Correct Answer :   Manoj Sinha

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Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday (10th Aug 2023) inaugurated the ninth India International MSME Expo and Summit 2023 in New Delhi.

In his address on the occasion, the Lt Governor commended the MSME Development Forum for its endeavours to bring together policymakers and entrepreneurs for the promotion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

"Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises are accelerating India's economic growth and powering Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji's vision of 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," Sinha said.

Initiatives such as MSME Expo, trade fairs provide an important platform to spread awareness about government schemes, policies and to explore new business opportunities in the sector, he added.

At the expo, L-G Sinha shared the key interventions of the Union Territory administration to facilitate the growth of MSMEs in J&K.

"MSMEs are the backbone of industrial growth and equitable development. Our commitment to industries, small and medium enterprises and institutional support as well as infrastructural facilities in J&K is showing results," the Lt Governor said.

Highlighting the immense potential of the MSME sector in Jammu & Kashmir, Sinha said that as many as 2.81-lakh MSMEs have been registered on the Udyam portal in last three years, reflecting the sector's remarkable growth trajectory.

Correct Answer :   Kupwara

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INDIA’S ‘first’ Post Office bearing PIN code 193224 is located on the banks of the Kishanganga river, the de facto Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s "Kupwara" district with Pakistan-occupied territory just across the stream at a stone’s throw.

It was known as the last Post Office of the country until recently, when the signboard near it described it as the “First Post Office of India”, as it is the first one from the LoC or border in terms of distance.

Abdul Hamid Kumar, Superintendent Post Offices, Baramulla Division, said, “Earlier it was known as the last post office as we cannot deliver beyond it. Then, the Army changed it to the first Post Office as it is the first Post Office from the LoC or the border in terms of distance.”

The residents of this apparently sleepy hamlet said the Post Office has been functional even before India got Independence or Pakistan came into existence. It has not stopped delivering mail even at peak hostilities in 1965, 1971 or the frequent cross-border shelling incidents that had become regular occurrences after eruption of Pakistan-backed militancy in 1990.

Kupwara Deputy Commissioner Ayushi Sudan said the communication connectivity issues were being addressed and an optical fiber cable project should be completed by the end of this year (2023).

“We already have a connectivity project in the pipeline. The OFC link we hope will be completed by the end of this year,” she said.

Tufail Bhat operates a camping site for tourists outside the post office and a souvenir kiosk where the people can make memories.

“With increasing tourism flow in Keran, the Army helped me in an adventure course. Now I have started my own camping site here,” he said. Referring to the Post Office, he said it was becoming an attraction for the tourists. “This is the first Post Office of the country and it is still active and with increasing tourism here, this also got popular. Post Office vans come here with posts and parcels.”..

Source : The Hitavada

Correct Answer :   North Korean

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The Supreme Leader of North Korea leader "Kim Jong Un" has replaced a high-ranking military official and ordered intensified military training and weapon production, according to reports from the country's state media KCNA. The move comes amidst escalating tensions and as South Korea and the United States prepare for joint military drills.

Leadership Reshuffle :

Kim Jong Un's latest move involves the dismissal of General Pak Su Il, the Chief of the General Staff of North Korea, who had been in the position for about seven months. The decision to remove Gen. Pak was announced during a Central Military Commission meeting, where plans to counter potential threats were discussed. Gen. Pak's replacement is General Ri Yong Gil, a seasoned military figure who previously served as the nation's defense minister and supreme commander of its conventional forces.

Heightened War Preparations :
Kim Jong Un's directive to intensify military training and weapons production was issued "in an offensive way," as the North Korean leader called for comprehensive war preparations. State media images depicted Kim engaged in discussions with uniformed top generals, pointing at maps and discussing "major military actions" against South Korea. This move follows Kim's recent inspection of key arms factories, further indicating North Korea's focus on bolstering its military capabilities.

Joint Drills and Regional Implications :
The timing of Kim Jong Un's military reshuffle and heightened war preparations coincides with upcoming joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. North Korea has historically viewed these exercises as rehearsals for an invasion and has warned of potential retaliation. The situation raises concerns about regional stability, as experts analyze the implications of these developments..

