4th January 2023 Current Affairs : Vision IAS Current Affairs
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1. Which of the following statements is/ are “Correct” with respect to the National Geospatial Policy 2022 and Indian & Global Geospatial Markets, introduced by the Government of India recently (in Dec ‘22)?
A)The policy relies on the favourable environment created by the “Guidelines for Acquiring and Producing Geospatial Data and Geospatial Data Services, Including Maps,”.
B)India’s geospatial economy is expected to surpass Rs. 63,000 crores by 2025, growing at a rate of 12.8%.
C)The policy would strive to create a national geospatial data framework and promote “easy availability” of data to businesses and the general public.
1) Only A
2) Only B
3) Both B & C
4) Both A & C
5) All the Above
Option “5” is correct. On 28th December 2022, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T) notified the ‘National Geospatial Policy, 2022’ for implementation with immediate effect. i.The policy relies on the favourable environment created by the “Guidelines for Acquiring and Producing Geospatial Data and Geospatial Data Services, Including Maps,” released by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), MoS&T, and GoI. ii.The policy would strive to create a national geospatial data framework and promote “easy availability” of data to businesses and the general public. iii.According to Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS&T, India’s geospatial economy is expected to surpass Rs. 63,000 crores by 2025, growing at a rate of 12.8%. iv.The policy also calls for the establishment of a national apex body, the Geospatial Data Promotion and Development Committee (GDPDC). v.The policy describes the creation of 14 National Fundamental Sectoral Geospatial Data Themes.
2. Who will chair the 17-member High Powered Committee (HPC), which recently (in Jan ‘23) constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to discuss measures for the protection of Ladakh’s unique culture, language and employment?
Option “2” is correct. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted a 17-member High Powered Committee (HPC) to discuss measures for the protection of Ladakh’s unique culture, language and employment. • It will be chaired by Minister of State (MoS) Nityanand Rai, MHA. i.To discuss the protections of Culture and Language considering the geographical location and strategic importance of Ladakh. ii.To discuss the protections to land and employment for the people, inclusive development, employment generation, and measures related to empowerment of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils of Leh and Kargil.
3. Name the programme which has been recently (in Jan ‘23) launched by the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) in collaboration with the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) to identify, support and promote innovative scientific research in Ayurveda.
1) SMART programme
2) SPARK programme
3) Swasthya Rakshan Programme
4) Ayurveda Mobile Health Care Programme under Scheduled Castes Sub Plan
5) NPCDCS Programme
Option “1” is correct. On 2nd January 2023, The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) launched the SMART (Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research in Teaching Professionals) programme. • The programme aims to identify, support and promote innovative scientific research in priority healthcare research areas like Osteoarthritis, Iron Deficiency Anaemia, Chronic Bronchitis, Dyslipidemia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, Psoriasis, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through Ayurveda colleges and hospitals.
4. Which city’s Metro Rail Corporation (MRC) announced India’s first underwater metro service operationalise by December 2023?
1) Bangalore
2) Surat
3) Mumbai
4) Kolkata
5) Chennai
The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) announced that the East-West Metro Corridor project, India’s first underwater metro service, in Kolkata will be completed by December 2023. The 16.6 km corridor will run through the Hooghly river, connecting Howrah and Kolkata Sealdah railway stations including the north-south line of the Kolkata Metro at Esplanade. This will reduce the travel time from 90 minutes to 40 minutes. • The 520-metre-long tunnel under the river Hooghly is a part of Kolkata’s East-West Metro Corridor. The metro trains will take just 45 seconds to cross the 520-metre tunnel.
ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
5. With which subsidiaries of Greenko Group did Granules India Limited recently (in Jan ‘23) Partnered for first-of-its-kind Green Molecule Solutions?
