7th March 2023.Current Affairs:
Q1: What is rank of India in the Electoral Democracy Index?
a) 105
b) 108
c) 107
d) 104
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
• India ranks 108th in the Electoral Democracy Index of the V-dem Democracy report 2023. The country ranks way below countries such as Tanzania, Bolivia, Mexico, Singapore and Nigeria. India has also been named in the top 10 autocratising countries in the last 10 years in the report released on Thursday.
• India’s ranking dipped from the 100th position in 2022 to 108th this year in the report’s Electoral Democracy Index (EDI) while it was 97th in the Liberal Democracy Index (LDI).
• Pakistan slipped two steps lower at 106th in the LDI and 110th in the EDI.
• The Liberal Democracy Index captures both liberal and electoral aspects of democracy based on 71 indicators such as free and fair elections, political and civil rights and more.
• Denmark topped the list followed by Sweden and Norway.
Q2: What does ‘S’ stands for in the “SATHEE” abbreviation?
a) Self
b) Support
c) System
d) Sustainable
Show solution
Solution: option a.)
• “SATHEE (Self-Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams) is an initiative by the Ministry of Education, in association with IIT Kanpur, which will give students a self-paced interactive learning and assessment platform to prepare for competitive and other exams.
• This platform aims to bridge the gap for the students in society who can’t afford the costly entrance exam guidance and coaching. SATHEE aims to make the students learn the concepts and focus on their weak topics so they feel confident to give any exams by watching videos prepared by IIT and IISc faculty members.
• Candidates preparing for the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) for engineering or the National eligibility cum entrance test (NEET) can register on the SATHEE platform for free coaching, study material and mentorship. The faculty members of IITs and IISc will teach the topics on this platform.
Q3: What does A stand for in the “MIIRA”?
a) Assessment
b) Analysis
c) Awareness
d) Acquired
Show solution
Solution: option c.)
India has introduced a draft to launch a global initiative to encourage the consumption and production of millet. The draft of the proposed initiative — MIIRA — was placed during the first Agriculture Deputies Meeting under the Agriculture Working Group (AWG), G20 at Indore, Madhya Pradesh. During the meeting, Shubha Takur, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, introduced the MIIRA.
What is MIIRA?
The acronym MIIRA stands for ‘Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness’.
According to Agriculture Ministry sources, the MIIRA will be aimed at coordinating millet research programmes at the international level. It is in line with the UN declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets, the proposal for which was moved by India and supported by 72 countries.
Q4: Which state team won the “Santosh Trophy”?
a) Madhya Pradesh
b) Tamil Nadu
c) West Bengal
d) Karnataka
Show solution
Solution: option d.)
The Karnataka came up with a dominant performance to prevail over a fighting Meghalaya 3-2 in the final of the 76th National football championship for Santosh Trophy, at the King Fahd International Stadium here on Saturday.
This was the first trophy for Karnataka, which had previously won four times as the princely state of Mysore, after a gap of 54 years (after 1968-69).
The win brought out wild celebrations in a couple of thousand Indian expatriates, who had turned up to see the two Indian states slog it out in the final at the Saudi Arabian capital.
Karnataka went into the lead in the second minute thanks to a long throw from Robin which opened the chance for Sunil to take a crack at the Meghalaya goal. The Karnataka wing-back fired an angular half-volley that deflected off the leg of a Meghalaya defender to find the net.
Q5: Mauganj, a Tehsil of Rewa District, will be the ____ rd District of Madhya Pradesh.
a) 33
b) 53
c) 63
d) 43
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday announced that Mauganj, a tehsil of Rewa district, will be the 53rd district of the state. “Mauganj will become the 53rd district of MP. It will be developed by joining four tehsils of Rewa district,” Chouhan said while addressing a programme in Rewa.
“Naigarhi, Mauganj, Hanumana and Dev Talab will be merged to make Mauganj a district of Madhya Pradesh,” he added. Residents of Mauganj were raising the demand for a separate district for a long time.
Along with this, the CM laid the foundation stone for construction works to be done in the newly formed district announcing Rs 784 crore for the work.
Q6: The Maiden Joint Military Exercise FRINJEX – 2023 is starting today between India and with which country?
a) Italy
b) France
c) Germany
d) Israel
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
The maiden Joint Military Exercise FRINJEX-23 between Indian Army and French Army will be conducted at Pangode Military Station, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala today and tomorrow.
For the first time, both armies are engaging in this format with each contingent comprising a Company Group from the Thiruvananthapuram-based Indian Army troops and the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
The exercise is aimed at enhancing inter-operability, coordination and cooperation between both forces at the tactical level.
