Current Affairs Quiz 19th February 2024 Quiz

Exp. India, Colombia sign MoU on Cooperation in the field of Sharing Successful Digital Solutions

India and Colombia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Sharing Successful Digital Solutions Implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation.

It was signed between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

These infrastructures constitute a set of shared digital systems that are secure and interoperable. They can be built on open standards to deliver and provide equitable access to public and private services.

Recently India signed MoUs with others countries

• India and Oman signed MoU on defence sector
• India and Oman signed MoU on IT Cooperation
• India and Cuba signed an MoU on digital public infrastructure collaboration
• India and France to jointly fund science research projects
• India and Mauritius collaborate on Rs 20 crore small satellite project
• India and Guyana signed MoU for Hydrocarbon Sector

Exp. Arunachal Pradesh achieves 100% coverage under Har Ghar Jal

Arunachal Pradesh has achieved 100 percent saturation in ‘Har Ghar Jal’ scheme under the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

The state has become the first in the northeast and tenth in the country to achieve a cent per cent saturation under the central government sponsored scheme.

The Centre’s share for the scheme in the state was ₹ 3,965.41 crore, while the state contributed ₹ 455.51 crore to complete the project, ensuring every household gets clean and safe piped water.

Launched in 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ is a centrally sponsored scheme aimed to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections to all households in rural India by 2024.

About Arunachal Pradesh

• Capital – Itanagar
• Chief Minister – Pema Khandu
• Governor – LG (Retd) Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik

Exp. UP emerges as top state in total vehicle sales, Maharashtra 2nd: SIAM

Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of vehicle sales in October-December 2023, followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, according to Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

As per data from SIAM, Uttar Pradesh clocked a total sale of 8,22,472 units across passenger and commercial vehicles; and two and three-wheeler categories.

In two-wheeler category, Uttar Pradesh topped the list followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh & Tamil Nadu.

Maharashtra was second with 6,88,192 units across the four categories followed by Gujarat with 4,21,026 units and Tamil Nadu 4,19,189 units in the quarter.

Uttar Pradesh witnessed the highest number of three-wheelers sold in the quarter at 23,859 units, followed by Maharashtra (20,495), Gujarat (19,743) and Bihar (14,955).

Similarly, in the two-wheeler category, Uttar Pradesh topped the list with a total of 6,73,962 units sold in the state, followed by Maharashtra (5,15,612), Madhya Pradesh (3,35,478) and Tamil Nadu (3,24,918).

However, in passenger vehicle sales, Maharashtra clocked the highest sales with 1,21,030 units, followed by Uttar Pradesh (1,01,568), Gujarat (85,599) and Karnataka (71,549).

In the commercial vehicles category also, Maharashtra topped the list with 31,055 units, followed by Uttar Pradesh (23,083), Gujarat (20,391) and Karnataka (16,966).

Exp. SBI launches digital enrolment for PMJJBY and PMSBY Schemes

State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a self-subscribing journey for enrolment under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) schemes for its customers.

The facility will provide impetus to the Indian Government’s drive of covering all eligible citizens under PMJJBY & PMSBY schemes.

The functionality enables customers to enrol under the schemes as per their convenience without visiting the branch or Customer Service Point.

The customer needs to key in the account number, date of birth on Jan Suraksha portal and to select the Bank. The Certificate of Insurance is generated instantly on payment of premium.

PMJJBY is a one-year cover term life insurance scheme, renewable from year to year, offering life insurance cover for death due to any cause.

PMSBY is an accident insurance scheme offering accidental death and disability cover for death or  disability on account of an accident.

About State Bank of India (SBI)  

• Founded – 1 July 1955
• Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chairman – Dinesh Kumar Khara
• Tagline – (1) Pure Banking Nothing Else

(2) With you all the way

(3) A bank of the common man

(4) The banker to every Indian

(5) The Nation banks on us

Exp. Karnataka boasts highest number of EV charging stations in India: BEE

Karnataka tops the country in terms of public electric vehicle charging stations with 5,059, according to statistics from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Union Ministry of Power.

Bengaluru Urban District has the most public charging stations with 4,281, which constitutes 85% of the charging infrastructure in the State.

In 2017, Karnataka became the pioneer in India by introducing the first electric vehicle (EV) policy.

At present, it leads in the number of public charging stations, with Maharashtra (3,079), Delhi (1,886), Kerala (958), Tamil Nadu (643), Uttar Pradesh (583), and Rajasthan (500) following suit.

Meanwhile, in terms of the number of EVs, Uttar Pradesh is top with 7.45 lakh, followed by Maharashtra (4.15 lakh), and Karnataka (3.31 lakh).

