Current Affairs Quiz 6th December 2023 Quiz

Exp. Takeda partnered with BIRAC in India for healthcare innovation

Takeda has signed a three-year MoU with India’s Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) to extend advisory and mentoring support to healthcare innovators and entrepreneurs.

The partnership, announced at the Global Bio-India 2023 event, is a blueprint for how public and private entities can collaborate for substantial advances in healthcare.

BIRAC is a public sector enterprise set up by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.

The partnership will allow Takeda to extend advisory and mentoring support to innovators and entrepreneurs while assisting them from ideation to market deployment of new-age healthcare solutions.

Exp. 18 crore 50 lakh beneficiaries enrolled under PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana & PM Suraksha Bima Yojana during last three years

Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad has informed the Rajya Sabha that a total of 18 crore and 50 lakh beneficiaries were enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) during the last three years.

These two insurance schemes are for poor and individuals from underprivileged backgrounds, thereby reducing their financial vulnerability.

Earlier these two schemes were incurring losses and after a review, the annual premium for the PMSBY was increased from 12 rupees to 20 rupees for accidental death cum disability cover of 2 lakh rupees.

The premium of PMJJBY was increased to 436 rupees from 330 rupees earlier for a life cover of 2 Lakh rupees in case of death due to any reason.

Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana & Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana are the Government-backed Life insurance scheme in India. It was originally mentioned in the year 2015 Budget speech by the then-Finance Minister, late Arun Jaitley in February 2015. It was formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 May in Kolkata.

Exp. 11th Bangladesh Book Fair begins in Kolkata

The Eleventh Bangladesh Book Fair begins at College Square, Kolkata.

65 publishing houses are participating in this year’s event.

This would help the publishers to reach out to more people in Kolkata who are interested in Bangladeshi literature, as many publishers do not get the opportunity to participate in Kolkata International Bookfair.

The fair will continue till December 13.

Exp. Revanth Reddy takes oath as CM of Telangana

Telangana Congress president and newly minted Kodangal MLA Revanth Reddy takes oath as the chief minister of the state.

The Congress had swept into power, defeating the incumbent BRS by bagging 64 seats in the 119-house assembly

Reddy will be the second man to occupy the CM’s chair in the state, which was formed in 2014.

Born in Mahboobnagar district, Anumula Revanth Reddy started his career in politics with the ABVP while he was a student. He was also associated with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now changed to Bharat Rashtra Samithi).

Reddy has been an MLA thrice, twice from the TDP and once from the Congress, which he joined in 2017.

About Telangana

• Established – 2 June 2014
• Capital – Hyderabad
• Chief Minister – Revanth Reddy (replace K. Chandrashekar Rao)
• Governor – Tamilisai Soundararajan

Exp. China Adopts ‘One Province, One Policy’ Approach to Financial Risk Management

China’s National Financial Regulatory Administration, led by Li Yunze, is introducing a groundbreaking approach to tackle financial risks at the provincial level.

This move comes in the wake of concerns about the country’s economic struggles, exacerbated by the lingering effects of restrictive Covid Zero policies and a persistent property crisis.

Li Yunze’s directive of “one province, one policy” underscores the commitment to customize risk management approaches. This shift aims to enhance the effectiveness of financial policies by acknowledging and addressing the unique challenges faced by individual provinces.

Li Yunze emphasized the need for a more targeted and flexible approach to financial risk management. Instead of adopting a one-size-fits-all strategy, provinces are urged to formulate their own policies tailored to address specific challenges and risks.

The second-largest global economy has faced challenges this year, with the anticipated rebound from Covid Zero policies falling short of expectations.

Compounded by a prolonged property crisis, local and central authorities have provided substantial support. However, concerns linger about the concentration of government debt at the local level, prompting a reevaluation of financial risk management strategies.

About China

• Capital – Beijing
• Currency – Yuan
• President – Xi Jinping

Exp. Bharti Airtel Becomes the 8th Company to Surpass ₹6 Lakh Crore Mcap

Bharti Airtel, one of India’s leading telecommunications companies, achieved a significant milestone by becoming the 8th company to surpass Rs.6 lakh crore.

This surge was attributed to the positive market sentiment following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s resounding victory in state elections.

The company’s stock witnessed a 2% increase during trade, contributing to a year-to-date gain of 28%.

Bharti Airtel joins the league of other Indian giants, including Reliance Industries, TCS, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, HUL, Infosys and ITC, with a market capitalization exceeding Rs.6 lakh crore. However, ITC recently witnessed an 8% decline, causing its valuation to drop below this significant mark.

Exp. RBI cancels licence of Shankarrao Pujari Bank in Maharashtra

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the licence of Shankarrao Pujari Nutan Nagari Sahakari Bank Limited in Kolhapur city.

The Commissioner for Cooperation and Registrar Cooperative Societies, Maharashtra, has also been requested to issue an order for winding up the bank and appoint a liquidator for the bank.

According to RBI, the licence was cancelled as the bank does not have adequate capital and earning prospects and it does not comply with the provisions of Section 11(1) and Section 22 (3) (d) read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949.

The bank has also failed to comply with various other sections of the Banking Regulation Act 1949.

As per the data submitted by the bank, 99.85 per cent of the depositors are entitled to receive full amount of their deposits from DICGC.

As on July 24, 2023, DICGC has already paid ₹41.60 crore of the total insured deposits under the provisions of Section 18A of the DICGC Act, 1961, based on the willingness received from the concerned depositors of the bank.

Exp. India set to become third-largest economy by 2030: S&P

India will become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030, a report released by S&P Global Ratings.

In 2026-27, India’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 7 percent. India is currently the fifth largest economy in the world behind the US, China, Germany and Japan.

