21th December Current Affairs : Vision IAS Current Affairs
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1. Which of the following points are ‘correct’ with respect to the 48th GST Council Meeting
2022, that was chaired by Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in December 2022?
A) The council has clarified the applicability of a 22 % cess on Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) provided four requirements are fulfilled.
B) The GST on pulse husks has been decreased from 12% to NIL and on Ethyl alcohol supplied to refineries for blending with motor spirit (petrol) was decreased from 28% to 18%.
C) In accordance with Section 132 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act of 2017, the GST Council suggested decriminalizing a number of offences in order to measure for Facilitation of Trade.
1) All A, B & C
2) Only A & B
3) Only B & C
4) Only A & C
5) Only A
Option “4” is correct. The 48th Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council Meeting was conducted virtually on December 17, 2022, in New Delhi, Delhi, and was presided over by Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF). i. The council has clarified the applicability of a 22 % cess on Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) provided four requirements are fulfilled. ii. The GST on pulse husks has been decreased from 5% to NIL. iii. The GST on Ethyl alcohol supplied to refineries for blending with motor spirit (petrol) was decreased from 18% to 5%. iv. Measures for Facilitation of Trade • In accordance with Section 132 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act of 2017, the GST Council suggested decriminalizing a number of offences. • Two major recommendations include refunding unregistered persons and facilitating ecommerce for micro enterprises.
2. In which state, India’s first & World’s 2nd Infantry Research Centre and Museum was inaugurated in December 2022?
Option “2” is correct. On 16th December 2022, the eve of 75 years of raising of the Infantry School and to commemorate the Vijay Diwas, India’s first & World’s 2nd Infantry Research Centre and Museum was inaugurated in the Mhow cantonment in Indore district, Madhya Pradesh (MP). i. The museum was thrown open to the public on 17th December 2022. The world-class museum has been set up under the aegis of The Infantry School, Mhow. ii. The Museum aims to showcase the Infantry with the theme line Infantry: The Ultimate. Note: National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning in Columbus Georgia, United States of America is the world’s first National Infantry Museum.
3. Who has recently (in Dec ‘22) released the Annual Report of CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) for the year 2022?
1) Ashwini Vaishnaw (Union Minister of Electronics and IT)
2) Jitendra Singh (MoS of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions)
3) Narendra Modi (PM of India)
4) Amit Shah (Union Minister of Home Affairs)
5) Nirmala Sitharaman (Union Minister of Finance)
Option “2” is correct. Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has released the Annual Report of CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) for the year 2022. i. According to the report, in 2022, 18,19,104 grievances were received by all Ministries and Departments of which 15,68,097 Public Grievances (PG) cases have been redressed. • 11,29,642 cases among these were disposed of by the Central Ministries and 4,38,455 cases were disposed of by the States and Union Territories (UTs). ii. The average disposal time of Central Ministries and Departments has been improved from 32 days in 2021 to 27 days in 2022. Out of 1,71,509 appeals, more than 80% were disposed.
4. According to the 77th round of the Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households in the rural areas of India, which state has tops the list of Average monthly income per agricultural household?
Option “3” is correct. According to the 77th round of the Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households in the rural areas of India, Meghalaya tops the list of Average monthly income per agricultural household. i. Meghalaya topped the list with a monthly agriculture household income of Rs 29,348 followed by Punjab with Rs 26,701 and Haryana with Rs 22,841. ii. The 77th round of the survey was conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) from January 2019 to December 2019 with reference to the agricultural year July 2018-June 2019.
BANKING AND FINANCE
5. In December 2022, Nitin Gadkari, union minister for Road Transport and Highways, launched India’s first-ever ‘Surety Bond Insurance’ product from __________ for Infrastructure Projects.
1) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance
2) Bharti AXA General Insurance
3) Edelweiss General Insurance
4) HDFC ERGO General Insurance
5) Future Generali India Insurance
Option “1” is correct. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched India’s first-ever ‘Surety Bond Insurance’ product from Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company to reduce the dependence of infrastructure developers on bank guarantees.
i. The product was introduced in response to the demand identified by the infrastructure sector and
the Government of India (GoI) and it shall be used as a substitute to bank guarantees.
ii. The Surety Bond Insurance is a risk transfer tool for the principal (contract awarding authority)
and shields them from the losses that may arise, when the contractor fails to perform their contractual
obligation.
