Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 24th February 2023

Correct Answer:  B. Mumbai’s Churchgate Railway Station

Explanation:  Mumbai’s Churchgate railway station to be renamed after first Indian RBI governor CD Deshmukh. The Churchgate railway station in Mumbai will soon be called as ‘Chintamanrao Deshmukh station’, named after the first governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) CD Deshmukh. Chintaman Dwarkanath Deshmukh, also known as C D Deshmukh, was the first Indian Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. In August 1943, he was appointed as Governor of the RBI. Sh. Deshmukh was one of five members of the Planning Commission when it was constituted in 1950 by a cabinet resolution. In 1950, he was appointed as the Union Finance Minister and his term as FM covered the period of the First Five Year Plan.

Correct Answer:  B. HDFC Bank

Explanation:  HDFC Bank and UAE-based financial services company Lulu Exchange, have partnered to strengthen cross-border payments between India and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. “HDFC Bank and LuLu Exchange will leverage each other’s goodwill, trust, regulatory tech and vast service network to extend this partnership through a series of online and offline initiatives,”.

• In its first phase, the partnership will draw on Lulu Exchange’s expertise and regulatory framework to launch a digital inward remittance service titled ‘RemitNow2India’ that will allow UAE residents to send money to any Indian bank account via IMPS and NEFT through HDFC Bank.
• The MoU will also look to strengthen the existing relationship between the two entities in India, where LuLu Financial Group operates LuLu Forex and the NBFC division LuLu Finserv.

Correct Answer:  C. JP Nadda

Explanation:  BJP national president J.P. Nadda has launched a book “Modi: Shaping a Global Order in Flux” in Chanakyapuri. Book is forewarded by Union External Affair Minister S. Jaishankar. Editors are Sujan Chinoy, Vijay Chauthaiwala, and Uttam Kumar Sinha. This book is going to open a debate on how PM Modi has taken a decision which has changed India’s image worldwide. It’s necessary to understand what was the image of India before Modi ji came to power. The publisher of the book is Wisdom Tree. Some books related to Narendra Modi:

• NARENDRA MODI: CREATIVE DISRUPTOR -: The Maker of New India
• Narendra Modi: A Political Biography
• 21 Leadership Lessons of Narendra Damodardas Modi
• Narendra Modi: Vision and Accomplishments
• Bharat Putra Damodardas Narendra Modi
• MODI@20: Dreams Meet Delivery
• War Room: The people, Tactics and Technology Behind Narendra Modi’s 2014 Win

Correct Answer:  B. ₹1200 Crore

Explanation:  The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) held the 47th meeting of the Executive Committee of NMCG on 22nd February under the chairmanship of G. Ashok Kumar, Director General, NMCG. Nine projects worth about Rs 1278 crore were approved in the meeting. 7 of them pertain to abatement of pollution in the Ganges basin and 2 pertain to development of ghats. Project in West Bengal worth Rs 123 crore  approved.  In Uttar Pradesh, three projects worth Rs 422  crore were approved.

In UP for rejuvenation of River Kali East by development of in-situ Constructed Wetland System at 8 locations in Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Hapur and Bulandshahar was approved costing Rs 95.47 crore. In Bihar, one project for the development of Atal Ghat Manjhi, Saran was approved at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore. In Madhya Pradesh a major project costing Rs 511 crore was approved. For the monitoring of industrial pollution, a project titled ‘Pollution Inventorization, Assessment and Surveillance on River Ganga Basin was approved at an estimated cost of Rs 114.42 crore.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)

• It was registered on 12 August, 2011 as a society  under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
• It serves as the implementing arm of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), which was constituted under the provisions of the Environment Protection Act (EPA), 1986.
• It was established to address pollution challenges in the Ganga river.
• The operational area of the project covers the Ganga basin and all the states through which the river flows, including Delhi.
• The objective is to reduce pollution and ensure rejuvenation of the Ganga river.

Correct Answer:  A. Kerala High Court

Explanation:  The day (21 February) is also observed as International Mother Language Day. With this, the Kerala High court became the first high court in the country to publish judgments in the regional language. The judgments in Malayalam were uploaded on the court’s website just below the English version. On the website, two decisions made by the division bench, which included Chief Justice S. Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly.

Correct Answer:  C. Singapore

Explanation:  The State Bank of India (SBI) announced a cooperation with PayNow, the city state’s online payment system, for cross-border payments, one day after a real-time payments system linkage was formed between India and Singapore utilising the UPI platform. According to Dinesh Khara, chairman of SBI, the project will significantly advance digitalisation efforts by giving consumers access to a simple, seamless cross-border payment option.

