1st-2nd January Current Affairs : Vision IAS Current Affairs
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1. Which of the following points is/are ‘correct’ with respect to the inauguration of railway projects by PM Narendra Modi in December 2022?
A) PM Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the railway projects worth Rs 7600 crore in West
Bengal.
B) He also flagged off the 7th Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri station.
C) He laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the New Jalpaiguri Railway Station at
the cost of more than Rs 335 crore.
1) Only A
2) Only A & B
3) Only B & C
4) Only A & C
5) All A, B & C
Option “5” is correct. Narendra Modi, PM, virtually inaugurated the railway projects worth Rs 7600 crore in West Bengal. He dedicated 4 railway projects to the nation including Boinchi – Shaktigarh 3rd Line (for Rs 405 crore), Dankuni – Chandanpur 4th Line Project (for Rs 565 crore), Nimtita – New Farakka Double Line (for Rs 254 crore) and Ambari Falakata – New Maynaguri – Gumanihat Doubling Project (for more than Rs 1080 crore). i. He also flagged off the 7th Vande Bharat Express from Howrah to New Jalpaiguri station and inaugurated the Joka-Taratala- 6.5 km stretch of the Purple Line of Kolkata Metro. ii. He also laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the New Jalpaiguri Railway Station at the cost of more than Rs 335 crore.
2. Name the company that has recently (in Dec ‘22) collaborated with ARTPARK (Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Robotics Technology Park)- IISc, Bengaluru to launch ‘Project Vaani’, a panIndia inclusive language data initiative.
1) Tata Consultancy Services
2) Google
3) Microsoft Corporation
4) Wipro Limited
5) Infosys Limited
Option “2” is correct. ARTPARK (Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Robotics Technology Park), a not-for-profit organisation backed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru has collaborated with Google to launch ‘Project Vaani’, a pan-India inclusive language data initiative for open-sourcing datasets at ‘Google for India 2022’ event held in New Delhi. i. This will amplify Government of India (GoI)’s Digital India efforts by including more diverse regional and local languages. ii. Project Vaani aims to compile comprehensive datasets of transcribed text and spoken language from each district in India and are open-sourced via Vaani’s website.
3. In December 2022, the GoI approved the Print and Digital Media Association (PADMA) as a self-regulatory body for publishers of news and current affairs across India.
Who will head the Print and Digital Media Association (PADMA)?
Option “4” is correct. The government of India (GoI) has approved the Print and Digital Media Association (PADMA) as a self-regulatory body for publishers of news and current affairs across India. i. PADMA, an organisation with 47 digital news publishers, will look at grievances related to digital media news content on its platform. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) intimated the approval through an official order on 2nd December 2022. ii. The organisation will be headed by former High Court (HC) Judge Mool Chand Garg and have a part-time member Prasar Bharati Ashok Kumar Tandon and journalist Manoj Kumar Mishra as members.
BANKING AND FINANCE
4. What is the total loan amount provided by Asian Development Bank (ADB) (as of Dec ‘22) to the Shriram Finance Limited (SFL) to provide vehicle loans to women entrepreneurs?
1) USD 400 million
2) USD 300 million
3) USD 500 million
4) USD 100 million
5) USD 200 million
Option “4” is correct. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned USD 100 million (about Rs 830 crore) External Commercial Borrowing (ECB), a five-year loan, under the lender’s social finance framework to Shriram Finance Limited (SFL), a part of Shriram Group to provide vehicle loans to women entrepreneurs. The credit will be issued towards the purchase of new and used vehicles throughout India. i. Besides the ADB loan, Shriram Finance has also raised USD 250 million from US Development Finance Corporation and USD 475 million through a 144A Bond from the international market in 2022.
5. Name the bank that has recently (in Dec ‘22) partnered with SBI Card to launch co-brand credit cards.
1) Union Bank of India
2) Canara Bank
3) Bank of India
4) Bank of Baroda
5) Punjab & Sind Bank
Option “5” is correct. Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB), a public sector bank, has partnered with SBI Card to launch co-brand credit cards for the bank’s customers. This marks the entry of PSB into ‘credit cards’ as a new product segment under the bank’s portfolio. i. Under the partnership, three card variants have been launched including, PSB SBI Card ELITE, PSB SBI Card PRIME, and PSB SimplySAVE SBI Card.
6. Which bank has recently (in Dec ‘22) signed a Scheme Transfer Agreement (STA) to transfer the Mutual Funds schemes to LIC Mutual Fund (MF)?
1) YES Bank
2) IDBI Bank
3) HDFC Bank
4) ICICI Bank
5) IndusInd Bank
Option “2” is correct. The IDBI Bank has signed a Scheme Transfer Agreement (STA) with LIC Mutual Fund (MF) for the transfer of Schemes of IDBI Mutual Funds (MF) to LIC MF to comply with regulations 7B of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Mutual Fund Regulations. About IDBI Bank Limited: Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Rakesh Sharma Established- 1964 Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
7. Name the life insurance company that has recently (in Dec ’22) launched the Emerging Opportunities Fund with Unit-Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs).
1) Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
2) Bharti AXA Life Insurance
3) Tata AIA Life Insurance
4) Birla Sun Life Insurance
5) Aviva Life Insurance
Option “3” is correct. Tata AIA Life Insurance has established the Emerging Opportunity Fund with ULIP (unit-linked insurance plans), which is able to invest in mid-cap companies and rising market leaders with the potential to provide significant future growth. i. The applications for ULIP plans with New Fund Offering (NFO) window were open till 31 December 2022. ii. Tata AIA’s ULIP offerings like Fortune Pro, Wealth Pro, Fortune Maxima, and Wealth Maxima can be used to invest in the Fund.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
8. In which country, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has recently (in Dec ‘22) adopted its first resolution in 74 years to demand an end to violence & and release of political prisoners?
1) Myanmar
2) Afghanistan
3) China
4) United Arab Emirates
5) Malta
Option “1” is correct. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted its first resolution on Myanmar in 74 years to demand an end to violence and urge the military junta to release all political prisoners, including former leader Aung San Suu Kyi. i. Myanmar has been in crisis since the army seized Suu Kyi’s elected government on Feb. 1, 2021, detaining her and other officials. ii. In the 15-member UNSC council for the Myanmar crisis, China, Russia and India denied the vote. The remaining 12 members voted in favor.
9. Which of the following organizations has released the Tuberculosis (TB) Research Funding Trends 2005-2021 in December 2022, for which the funding for TB R&D hit 1 billion USD worldwide for the first time in 2021?
1) World Health Organization
2) Treatment Action Group (TAG)
3) Stop TB Partnership
4) Both 1 & 2
5) Both 2 & 3
Option “4” is correct. According to the Tuberculosis (TB) Research Funding Trends 2005-2021 released by Treatment Action Group (TAG) and the Stop TB Partnership, Geneva (Switzerland), for the first time in history, funding of TB Research and Development (R&D) hits a billion dollars worldwide in 2021. i. The report highlights that despite reaching the USD 1 billion-mark, funding for TB R&D is a mere fraction of what’s needed to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goal of ending TB as a pandemic by 2030.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
10. Which bank has recently (in Dec ‘22) won EAG Laureate Award at the International
Olympiad of Financial Security in Sochi, Russia?
1) Indian Bank
2) Punjab National Bank
3) State Bank of India
4) Canara Bank
5) Bank of Baroda
Option “5” is correct. Bank of Baroda, the second largest public sector bank in India after State Bank of India (SBI), won EAG Laureate award in the International Olympiad of Financial Security held at Sochi, Russia on 10 October 2022. i. India is one of the nine members of the Eurasian group on combating money laundering and terrorism (EAG), a regional organisation similar to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The EAG was established in 2004 and is currently an associate member of the FATF.
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
11. In December 2022, Adani Group acquired ________ of equity stake sold by NDTV founders Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy for Rs 602.30 crores.
1) 38.65%
2) 20.23%
3) 36.45%
4) 27.26%
5) 40.23%
Option “4” is correct. Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy, founders of the news broadcaster, sold 27.26% of their equity in New Delhi Television (NDTV) to Adani Group-controlled Radhika Roy Prannoy Roy (RRPR) Holding Private Limited at Rs 342.65 (USD 4.1426) per share. i. Based on the price acquired by Adani Group; the Roys would have received Rs 602.30 crore from the sale of 1.75 crore shares. ii. On December 23, Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy announced the sale of 27.26% out of their remaining 32.26% shareholding in the NDTV to the Adani Group. Vishvapradhan Commercial Private Limited, an indirect subsidiary of the corporation, owns an 8.27% equity share in NDTV, whereas RRPR (prior to the present acquisition) held a 29.18% equity share in NDTV. After this acquisition, RRPR will own 56.45% of the company.
APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
12. Who has been recently (in Dec ‘22) appointed as the next Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army?
1) Lt Gen Arvind Walia
2) Lt Gen Harpal Singh
3) Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh
4) Lt Gen Shantanu Dayal
5) Lt Gen Mohan Subramanian
Option “1” is correct. Lieutenant (Lt) General (Gen) Arvind Walia, a 1986 batch officer and an alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun has been appointed as the next Engineer-in-Chief of the Indian Army. i. He succeeds Lt Gen Harpal Singh who is superannuating on 31st December 2022.
13. Name the bank that has recently (in Dec ‘22) re-appointed ‘Suresh Kishinchand Khatanhar’ as the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) for 1 year w.e.f 15th January 2023.
