Correct Answer :   Solar Energy Corporation of India

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State-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) has got the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE).

* A communication to this effect has been issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, a ministry statement said on Wednesday.

* The SECI has been accorded the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) on Monday (10th April, 2023), it stated.

* Incorporated in the year 2011, SECI is the primary implementing agency for renewable energy schemes/projects of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy towards fulfilment of India's international commitments.

* Till date, SECI has awarded Renewable Energy (RE) project capacities of over 56 GW.

* SECI is also active in setting up of projects through its own investments as well as for other public sector entities as Project Management Consultant (PMC).  SECI enjoys highest credit rating of AAA by domestic rating agency ICRA..

Source : Outlook India

Correct Answer :   Kolkata

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Kolkata Metro on Wednesday (12th April 2023) achieved a new milestone when a Metro rake completed a journey under the bed of river Hooghly through a tunnel 32 metres below water level.  

* P. Uday Kumar Reddy, General Manager, Metro Railway, travelled from Mahakaran to Howrah Maidan station in Rake No. MR-612 to witness this historic event.

* This rake crossed river Hooghly at 11:55 hrs. H.N. Jaiswal Additional General Manager, Metro Railway and MD, KMRCL [Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation Limited] as well as other senior officers of Metro Railway and KMRCL accompanied him during this journey, a press statement by Metro Railway, Kolkata said.

* General Manager Reddy offered puja at Howrah station once the Metro rake reached there.

* Describing the development as a “historic event’ Mr. Reddy informed that the trial runs from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade will be conducted for the next seven months and after that regular services on this stretch will begin. It is expected that commercial services on this stretch will begin this year.

* Two Metro rakes had been taken to Howrah Maidan station from Esplanade station, for the trial runs along the 4.8-km underground section from Howrah Maidan to Esplanade.

* Tunnels under the bed of river Hooghly, 32 metres below the water level, are considered an engineering marvel and are part of East West Metro Project that aims to connect Howrah Maidan with Rajarhat along the 16.6-km route.

* The process of laying the tunnel was completed in 2017. The underwater tunnels will connect Kolkata and Howrah with a Metro station at Howrah which will be the deepest Metro station (33 metres below surface) of the country. The Metro is expected to cover the 520-metre stretch under the river Hooghly in a span of 45 seconds.

* At present about 9.1 km of the East West Metro line from Salt Lake Sector V to Sealdah is operational. Services of East West Metro Railway was started in phases with first phase in February 2020 and the latest in July 2022.

* With this historic operation of the metro, India's Kolkata city has joined cities like London, Paris, New York, Shanghai and Cairo where this type of metro is used.

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Jagan Mohan Reddy

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According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR),  Andhra Pradesh’s CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has the highest assets totaling Rs 510 crore, followed by Arunanchal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu (over Rs 163 crore) and Odisha’s Naveen Pattnaik (over Rs 63 crore).

* Out of the 30 CMs analyzed, 29 are crorepatis with the average assets being Rs 33.96 crore for every CM.

* West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has the lowest total assets of about Rs 15 lakh, the ADR said.

* The ADR and Election Watch (NEW) said they have arrived at this conclusion after analysing the self-sworn poll affidavits of all the 30 current chief ministers of states and union territories.

* There are 28 state chief ministers and two union territories — Delhi and Puducherry — also have chief ministers.

* The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir does not have a chief minister currently..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   49

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National Mission for Clean Ganga has signed an agreement with 49 Universities to inspire youth towards water conservation and river rejuvenation.

* The MoU aims to bring the student community to the forefront of the mass movement for creating a sustainable ecosystem of rivers.

* Speaking on the occasion, Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that ensuring the cleanliness and purity of River Ganga with the rejuvenation of rivers are the prime objectives of the Namami Gange Mission.

* He said, water is a crucial factor to sustain life. He suggested organizing debates and other competitions in the universities to spread awareness of the importance of water conservation and river rejuvenation..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   11 April 2023

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Veteran Liberation War fighter and legendary public health activist Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury passed away in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 11 April 2023. He was 81.

