Current Affairs - January, 2023 - Free Time Learning

1 .

Who has been appointed as the new director of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) for five years, effective from March 1, 2023.

A)

V. Ramgopal Rao

B)

Prof. Bharat Bhasker

C)

Subhasis Chaudhuri

D)

Prof. V Kamakoti

Correct Answer : Prof. Bharat Bhasker

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) on Monday (23rd January 2023) announced the appointment of professor Bharat Bhasker as the director of IIMA for a period of five years with effect from March 1, 2023.

The term of the incumbent director, Prof Errol D’Souza, will be ended on January 31, 2023.

Bhasker currently holds the position of professor of Information Technology and Systems at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow.

In the interim, the Board of Governors has appointed Arindam Banerjee as the director-in-charge for the period February 1 to 28, 2023.

Bhasker is an experienced Information Technology leader with almost three decades of experience in industry, research, teaching, and consulting in India and globally. Until recently, he has served a five-year term as the Director of IIM Raipur from March 2017 to March 2022.

Before joining IIM Raipur, he has been associated with IIM Lucknow for over two decades having served in various capacities including being the acting Director of IIM Lucknow for a period of five months during July and November 2015.

He has also served as the Dean Planning & Development at IIM Sirmaur from 2003 to 2005..

Source : Mint

Published On : January 24, 2023

2 .

Who inaugurated (23rd Jan 2023) North India's largest floating Solar project of 2000kWp at Water Works in Chandigarh?

A)

Banwari Lal Purohit

B)

Acharya Devvrat

C)

Gurmit Singh

D)

Vinai Kumar Saxena

Correct Answer : Banwari Lal Purohit

The Governor of Punjab and Administrator Chandigarh, Banwari Lal Purohit 23rd Jan 2023 inaugurated North India’s largest floating Solar project of 2000kWp at Water Works in Chandigarh.

He also inaugurated a 500kWp floating Solar Project with Fountains at Dhanas Lake in Chandigarh.

The 2000kWp Floating Solar Power Plant at Water Works has been installed at a total cost of 11 crores 70 lahks and the 500kWp Floating Solar Power Plant with fountains have been installed at Dhanas Lake at a total cost of three crore 34 lakh rupees.

These Projects have been designed and executed by CREST (Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science & Technology Promotion Society), UT Chandigarh and will generate a minimum of 35 Lac Units(kWh) of Solar Energy per year with 20 percent module efficiency...

Source : AIR

Published On : January 24, 2023

3 .

Who has inaugurated (23rd Jan 2023) the Smart Cities CEOs Conference on Data and Technology in Panaji?

A)

M. K. Stalin

B)

Basavaraj Bommai

C)

Dr. Pramod Sawant

D)

Bhupendrabhai Patel

Correct Answer : Dr. Pramod Sawant

Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant inaugurated the Smart Cities CEOs Conference on Data and Technology 23rd Jan 2023 in Panaji.

Rohit Monserrate, Mayor, Corporation of City of Panaji, Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary and Mission Director and senior officers of the Centre and State Government were present on this occasion.

The two-day conference is being organized by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in coordination with Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL).

Hosted by IPSCDL, the conference witnessed the participation of Chief Executive Officers/Municipal Commissioners of 100 Smart Cities along with officials from the Central, State government, Industry and knowledge partners.

The conference seeks to enable peer learning and exchange of ideas so that best practices may be adopted across all Smart Cities. On the opening day, Smart City CEOs/officials presented Business Plans and Standard Operation Procedures of their Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC)...

Source : PIB

Published On : January 24, 2023

4 .

Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has organized a two-day event, 'Krishi-Mahotsav: Pradarshani evam Prashikshan' in which state?

A)

Gujarat

B)

Assam

C)

Rajasthan

D)

West Bengal

Correct Answer : Rajasthan

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, in association with Department of Agriculture, Government of Rajasthan, is organizing a two-day event, - ‘Krishi-Mahotsav: Pradarshani evam Prashikshan’ scheduled to be held on 24th-25th January 2023 at Dussehra Ground, Kota, Rajasthan.

Aim : To make Kota Division of Rajasthan advanced and leading in the field of agriculture and rural development.

Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry & Fisheries, Dr. Sanjeev Balyan, Rajasthan state Minister of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Shri Lalchand Kataria, and Rajasthan Minister of State, Department of Cooperation, Shri Udaylal Anjana will be present in the inaugural ceremony.

Through the exhibition organized in Krishi Mahotsav, information about the various schemes of Central and State Government will be disseminated through exhibitors.In this exhibition, 150 stalls will be set up to provide updated information related to agriculture to the farmers. Keeping in view the need for Startups in the field of agriculture, 75 stalls of Startups will be set up, which is one of the main features of this exhibition.

During this Krishi Mahotsav, a programme to train about 5,000 farmers on subjects related to agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry is also being organized in two sessions.

A special workshop on Agriculture Infrastructure Fund is also being organized for the benefit of farmers.

Scientists from agricultural research institutes, agricultural universities, agricultural zonal centers and all officers and employees of the Agriculture Department as well as about 35,000 farmers are expected to participate in this two-day grand event..

Source : PIB

Published On : January 24, 2023

5 .

When India is celebrates 'National Girl Child Day' on every year?

A)

25 January

B)

24 January

C)

23 January

D)

22 January

Correct Answer : 24 January

India celebrates National Girl Child Day on 24 January every year to highlight the prejudice and injustice that girl children face.

Aim : To encourage awareness about women's rights in our country.

