Current Affairs for Competitive Exam by Gkseries –2 July 2022
Current Affairs is the most important area in all competitive exams. But the difficulty level is very high. That’s why; many aspirants get confused, how to select Current Affairs for Preparation of Competitive Examination? In this Post, Daily Current Affairs 2 July 2022, we have tried to cover each and every point and also included all important facts from National/ International news that are useful for upcoming competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, State Govt. etc.
Current Affairs for Competitive Exam – 2 July 2022
40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India 2022
40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India 2022
India has 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Dholavira and Ramappa Temple are the most recent additions to the ‘Cultural’ category. Ramappa Temple in Telangana and Dholavira in Gujarat, both of which will be UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2021. This decision was made during the 44th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which was held in China. The total number of World Heritage Sites will rise from 38 to 40 in 2021.
What is UNESCO World Heritage Site?
UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This is exemplified by the Convention regarding the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, accepted by UNESCO in 1972.
Criteria for UNESCO World Heritage Sites:
1. Human creative genius.
2. Interchange of values.
3. Testimony to cultural tradition.
4. Significance in human history.
5. Traditional human settlement.
6. Heritage associated with events of universal significance.
7. Natural phenomena or beauty.
8. Major stages of Earth’s history.
9. Significant ecological and biological processes.
10. The significant natural habitat for biodiversity.
List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:
| S.No | Name of Sites | Year | Location |
| 1 | Ajanta Caves | 1983 | Maharashtra |
| 2 | Ellora Caves | 1983 | Maharashtra |
| 3 | Agra Fort | 1983 | Agra |
| 4 | Taj Mahal | 1983 | Agra |
| 5 | Sun Temple | 1984 | Orissa |
| 6 | Mahabalipuram Monuments | 1984 | Tamil Nadu |
| 7 | Kaziranga National Park | 1985 | Assam |
| 8 | Keoladeo National Park | 1985 | Rajasthan |
| 9 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | 1985 | Assam |
| 10 | Churches and Convents of Goa | 1986 | Goa |
| 11 | Monuments of Khajuraho | 1986 | Madhya Pradesh |
| 12 | Monuments of Hampi | 1986 | Karnataka |
| 13 | Fatehpur Sikri | 1986 | Agra |
| 14 | Elephanta Caves | 1987 | Maharashtra |
| 15 | Great Living Chola Temples | 1987 | Tamil Nadu |
| 16 | Pattadakal Monuments | 1987 | Karnataka |
| 17 | Sundarbans National Park | 1987 | West Bengal |
| 18 | Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers National Park | 1988 | Uttarakhand |
| 19 | Monuments of Buddha | 1989 | Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh |
| 20 | Humayun’s Tomb | 1993 | Delhi |
| 21 | Qutub Minar and its Monuments | 1993 | Delhi |
| 22 | Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla & Nilgiri | 1999 | Darjeeling |
| 23 | Mahabodhi Temple | 2002 | Bihar |
| 24 | Bhimbetka Rock Shelters | 2003 | Madhya Pradesh |
| 25 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus | 2004 | Maharashtra |
| 26 | ChampanerPavagadh Archaeological Park | 2004 | Gujarat |
| 27 | Red Fort | 2007 | Delhi |
| 28 | Jantar Mantar | 2010 | Delhi |
| 29 | Western Ghats | 2012 | Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra |
| 30 | Hill Forts | 2013 | Rajasthan |
| 31 | Rani Ki Vav (The Queen’s Stepwell) | 2014 | Gujarat |
| 32 | Great Himalayan National Park | 2014 | Himachal Pradesh |
| 33 | Nalanda | 2016 | Bihar |
| 34 | Khangchendzonga National Park | 2016 | Sikkim |
| 35 | Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex) | 2016 | Chandigarh |
| 36 | The Historic City | 2017 | Ahmedabad |
| 37 | Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles | 2018 | Mumbai |
| 38 | The Pink City | 2019 | Jaipur |
| 39 | Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple | 2021 | Telangana |
| 40 | Dholavira | 2021 | Gujarat |
Key points about UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:
1. Ajanta Caves
- Famous for Buddhist Rock-cut Cave Monuments. It is richly decorated with Paintings and Frescoes like Sigiriya Paintings.