• According to a statement from SBI, the capability is made available through the Bhim SBIPay mobile application.
• The linkage would provide fund transfers from India to Singapore using registered mobile numbers and from Singapore to India using the UPI ID.
• The G20‘s aims of promoting quicker, less expensive, and more transparent cross-border payments are closely aligned with the UPI-PayNow connectivity, which represents an important milestone in building an infrastructure for cross-border payments between the two nations.
• According to the World Bank’s bilateral remittances matrix, the two countries’ combined inbound bilateral remittance in 2021 was approximately $949 million.
• The first live cross-border transaction was carried out via the Bhim SBIPay app by RBI governor Shaktikanta Das and Ravi Menon, managing director of the Reserve Bank of India’s equivalent in the city state, the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Correct Answer:  A. UK

Explanation:  The UK has surpassed India as the sixth-largest equity market in the world for the first time since May 2022 as a weaker pound increases the attraction of exporters and concerns over the Adani-Hindenburg controversy are being felt throughout Indian markets. This hasn’t happened since May 29, 2022, when the combined market capitalization of primary listings in the UK, excluding ETFs and ADRs, reached about $3.11 trillion on Tuesday, according to Bloomberg. This is $5.1 billion more than their Indian counterparts.

• The UK’s FTSE 350 Index, which consists of firms in the domestically oriented FTSE 250 and FTSE 100, has increased 5.9% so far this year. Nifty 50 has decreased 3.5% thus far in 2023.
• The widely-traded Nifty fell to a four-month low and the benchmark Sensex plunged 927 points as a result of sharp selling in heavyweight firms brought on by geopolitical and inflationary worries.
• The major indices fell for a fourth straight day as a result of losses in global stocks and widespread selling ahead of the monthly expiry of options.
• The BSE Sensex fell 927.74 points, or 1.53%, to close at 59,744.98, its lowest level since February 1. Up to 29 Sensex stocks saw losses. It fell by 991.17 points or 1.63 percent over the day to 59,681.55.
• The 50-issue NSE Nifty lost 272.40 points, or 1.53%, to close at 17,554.30, a four-month low. 47 of its members also recorded negative closing prices.

Correct Answer:  C. 25,000

Explanation:  Uber signed an MoU with Tata Motors, India’s leading carmaker, to bring 25,000 electric vehicles onto the platform. The agreement between Uber and Tata Motors is the largest EV commitment yet between an automaker and a ridesharing platform in India. Tata Motors will begin deliveries of XPRES-T EVs to Uber fleet partners in a phased manner starting this month. The partnership will aid the electrification of Uber services across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad.

• As Uber continues to move towards its zero-emissions goal, the partnership with Tata Motors will lay the groundwork for the meaningful expansion of four-wheeler electric vehicles (EVs) on a mobility platform in India.
• Uber has committed to 100% of rides taking place in zero-emission vehicles, on public transit, or with micro-mobility by 2040.
• Uber is focused on finding new, innovative, and affordable ways to help drivers and fleets go electric and will lean in on industry partnerships across EV manufacturers, Fleets, and EV infra partners among others to advance EV transition.
• Shailesh Chandra, MD, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility informed that working towards the aim of growing India’s e-mobility market, they are delighted to announce their partnership with Uber, India’s leading ridesharing app, for their expansion of sustainable mobility options.

Correct Answer:  B. Odisha

Explanation:  Governor of Odisha Prof. Ganeshi Lal launched India’s first AI Chatbot for the Agricultural sector ‘Ama KrushAI’ at the valedictory session of ‘Krushi Odisha 2023’. Ama KrushAI chatbot will help the farmers with the best agronomic practices, inform them about government schemes, and loan products from more than 40 commercial and cooperative banks. Ama KrushAI will run under a pilot project involving more than 10,000 farmers and will be implemented in full-fledged in the next two months. Addressing the gathering, the Governor urged farmers to take advantage of different schemes announced by the state government to promote agriculture and help the state prosper.

• While addressing the gathering Prof Lal informed that civilization started with agriculture and the superstructure of civilization is based on agriculture. Only a farmer can do the magic in agriculture.
• He stressed the need for coordinated efforts from all the stakeholders to help the farming community tide over the challenges they have been facing.
• Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Ranendra Pratap Swain noted that agriculture is the only sector that was not at a halt during the pandemic times.
• Odisha is now self-sufficient in many crops. The state is the fourth largest rice producer in the country and nearly self-sufficient in milk, egg, and fisheries.
• More than 20,000 farmers and agri-entrepreneurs from across the state attended the three-day event organized by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment department in collaboration with FICCI to promote farm mechanization and enhancement in farmers’ income.
• Women and Child Development Minister Basanti Hembram and principal secretary Arabinda Kumar Padhee were present.