* Dr. Zafrullah was suffering from kidney-related ailments and other old-age-related problems.

* Dr. Zafrullah received international acclaim for his work in the field of public health. He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in the Community Leadership category in 1985 and the Right Livelihood Prize in 1992 for his outstanding work in the public health sector. For his outstanding work to provide healthcare services to the poor, he was known as ‘poor people’s doctor’.

* Dr. Zafrullah was a veteran freedom fighter. In 1971, he left his medical studies in the UK to join the liberation war of Bangladesh. He set up a big field hospital near Melaghar in Tripura during the liberation war of Bangladesh to treat the freedom fighters wounded in the war and the refugees.

* In 1977, he was awarded the Independence Award, the highest civilian award in Bangladesh.    

Born : 27 December 1941, Chittagong Division, Bangladesh

Died : 11 April 2023 .

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   5.6%

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The industrial output of the country (India) in February 2023 rose 5.6 percent, on a year-on-year basis. As per the data from the Ministry of Statistics released on 12th April 2023.

* Tthe index of industrial production (IIP) expanded as the manufacturing sector's output increased by 5.3 percent in February 2023, and Mining output rose by 4.6 percent. Power generation surged 8.2 percent during the month under review.

* For the month of January 2023, IIP growth was revised to 5.5 percent from 5.2 percent.

* IIP grew 1.2 percent in February 2022..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Sanjay Agarwal

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* The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday (12th April 2023) approved the reappointment of Sanjay Agarwal as Managing Director & CEO and Uttam Tibrewal as Whole Time Director of AU Small Finance Bank (SFB).

* The re-appointment has been done for the next three years, till 2026.

* The Shareholders had already approved the re-appointment via postal ballot on March 09, 2022.

* Sanjay Agarwal was first appointed as managing director of Au Financiers on 14 February 2008. As the company transformed into a Small Finance Bank on 19 April 2017, he became the Managing Director & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank (SFB).

* Uttam Tibrewal joined the board of AU Small Finance Bank in 2005. The industry veteran comes with over two decades of experience in Financial Service sector with rich experience in the field of Agriculture & Rural Economy, Financing small scale industry, Accountancy, Banking, Risk and Business Management...

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   RAPIDX

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India's first semi-high-speed regional rail services have been named 'RAPIDX' by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), officials said on Tuesday (11th April 2023).

* The trains will run on the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridors, being implemented to connect key urban nodes across the National Capital Region (NCR).

* The brand name has been chosen as 'RAPIDX' since it is easy to read and simple to pronounce in various languages.

* In addition to signifying speed and progress, the X in the name denotes next generation technology and the new-age mobility solution. It also represents youth, optimism, and energy.

* The green leaf symbol in the logo is the highlight of the brand's aim towards decarbonisation by not only decongesting NCR by reducing the number of vehicles on the road but also by the use of green energy.

* A joint venture company of the Union government and states of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, the NCRTC is tapping green energy by the installation of solar panels on stations and depots as well as the use of blended power in traction which is planned to be increased progressively.

* According to the NCRTC, 'RAPIDX' will connect the people who choose to live in their hometowns in NCR, with the national capital through a modern, sustainable, convenient, fast, safe, and comfortable means of travel..

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   El Salvador

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* Central American country El Salvador has started an initiative to license crypto firms.

* Cryptocurrency exchange Bitfinex has become the first cryptocurrency company to receive an official license in El Salvador.

* This license will allow Bitfinex to provide crypto-related services in the country as per the legal provisions of the country.

* El Salvador became the first country in the world to accept Bitcoin as a payment option in 2021.

Correct Answer :   Madhya Pradesh

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* The Madhya Pradesh Government has recently added the transgender community to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list of the state.

* The state government has taken this decision following the directions of the Supreme Court.

* With this, the transgender community will get the benefit of reservation in state government recruitments.