Current Affairs Quiz 15th January 2024 Quiz

Exp. Karnataka govt. launched ‘Yuva Nidhi’ Scheme For Jobless Youth

Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar have launched the Yuva Nidhi scheme in Shivamogga, Karnataka.

The scheme offers financial aid to graduates and diploma holders who are yet to get a job, but only for a maximum of two years.

Training will be provided to the graduates and diploma holders who register themselves on the Skill Connect portal of the State Government.

The government has promised ₹3,000 per month to degree holders and ₹1,500 per month to diploma holders who were unable to get a job in the past six months and are not pursuing higher studies. The aid will be paid for two years.

The launch was held on the birth anniversary of youth icon Swami Vivekananda.

About Karnataka

• Capital – Bengaluru
• Chief Minister –Siddaramaiah
• Deputy Chief Minister – DK Shivakumar
• Governor – Thawar Chand Gehlot

Exp. International Camel Festival organized in Bikaner, Rajasthan

The three-day International Camel Festival has organized with great fervor in the culturally rich district of Bikaner, Rajasthan.

The festival commenced with an enthralling Heritage Walk, setting the stage for a celebration of folk culture that captivated both domestic and foreign tourists.

The Tourism Department organized Rangoli, Mehndi, and drawing competitions for the participants at Bikaji ki Tekri, with the winners receiving mementoes in recognition of their skills and talents.

Camels have always been an integral part of Bikaner’s culture and history. The Bikaner army had a Camel corps called “Ganga Risala”, which played a vital role in both the World Wars and conflicts in Somaliland, Egypt, and China.

About Rajasthan

• Capital – Jaipur
• Chief Minister – Bhajan Lal Sharma (replace Ashok Gehlot)
• Deputy Chief Minister – Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa
• Speaker of Rajasthan Assembly – Vasudev Devnani
• Governor – Kalraj Mishra

Exp. PM Modi Inaugurates the 27th National Youth Festival in Nashik

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 27th National Youth Festival in Nashik, Maharashtra.

The festival, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, celebrated youthful talent and skills across the nation.

He also witnessed a march past by the state’s team and a cultural program on the theme of ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047 – Yuva ke liye, Yuva ke dwara’ which included Rhythmic gymnastics, Mallakhamb, Yogasana and National Youth Festival song.

PM Modi in News

• PM Modi inaugurated & laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over 30,500 crore rupees in Maharashtra
• PM inaugurates Kochi-Lakshadweep Islands Submarine Optical Fibre Connection
• PM Modi inaugurates new terminal building at Tiruchirappalli airport
• PM Modi attend DGP conference at Jaipur
• PM Modi inaugurates Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2.0 in Varanasi

Exp. First ‘Made In India’ Memory chip is expected to be produced in 2024: Ashwini Vaishnav

Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said the first ‘Made In India’ Memory chip is expected to be produced in Gujarat this year.

Addressing a seminar on Semiconductors and Electronics at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in Gandhinagar, the Minister said Micron’s investment in Gujarat will pave the way for creating a Semiconductor ecosystem in India.

The Minister also asked Semicon Giant Micron to undertake research in the semiconductor industry and set up a research centre at IIT Gandhinagar.

During the summit, an MoU was exchanged between Gujarat Government and Korean company Simmtec. Also, partnership agreements were signed between Micron and Nantech, and Cisco and Nantec.

Exp. 2nd International AYUSH Conference Inaugurated in Dubai

The second International AYUSH Conference and Exhibition was inaugurated at the Dubai World Trade Centre, orchestrated by the Science India Forum and the Ministry of AYUSH.

The three-day event was dedicated to showcasing AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) as a reliable healthcare system for preventing and managing Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (NCDs).

The focal theme of the conference, “Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases – Prevention & Management through AYUSH,” aims to highlight AYUSH as a prevention-oriented and cost-effective approach to creating a disease-free society.

With over 1500 experts expected from India , the Middle East, Far East, Africa, Europe, Australia, and America, the conference is set to become a global platform for discussions and collaborations in the field of traditional medicine.

Exp. South Korea Bans Trade Of Dog Meat In New Law

The South Korean parliament has passed a Bill banning the production and sale of dog meat, in a decision that campaigners hailed as a “historic victory” for animal welfare.

Although the Bill does not criminalise the consumption of dog meat, it aims to ban the sale, distribution, butchery, and breeding of dogs for their meat by 2027.

