Current Affairs Quiz 17th march 2023 Quiz

Exp. Literacy rate in India: Bihar lowest at 61.8%, Kerala highest at 94%

According to the Ministry of Education, Bihar has the lowest literacy rate in India at 61.8%, followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 65.3% and Rajasthan at 66.1%.

Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India at 94%, followed by Lakshadweep at 91.85% and Mizoram at 91.33%.

The literacy rate in rural India is 67.77 percent as compared to 84.11 percent in urban India.

Exp. Meghalaya International Film Festival begins in Shillong

The first-ever Meghalaya International Film Festival started in Shillong.

Meghalaya International Film Festival is a five-day event which kicked off in the State Central Library. It was inaugurated by the Meghalaya Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh.

Around 40 films will be screened over the next five days across 4 venues.

Meghalaya International Film Festival (Megh IFF) is aimed at creating a film culture in the State, especially among its youth. The Festival is expected to attract over 5,000 viewers from across the country and guest countries.

About Meghalaya

• Capital – Shillong
• Chief Minister – Conrad Kongkal Sangma
• Governor – Phagu Chauhan

Exp. Narender Singh Tomar inaugurated “AgriUnifest” in Bengaluru

Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar has inaugurated a 5-day cultural program”AgriUnifest” in Bengaluru.

Objective – To nurture the talent of the youth of the Agricultural Universities and represent Indian culture.

This program was organized by Bangalore Agricultural University in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

More than 2500 meritorious students from 60 State Agricultural Universities/Deemed Universities/Central Universities participated in it.

Students showcase their skills in 18 events under 5 disciplines (Music, Dance, Literature, Theatre, Fine Arts).

The All India Inter Agricultural University Youth Festival was conceptualized and initiated by ICAR during 1999-2000 with the objective of integrating Indian agriculture by connecting various Indian cultures.

Recent Inauguration by Narendra Singh Tomar

• Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the National Workshop on Bamboo Sector Development in New Delhi.
• Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated National Horticulture Fair in Bengaluru
• Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the three-day ‘North East Krishi Kumbha-2023’ in Meghalaya
• Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated National Conference on Soil Health

Exp. Atal Innovation Mission launched ATL Sarthi

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) – NITI Aayog has launched ATL Sarthi.

It is a comprehensive self-monitoring framework to strengthen the ecosystem of Atal Tinkering Labs.

Atal Innovation Mission has established Atal Tinkering Laboratories (ATL) in schools to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds.

ATL Sarthi is a charioteer and will enable the Atal Tinkering Labs to be efficient and effective.

Atal Innovation Mission aims to foster millions of young innovators in India by setting up Atal Tinkering Labs in schools. It will provide a monitoring and evaluation framework to enhance the performance of Atal Tinkering Labs.

Mission Director AIM, NITI Aayog – Dr. Chintan Vaishnav

NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India)

• Founded – 1st January 2015
• Preceding – Planning Commission (15th March 1950)
• Headquarters – New Delhi
• Chairperson – Narendra Modi
• Vice Chairperson – Suman K Bery
• CEO – BVR Subrahmanyam
• NITI Aayog comes under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Exp. Delhi ranks 4th on list of world’s most polluted cities

According to the World Air Quality Report prepared by IQAir, Delhi ranked fourth on a list of 50 of the world’s most polluted cities in terms of PM2.5 levels in 2022.

Delhi had an average PM2.5 level of 92.6 ug/ m3 in 2022, a little below the average of 96.4 ug/m3 in 2021.

The most polluted city in the world was found to be Lahore, followed by Hotan in China, and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan. The average PM2.5 concentration in Bhiwadi was 92.7 μg/m3.

Delhi has retained its ranking on this list – it stood fourth in 2021 as well. The WHO guideline for annual PM2.5 levels is 5 μg/m3.

A total of 39 Indian cities (including ‘Delhi’ and ‘New Delhi’) are on the list of 50 of the world’s most polluted cities based on annual average PM2.5 levels in 2022. These include cities like Noida, Gurgaon, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Charkhi Dadri, Jind, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Greater Noida.

Out of 131 countries, India ranked eighth with a population-weighted average PM2.5 level of 53.3 μg/m3 in 2022. India is behind Chad, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso and Kuwait on this list.

