Correct Answer :   Siddhartha Mohanty

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Siddhartha Mohanty, MD of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has been given a 3-month charge as chairman, from 14th March 2023. Moreover, the insurance juggernaut claims that MR Kumar, the current chairman of the LIC, has not received an extension.

This is an an interim arrangement in addition to Mohanty's own duties.

LIC said in a stock exchange filing that “In terms of Regulation 30 of the SEBI(LODR) Regulations, 2015, we advise that, in view of the completion of term of Shri Mangalam Ramasubramanian Kumar as Chairperson of LIC of India, effective from the close of business hours on 13th March, 2023, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Govt of India, has vide F. no. A-15011/01/2022-Ins.I dated 11th March, 2023, conveyed the approval of the Competent Authority, for entrusting financial and administrative powers and functions of Chairperson, LIC in the interim to Shri Siddhartha Mohanty, Managing Director in addition to his own duties, for a period of three months, with effect from 14th March, 2023, or till assumption of the charge by the regular appointee to the said post, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest."

The authorities appointed Siddhartha Mohanty, the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of LIC Housing Finance, as the MD of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), India's largest insurer, effective February 1st, 2021.

In place of TC Suseel Kumar, who was scheduled to retire on January 31, 2021, Siddhartha Mohanty was nominated to serve as the MD of LIC until his superannuation on June 30, 2023..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Jammu and Kashmir

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In Jammu and Kashmir, the Directorate of Rural Sanitation has launched the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Internship-2023.

Aim : At engaging the youth enrolled in colleges and universities, as well as research scholars, who are interested in working in rural areas for the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) and being a part of the "Jan Andolan".

* The internship program provides an opportunity for young minds to gain valuable experience, develop their skills, and contribute meaningfully towards the implementation of the SBM (G) Phase II.

* The participants will have the opportunity to work on various aspects of the SBM (G) Phase-II, such as community mobilization, behavior change communication and capacity building.

* The program aims to provide them with hands-on experience, which will help them understand the ground realities and challenges of rural sanitation in India. Interested candidates can apply for the internship through the form provided at https://forms.gle/4DQqkcF1EuwZH3hz5.


* Additionally, the terms and conditions of the internship can be downloaded from the Directorate of Rural Sanitation website at drsjk.jk.gov.in or through this link: https://t.ly/PsNU

* The last date for applying for the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen internship is March 20, 2023. The nomination of the applicants shall be made by the parent institutions and after the screening of the applicants they will be given an orientation before assigning them a village for carrying out the activities..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Bhupender Yadav

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A two-day G20 Flower Festival is being organised at Delhi’s Connaught Place from 11th March 2023. It is aimed at highlighting the vibrancy of G20 members and guest countries.

* Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the festival 11th March 2023 which is being organised by the New Delhi Municipal Council at Central Park.

* G20 countries including Japan, Singapore, and the Netherlands are participating in it.  
 
* Flower plants of different colours and varieties are being displayed in different forms and installations to showcase the diversity of the Indian subcontinent.

* The festival is also showcasing the painting and photographs of flowers of G20 member countries and guest countries.

* The timing of the festival is from 10 AM to 7 PM and entry is free for the general public. The musical and cultural programmes are also planned at the site of the event...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   March 10

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India’s first woman teacher, Savitribai Phule was one of the most remarkable figures in the nation’s history. She was an Indian social reformer, poet, and educationalist who breathed her last on March 10, 1897, battling the bubonic plague and leaving behind a legacy of courage, resilience, and compassion.

Her contributions to the Indian social reform movement and the struggle for women's rights continue to inspire people today. Famously known as India’s first modern feminist, Phule was India's first female teacher. But who was she? Where was she from? Let’s have a look at her life.


Savitribai Phule Birth :  Born on January 3, 1831, in Naigaon, Maharashtra, Savitribai Phule was married at the age of nine to Jyotirao Phule, a social reformer and activist. Her husband, who was a progressive thinker, recognized the importance of education and women's empowerment in the struggle for social equality.

Savitribai Phule Education :  Savitribai Phule was the first woman in Maharashtra to receive a formal education, and she used her knowledge to educate and empower women from all walks of life. Savitribai learned reading and writing and soon started teaching girls in Maharashtra’s Maharwada, Pune. She started teaching girls with Sagunabai who was her husband’s mentor.

Correct Answer :   Rohit Jawa

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Rohit Jawa has been named as the new managing director and CEO of Hindustan Unilever with effect from June 27, 2023.

* Jawa is currently the Chief of Transformation for Unilever, London. He will be a whole-time director of the company from April 1, up to June 26, 2023.

* Jawa is currently the Chief of Transformation for Unilever in London where he has successfully orchestrated the once-in-a-decade, end-to-end transformation of Unilever, since January 2022.

* The new MD & CEO joined HUL as a management trainee in 1988 and has a proven track record of sustained business results across India, South-East Asia and North Asia.

* As EVP for North Asia & Chairman for Unilever China, Jawa led a significant transformation of Unilever China into a competitive, profitable, and consistent business, which has now become now Unilever’s third biggest globally.

* Jawa also led Unilever Philippines to become one of the top 10 markets for the company globally.

* "Rohit’s ability to integrate the strength of traditional markets with digital technologies and future-fit business models, positions him well to take HUL into its next growth phase," the company noted in his filing to the exchanges.

* Jawa will take over the reins from Sanjiv Mehta, who will step down after a 10-year tenure at the helm. Under his leadership, HUL crossed Rs 50,000 crore in revenue and the company's market capitalisation more than quadrupled to nearly $75 billion from $17 billion..