6. Name the insurance company that has recently (in Dec ‘22) partnered with One97 Communications Limited (OCL) to launch ‘Paytm Payment Protect’ Insurance Plan.
1) Bharti AXA General Insurance
2) HDFC ERGO General Insurance
3) Edelweiss General Insurance
4) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance
5) Kotak Mahindra General Insurance
Option “2” is correct. One97 Communications Limited (OCL), that owns the brand Paytm, in association with HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited launched ‘Paytm Payment Protect’, a group insurance plan, to insure transactions made through Unified Payment Interface (UPI) across all apps and wallets. i. The first-of-its-kind offering comes at a cost as low as Rs. 30 per annum. ii. With this collaboration, users can now secure themselves against mobile fraudulent transactions up to Rs. 10,000.
7. According to the 1Lattice data released in December 2022, ____________ continued to lead the debit card and HDFC Bank led the credit card markets.
1) IndusInd Bank
2) State Bank of India
3) Indian Bank
4) ICICI Bank
5) Axis Bank
Option “2” is correct. According to 1Lattice (previously PGA Labs) data, State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest public sector bank, and HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, continued to lead the debit card and credit card markets, respectively. Debit Card Segment • SBI is followed by Bank of Baroda (BoB) with 10% growth, Bank of India (BoI) with 4% growth, and Canara Bank with 7% growth, with BoB owning an 8% market share and the latter two holding 5% each. Credit Card Segment • HDFC bank continued to lead the Credit Card segment with 21% share, registering a growth of 9%.
8. Which bank has recently (in Dec ‘22) signed an MoU with Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Ministry of Defence (MoD) to Provide Services to Defence Pensioners?
1) Axis Bank
2) ICICI Bank
3) YES Bank
4) HDFC Bank
5) Bandhan Bank
Option “5” is correct. Bandhan Bank has signed an MoU with Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA), Ministry of Defence (MoD) to be a part of Central Government’s Outreach Programme for Defence Pensioners on System for Pension Administration Raksha (SPARSH) by providing a one-stop solution to all pension related activities of defence pensioners. i. It should be noted that the Defence Accounts Department (DAD), which is headed by CGDA, and functions under MoD organized 176th Raksha Pension Samadhan Aayojan, an Outreach Programme for Defence Pensioners on SPARSH. ii. Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane was the Chief Guest at the function.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
9. Which of the following points are ‘Incorrect’ with respect to the United Nations (UN)
Biodiversity Conference in December 2022?
1) The UN Biodiversity Conference was held in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China to acknowledge a new set of goals to guide global action through 2027.
2) The conference saw the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) that addresses the key drivers of nature loss, and promotes health and well-being of mankind and the planet.
3) India made an urge to create a new and dedicated fund to help developing countries successfully implement a post-2020 GBF to stop biodiversity loss.
4) The UN has recognized India’s Ganges project among 10 initiatives from the globe that restore the natural world.
5) A number of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has agreed to form a ‘Coalition for Nature’ for the implementation and adoption of GBF.
Option “1” is correct. From December 7 – 19, 2022, the United Nations (UN) Biodiversity Conference was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada to acknowledge a new set of goals to guide global action through 2030 in order to prevent nature loss. i. The conference saw the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) that addresses the key drivers of nature loss, and promotes health and well-being of mankind and the planet. It will replace the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. ii. India made an urge to create a new and dedicated fund to help developing countries successfully implement a post-2020 GBF to stop biodiversity loss. iii. The UN has recognized India’s Ganges project among 10 initiatives from the globe that restore the natural world. The initiatives were declared World Restoration Flagships and are eligible to receive U.N.-backed promotion, advice or funding. iv. A number of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has agreed to form a ‘Coalition for Nature’ for the implementation and adoption of GBF. It will be led by Cabo Verde, Samoa and Seychelles.