Recent index

• Electoral Democracy Index 2023: India ranked 108; topped by Denmark

• International IP Index: India ranked 42 in 55 countries; topped by USA
• Global Fire Power Index 2023: India ranked 4th; topped by US
• Henley Passport Index 2023: India ranked 85; topped by Japan
• List of best Cuisines of the World by Taste Atlas – India ranked 5th; topped by Italy 

Exp. US recognized McMahon Line as international border

The US has formally recognized the McMahon Line as the international boundary between India’s Arunachal Pradesh and China.

The US has also rejected Beijing’s claim that the northeastern state falls under Chinese territory.

A bipartisan resolution acknowledged Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India and also supported India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The resolution, titled ‘Reaffirming the state of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory and condemning the People’s Republic of China’s provocations in South Asia’.

Exp. India signed loan agreement with World Bank for Green NH Corridors project

India has signed an agreement with World Bank to construct the Green National Highway Corridors Project in four States.

These States are Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

The agreement has been signed for the construction of 781 kilometers in these States, with loan assistance of 500 million dollars.

The total project cost is over 7,662 crore rupees.

The objective of the Green National Highway Corridors Project is to demonstrate safe and green highways keeping in view climate resilience and use of green technologies.

About World Bank

• Founded – 1944
• Headquarters – Washington Dc
• President – Ajay Banga
• MD & CFO – Anshula Kant
• Chief Economist – Carman Reinhart
• Executive Director – Rajesh Khullar
• Member Countries -189
• World Bank Group – 5 (IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA and ICSID)

Exp. Amitava Mukherjee assumed additional charge as NMDC CMD

Amitava Mukherjee has been assigned the additional charge of chairman and managing director (CMD) of NMDC for a period of 3 months up to 31 May 2023.

Mukherjee belongs to the 1995 Batch of the Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS).

Prior to joining NMDC, he was general manager (finance) in Rail Vikas Nigam (RVNL).

About National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC)

• NMDC is India’s single largest iron ore producer, presently producing about 35 million tonnes of iron ore from 3 fully mechanized mines, two located in Chhattisgarh and one in Karnataka.
• As of 31 December 2022, the Government of India held 60.79% stake in the firm.

Recent Appointment

• Vande Bharat Express gets Asia’s first woman loco pilot – Surekha Yadav
• MD and CEO of Tech Mahindra – Mohit Joshi
• MD & CEO of Hindustan Unilever Ltd. – Rohit Jawa
• CM of Nagaland – Neiphiu Rio (fifth term)
• Chief Minister of Meghalaya – Conrad Sangma (2nd Term)

Exp. Eric Garcetti appointed as US ambassador to India

The United States of America (USA) Senate has approved the appointment of Eric Garcetti as the next US Ambassador to India.

The post was vacant for the last 26 months after Ken Juster resigned in January 2021.

The appointment of Garcetti, considered a close ally of US President Joe Biden, was confirmed by the US Senate with 52 votes in favour and 42 against.

Kenneth Juster was the last occupant of the ambassadorial residence of the US in New Delhi, who stepped down in January 2021.

Exp. Deepak Mohanty appointed as Chairman of PFRDA

Deepak Mohanty has been appointed as the Chairman of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).

He replaced Supratim Bandyopadhyay, whose term ended in Jan 2023.

Before this, Mohanty was a former executive director of the Reserve Bank of India.

He was appointed PFRDA member (Economic) in August 2020 for a period of three years or till attaining the age of 62 years.

PFRDA was formed in 2003 to promote and develop the pension industry.

Recent Appointment in Banking Sector

• MD of LIC – Tablesh Pandey and M Jagannath
• MD & CEO of IndusInd Bank – Sumant Kathpalia (reappointment)
• Head of Citi Commercial Bank (CCB) – Bhanu Vohra
• Interim Chairman of LIC – Siddhartha Mohanty (replaced MR Kumar)
• MD and CEO of Axis Mutual Fund – B Gopkumar

Exp. Tamil writer Sivasankari to be awarded Saraswati Samman for 2022

Tamil writer Sivasankari has been selected for Saraswati Samman for the year 2022 for her book Survya Vamsam.

This is a book of memoirs in Tamil language and was published in 2019.

