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1 .

Government of India says (29th Dec 2022), how many crores has been invested so far under the Production Based Incentive (PLI) scheme by the food processing industry?

A)

Rs 4,900 crore

B)

Rs 5,400 crore

C)

Rs 6,100 crore

D)

Rs 7,600 crore

Correct Answer : Rs 4,900 crore

The government on Thursday(29th Dec 2022) said that the food processing industry has invested Rs 4,900 crore so far under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.

* The PLI scheme for the food processing industry was approved in March 2021, with a budget outlay of Rs 10,900 crore. It will be implemented for seven years, until 2026-27.

* "A total of 182 applications have been approved under the PLI scheme for the food processing industry," an official statement read.

* This includes 30 applications for millets-based products under the PLI scheme (8 large entities and 22 SMEs), the statement added.

* "According to data reported by PLI scheme beneficiaries, the scheme has attracted an investment of approximately Rs 4,900 crores," said the statement.

* Incentives amounting to Rs 800 crore are likely to be disbursed in the current financial year. Sales-based incentive of Rs 107.3 crore has been disbursed so far, it added.

* According to the food ministry, stakeholder consultations for the introduction of a PLI Scheme for the Nutraceutical sector are also underway, allowing this segment to reach its full potential and find its rightful place.

* The implementation of the scheme is likely to facilitate the expansion of food processing capacity by nearly Rs 30,000 crore and create additional direct and indirect employment opportunities for about 2.5 lakh persons by 2026-27.

* PLI beneficiaries' investments are likely to increase sales and exports of food products. The scheme requires that the entire chain of manufacturing processes, including primary processing of food products, take place in India in order to qualify for the incentive, which is expected to boost domestic industry. It was also stated that the scheme will aid in the promotion of Indian brands abroad.

* The ministry stated that a total of 112 food processing projects were completed and operationalised during 2022, leveraging private investment of Rs 706.04 crore and generating direct and indirect employment for 25,293 people. During the year, approximately 190 food processing projects were approved.

* As per the ministry, the 'One District One Product (ODOPY) scheme (under the Prime Minister-Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PM-FME) scheme) has been approved for 713 districts across 35 states and union territories, with 137 distinct products..

Source : Business World

Published On : December 31, 2022

2 .

Which city Bench of Madras High Court has prohibited devotees from carrying mobile phones inside temples in Tamil Nadu?

A)

Madurai

B)

Chennai

C)

Coimbatore

D)

Thanjavur

Correct Answer : Madurai

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has prohibited devotees from carrying mobile phones inside temples in Tamil Nadu.

* The Division Bench of Justice R. Mahadevan and J Sathya Narayana Prasad held that the gadgets divert the attention of the devotees from the purpose of visiting the temple.

* The Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorization Act 1947, and the Rules empower the trustees or any authority in charge of the temple to make regulations for the maintenance of order and decorum in the temple.

Madras High Court : Mobile Phones Banned in Tamil Nadu’s Temples

* The court noted that mobile phone ban have been implemented in famed temples.

* These temples include Sri Krishna Temple at Guruvayur, Kerala, Meenakshi Sundareshwara Temple at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, and Sri Venkateshwara Temple at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

* The temple will have security counters to deposit mobile phones before entering the temple premises.

* The judges have passed the order prohibiting the carrying of mobile phones in temples while hearing a petition praying to take effective measures to prohibit mobile phone usage inside the Subramaniya Swamy Temple in Coastal Tiruchendur.

* The Judges have informed us that temples are great institutions and they have traditionally been central to everyone’s life.

* The Temples are not only a place of worship but also an integral part of the sociocultural and economic life of people.

Published On : December 31, 2022

3 .

Who has been appointed as the UN Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative?

A)

Ganji Kamala

B)

Hasmukh Adhia

C)

Pushpa Kamal Dahal

D)

Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti

Correct Answer : Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced 29th Dec 2022 the appointment of Abdullah Abdul Samad Dashti of Kuwait as United Nations Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Trend reports citing the press service of UN.

The Initiative was launched by Ukraine, Türkiye, Russian Federation and the United Nations on 22 July 2022 to enable the resumption of exports from Ukraine of grain, foodstuffs and fertilizer, including ammonia, through a safe maritime humanitarian corridor.

Source : Azernews

Published On : December 31, 2022

4 .

PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated railway projects worth over Rs 5,800 crore in which state through video-conferencing on 30th Dec 2022?