2. Ellora Caves
- Jain and Hindu Temples and Monasteries. These caves were excavated out of Hills, and it is a rock-cut Architecture.
3. Agra Fort
- This is one of the most prominent monumental structures by the Mughal empire.
4. Taj Mahal
- This is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. King Shahjahan had built this structure in the memory of his third wife Begum Mumtaz Mahal.
5. Sun Temple
- This temple is famous for the traditional style of Kalinga Architecture.
6. Mahabalipuram Monuments
- This monument is famous for the Mahabalipuram Largest. Open Air Rock Relief, Mandapas, Chariot Temples, It is a Pallava Dynasty Architecture.
7. Kaziranga National Park
- Famous for Worlds 2/3rd population of Great One-Horned Rhinoceroses. It has the highest density of Tigers in the World, Wild Water Buffalo, Elephants, Swamp Deer, and the park is also recognized as the Important Bird Area.
8. Keoladeo National Park
- This National Park is popular for Man-Made Wetland Bird Sanctuary, Hotspot for Ornithologists, and Siberian Cranes.
9. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
- This sanctuary is famous for Project Tiger Reserve, Biosphere Reserve and Elephant Reserve
10. Churches and Convents of Goa
- It is famous for Rome of the Orient, First Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque Art Forms in Asia, First Latin Rite Mass in Asia.
11. Monuments of Khajuraho
- This monument is popular for a group of Jain and Hindu Temples. It is situated 175 km southeast of Jhansi. Well known for their Nagara style symbolism and erotic Figures and sculptures.
12. Monuments of Hampi
- Prosperous kingdom of Vijayanagar. The ruins at Hampi depict the fine Dravidian style of art and architecture. The most important heritage monument in this site is the Virupaksha Temple.
13. Fatehpur Sikri
- It structure constitutes of four main Monuments. The Jama Masjid, The Buland Darwaza,
Panch Mahal or Jada Baai ka Mahal, Diwane-Khas, and Diwan-eaam.
14. Elephanta Caves
- It is popular for Buddhist and Hindu caves. It is situated on Island in the Arabian Sea. And has Basal Rock Caves, and Shiva Temples.
15. Great Living Chola Temples
- This temple is popular for Chola Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, and Bronze Casting.
16. Pattadakal Monuments
- It is popular for its Chalukya style of architecture that originated in Aihole and blended with the Nagara and Dravidian styles of architecture.
17. Sundarbans National Park
- This National Park is popular as Biosphere Reserve, Largest Estuarine Mangrove Forest, Bengal Tiger, and Salt-Water Crocodile.
18. Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers National Park
- It is famous for Snow Leopard, Asiatic Black Bear, Brown Bear, Blue Sheep, and Himalayan Monal, World Network of Biosphere
19. Monuments of Buddha
- It is popular for Monolithic Pillars, Palaces, Monasteries, Temples Mauryan Architecture, Ye Dharma Hetu Inscriptions.
20. Humayun’s Tomb
- It is popular for the Precursors to the Taj Mahal and Mughal Architecture. It constitutes a Tomb, a Pavilion, any Water Channels, and A Bath
21. Qutub Minar and its Monuments
- Includes Qutub Minar, Alai Darwaza, Alai Minar, Qubbat-ul-Islam Mosque, Tomb of Iltumish, and Iron Pillar.
22. Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka Shimla & Nilgiri
- The mountain railways of India comprise of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri
Mountain Railway, and the Kalka-Shimla.
23. Mahabodhi Temple
- An important religious center for the Buddhists as this was the place where Mahatma Buddha attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is considered as the holiest pilgrimage spot for the Buddhists.
24. Bhimbetka
- It is famous for Rock Paintings within Natural Rock Shelters, Stone Age Inscriptions, Sitting Place of Bhima (Mahabharata).
25. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
- It is popular for central Railways Headquarters, Terror Attacks on Mumbai in 2008, Gothic Style Architecture.
