Correct Answer :   Jharkhand

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Jharkhand minister Jagarnath Mahto died on Thursday (6th April 2023) at a hospital in Chennai where he was undergoing treatment, a senior doctor of the health facility said. He was 56.

* Mr Mahto, the minister for school education and literacy, was airlifted to Chennai last month due to health complications. He had undergone a lung transplant in November 2020 after suffering from COVID-19.

* He is survived by a son and four daughters.

* Mr Mahto, the four-time JMM MLA from Dumri in Giridih district, was taken to Chennai in October 2020, where he had undergone the transplant as his lungs were damaged due to the COVID-19 infection.

* Jagarnath Mahto, also known as Tiger Mahto or Tiger Jagarnath Da, was a cabinet minister and politician from Jharkhand, India. He served as a legislator for the Dumri Vidhan Sabha district under the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party.

* Mahto was born on January 1, 1967, in the Alargo village of Bokaro District in Jharkhand. He dropped out of high school and attended Nehru High School in 1995 before leaving his studies to pursue a career in politics.

* Mahto had represented the Dumri Assembly seat since 2000, which has been a stronghold of the JMM party. In the 2014 Assembly elections, he won the seat with 77,984 votes, defeating his closest opponent from the BJP party...

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   Bihar

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Bihar's famous 'Marcha Rice' which is known for its aroma and palatability was awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, according to the GI registry.

* Marcha is a short indigenous cultivar of rice found in West Champaran district of Bihar. By its size and shape, its grain appears like black pepper so it is known as 'Mircha' (pepper in Hindi) or 'Marcha Rice'.

* The Journal of GI Registry said it has accepted the application seeking the GI tag for the rice.

* A GI is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

* It (the rice) is also known as Mircha, Marchaiya, Marichaetc locally. Plants, grains and flakes have a unique aroma that makes it different.

* Expressing happiness over the development, Bihar agriculture minister told, "This will further boost the production of Marcha Rice. It will also help farmers, engaged in the cultivation of Marcha rice, get a decent price for their produce".

* The major growing areas of Marcha rice include Mainatand, Gaunaha, Narkatiyaganj, Ramnagar and Chanpatiya blocks of West Champaran district...

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   Tsutsumu Otani

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Japanese auto major Honda Motor Co Ltd on Wednesday (5th April 2023) appointed Tsutsumu Otani as the President, CEO & Managing Director of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India.

* He is currently the Vice President at Honda Motor Co., Japan. Tsutsumu Otani will succeed Atsushi Ogata, who returns to Shanghai, China as the Executive General Manager at Shanghai Branch, Honda Motor (China) Investment Co. Ltd. with effect from 1 April, 2023, said the company in a statement.

* Otani was appointed as Executive General Manager in 2022, Shanghai Branch Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd. He started his career with Honda Japan in 1997 and held several leadership positions in the company's business in different global markets.

* Ogata had spearheaded Honda's Indian two-wheeler operations for three years.

* The company also announced the elevation of Vinay Dhingra, who was earlier Director – General & Corporate Affairs, Strategic Information System and Honda India Foundation, HMSI, as the Senior Director – Human Resource and Administration, Corporate Affairs, Information Technology and Honda India Foundation.

* Besides, the company said Yogesh Mathur, previously Operating Officer Sales and Marketing) and Sanjeev Jain, earlier Operating Officer - New Model Purchase & Parts Strategy, are now elevated to the Board of Directors of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI)...

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   6.50%

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday (6th April 2023) announced its decision to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5%.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5% with readiness to act should the situation warrant so.

* Since May last year, the RBI has raised the repo rate six times to control runaway inflation.

* The RBI projected inflation to be at 5.2 per cent in the financial year 2023-24, and at 5.1 per cent in first quarter of the fiscal.

* The RBI governor "Shaktikanta Das" said the current financial year pointed towards softening of inflation. The war against inflation will continue until there is a durable decline, he said.

* Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to banks, and any change in it affects bank loans and EMIs.

* Shaktikanta Das said the global economy is facing a renewed phase of turbulence and the RBI will remain focused on withdrawal of monetary policy accommodation. He said the policy decisions taken in May 2022 are still working through the system and the current policy rate remains accommodative.

* The banking and non-banking financial system remains healthy and India's economic activity remains resilient with an expected growth of 7% in the ongoing financial year.

* The RBI also marginally raised the GDP growth projection for FY24 to 6.5% from the earlier estimate of 6.4%.

* Shaktikanta Das said economic activity remained resilient and the economy was expected to grow at 7%..

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   Subby Subramaniam

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British-Hindu Murugesvaran 'Subby' Subramaniam has been appointed as Warrant Officer of the UK's Royal Air Force, the aerial warfare and space force announced on Wednesday (5th April 2023).

In his new role, Subramaniam will advise the Chief of the Air Staff on matters concerning airmen and airwomen of the RAF. He succeeds Warrant Officer Jake Alpert.

About the Subramaniam : Subramaniam is an Air and Space Operations Manager, whose service in the last 15 years has predominantly been in the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), Missile Warning (MW), Space Domain Awareness (SDA), and Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) field.

* He has served in the Royal Engineers with 106 Field Squadron/12 Force (Air) Support Group, 36 Engineering Regiment prior to joining the Royal Air Force in 1998.

* In 2007 Subramaniam spent the next three years at Air Command Bunker dealing with pan-government resilience operations, and he also gained Missile Warning Operator and Data Links Network Manager qualifications.

* In 2021, he was appointed as the inaugural Command Warrant Officer to the United Kingdom Space Command.

* Subramaniam was educated in Malaysia until the age of 19, he earned a Bachelor of Law and a Diploma in Higher Education in Finance and Legal Studies. He is an active member of a charity foundation, and currently studying for his Master in Business Administration Risk and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University...