Tamil writer Sivasankari to be awarded Saraswati Samman for 2022

Sivasankari’s literary career spans over five decades. She is the author of 36 novels, 48 novellas, 150 short stories, 15 travelogues, seven collections of essays and three biographies, including one on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

About Saraswati Samman

• It was instituted by the K.K. Birla Foundation in 1991.
• It is recognized as the most prestigious and the highest literary award in the country.
• It carries an award money of 15 lakh rupees, a Citation, and a Plaque.

Recent Awards

• Swaraj Trophy for Best District Panchayat – Kollam district (Kearla)
• Kerala’s Akbar Kakkattil award – Subhash Chandran (for Samudrasila novel)
• UNESCO Peace Prize in Ivory Coast – Angela Merkel
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy National Award – Journalist A.B.K. Prasad
• Golden Book Awards 2023 – Rakhi Kapoor (For – Now You Breathe)

Exp. India joined Sea Dragon exercise 2023

The 3rd edition of the Sea Dragon exercises is being started in the USA from 15-30 March 2023.

It is a coordinated multilateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise for long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

Ex Sea Dragon 23 will test the capabilities of participating aircraft in tracking simulated and live underwater targets, whilst also sharing mutual expertise.

The Exercise would witness representation by an Indian Navy P8I, along with P8A of the US Navy, P1 from the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force, CP 140 from the Royal Canadian Air Force and P3C from the RoKN.

The Exercise aims to achieve high levels of synergy and coordination between the friendly navies, which is based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific.

Recent Exercise

• The third edition of the multilateral exercise ‘La Perouse’ between navies of India, US, Japan, France, UK and Australia held in the Indian Ocean Region.
• 1st Joint Military Exercise FRINJEX-23 between Indian Army and French Army has been conducted at Pangode Military Station, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
• INS Trikand is participating in the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 (IMX/CE-23) being held in the Gulf
• Indian Air Force to participate in Exercise Desert Flag VIII in UAE.

Exp. 13th edition of Exercise Bold Kurukshetra concluded

The 13th edition of a bilateral armour exercise, EX Bold Kurukshetra, between India and Singapore was concluded at Jodhpur Military Station, India.

The ten-day-long joint training that commenced fostered a common understanding of mechanized warfare in emerging threats and evolving technologies.

For the first time in the exercise series, both armies participated in a command post Exercise, which involved Battalion and Brigade level planning elements and computer wargaming.

Hosted by the Indian Army, the exercise involved soldiers from the 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment, and an Armoured Brigade of the Indian Army.

Recent Exercise

• India – Japan joint training exercise “Dharma Guardian” will be conducted at Camp Imazu in the Shiga province of Japan from 17 February – 2 March.
• 6th edition of the joint exercise TARKASH’ has concluded in Chennai by the National Security Guard (NSG) and the US Special Operations Force (SOF).
• Indan Army, IAF, and CAPFs conducted joint training exercise “Exercise Trishakti Prahar” in North Bengal.
• The Indian Navy organized mega biennial tri-services amphibious ‘exercise AMPHEX 2023’ near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.
• Indian Army and Egyptian Army have commenced Exercise Cyclone-I, the first-ever joint exercise between their special forces at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

Exp. Gaganyaan mission allocated Rs 9023 crore to achieve its objectives

The government has allocated a budget of Rs. 9023 Crore towards achieving the objectives of the Gaganyaan mission.

Objective of Gaganyaan program – To demonstrate human spaceflight capability to Low Earth Orbit and safe return

ISRO is also developing indigenous technologies for Human rated launch vehicle, Life Support System, Crew Escape System, Ground Station Network, Crew Training and Recovery.

About Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)

• Founded – 15 August 1969
• Headquarters – Bangalore, Karnataka
• Founder / 1st Chairman – Vikram Sarabhai
• 10th Chairman – S Somanath
• Aryabhata India’s first satellites Launched on 19 April 1975

Exp. 16 March – National Immunisation Day

National Immunization Day is observed every year on 16 March.

Objective – To spread awareness about the importance of vaccines in the healthcare system.

The day also celebrates India’s triumph over polio.

The first dose of the oral polio vaccine was administered on March 16 in India in 1995. Thus, national immunisation day or Vaccination Day celebrates the start of the Pulse Polio Programme of the government which helped eradicate polio from the country.