1) Jasper Energy Private Limited
2) Fortune 5 Limited
3) Greenko ZeroC
4) ISA Power Pvt Ltd
5) Keppel Infrastructure
Option “3” is correct. Granules India Limited has entered a strategic partnership with Greenko Group, backed by GIC Holdings Pte Ltd, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Japan’s ORIX Corporation to collaborate for first-of-its-kind green molecule solutions. i. Both shall develop and promote built-in green pharmaceutical zones (GPZ) with a primary collaboration in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, mentioned in a regulatory submission from Granules. ii. Under the partnership, Greenko ZeroC will provide carbon free power and allow green hydrogen with varied chemical derivatives.
6.What was the value of India’s external debt as of Q2 FY23 (July-September 2022), which showed a decrease of USD 2.3 billion from Q1 FY23 (April to June 2022)?
Option “5” is correct. As per the figures from the Ministry of Finance, India’s external debt stood at USD 610.5 billion in Q2 FY23 (July-September 2022) showing a decrease of USD 2.3 billion from Q1 FY23 (April to June 2022). • The external debt to GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ratio stood at 19.2% at the end of Q2FY23 as compared to 19.3% at end of Q1FY23. i.Valuation gains were USD 10.6 billion. ii.Excluding the valuation effect, the increase in external debt would have been USD 8.3 billion instead of a decrease of USD 2.3 billion at end Q2FY22 over end Q1FY22.
BANKING AND FINANCE
7. Microsoft recently (in Jan ‘23) Partnered with ___________ for its Digital Transformation Journey and __________ for Mobile Banking Experience.
1) Yes Bank, HDFC Bank
2) Yes Bank, ICICI Bank
3) HDFC Bank, Yes Bank
4) UCO Bank, Punjab National Bank
5) Indian Bank, Axis Bank
Option “3” is correct. HDFC Bank partnered with Microsoft for the next phase of its digital transformation journey and unlocked business value by transforming the application portfolio, modernising the data landscape and securing the enterprise with Microsoft Cloud. • HDFC Bank as a part of its Future Ready strategy is developing in-house IPs and also partnering with several companies including FinTechs’ to co-create technology IPs. On 3rd January 2023 Yes Bank partnered with Microsoft to introduce the next generation mobile application (app) for providing personalised banking experience to its customers. • The app will run on Microsoft’s enterprise-grade cloud platform, and will support YES Bank in scaling up services by bringing merchants and ecosystem partners on to a common platform.
8. Which insurance company recently (in Jan ‘23) signed the Corporate Agency Pact with Sundaram Finance?
1) Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited
2) HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company Limited
3) Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited
4) Life Insurance Corporation of India
5) Bharti AXA Life Insurance Company Limited
Option “1” is correct. Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited (formerly Max Bupa Health Insurance Company), a standalone health insurer, has signed a Corporate Agency Agreement with Sundaram Finance Limited, a diversified financial services group. • According to the agreement, Sundaram Finance will provide a limited selection of Niva Bupa’s indemnity plans to an increasing range of its current and former clients.
9. Which of the following banks is/are mentioned under the list of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) as per the data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in January 2023?
1) State Bank of India
2) ICICI Bank
3) HDFC Bank
4) Both 1 & 2
5) All 1, 2 & 3
Option “5” is correct. On January 2, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the 2022 list of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) based on the data from March 31, 2022. In this, State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank kept the status as D-SIBs, under the same bucketing structure as in the 2021 list of D-SIBs. • D-SIBs are interconnected entities, whose failure can impact the whole of the financial system and create instability. They are also known as ‘too-big-to fail’ banks. i.SBI will be in the 3rd bucket with an Additional Common Equity Tier (CET)- 1 requirement as a percentage of Risk Weighted Assets (RWAs) of 0.60%. ii.ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank will be in the 1st bucket with an Additional CET-1 requirement as a percentage of RWAs of 0.20%.
10. Name the Indian startup Accelerator that recently (in Jan ‘23) Partnered with ICICI Bank & Infosys Finacle to Foster Start-Up Ecosystem.