The State government, last year, in a bid to create a robust electric vehicle ecosystem in Karnataka, unveiled a revised draft EV policy (2023-28), which aims to attract ₹50,000 crore in investment while creating job opportunities for one lakh people.

In Karnataka, the registered number of EVs has increased from 9,703 in 2020 to 33,306 in 2021, 95,892 in 2022, and 1.52 lakh in 2023.

About Karnataka

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

Exp. IRDAI reconstitutes expert committee for Ind AS/IFRS implementation

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has announced the reconstitution of the Expert Committee on the implementation of Ind AS/IFRS.

The 13-member committee, which will be headed by the Member (Finance and Investment) F&I of IRDAI, will also include the Chairman of the Accounting Standards Board (ASB) of ICAI, the President of the Institute of Actuaries of India (IAI), the CGM & HOD of IRDAI’s Actuarial Department, among others.

The committee will work on steps that may be taken towards the effective implementation of the Indian Accounting Standards, along with giving phase-wise time-lines.

The panel members will also give recommendations on proforma financial statements, suggestions on financial disclosures in compliance with the Indian Accounting Standards, along with those which can be mandated with immediate effect.

The committee will also address the requirements of guidance notes, APS, and Education Material from respective professional institutes.  

Exp. Paytm shifts nodal account to Axis Bank for seamless transactions

Fintech firm One97 Communications — owner of the brand Paytm — has shifted its nodal account to Axis Bank from Paytm Payments Bank.

The move will allow continuity of Paytm QR, Soundbox, and card machine after the March 15 set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as per a regulatory filing.

The company has also shifted its nodal account to Axis Bank (by opening an escrow account) to continue seamless merchant settlements as before.

This arrangement is expected to seamlessly replace the nodal account that OCL was using with Paytm Payments Bank.

The nodal account of Paytm is like a master account in which all its customers, and merchant transactions are settled.

Exp. LIC launched ‘Amritbaal’ plan for children

The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has launched “Amritbaal”, an insurance plan for children.

The new “non-linked, non-participating, individual, savings, life insurance” plan is specifically designed to have an adequate corpus to meet the higher education and other needs of a child.

The minimum sum assured (SA) for this policy is ₹2 lakh and there is no maximum SA (subject to underwriting decision).

This policy will facilitate the accumulation of corpus through guaranteed additions at the rate of ₹80 per thousand basic sum assured at the end of each policy year from the inception till the end of the policy term, provided the policy is in force.

The minimum and maximum age at entry is 30 days (completed) to 13 years (last birthday), respectively. The minimum and maximum age at maturity are 18 years (last birthday) and 25 years (last birthday), respectively.

Recent Facilities Launched in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Karnataka Bank launched its centenary campaign ‘Bharat Ka Karnataka Bank’
• LIC launched new plan policy “Index Plus”
• HDFC Bank launched 4 SME credit cards “BizFirst, BizGrow, BizPower, and BizBlack” for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and professionals
• SBI Life Insurance launched two products– ‘SBI Life – Saral Swadhan Supreme’ and ‘SBI Life – Smart Swadhan Supreme’.
• LIC launched new saving and annuity plan Jeevan Dhara II.

Exp. Pradeep Kumar Sinha to take over as Non-Executive Part-time Chairman of ICICI Bank

Former Cabinet Secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha will take over as Non-Executive Part-time Chairman of ICICI Bank after G. C. Chaturvedi’s term ends on 30 June 2024.

The Bank’s Board, has approved the appointment of Sinha as an Additional (Independent) Director for a period of five years, with immediate effect subject to the approval of shareholders.

Sinha joined the Indian Administrative Service (Uttar Pradesh in 1977).

He served as the Cabinet Secretary (from June 2015) for more than four years before moving to the Prime Minister’s Office. He retired from there in March 2021.

About Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) Bank

• Founded – 1994
• Headquarters – Mumbai
• MD & CEO – Sandeep Bakhshi
• Tagline – Hum Hai Na Khayal Apka

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Additional Director of Axis Bank – Pranam Wahi
• MD & CEO of SBI Capital Markets – Virendra Bansal (replace Rajay Kumar Sinha)
• President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) – Ranjeet Kumar Agarwal (72nd)
• Vice President of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) – Charanjot Singh Nanda
• CEO of Sundaram Asset Management Company – Anand Radhakrishnan (replace Sunil Subramaniam)

Exp. ICC bans UK cricketer Rizwan Javed for over 17 .5 years for Match-Fixing

A UK club cricketer, Rizwan Javed received a 17.5 years ban from all cricket due to his participation in match-fixing attempts during the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 League.