National Girl Child Day History : In 2008, National Girl Child Day was established by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the injustices that girls experience in Indian society. The main aim of the day is to raise awareness of the disparities that girls face in a variety of areas, including education, employment, clothing, and others.

National Girl Child Day 2023 Significance : According to the women and child development ministry, National Girl Child Day is meant to create awareness about the rights of a girl, support the nation's girl children, eliminate gender biases, and emphasise the importance of education, health, and nutrition. The national holiday is observed nationwide by holding a variety of events to honour girls.

National Girl Child Day 2023 Theme : The Indian government has not officially announced a theme for National Girl Child Day 2023. Previously, the slogans were "Digital Generation, Our Generation, Our Time is Now—Our Rights, Our Future."

Source : India Times

Published On : January 24, 2023

6 .

Which state is celebrating its foundation day on January 24th?

A)

Kerala

B)

Karnataka

C)

Tamil Nadu

D)

Uttar Pradesh

Correct Answer : Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh is celebrating its foundation day 24th January 2023. The foundation day of state on January 24 is being celebrated for three days since 2018 with the participation of all government departments.

Theme of the 'Uttar Pradesh Day' 2023 : the theme is 'Investment and Employment'.

The statewide events will be held from January 24 to January 26. Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra has said that the state-level event on 'Uttar Pradesh Day' will be organised in 'Awadh Shilp Gram', Lucknow, and 'Noida Shilp Gram', Noida while the district-level events will be held at all district headquarters of the state.

There will be seminars, roadshows, entrepreneurs' conferences, etc. to focus on investment and employment. Exhibitions will also be organised on topics like investment and employment, digital Uttar Pradesh, cyber security, and advanced natural agriculture.

On this occasion, an exhibition related to the development journey of Uttar Pradesh since its formation now will be organised by the UP State Archives at all programme venues, including Lucknow.

The initiative to celebrate 'Uttar Pradesh Day' was taken by the then Governor Ram Naik and this event is celebrated every year since 2018 after the formation of the BJP government under the leadership of Yogi Adityanath in the state. Earlier, Uttar Pradesh was known as United Provinces.

However, on January 24, 1950, it was recognized as Uttar Pradesh...

Source : AIR

Published On : January 24, 2023

7 .

Which Govt inks MoU with Forest Survey of India (FSI) for 'Trees Outside Forest' (TOF) field survey to promote agroforestry?

A)

Bihar

B)

Haryana

C)

Uttar Pradesh

D)

Karnataka

Correct Answer : Bihar

Bihar government in association with the Forest Survey of India (FSI) has decided to conduct a 'Trees Outside Forest' (TOF) field survey.

Aim : To identify the dominant tree species that are growing outside the Recorded Forest Areas (RFA).

* As per the FSI India State of Forest Report, 2021, Bihar has registered an increase of 3.79% in growing stock in RFA and 0.58% in TOF

* The overall tree cover has also increased in the state from 2,003 sq km in 2019 to 2,341 sq km in 2021.

* The FSI survey was conducted by using remote sensing based forest cover mapping of all patches of more than one hectare within and outside the RFA.

Source : Business Standard

Published On : January 24, 2023

8 .

Who will be the chief guest at the 74th Republic Day function of India?

A)

Abdel Fattah El-Sisi

B)

Aung San Suu Kyi

C)

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

D)

Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Correct Answer : Abdel Fattah El-Sisi

Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, will arrive in New Delhi on January 24, 2023, on a three-day visit. On India's 74th Republic Day, President Sisi will be the Chief Guest.

He will be joined by a high-level group comprised of five Ministers and senior government officials.

The President of Egypt has been invited as the Chief Guest on Republic Day for the first time. The Egyptian Army will also send a contingent to the Republic Day parade.

Published On : January 24, 2023

9 .

Who Launched Information Database on Municipal Bonds?

A)

World Bank

B)

Reserve Bank of India

C)

Securities and Exchange Board of India

D)

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority

Correct Answer : Securities and Exchange Board of India

Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched an information database on municipal bonds.

As part of efforts to develop the bond markets, an outreach programme on municipal bonds and municipal finance was organised by Sebi in the national capital on 20 January and 21 January 2023, according to a release on Sunday (22nd Jan 2023).

Representatives from various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, municipal corporations, stock exchanges, credit rating agencies, merchant bankers and debenture trustees, participated in the programme.

At the event, Sebi Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch emphasised the potential of municipal bonds in infrastructure development and nation building.

"The information database contains a wide range of information in the form of statistics and regulations, circulars, guidance note and Frequently Asked Questions issued by Sebi in respect of municipal debt securities."

About Municipal Bonds : A municipal bond (muni) is a debt security issued by a state, municipality or county to finance its capital expenditures, including the construction of highways, bridges or schools.

Through muni bonds, a municipal corporation raises money from individuals or institutions and promises to pay a specified amount of interest and returns the principal amount on a specific maturity date.

These are mostly exempt from federal taxes and from most state and local taxes, making them especially attractive to people in high income tax brackets....

Source : SEBI

Published On : January 24, 2023

10 .

Former Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Harjeet Singh Arora when did passes away?

A)

20th January 2023

B)

21st January 2023

C)

22nd January 2023

D)

23rd January 2023

Correct Answer : 21st January 2023

Former Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Harjeet Singh Arora passed away at the age of 61 on Saturday (21st January 2023) in the national capital.

The former Vice Chief breathed his last in Army Research and Referral Hospital, Delhi where he was undergoing treatment.

His funeral would be held at Brar Square crematorium in Delhi Cantt on Sunday. Air Marshal Harjeet Singh Arora (Retd.) superannuated on June 30, 2021.

Source : DNA India

Published On : January 24, 2023