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

1 .

With which bank has Paytm entered into a partnership to build comprehensive solutions across payment gateway, point of sale machines and credit products?

A)

Axis Bank

B)

HDFC Bank

C)

ICICI Bank

D)

State Bank of India

Correct Answer : HDFC Bank

Paytm and HDFC Bank on 23-08-2021 announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership to build comprehensive solutions across payment gateway, point of sale machines, and credit products including Paytm Postpaid which is Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solution, Eazy EMI and Flexi Pay.

The partnership will aim to empower new businesses which have recently ventured online, and enable them to scale up.

The strategic partnership with the country’s largest private bank comes ahead of the proposed initial public offering (IPO) of Paytm, through which the company plans to raise Rs 16,600 crore before the end of the calendar year.

The first leg of the partnership will include a payment gateway and POS solutions for Indian merchant partners. HDFC Bank will be the payment partner, while Paytm will be the distribution and software partner.

HDFC Bank salespersons will start selling Paytm’s payment solutions in the market.

Published On : August 23, 2021

2 .

Who recently launched National Monetisation Pipeline?

A)

Narendra Modi

B)

Amit Shah

C)

Rajnath Singh

D)

Nirmala Sitharaman

Correct Answer : Nirmala Sitharaman

Union government on August 23, 2021 announced that it will monetise assets worth Rs 6,00,000 crore between 2021-22 and 2024-25 under the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) scheme, which was launched by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said assets being given out under the National Monetisation Pipeline will still be owned by the government, and will be returned to the government after a period of time.

The government will not sell off any assets, but only utilise them in a better manner, the finance minister said and emphasised that the entire exercise will generate greater value and unlock resources for economy.

Published On : August 23, 2021

3 .

Which nation's space agency aims to bring back soil samples from Martian moon by 2029?

A)

USA

B)

India

C)

Japan

D)

Russia

Correct Answer : Japan

Japan’s space agency plans to bring soil samples back from the Mars region ahead of the U.S. and Chinese missions now operating on Mars, in hopes of finding clues to the planet’s origin and traces of possible life.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), plans to launch an explorer in 2024 to land on the Martian moon Phobos to collect 10 grams (0.35 ounce) of soil and bring it back to Earth in 2029.

Published On : August 23, 2021

4 .

Who recently commissioned 25 MW floating solar PV project at Simhadri?

A)

NTPC

B)

Tata Power

C)

JSW Energy

D)

Adani Group

Correct Answer : NTPC

National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) has commissioned India’s largest 25 MW floating solar PV project at NTPC Simhadri, Visakhapatnam - Andhra Pradesh. With this plant, the total installed capacity of NTPC has now reached 66,900 MW.

In July 2021, NTPC commissioned the initial 10MW. And recently, the rest 15 MW was also declared open by NTPC. Thereby, the floating solar PV project at NTPC Simhadri was declared for commercial operation w.e.f. 10:00 AM of August 21, 2021.

Features of the floating solar PV project at NTPC Simhadri :

* The floating solar PV project at NTPC Simhadri is spread over 75 acres in an RW reservoir. The solar installation is based on a unique anchoring design. The floating solar plant can generate electricity from more than 1 lakh solar PV modules.

* The plant will power around 7,000 households and will reduce about 46,000 tons of CO2e ( carbon dioxide equivalent) from the environment every year during the lifespan of this project. As floating Solar plants reduce evaporation, the plant will also be expected to save 1,364 million liters of water per annum. The water is adequate to meet the yearly water requirements of 6,700 households.

Published On : August 23, 2021

5 .

The Cybersecurity Multi-Donor Trust Fund has been launched by which organisation?

A)

IMF

B)

WEF

C)

UNDP

D)

World Bank

Correct Answer : World Bank

The World Bank has launched a new ‘Cybersecurity Multi-Donor Trust Fund’, to better roll out cybersecurity development agenda in a systematic manner. The new fund has been developed as an associated trust fund under the broader Digital Development Partnership (DDP) umbrella program.

World Bank has partnered with four countries, namely Estonia, Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands, to launch the fund. The main aim of this new fund is to enhance cyber and digital security capability and capacity in World Bank member countries, with the development of global knowledge, country assessments, technical assistance, capacity building and training, along with necessary investments in infrastructure and technology.

Published On : August 23, 2021

6 .

India's Shaili Singh won silver at the World Athletics U20 Championships in which sporting event event?

