Current Affairs Quiz 22nd December 2022 Quiz

Exp. NTPC Limited signed MoU with GE Power India Limited to reduce carbon intensity

NTPC has signed an MoU with GE Power India Limited to reduce carbon intensity at NTPC’s coal-fired units.

Carbon reduction from coal power plants is a key challenge and Co-firing of low-carbon fuel will facilitate the transition towards a low-carbon energy economy and subsequent it to “Net Zero” emission.

This first of a kind MOU aims at partnering on research, development and engineering of technologies that will enable NTPC to reduce the amount of coal-fired in their units and gradually replace it by co-firing of ‘alternate fuel’ in boiler – both (i) carboneous (methanol, Carbon neutral fuel- agri-waste, biomass, etc) and (ii) non-carbonaceous (such as ammonia).

Recent MoUs

• BEL signed an MoU with US based Triton EV to manufacture hydrogen fuel cells
• NHPC signed an agreement with IIT Jammu to undertaking R&D activities
• IIT Madras researchers develop Ocean Wave Energy converter named Sindhuja-
• Bharti Airtel and Nokia have joined hands to bring India’s first 5G enabled immersive experience to visitors at the Indian Mobile Congress (IMC) 2022.
• NTPC signed an MoU with GE Gas Power for hydrogen co-firing in gas turbines
• BHEL signed MoUs with Coal India Limited (CIL) and NLC India Limited (NLCIL) for setting up Coal Gasification based plants.

Exp. Kerala to host first International Beach Festival

Kerala government will host the Bekal International Beach Festival from 24 Dec at the Spice Coast, in the far north of Kerala.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the 10-day first international beach festival.

The festival also aims at revitalizing the district’s development by showcasing its potential.

Around five lakh people from across the globe are set to revel at the festival that will be staged at the three venues of Chandragiri, Thejaswini, and Payaswini.

The festival will be staged at the three venues of Chandragiri, Thejaswini, and Payaswini.

The event will organized by Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) in association with the District Tourism Promotion Council, Kudumbashree, Asmi Holidays.

About Kerala

• Capital – Thiruvananthapuram
• Chief Minister – Pinarayi Vijayan
• Governor – Arif Mohammad Khan

Exp. LG Manoj Sinha launched 3 New Schemes for J&K

Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha has launched three new schemes- 1. Holistic Development of Agriculture & Allied Sectors, 2. Aspirational Towns, and 3. Aspirational Panchayat for J&K.

The projects which have now been approved by the administrative council, have an outlay of 5013 crore rupees.

Over the next five years, these projects would transform the agriculture economy of J&K putting it on a new trajectory of growth with doubling the output of the sectors and making them sustainable and commercially viable.

Exp. IFSCA signed MoU with CEEW to cooperate on sustainable finance

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has signed an MoU with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) for mutual assistance and cooperation in the area of sustainable finance.

India recently launched Mission LIFE (Lifestyle for the Environment) as an India-led global movement to protect and preserve the environment.

CEEW research has estimated that India’s net zero by 2070 target would require USD 10 trillion in investments.

About IFSCA

• The IFSCA is a statutory authority established under the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019 (“IFSCA Act”) with a mandate to develop and regulate the financial products, financial services, and financial institutions in the International Financial Services Centres (‘IFSC’).
• The IFSCA aims to develop a strong global connect and focus on the needs of the Indian economy as well as to serve as an international financial platform for the entire region.

About CEEW

• The Council on Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW) is one of Asia’s leading not-for-profit policy research institutions.
• The Council uses data, integrated analysis, and strategic outreach to explain – and change – the use, reuse, and misuse of resources. It prides itself on the independence of its high-quality research, develops partnerships with public and private institutions, and engages with the wider public.

Exp. Odisha CM launched 24×7 ‘Drink from Tap’ project in 19 cities of state

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched a 24×7 piped drinking water project — ‘Drink from Tap’ — in 19 cities.

Earlier, the facility was unveiled in Puri and Gopalpur.

Under the project, drinking water will be supplied round the clock through taps installed in households.

About 5.5 lakh people in these cities will be benefited from the project.

Places, where the project was launched, included Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sundargarh, Biramitrapur, Rajgangpur, Keonjhar, and some parts of Bhubaneswar.

