Current Affairs Quiz 20th September 2022 : Daily GK Update

Exp. Bihar to introduce mandatory games period ‘no-bag day’ in schools

The Bihar government has decided to introduce a ‘no-bag day’ rule in schools along with a mandatory games period at least once a week in order to lighten the load on students.

The policy is being brought to engage students in activities that can positively impact their learning.

‘No-bag day’ will be devoted to practical and experiential learning.

This new initiative by the state government is in line with the National Education Policy 2020.

About Bihar

Capital – Patna

Chief Minister – Nitish Kumar

Governor – Phagu Chauhan

Exp. Telangana government increased ST reservation to 10% from 6%

Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao has announced that the Telangana government would increase reservations to Scheduled Tribes (STs) to 10% from the existing 6%.

The state government would also implement the Girijana Bandhu scheme for tribals on the lines of Dalit Bandhu for scheduled castes in the state.

Under this scheme, Rs 10 lakh would be given to each tribal family in the state to start their own businesses.

About Telangana

Capital – Hyderabad

Chief Minister – K. Chandrashekar Rao

Governor – Tamilisai Soundararajan

Exp. Andaman & Nicobar Islands declared India’s first Swachh Sujal Pradesh

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has declared Andaman and Nicobar Islands as India’s first Swachh Sujal Pradesh.

Now, all villages of Andaman and Nicobar Island have been certified as Har Ghar Jal and verified as open defecation free.

The sanitation level of the country has widened and ODF status has been achieved before the set target as per Sustainable Development Goals.

About Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Capital -Port Blair

Lieutenant Governor – Admiral DK Joshi

Districts -3

Exp. LG Manoj Sinha dedicated 120 feet tall National Flag to nation

Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has dedicated a 120 feet tall National Flag to the nation at Pulwama in South Kashmir.

He also laid the foundation stone for various youth-oriented projects in the district worth 9.11 crores rupees.

The new initiatives are aimed to empower the youth, enable self-development, and sharpen skills.

Exp. Maharashtra to set up NITI Aayog like institution

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has given in-principle nod to a proposal to set up an institution on the lines of NITI Aayog.

The institution would be set up for comprehensive data analysis and to make studied decisions on various sectors.

In the meeting, the chief minister and the NITI Aayog officials discuss several issues ranging from monetization of assets, blockchain in agriculture, transportation taking to alternative fuel or EV policy, non-conventional energy, drone in healthcare and agriculture, among others.

The NITI Aayog is the apex public policy think tank of the Centre, and the nodal agency tasked with catalyzing economic development and fostering cooperative federalism through the involvement of state governments in the economic policy-making process.

It was set up in January 2015 by the Narendra Modi government to replace the Planning Commission.

About Maharashtra

Capital – Mumbai

Chief Minister – Eknath Sindhe

Governor – Bhagat Singh Koshyari

Exp. Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar inaugurated 9 model DDRCs

Union Social Justice & Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar has inaugurated 9 District Disability Rehabilitation Centres (DDRCs).

The 9 DDRCs include – Badaun, Pilibhit, Barielly, Balaghat, Golaghat, Ahmedabad, Amravati, Kullu, and Rampur.

Spread across the country DDRCs have been providing effective rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities (PwDs) for the last two decades.

In these DDRCs services like hearing aids test lab, speech therapy room & psychologist room will be available for Persons with Disabilities.

Exp. UNICEF appointed climate activist Vanessa Nakate as Goodwill Ambassador

25-year-old Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate has been appointed as the newest UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

She has been recognized by UNICEF for her outstanding global advocacy for climate justice for current and future generations.

Most recently, UNICEF appointed actress Millie Bobby Brown as its youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador

About Uganda

Capital – Kampala

Currency – Ugandan shilling

President – Yoweri Museveni

About United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

Founded – 1946

Headquarters – New York City, USA

Director General – Catherine M. Russell

Membership – 192

Exp. Jitendra Singh to lead delegation for Global Clean Energy Action forum

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh will lead a joint ministerial delegation to the US to participate in the Global Clean Energy Action Forum.

During the visit, the Union minister will interact with eminent academicians as well as the Indian diaspora.

He will also participate in the joint convening of Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM13) and Mission Innovation (MI-7) from 21st to 23rd September 2022 in Pennsylvania, US.

Exp. India emerged as Sri Lanka’s largest bilateral lender overtaking China

India has emerged as the largest bilateral lender for Sri Lanka, overtaking China.

India has provided a total of 968 million US dollars in loans to the island nation in four months of 2022.

