11th January Current Affairs : Vision IAS Current Affairs
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1. Name the country that has recently (in Jan ‘23) signed and exchanged letters with India for the Young Professionals Scheme.
1) Russia
2) Australia
3) Canada
4) Germany
5) United Kingdom
Option “5” is correct. India and the United Kingdom (UK) signed and exchanged letters of ‘UK-India Young Professionals Scheme’ which will allow 3,000 young Indians and Britons aged 18 to 30 to live, study and work in each other’s countries without needing to have a job in hand. i. It was launched at the Indian high commission in London, UK on January 9, 2023. ii. This launch coincided with 17th PBD 2023.
2. Which country has recently (in Jan ‘23) signed an agreement with India on the cooperation in the training of diplomats during the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention 2023 in
Indore, Madhya Pradesh?
1) Somalia
2) Kenya
3) Panama
4) Germany
5) Spain
Option “3” is correct. During the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh (MP), an agreement was signed between India and Panama on the cooperation in the training of diplomats. i. The PBD convention was held on January 8-10, 2023 on the theme ‘Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal’.
3. In which city, ReNew Power has recently (in Jan ‘23) installed India’s first 3x-platform wind turbine generators (WTGs)?
Option “4” is correct. ReNew Power (“ReNew”), one of India’s largest independent power producers (IPPs) for renewable energy, has announced the installation of India’s first 3x-platform wind turbine generators (WTGs) at Gadag, Karnataka. i. The new WTGs will be a component of India’s first “Round the Clock” renewable energy project, which combines wind, solar, and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). ii. The WTGs are 128–140 m tall and have a nameplate capacity of 3.3–3.465 MW (megawatts).
4. Who has recently (in Jan ‘23) released the theme for the National Science Day 2023 titled “Global Science for Global Wellbeing” in New Delhi, Delhi?
1) Amit Shah
2) Jitendra Singh
3) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar
4) Narendra Modi
5) Ashwini Vaishnaw
Option “2” is correct. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, released the theme for the National Science Day 2023 titled “Global Science for Global Wellbeing” at National Media Centre in New Delhi, Delhi. i. The theme indicates India’s emerging global role and rising visibility in the international arena. ii. National Science Day (NSD) is annually observed across India on February 28 to commemorate the discovery of the “Raman Effect”.
5. In January 2023, GoI has allotted __________ for the New India Literacy Programme (NILP) for a 5-year period, from fiscal years 2022-23 (FY23) to 2026-27 (FY27).
Option “4” is correct. The Government of India (GoI) has allotted Rs. 1037.90 crore for the New India Literacy Programme (NILP), a centrally sponsored programme (CSS), for a 5-year period, from fiscal years 2022-23 (FY23) to 2026-27 (FY27). i. The Foundational Literacy and Numeracy component of NILP aims to reach 5 crore learners over a 5-year period from FY23 to FY27. ii. Financial Outlay – The GoI will contribute Rs. 700 crore out of the total financial outlay of Rs. 1037.90 crore, while the state will contribute Rs. 337.90 crore.
ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
6. Which company has recently (in Jan ‘23) signed an MoU with Rallis India Limited to boost agriculture?
Option “4” is correct. Garuda Aerospace Pvt Ltd, the Chennai-based drone manufacturing company has signed an MoU with Rallis India Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Chemicals, to work for the betterment of the farmers by leveraging technology in their agricultural operations. i. The pilot demonstrations and spraying of pesticides on fields through drones will be conducted in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. ii. Rallis will also supply pesticides and crop nutrients to Garuda Aerospace for the pilot demon.
BANKING AND FINANCE
7. Which bank has recently (in Jan ‘23) signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Karnataka to establish a Centre for Mathematics and Computing at IISc?
1) HDFC Bank
2) Axis Bank
3) YES Bank
4) ICICI Bank
5) IndusInd Bank
Option “2” is correct. Axis Bank signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Karnataka to establish a Centre for Mathematics and Computing at IISc. i. The centre spread across 1.6 lakh square feet will have state of the art labs and programmes that will benefit the faculty and students of the 20 IISc departments. Annually the centre will benefit more than 500 engineers and scientists. • In addition, it will also host the new IISc BTech programme in Mathematics and Computing and the ongoing Interdisciplinary PhD programme in Mathematical Sciences.
8. In January 2023, RBI issued the revised list of accredited Credit Rating agencies (CRAs) for the purpose of assigning risk weight to assets for capital adequacy purposes by the banks.
