Correct Answer :   9th April 2023

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Legendary theatre actor Jalabala Vaidya is no more. The co-founder of Delhi's Akshara Theatre has passed away in the national capital on Sunday (9th April 2023). She was 86-year-old. Jalabala Vaidya was suffering from respiratory ailments, her daughter and theatre director Anasuya Vaidya Shetty said.

* Jalabala Vaidya was born in London. Her parents were Indian author and freedom fighter Suresh Vaidya and English classical singer Madge Franckeiss. Jalabala Vaidya started her career as a journalist. She contributed to a number of national newspapers and magazines in the national capital.

* Jalabala Vaidya received a number of prestigious awards such as Delhi government's Varisht Samman, Sangeet Natak Akademi's Tagore Award, Delhi Natya Sangh Award, the Andhra Pradesh Natya Akademi Honor, and Honorary Citizenship of the City of Baltimore, USA.

* Jalabala Vaidya briefly married to journalist and columnist C.P Ramachandran. Subsequently, she wed playwright-poet Gopal Sharman.

* Jalabala Vaidya's theatrical career began with "Full Circle" in 1968. She co-founded Akshara National Classical Theatre with Sharman.

* Jalabala Vaidya played lead roles in over 20 plays. These plays include "Full Circle", "The Ramayana", "Let's Laugh Again", 'Larflarflarf', "The Bhagavad Gita", "The Cabuliwala", 'Gitanjali', and 'The Strange Case of Billy Biswas"..

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   Mumbai

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According to a survey, published by London-based ‘Time Out’ - a media outlet, Berlin (Germany) was ranked as the city with the best public transport system globally.

* It is followed by Prague (Czech Republic), Tokyo (Japan), and Copenhagen (Denmark).

* While India's city Mumbai secured the 19th spot and was the top-ranked Indian city.

* Mumbai's Suburban Railways form the backbone of public transport for a population of 12.5 million.

List of world's top 10 cities with best public transit system :

1. Berlin
2. Prague
3. Tokyo
4. Copenhagen
5. Stockholm
6. Singapore
7. Hong Kong
8. Taipei
9. Shanghai
10. Amsterdam.

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   Droupadi Murmu

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The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu took a historic sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam (April 8, 2023).

* The President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, flew for approximately 30 minutes covering Brahmaputra and Tezpur valley with a view of Himalayas before returning to the Air Force Station.

* The aircraft was flown by Group Captain Naveen Kumar, Commanding Officer of the 106 Squadron.

* The aircraft flew at a height of about two kilometers above sea level and at a speed of about 800 kilometers per hour. President Murmu is the third President and second woman President to undertake such a sortie.

* Later in the visitor’s book, the President expressed her feelings by writing a brief note in which she said "It was an exhilarating experience for me to fly in the mighty Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

* It is a matter of pride that India's defence capabilities have expanded immensely to cover all the frontiers of land, air and sea. I congratulate the Indian Air Force and the entire team of Air Force Station Tezpur for organising this sortie.”

* The President was also briefed on the operational capabilities of the aircraft and the Indian Air Force (IAF). She expressed satisfaction on the operational preparedness of the IAF.

* The President's sortie in the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft is a part of her efforts to engage with the armed forces, as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces.

* In March 2023, the President visited INS Vikrant and interacted with officers and sailors on board of the indigenously built aircraft...

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Secunderabad - Tirupati

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 8 April 2023 flagged off the Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express train in Hyderabad.

* Vande Bharat Express from Secunderabad to Tirupati will be running six days a week with regular services starting from 9th April 2023 with bookings already open from 8th April 2023 onwards.

* Train Number 20702 Tirupati-Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express will start from Tirupati at 15:15 hrs and reaches Secunderabad at 23:45 hrs.

* Train number 20701 Secunderabad-Tirupati will start from Secunderabad at 06:00 hrs and reaches Tirupati at 14:30 hrs.

