2024 Latest Current Affairs, Daily Current Affairs in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020

1 .

When is Good Governance Day celebrates on every year?

A)

26 December

B)

25 December

C)

24 December

D)

23 December

Correct Answer : 25 December

Good Governance Day : Every year, in honour of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee’s birthday, India observes “Good Governance Day“.

The day is devoted to former prime minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi 2014 announced that “Good Governance Day” will be observed annually on December 25 in memory of the former PM.

Good Governance Day History :

* The Indian government decided that every year December 25 would be a full day of work.

* The government has been commemorating Good Governance Day every year since 2014.

* The day is celebrated to t make sure that the country’s residents are treated fairly by the government and they receive the advantages of various government services.

* The purpose of Good Governance Day is to increase public access to various government programmes and services via good governance. It was established with the slogan “Good Governance through e-Governance.”

About Atal Vihari Vajpayee :

* Atal Vihari Vajpayee, the former prime minister was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

* He was elected three times as the nation’s prime minister. In 1996, he was elected as the nation’s Prime Minister for the first time.

* In 1998–1999, he was elected prime minister for a second term. On October 13, 1999, he was elected as the nation’s prime minister for the third time.

* Significantly, former prime minister Atal Vihari Vajpayee was the first head of state to address the UN in Hindi.

The “Bharat Ratna” award was given to him on March 27, 2015

Published On : December 25, 2022

2 .

Who has been reappointed as the managing director and chief executive officer of Equitas Small Finance Bank?

A)

Sanjiv Chadha

B)

P.N. Vasudevan

C)

Shri Shanti Lal Jain

D)

R Ramesh Babu

Correct Answer : P.N. Vasudevan

P.N. Vasudevan has been reappointed as the managing director and chief executive officer of Equitas Small Finance Bank.

* His current term as MD, CEO will expire on July 22, 2023.

* The board of Bank has decided to renew his term for a further period of 3 years with effect from July 23, 2023, subject to approval from RBI.

* He is the founder of Equitas and has been associated with its journey as a microfinance institution since 2007.

* It was converted into a bank in 2016..

Source : Business Standard

Published On : December 25, 2022

3 .

'KAVACH' System recently seen in the news is related to _________

A)

Missile defence

B)

Asteroid Redirection

C)

Train collision avoidance

D)

Early cancer detection

Correct Answer : Train collision avoidance

Safety is accorded the highest priority by Indian Railways and all possible steps, including development of indigenous equipments, are being undertaken on a continuous basis to prevent train accidents.

Indian Railways has indigenously developed an automatic train protection system rechristened as ‘Kavach’ (Train Collision Avoidance System), to prevent accidents due to human error resulting in Signal Passing at danger and over-speeding.

Keeping in view the complexities involved in implementation, which require all Rolling Stock, way side stations and track to be equipped with ‘Kavach’, it has been decided to implement ‘Kavach’ in a phased manner.

So far, ‘Kavach’ has been deployed for 1,455 Route Kms on South Central Railway with 77 nos. of locomotives. Currently, ‘Kavach’ work is in progress on Delhi-Mumbai & Delhi –Howrah corridors (3000 route Kms).

Other benefits of ‘Kavach’ include controlling speed of trains by automatic application of brakes on approach of turnouts, repeating of signal aspects in cab, which is useful for higher speeds & foggy weathers, and auto whistling at level crossing gates.

At present ‘Kavach’ is being implemented on Indian Railways in a phased manner. Further, ‘Kavach’ does have export potential in future.

This information was given by the Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronic & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today(23rd Dec 2022)..

Source : PIB

Published On : December 24, 2022

4 .

With reference to Facial Recognition Technology, consider the following statements:

1. It is capable of verifying a subject through an image, video, or any audiovisual element of the face.

2. It cannot be used for high-risk operations such as opening bank accounts or signing contracts.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A)

1 only

B)

2 only

C)

Both 1 and 2

D)

Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : 1 only

PMSSY provides insurance coverage to fishers which includes fish workers, fish farmers and any other categories of persons directly involved in fishing and fisheries related allied activities

PMMSY comprehensively caters to the needs of the personal insurance of fishers

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) implemented with effect from 2020-21 inter-alia provides insurance coverage to fishers which includes fish workers, fish farmers and any other categories of persons directly involved in fishing and fisheries related allied activities.

The insurance coverage provided under the PMMSY includes :

(i) Rs.5,00,000/- against accidental death or permanent total disability.
(ii) Rs.2,50,000/- for permanent partial disability.
(iii) hospitalization expenses in the event of accident for a sum of Rs. 25,000/-.

Since, the existing and ongoing PMMSY is comprehensively catering to the needs of the personal insurance of fishers, fish workers, fish farmers and any other categories of persons directly involved in fishing and fisheries related allied activities, the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India.

