Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 23rd February 2023

Correct Answer:  D. Sale in open market to ease the price of grain

Explanation:  The Centre has announced the release of 20 lakh tonnes of wheat from the Food Corporation of India in the open market for sale through E-auction. The reduction in reserve price along with the additional offloading of 20 lakh tonnes of wheat will collectively help in reducing the market price of wheat and wheat products for consumers. Earlier, the Committee of Ministers under the chairmanship of Home Minister Amit Shah had decided to release 30 lakh tonnes of wheat for sale through E-auction to flour mills, private traders, buyers and manufacturers of wheat products. The Consumer Affairs Ministry said, so far, 50 lakh tonnes of wheat have been decided to offload under Open Market Sale Scheme- 2023. The Ministry said, after the announcement of the Open Market Sale Scheme Policy 2023, the prices of wheat and atta have come down.

Correct Answer:  C. Tata Consultancy Services

Explanation:  India’s largest IT services company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced that it has won a deal to digitally transform Telefonica Germany’s specific operations. The latter is a leading German telecom company. The Indian IT services exporter announced that the partnership would entail building service assurance applications and processes within the Operations Support Systems (OSS) landscape of the German telecom company. TCS will leverage best-in-class methodologies – Agile, DevOps, Continuous Integration, and Continuous Deployment, and Continuous Testing (CI/CD/CT) framework and its deep cloud expertise to modernise the OSS service assurance application estate using cloud-native technologies and AI/ML to predict and pre-empt network faults, the company said in a statement.

• According to the statement, this will enable Telefónica Germany to implement zero-touch cloud-based operations and provide consumers with a more resilient network service.
• The reimagined service assurance processes will result in faster turnaround times and a transformed customer experience, the statement said.
• Additionally, the new future-ready, simplified service assurance systems within Telefónica Germany’s OSS landscape will help accelerate the launch of newer products, including new 5G-based growth areas, with near-zero downtime, it added.

Correct Answer:  B. 22nd

Explanation:  The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the term of the 22nd Law Commission of India upto 31st August, 2024. The Law Commission of India is a non-statutory body constituted by the Government from time to time. The tenure of the present Twenty-second Law Commission of India ends on 20th of this month. The government said, the Chairperson and Members of the Twenty-second Law Commission have joined office recently and have taken up several pending projects. Therefore, the tenure of the Twenty-second Law Commission has been extended upto 31st August, 2024.

Correct Answer:  B. Tilottama Sen           

Explanation:  Indian teen Tilottama Sen won the bronze medal in the women’s 10m Air Rifle at ISSF World Cup 2023 in Cairo in Egypt. The 14-year-old Tilottama Sen won the second bronze for India, fifth overall after ending the top eight ranking round with a score of 262. She missed out on the gold medal match by a narrow possible margin of 0.1. Great Britain’s Seonaid Mcintosh won gold and Switzerland’s Olympic Champion Nina Christen came second to win silver.

The third day of the event was yet another profitable day for India with Rudrankksh Patil earlier winning gold in the men’s Air Rifle. India is placed comfortably on top of the medal tally with three golds, with Hungary, Britain, and Slovakia winning the other three awarded. Four more finals are scheduled in the next couple of days.

Correct Answer:  A. Seattle

Explanation:  The Seattle City Council passed an ordinance adding caste to the list of protected classes in the city’s municipal code, along with groups like race, religion, and gender identity. Seattle created history by becoming the first US city to pass an explicit ban on caste-based discrimination. Caste-oppressed people in the city are permitted to file complaints of discrimination under the law, which forbids caste discrimination in employment, housing, public facilities, and other settings. Caste prejudice and discrimination could spread more widely in the US as a result of South Asians being one of the immigrant groups with the fastest rate of growth in the country. But because caste oppressed individuals are a minority inside a minority in the United States, people who aren’t from South Asia might not be aware of the nuanced dynamics at work.

