Correct Answer : Option (C) - Arun Subramaniam

---

The United States Senate has confirmed Indian-American Arun Subramanian to be the District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

Subramanian has become the first South Asian judge to serve on this bench. The Senate confirmed the nomination of Subramanian by a vote of 58-37 on Tuesday (7th Mar 2023) evening.

After the conformation vote, Senate Majority Leader Senate Chuck Schumer said, "We have confirmed Arun Subramanian as an SDNY (Southern District of New York) judge.

He's a son of Indian immigrants and the 1st South Asian-American judge confirmed to SDNY — which has one of the largest South Asian-American populations in the country. He's dedicated his career to fighting for people."

Earlier, in September 2022, US President Joe Biden announced the nomination of Subramanian for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Arun Subramanian :

* Arun Subramanian was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1979.

* His parents immigrated to America from India in the early 1970s and served as a control systems engineer at several companies while his mother worked several jobs, including as a bookkeeper.

* Subramanian received his Juris Doctor (J.D) from Columbia Law School in 2004 and his BA in computer science and English from Case Western Reserve University in 2001.

* Three years later, he earned his law degree from Columbia Law School as a James Kent & Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He also served as executive articles editor for the Columbia Law Review.

* Currently a partner at Susman Godfrey LLP in New York, where he has worked since 2007.

* In his career, Arun has successfully redeemed over a billion dollars for public and private entities that were the victims of fraud and other illegal conduct.

* Subramanian served as a law clerk for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the Supreme Court of the United States from 2006 to 2007.

* As per the official website of Susman Godfrey, Subramaniam also worked for Judge Gerard E. Lynch on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York from 2005 to 2006, and Judge Dennis Jacobs on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 2004 to 2005...

Source : Mint

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Neiphiu Rio

---

NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio took oath as the chief minister of Nagaland for the fifth term.

* The 72-year-old politician was administered the oath of secrecy by Governor La Ganesan.

* T R Zeliang and Y Patton were sworn-in as the deputy chief ministers of the state, while other members of the Rio cabinet also took oath.

* State BJP chief Temjen Imna Along, widely popular on social media across the country for his sense of humour, and Salhoutuonuo Kruse, one of the two women elected to Nagaland assembly for the first time, were among those who were sworn-in as members of the council of ministers.

* Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and Assam Chief Minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma were among those present on the occasion.

* Rio will lead an all-party oppositionless government, even as the NDPP-BJP alliance secured 37 seats in the 60-member House in the recent assembly polls in the northeastern state.

* All other parties in the state have extended their letters of support to the Rio-led alliance..

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer : Option (D) - Salhoutuonou Kruse

---

* Salhoutuonuo Kruse is the first woman MLA elected to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. She took oath in Shillong as the Nagaland Minister in the presence of PM Modi.

* The all-party government is formed in Nagaland under the leadership of Neiphiu Rio of NDDP.

* Salhoutuonuo Kruse defeated independent candidate Kenizhakho Nkharo from the West Angami seat.

* Besides Kruse, another NDPP candidate "Hekani Jakhlu" from the Dimapur-III constituency also won the elections.

* Kruse completed his pre-university in 1986 from Kohima College..

Source : The Print

Correct Answer : Option (D) - P.S. Sreedharan Pillai

---

Governor of Goa, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai has inaugurated the 23rd Commonwealth Law Conference in Goa, which is being held from March 5- March 9, 2023.

* The event was also attended by Union Minister for Law, Kiren Rijiju, and Goa CM Pramod Sawant.

* Minister also informed that the government had started eCourts phase III to make Indian Judiciary completely paperless.

* 500 delegates from 52 countries attended the Conference.

* It is a platform for open discussions on critical issues.

* During his address, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju emphasized the importance of the conference as a platform for open discussions on critical issues.

* He stated that the law must be comprehensible to the common man to achieve its desired result. He further highlighted the government's commitment to good governance and the welfare of the people.

Focus on Good governance and Welfare of the people : Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Good Governance has many facets and characteristics. He stated that the objective or goal is to see that corruption is minimized and eliminated and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. He further stated that the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed in promoting good governance by emphasising not only for ease of doing business but also ease of living. The concept of Rule of law has a big role in this regard.

Source : PIB

Correct Answer : Option (A) - SS Dubey

---

S.S. Dubey, a 1989-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) officer, has taken charge as the 28th Controller General of Accounts (CGA) effective from 6th March 2023.

Prior to this role, he was an Additional Controller General of Accounts, Public Financial Management System (PFMS).

Shri Dubey has served as Chief Controller of Accounts in Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion etc. and as Controller/Deputy Controller of Accounts in Ministry of Environment & Forest, Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Revenue, 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.

On his Central deputation, Shri Dubey served as Joint Secretary & Financial Advisor to Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. 

He was also Deputy Secretary/Director to Ministry of Food, Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution and supervised Targeted Public Distribution System (PDS) and CWC (PSU).

Shri Dubey was Government of India nominee Director on Board of Public Sector Undertakings like Engineering Projects India ltd., NBCC, HUDCO and Metro Rail Corporations of several states.

Besides, serving Government of India, Shri Dubey also has international experience of five years in United Nations, where he worked as Head of Procurement and Logistics, United Nations World Food Programme, New Delhi.

Controller General of Accounts (CGA) is ‘the Principal Advisor’ on Accounting matters to the Union Government.  CGA is responsible for establishing and managing a technically sound Management Accounting System and preparation & submission of the accounts of the Union Government.  CGA is also responsible for exchequer control and conduct of internal audits for the Central Government.