1) YES Bank
2) ICICI Bank
3) IDBI Bank
4) HDFC Bank
5) Axis Bank
Option “3” is correct. The Board of Directors of IDBI Bank Limited re-appointed Suresh Kishinchand Khatanhar as the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of IDBI Bank for 1 year with effect from 15th January 2023, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s approval. On 15th January 2020, the IDBI Bank Board appointed Suresh Khatanhar as DMD for a 3-year term. About IDBI Bank Limited: MD & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Rakesh Sharma Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra Establishment- 1st July 1964
OBITUARY
14. In December 2022, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s mother ‘Heeraben’ passed away in which city of Gujarat?
1) Vadodara
2) Rajkot
3) Surat
4) Gandhinagar
5) Ahmedabad
Option “5” is correct. Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s mother Heeraben passed away at the age of 100 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. i. Mamata Banerjee, Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi and others expressed condolences over the demise of PM Modi’s mother Heeraben.
15. Pritzker-Winning Japanese Architect Arata Isozaki Passed Away in December 2022.
In which year did he receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize?
1) 2021
2) 2019
3) 2018
4) 2020
5) 2022
Option “2” is correct. Arata Isozaki, a Pritzker-Winning Japanese Architect, passed away at the age of 91 in Okinawa Island (Japanese Island). He was called a ‘postmodern giant’, who blended the culture and history of the East and the West in his designs. i. In 2019, Arata Isozaki won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, internationally the highest honour in the field. ii. In 1979, Arata Isozaki was appointed to the 1st Pritzker Prize Jury and continued on as a member for 5 additional years.
STATE NEWS
16. Which state government has recently (in Dec ‘22) approved the proposal for the grant of industrial status to the tourism sector?
Option “3” is correct. The Cabinet of Assam headed by Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister (CM) of Assam approved the proposal for the grant of industrial status to the tourism sector in Assam. i. With industry status, restaurants, cafeterias, health clubs, spas and wellness centres among others are eligible for incentives under the industrial policy. ii. This will encourage and boost private investment in the above areas of the tourism sector.
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
17. Who authored the book, “The World: A Family History”?
1) Simon Sebag Montefiore
2) Ruth Ellen Goodman
3) Niall Ferguson
4) Lucy Worsley
5) David Olusoga
Option “1” is correct. Simon Sebag Montefiore, a British historian, discussed his recent book “The World: A Family History” in an interview with an Indian historian Manu S. Pillai. i. In the book, Simon Sebag Montefiore explores how people and families have played a role in the convergences and divergences in world history. ii. The two-part book was originally published on 27th October 2022, published by Hachette India.
CA STATIC GK
18. Name the football player who recently (in Dec ‘22) signed a contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr & became the highest-paid footballer ever in history.
Option “5” is correct. Cristiano Ronaldo signing a two and a half years (2 ½ years) contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, created a new record as the Portuguese footballer (Cristiano Ronaldo) became the highest-paid footballer ever in history.
19. Who has recently (in Dec ‘22) taken charge as the commander-in-chief of Indian Air Force (IAF)’s Western Air Command?
1) Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh
2) Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha
3) Air Marshal S Prabhakaran
4) Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari
5) Air Marshal Vikram Singh
Option “2” is correct. Air Marshal Pankaj Mohan Sinha took charge as the commander-in-chief of Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Western Air Command that looks after the security of the air space in the sensitive Ladakh sector as well as some other parts of north India. i. He succeeds Air Marshal S Prabhakaran who retired from service after serving the force for more than 39 years.
20. By April-May 2023, Hyderabad (Telangana) will be India’s first city to have 100 percent sewerage facilities.
Who is the current (as of Jan ‘23) Governor of Telangana?
1) Thaawarchand Gehlot
2) Biswa Bhusan Harichandan
3) Anusuiya Uikey
4) Tamilisai Soundararajan
5) R. N. Ravi
Option “4” is correct. Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan is the current Governor of Telangana. i. Minister of Municipal Administration and Urban Development, IT and Industries of Telangana, K. T. Rama Rao announced that Hyderabad (Telangana) will be the first city in India to have hundred per cent sewerage facilities by April-May 2023.
21. In December 2022, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank raised Rs 1,021 crore as Tier-II bonds from the market as part of its efforts to strengthen its capital position.
Who is the current (as of Jan ‘23) Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of J&K Bank?
Option “1” is correct. Baldev Prakash is the present Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank. i. J&K Bank has raised Rs 1,021 crore as Tier-II bonds from the market as part of its efforts to strengthen its capital position. The issue was oversubscribed by more than 100 per cent.