This information was given by Shri Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying in a written reply in Rajya Sabha 23d Dec 2022..

Source : PIB

Published On : December 24, 2022

5 .

Which country passes new transgender law on 22nd Dec 2022, anyone above 16 can change their gender?

A)

Spain

B)

France

C)

Germany

D)

Argentina

Correct Answer : Spain

Spain’s lower house of Parliament on Thursday(22nd Dec 2022) passed a law that allows people over 16 years of age to change their legally registered gender without any medical supervision.

* Under the law, drawn up by the centre-left coalition government, minors aged 12 or 13 will need a judge’s authorisation to make the change, while those between 14 and 16 will have to be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.

* The law also bans so-called conversion therapies to suppress sexual orientation or gender identity, establishes fines and punishments for attacks on LGBT people, and overturns a ban that prevented lesbian couples from registering their children under both parents’ names.

* Up to now, transgender people needed a diagnosis by several doctors with gender dysphoria, which is the psychological condition of not feeling a match between one’s biological sex and gender identity.

* In some cases, they also needed proof they had been living for two years as the gender they identified with — or even records showing they had taken hormones.

* Transgender rights groups say the law represents a “before and after” in LGBT rights. But some feminist activists regard gender self-determination as a threat that blurs the concept of biological sex.

Source : The Hindu

Published On : December 24, 2022

6 .

NIRMAN Accelerator Program, recently seen in the news was launched by

A)

NITI Aayog.

B)

Ministry of Corporate Affairs

C)

Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

D)

Start-ups Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) IIT Kanpur.

Correct Answer : Start-ups Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) IIT Kanpur.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has said that 15 Startups are selected for the NIRMAN accelerator program.

This is the first cohort of the NIRMAN Accelerator Program launched by Start-ups Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) IIT Kanpur.

The accelerator program is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science & Technology through its NIDHI scheme.

What is National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) scheme?

It is an umbrella programme conceived and developed by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship division, Department of Science & Technology.

Aims: To nurture start-ups through scouting, supporting and scaling innovations.

Key stakeholders : Various departments and ministries of the central government, state governments, academic and R & D institutions, mentors, financial institutions, angel investors, venture capitalists and private sectors.

Funding : By the National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB).

What is NIDHI Accelerator?

An accelerator is typically a 3-6 months fast track structured program helping ideas get accelerated to the next orbit.

Objectives of NIDHI-Accelerators

To fast-track the growth of potential start-ups through rigorous mentoring and networking support in a short span through existing TBIs.

To attract subject matter experts, mentors, and angel investors to get associated with technology Business Incubators through structured accelerator programs.

To build a vibrant start-up ecosystem, by establishing a network between academia, financial institutions, industries and other institutions.

To act as a hub for several incubators in the region, so that high-potential start-ups can be fast-tracked for increased exposure and validation.

Characteristics of NIDHI -Accelerator Programs

It is envisaged that 2 broad types of Accelerator Programs will be supported by NSTEDB under this scheme.

Sectoral Programs : These are accelerator programs focused specifically on start-ups focused on a certain sector or theme. For example Smart Cities or healthcare.

Non-Sectoral Programs: Non-sectoral accelerator programs are most relevant for locations where a critical mass of ventures within a specific sector may not exist..

Source : PIB

Published On : December 24, 2022

7 .

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha Launched 3 New Schemes- Holistic Development of Agriculture & Allied Sectors, Aspirational Towns, and Aspirational Panchayat for J&K Union Territory.

A)

Satya Pal Malik

B)

Rajnath Singh

C)

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha

D)

Piyush Goyal

Correct Answer : Lt Governor Manoj Sinha

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha announced three New Schemes- Holistic Development of Agriculture & Allied Sectors, Aspirational Towns, and Aspirational Panchayat for J&K Union Territory.

* The projects which have now been approved by the administrative council, have an outlay of 5013 crore rupees.

* Over the next five years, these projects would transform the agriculture economy of J&K putting it on a new trajectory of growth with doubling the output of the sectors and making them sustainable and commercially viable. Lt. Governor said, this will herald a new phase of farmer prosperity and rural livelihood security in J&K.

* The agricultural output which stands at Rs 37,600 crore shall increase by over Rs 28,142 crore to reach more than Rs 65,700 crore per year, with a resultant increment in sectoral growth rate to 11 per cent.

* The interventions shall create employment opportunities for over 2.8 lakh youths and establish around 19,000 enterprises.

* On the Aspirational Panchayat Development Programme, Jammu and Kashmir is going to select the most backward 285 panchayats — one panchayat in each block — for their holistic development.

A Whole New Approach Towards The Union Territory :

* The Union territory administration constituted an apex committee for holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors and the committee came with a comprehensive plan in the form of 29 projects covering all the sectors in a record time of five months.