About Odisha

• Capital – Bhubaneswar
• Chief Minister – Naveen Patnaik
• Governor – Ganeshi Lal

Exp. Shah Rukh Khan the only Indian to feature on Empire’s 50 Greatest Actors off All Time List

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has become the only Indian to be named in an international list of 50 greatest actors of all time by a prominent British magazine.

The 57-year-old actor is included in Empire magazine’s list which also recognizes Hollywood giants like Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Anthony Marlon Brando, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, and many others

From his extensive filmography, the publication highlighted Shah Rukh Khan’s notable characters from four movies — Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed “Devdas”, Karan Johar’s “My Name Is Khan” and “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai”, and “Swades”, directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar.

His dialogue from the 2012 movie ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’ — “Zindagi toh har roz jaan leti hai… Bomb toh sirf ek baar lega” (Every day life kills us a little. A bomb will kill you only once) — has been recognized as the “iconic line” of his career.

The actor will be next seen in the actioner “Pathaan”, set to be released worldwide on January 25, 2023. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the movie also stars John Abraham and Deepika Padukone.

Exp. Hemant Gupta appointed as new Chief of NDIAC

Former Supreme Court (SC) Justice Hemant Gupta has been appointed as the new chairperson of the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre (NDIAC).

The NDIAC has been established for the purpose of creating an independent and autonomous regime for institutionalised arbitration.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Justice Hemant Gupta (R) as NDIAC chairperson and that of Ganesh Chandru and Anant Vijay Palli as its part-time members.

The government has also appointed Anant Vijay Palli as the part-time member of NIDAC.

Justice Gupta served as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

Recent Appointment

• Chairperson of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) – Dinesh Kumar Shukla
• CEO of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – Cindy Hook
• First black president in Harvard University – Claudine Gay
• CMD of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd. – Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi
• Chief Scientist of WHO – Jeremy Farrar (replace Soumya Swaminathan)
• President of Cardiological Society of India – Dr. PC Rath

Exp. Suhel Ajaz Khan appointed India’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia

The Government of India has appointed senior diplomat Suhel Ajaz Khan as India’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Khan will replace Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, a 1989 batch IFS officer.

Suhel Ajaz Khan is a 1997-batch Indian Foreign Service officer and is presently serving as Indian ambassador to the Republic of Lebanon.

About Saudi Arabia

• Capital- Riyadh
• Currency- Saudi riyal
• Prime minister- Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud

Recent Appointment

• India’s Ambassadors to Comoros – Bandaru Wilsonbabu
• Ambassador of India to Cote d’Ivoir – Rajesh Ranjan
• India’s Ambassador to Slovak Republic – Apoorva Srivastava
• Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina – Partha Satpathy
• India’s Ambassadors to Kuwait – Adarsh Swaika
• India’s Ambassadors to Guinea – Avtar Singh

• India’s Ambassador to Madagascar – Bandaru Wilsonbabu
• India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh – Pranay Verma
• India’s High Commissioner to UK – Vikram Doraiswami

• India’s ambassador to Thailand – Nagesh Singh

• High commissioner of India to Canada – Sanjay Verma
• India’s ambassador to the Republic of Korea – Amit Kumar
• High commissioner of India to Canada – Sanjay Verma
• India’s next ambassador to Japan – Sibi George
• India’s ambassador to Eritrea – Prakash Chand

Exp. Aloke Singh appointed as head of Air India’s low-cost airline business

Aloke Singh will take charge of Air India Express as the new CEO from 1 January 2023.

He is all set to pilot the integrated low-cost airline of the Tata group.

Aloke has previously worked in senior positions of Air India and Oman Air.

The Air India Express is being created by merging AirAsia India and Air India Express.

AirAsia India was launched in 2014 while Air India Express started operations back in 2005.

In November, Tata group announced the merger of Vistara with Air India under a deal wherein Singapore Airlines will also acquire a 25.1 percent stake in Air India.

Recent Appointment

• Judge of Supreme Court – Justice Dipankar Dutta
• First woman president of Indian Olympic Association – PT Usha
• President of Table Tennis Federation of India – Meghna Ahlawat
• Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh – Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu
• Deputy Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh – Mukesh Agnihotri

Exp. Sudeep & Shobhana won Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22

Sudeep Sen and Shobhana Kumar has won the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2021-22.

Sudeep Sen has been recognised for Anthropocene: Climate Change, Contagion, Consolation (Pippa Rann Books & Media, 2021).

While, Shobhana Kumar for her haibun collection A Sky Full of Bucket Lists (Red River, 2021).