France President: Emmanual Macron
France Prime Minister: Elisabeth Borne
Q7: Who took charge as 28th CGA?
a) Vikas Dubey
b) K.S. Dubey
c) S.K. Dubey
d) S.S. Dubey
Show solution
Solution: option d.)
S.S. Dubey took charge as the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) here today. Dubey is the 28th Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
Dubey, a 1989-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) officer, is appointed by the Government of India as the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) with effect from 6th March 2023. Before taking charge as the CGA, Shri Dubey was the Additional Controller of Accounts, Public Financial Management System (PFMS).
Dubey has served as Chief Controller of Accounts in the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion etc. and as Controller/Deputy Controller of Accounts in the Ministry of Environment & Forest, Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Revenue and Department of Supply etc. and was in charge of budgeting, accounting, payment, internal audit etc. He also served as Financial Advisor & Chief Accounts Officer in Bank Note Press, Dewas.
Q8: Which Power company commissioned its Largest Green Energy corridor Lakadia- Vadodara Transmission Project?
a) Sterlite
b) TATA
c) Ambani
d) Adani
Show solution
Solution: option a.)
Sterlite Power on Monday said that it has successfully commissioned its largest green energy corridor in Gujarat called Lakadia-Vadodara Transmission Project.
The project aims to deliver more than 5,000 MW of power from renewable-rich regions of Bhuj and Kutch to the national grid, a step towards accelerating India’s transition towards a greener economy, a statement said.
Sterlite Power, a leading power transmission company in India and Brazil, announced the commissioning of its green energy corridor project – Lakadia-Vadodara Transmission Project Ltd (LVTPL), it stated.
Built with an investment of Rs 2,024 crore, this inter-state transmission project connects the 765/400 kV substation at Lakadia to Vadodara through a 335 kilometres long 765 kV double-circuit transmission line.
Q9: Who wins Dubai Tennis Championship Title 2023?
a) Andrey Rublev
b) Daniil Medvedev
c) Rafael Nadal
d) Novak Djokovic
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
Daniil Medvedev won his 18th tour-level title and third in a row by beating Andrey Rublev 6-2, 6-2 in an all-Russian final at the Dubai Championships on Saturday.
The former No. 1 extended his winning streak to 14 matches in a run that started on Valentine’s Day and included back-to-back trophies in Rotterdam and Doha.
Medvedev, on the second-longest winning streak of his career, broke Rublev twice in each set and won the last five games on the hard court.
Medvedev gave top-ranked Novak Djokovic his first defeat of the year in the semifinals.
The 2021 U.S. Open champion defeated Andy Murray to win the Qatar Open last week after rallying past Jannik Sinner in the final of the Rotterdam Open.
Q10: Which street food, is the 13th Best Sandwich in the world?
a) Tombik
b) Vada Pav
c) Masala Dosa
d) Phuchka
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
The renowned “vada pav” that the city is known for. You can enjoy this speciality during breakfast, lunch, high tea or at any time of the day. The famous street food has now received global recognition and is ranked 13thonn the list of best sandwiches in the world.
The 50 “Best Sandwiches in the World” have been compiled by Taste Atlas, a travel guide for traditional cuisine that compiles real recipes, reviews from culinary critics and research papers about popular ingredients and meals.
Tombik from Turkey comes in first on the list and is followed by Butifarra from Peru and Sandwich De Lomo from Argentina.
Q11: Which conferred with the CBIP Award 2023?
a) NTPC
b) NHPC
c) ONGC
d) SAIL
Show solution
Solution: option a.)
NTPC Limited has been honoured with the CBIP Award 2022 for ‘Outstanding Contribution in Power Generation’, attributed to its Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station, the largest power station in the country for its efficiency and high level of generation.
The award presented by Shri R.K. Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of Power, New & R.E, and Govt. of India was received by Shri Ramesh Babu V, Director (Operations) and Shri Praveen Saxena, Regional Executive Director (NR), Shri Suvash Chandra Naik, Executive Director (Vindhyachal) was also present at the Scope Convention Centre, New Delhi, on the occasion of the CBIP Day.
NTPC stands committed to generating power responsibly and sustainably and occupies the premier position in the Indian energy sector in terms of size and efficiency.
Q12: Who recently launched the ‘Catch The Rain- 2023’ campaign?
a) Draupadi Murmu
b) Amit Shah
c) Nitin Gadkari
d) Narendra Modi
Show solution
Solution: option a.)
President Droupadi Murmu today launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan – Catch the Rain 2023 campaign in New Delhi.
The theme of the campaign is source sustainability for drinking water. Speaking at the event, the President said that water conservation and management are the most important issues for India as only four per cent of water resources are available in the country. The President underlined that due to it, the world is facing the issues of water scarcity and global warming.