Why has the Bill been passed now?

• Consuming dog meat in South Korea is a centuries-old practice. Historically, cows were highly valued and so prized that people had to obtain a government permit to slaughter them up until the late 19th Century. Therefore, dog meat became the best source of protein and was enjoyed by people across the class spectrum.
• In recent years, however, the practice has been increasingly shunned as incomes, pet ownership and concern for animal welfare spiked steadily.
• About 93% of South Korean adults said they didn’t want to consume dog meat in the future, and 82% said they supported a ban, according to a survey conducted last year by Aware, an animal welfare organisation in Seoul.

What does the Bill say?

• The Bill intends to prevent the cruel slaughter of dogs without actually banning their consumption. According to activists, dogs are electrocuted or hanged when slaughtered for meat. Breeders and traders, however, have argued that slaughtering has become more humane in recent years.
• Its provisions will be implemented in 2027, following a three-year grace period for dog farm owners, meat restaurants, and other workers in the trade to close their businesses or find alternative sources of employment.
• Under the Bill, slaughtering dogs for consumption can attract fines of up to 30 million won (approximately Rs 19 lakh) or imprisonment of up to three years.
• Selling and breeding dogs for consumption can also attract a 2-year prison sentence or a fine of 20 million won (Rs 12.58 lakh).

About South Korea

• Capital – Seoul
• Currency – South Korean Won
• Prime Minister – Han Duck-soo
• President – Yoon Seok-youl

Exp. SBI launches Green Rupee Term Deposit

State Bank of India (SBI) has launched the SBI Green Rupee Term Deposit (SGRTD) of 1,111 days, 1,777 days, and 2,222 days tenor for resident individuals, non-individuals, and NRI customers.

The deposit has been introduced with the aim of mobilizing funds to support environment-friendly initiatives and projects, thereby fostering the growth of a green finance ecosystem in India.

Currently, the scheme is available through the branch network, and it will soon be made available through other digital channels such as YONO and Internet Banking Services (INB).

What is Green Deposit?

Green deposit refers to an interest-bearing deposit received by regulated entities (RE) for a fixed period, with the proceeds earmarked for allocation towards green finance as per RBI’s notification dated April 11, 2023.

Recent Facilities Launched in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Indian Bank launches ‘Indian Bank One Co-Branded Credit Card’
• IndusInd Bank lunched ‘Samman RuPay Credit Card’ exclusively for government employees.
• Canara Bank to launch Data Analytics center in Bengaluru from 1 April
• Bank of India introduced Super Special Fixed Deposit with interest rate of 7.50% per annum

Exp. Govt approves reappointment of RBI Deputy Governor Michael Patra for 1 year

Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Michael D. Patra, who is in charge of monetary policy and is a member of the monetary policy committee, has been given a one-year extension ahead of the end of his tenure.

Patra, with RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, played a vital role in dealing with COVID-related impact on the economy.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the re-appointment of Dr. Michael Debabrata Patra, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a further period of one year with effect from 15.01.2024 or until further orders.

Patra was appointed as RBI Deputy Governor in January 2020, and last year he got an extension of one year.

The three other Deputy Governors of the bank are M Rajeshwar Rao, T Rabi Sankar, and Swaminathan Jankiraman.

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• CEO of PhonePe For International Payments Division – Ritesh Pai
• Executive Director of SEBI – G Ram Mohan Rao (for 3 years)
• ‘Class C’ Director on Board of Directors of Federal Reserve Bank of New York – Rajiv Shah
• MD & CEO of National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARCL) – P Santhosh (replace Natarajan Sundar)
• MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank – Ashok Vaswani (replace Dipak Gupta)

Exp. Denmark’s King Frederik X takes the throne after abdication of Queen

Denmark’s King Frederik X took the throne after the abdication of his mother Queen Margrethe II.

For many in Denmark, his mother Margrethe was the only monarch they had ever known. But her shock abdication, after more than five decades on the throne, paved the way for her son, the former Crown Prince Frederik, to succeed her.

The Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen then publicly proclaimed the King’s accession from the balcony of the palace – a tradition in place since the constitution of 1849.

Frederik followed the proclamation with a short speech, before being joined by his Australian-born wife Queen Mary and their four children, including the Crown Prince Christian, the new successor to the throne.

Denmark is a constitutional monarchy, and its royals perform an important but symbolic ambassadorial role in addition to signing off any new legislation.