* The train stops are at Nalgonda, Guntur, Ongole and Nellore stations in both the directions. It consists of seven AC chair car coaches and one executive AC chair car with the total seating capacity of 530 passengers providing e the fastest travelling facility between these two stations with an exclusive fully AC reserved sitting accommodation.

* AC chair car fare including catering charge from Secunderabad to Tirupati is ₹1,680 and the executive class fare is ₹3080.

* AC chair car fare including catering charge from Tirupati to Secunderabad is ₹1,625 and the executive class fare is ₹3,030...

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Aleksander Ceferin

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A Slovenian lawyer, Aleksander Ceferin has been re-elected unopposed as Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) president for a four-year term (2023-2027).

* Ceferin was elected as UEFA's seventh president in 2016 to replace Michel Platini, who was barred from football administration in 2015 for ethics violations and was forced to resign from UEFA in 2016 after losing an appeal against his ban.

* The UEFA Champions League is an annual club football competition.

* It is organized by the Union of European Football Associations and contested by top-division European clubs.

* When some of Europe's top clubs attempted to form a European Super League in April 2021, the 55-year-old faced his most difficult challenge.

* The competition posed a direct threat to the Champions League, UEFA's continental club competition and Ceferin urged fans, football federations, and governments to oppose the "disgraceful, self-serving proposal...

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   Tripura

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Tripura has been given the best state award in the northeastern region by the Centre for successful implementation of e-procurement, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy said here on Wednesday (5th April 2023).

* To maintain transparency, the state has made it mandatory to go for e-procurement if the value of any government purchase or contract goes beyond Rs. 25,000.

* Impressed by the success in the e-procurement system, the Finance Ministry in association with the Ministry of Electronics and IT gave the best award among the northeastern states at a programme in Delhi, Singha Roy said at a press conference.

* The total value of payments made through e-procurement and Government eMarketplace (GeM) portals increased from Rs. 4,451 crore in 2020-21 to Rs. 7441 crore in 2021-22, he said adding that the figure is Rs. 7,373 crore till December in 2022-23 fiscal.

* Singha Roy said digital payment is being promoted in the government sector to maintain transparency.

* As of now, 80 per cent of payments are made through digital platforms (in Tripura). The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has praised the state for embracing digital payment.

* Except the pension to 82,000 pensioners, all the employees including Anganwadi workers are receiving salary through digital payment.

* Asserting that the northeastern state has been making all-out efforts to increase its revenue, Singha Roy said Tripura’s own tax collection has crossed Rs. 3,000 crore during 2022-23 which is 15 per cent more than that of the last financial year..

Source : Arunachal Times

Correct Answer :   Kerala

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State-owned Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) has introduced India's first solar-powered hybrid tourist boat – Sooryamshu – in Kochi backwaters.

* The 100-passenger capacity air-conditioned vessel with upper and lower deck offer travellers to cruise along the backwaters, where KSINC proposed to introduce packages.

* Sooryamshu’s solar panels have the capacity to produce 27 KW of energy and it has generators which will enable operation of passenger lift systems and air-conditioners.

* About 75 per cent of the vessel’s energy needs will be met with what is generated by the solar panels while the remaining will come from the generators.

* Built at a cost of Rs.3.95 crores at a facility in Sri Lanka, KSINC plans to use it for two tour packages.

* The first one is the Kadamakkudy package that will offer tourists sightseeing and kayaking at a cost of Rs.799. Kadamakkudy is a cluster of 14 islands located less than 10 kilometres from Kochi city.

* There will be delay in this package as at some spots on the route there are Kerala State Electricity Board low-lying cables which will hinder the smooth passage of the boat. As per R. Girija, Managing Director KSINC they are sorting out the issue with the Board officials.

* The other package will take the tourists to Matsyafed farm in Ernakulam district. Here they can enjoy not only kayaking, paddling and fishing but also savour exclusive seafood offered by the farm.