Option “2” is correct. India Accelerator (IA), a seed-stage accelerator programme, has launched “i3 Launchpad,” which was developed in partnership with ICICI Bank and Infosys Finacle, which is part of EdgeVerve Systems, a wholly-owned product subsidiary of Infosys. • “i3 Launchpad” is a programme that fosters and co-innovate with India’s start-up ecosystem. • Objective: To support a network of entrepreneurs on a quest to develop brands with global impact. i.The i3 Launchpad programme accepts start-ups from all sectors of the economy. It will admit two cohorts annually, with a target of 12 to 18 start-ups in each cohort.
11. Which cricketing legend recently (in Jan ‘23) featured in the Bandhan Bank’s new campaign ‘Jahaan Bandhan, Wahaan Trust’?
Option “4” is correct. On 3rd January 2023, Bandhan Bank launched its integrated marketing campaign ‘Jahaan Bandhan, Wahaan Trust’ featuring the Bank’s brand ambassador, cricketing legend, Sourav Ganguly. The ‘Jahaan Bandhan, Wahaan Trust’ campaign was conceived by Leo Burnett Orchard, who was brought in as Bandhan Bank’s creative agency in August 2022. The campaign emphasises the ‘trust’ that the brand has been able to earn in a span of seven years as a Bank and over the last two decades in the various avatars prior to the Bank.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
12. Which of the following points is/are ‘correct’ with respect to the Names of India’s Best Players of 2022 in all 3 formats released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in January 2023?
A) Rishabh Pant (Wicket-Keeper Batsman) and Jasprit Bumrah (Bowler) named for Team India: 2022 Best Performers in Tests title.
B) Shreyas Iyer (Batter) and Mohammed Siraj (Bowler) named for the Team India: 2022 Best Performers in ODIs title.
C) Suryakumar Yadav (Batter) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Bowler) named for the Team India: 2022 Best Performers in T20Is title.
1) All A, B & C
2) Only A & B
3) Only B & C
4) Only A & C
5) Only A
Option “1” is correct. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released the names of the players who were the best performers of Team India across all 3 formats – One Day Internationals (ODIs), T20 and Test in 2022.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
13. Name India’s first Atmamirbhar human space flight, which will be launched in 2024 by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
Option “5” is correct. Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister for Science and Technology, announced that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is ready to launch India’s 1st Atmamirbhar human flight “Gaganyaan” by the year 2024. i. There will be two preliminary launches in 2024. The 1st will be unmanned, and in the 2nd launch, the robot will be there as a human replica. On the third launch, humans will be sent into space.
14. In January 2023, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yashwant (DY) Chandrachud launched the Electronic Supreme Court Reports (E-SCR) project for the Digital Version of Judgments Reported in SC.
The Supreme Court has developed a search engine with the help of the _________, comprising an elastic search technique in the database of e-SCR.
1) Centre for Development of Advanced Computing
2) Data Security Council of India
3) National Informatics Centre
4) Quality Council of India
5) Digital India Corporation
Option “3” is correct. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yashwant (DY) Chandrachud launched the Electronic Supreme Court Reports (E-SCR) project to provide free access to about 34,000 judgements of SC to lawyers, law students and the common public. i. This project is an initiative to provide the digital version of the SC’s judgments in the manner as they are reported in the official law report i.e. SCRs. ii. Developers: A search engine comprising elastic search techniques in the database of e-SCR was developed by the SC along with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Pune (Maharashtra).
APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
15. Who was appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BharatPe, after the resignation of Suhail Sameer in January 2023?
Option “4” is correct. Suhail Sameer, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BharatPe, a Fintech startup, has announced has resigned from the CEO position and will transition into strategic adviser with effect from 7th January 2023. i. Nalin Negi, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of BharatPe, is set to take over as the interim CEO of BharatPe. ii. BharatPe also revealed that the company has employed an “executive search firm” to help with succession planning and to help identify a new CEO.
16. Lingam Venkata Prabhakar has recently (in Jan ‘23) retired from the post of Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of which bank?