26. ChampanerPavagadhArchaeological Park
- This place is the only complete and unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city. The park also houses some of the ancient Chalcolithic Indian Sites, from the Stone Age era.
27. Red Fort
- It is popular for Shahjahanabad, Persian, Timuri and Indian Architectural Styles, Red Sandstone Architecture, Moti Masjid.
28. Jantar Mantar
- Famous for Architectural Astronomical Instruments, Maharaja Jai Singh II, Largest of its kind Observatory.
29. The Western Ghats
- Famous for Among World’s Ten “Hottest Biodiversity Hotspots”. Includes many National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Reserve Forests.
30. Hill Forts
- This place is famous for its unique Rajput Military Defense Architecture. It includes six majestic forts in Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort, and Jaisalmer Fort.
31. Rani Ki Vav
- It is an explicit example of fine Ancient Indian architecture which is constructed during
the time of the Solanki dynasty.
32. Great Himalayan National Park
- It is home to about 375 fauna species and several floral species, including some very rare
species of plants and animals such as blue sheep, snow leopard, Himalayan brown
bear, Himalayan Tahr, musk deer spruces, horse chestnuts, and huge alpine meadows.
It is a part of the Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspots.
33. Nalanda
- A centre of learning and a Buddhist monastery from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE.
34. Khangchendzonga National Park
- The national park is famous for its fauna and flora, with snow leopard being occasionally sighted.
35. Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex)
- Recognized as a World Heritage Site as part of an outstanding contribution to the Modern Movement.
36. The Historic City
- A walled city on the banks of Sabarmati where communities following Hinduism, Islam, and Jainism have co-existed for centuries.
37. Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles
- It is a collection of 94 buildings of great cultural importance, located in the Fort Area of Mumbai.
38. The Pink City
- Jaipur is home to many magnificent forts, palaces, temples, and museums and also filled to the brim with local handicrafts and trinkets.
39. Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple
- The Ramappa Temple is situated in Palampet Village, Telangana. The temple is estimated to be at least 800 to 900 years old. The temple is especially known for lightweight porous bricks which are known as floating bricks
40. Dholavira
- Dholavira is an architectural site situated in the Kutch district of Gujarat. It is one of the most prominent Indus Valley Civilisation sites.
Ban on Single Use Plastic comes into force in the country from July 1, 2022
The government of India has banned the single-use plastic from July 1, 2022.
As per the notification on August 12, 2021, the government has prohibited the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of all identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential with effect from July 1, 2022. Currently, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles do not fall under this category.
Ministry of Environment: Bhupender Yadav.
Neeraj Chopra clinches Silver medal at prestigious Diamond League meet
Javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra has clinched silver medal with a massive throw of 89.94 meter, at the prestigious Diamond League meet in Stockholm.
He broke his own national record (89.30m) for the second time in a month. Anderson Peters (Grenadian athlete) won gold medal with a best throw of 90.31 meter. Earlier, he clinched silver at Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku (Finland). Neeraj Chopra is the first Indian to win a gold medal in athletics at the Olympics (Tokyo).
Eknath Shinde sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra
Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari has administered the oath of office to Eknath Shinde as the 20th Chief Minister of Maharashtra. BJP leader, Devendra Fadnavis was sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister of the state.
Devendra Fadnavis had served as the CM of Maharashtra from 2014-19. Shinde has served as the urban development minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha – 288 seats; Lok Sabha – 48 seats; Rajya Sabha – 19 seats
World Sports Journalist Day 2022 observed on 2nd July
World Sports Journalists Day is observed on July 2 every year to celebrate the services of sports journalists for the promotion of sports. Sports journalism is a form of reporting that focuses on matters pertaining to any subject or topic related to sports. It is an essential component of every media organization. Sports journalists work on various media platforms including print, broadcast, and the internet. There are several local and national journalism organisations active in sports reporting.