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   Tamil Nadu

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The Centre has approved the establishment of a new spaceport in Kulasekarapattinam, Tamil Nadu, for carrying out the launches of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) developed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

* The Indian Space Policy 2023 has the provision for utilisation of a spaceport for carrying out launch activities by Non-Government Entities (NGEs), subject to technical feasibility and range safety constraints.

* The Policy has been approved and released into public domain. The Policy opens up the sector for enhanced participation of NGEs across the entire value chain of the space economy, while clearly delineating the roles of various stakeholders like IN-SPACe, ISRO, NewSpace India Limited and Department of Space.

* Singh said that the the Government has set up the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) as a single-window agency for promotion and authorisation of space activities.

The budget allocations for IN-SPACe are :

* 2023-24 ₹95 crore
* 2022-23 ₹33 crore
* 2021-22 ₹10 crore.

LIGO-India project approved :

The minister also informed that the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory – India (LIGO-India) project has been approved by the Government of India at an estimated cost of ₹2,600 crore, with Department of Atomic Energy as the Lead Agency. He said, after completion of the project, the LIGO-India will be operated as a national facility for detecting Gravitation Waves and Research in related areas of Astronomy.

Kulasekarapattinam will be used by private companies to launch small satellites into orbit.

On the new launch pad that ISRO is building at Kulasekarapattinam in Thoothukudi district along the coast in Tamil Nadu, SIRO Chairman S Somanath said that nearly 99 per cent of the 2,000 acres has been transferred to ISRO by the Tamil Nadu government.

“It takes at least two years to become fully functional after the commencement of the construction work. However, we will be able to conduct some sub-orbital launches there,” he added.

Space Industrial Park :

The Tamil Nadu government is planning to set up Space Industrial Park and Propellants Park near Thoothukudi to take advantage of the Centre’s move to build the Kulasekarapattinam spaceport.

Srinath Ravichandran, Co-founder and CEO of Agnikul Cosmos, in November told businessline that Kulasekarapattinam is a sweet spot for launching small satellites. “There is no land between that place and Antarctica, it’s a beautiful belt for launches. The rule is that you cannot fly over a land mass if you are not in orbit. By the time you are flying over Antarctica, you are in orbit.”

A cargo truck and four caravans are all that are required to launch small satellites, and Kulasekarapattinam is an ideal spot, he said..


Source : The Hindu Businessline

Correct Answer :   ISB

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The Indian School of Business’ (ISB’s) Bharti Institute of Public Policy signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Goa government to commence a knowledge partnership with a focus on evidence-based policy formulation and its impact in the State.

According to the MoU, Bharti Institute will facilitate furthering the State government’s objectives to improve the social and economic prosperity indicators through evidence-based public policy interventions, capacity-building workshops, and citizen-centric governance-based initiatives as a knowledge partner.

It will collaborate with the Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (GIPARD) to conduct workshops for officials of State services.

Bharti Institute will also develop the Goa Open Data Portal in collaboration with the Department of Information Technology, Goa, that will serve as a ‘one-stop destination’ for citizens to access digital services.

To tap into the bioenergy reserves of the State and empower forest-based communities with secure tenure, Bharti Institute will coordinate activities across departments and agencies in the State to attract private investment and will support in enabling the required framework of secure forest tenure, building women-led and community-owned enterprises, delivering digital and mechanical interventions for efficiency and scale, besides providing market linkage.

To strengthen and enhance the capacity of the Legislative Assembly of Goa, a Legislative Support Programme will be initiated under the newly formed partnership. As part of the programme, a Legislative Research Fellowship will also be initiated, and fellows with diverse backgrounds will be selected from the State.

The knowledge partnership will also extend to the Department of Education, Higher Education and Technical Education, Government of Goa, wherein Bharti Institute will extend its support and resources to improve the quality of education via effective leadership training, fostering positive learning environments, and empowering education officials, including principals and heads of institutes.

ISB’s Bharti Institute has been engaging with the State governments of Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab, per a release..

Source : The Hindu Businessline

Correct Answer :   August 10th

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Every year on August 10, World Lion Day is observed to highlight the importance of these majestic creatures and to garner support for their conservation.