1) Union Bank of India
2) Canara Bank
3) Bank of Baroda
4) Bank of India
5) IndusInd Bank
Option “2” is correct. Lingam Venkata Prabhakar, the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Canara Bank retired from his services, on attaining the age of superannuation. i. He also served as the Chairman of Canara Robeco Asset Management Co. Ltd, Canara HSBC OBC Insurance Company Ltd & Canfin Homes Ltd and the Chairman of the IBA Standing Committee on Payment Systems & Banking Technology. ii. He is a member (Vice-President) of Governing Council of the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance (IIBF) & National Institute of Bank Management (NIBM).
17. Who has been recently (in Jan ‘23) appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BSE Limited for a period of 5 years?
Option “1” is correct. Industry Expert Sundararaman Ramamurthy has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BSE Limited(formerly Bombay Stock Exchange) with effect from 4th January 2023, for a period of 5 years. i. The post has been vacant since July 2021 after the MD & CEO of BSE Ashishkumar Chauhan left the post to join the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) as MD & CEO. ii. In November 2022, BSE got consent from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to appoint Sundararaman Ramamurthy as MD and CEO of BSE.
SPORTS
18. The World Boxing Council (WBC) announced plans to introduce a new transgender category from 2023 to ensure safety and inclusion.
Who is the current (as of Jan ‘23) President of World Boxing Council (WBC)?
1) Alberto A. Leon
2) Mauricio Sulaiman
3) Victor Silva
4) Jose Sulaiman
5) Avel Gonzalez
Option “2” is correct. The World Boxing Council (WBC), one of the four governing bodies for Boxing, will introduce a transgender category from 2023 to ensure safety and inclusion. i. The proposals have been put forward by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman to ensure trans athletes also enjoy a fair chance. ii. The WBC will not sanction a new championship or title belt but will create an event for the transgender fighters to take part in the boxing sport.
BOOKS AND AUTHORS
19. Who authored the book, “Ambedkar: A Life”, a biography of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar at the Kitaab Kolkata Event?
Option “2” is correct. Renowned Author Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament (MP – the Lok Sabha – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala), has launched his latest book “Ambedkar: A Life”, a biography of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar at the Kitaab Kolkata Event, which was organised by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation (PKF) at the ITC Sonar presented by Shree Cement. i. The book is published by Aleph Book Company, and promoted by Rupa Publications India.
OBITUARY
20. Siddeshwar Swami, the seer of Sri Jnanayogashrama, passed away in January 2023.
He was a Lingayat priest & saint at Sri Jnana Yogashram in __________.
Option “4” is correct. Noted spiritual leader Siddeshwar Swami, the seer of Sri Jnanayogashrama in Vijayapura, Karnataka, who was known for his scholarly discourses and powerful oratory, passed away in Karnataka at the age of 81. i. Siddeshwar Swami hailing from Bijjaragi in Vijayapura, Karnataka, spent over 67 years as a monk. He was a Lingayat priest and saint at Sri Jnana Yogashram in Vijayapura, Karnataka. ii. Siddeshwar Swami is often referred to as the “Walking God of North Karnataka”. He was also fondly known as Buddiji.
STATE NEWS
21. Which state government has recently (in Jan ‘23) signed MoUs worth Rs. 18,590 crores with six United Arab Emirates (UAE) based companies?
Option “3” is correct. The Government of Uttar Pradesh (UP) signed MoUs worth Rs. 18,590 crores with six United Arab Emirates (UAE) based companies ahead of the “Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit (UPGIS) 2023,” which will be hosted in Lucknow, UP, in February 2023. • The 6 MoUs: Renewable Energy (RE) Sector: Astha Green Energy Venture and Shree Siddharth Infratech & Services will each invest Rs. 4,480 and Rs. 8,000 crore in the RE sector, creating 2,560 and 4,800 jobs, respectively. • Logistics Park Sector: Sharaf Group and Hindustan Port have decided to invest Rs. 1,300 and Rs. 210 crore, respectively, in UP, creating 1,500 and 1,000 jobs. • The Lulu Group would invest Rs. 4,500 crores in the retail and food processing sectors, resulting in the creation of 10,000 employment opportunities. • Sobha Realty has agreed to invest Rs 100 crore in education and corporate social responsibility (CSR), providing employment for 250 people.