How many credit rating agencies are listed, as of January 2023?
1) Seven
2) Eight
3) Six
4) Five
5) Four
Option “3” is correct. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the revised list of accredited Credit Rating agencies (CRAs) for the purpose of assigning risk weight to assets for capital adequacy purposes by the banks. i. The six credit rating agencies are as follows: • Acuite Ratings & Research Limited (Acuite) • Credit Analysis and Research Limited (CARE) • CRISIL Ratings Limited • ICRA Limited • India Ratings and Research Private Limited (India Ratings) • INFOMERICS Valuation and Rating Pvt Ltd
9. According to the report released by ICRA Limited in January 2023, Gross bond issuances by Indian banks reached a record of _________ in the first 9 months (April-December) of FY23.
Option “1” is correct. According to the report released by credit rating agency ICRA Limited (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited), Gross bond issuances by Indian banks reached a record of Rs. 91,500 crores in the first 9 months (April-December) of financial year 2022- 23 (FY23). i. In FY22, banks issued Rs. 70,000 crore in gross bond issuances. The previous record was Rs. 80,000 crore in FY17. ii. Bank gross bond issuances are likely to reach Rs. 1.3-1.4 lakh crore by the end of FY23, as the banking system’s credit-to-deposit (CD) ratio continues to firm up.
10. Name India’s fastest payment app, which was launched in January 2023.
Option “5” is correct. PayRup, India’s fastest payment app, has been launched. PayRup is built on cutting-edge Web 3.0 technology and offers an enhanced digital payment experience with an exceptional user experience. i. PayRup was launched by Mahadevappa Halagatti at a launch ceremony held at Lulu Mall in Bangalore, Karnataka. ii. PayRup offers 24/7 assistance and support to users. Its customer service desk utilises cutting-edge Customer relationship management (CRM) technologies and adheres to international standards. • To provide the best customer service, PayRup assures the SERVQUAL (service quality) standard and the 5 dimensions of service quality.
11. In January 2023, SEBI issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling Stock Exchange outages and extension of trading hours in case of an outage.
SEBI has directed stock exchanges to report the outage immediately as it occurs but not later than _________ .
Option “2” is correct. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling Stock Exchange outages and extension of trading hours in case of an outage. i. SOP mandates the affected Stock exchange to inform SEBI immediately after the occurrence of the outage through a dedicated email id. • They have to inform the stakeholders (i.e market participants, trading members and other market infrastructure institutions (MIIs)) within 15 minutes. ii. Extension of Trading hours: If the trading on the affected stock exchange resumes to normalcy one hour before the normally scheduled market closure, trading hours on that day for all stock exchanges would remain unchanged, but if not resumed within one hour then the trading hours would get extended for one and half hours on that day.
12. Which Bank has recently (in Jan ‘23) launched a Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) online portal to provide instant online ‘In Principle’ approval of up to Rs. 1 crore?
1) Axis Bank
2) Karnataka Bank
3) RBL Bank
4) South Indian Bank
5) ICICI Bank
Option “4” is correct. The South Indian Bank (SIB), headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala, has launched a Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) online portal that provides instant online ‘In Principle’ approval of up to Rs. 1 crore. i. This initiative will support the MSME business to get loans quickly and support the domestic MSMEs to scale up their businesses.
13. HDFC Capital has recently (in Jan ‘23) achieved the initial close of __________ for Scheme 2 of HDFC Capital Affordable Real Estate Fund – 3 (H-CARE 3).
1) USD 376 million
2) USD 539 million
3) USD 278 million
4) USD 156 million
5) USD 429 million
Option “1” is correct. HDFC Capital, a subsidiary of HDFC Limited has successfully achieved the initial close of USD 376 million for Scheme 2 of HDFC Capital Affordable Real Estate Fund – 3 (H-CARE 3) to provide long term, flexible funding across affordable and mid-income housing projects including early-stage funding. i. The primary investor in H-CARE 3 Schemes 1 & 2 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). ii. H-CARE 3 has flexibility to provide equity funding for real estate projects and invest in tech companies that address the needs of the affordable housing ecosystem.
14. Name the insurance company that has recently (in Jan ‘23) partnered with Clootrack, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered, real-time customer experience platform.
