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Daily & Latest Current Affairs in 2024

Current Affairs is a very important part of the overall preparation strategy for various Competitive Entrance and Government Recruitment Exams. Free Time Learning offers Today Current Affairs provides latest and Best Daily Current Affairs for UPSC, IAS/PCS, UPPSC, IBPS, SBI, RBI, SSC, CGL, Railway, APPSC, TSPSC, KPSC, TNPSC, TPSC, UPPSC, MPSC, RPSC, BPSC, MPPSC, UKPSC, MPSC, and other competitive exams.

1 .
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) has now been Renamed as __________ Scheme.
A)
PM IND
B)
PM KVK
C)
PM VIKAS
D)
PM SWACHH

Correct Answer :   PM VIKAS

The Minister of Minority Affairs, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha 15th Dec 2022 informed that the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Ko Kaam Karyakram (PMKKK) has now been named as Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme.

The integrated scheme converges five erstwhile schemes of the Ministry viz. Seekho aur Kamao, USTTAD, Hamari Dharohar, Nai Roshni and Nai Manzil.

The scheme has been approved by the Cabinet for the period of 15th Finance Commission.
 
PM VIKAS aims : To improve livelihoods of the minorities, particularly the artisan communities, using the components of skill development, education, women leadership & entrepreneurship.

These components compliment each other in the ultimate objective of the scheme to increase the incomes of the beneficiaries and provide support by facilitating credit and market linkages..

Source : PIB
 
 

Published On : December 17, 2022
2 .
Which day does the India celebrate Vijay Divas to mark the victory in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War?
A)
15th December
B)
16th December
C)
17th December
D)
18th December

Correct Answer :   16th December

The Nation is celebrating Vijay Diwas 16th December to commemorate India's victory over Pakistan in 1971 Bangladesh Liberation war. On this day, the sacrifice of war heroes is remembered and rich tributes are being paid to them.

On 16th December 1971, the chief of the Pakistani forces, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93 thousand troops, surrendered unconditionally to the allied forces led by Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora, in Dhaka after their defeat.

The end of the war resulted in the freedom of Bangladesh.
 
President "Droupadi Murmu", Prime Minister "Narendra Modi", Defence Minister "Rajnath Singh", and Army Chief General "Manoj Pande" attended the At Home reception at Army House on the eve of Vijay Diwas.
 
Prime Minister Modi along with Rajnath Singh also visited an exhibition on the occasion of Vijay Diwas in Delhi. The Prime Minister said, India will never forget the valour of our Armed Forces that led to the win in the 1971 war..

Source : AIR

Published On : December 17, 2022
3 .
_________ becomes India's first carbon-neutral power exchange.
A)
GMM Pfaudler Ltd.
B)
Indian Energy Exchange (IEX)
C)
Central Depository Services
D)
Computer Age Management Services

Correct Answer :   Indian Energy Exchange (IEX)

Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) has become first carbon-neutral power exchange of India, using market based tradable instruments to offset its carbon emissions.

To reduce carbon footprint, IEX has voluntarily cancelled CERs (certified emissions reductions) from clean projects registered under the Clean Development Mechanism, UNFCCC.

As per the UNEP 2022 report, global greenhouse gas emissions must be cut 45% by 2030 to get on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees..

Source : Mint

Published On : December 17, 2022
4 .
Which government has signed an MoU with Hinduja group for an investment worth Rs 35,000 crore in 11 sectors?
A)
Maharashtra
B)
Gujarat
C)
Tamil Nadu
D)
Uttar Pradesh

Correct Answer :   Maharashtra

The Maharashtra Government on Thursday(15th Dec 2022) said the Hinduja group will be investing Rs 35,000 crore in the state in 11 sectors.
 
The Chief Minister's Office tweeted that an MoU was signed between the state government and Hinduja group in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

G P Hinduja and Ashok Hinduja of the Hinduja group were present on the occasion. An official said the group has identified 11 sectors for investment in the state, including infrastructure, biotech, Electric Vehicles, manufacturing and health.

The Shinde government had come under fire earlier this year when Maharashtra lost some big-ticket projects including Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor plant to other states.