Formal powers lie with the elected parliament and its government based at Christiansborg Palace in the heart of the capital, Copenhagen.

It’s the first time in 900 years a Danish king or queen has abdicated. It will be a more festive occasion than the last time when a young Margrethe took over.

About Denmark

• Capital- Copenhagen
• Currency- Danish krone
• Prime Minist er – Mette Frederiksen

Newly Appointed Prime Minister & President

• Prime Minister of France – Gabriel Attal (replace Elisabeth Borne)
• Prime Minister of Bangladesh – Sheikh Hasina (5^th term)
• President of Congo – Felix Tshisekedi (2nd term)
• President of Egypt – Abdel Fattah El-Sisi (3^rd term)

• Prime Minister of Poland – Donald Tusk

Exp. William Lai elected president of Taiwan

William Lai, also known as Lai Ching-te, from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won Taiwan’s presidential election.

Lai, the current vice president of Taiwan garnered around 40% of the vote share after counting was done from over 90% of polling stations.

He was competing against two other candidates, including Hou Yu-ih from the conservative Kuomintang (KMT) and former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je from the Taiwan People’s Party which was only founded in 2019.

Lai, 64, grew up poor in a coal-mining village in northern Taiwan. His father, a miner, died in a coal mine disaster when he was two years old. Lai was brought up by his mother alongside five siblings.

Lai also served as Taiwan’s premier — nominally the principal advisor to the president of the republic and positioned as the head of the central government — from 2017 to 2019.

About Taiwan

• Capital- Taipei City
• Currency- New Taiwan dollar
• President- William Lai

Exp. MP emerges overall Champion of first ever Beach Games held in Diu

Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the overall champion at the inaugural Beach Games 2024, held at the pristine blue flag-certified Ghoghla Beach in Diu.

The landlocked state secured a staggering total of 18 medals, including an impressive haul of 7 golds, highlighting the depth of talent within its contingent.

The competition witnessed 1404 young athletes from 28 states and Union Territories participating in a diverse array of disciplines.

Maharashtra clinched 14 medals, including 3 golds, while Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and hosts Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Diu & Daman secured 12 medals each. Notably, Assam secured 8 medals, with an impressive 5 golds.

Lakshadweep made history by securing the gold medal in Beach Soccer. Their victory, a 5-4 triumph over Maharashtra in the final, not only added diversity to the medal tally but also underscored the inclusive and nationwide impact of the Diu Beach Games 2024.

India, endowed with some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, now has 12 with Blue Flag certification for cleanliness and sustainable tourism.

Exp. 14 January 2024 – 7th Armed Forces Veterans Day

Armed Forces Veterans Day is celebrated every year on 14th January.

The day was first celebrated in 2016.

The 14th of January is commemorated as Armed Forces Veterans Day as a mark of respect and recognition for the services rendered by Field Marshall KM Cariappa.

He was the first Indian Chief of the Indian Army. He retired from service on 14th January 1953.  

Exp. 14 January – International Kite Day

International Kite Day is observed on 14 January every year.

The day celebrates the end of winter and the onset of summer. It also marks the arrival of harvest season.

It is believed that the kite was invented in China in the 28th century BC and the popularity of kite-flying peaked in Lucknow in the 1700s.

Benjamin Franklin, an American scientist and author, stated that lightning is electricity with the help of a kite.

International Kite Day was first observed

Exp. Renowned classical singer Prabha Atre passes away

Legendary classical singer and Padma Vibhushan recipient Prabha Atre passed away at the age of 92.

She was considered the doyenne of the Kirana Gharana.

The much-feted Atre, who played a significant role in popularising classical music across the globe, won the Padma Shri in 1990, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2022, during a rich career spanning seven decades.

Born in September 1932 in Pune, she received her training in classical music from the renowned Sureshbabu Mane, a prominent exponent of the Kirana gharana.

She was equally proficient in different classical genres, be it khyal, tarana, thumri, dadra, ghazal and bhajan, citing the influence of Ustad Amir Khan (founder of the Indore gharana) for khyal and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (Kasur gharana) for thumri.

Exp. Urdu poet Munawwar Rana passes away

Renowned poet Munawwar Rana passed away at the age of 71.

Born in 1952 in Rae Bareli, Munawwar Rana was awarded the Gyanpeeth Award in 2014 for ‘Shahdaba’.

His use of simple words in the poems made his works popular among the common people.

in Gujarat. Individuals from across the globe came to show off their kites