Source : CNBC

Correct Answer :   Punjab National Bank

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Punjab National Bank, nation’s public sector bank and Central Warehousing Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate financing under e-NWR (Electronic Negotiable Warehousing Receipt).

Partnership Aim : Providing easy access to finance to farmers/ food processors/ traders against the pledge of agriculture commodities stored in CWC warehouses.

General Manager, Kanwal Jit Shorey signed the agreement on behalf of Punjab National Bank and Shri Rajiv Kumar Bansal, Group General Manager (Comm.) on behalf of CWC in the presence of K.S. Rana, DGM & Shri Neeraj  Jakhmola, CM of PNB and Shri R.R. Aggarwal (GGM- Finance, CWC), Shri Amit Puri (GM Finance, CWC) & Shri Ashwin (AGM, CWC).

Agriculture is an important sector of the country’s economy and government has been focusing on increasing the income of the farmers who drive this segment. One of the main constraints in increasing farm income has been distress sale by the farmers. With a view to curbing the same, the bank has entered this new MoU..

Source : CNBC

Correct Answer :   $10 trillion

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In a country witnessing rapid growth, it comes as no surprise that India also has one of the fastest-growing fintech landscapes in the world, driven primarily by the advancement in digital payments segment.

* A recent report by PhonePe and Boston Consulting Group concluded that India’s digital payments market will more than triple from USD 3 trillion to USD 10 trillion by 2026.

* In 2015, the Indian Union government launched its Digital India programme, with one of the objectives to achieve a “faceless, paperless and cashless” status for financial transactions at grass-root level.

* In line with this, the use of digital payments continues to be promoted so that each citizen of the country can access digital payment facilities that are affordable, convenient and secure. The introduction of innovative reforms and technological advancements are further accelerating growth at an unprecedented pace.

* When one thinks digital payments, UPI – India’s payment gateway – instantly comes to mind. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has been the flag-bearer of India’s fintech revolution – launched in 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

* The UPI is an instant real-time payments system that enables inter-bank peer-to-peer and person-to-merchant transactions through mobile devices instantly.

* In a span of just six years, India, primarily a cash-based economy, now leads the world in real-time digital payments, accounting for almost 40 per cent of all such transactions.

* The mass adoption of UPI during the COVID-19 pandemic has extended far beyond the urban to even rural India, an effect that left the experts in amazement.

* As the success of the UPI grows, so does its attractiveness and acceptance by other countries; for instance, on February 21, 2023, India and Singapore launched cross-border connectivity between UPI and its equivalent in Singapore called PayNow, enabling low-cost and faster cross-border transactions...

Source : The Print

Correct Answer :   March 10

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The International Day of Women Judges is observed every year on March 10 to honour all-female judges who have taken the lead in the fight against social injustice.

* This day is being observed with the campaign “Women in Justice, Women for Justice”.

* It is a symbolic day for the fight for gender equality and the fight against gender-based discrimination.

* International Day of Women Judges History : To honour female judges across the globe and their contributions towards justice, equality and fairness in society, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to mark an international day for female judges. This development happened because of an international conference of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Doha, Qatar, from February 24 to 27, 2020.

* At the conference, The Institute for African Women in Law (IAWL) highlighted the need for judiciaries to encourage and develop a culture of respect and women’s rights enforcement. Sexual harassment and bullying of women in the legal profession, particularly female judges, was discussed too.

* On April 28, 2021, resolution 75/274 was adopted by the UNGA, declaring March 10 as the International Day of Women Judges. On March 10, 2022, the International Day of Women Judges was celebrated for the first time.

* International Day of Women Judges Significance : International Day of Women Judges is an important day not just for celebrating women judges in global legal institutions. It is a symbolic day for the fight for gender equality, equality of opportunities and the fight against gender-based discrimination, which exists in different strata of society..

Source : News18

Correct Answer :   Qatar

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Qatar’s top diplomat was sworn in as the country’s prime minister on Tuesday (7th Mar 2023), replacing another member of the ruling family who had held the post since 2020.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was sworn in as the new head of government, without providing further details.

Qatar’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, appoints the holders of top offices, usually from members of the ruling family. As in other Gulf Arab countries, politics is largely confined to the ruling family and developments are rarely aired in public.

Sheikh Mohammed has served as foreign minister since 2016 and was the public face of Qatar as it navigated a 3 1/2-year economic boycott by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt that only came to an end in January 2021.

He replaces Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, who had served as prime minister and interior minister — responsible for domestic security — since 2020. He was replaced as interior minister on Tuesday by Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani...

Source : Times of Israel

Correct Answer :   Thailand

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* Minister of State for External Affairs Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Thursday (9th March 2023) participated in the 19th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting virtually from Bangkok.  The meeting was hosted by Chair Thailand.

* During the meeting, the Ministers approved several documents including rules of Procedure for Core BIMSTEC Mechanisms, Sectoral BIMSTEC Mechanisms and BIMSTEC’s External Relations for submission to the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.

* The meeting also approved the draft Host Country Agreement between India and the BIMSTEC Secretariat for establishing BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate in India.
 
* The Meeting also approved the Terms of Reference for an Eminent Person’s Group on the Future Directions of BIMSTEC.

* The Terms of Reference were finalized under the special scheme for institution building announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 5th BIMSTEC Summit in Colombo. Besides BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 was also approved and will be launched at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit.
 
* The Meeting also gave its nod to the Administrative and Disciplinary Rules of the Secretariat and amended Financial Rules and Regulations of the BIMSTEC Secretariat. It will enable expenditure by the Secretariat throughout the financial year with an approved Budget...

Source : AIR