Source : The News Men

Correct Answer :   6th April

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On April 6, the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is celebrated to acknowledge the significance of sports and physical activity in our personal lives and communities worldwide.

* Sports play a crucial role in our society by keeping us physically active, promoting competition, and improving our overall fitness. Participating in sports can enhance self-assurance and offer valuable life lessons.

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2023 Theme : The theme for the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace for this year is “Scoring for People and the Planet.”

* The theme is applicable for celebrations of this event across the globe. Since the annual event is created by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), it ties with the Sustainable Development agenda of the United Nations (UN).

* This theme, like the ones that came before, focuses on how sports impacts or influences sustainable development around the world and peace as well.

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace History : In its 67th session, the United Nations general Assembly adopted resolution 67/296, on August 23, 2013, by which it proclaimed April 6 as the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. The resolution report was published on September 18 that year. The creation of this day was supported by the International Olympic Committee.

The declaration of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace was based on past UN resolutions that sought to highlight and promote events like the International year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal, the Olympic Truce, the Olympic Ideal and helping usher in a more peaceful world by utilising the platform of sports.

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace 2023 Significance : Sports helps encourage both physical and mental development of individuals, promotes better health, greater disease resistance, social integration, gender equality, economic development and international cooperation, brotherhood and peace. The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace highlights the above possibilities every year and inspires countless people to take on sports and forge a positive world...

Source : News18

Correct Answer :   Punjab

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The Punjab government has launched the 'CM di Yogshala' program and portal in Punjab on Wednesday (5th April 2023).

* Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday (5th April 2023) blamed the Centre for the suspension of free yoga classes under the AAP government's 'Dilli Ki Yogshala' initiative but expressed hope that it will restart again, saying good things cannot be stopped.

* Aim : To create a mass movement to carve out a healthy and prosperous Punjab

* The initiative was initially launched for four cities -- Patiala, Amritsar, Ludhiana and Phagwara by Kejriwal along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

* A 'CM di yogshala' portal was also launched on the occasion.

* Kejriwal was referring the AAP government's 'Dilli ki Yogshala' programme that offered free yoga classes and was launched in the national capital in 2021.

* The programme, however, was stopped last year amid a tussle between the city government and Lt Governor VK Saxena.

* Under the Punjab government's initiative, people could give a missed call on a helpline number 7669400500 to seek a free yoga teacher from the state government.

* Sixty people have been trained at Guru Ravidas University to teach yoga under the 'CM di Yogshala' initiative.

* "When we had started this in Delhi, gradually 17,000 people used to do yoga daily under the initiative. People were very happy as yoga keeps people healthy and keeps one active. Breathing exercises and meditation were also part of it.

* "As it (his govt's yoga initiative) was spreading in Delhi.. one day Delhi LG stopped this.. However, no one can stop good things, isn't it so?," said Kejriwal attacking the Centre.

* Kejriwal further said, "LG sahab may have stopped it, but I am hopeful that we will restart it some day again in Delhi"...

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   10%

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India plans to give green hydrogen fuel producers incentives worth at least 10% of their costs under a $2 billion scheme set to begin before the end of June 2023.

* New Delhi this year (2023) approved a 174.9 billion rupee incentive plan to promote green hydrogen in a bid to cut carbon dioxide emissions and become a major exporter in the sector.

* The government will give incentives worth at least 30 Indian rupees per kilogram (kg) for production of green hydrogen fuel, the official, who is directly involved but did not want to be identified because the discussions are private, told Reuters.

* The cost of manufacturing green hydrogen, which is made using renewable energy rather than power derived from fossil fuels, in India is currently at about 300 rupees per kilogram.

* The total incentive plan for the sector, the government will award about 130 billion rupees for producing green hydrogen and rest will be for manufacturing electrolysers, which are used to split hydrogen and oxygen molecules using electricity.

* India has set targets for half of its installed electricity capacity to be from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 and for the country to attain net-zero carbon emissions by 2070...

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   250 GW

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The government on Wednesday (5th April 2023) announced a plan to add 250 GW of renewable energy capacity in the next five years to achieve its target of 500 GW of clean energy by 2030.

* The government has decided to invite bids for 50 GW of renewable energy capacity annually for the next five years, i.e., from fiscal 2023–24 to fiscal 2027–28, a Ministry of New and Renewable Energy statement said.

* These annual bids of interstate transmission-connected renewable energy capacity will also include the setting up of wind power capacity of at least 10 GW per annum, it stated.

* The plan finalised by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy at a meeting chaired by Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy R. K. Singh last week is in accordance with the Prime Minister’s announcement at COP26 of achieving 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel (renewable energy and nuclear) sources by 2030.

* India currently has a total renewable energy capacity of 168.96 GW (as of Feb. 28, 2023) with about 82 GW at various stages of implementation and about 41 GW under tender.

* This includes 64.38 GW of solar power, 51.79 GW of hydropower, 42.02 GW of wind power, and 10.77 GW of biopower.

* Considering the fact that renewable energy projects take around 18–24 months for commissioning, the bid plan will add 250 GW of renewable energy and ensure 500 GW of installed capacity by 2030.

* The Ministry of Power is already working on upgrading and adding the transmission system capacity for evacuating 500 GW of electricity from non-fossil fuels, it stated...

Source : BQ Prime

Correct Answer :   India

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India has been elected to the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) for a four-year term beginning on 1 January 2024.

* India received a resounding 46 out of 53 votes, ahead of South Korea (23), China (19), and UAE (15).

* India was elected by secret ballot while Argentina, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Ukraine, the United Republic of Tanzania, and the United States of America were elected by acclamation.

* UNSC is the highest body of the global statistical system...

Source : India Times