• The matter is already moving through the courts: A former employee of Cisco Systems is scheduled to present evidence that he was subjected to caste-based discrimination.
• In Seattle, one of the nation’s leading tech hubs and the location of significant businesses with sizable South Asian immigrant workforces, caste is particularly important. Many witnesses discussed how caste has appeared in local businesses and other settings during public comment hearings and letters to the city council the week before the vote.
• The law was approved by the Seattle City Council 6-1.
• The measure was overwhelmingly supported by the large number of speakers who registered during the public comment period, regardless of race, religion, or caste.
• Workers from the dominant and disadvantaged castes, union members, political activists for progressive change, Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims were among the supporters.

Correct Answer: C. Guyana

Explanation:  Union Cabinet  approved the signing of the Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and Guyana. The Air Services Agreement will come into force after the exchange of Diplomacy Notes. The Diplomacy Notes shall confirm that both sides have completed the necessary internal procedures for the entry into force of this Agreement. The signing of the Air Services Agreement with Guyana will create a framework for the provision of air services between the two countries. The agreement will give a boost to the aviation market and aviation sector in India. To strengthen international air connectivity, India has so far signed air service agreements with many countries. India and Guyana are signatories to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).  There is a significant Indian presence in Guyana and according to the 2012 census Indians constitute about 40% of the population.

• Air Services Agreement (ASA) provides the legal framework for air operations between two countries.
• It is based on the sovereignty of the nations, the nationality of the carriers and the commercial opportunity for each side’s designated airlines.
• Prior to this there was no Air Services Agreement between the Government of India and the Government of Guyana.

Correct Answer:  B. Rajesh Rai

Explanation:  Rajesh Rai has been appointed as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Indian Telephone Industries Limited (ITI Ltd), a PSU under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The Central Government has approved his appointment. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Rai for a period of five years with effect from the date of his assumption of charge of the post, or till the date of his superannuation, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest. Presently, he is serving as General Manager in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).

ITI Limited is a PSU in the telecommunications technology segment established as a departmental factory in 1948. The company has manufacturing facilities in Bengaluru, Naini, Rae Bareli, Mankapur and Palakkad along with an R&D centre in Bengaluru and 25 Marketing, Services & Projects (MSP) centers in India, which are located at Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, New Delhi and 17 other places spread across the country.

Correct Answer:  C. Bank of Maharashtra

Explanation:  Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has emerged as the top performer among state-owned lenders in terms of loan growth percentage during the third quarter of 2022-23, an analysis of the latest financial results of public sector banks showed. The Pune-based lender recorded a 21.67 per cent increase in gross advances on a year-on-year basis, according to the latest quarterly numbers of the public sector bank (PSB).

The bank has maintained the top slot in credit growth in percentage terms consistently for the past 10 quarters despite COVID-19 pressures. BoM was followed by the Union Bank of India with 19.80 per cent growth. Country’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) stood at fourth spot with 16.91 per cent rise in advances growth. However, SBI’s total loans were about 17 times higher at Rs 26,47,205 crore as compared to Rs 1,56,962 crore of BoM in absolute terms.

Correct Answer:  A. TRAI

Explanation:  TRAI released its recommendations on ‘Rating of Buildings or Areas for Digital Connectivity’. In recent years, the demand for digital connectivity has increased many folds times across all segments. TRAI and the government have started various policy initiatives to fulfil the demands of telecom connectivity. The rating by TRAI will push property managers to improve the quality of digital connectivity. TRAI assessed the quality of connectivity and identify challenges by conducting many studies. TRAI published a Monograph on “Quest for a Good Quality Network inside Multi-Storey Residential Apartments: Reimagining ways to improve quality”.