This day is also an opportunity to learn about the importance of lions in the natural world and the potential impacts of their extinction on humanity.

Gujarat state in India is the only place outside of Africa where it is possible to witness lions in their natural habitat. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has designated the Asiatic Lion as an endangered species because of its limited population and constrained habitat.


World Lion Day History :

The history of World Lion Day can be traced back to the decline of lion populations by approximately 80 per cent in the past century. This decline prompted the establishment of World Lion Day in 2013, with conservation enthusiasts Dereck and Beverly Joubert taking the lead. These individuals collaborated with National Geographic and initiated the Big Cat Initiative (BCI) in 2009 to safeguard and preserve the world's remaining lion species.

World Lion Day  Significance :

* World Lion Day is significant because it serves as a reminder of the crucial role lions play in ecology and the environment. These apex predators contribute to the overall ecological balance by regulating herbivore populations.

* The Asiatic Lion, sometimes known as the Persian or Indian Lion, was once common throughout parts of Asia. But over time, the species disappeared from these places. In India, large-scale hunting of animals by local and British authorities caused a drop in their population. This led to their extinction in certain regions of North India by the 1880s. Gujarat is now the sole remaining habitat for Asiatic Lions.


Number of lions in India :

A Guardian report suggests that there are now about 400 lions living in the Gir National Park and another 300 in other locations throughout Gujarat, which represents a considerable rise in the population of these threatened species. Owing to insufficient space, lions in the Gir National Park have ventured into settlements and agricultural areas. Over the years, conservationists have demanded that the government move lions to another part of the country to prevent overcrowding of lions at Gir..


Source : CNBC

Correct Answer :   Jammu and Kashmir

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The Rajouri Chikri Wood Craft from Rajouri district and Mushqbudji Rice of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir have now received the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag.

Geographical Indications (GI) is a form of Intellectual Property right that identifies goods originating from a specific geographical location and having distinct nature, quality and characteristics linked to that location.

The process for GI Tagging of nine products was started by NABARD in consultation with and support from the Department of Handicrafts and Handloom and Department of Agriculture in December 2020, during the difficult times of COVID.

The GI tags have now finally been granted to these 02 products after a long legal process. In total, four products have been granted GI tag with NABARD support.

Bhallamudi Sridhar, Chief General Manager, NABARD, thanked the concerned departments of the UT government and congratulated all the GI applicant organizations.

He further informed that earlier this year in March Basohli Painting of Kathua and Ladakh Wood Carving of Ladakh got GI tag through NABARD support.

Further 05 more products of J&K are in the final stages of getting GI Tag.

Chikri is a pale, honey-coloured, fine grained softwood found in hill ranges of Rajouri district of Jammu province. The Chikri woodcraft of Rajouri is characterized by intricate carving and detailing.

Similarly, Mushqbudji Rice is a premium variety of short bold aromatic rice grown in higher reaches of the Kashmir valley especially in Anantnag district.

The cooked Mushqbudji Rice is unique and possesses a harmonious blend of taste, aroma and rich organoleptic properties.

After GI tagging only an authorized user has the exclusive rights to use the Geographical Indication in relation to these products. Due to this, no person can copy it from beyond their geographical areas.

This will prevent unauthorized use of these registered Geographical Indication goods by third parties, will boost exports and promote their brands at international level, thereby promoting economic prosperity of producers and related stakeholders including contribution to GDP of the country..

Source : KNN India

Correct Answer :   Mulyo Handoyo

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Indonesian Mulyo Handoyo has been appointed as the singles head coach at the National Center of Excellence in Guwahati, with the Badminton Association of India (BAI) also roping in two more foreign coaches for the newly-constructed facility.

Former All England champion Russian Ivan Sozonov will be the doubles coach, while Korea’s Park Tae-sang, who guided PV Sindhu to a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, will be the third foreign coach.

Besides, there will also be a big pool of Indian coaches who will be working closely with foreign coaches.

The NCoE, a joint venture of the Assam Government and BAI, will be inaugurated on Friday (4th Aug 2023) in Guwahati.