Correct Answer:  C. Shelly Oberoi

Explanation:  Aam Aadmi Party’s Shelly Oberoi has defeated BJP candidate Rekha Gupta to become the new Delhi Mayor. She received 150 votes while Rekha Gupta got 116 seats. She also becomes Delhi’s first woman mayor in 10 years. The election was held after the Supreme Court ruled out the possibility of nominated members participating in the voting process. In Delhi MCD polls, the AAP had bagged 134 seats, BJP got 104 seats, and Congress bagged nine seats.

Correct Answer:  C. T K Rangarajan

Explanation:  13 members of Parliament (MP) have been nominated for the Sansad Ratna Awards 2023. The Jury Committee of eminent Parliamentarians and civil society, chaired by Arjun Ram Meghwal (State Minister of Parliamentary Affairs) and Co-Chaired by T S Krishnamurthy (Former Chief Election Commissioner of India) has nominated eight MPs from Lok Sabha and five from Rajya Sabha for the Sansad Ratna Awards 2023. These nominations are based on cumulative performance in questions, private members’ bills and members’ debates from the beginning of the 17th Lok Sabha till the end of the Winter Session 2022. The 13th Sansad Ratna Awards 2023 will be presented on March 25 in the national Capital.

Sansad Ratna Awards 2023 nominated from Lok Sabha

1. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (INC, West Bengal),
2. Gopal Chinayya Shetty (BJP, Maharashtra),
3. Sudhir Gupta (BJP, Madhya Pradesh) and
4. Dr. Amol Ramsing Kolhe (NCP, Maharashtra)
5. Bidyut Baran Mahato (BJP, Jharkhand),
6. Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (BJP, West Bengal),
7. Kuldeep Rai Sharma (INC, Andaman Nicobar Islands),
8. Dr Heena Vijayakumar Gavit (BJP, Maharashtra),

Sansad Ratna Awards 2023 from Rajya Sabha

1. Smt Fauzia Tahseen Ahmed Khan (NCP, Maharashtra)
2. Dr. John Brittas (CPI-M, Kerala),
3. Dr. Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD, Bihar),
4. Vishambhar Prasad Nishad (Samajwadi Party, UP) and
5. Smt Chhaya Verma (INC, Chhattisgarh)

Two Parliamentary Committees of Lok Sabha nominated for Sansad Ratna Award 2023

1. Rajya Sabha’s Standing Committee on Tourism, Transport, and Culture, chaired by Vijay Sai Reddy
2. Lok Sabha’s Parliamentary Committee on Finance, chaired by Jayant Sinha

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lifetime Achievement Award: T K Rangarajan, (Former Rajya Sabha MP for two terms  and a Senior CPIM Leader).

Correct Answer:  C. 24th February

Explanation:  Every year on February 24, Central Excise Day is observed to recognise and honour the contributions made by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). Every year, Central Excise Day is observed to raise public awareness of the dedication and labor-intensiveness of CBIC. The primary responsibility of CBIC is to prevent the tampering of manufactured items. The agency hosts a number of programmes and events on Central Excise Day to raise public awareness of the value of paying taxes and abiding by customs procedures. On this day, CBIC also launches brand-new campaigns with a variety of topics across its offices all over India to raise awareness of the rules governing Central Excise and Customs.

Correct Answer:  B. IIT Madras

Explanation:  The Centre awarded five-year research grant of ₹242 crores to the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT), Madras for research on lab-grown diamonds, which are manufactured using technology that replicates the natural diamond growing process. A five-year research grant for one of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was announced in the Union Budget to encourage the indigenous production of lab-grown diamonds (LGD) machinery, seeds and recipe. The Gems and Jewellery sector plays a significant role in the Indian economy, contributing around 9% to India’s total merchandise export. Over the past decade, there has been several positive developments in the Gem & Jewellery sector globally. One of the major technological developments in this sector has been Laboratory-grown diamonds (LGD).

Correct Answer:  C. Mohiniyattam

Explanation: Dr Kanak Rele, a world-renowned dancer and Mohiniyattam exponent, passed away. She established the Nalanda Dance Research Centre and the Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya, which pioneered dance research. She taught hundreds of students and brought classical dance to the masses. She has received Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Kalidas Samman and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Mohiniyattam is a classical dance form that originated in Kerala, India.