• TRAI issued Consultation Paper (CP) on “Rating of Buildings or Areas for Digital Connectivity” on 25th March 2022.
• Based on the comments on Consultation Paper, TRAI has released the “Rating of Buildings or Areas for Digital Connectivity”.
• The main focus of the recommendations is on providing a framework for the creation of an ecosystem for Digital Connectivity Infrastructure (DCI) to be an intrinsic part of the building development plan.
• The DCI is to be co-designed and co-constructed along with the building development through collaboration between various stakeholders including Property Managers, service providers, infrastructure providers, DCI professionals and officials of various urban/local bodies.
• TRAI has also proposed to include a new chapter on ‘Digital Connectivity Infrastructures in Buildings’ in the Model Building Bye Laws 2016.
• TRAI emphasized that DCI developed in the Buildings should be accessible to all service providers in a fair, transparent, non-discriminatory and non-chargeable basis.

Correct Answer:  C. 22nd February

Explanation:  World Scout Day is observed annually on February 22 by millions of Boy Scouts worldwide. It honours Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who founded the Boy Scout Movement, on the day of his birthday. The day is observed by National Scout Organizations all over the world through events including fundraising campaigns, food drives, and other types of volunteer work. According to the Scout Movement’s official website, there are 172 National Scout Organizations with 57 million members as of 2022. The entire scouting community should take note of this day. Several Boy Scouts renew their commitment to the organization’s principles in honour of the occasion. These institutions’ daily operations are centred on promoting communal wellbeing. Many people do nice things and volunteer in the community.

Correct Answer:  D. Central Bank of India

Explanation:  Central Bank of India and Moneywise Financial Services Pvt Ltd (MFSPL) signed a co-lending agreement for lending to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This partnership will help to expand the portfolio for both entities. The said loans would be subject to compliance with the applicable laws and guidelines issued by RBI. MFSPL is an RBI-regulated non-banking financial company (NBFC) focused on MSME Lending.

Correct Answer:  C. 5 years

Explanation: The SEBI has proposed that the listed entities should take approval from shareholders at least once in 5 years for the appointment of directors to serve on their boards. To curb the practice of occupying permanent directorship in a company.  SEBI also proposed norms, related to the special rights granted to certain shareholders; sale, disposal, or lease of assets of a listed entity outside the ‘scheme of arrangement’ framework and on agreements binding listed entities.

Correct Answer:  C. Jaipur

Explanation:  A 3-day long 18th UIC World Security Congress jointly organised by the International Union of Railways (UIC), Paris and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) began on 21 February. Theme of this year’s Congress is “Railway Security Strategy: Responses and Vision for Future”. The World Security Congress is a globally recognized security platform that brings together representatives from member Railway Organizations, delegates of UIC, policy makers, senior law-enforcement officials from State Polices and Railway Protection Force to discuss the current security challenges and deliberate on innovative solutions in the Railway Sector.

The seventeenth UIC World Security Congress, jointly organised by UIC and PKP, was held on 14 and 15 June 2022 in Warsaw, Poland. The theme of 17th edition was“Innovative security solutions for rail”. It provided a unique opportunity for the partners to exchange on the challenges of making rail more safe and secure.

Correct Answer:  A. Pune

Explanation:  External Affairs Ministry’s annual flagship event on Geoeconomics, Asia Economic Dialogue began on 23 February in Pune, Maharashtra. It is being hosted in association with the Pune International Center from February 23-25. The main theme of the dialogue is ‘Asia and the Emerging World Order’. The dialogue will also discuss topics such as Global Growth Prospects, How the Global South Will Shape the G20 Agenda and the Metaverse. The inaugural session began with talks between External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, H.E. Leonpo Namgye Tshering, Minister of Finance, Royal Government of Bhutan and H.E. Ibrahim Ameer, Minister of Finance of Maldives. More than 44 speakers from different countries including Brazil, USA, UK, South Africa, Bhutan, Maldives, Switzerland, Singapore and Mexico are participating in this dialogue.

• The Asia Economic Dialogue (AED) is the External Affairs ministry’s annual event and is hosted in collaboration with the Pune International Centre.
• It is the flagship geo-economics conference.
• The dialogue focuses on the dynamics of trade and finance in Asia and its neighbouring countries.