* A total of 100 measurable indicators have been identified across nine sectors, which shall give insight of existing status and incremental progress over a period of time.

* Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Development Index-2022 is a tool to assess the development of urban local bodies across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir against the normative development benchmarks..

Source : Times now News

Published On : December 24, 2022

8 .

With reference to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), consider the following statements:

1. It works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

2. It represents India in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A)

1 Only

B)

2 Only

C)

Both 1 and 2

D)

Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : 2 Only

The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, recently informed that to date 21,890 Standards for products, process specifications, service sectors, code of practice, and methods of test terminology have been published by the BIS.

Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India established under the BIS Act 2016.

Objective: Harmonious development of the activities of standardisation, and quality assurance of goods and articles.

To date, 21,890 Standards for products, process specifications, service sectors, code of practice, and methods of test terminology have been published by the BIS.

It works under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

BIS represents India in International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

What is ISO?

It is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 167 national standard bodies.

Through its members, it brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market-relevant International Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.

What is IEC?

The IEC is a global, not-for-profit membership organization, whose work underpins quality infrastructure and international trade in electrical and electronic goods.

The IEC brings together more than 170 countries and provides a global, neutral and independent standardization platform to 20 000 experts globally.

It administers 4 Conformity assessment systems whose members certify that devices, systems, installations, services and people work as required.

Published On : December 24, 2022

9 .

With reference to the Great Lakes of North America, consider the following statements:

1. They drain into the Gulf of St Lawrence in the North Atlantic Ocean.

2. Lake Michigan lies entirely in the USA.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A)

1 Only

B)

2 Only

C)

Both 1 and 2

D)

Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer : Both 1 and 2

Recently, a study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Acidification Research Plan said, by 2100 even the Great Lakes of North America might approach acidity at the same rate as the oceans.

* It is a known fact that the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide has caused the world’s oceans to turn more acidic, but the new finding that the freshwater bodies are also turning acidic is a shock.

* Scientists are building a sensor network to measure the carbon dioxide and pH levels of the Lakes, starting with developing a system to detect the water chemistry trends of Lake Huron, one of the five Great Lakes.

What is Acidification? It is a phenomenon resulting from the release of protons from certain substances into the ecosystem. These emissions increase the acidity (decrease in pH) of water and soils.

What makes the Acidification of water bodies?

* Acidification of oceans or freshwater bodies takes place when excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere gets rapidly absorbed into them.

* The absorption of carbon dioxide leads to a lowering of the pH, which makes the water bodies more acidic.

Consequences of acidification

* It will decrease native biodiversity,

* It will create physiological challenges for organisms,

* There are possibilities of permanently altering the structure of the ecosystem.

Great Lakes

* The Great Lakes of North America, or simply the Great Lakes, are five interconnected bodies of water straddling the US-Canada border.

* They are the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world.

* They drain into the Gulf of St Lawrence in the North Atlantic through the St Lawrence River.

* The Great Lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.

* The US-Canada border passes through Lakes Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.

* Lake Michigan lies entirely in the US.

Formation - The Great Lakes are believed to be formed some 20,000 years ago when the Earth started to warm and water from melting glaciers filled the basins on its surface, according to NOAA.

Significance :

* Today, the Great Lakes contain a fifth of the world’s total freshwater and are a crucial source of irrigation and transportation.

* The Great Lakes also serve as the habitat for more than 3,500 species of plants and animals.

Hence both statements are correct.

Source : Indian Express

Published On : December 24, 2022

10 .

Former PepsiCo India chairman, PM Sinha when did passes away?

A)

19th Dec 2022

B)

20th Dec 2022

C)

21st Dec 2022

D)

22nd Dec 2022

Correct Answer : 21st Dec 2022

PM Sinha, 82, popularly known as Suman, former chairman of PepsiCo, India, and South Asia, passed away on Wednesday(21st Dec 2022) in Gurugram.

* Sinha, who was ailing for sometime, worked with Hindustan Unilever for more than a decade before joining PepsiCo India in 1993 and is credited with mentoring a generation of professionals who went on to head successful companies in the consumer space.

* Though Sinha was PepsiCo India’s second chairman – the company entered India in 1989 – he was credited with laying its strong foundation in the country and successfully steering it through several agitations and opposition by several interest groups opposed to the entry of multinational companies then.

* Sinha’s farewell at Pepsi in 2002 was a grand affair, attended by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.

* Sinha joined Bata as chairman in 2004 and is credited with restructuring the company.

* Paying tributes to Sinha, MK Sharma, former vice-chairman of Hindustan Unilever said, “Extremely saddened to hear about the demise of Suman, a friend, philosopher and guide for me over four decades..

Source : Financial Express

Published On : December 24, 2022