Correct Answer :   Narendra Modi

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (14th April 2023) rolled out a series of railway projects across the Northeast, besides commissioning a methanol plant and laying the foundation stone for a bridge over the Brahmaputra river.

Modi virtually inaugurated the five railway works along with other projects from the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, where he is on a day-long tour.

The new railway projects rolled out by him are Digaru-Lumding and Gauripur-Abhayapuri sections, while the doubling of tracks between New Bongaigaon and Dhup Dhara was also inaugurated.

Electrification of the Raninagar-Jalpaiguri-Guwahati, Senchoa-Silghat, and Senchoa-Mairabari sections was also launched by Modi. The total cost of these projects is Rs 7,300 crore.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the Palasbari-Sualkuchi bridge over the Brahmaputra River. It will be constructed at an expenditure of Rs 3,200 crore over the next 3-4 years.

The state government has already received environmental and other clearances from various agencies for starting the construction work.

Modi also virtually commissioned a methanol plant at Namrup in Dibrugarh by Assam Petrochemicals Ltd (APL) with 500 tonnes per day (TPD) capacity, constructed at an investment of Rs 1,709 crore.

In this plant, the Assam government has a 51 percent stake and 49 percent is held by Oil India. After commissioning, APL will be able to sell methanol to other states as well as export to neighbouring countries.

The fourth project launched by Modi is the Rs 124-crore beautification work of the 'Rang Ghar', an amphitheatre built by Ahom King Pramatta Singha in the 18th century. This two-storied oval-shaped pavilion in Sivasagar is one of the largest of its kind in Asia..

Source : CNBC

Correct Answer :   April 14th

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World Chagas Disease Day 2023 : To raise awareness about a life-threatening disease that can cause serious heart and digestive issues, every year April 14 is observed as World Chagas Day.

* The disease is also called American trypanosomiasis, silent disease or silenced disease. It is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma crizu. This parasite is transmitted to humans through the triatomine bug which is also known as the kissing bug.

* The disease usually affects impoverished people living in rural areas under poor hygiene conditions. People in regions like Central America, Mexico and South America are more prone to catching the disease.

World Chagas Disease Day History :

* World Chagas Disease Day was first observed on April 14, 2020 with an aim to raise the awareness and the visibility of the people suffering from the disease. April 14 was chosen to mark the day as the first case of Chagas disease in a human was reported on this day in 1990.

* A Brazilian girl named Berenice Soares de Moura was the first patient of Chagas Disease. The disease got its name from Dr Calros Ribeiro Justiniano Chagas who diagnosed the disease. It was later termed as the silent disease because of its slowly progressing and frequently asymptomatic clinical course.

World Chagas Disease Day Significance :

* Chagas Disease can be transmitted to humans in various ways. These include eating partially or uncooked food contaminated by the feces of the infected bug, during blood transfusion from an infected person, or getting in contact with wild animals infected with the parasite.

* Once infected, Chagas disease can cause a person to suffer heart failure and can lead to severe digestive and cardiac alterations that can prove fatal.

* Experts have observed that during the past few decades, Chagas disease has been increasingly detected in Canada, the United States of America and in European and some Western Pacific countries. Thus, it becomes important to raise awareness of the disease and urge people to take adequate measures to keep it at bay..

Source : News18

Correct Answer :   Ghana

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Ghana has become the first country to approve a highly effective malaria vaccine developed at Oxford university in the UK.

* The R21/Matrix-M vaccine, the first to exceed the World Health Organization’s target of 75% efficacy, has been cleared for use by Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority in children aged 5-36 months, the group at highest risk of death from malaria.

* Prof Adrian Hill, the director of the Jenner Institute, which is part of the Nuffield Department of medicine at Oxford University, said: “This marks a culmination of 30 years of malaria vaccine research at Oxford with the design and provision of a high efficacy vaccine that can be supplied at adequate scale to the countries who need it most.”

* However, observers warned it was “no silver bullet” in the complex fight against the mosquito-borne disease. An estimated 619,000 people died from malaria in 2021, the vast majority of them children in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the WHO.

* In Ghana, where the disease is both endemic and perennial, an estimated 5.3m cases and 12,500 estimated deaths were recorded.

* The WHO has yet to recommend the R21 vaccine for widespread use and until it does there is a question mark over the amount of international funding available for it. The vaccine’s phase 3 trial is ongoing, but earlier trials have shown efficacy levels of 77%, a level maintained after a single booster dose given a year later.

* In contrast, the RTS,S vaccine, which the WHO recommended for use in a landmark move in 2021, has more modest efficacy levels.

* The Serum Institute of India, the biotechnology giant that is manufacturing the R21 vaccine, said it has the potential to manufacture more than 200m doses annually.

* Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of the Serum Institute, said the licensure of the vaccine by Ghanaian authorities was a significant milestone in the fight against malaria...

Source : The Guardian

Correct Answer :   132nd

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India is commemorating the 132nd birth anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar on April 14, 2023, as Ambedkar Jayanti.

* This day has been declared a public holiday by the central government, underscoring the importance of Ambedkar’s contributions to Indian society.

* The occasion is an opportunity to remember and celebrate Ambedkar’s life and legacy, and to renew our commitment to the principles of social justice and equality that he championed throughout his career.


About Ambedkar Jayanti 2023 :

* Ambedkar Jayanti is the birthday of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is widely recognized as the “father of the Indian Constitution,” but his influence extended far beyond that role.

* He was a versatile individual who made noteworthy contributions in the fields of economics, law, and politics, and was also a prolific writer, delving deeply into subjects such as history, economics, political science, and sociology.