Authorities enforced the ban on September 19, 2023, as Javed failed to address charges related to his involvement in the league.

Javed was among eight players and officials charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in September last year.

Bangladesh all-rounder Nasir Hossain received charges and is currently serving a two-year ban.

Exp. ISRO launched INSAT-3DS Satellite from Sriharikota

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has successfully launched meteorological satellite INSAT-3DS with the GSLV-F14/INSAT-3DS mission from SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota.

This will help in enhancing the weather forecast.

This was ISRO’s second success in the current calendar after the launch of XPoSAT from Sriharikota on January 1 in PSLV’s 60th flight.

The GSLV-F14 – blasted from the second launch pad – was the 16th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

This was the seventh operational flight of a GSLV with an indigenous cryogenic state. The 51.7 m tall rocket with a lift-off mass of 420 tonnes, with indigenous cryogenic stages, placed the INSAD-3DS satellite weighing 2,274 kg into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.

About INSAT-3DS

• INSAT-3DS Satellite is a follow-on mission of Third Generation Meteorological Satellite from geostationary orbit.
• It is designed for enhanced meteorological observations and monitoring of land and ocean surfaces for weather forecasting and disaster warning.
• The satellite will augment the Meteorological services along with the presently operational INSAT-3D and INSAT-3DR satellites.

About GSLV-F14

• GSLV is a three-stage 51.7 m long launch vehicle with a liftoff mass of 420 tonnes.
• The first stage (GS1) comprises a solid propellant (S139) motor having a 139-tonne propellant and four earth-storable propellant stages (L40) strapons, each carrying 40 tonnes of liquid propellant.
• The second stage (GS2) was also an earth-storable propellant stage loaded with 40-ton propellant. The third stage (GS3) was a cryogenic stage with a 15-ton propellant loading of liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid hydrogen (LH2).

Exp. Gulzar and Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Awarded Prestigious Jnanpith Award 2023

Renowned Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya have been named the recipients of the 58th Jnanpith Award 2023.

Sampooran Singh Kalra, popularly known as Gulzar, 89, is celebrated for his works in Hindi cinema and is considered one of the finest Urdu poets of this era.

Rambhadracharya, 74, the founder and head of Tulsi Peeth in Chitrakoot, is a renowned Hindu spiritual leader, educator and writer of more than 240 books and texts, including four epics.

Gulzar received Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu in 2002, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013, Padma Bhushan in 2004, and at least five National Film awards for his works.

Rambhadracharya is one of the present four Jagadguru Ramanandacharyas of the Ramananda sect and has been holding this position since 1982. In 2015, he received the Padma Vibhushan award.

Goan writer Damodar Mauzo received the prestigious award for 2022.

This is the second time the award is being given for Sanskrit language and the fifth time for Urdu language.

About Jnanpith Award

• Established in 1961, the Jnanpith Award is given annually for outstanding contributions to Indian literature.
• The award carries a prize money of Rs 21 lakh, a statue of Vagdevi and a citation.
• The recipients for the award were decided by a selection committee chaired by Jnanpith awardee Pratibha Rai.

Exp. 17 February – World Human Spirit Day

World Human Spirit Day is observed on 17 February each year.

It is a day to reflect on the human spirit and reconnect with our sense of awe and purpose.

The holiday was first established in 2003 by Michael Levy, and it is now more commonly associated with meditation and mindfulness as a way to induce relaxation and reconnect with our true selves.

Exp. 18 February 2024 – World Whale Day

World Whale Day is observed every year on the third Sunday of February. This year, the day falls on February 18.

This day seeks to appreciate these aquatic creatures that are an important part of the ecosystem. It also goes beyond that and draws attention to the man-made challenges that have erupted making marine life difficult.

Whales are not just marvels of the natural world; they are essential players in the Earth’s environmental health. Their contribution to carbon capture is immense, with the International Monetary Fund valuing their ecosystem service at $1 trillion.

Furthermore, whales bolster phytoplankton growth, which is crucial for oxygen production and carbon dioxide capture, thereby playing a vital role in combating climate change and maintaining marine biodiversity.

Exp. Young ‘Dangal’ Star Suhani Bhatnagar passes away

Suhani Bhatnagar, who played young Babita Kumari Phogat in Aamir Khan’s ‘Dangal’, died.

She was 19.

Suhani became a household name after playing young Babita Kumari Phogat in the 2016 film, ‘Dangal’. She shared screen space with Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, and Zaira Wasim.