10. What is India’s rank in 2020, as per the “Science & Engineering Indicators 2022” report released by the National Science Foundation (NSF) of the United States (US) in December 2022?
1) 7th
2) 2nd
3) 4th
4) 6th
5) 3rd
Option “5” is correct. India has improved its position in the global ranking of scientific publications from 7th in 2010 to 3rd in 2020, according to the “Science & Engineering Indicators 2022” report by the National Science Foundation (NSF) of the United States (US). i. The amount of scholarly output produced in India has increased, going from 60,555 papers in 2010 to 1,49,213 papers in 2020. ii. India is currently 3rd in the world for the number of PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in science and engineering. iii. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent US government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all non-medical fields of science and engineering
11. Which of the following countries has become the first African nations to sign the Artemis Accords, during the 1st US-Africa Space Forum in December 2022?
1) Rwanda
2) Nigeria
3) Republic of the Congo
4) Both 1 & 2
5) Both 1, 2 & 3
Option “4” is correct. Nigeria and Rwanda became the first African nations to sign the Artemis Accords during the firstever US-Africa Space Forum, which was held on 13th December 2022 on the sideline of the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC, United States (US). • Nigeria & Rwanda have become the 22nd and 23rd signatories of the Artemis Accords. i. The Artemis Accords are the broad non-binding framework that was launched jointly by NASA and the U.S. State Department along with eight other nations in 2020. ii. 23 signatories of the Artemis Accord are Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Ukraine, UAE, UK, and the US.
ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
12. Name the company that has recently (in Dec ‘22) signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Druk Green Power Corporation Limited to export 600 MW of power.
1) PTC India Limited
2) Torrent Power Limited
3) Suzlon Energy Limited
4) RattanIndia Power Limited
5) Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited
Option “1” is correct. PTC India Limited (PTC) entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Druk Green Power Corporation Limited, an electricity utility firm in Bhutan for the purchase of power from the Indian power market in order to meet its power requirement during the winter season. i. Under the partnership, Bhutan will procure up to 600 MW of power from the Indian market during the winter season.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
13. Name the country that has recently (in Dec ‘22) Launched a test satellite for Development of its 1st Spy Satellite.
1) United Arab Emirates
2) North Korea
3) China
4) Indonesia
5) Israel
Option “1” is correct. North Korea launched a test satellite as a final-stage test for the development of its first spy satellite, a key military capability coveted by its leader Kim Jong Un along with other high-tech weapons systems from northwestern Tongchang-ri area of North Korea. i. A pair of Ballistic missiles, a new type of liquid fuelled weapon, were launched with two different types of cameras, one for black-and-white imagery and video and the other for colour.
APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
14. Who was recently (in Dec ‘22) appointed as the Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for the period of 3 years?
1) K. Mahapatra
2) G Nageswara Rao
3) Dinesh Kumar Shukla
4) A.K Mohanty
5) Sumit Som
Option “3” is correct. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Senior Nuclear Scientist Dinesh Kumar Shukla to the post of Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). He has been appointed to the post for a period of three years. i. The appointment order has been issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. ii. Dinesh Kumar Shukla, who has been the Executive Director of the AERB, succeeds G Nageswara Rao to the post of Chairperson.
SPORTS
15. Which country’s blind cricket team recently (in Dec’ 22) won the 3rd T20 World Cup for the Blind for the 3rd consecutive time?
1) India
2) Bangladesh
3) Japan
4) Nepal
5) South Korea
Option “1” is correct. Indian National Blind Cricket Team won the 3rd T20 World Cup for the blind 2022 by defeating Bangladesh in the final held at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, Karnataka. Indian blind cricket team was led by Ajay Kumar Reddy. i. Team India has won the title for the third consecutive time (previously won in 2012 and 2017). ii. Runner-up and winner trophies were presented by Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot and Sunil Ramesh was awarded man of the match.