The winners, awarded $10,000 and a Rabindranath Tagore statuette, were picked from a shortlist of 11 at India International Centre with the Tagore Prize for social achievement going to Sanjoy K Roy, producer of the Jaipur Literature Festival.

The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize was started in 2018 to annually recognise literary and social accomplishments.

In 2020, the award was won by Raj Kamal Jha, Chief Editor for The City and The Sea (Penguin Books).

Recent Awards

• Platinum Icon in Digital India Awards 2022 – Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
• First Rohini Nayyar prize for rural development – Sethrichem Sangtam
• Mrs World 2022 title- India’s Sargam Koushal
• ITF World Champions 2022 crowned – Rafael Nadal (Men’s) & Iga Swiatek (Women’s)
• IEI Industry Excellence Award 2022 – National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC)

Exp. India’s manned space flight ‘H1’ to launch in fourth quarter of 2024

Union minister of state for Space and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh has announced that India’s maiden human space flight ‘H1’ mission is targeted to be launched in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The uncrewed ‘G1’ mission is targeted to be launched in the last quarter of 2023 followed by the second uncrewed ‘G2’ mission in the second quarter of 2024, before the final human space flight ‘H1’ mission in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The Rs 10,000 crore project aims to take a three-person Indian crew into orbit for five to seven days before returning them safely to Earth

The Gaganyaan project was conceived in 2007 and it was formally started in 2018.

Four Indian Air Force pilots have been identified as crew for the mission who are undergoing training in Russia.

Exp. Goa to host first ever World Table Tennis (WTT) Series event in India

Goa will host India’s maiden World Table Tennis (WTT) series event from February 27 to March 5.

The top tier WTT Star Contender Goa 2023 will be staged at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor stadium, located at the Goa University Campus.

World Table Tennis (WTT) was created by the International Table Tennis Federation in 2019 to create and manage professional men’s and women’s Table Tennis events around the world.

About Goa

• Capital – Panaji
• Chief Minister – Pramod Sawant
• Governor – S. Sreedharan Pillai

Exp. Viacom18 bagged Paris Olympics 2024 broadcasting rights

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Viacom18 Media Private Limited (Viacom18) has secured exclusive media rights to broadcast the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

It has also secured the non-exclusive rights to the Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024, in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

In 2024, the Olympics will be hosted by France in Paris, beginning from July 26 to August 11.

It will provide multi-platform coverage of the Games and ensure free-to-air television coverage within the region.

In recent times, it has been bolstering it’s sports content with rights for FIFA and digital rights for IPL till 2027.

While IOC did not specify the deal size, media experts peg the deal at Rs 200-250 crore. Viacom 18 had won the broadcast rights of the recently-concluded Fifa World Cup for Rs 450 crore.

Exp. A book titled ‘The Indian Navy@75 Reminiscing the Voyage’ released

A book titled, ‘The Indian Navy@75 Reminiscing the Voyage’ by Commodore Ranjit B Rai (Retd) and defence journalist Aritra Banerjee.

The book tells you how the exploits and sacrifices of the British-era Royal Indian Navy (RIN) during World War 2 were omitted by British historians who could not digest the RIN’s mutiny in 1946.

Recent Book

• Fit At Any Age – Launched Retd. Air Marshal PV lyer
• Miracles of Face Yoga – Mansi Gulati
• India: The Mother of Democracy – Prepared and published by ICHR & launched by Dharmendra Pradhan
• Now You Breathe – Rakhi Kapoor
• The World: A Family History – Simon Sebag
• Nuclearization of Asia – French author Rene Naba

Exp. 23 December – National Farmers Day

Kisan Diwas or National Farmers Day is observed every year on December 23 across India.

Objective – To mark the vital contributions of farmers who produce food for around 141 crore people of India.

Kisan Diwas is observed in honour and memory of our fifth Prime Minister, Chaudhary Charan Singh, who was born on that day in 1902.

This year we celebrate his 120th birth anniversary.

Exp. Former Pepsi chief PM Sinha passed away

Former chief executive of PepsiCo India Priya Mohan Sinha passed away.

He was the second chairman of PepsiCo India who helmed the company for a decade— from 1993 to 2003.

He headed PepsiCo’s India business for a decade, between 1993-2003.

He worked with Hindustan Unilever for more than a decade before joining PepsiCo India in 1993.

Sinha joined Bata as chairman in 2004 and is credited with restructuring the company.