In the past five years from 2017-2021, China has been the largest bilateral lender to Sri Lanka.

India had provided nearly 4 billion dollars in food and financial assistance to Sri Lanka.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been the largest multilateral lender in the past five years and disbursed funds amounting to 610 million dollars in 2021.

About Sri Lanka

Legislative capital – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Executive and Judicial capital – Colombo

Currency – Sri Lankan rupee

President – Ranil Wickremesinghe

Prime Minister – Dinesh Gunawardena

Exp. Adani Green commissioned 325-MW wind power project in Madhya Pradesh

Adani Green commissioned a 324.4 MW wind power plant in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.

The operational generation capacity has increased to 6.1 GW after the commissioning of this plant.

The plant has two 25-year Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), one for 274.4 MW energy and another for 50 MW power, at a tariff of Rs 2.83 per kWh (kilowatt hour).

GEL has a total of 20.4 GW of renewable energy portfolio which includes the operational ones, under-construction, awarded and assets under acquisition catering to investment-grade counterparties.

About Madhya Pradesh

Capital – Bhopal

Chief Minister – Shivraj Singh Chauhan

Governor – Mangubhai C. Patel

Exp. Gross Direct Tax Collection registered growth of 30% in 2022-23

The gross direct tax collections has registered a growth of 30% in the current financial year in comparison to 2021-22.

As on Sept 2022, the gross collection of direct taxes in 2022-23 is at over 8,36,000 crore rupees compared to over 6,42,000 crore rupees in 2021-22.

Net Direct Tax collections have also grown at 23 percent for the current financial year (2022-23).

Gross collection of Rs 8.36 lakh crore includes Corporate Income Tax at ₹ 4.36 lakh crore and Personal Income Tax (PIT), including Securities Transaction Tax at ₹ 3.98 lakh crore.

Exp. Vijoy Kumar Singh appointed as secretary of the ex-servicemen welfare department

Bureaucrat Vijoy Kumar Singh has assumed charge as secretary of the ex-servicemen welfare department in the defence ministry.

He is a 1990-batch IAS officer of Punjab cadre, who has an experience of more than 32 years in administration.

He recently served as Special Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles.

Prior to this appointment, he had served as Joint Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training.

Recent Appointment

Chairman of PMLA – Chief Justice of Madras HC Munishwar Bhandari

Chairman of Naryara Energy – Prasad K

Interim Head of AICTE – Jagadesh Kumar

CMD of NHPC – Yamuna Kumar Chaubey

Interim Chairman of ONGC – Rajesh Kumar Srivastava

Exp. Bajrang Punia won bronze medal in World Wrestling Championships 2022

Bajrang Punia won the bronze medal in the men’s 65kg category at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade.

Punia captured a bronze medal in the men’s 65 kg category.

With this, Bajrang became the 1st Indian to win 4 medals at the world wrestling championships.

He defeated Puerto Rico’s Sebastian Rivera 11-9 to secure India’s second medal of the event.

Earlier, Vinesh Phogat won bronze in the women’s 53kg competition.

Exp. Devendra Jhajharia won silver in World Para Athletics Grand Prix

Indian javelin thrower and Paralympics gold medalist Devendra Jhajharia clinched a silver medal in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix, in Morocco.

Devendra threw the javelin to a distance of 60.97 meters to win the silver medal.

India’s Ajit Kumar won the gold by achieving the best throw of 64 m.

Devendra is a three-time Paralympics medalist.

Exp. Durand Cup 2022 – Bengaluru defeated Mumbai City 2-1 to become Champions

Bengaluru FC has won its maiden and the 131st edition of the Durand Cup by defeating Indian Super League (ISL) giants Mumbai City FC.

This is the seventh domestic title for Bengaluru FC.

The 2022 Durand Cup was played across three states for the first time.

A total of 47 matches were played across 3 cities: Kolkata, Guwahati & Imphal from 16th Aug to 18th Sept 2022.

Earlier, Mumbai City FC defeated two times champion Mohammedan SC in the semis while Bengaluru FC beat Hyderabad FC to seal their spot in the final. The first edition of the competition was played in 1888.

Exp. 19 to 25 September 2022 – International Week of Deaf People 2022

International Week of the Deaf (IWD) is observed on the full week ending on the last Sunday of September.

In 2022, IWD is being observed from 19 September to 25 September 2022.

Theme 2022 – Building Inclusive Communities for All

It is an initiative of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) and was first launched in 1958 in Rome, Italy to commemorate the month when the first World Congress of the WFD was held.