STATE NEWS
16. Which state has recently (in Dec ‘22) signed an MoU with the Austin University, Texas, United States of America (USA) for the construction of a ‘Austin Smart City of Knowledge Project?
Option “3” is correct. The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government signed an MoU with the Austin University, Texas, United States of America (USA) for the construction of a ‘Austin Smart City of Knowledge Project in UP’ at a cost of USD 42 billion. i. The MoU was signed during the visit of the UP-government delegation to the United States of America (USA) as part of efforts to attract investment ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit (UPGIS) – 2023.
IMPORTANT DAYS
17. When was United Nations (UN)’s International Human Solidarity Day 2022 observed across the globe?
1) 16th December 2022
2) 19th December 2022
3) 17th December 2022
4) 20th December 2022
5) 18th December 2022
Option “4” is correct. United Nations (UN)’s International Human Solidarity Day 2022 was observed across the globe on 20th December 2022. i. The 1st ever International Human Solidarity Day was observed on 20th December 2006. ii. The World Solidarity Fund, which was established in 2002, was set up in February 2003 as a trust fund of the UN Development Programme.
18. The ________ Good Governance Week (Sushasan Saptah) is being observed from 19th to 25th December 2022.
1) 4th
2) 1st
3) 3rd
4) 5th
5) 2nd
Option “5” is correct. The 2nd Good Governance Week (Sushasan Saptah) is being observed from 19th to 25th December 2022 by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. • The theme of Good Governance Week 2022 is – “Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore”. i. Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, launched the ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur’ 2022 (www.pgportal.gov.in/GGW22), a dedicated portal for the District Collectors to upload progress along with Good Governance Practices and video clips.
CA STATIC GK
19. The SPARSH was implemented by the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) to bring pensions services at the doorstep of the veterans.
In SPARSH, ‘S’ stands for?
1) System
2) Special
3) Supreme
4) Superior
5) Sovereign
Option “1” is correct. About Project SPARSH: Implemented by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Defence in July 2021, the Project System for Pension Administration Raksha (SPARSH) is implemented by the Defence Accounts Department. In September 2022, it signed MoU with Bank of Baroda and HDFC Bank. i. The State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB), Kotak Mahindra Bank are already on it. SPARSH is a unified system to bring pensions services at the doorstep of the veterans
20. The several stellar discoveries of the 40-inch telescope at the Vainu Bappu Observatory in Kavalur, __________.
1) Kerala
2) Karnataka
3) Andhra Pradesh
4) Telangana
5) Tamil Nadu
Option “5” is correct. The several stellar discoveries of the 40-inch telescope at the Vainu Bappu Observatory in Kavalur, Tamil Nadu, were highlighted at the celebration of its 50 years of operation on 15-16 December. i. The telescope set up by Professor Vainu Bappu has played a significant role in astronomy with major discoveries like the presence of rings around the planet Uranus, a new satellite of Uranus, the presence of an atmosphere around Ganymede which is a satellite of Jupiter.
21. Which of the following e-commerce platforms has recently (in Dec ‘22) received notices from the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) for gross violations of norms relating to the sale of acid on their platforms?
1) Meesho
2) Flipkart
3) Amazon
4) Both 1 & 2
5) Both 2 & 3
Option “4” is correct. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has sent notices to e-commerce players Flipkart and meesho.com for gross violations of norms relating to the sale of acid on their platforms. It has asked two e-commerce entities to furnish detailed responses within 7 days. i. Any non-compliance by these e-commerce entities with the directions of CCPA’s notices will be strictly dealt with as per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 ii. The notices follow reports that in a recent acid attack on a girl in Dwarka, Delhi, the accused had bought acid from Flipkart.
22. RailTel Corporation of India Limited has recently (in Dec ‘22) received the Best Presented Annual Report (BPA) Award for 2021 instituted by the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA).
Who is the current (in Dec ‘22) Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of RailTel Corporation of India?