Source : PIB

Correct Answer : Option (C) - 26%

---

The share of female borrowers in the retail loans outstanding has gone up to 26 per cent at Rs 26.07 lakh crore as of December 2022 from 25 per cent (Rs 20.47 lakh crore) in December 2021, an increase of Rs 5.60 lakh crore.

Total retail loan outstanding was Rs 100.28 lakh crore in December 2022, up from Rs 81.91 lakh crore a year ago, according to data compiled by CRIF High Mark, a credit information bureau.

Among major retail loan products availed by female borrowers in India, gold loans (42 per cent share), education loans (35 per cent), home loans (32 per cent) and loan against property (29 per cent) have higher share of female borrowers (by portfolio outstanding), compared to other products, as of December 2022, CRIF High Mark said.

The maximum Y-o-Y increase in portfolio outstanding of female borrowers for gold loans was 64 per cent, two-wheeler 42 per cent and personal loan 35 per cent as of December 2022.

Among female borrowers, the average ticket size (ATS) has increased for all major retail loan products from CY 2020 to CY 2022, except personal loan and consumer durable (CD) loans.

The ATS of personal loan for female borrowers has reduced by 17 per cent from CY 2020 to CY 2022 while that for male borrowers has reduced by 30 per cent during the same period.

The ATS of auto loan, gold loan and personal loan is higher for female borrowers than male borrowers in CY 2022, while ATS of two-wheeler and consumer durable loans for both female and male borrowers is the same in CY 2022..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer : Option (A) - 7th March 2023

---

India has celebrated the Jan Aushadhi Diwas on March 7 every year since 2019. The day is the culmination of a week-long event that begins on March 1.

* The day is marked in order to promote awareness about generic medicines and how they can be helpful for millions across the country.

* Jan Aushadhi Diwas History : The Jan Aushadi Diwas was launched on March 7, 2019, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

* The campaign and day were launched with an aim of expanding access to generic medicines and also promoting their use among the many millions of families who often could not afford expensive branded drugs.

* The campaign was part of a greater push to improve healthcare access for those in the country. The campaign and day were launched by the government’s Department of Pharmaceuticals, which still organises events across the country for the day. The medicines are sold through Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana Kendras (PMBJPK), which number over 9,000 today.

* Jan Aushadhi Diwas Significance : While India is already one of the cheapest countries when it comes to median drug costs, across both branded and generic drugs, costs for filling prescriptions are still the biggest healthcare cost for most families in the country. However, with so many individuals living near or under the poverty line, it can be difficult for them to purchase an extensive list of medicines.

* Under the PMBJP, medicines are available at a 50 percent discount on the average price of the top three different brands resulting in at least a 50 percent discount on branded drugs. Discounts often run even higher if a particular branded medicine is sold for a higher value.

* Due to the deep discounts on equivalent medicinal drugs, people have been able to save a large amount of money. According to government data, total savings of Rs 20,000 crore over the past eight years have been achieved under the scheme..

Source : CNBC

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Shaktikanta Das

---

* Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday (March 6, 2023), launched the mission Har Payment Digital Payments Awareness Week 2023.

* Theme 2023 : With the theme “Digital Payment Apnao; Auron ko Bhi Sikhao”, amid Digital Payments Awareness Week 2023 (DPAW).

* "The message of “Digital Payment Apnao, Auron ko bhi Sikhao” – “Adopt digital payments and Also teach others” – under the mission Har Payment Digital – is very relevant and expected to create greater awareness and usage among the people," said Das.

* India's central bank governor further noted that it is a matter of pride that payment systems in India have witnessed over 1,000 crore transactions every month since December 2022.

* "This speaks volumes of the robustness of our payments ecosystem and acceptance by consumers," said the RBI governor.

* A recent pan-India digital payments survey (covering 90,000 respondents) revealed that 42 percent of respondents have used digital payments.

* Das further pointed out that the mission “Har Payment Digital” is aimed at reinforcing the ease and convenience of digital payments and facilitate the onboarding of new consumers into the digital fold.

Source : Money Control

Correct Answer : Option (B) - UN Women India

---

* The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and UN Women India joined hands together to launch a new programme “FinEmPower” which aims to empower women towards financial security.

* In commemoration of International Women's Day, BSE and UN Women India organised the 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality' initiative to accelerate investment for women leaders and entrepreneurs in BSE.

* Sundararaman Ramamurthy, MD & CEO, BSE and Susan Ferguson, representative of UN Women India jointly attended the function 'Ring the Bell for Gender Equality'.

Correct Answer : Option (D) - Delhi Airport

---

Delhi Airport has been ranked among the cleanest airports in Asia-Pacific as a part of Airport Council International (ACI)’s annual service quality award. ACI is a trade association of global airports.

* The airport service quality award is based on passenger surveys carried out to rate customer satisfaction on the day of travel.

* The surveys cover over 30 performance indicators across key elements of a passenger’s airport experience such as ease of finding your way, check-in, shopping, and dining offerings.

* According to ACI, 144 awards have been won by 75 airports globally based on over 465,000 surveys collected in 2022.

* In addition to the award for best airports by size and region, four new categories were introduced in 2022--airport with the most dedicated staff; the easiest airport journey; the most enjoyable airport, and the cleanest airport.

* While Delhi was ranked among the top airports for cleanliness, none of the Indian airports made it to the winners list in the other new categories.

* The airports were ranked for their cleanliness based on passenger feedback on cleanliness of washrooms/toilets, health safety among others.

* “At Delhi airport, consistency in enhancing service standards is paramount. This honour resonates with our values and relentless commitment towards providing travelers a truly world-class experience,” said Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO of Delhi International Airport Limited...

Source : Business Standard