth Anthem’.
Badhe Chalo is being held across 10 cities every day from 5th August to 11th August, 2022. These events will culminate with a Grand Finale on 12th August, 2022at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has askedUniversities and colleges across the country to organise events to mark the ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ on August 14.

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Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that August 14 will be observed as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day across the country to remember the "struggles and sacrifices of our people".
To observe 14th of August as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ to remind the nation of the sufferings and sacrifices of millions of Indians during the partition in 1947 and the need to remove the poison of social divisions, disharmony and further strengthen the spirit of oneness, social harmony and human empowerment.

The pro-choice movement secured a massive victory in the Republican state of Kansas on August 2, as voters overwhelmingly rejected the ‘Value Them Both Amendment’ that would have removed legal protections for abortion from the state’s constitution.

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The ‘Value Them Both Amendment’ states there “is no Kansas constitutional right to abortion or to require the government funding of abortion.”
The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that abortion was guaranteed by the state constitution.
Voting ‘yes’ on the ballot for the amendment would have meant there would be no constitutional right to abortion in the state while voting against would leave the state constitution unchanged, and people in Kansas would continue to have a right to an abortion.

In a massive show of strength, China began its live-fire exercise near Taiwan onAugust 4, launching at least 11 ballistic missiles into the country’s coast, a day after US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan.

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Live-fire exercisesare primarily used by military personnel, in which live ammunition is used to create training conditions that are as close to real combat scenarios as possible.
Live-fire exercises are also used by law enforcement and firefighters as a form of field training, to train them to act calmly in real-life emergency situations in the future.
During live-fire training, soldiers are placed in simulated combat situations and are given the opportunity to use their weapons and equipment (like ships, aircraft, tanks and drones).
Such exercises are invaluable in maintaining combat readiness of troops, the cohesiveness of units, and instilling confidence in their ability to use their weapons and equipment correctly.
It also involves testing the effectiveness of vehicles, weapon platforms and weapons systems (such as intercontinental ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, anti-aircraft weapons), so that any design flaws can be resolved before the weapons are fully operational.

With inflation remaining at ‘elevated levels’, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India unanimously decided to raise the policy repo rate by 50 basis points (bps) to 5.4%.

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The MPC also said it would remain focused on “withdrawal of accommodation” to ensure that inflation remains within the target, while supporting growth.
The RBI retained its inflation and GDP growth projections for the current fiscal year ending in March 2023 at 6.7% and 7.2%, respectively.
Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate stands adjusted to 5.15%; and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate to 5.65%.

Highlights of the RBI’s fourth monetary policy review of fiscal year 2022-23:

Key short-term lending rate (repo) raised by 50 basis points (bps) to 5.4%.
In all, 140 bps hike in repo since May 2022 to check inflation.
GDP growth projection for 2022-23 retained at 7.2%.
GDP growth projection: Q1 at 16.2%; Q2 at 6.2%; Q3 at 4.1%; and Q4 at 4%. Real GDP growth for Q1:2023-24 projected at 6.7%.
Retail inflation projection too retained at 6.7% for 2022-23. Inflation projection: Q2 at 7.1%; Q3 at 6.4%; and Q4 at 5.8%; Q1:2023-24 at 5%.
India witnessed large portfolio outflows of USD 13.3 billion in FY23 up to August 3.

The government has withdrawn the Personal Data Protection Bill from Parliament as it considers a “comprehensive legal framework” to regulate the online space, including bringing separate laws on data privacy, the overall Internet ecosystem, cybersecurity, telecom regulations, and harnessing non-personal data to boost innovation in the country.

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The government has taken this step after nearly four years of the Bill being in the works. It had gone through multiple iterations, including a review by a Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP), and faced major pushback from a range of stakeholders including big tech companies such as Facebook and Google, and privacy and civil society activists.
The tech companies had, in particular, questioned a proposed provision in the Bill called data localisation, under which it would have been mandatory for companies to store a copy of certain sensitive personal data within India, and the export of undefined “critical” personal data from the country would be prohibited.
The activists had criticised, in particular, a provision that allowed the central government and its agencies blanket exemptions from adhering to any and all provisions of the Bill.

The India lawn bowls team bagged a historic gold medal at the Commonwealth Games on 2nd August, a day after getting the country hooked to the rarely-followed game with their inspiring show.

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The Indian quartet of Lovely Choubey (lead), Pinki (second), NayanmoniSaikia (third) and Rupa Rani Tirkey (slip) beat South Africa 17-10 in the women's fours final.
It was India's maiden final appearance in the women's fours format of the competition.