1) Bharti AXA General Insurance
2) ICICI Lombard General Insurance
3) Cholamandalam MS General Insurance
4) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance
5) Kotak Mahindra General Insurance
Option “5” is correct. Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company Limited (“Kotak General Insurance“) has partnered with Clootrack, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered, real-time customer experience platform. i. This partnership will provide Kotak General Insurance with actionable insights about its non-life insurance products based on customer feedback, as well as assist it in understanding market gaps in order to improve its customer experience.
APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
15. Who has recently (in Jan ‘23) re-appointed as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for one year?
1) Michael Debabrata Patra
2) Shyamala Gopinath
3) Urjit R. Patel
4) Anand Sinha
5) Subir Gokarn
Option “1” is correct. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the reappointment of Michael Debabrata Patra as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a further period of one year with effect from the 15th January 2023. i. Michael Debabrata Patra’s 3-year tenure comes to an end on 14th January 2023. ii. Michael Debabrata Patra was 1st appointed to a 3-year tenure as deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India on 15th January 2020.
16. Name the personality who was recently (in Jan ‘23) appointed as the Interim Charge as Managing Director (MD) of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), after
RS Sodhi resignation.
1) Kishibhai Patel
2) Jayen Mehta
3) Shamalbhai B Patel
4) Valjibhai R Humbal
5) Atish Mathur
Option “2” is correct. The Managing Director (MD) of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), RS Sodhi, has stepped down from his post. i. He will be succeeded by the Chief operating officer (COO) of GCMMF, Jayen Mehta who has been given immediate charge as MD. ii. GCMMF is the owner of India’s biggest dairy brand Amul (Anand Milk Union Limited).
17. Name the personality who has recently (in Jan ‘23) appointed as the Brand Ambassador of the Herbalife International India private limited (Herbalife Nutrition).
Option “2” is correct. Herbalife International India private limited (Herbalife Nutrition) signed up an Indian woman cricketer Smriti Mandhana as its Brand Ambassador. She is the 5th Indian athlete and the 2nd cricketer to be Herbalife’s nutrition sponsor. i. Smriti Mandhana, hailing from Mumbai, Maharashtra, made her Test debut in 2014. Currently, she is the vice-captain of the Indian women’s national cricket team. ii. Herbalife Nutrition has more than 150 sponsored teams and athletes worldwide.
18. In January 2023, _________ was appointed as the new Prime Minister (PM) of Gabon to replace Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda.
1) Alain Claude Bilie By Nze
2) Julien Nkoghe Bekale
3) Daniel Ona Ondo
4) Raymond Ndong Sima
5) Leon Mebiame
Option “1” is correct. Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, appointed Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda as the firstever female Vice President of Gabon. Prior to this appointment, she has been serving as the Prime Minister of Gabon since July 2022. i. Alain-Claude Bilie By Nze (56 years old), former Minister, was appointed as the new Prime Minister (PM) of Gabon to replace Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda.
OBITUARY
19. Renowned Poet & Kashmir’s 1st Jnanpith Awardee ‘Abdur Rehman Rahi’ Passed Away in January 2023.
In which year did he receive the Jnanpith Award for his poetic collection in Kashmiri “Siyah Rood Jaeren Manz” (In Black Drizzle)?
1) 2000
2) 2005
3) 2004
4) 2008
5) 2003
Option “3” is correct. Kashmir’s 1st Jnanpith awardee Professor Abdur Rehman Rahi, a renowned Kashmiri poet, translator, and critic, passed away at Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). He was born in Srinagar in 1925. i. In 2000, he was honoured with the 4th-highest civilian award in India, Padma Shri Award for Literature and Education. ii. In 2004, he received the highest literary award in India, the Jnanpith Award for his poetic collection in Kashmiri “Siyah Rood Jaeren Manz” (In Black Drizzle). iii. Some of his literary collections: Sana-Wani Saaz (poems), Kashir Naghmati Shayiri, Kahwat (literary criticism), Sukhok Soda (poems), and Kalam-e-Rahi (poems).
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
20. Which country’s first rocket launched has faced failure after the rocket carrying nine satellites failed to reach orbit?
1) Australia
2) United Arab Emirates
3) United Kingdom
4) United States of America
5) France
Option “3” is correct. The United Kingdom (UK)’s first-ever space mission failed after the rocket suffered an anomaly during the flight. Virgin Orbit’s modified Boeing 747 dubbed “Cosmic Girl” carrying LauncherOne, the first rocket to launch into space from the UK, took off from Cornwall. i. The Virgin Orbit plane flew to 35,000 ft over the Atlantic Ocean where it jettisoned the rocket containing 9 small satellites towards space.