* As a social reformer, Ambedkar dedicated himself to promoting the betterment of the oppressed classes in India. He was an ardent supporter of women’s rights and gender equality, advocating for these issues throughout his career.


Ambedkar Jayanti 2023- The Inspiring Life Struggles of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar :

* Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891, in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, into a Mahar family, which was considered one of the lowest castes and discriminated against in India.

* Despite facing discrimination since childhood, he managed to get admission to the prestigious Elphinstone High School in Bombay, becoming the only member of his caste to do so.

* However, he faced oppression from the upper caste teachers and staff, as he and his Dalit friends were not allowed to sit inside the classroom with other students and were not permitted to drink water from the school’s earthen pot. Nevertheless, he persevered and overcame those hurdles to pursue postgraduate studies at Columbia University.

* He later obtained his doctoral degree from the London School of Economics, earning two doctorates from the institution..

Correct Answer :   Tamil Nadu

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The Tamil Nadu government has formed a one-man committee to recommend measures for the effective administration of the homes functioning as per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2015.

* Headed by : Retired judge K. Chandru

* The committee will look into various aspects of running the institutions including infrastructure, health and medical facilities, qualification of staff among others and provide recommendations to the government for improvement.

* The period of the committee will be for four months and extendable up to six months.

* A government order issued by the department in this regard had stated that a high-level committee would be formed to improve the functioning and administration of observation homes, special homes and places of safety functioning under the JJ Act, 2015.

* As per the terms of the reference in the GO, the committee will study the existing procedures and practices followed in the homes with respect to admission, internment and discharge of inmates.

* It will also assess the existing infrastructure and amenities, modalities and methods currently adopted for training and education of inmates, including vocational training for staff in the homes, the norms for the quantity and quality of food and requirement and qualification of officers and staff employed in these homes..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   36.9%

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According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India's labor market has witnessed an improvement with over 15 million people entering the workforce in the last three quarters.

* The country's employment rate increased to 36.9% in March 2023 from 36.6% in December 2022.

* The labor participation rate (LPR) declined from 40.5% in December to 39.8% in March 2023.

* While the unemployment rate saw a small decrease from 8.3% to 7.8% during this period..

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   12th April 2023

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Veteran film and television actress Uttara Baokar passed away at 79 in Pune, Maharashtra on Wednesday morning, 12th April 2023.

* In 1984, she won India's National Academy for Acting, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

* She also appeared in Marathi films like Doghi (1995) with Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Renuka Daftardar, Uttarayan (2005), Shevri (2006), and Restaurant (2006), with Sonali Kulkarni.

* She has played various roles in different plays such as Padmavati in Mukyhamantri and Mena in Mena Gurjari.

* The veteran actress has appeared in popular TV shows like Udaan, Antaral, X Zone, Rishtey Kora Kaagaz, Nazarana, Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, Kashmakash Zindagi Ki and Jabb Love Hua.

Born : 1944
Died : 12 April 2023.

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   10,000 Metric Tonnes

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India on Thursday (13th April 2023) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Food Programme (WFP) paving the way for sending 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat for the people of Afghanistan.

* The signing ceremony between officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and the United Nations WFP was held in Mumbai where the WFP assured that it had the required infrastructure on the ground to ensure speedy delivery of wheat to the most vulnerable sections of the Afghan population.

* “The fifth tranche [to be shipped through the Chahbahar port of Iran], builds upon assistance already delivered to those who need it most by the WFP in Afghanistan.

* India has delivered on its commitment, standing by the historical relations between the people of the two countries and the pressing needs on the ground,” said Joint Secretary of PAI division, Ministry of External Affairs, J.P. Singh.

* The WFP said it had a “massive supply chain” and logistics infrastructure in Afghanistan that could help in ensuring that the food supply reached “those who need it the most and no one is excluded.”

* Thursday’s (13th April 2023) MoU follows from the Indian declaration made last month at the India Central Asia Joint Working Group on Afghanistan saying that 20,000 MT of wheat would be sent through the Iranian port of Chahbahar. The decision indicated that India would not send humanitarian assistance such as food and medicines to Afghanistan through the transit route over Pakistan...

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Fasal

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* Agri-tech company "Fasal" on Thursday (13th April 2023) announced its partnership with State Bank of India (SBI), aimed to provide farmers with easy access to capital.

* The partnership will help solve cash-flow constraints during key cycles in farming by providing quick, easy, and collateral-free loans at very competitive rates.

* This ties into Fasal’s larger objective of solving the many challenges across the entire horticulture value chain, thereby paving the way for India’s horticultural transformation..

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   ATL

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Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) have come together to promote innovation in the agricultural sector among school students across India.

* The two government bodies have agreed to connect Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMAs) under the initiative.

* The collaboration is a result of the vision of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi who seeded this idea during a conversation and proposed to connect the ATLs with the KVKs across the country. The Prime Minister also suggested both the government bodies to look into the idea of linking soil testing labs to ATL schools.

* KVKs function as a "Single Window Agricultural Knowledge Resource and Capacity Development Centre," and this collaboration will provide numerous stakeholders with necessary information, training, and inputs. KVKs, in partnership with ATMA, will collaborate with nearby ATLs to support agricultural-related innovation.

* During the first phase of the implementation, one KVK under each of the 11 Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIs) will be involved, providing technology backstopping and facilitating knowledge-sharing and skill-building exercises.

* KVK experts will also undertake need-based visits to nearby ATLs, while KVKs will provide literature, seeds, planting materials, and other inputs as required. The pilot project will be extended after assessing the positive outcomes after two years...

Source : PIB