Source : Business Standard

Published On : December 16, 2022
5 .
Harvard University has named ________ as the first black president to run an Ivy League university.
A)
Steven H. Kaplan
B)
Neal Smatresk
C)
Renu Khator
D)
Dr Claudine Gay

Correct Answer :   Dr Claudine Gay

Harvard University has chosen its first black president. Dr Claudine Gay, the daughter of an immigrant, has been named the first president to run an Ivy League university. Dr Gay, who is a dean at Harvard and a democracy scholar, has been appointed as the university's 30th president.
 
* Dr Claudine Gay will replace Lawrence Bacow as president in July 2023, the university noted.

* Dr Gay will also be the second woman to head the elite college in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
 
* Notably, Dr Claudine Gay is the daughter of Haitian immigrants. She received her bachelor's degree from Stanford University in California in 1992.

* Dr Gay then went on to receive her doctorate degree in 1998 from Harvard, where she bagged the Toppan Prize for the best dissertation in political science.
 
* Dr Gay joined Harvard's faculty in 2006 as a government professor and became a professor of African and African-American Studies in 2007. Her work so far has centred on race and politics in America..

Source : Times Now News

Published On : December 16, 2022
6 .
Which Company has partnered with Viasat (global communications company) to deliver satellite internet access to 10 million people across the world by 2025?
A)
Meta
B)
Google
C)
Amazon
D)
Microsoft

Correct Answer :   Microsoft

Microsoft announced that it has partnered with global communications company Viasat to deliver satellite internet access to 10 million people across the world by 2025.
 
* Viasat is the first satellite partner to work with Microsoft's Airband Initiative, and together they will deepen Airband's work, Microsoft said in a blogpost on Wednesday(14th Dec 2022).
 
* According to the International Telecommunication Union at the UN, around one-third of the world's population, that is, 2.7 billion people, have still never used the internet.
 
* "Working with Viasat, we will use satellite to reach remote areas that previously have had few, if any, options for conventional connectivity. Together, we will be able to rapidly scale and expand Airband's reach, exploring a wider pipeline of projects and new countries where we haven't yet worked," said Teresa Hutson, vice president of technology and corporate responsibility, Microsoft.
 
* The companies will provide and pilot technologies including, satellites (both geostationary orbit and low earth orbit) and fixed wireless..

Source : Business Standard

Published On : December 16, 2022
7 .
Who has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NHPC Ltd, with effect from December 13, 2022?
A)
Sanjiv Puri
B)
Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi
C)
Prashant Jain
D)
Arun Kumar Singh

Correct Answer :   Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi

Sate owned NHPC Ltd on Wednesday(14th Dec 2022) announced that the company has appointed Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) with effect from Tuesday(13th Dec 2022). 
 
“Accordingly, in line with the aforesaid order of Ministry of Power, the Board of Directors through resolution by circulation passed on 14.12.2022 has appointed Shri Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi (DIN: 08534217) as Chairman and Managing Director of NHPC Limited w.e.f. 13.12.2022 i.e. the date of assumption of charge of the post of CMD, NHPC," NHPC said in its regulatory filing.
 
Vishnoi is not related to any of the directors of the NHPC and is not debarred from holding the office of director by virtue of any order of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) or any other such authority, the company said.
 
He is also the CMD of Rishikesh-based THDC India Limited.
 
Until now, Yamuna Kumar Chaubey NHPC's Director (Technical) was holding the additional charge of CMD of the company.
 
"Yamuna Kumar Chaubey Director (Technical), NHPC ceases to hold the additional charge of the post of CMD, NHPC Limited," it said. 
 
NHPC said that its consolidated net profit increased by 21.56% YoY to ₹1,685.81 crore in Q2FY23 from ₹1,386.81 crore in Q2FY22 and ₹1,053.76 crore in Q1FY23, reflecting a QoQ gain of 59%.
 
From ₹3,165.59 crore in the same quarter last year and ₹2,990.86 crore reported in the quarter ended June 2022, the company's total income increased to ₹3,529.31 crore in the quarter ended September 2022, reflecting a YoY rise of 11.48% and a QoQ growth of 18%.
 
The company's scrip ended 0.24 per cent down at ₹41.95 on BSE..

Source : Mint
 

Published On : December 16, 2022
8 .
Which company has acquired the Poonawalla Housing Finance (PHFL) at ₹3,900 crore valuation?
A)
TPG
B)
CVC
C)
LGP
D)
KKR & Co. Inc.

Correct Answer :   TPG

US-based private equity major "TPG" has agreed to acquire the housing finance arm of Adar Poonawalla-led Poonawalla Fincorp at ₹3,900 crore valuation.