A)

High Jump

B)

Long Jump

C)

Discus Throw

D)

Javelin Throw

Correct Answer : Long Jump

India's Shaili Singh won the silver medal in the women's long jump event at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi on August 22, 2021.

Shaili Singh jumped a distance of 6.59m in her third attempt, which was her best show at the event. She won the silver medal, narrowly missing the gold. Sweden's Maja Askag won the gold with a jump of 6.60m, while Ukraine's Mariia Horielova settled for bronze with a jump of 6.50m.

Published On : August 23, 2021

7 .

Indiaâ€™s first Solar Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station has been inaugurated at which of these highways?

A)

Delhi to Chennai Highway

B)

Delhi to Kolkata Highway

C)

Delhi to Kanyakumari Highway

D)

Delhi to Chandigarh Highway

Correct Answer : Delhi to Chandigarh Highway

Union Heavy Industries Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey on August 19, 2021 inaugurated an electric vehicle (EV) charging station in Karnal, Haryana. With this, the Delhi to Chandigarh Highway has become the first EV-friendly stretch in the country, with a network of solar-based electric vehicle chargers (SEVCs).

The chargers have been set up by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) under the FAME-I [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles in India] scheme of the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), BHEL said in a statement.

It added that the state-of-the-art charging station at Karna Lake Resort in Karnal was remotely inaugurated by Union Heavy Industries Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey in the presence of the ministry's Secretary Arun Goel.

Published On : August 23, 2021

8 .

Which state's Chief Minister led a ten-party delegation to meet PM Narendra Modi to demand caste-based census?

A)

Bihar

B)

Gujarat

C)

Haryana

D)

Uttarakhand

Correct Answer : Bihar

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar-led ten parties delegation including Janata Dal (United), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and others met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at South Block in Delhi on Monday to discuss a caste-based census.

Besides Bihar Chief Minister, other members of the delegation were RJD's Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Choudhary, who is also the minister for education and parliamentary affairs, former Chief Minister and President of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) Jitan Ram Manjhi, Congress legislature party leader Ajeet Sharma and BJP leader and Bihar minister Janak Ram, CPI-ML legislature party leader Mahboob Alam, Akhtarul Imam of AIMIM, Mukesh Sahni of VIP, Suryakant Paswan of CPI and Ajay Kunar of CPM.

Published On : August 23, 2021

9 .

Who has been appointed as the Chairman of the reconstituted Advisory Board for Banking and Financial Frauds (ABBFF) by CVC?

A)

Ajay Banga

B)

Kris Gopalakrishnan

C)

T M Bhasin

D)

N.r. Narayana Murthy

Correct Answer : T M Bhasin

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) on Thursday re-appointed T M Bhasin as chairman of the Advisory Board for Banking and Financial Frauds (ABBFF), a panel constituted to examine bank frauds of over Rs 50 crore and recommend action.

The re-appointment of Bhasin is with effect from August 21, 2021 for a further period of two years, as per the circular issued by CVC.

Published On : August 23, 2021

10 .

Name the AI-enabled chatbot launched by BPCL to provide seamless self-service experience and faster resolution of queries/issues?

A)

URJA

B)

VAJRA

C)

VED

D)

SHAKTI

Correct Answer : URJA

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has developed an AI-enabled chatbot named “URJA“. the chatbot will help in offering an interface for a seamless self-service experience and faster resolution of queries/issues for its customers. It will give answers and will give its solutions for consumer’s queries and requirements with its Artificial Intelligence.

* The Urja AI chatbot has become the first in the country’s oil and gas industry.

* It is “an intelligent virtual assistant with AI/NLP (Natural Language Processing) capabilities.

* It has been developed or trained with over 600 use cases.

Benefits of URHA :

* The URJA Chatbot will provide services including LPG booking, price and payment status, and delivery status of booked LPG cylinder and refill history.

* The Customers will be able to change LPG distributors, update mobile numbers, request services from BharatGas distributors including mechanic services, and seek double bottle connections (for single bottle connection customers).

* It will also provide the price of petrol and diesel.

* Users can find doorstep delivery of fuel through Chatbot.

Highlights :

* BPCL launched a successful 6-month pilot on WhatsApp for enabling LPG bookings.

* Now, Urja is available in 13 languages such as English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Oriya, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu and Assamese.

Published On : August 23, 2021