The state-of-the-art facility has a whopping 24 badminton courts with hostel facilities, a seating capacity of around 3000 spectators, a gym, and a yoga centre.

BAI has big plans and this excellence centre and the appointment of these three coaches—Mulyo, Sozonov and Park—are the first step, Sanjay Mishra, general secretary.

Hand-picked talents will be made part of this centre, and they will be given foreign exposure and every other necessary facility. We are grateful to our sponsors and partners for making this happen. I am confident that in a year’s time you will be able to see the impact and changes.

The Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad and the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bangalore have been the main hubs, with most Indian players training in these two centres until now.

The presence of top foreign coaches at the NCoE will be a major boost for Indian badminton, as now the junior camps and some of the senior camps can be organised here.

The legendary Mulyo, who is credited for coaching 2004 Athens Olympic gold medallist Taufik Hidayat, made a huge impact during his one-year stint with the Indian national team..

Source : Sport Star

Correct Answer :   6.5%

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today (10th August 2023) kept the key lending rate unchanged at 6.5% for the third time in a row, but said inflation rates are likely to rise led by vegetable prices.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said Monetary Policy Committee has unanimously decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged. This means the loan interest rates too are likely to remain unchanged.

The Indian economy is exuding enhanced strength and stability despite global shocks, said the Governor, adding that it is contributing 15% to global growth. The country is uniquely placed to benefit from the ongoing transformational shifts, he said.

The central bank raised the inflation forecast for the current financial year from 5.1% to 5.4%, citing rising vegetable prices.

The inflation rate shot up from 4.3% in May to 4.8% in June, with the figure expected to rise further in July and August.

"A spike in tomato prices led to accentuating food inflation in July 2023," said the Governor, stating that the price rise was short-term and it will reduce in the coming months.

Mr Das said the cumulative rate hikes taken so far are working their way into the economy.

The developments require heightened vigil on the evolving inflation trajectory, said Mr Das, adding that the domestic economic activity is holding up well and is likely to retain momentum.

The RBI also kept the growth forecast for the current fiscal unchanged at 6.5% and the real GDP growth for the first quarter of the next fiscal at an estimated 6.6%..

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   6th

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India, a rapidly developing nation in the realm of technology and connectivity, has achieved an overall score of 43 percent in the Internet Resilience Index (IRI). This achievement positions India as the sixth-ranked country in the South Asian region.

The IRI, developed by the global non-profit organization Internet Society, provides a comprehensive assessment of a country’s internet ecosystem, taking into account factors such as security, performance, infrastructure, and market readiness.


Security Stepping Up: India’s IPv6 Adoption :

The country’s security ranking has been deemed above average, largely attributed to its exceptional adoption of the latest Internet Protocol, IPv6. As the world grapples with the expansion of networks and the depletion of IPv4 addresses, India has taken a leading stance by embracing IPv6, which supports the ever-growing demand for internet-connected devices.

A Glimpse at the South Asian Landscape :

Top 5 countries in the Internet Resilience Index (IRI) :

Deconstructing the Pillars: Infrastructure, Performance, Security, and Market Readiness

Delving deeper into the IRI assessment, India’s scores across the four crucial pillars provide valuable insights into specific areas of strengths and weaknesses.

* Infrastructure (31 percent) : This pillar evaluates the physical infrastructure available for internet connectivity in India. Notably, India’s mobile coverage surpasses its fixed network coverage, indicating the country’s reliance on mobile networks for internet access.

* Performance (40 percent) : Performance assesses the ability of India’s networks to deliver seamless and reliable internet services to end-users. Surprisingly, India’s mobile performance lags significantly behind its fixed network performance, with mobile scoring at 29 percent compared to fixed network’s 55 percent.

* Security (66 percent) : Security measures the resilience of India’s networks against intentional or unintentional disruptions through the adoption of security technologies and best practices. India’s notable adoption of IPv6 likely contributes to its strong security ranking.

* Market Readiness (35 percent) : This pillar evaluates India’s ability to regulate its internet market and provide affordable prices to end-users. The relatively low score here suggests room for improvement in fostering a diverse and competitive market.