Option “1” is correct. Sanjai Kumar as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of the RailTel Corporation of India. i. RailTel Corporation of India Limited, a Miniratna PSU under the Railways Ministry, has received the Best Presented Annual Report (BPA) Award for 2021 instituted by the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA), the company said in a release. ii. The annual report of RailTel won the ‘Certificate of Merit’ in the ‘Infrastructure and Construction Sector’ category. iii. The SAFA BPA Award for the ‘Best Presented Annual Reports’ is considered the most prestigious accolade for financial reporting in the South Asian region.
23. In December 2022, Ashutosh Manke was named ‘Swachhta’ ambassador for the Katni district of __________.
Option “2” is correct. Ashutosh Manke, 13-year-old boy in Madhya Pradesh, has been named ‘Swachhta’ ambassador for the Katni district after the Collector was impressed by his letter. i. Ashutosh Manke, a student of ninth standard at CM Rice Model School, sent a postcard on cleanliness, giving his suggestions for the maintenance of garbage carts and general cleanliness.
24. In which country, the 2023 International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Boxing Championships will take place in March 2023?
1) Canada
2) Argentina
3) India
4) France
5) Brazil
Option “3” is correct. The 2023 International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Boxing Championships is set to take place from March 15 to 31, 2023 in New Delhi as India gears up to host the biennial event for the third time in the tournament’s history. i. Since the inception of the Championships in 2001, the prestigious event took place twice in India previously–in 2006 and 2018, both times in New Delhi.
25. Where is the Headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)?
1) Geneva, Switzerland
2) Rome, Italy
3) Montreal, Canada
4) Vienna, Austria
5) London, United Kingdom
Option “1” is correct. About the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): Director General – Daren Tang Establishment – 1967 Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
26. In which state ‘Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary’ is located?
Option “2” is correct. About Uttar Pradesh (UP): Governor – Anandiben Mafatbhai Patel Chief Minister (CM) – Yogi Adityanath Wildlife sanctuary – Chandraprabha WL Sanctuary, Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary Zoological Park – Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden, Kanpur Zoological Park
27. Nathan Lyon from __________ surpassed Dale Steyn (South Africa) to become the 9th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket in December 2022.
1) New Zealand
2) England
3) Sri Lanka
4) Australia
5) West Indies
Option “4” is correct. Australian spinner Nathan Lyon surpassed South Africa great Dale Steyn to become the 9th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket on Day 3 of the first Test match against West Indies. i. Lyon now has 440 wickets, taking him past Steyn’s tally of 439 Test scalps. The ace off-spinner snared the wicket of Jason Holder to go level with Steyn before dismissing Kemar Roach towards the end of the West Indies innings to become the ninth-highest wicket-taker in Test history.
28. ‘Rise Roar Revolt (RRR)’ directed by _________, has recently (in Dec ‘22) featured in the global list of Top 50 films of 2022 curated by Sight and Sound magazine.
Option “5” is correct. SS Rajamouli’s film ‘ Rise Roar Revolt (RRR)’ features in the global list of Top 50 films of 2022 curated by Sight and Sound magazine. The list also includes Shaunak Sen’s acclaimed documentary All that Breathes. i. RRR seems to be on an unstoppable run in the international awards season. SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus has now secured a place in a global list of the top 50 films of this year. RRR was placed in the 9th spot.
Option “4” is correct. Gujarat’s Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, located near the coastal city of Porbandar and 100 kilometers from the Gir National Park (Gujarat), has been identified as a potential second home for Asiatic lions, according to the government. i. In 2013, the Supreme Court ordered the government to translocate Asiatic lions from Gujarat to the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh within six months. It had also rejected a proposal to introduce the African cheetah in Kuno.
30. The Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group) Won the _______ FICCI CSR Award in the Category of Environment Sustainability in December 2022.
1) 20th
2) 25th
3) 19th
4) 30th
5) 18th
Option “1” is correct. The Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group) was awarded by the Hon’ble Union Tribal Affairs Minister, Shri Arjun Munda for its water conservation project, Water Economic Zone in Udaipur, Rajasthan, in the category of Environment Sustainability at the 20th FICCI CSR Awards. i. The FICCI CSR Awards recognises the efforts of companies in integrating and internalising Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