22. Which of the following points is/are correct with respect to the recent (as of Jan ‘23) inaugurations by Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh?
1) Union Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh inaugurated Siyom Bridge along the Along-Yinkiong Road in Assam.
2) He also virtually inaugurated other 27 Infrastructure Projects of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) worth Rs. 724 crores in seven bordering States/UTs
3) These projects are distributed as follows, 8 in Ladakh, 5 in Arunachal Pradesh, 4 in Jammu and Kashmir, 3 each in Sikkim, Punjab & Uttarakhand, and 2 in Rajasthan.
4) Both 1 & 2
5) Both 2 & 3
Option “5” is correct. Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defense (MoD), dedicated to the nation 28 infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) worth Rs. 724 crores in seven bordering States/Union Territories (UTs), during an event held at the Siyom Bridge along the Along-Yinkiong Road in Arunachal Pradesh. • The projects include 22 bridges, including the Siyom Bridge, three roads, and three other projects in seven bordering States/UTs in the Northern and North-Eastern region. • These projects are distributed as follows: Eight in Ladakh, Five in Arunachal Pradesh, Four in Jammu and Kashmir, Three each in Sikkim, Punjab & Uttarakhand, and Two in Rajasthan. i. The Siyom Bridge on the Along-Yinkiong Road in Arunachal Pradesh is a modern, 100-meter-long Class 70 steel arch superstructured Bridge that spans the Siyom River. ii. The three telemedicine nodes will be linked to service hospitals using a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) satellite communications (SatCom) system.
CA STATIC GK
23. Who is the President of Microsoft India as of Jan ‘23?
Option “2” is correct. About Microsoft India: President – Anant Maheshwari Country Manager – Ashutosh Gupta Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi Establishment – 1990 (in India)
24. Where is the headquarters of India Accelerator (IA) located?
1) New Delhi, Dalhi
2) Ahmedabad, Gujarat
3) Cochin, Kerala
4) Gurugram, Haryana
5) Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Option “4” is correct. About India Accelerator (IA): India Accelerator (IA) is India’s only mentorship-driven, Global Accelerator Network (GAN)-partnered programme that assists Startups in realising their full potential. Founder & MD – Ashish Bhatia Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana Founded – 2017
25. What is the tagline of Canara Bank?
1) Always You First
2) Together we can
3) Support All the Way
4) Relationship Beyond Banking
5) Together We Thrive
Option “2” is correct. About Canara Bank: Non-Executive Chairman- Vijay Srirangan Headquarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka Establishment- 1906 Tagline- Together we can
26. Who holds the post for Chairman of BharatPe as of Jan ‘23?
Option “3” is correct. Captain Shiva Chouhan, an officer from the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, became the first woman officer to be operationally deployed at Kumar Post in the Siachen Glacier, which is located at an altitude of 15,632 feet.
28. Who is the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as of Jan ‘23?
1) Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
2) Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
3) Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum
4) Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
5) Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Option “5” is correct. About the United Arab Emirates (UAE): President – Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Capital – Abu Dhabi city Currency – Arab Emirati Dirham (AED)
29. Who was the last surviving astronaut from the first successful crewed space mission in NASA’s Apollo7 programme?
1) Scott Kelly
2) Walter Cunningham
3) Buzz Aldrin
4) John Herschel Glenn
5) Sally Ride
Option “2” is correct. Ronnie Walter Cunningham was the lunar module pilot on the space flight, which launched from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station, Florida, on October 11 and splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean south of Bermuda. He was the last surviving astronaut from the first successful crewed space mission in NASA’s Apollo7 programme.
30. When was the Border Roads Organization (BRO) established?
1) 1960
2) 1966
3) 1958
4) 1970
5) 1972
Option “1” is correct. About the Border Roads Organization (BRO): Director General Border Roads (DGBR) – Lieutenant (Lt.) General Rajeev Chaudhary Established – 1960 Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