* TPG also said it will infuse an additional equity of up to ₹1,000 crore in Poonawalla Housing Finance in the near term.

* In its press release, TPG said the existing management team led by Manish Jaiswal will continue to carry out the operations.

* Poonawalla Housing Finance (PHFL) currently has over 153 branches spread across 20 states. At the end of September quarter, the company had assets under management (AUM) worth ₹5,612 crore. It reported a profit after tax (PAT) of ₹33 crore in the September quarter, with a 33% year-on-year growth.

* “As India’s leading affordable housing finance provider, PHFL is uniquely positioned to grow in the fast-expanding affordable housing sector, which we believe is one of the most resilient asset classes across interest rate cycles,” said Puneet Bhatia, co-managing partner of TPG Capital Asia.

* Poonawalla Housing Finance joins TPG’s portfolio of financial services companies in Asia, which includes Kakao Bank, Singlife, Five Star Business Finance, and Du Xiaoman Financial.

* “We have full confidence that it (PHFL) will continue to make a strong contribution to the affordable housing sector with our new partnership with TPG. As a global leading investment firm, TPG’s experience in building and supporting leading financial services companies will add greater value to PHFL,” said Adar Poonawalla, chairman of Poonawalla Group.

* PHFL currently offers home loans starting at 9.55% per annum. It has disbursed over 50,000 loans till date and offers credit for home construction, extension, improvement and balance transfer..

Source : Business Insider

Published On : December 16, 2022
9 .
Which country be the first country to auction spectrum for satellite communication?
A)
Japan
B)
India
C)
China
D)
Russia

Correct Answer :   India

India will be the first country to auction spectrum for satellite communication, and it should be designed to attract investments in the sector, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman "PD Vaghela" said 13th Dec 2022.
 
* Speaking at a Broadband India Forum summit on SatCom, PD Vaghela said Trai will soon make recommendations to make permissions required for satellite communication from various ministries -- Information and Broadcasting, Space and Telecom -- seamless to enhance ease of doing business in the sector.
 
* He also said Trai has received a reference from the Department of Telecommunication for the spectrum required to be put to auction and associated aspects of satellite-based communication.

* The regulator is yet to come up with a consultation paper on the spectrum auction as per the standard process meant for satellite communication.
 
About satellite communication :
 
* Satellite communication refers to any communication link that involves the use of an artificial satellite in its propagation path. 
* Satellite communications play a vital role in modern life.
 
* There are over 2000 artificial satellites in use.
 
* They can be found in geostationary, Molniya, elliptical, and low Earth orbits and are used for traditional point-to-point communications, mobile applications, and the distribution of TV and radio programs.
 
* Satellite communications tend to use high-frequency signals.
 
TRAI is in discussion with experts and regulators worldwide for a suitable model and the consultation paper will be floated after those discussions are over. While telecom operators have proposed to allocate spectrum through an auction for satellite communication, satellite industry players have opposed it..

Source : NDTV

Published On : December 16, 2022
10 .
G-7 Agrees _______ Billion Energy Deal with Vietnam to Cut Emissions.
A)
$10.5 billion
B)
$12.5 billion
C)
$15.5 billion
D)
$18.5 billion

Correct Answer :   $15.5 billion

Vietnam has reached a $15.5 billion agreement with a group of nine rich industrialised countries that would help the Southeast Asian nation cut its greenhouse gas emissions by shifting away from coal to renewable energy.
 
* In an announcement made on Wednesday, the Group of Seven (G7) major economies, along with Norway and Denmark, said the aim is to help Vietnam reduce its emissions to "net zero" by 2050.
 
* The announcement comes as Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is visiting Brussels to attend the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit marking 45 years of diplomatic ties between the two regional blocs. 
 
* "Net zero", is a target that experts say needs to be met globally to cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
 
* The Just Energy Transition Partnership with Vietnam is among a series of agreements that developing and rich nations are negotiating.
 
* The first such deal was signed with South Africa last year(2021), and a similar agreement was reached with Indonesia last month.
 
* "Vietnam is a dynamic, emerging economy at the heart of Southeast Asia," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.
 
* "The investment we are making today means the country can cut its emissions while simultaneously creating new jobs and growth."
 
* The UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States comprise the G-7..

Source : TRT World

Published On : December 16, 2022