A)

Karnataka

B)

Rajasthan

C)

West Bengal

D)

Uttar Pradesh

Correct Answer : West Bengal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and dedicated to the nation railway projects worth over â‚¹ 5,800 crore in West Bengal through video-conferencing on Friday (30th Dec 2022).

PM Modi, who lost his mother this morning, was scheduled to be part of the event to launch the connectivity and infrastructure projects in the state.

The projects include the inauguration of the Joka-Taratala stretch of the Joka-Esplanade Metro Project (Purple Line) and the flagging off of the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express.

The Joka-Taratala 6.5-km stretch having six stations has been constructed at a cost of more than â‚¹ 2,475 crore.

Passengers of southern parts of Kolkata such as Sarsuna, Dakghar, Muchipara and South 24 Parganas will be immensely benefited by inauguration of this project..

Source : NDTV

Published On : December 30, 2022

5 .

Which countries have signed agreements in various areas including on Defence and Military Cooperation?

A)

India and Turkey

B)

India and Cyprus

C)

India and Albania

D)

India and Lithuania

Correct Answer : India and Cyprus

India and Cyprus have signed agreements in various areas including on Defence and Military Cooperation.

Both countries have also signed a Letter of Intent on Migration and Mobility Partnership to provide a common framework of arrangement and cooperation to facilitate the mobility of students, business people and professionals.

It will also help in combating irregular migration.

The agreements were signed between EAM Dr. S Jaishankar and Foreign Minister of Cyprus..

Source : AIR

Published On : December 30, 2022

6 .

Who inaugurated the phase 1 of Zuari bridge in Goa, that connects North and South Goa on 29th Dec 2022?

A)

Rajnath Singh

B)

Nitin Gadkari

C)

Nirmala Sitharaman

D)

Ashwini Vaishnaw

Correct Answer : Nitin Gadkari

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated phase 1 of the New Zuari Bridge in Goa 29th Dec 2022.

Located on the Zuari river at Cortalim village on Margao-Panaji National Highway, the bridge aims to ease the traffic woes of the state.

Under the 1st Phase, the 4 Lane Right Hand Side Corridor of the 8 Lane Stayed Cable bridge has been inaugurated. The Rs.2530 Crore project consists of the new bridge and the approaches from Bambolim to Verna and has a total project length of 13.20 KM.

He credited the late Chief Minister and Union Minister Manohar Parrikar as being one of the architects of both the Mandovi bridge and the new stayed cable bridge over the Zuari river.

The recent pace of construction of this project is also testament to the new technology that the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is using to build bridges across the country, observed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. He informed that the Goa-Mumbai Highway will also be completed in the next 7 to 8 months..

Source : PIB

Published On : December 30, 2022

7 .

Which Cabinet has approved the provision of Rs 367.19 crores for five years (2022-23 to 2026-27) for empowerment of women in agriculture?

A)

Odisha

B)

Bihar

C)

Gujarat

D)

Madhya Pradesh

Correct Answer : Odisha

The Odisha Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday (27th Dec 2022) approved the provision of Rs 367.19 crores for five years from 2022-23 to 2026-27 for implementation of the State Sector Scheme “empowerment of women in agriculture-promotion of entrepreneurship for women SHG”.

“The scheme is introduced with an objective to double the mushroom production across the State through area expansion involving women beneficiaries/WSHGs and to make the state self-sufficient in the production of button mushroom and loose flowers”.

“The scheme will ensure sustainable income generation Of women beneficiaries/WSHGs & the state shall emerge as the net exporter of mushroom and high-value flowers over the mission period,” it added.

The state Cabinet has also approved the provision of Rs1142.24 crore for four years from 2022-23 to 2025-26 for implementation Of the State Sector Scheme- “Development of Potato, Vegetable and Spices” with the involvement of WSHGs and FPOs.

“The scheme is introduced with the objective to provide financial assistance to the farmers for the cultivation of Potato, Onions, Hybrid vegetables, and Spices in order to make the State self-sufficient in the production Of 5 vegetables (Potato, Onion, Tomato, Cauliflower & Cabbage) along With an increase in area and production under spices.”.

Source : The Print

Published On : December 30, 2022

8 .

Who was (29th Dec 2022) sworn-in as Israel's prime minister for a sixth time, leading the Jewish state's most right-wing government to date?

A)

Yair Lapid

B)

Naftali Bennett

C)

Benny Gantz

D)

Benjamin Netanyahu

Correct Answer : Benjamin Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu was on Thursday (29th Dec 2022) sworn-in as Israel's prime minister for a sixth time, leading the Jewish state's most right-wing government to date.