* KSINC’s other tourist vessels, namely, Nefertiti, Sagar Rani-1, and Sagar Rani-2, are already conducting cruises in collaboration with Kerala State Road Transport Corporation’s budget tourism packages.

Correct Answer :   Anshuman Singhania

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Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) on Friday (7th April 2023) said Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director of JK Tyre & Industries Ltd, has been elected its new Chairman.

In a statement, Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) said Arnab Banerjee, Managing Director & CEO of CEAT Ltd has taken over as the Vice-Chairman.

About Anushuman Singhania :

Singhania, a graduate from Oxford Brookes University, the UK and an alumnus of London Business School, has held several positions in planning, production, product development, finance, sales and marketing, among others, besides playing a key role in implementing the latest technologies in the manufacturing process at JK Tyre, it added.

About Arnab Banerjee :

Banerjee has held several roles and has been the Chief Operating Officer at CEAT since 2018 prior to taking over his current role. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, IIM Kolkata and IIT Kharagpur.

Source : Money Control

Correct Answer :   Droupadi Murmu

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President Droupadi Murmu as she inaugurated the 'Gaj Utsav 2023' at the Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Friday (7th April 2023) to mark 30 years of Project Elephant.

The President said the culture of respecting nature has been the identity of our country. Elephants have been most respected in our tradition and it has been considered a symbol of prosperity. It is the national heritage animal of India. Therefore, protecting elephants is our responsibility so that we can preserve our national heritage.

About GAJ UTSAV 2023 :

* The Gaj Utsav 2023 is a significant event in India that commemorates the 30th anniversary of Project Elephant, a flagship conservation initiative launched by the Indian government in 1992.

* The event aims to promote awareness about the conservation of elephants and their habitats, reduce human-elephant conflicts, and ensure the welfare of captive elephants.

* The event is being celebrated at the Kaziranga National Park, which is known for its high population of Asian elephants.

* The two-day event includes various activities such as cultural programs, elephant processions, exhibitions, and seminars.

* These activities are designed to engage the public and raise awareness about the importance of elephant conservation.

* The event also highlights the challenges faced by elephants in India due to habitat loss, fragmentation, poaching, and human-elephant conflicts.

* Through the Gaj Utsav 2023, the Indian government aims to work towards mitigating these challenges and ensuring a better future for elephants in India.

* Kaziranga National Park was established in 1905 and is one of the oldest national parks in India.

* The park covers an area of approximately 430 square kilometers and is home to the world’s largest population of Indian one-horned rhinoceroses.

* Kaziranga is also home to other rare and endangered species such as the Bengal tiger, Asiatic elephant, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.

* The park is situated in the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River and has a unique ecosystem that includes grasslands, swamps, and forests.

* Kaziranga is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also a Tiger Reserve and an Important Bird Area.

* The park is a popular tourist destination and offers activities such as wildlife safaris, elephant rides, and birdwatching.

* Kaziranga National Park faces various challenges such as habitat loss, poaching, and human-elephant conflicts, which require constant attention and conservation efforts....

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   RBI

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will launch a secured web-based centralised portal named ‘PRAVAAH’ (Platform for Regulatory Application, Validation And AutHorisation) to simplify and streamline application processes.

* The portal will show time limits for deciding on the applications/approvals sought. This measure will bring greater efficiencies into regulatory processes and facilitate ease of doing business for the regulated entities of RBI.

* Gradually, it will be extended to all types of applications made to RBI across all functions, the central bank said in its statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies.

* The step has also been taken to comply with the Union Budget 2023-24 announcement regarding the need to simplify, ease and reduce cost of compliance by financial sector regulators within laid down time limits to decide the applications under various regulations.

* Various entities are required to obtain license/authorization to carry out activities regulated by RBI, and regulated entities are required to seek certain approvals under various statutes/regulations periodically. Currently, the application and approval processes for the same take place in varied on-line and off-line modes...

Source : H B