22. In which state, ‘Buxa Tiger Reserve’ is located?
Option “4” is correct. About West Bengal: Chief Minister– Mamata Banerjee Governor– Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose National Parks– Singalila National Park; Neora Valley National Park Tiger Reserve– Buxa Tiger Reserve; Sundarban Tiger Reserve
23. Name the ministry that has organised an international conference on the contributions of J. C. Bose, “A Satyagrahi Scientist,” on his 164th birth anniversary (30th November 2022).
1) Ministry of Culture
2) Ministry of Home Affairs
3) Ministry of Science and Technology
4) Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
5) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Option “1” is correct. Recently, the Ministry of Culture has organized an international conference on the contributions of “J C Bose: A Satyagrahi Scientist” on his 164th birth anniversary. He Born on 30th November, 1858. i. He was a Plant Physiologist and physicist who invented the crescograph, a device for measuring the growth of plants. He for the first time demonstrated that plants have feelings. ii. He founded Bose Institute, a premier research institute of India and also one of its oldest. Established in 1917, the Institute was the first interdisciplinary research centre in Asia. iii. His books include Response in the Living and Non-Living (1902) and The Nervous Mechanism of Plants (1926).
24. According to the (as of Dec ‘22) World Bank (WB), __________ will be the first country in the world to receive USD 100 billion from remittances during 2022.
1) Brazil
2) United States of America
3) United Kingdom
4) China
5) India
Option “5” is correct. According to the World Bank (WB), India will be the first country in the world to receive USD 100 billion from remittances during 2022. Though remittances to the rest of the South Asian countries declined by 10%, it rose by 12% in India’s case. i. India had received USD 89.4 billion in remittances in 2021, according to the World Bank report, which then made India the top recipient globally.
25. Which company has recently (in Dec’ 22) developed a new dialogue-based chatbot ‘ChatGPT’?
Option “4” is correct. Artificial Intelligence (AI) research company OpenAI developed ChatGPT, a prototype dialogue-based AI chatbot capable of understanding natural language and responding in natural language. i. ChatGPT is based on GPT-3.5, a language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text. However, while the older GPT-3 model only took text prompts and tried to continue on that with its own generated text, ChatGPT is more engaging. ii. It’s much better at generating detailed text and can even come up with poems. Another unique characteristic is memory. The bot can remember earlier comments in a conversation and recount them to the user.
26. What is the maximum number of digits that a Unified Payments Interface (UPI)- Personal Identification Number (PIN) can have?
1) 9
2) 6
3) 8
4) 7
5) 4
Option “2” is correct. Unified Payments Interface (UPI)- Personal Identification Number (PIN) is a 4–6-digit pass code you create/set during first time registration with UPI App. i. Recently, The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions witnessed a meteoric 650 per cent rise at the semi-urban and rural stores in India this year, ii. There was a growth of 25 per cent and 14 per cent in value and volume, respectively, in assisted financial transactions across semi-urban and rural retail counters in the country in 2022, according to the report by branchless banking and digital network PayNearby
27. Who is the current (as of Jan ‘23) union minister of Mines?
1) Piyush Goyal
2) Pralhad Joshi
3) Giriraj Singh
4) Pashu Pati Kumar Paras
5) Raj Kumar Singh
Option “2” is correct. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi announced that the 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment is allowed for commercial mining. The major initiatives taken to increase domestic production of coal include Single Window Clearance. i. On the import of coal by the power sector, the Minister announced, it has increased in the power sector. As against the total import of 27 million tonnes by the power sector in the entire year of 2021- 22, the import of coal in the first seven months increased to around 39 million tonnes.
28. Who has been recently (in Dec ‘22) appointed as the president of Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI)?
Option “4” is correct. The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICAI) announced that Vijender Sharma has been elected as the new president and Rakesh Bhalla as vice-president for 2022-23. i. The institute, which is a statutory body set up under an Act of Parliament, comes under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
29. Piyush Goyal is the current (as of Jan ‘23) union minister of which of the following ministries?
1) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
2) Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
3) Ministry of Textiles
4) Both 1 & 2
5) All 1, 2 & 3
Option “5” is correct. Piyush Goyal is the union minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles ministry. i. To promote the export of millets, the government is organising a day-long ‘Millets-Smart Nutritive Food’ Conclave in New Delhi on 5th December 2022. ii. The conclave is a pre-launch event of the International Year of Millets – 2023 organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry through its apex agricultural export promotion body, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). ii. Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will be the chief guest at the conclave. At the first-of-its-kind Millets Conclave, the government will release e-catalogue on 30 potential importing countries and 21 millet producing states of India.
30. Who is the current (as of Jan ’23) Director-General (DG) of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) of India?
Option “4” is correct. Ritu Sain is the Director-General (DG) of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) of India. i. NADA of India confirmed the development of an app that will help athletes to verify medicines, helping them avoid doping. ii. NADA India is also in process of sensitising 20 Dope Control Officers to specialise in collecting samples of Athletes with Disabilities in keeping with the different needs.