Netanyahu, 73, already Israel's longest-serving Prime Minister, has the support of 63 lawmakers in the 120-member Knesset (Israeli parliament). In the house, 54 lawmakers voted against his government.

He returned as prime minister with the formation of his sixth government, which is composed of a number of far-right allies, a prospect that many fear would put the new government at odds with large parts of its own population and its closest allies abroad.

The lawmakers supporting the new government are all right-wing, including Netanyahu's Likud party supported by the ultra-orthodox Shas, United Torah Judaism, the far-right Otzma Yehudit, Religious Zionist Party, and Noam.

Shortly before the confidence vote for Israel's 37th government, the Knesset elected Likud lawmaker Amir Ohana as its the new Speaker.

A former justice minister and public security minister in past governments, Ohana is the Knesset’s first openly gay speaker.

Netanyahu announced the appointment of 31 ministers and three deputy ministers.

Three government ministries - defence, education and welfare - will have two ministers serving at the same time. However, women remain in the minority with only five ministerial posts, marking a new low in their representation.

Earlier, outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid in his address to the Knesset listed the achievements of his short-lived government, including those of his predecessor and coalition partner Naftali Bennett..

Source : India Today

Published On : December 30, 2022

9 .

Indian Army inaugurated its first 3-D Printed House Dwelling Unit for soldiers at _________ Cantt on 28 December 2022.

A)

Kolkata

B)

Jaipur

C)

Ahmedabad

D)

Chandigarh

Correct Answer : Ahmedabad

The Indian Army inaugurated its first 3-D Printed House Dwelling Unit (with Ground plus One configuration) for soldiers at Ahmedabad Cantt on 28 December 2022.

The dwelling unit has been constructed by the Military Engineering Services (MES) in collaboration with MiCoB Pvt Ltd incorporating the latest 3D Rapid Construction Technology.

Construction work of the dwelling unit measuring 71 sqm with garage space was completed in just 12 weeks by utilising the 3D printed foundation, walls and slabs. The disaster-resilient structures comply with Zone-3 earthquake specifications and green building norms.

About the 3-D printed houses :

* The 3-D printed houses are symbolic of the modern-day rapid construction efforts to cater for growing accommodation requirements of the Armed Forces personnel.

* This structure also stands testament to the commitment of Indian Army in fostering the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’.

* The technique utilises a concrete 3D printer that accepts a computerised three-dimensional design and fabricates a 3-D structure in a layer-by-layer manner by extruding a specialised type of concrete specifically designed for the purpose.

* Ahmedabad based Golden Katar Division of Indian Army has been instrumental in pursuing the project with manifold applications even in operations. Indian Army units have already dovetailed 3D printing technology in construction of pre-casted permanent defences and overhead protection meant for operations. These structures are currently being validated over a period of one year and can be seen being incorporated in all terrains, the recent being in the UT of Ladakh..

Source : PIB

Published On : December 30, 2022

10 .

Who launched draft guidelines for a new ranking system of cities based on finance and beauty on 28th Dec 2022?

A)

S. Jaishankar

B)

R. K. Singh

C)

Hardeep Singh Puri

D)

Kiren Rijiju

Correct Answer : Hardeep Singh Puri

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, on Wednesday (28th Dec 2022), launched the draft guidelines for a new ranking system of cities based on financial performance and beautification.

“City Finance Rankings 2022 aims to evaluate, recognise and reward urban local bodies on the basis of their strength across financial parameters that include resource mobilisation, expenditure performance and fiscal governance systems,” Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum & Natural Gas, said.

Transformative efforts :

* According to the Minister, the ‘City Beauty Competition’ initiative, has been launched to encourage and recognise transformational efforts made by the cities and wards in the country towards creating beautiful, innovative and inclusive public spaces.

* The ‘City Finance Rankings, 2022’ aim to evaluate, recognise and reward India’s cities on the basis of the quality of their current financial health and improvement over time in financial performance.

Urban local bodies :

* The participating urban local bodies will be evaluated on 15 indicators and will be ranked at the national level on the basis of their scores under any one of the existing four population categories that include ‘above 4 million’, ‘between 1 and 4 million’; from ‘100,000 to 10,00,000’ and ‘less than 100,000’.

* The top 3 cities in each population category will be recognised and rewarded at the national level as well as within each State/State cluster..

Source : The Hindu Businessline

Published On : December 30, 2022