Recognizing the roles of women in water conservation and sanitation, the President conferred the ‘Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023’, under various categories of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen, Jal Jeevan Mission and National Water Mission. The awards were given to acknowledge the leadership and contribution of women at the grassroots level in the journey towards making a Swach Sujal Bharat.
Q13: Which country announced the INDO- Pacific tech envoy?
a) Germany
b) UK
c) Russia
d) France
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is visiting India to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting and to mark a new scheme allowing young Britons and Indians to live and work in each other’s country for up to two years, which was announced by the Home Secretary earlier this week.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will meet Cleverly on Wednesday, ahead of the G-20 foreign ministers’ gathering in New Delhi. They are expected to discuss progress on the UK-India 2030 Roadmap, which aims to bolster the two countries’ ties in defence and security, trade and investment.
Q14: After Singapore, with which country India has extended UPI?
a) Maldives
b) Mauritius
c) Sri Lanka
d) Bangladesh
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
Singapore is the first country with which a cross-border Person-to-Person (P2P) payment facility was launched on 21st February.
A week after India took its UPI to the global level for the first time and launched an integration between India’s UPI and Singapore’s PayNow, as per a Mint report, India’s UPI is likely to extend to UAE, Mauritius, and Indonesia.
According to Mehul Mistry- Global Head- Strategy, Digital Financial Services & Partnership, Wibmo – A PayU Company, it is a matter of pride that India’s world-class UPI digital payment infrastructure has gone global and will make it easier for Indian users to conduct business abroad. Other nations like the UAE, Mauritius, and Indonesia will likely follow suit.
Singapore is the first cousin with which a cross-border Person-to-Person (P2P) payment facility has been launched.
Q15: When was National Security Day (NSD), also known as Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas, 2023?
Observed across India?
a) 3 March
b) 5 March
c) 6 March
d) 4 March
Show solution
Solution: option d.)
March 4 is observed as National Security Day in India annually. It is also known as Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas, celebrated to honour the Indian Security Forces. The day aims to show gratitude to our security forces which include the police force, para-military force, guards, commandos, army officers and other forces who are involved in maintaining the peace and security of the people of our country.
The idea of National Security Day or National Safety Day was launched in 1972 and is organised every year. The NSC or the National Safety Council takes responsibility for managing the event every year. The Safety Council was founded by the Ministry of Labour on March 4, 1966, to develop lop sustainable Safety, Health and Environment movement.
The National Safety Council of India announced the theme for this year to be ‘Nurture young minds – Develop safety culture’. The NSC announces a new theme for the year to celebrate the week-long celebration.
Q16: In March 2023, _____________ became the 2nd insurance company to offer Surety Bonds
business.?
a) Bharti AXA General Insurance
b) New India Assurance Company
c) Aditya Birla General Insurance
d) Edelweiss General Insurance
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
New India Assurance, the largest non-life insurance company in the country, on Friday announced the launch of its surety bond business.
The state-run company became the second insurer to offer such a bond in the country. Private sector general insurer Bajaj Allianz General Insurance launched India’s first-ever surety bond insurance product in December last year. Insurance regulator Irdai permitted general insurers to issue Surety Insurance Bonds since April 2022.
Q17: Arribada which was in the NEWS recently, is the mass nesting of which species?
a) Birds
b) Turtles
c) Rats
d) Cats
Show solution
Solution: option b.)
Officials and scientists are unsure as to what could have caused the start of the mass nesting or ‘Arribada’ of Olive Ridley turtles at the Rushikulya rookery in Odisha’s Ganjam district over a month ahead of last year’s nesting.
The mass nesting started early on the morning of February 23, 2023, and continued through the day to February 24. In 2022, a record 550,317 turtles were nested at Rushikulya between March 27 and April 4.
Q18: What is the name of the disorder of the autonomic nervous system characterized by a rapid rise in heart rate?
a) TOTS
b) ROTS
c) POTS
d) SOTS
Show solution
Solution: option c.)
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a blood circulation disorder characterized by two factors:
• A specific group of symptoms that frequently occur when standing upright
• A heart rate increase from horizontal to standing (or as tested on a tilt table) of at least 30 beats per minute in adults, or at least 40 beats per minute in adolescents, measured during the first 10 minutes of standing
POTS is diagnosed only when orthostatic hypotension is ruled out and when there is no acute dehydration or blood loss. Orthostatic hypotension is a form of low blood pressure: a 20mm Hg drop in systolic or a 10mm Hg drop in diastolic blood pressure in the first three minutes of standing upright.