Th day was established in 1994 to commemorate 70th anniversary of International Sports Press Association (ISPA). The ISPA was founded in London on the July 2, 1924 during the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Significance
World Sports Journalist Day is intended to encourage and recognise various sports journalists for their outstanding efforts. It motivates the journalists to set good examples for future generations and inspires them to pursue a career in sports journalism. On this day, many media organisations conduct special events to felicitate their sports journalists.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. takes oath as Philippine president
Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the namesake son of an ousted dictator, is to be sworn in as Philippine president Thursday in one of history’s greatest political comebacks but which opponents say was pulled off by whitewashing his family’s image. He took the oath at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila before the Supreme Court Justice, Alexander Gesmundo. The former President’s daughter and his running mate, Sara Duterte Carpio, swore as vice president on 19th June. The two will be serving the nation until 2028.
His rise to power, 36 years after an army-backed “People Power” revolt booted his father to global infamy, upends politics in the Asian democracy, where a public holiday, monuments and the Philippine Constitution stand as reminders of his father’s tyrannical rule.
Marcos Jr. is more popularly known as “Bongbong” in the country and won on the platform of national unity, promising more jobs, lowering prices, and increasing investment in agriculture and infrastructure.
About the Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was a dictator who ruled the country from 1965 to 1986 and was laid off due to abuse of human rights and increased corruption. During his reign, the country observed martial law from 1972-1981, where several people were tortured, imprisoned or killed for criticizing the government.
Max Life launches Insta confirmation of insurance (Insta-COI)+
Max Life Insurance Company Ltd has launched a smart solution, ‘Insta confirmation of insurance (Insta-COI)’+, to customers buying the ‘Max Life Smart Fixed-return Digital Plan’.
This is a non-linked, non-participating, individual life insurance savings plan on Max Life website or Policybazaar platform.
It enables intimation to the customer regarding the commencement of the risk cover pending release of the policy contract ensuring a quick and hassle-free onboarding.
ICICI Direct launches learning app to teach finance, investment to Indians
ICICI Securities has launched a learning app named ‘ICICIdirect iLearn’ with an aim to provide customers with easy access to learning financial products and market topics.
This will help customers with this app to better assist them in their investment journey. Currently, the app hosts more than 550 plus content pieces across various sections. The app content will be updated on regular intervals on different topics.
PM Narendra Modi participates Udyami Bharat programme
PM Narendra Modi has participated in the ‘Udyami Bharat’ programme and launched various key initiatives to ramp up the MSME sector.
Initiatives:
1) Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance: Aims to scale up the implementation capacity and coverage of MSMEs
2) Capacity Building of First-Time MSME Exporters: To encourage MSMEs to offer goods and services of international standards for the global market.
3) Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme.
World Bank approves $1 Billion to support India’s Health Sector
The World Bank has approved two complementary loans of $500 million each to enhance and support India’s health sector.
This $1 Billion financing will support India’s flagship Pradhan Mantri-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). This scheme was launched in October 2021.
Aim of scheme: To improve the public healthcare infrastructure across the country.
Loan prioritize statesAndhra Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and UP.
Adani Sportsline become the principal sponsor of Indian Olympic Association
Adani Sportsline has become the principal sponsor with the Indian Olympics Association (IOA) for the upcoming games, Birmingham Commonwealth 2022, Hangzhou Asian Games 2022, and Paris Olympic 2024.
This is the second time that the Adani Group has collaborated with IOA after the Tokyo Olympics. Over 28 athletes have been supported by the Adani Sportsline’s athlete support initiative, #GarvHai, across a variety of sports.
International Day of Cooperatives observed on 2 July
International Day of Cooperatives is marked annually on the first Saturday of July. This year, the day will be observed on 2 July to highlight the contributions of the cooperative movement. A decade on from the UN International Year of Cooperatives, which showcased the unique contribution of cooperatives to making the world a better place, this year’s #CoopsDay slogan — “Cooperatives Build a Better World”— echoes the theme of the International Year. The aim of this celebration is to increase awareness about cooperatives by highlighting how the United Nations shares similar goals and objectives as the international cooperative movement.
History
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution on 16 December 1992 to declare the first Saturday of July 1995 as the International Day of Cooperatives. The date was chosen as it marked the centenary of the International Cooperative Alliance’s establishment. It is also called Coops Day.