In its “Global Credit Outlook 2024”, S&P said that India would be the fastest-growing emerging market in the world. Still, its paramount test will be whether the country can become the next big global manufacturing hub.

S&P said India is expected to grow at 6.4 percent in 2023-24 as compared to 7.2 percent in the previous financial year. The growth rate will remain at 6.4 percent in 2024-25 before climbing to 6.9 percent in the next and 7 percent in 2026-27.

Exp. Jason Momoa’s ‘Deep Rising’ movie won ALT Environment Film Festival

Jason Momoa produced “Deep Rising” and director Luke Griswald-Tergis’ “Pleistocene Park” are the top winners at the All Living Things Environment Film Festival.

ALT EFF focuses on imperative topics of climate change and the environment at large through the lens of cinema.

The festival, which runs till 19 December, is screening over 60 films from 50 countries with shows in across 20 cities in India

Deep Rising,” produced by Momoa and directed by Matthieu Rytz, won the best international feature, while the best of the festival award by the Habitat Trust went to Griswald-Tergis’ “Pleistocene Park” at an event.

Exp. ISRO and team Chandrayaan-3 honoured at India Business Leader

Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on the Lunar South Pole, marking India as the first country to achieve this feat.

The mission’s accomplishment solidified India’s status as a space superpower and earned ISRO a prestigious award at the India Business Leader Awards.

Chandrayaan-3 endured extreme lunar conditions, showcasing Indian scientific resilience and ingenuity.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission endured extreme conditions, including lunar nights with temperatures dropping to minus-280 degrees Celsius. Its Vikram rover navigated uncharted lunar terrain to successfully complete its objectives.

On August 23, India’s Chandrayaan-3 made a successful lunar landing, marking a significant achievement as India became the first country to reach the Lunar South Pole.

This mission, a testament to India’s scientific capabilities, solidified its status as a space superpower. In recognition, ISRO and the Chandrayaan-3 team have been awarded “Outstanding Contribution to Brand India” at the 19th India Business Leader Awards (IBLA), held in Mumbai.

Exp. GRSE delivers India’s largest survey vessel INS Sandhayak to Navy

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers has delivered the largest survey vessel built in India, INS Sandhayak to the Indian Navy on Navy Day.

INS Sandhayak is the first in a series of four Survey Vessels (Large) being built by GRSE. The Naval vessel was launched on 05 December 2021.

INS Sandhayak is the first of four advanced Survey Vessels (Large) or SVLs. It is a new version of a previous ship with the same name, which was a survey vessel in the Indian Navy from 1981 to 2021. The new INS Sandhayak and its companions are more advanced than the older vessels, which have all been decommissioned.

GRSE has partnered with the Indian Navy for the last 62 years after delivery of the first indigenously-built warship INS Ajay in 1961. Since then, GRSE has delivered 70 more warships to the Indian Navy.

These survey ships are capable of full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic survey of port and harbour approaches as well as the determination of navigation channels and routes.

In addition, the Sandhayak-class of SVLs can undertake surveys of maritime limits and collection of oceanographic and geographical data for defence applications. Such data adds muscle to India’s maritime capabilities.

Exp. Olympian M. Sreeshankar Clinches 35th Jimmy George Foundation Award

Olympian M. Sreeshankar has been honored with the prestigious 35th Jimmy George Foundation Award for emerging as the best sportsperson of Kerala.

This recognition comes as a testament to Sreeshankar’s outstanding achievements, including securing the long jump silver medal in both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

1. Sreeshankar’s triumph in being named the best sportsperson of Kerala in the 35th Jimmy George Foundation Award is a testament to his dedication, skill, and consistent excellence in the field of athletics.

About the Award

• The Jimmy George Foundation Award, now in its 35th edition, is a distinguished accolade in Kerala’s sporting community.
• The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a plaque, symbolizing the recognition of exceptional contributions to the field of sports.

Exp. 6 December – National Microwave Oven Day

National Microwave Oven Day is observed every year on 6 December.

Objective – To create awareness about the things that a microwave oven can perform and explore ways by which we can simplify our kitchen work.

In 1945, Percy Spencer – a self-taught engineer, realised that while working with active radar, a candy bar placed inside his pocket was melting.

He used the same technique to make popcorn in a microwave. However, that became a funny story to be told later – the popcorn test blew up in his coworker’s face

After multiple trials, microwaves came to be used in the households. It got a negative reputation in the early days because of leaks in some of the models – however, soon microwaves became a necessity in the kitchen.

Exp. 6 December – DR. BR Ambedkar’s Mahaparinirvan Diwas

India observes Mahaparinirvan Divas every year on December 6 in memory of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar or Dr BR Ambedkar.

On April 14, 1891, BR Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, was born. Dr BR Ambedkar, fondly known as Baba Saheb was a jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired several social movements later.

Dr BR Ambedkar, who campaigned against social discrimination against Untouchables (Dalits), was the first law minister of independent India.

In 1990, Dr Ambedkar was conferred with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

Baba Saheb died on December 6, 1956, after he had converted to Buddhism fulfilling his declaration of “I will not die a Hindu”

“Mahaparinirvan” is a Sanskrit term that means the ultimate nirvana or liberation.

Exp. CID actor Dinesh Phadnis passed away

CID actor Dinesh Phadnis passed away at the age of 57.

He had been suffering from extensive liver damage.

Dinesh Phadnis gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of the character Fredericks in ‘CID.’  He dedicated nearly two decades to the show, which was led by actor Shivaji Satam as ACP Pradyuman.

‘CID’ aired in 1998 and has been one of India’s longest-running television series.

In addition to his role in ‘CID,’ Dinesh Phadnis made a cameo appearance in the popular TV show ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.