STATE NEWS
21. Name the Chief Minister (CM) of Tamil Nadu (TN), who has recently (in Jan ‘23) launched the Global Tamil Angels platform for investors from the global Tamil diaspora to fund the TN Start-Ups.
1) Pinarayi Vijayan
2) M.K. Stalin
3) K Chandrasekhar Rao
4) Basavaraj Bommai
5) Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy
Option “2” is correct. M K Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu (TN), launched the Global Tamil Angels platform www.tamilangels.fund of StartupTN for investors from the global Tamil diaspora to make investments in Tamil Nadu-based startups. i. The platform was launched during the Global Tamil Startup Investors Summit, jointly organised by the Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission and FeTNA International Tamil Entrepreneur Network in Chennai, TN. ii. The platform will connect TN-based startups with international Tamil angel investors, offer legal assistance for investors, and help take products to the global markets.
22. Which state has recently (in Jan ‘23) inaugurated a new vehicle location control centre and mobile app to boost security for women?
Option “4” is correct. West Bengal (WB) Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee inaugurated a new vehicle location control centre and mobile app, as a part of efforts to enhance security for women in WB. i. Both, control centre & mobile app would help the police track movement of vehicles and also keep a tab on crimes on women inside moving cars. ii. It also has panic buttons in each vehicle, which on pressing, alerts the police.
IMPORTANT DAYS
23. When was World Hindi Day/ Vishwa Hindi Diwas 2023 observed across the globe?
1) 10th January 2023
2) 7th January 2023
3) 9th January 2023
4) 6th January 2023
5) 8th January 2023
Option “1” is correct. World Hindi Day or Vishwa Hindi Diwas 2023 was observed across the globe on 10th January 2023 to celebrate and promote the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the Hindi language and its speakers across the globe. i. The day, January 10 marks the anniversary of the first time that Hindi was spoken in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1949 and the day also marks the anniversary of the 1st World Hindi Conference held from 10th to 12th January 1975 in Nagpur, Maharashtra. • The first-ever World Hindi Day was celebrated on 10th January 2006. ii. The 12th World Hindi Conference(2023) will be held in the Republic of Fiji from 15th to 17th February 2023, which was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Fiji. iii. The main theme of the World Hindi Conference 2023 is “Hindi – Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence”.
CA STATIC GK
24. Which Airport has recently (in Jan ‘23) received an aerodrome licence by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)?
1) Goa International Airport
2) Chennai International Airport
3) Guwahati International Airport
4) Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
5) Jaipur International Airport
Option “3” is correct. The Guwahati International Airport Ltd has been granted aerodrome licence by the DGCA for complete management of the airport. The licence was granted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
25. The Ministry of Culture has recently (in Jan ‘23) set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres to conserve, develop art, culture & crafts across India.
Who is the current (as of Jan ‘23) union minister of culture?
Option “5” is correct. For conservation and development of art, culture and crafts across the country, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur. i. This information was given by the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha.
26. In which year Axis Bank was established?
1) 1990
2) 1996
3) 1994
4) 1998
5) 1995
Option “3” is correct. Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive officer (CEO) – Amitabh Chaudhry Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra Establishment – 1994 Tagline – Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi
27. Who is the current (as of Jan ‘23) Chairman of the Rajya Sabha?
1) Shanker Dayal Sharma
2) M. Venkaiah Naidu
3) Krishan Kant
4) M. Hamid Ansari
5) Jagdeep Dhankhar
Option “5” is correct. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar officiated as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha as the Winter Session of the Parliament commenced. i. The Winter Session of Parliament will continue till December 29. The session was delayed by a month due to the Gujarat election schedule. ii. Some of the bills slated for introduction in the Winter Session of Parliament are the Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2022.
Option “1” is correct. About Gabon: President- Ali Bongo Ondimba Capital- Libreville Currency- Central African CFA franc
29. Who is the current (as of Jan ‘23) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ReNew Power?
1) Kavita Saha
2) Sumant Sinha
3) Tulsi R Tanti
4) Vanitha Narayanan
5) Ram Charan
Option “2” is correct. About ReNew Power (“ReNew”): Founder, Chairman and CEO – Sumant Sinha Established – 2011 Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana
30. Every year, Hindi Diwas is celebrated across India on _____________.
1) 14th September
2) 14th June
3) 14th April
4) 14th March
5) 14th January
Option “1” is correct. India annually celebrates the 14th of September as the Hindi Diwas to mark the day on which the Constituent Assembly of India decided Hindi as the official language of India.
