Daily Current Affairs Quiz: April 24, 2023

Odisha has kept a budgetary provision of Rs 100 crore for this year for the new scheme Nua Odisha to train one lakh youths in future technologies like cloud computing, artificial technology, data sciences, and other futuristic knowledge, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Odisha CM: Naveen Patnaik
Odisha Governor: Ganeshi Lal
Odisha Capital: Bhubaneswar

Arun Sinha was appointed as the new chairman of the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) by the Government of India.
He was the acting chairman of NTRO before becoming the chairman.
NTRO is a technical intelligence agency based in India. It works under the National Security Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office and was established in 2004.
The agency also conducts research and development of technology to support its intelligence-gathering activities. Headquarters – New Delhi, India.

Fintech platform CRED has laOption its peer-to-peer (P2P) payments system, powered by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), its fourth major product launch in just four months.
The new service aims to offer its users a seamless and secure payment experience, with features such as custom virtual payment addresses and payment reminders for recurring transactions.
CRED’s payment system will also include proactive nudges for high-value payment scenarios and potentially risky transactions.

CRED is an Indian fintech company, based in Bangalore. Founded in 2018 by Kunal Shah, it is a reward-based credit card payments app. Cred also lets users make house rent payments and provides short-term credit lines.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chaired the meeting of Heads of Departments of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States responsible for the Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations, in New Delhi today.
In his address, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India attaches special importance to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in promoting dialogue on the subject relating to multi-dimensional political, security and economic subjects.
(SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001.
The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer States interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).
In 2021, the decision was made to start the accession process of Iran to the SCO as a full member, and Egypt, Qatar, as well as Saudi Arabia, became dialogue partners.

The country’s first animal birth control centre has been set up in Lucknow and more such facilities will be built across the state, said urban development department officials at a state-level seminar titled ‘Dog Matters’.
Animal Birth Control centres are intended to be dedicated facilities where stray dogs and cats will be brought for sterilization and then will be dropped back to the localities they were picked up from.

India has improved its ranking in the World Bank’s Logistic Performance Index 2023 by six places, owing to significant investments in both soft and hard infrastructure as well as technology, which has led to an improvement in the country’s port performance.
According to the report, India’s rank in the index of 139 countries has risen to 38 from 44 in 2018.
In 2023, India’s ranking for international shipments improved significantly, moving up from 44 in 2018 to 22.
The country also climbed four places to rank 48 in logistics competence and equality.
Singapore ranked at the top, followed by Finland and Denmark.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy laid the foundation stone for the Rs 4,362 crore Mulapeta greenfield port in the Srikakulam district, which is expected to complete within two years.
Besides the port, the Chief Minister also laid the foundations for a fishing harbour at Budagatlapalem, a life irrigation project from Gotta barrage to Hira Mandalam reservoir and taking forward the works of the Mahendra Tanthaya River.

Andhra Pradesh Governor: Abdul Nazeer

The Inspector General of Stamps, Hiralal Sonwane, announced that a new scheme called “Salokha Yojana” has been implemented in the state of Maharashtra.
This scheme provides an opportunity for farmers to exchange their agricultural land in lieu of a nominal registration fee of Rs 1,000 and a stamp duty of Rs 1,000. The aim of the scheme is to resolve disputes between farmers regarding land ownership and possession, promote harmony in society and increase peace and harmony among them. The scheme will be valid for the next two years.
Under this scheme, farmers can exchange their agricultural land with other farmers if the land of the first farmer is in possession of the second farmer and vice versa for at least 12 years.

The Khongjom Day remembering the battle fought in the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri War was observed on Sunday at Khongjom in the Thoubal district of Manipur. Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Governor Ms Anusuiya Uikey led others in paying befitting tributes to the heroes at the event held at Kheba Ching at Khongjom in Thoubal district.

While delivering the speech, the Chief Minister said that the youths have the responsibility to maintain and protect the dignity, freedom and sovereignty of the country and asserted that independence should not be interpreted in the narrow sense of separatism and regionalism.

India is going to have its first-ever dream project to be flagged off by PM Narendra Modi in Kerala. Water Train has been proposed by the Kochi Metro Rail Corporation.
This modern facility has been made created worth Rs 1,136.83 crore. Kochi Water Metro Project, India’s first-ever initiative to enhance the port city’s development.
On April 25, 2023 (Tuesday) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will put this water metro service into action. With this, the Kochi Water Metro, the country’s first water metro service, on April 25. This transport system will link about 10 island communities in and around Kochi with the mainland.

➢ CSIR and OIL India sign MoU on research in advanced technologies for energy security
▪ The MoU was signed by Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and Dr Ranjit Rath, CMD, OIL.
▪ The objective of the MoU is to establish a formal framework for collaboration between OIL India and CSIR laboratories and conduct research in advanced technologies for energy security.
▪ Oli India HQ: Noida ▪ Established – 18 February 1959 ▪ Chairman & MD – Dr. Ranjit Rath.

▪ For NRI customers, South Indian Bank has introduced SIB SEAFARER and SIB PULSE, two flexible saving accounts.
▪ With these products, NRIs now have the option to keep either deposits or the required minimum amount in their savings accounts.
▪ Flexibility to maintain a minimum balance of Rs. 10,000/- in linked accounts.
▪ No minimum balance is required for the maintenance of the NRI Term Deposit of Rs.2 lakh and above.
▪ About South Indian Bank- ▪ Headquarters – Thrissur, Kerala ▪ MD & CEO – Murali Ramakrishnan ▪ Tagline – Experience Next Generation Banking.

▪ The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is preparing to develop around 10,000 km of optic fibre cable (OFC) infrastructure across India by the financial year 2025.
▪ This move is aimed at providing internet connectivity to remote locations and expediting the roll-out of new-age telecom technologies like 5G & 6G.
▪ The NHAI’s fully-owned special purpose vehicle, the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), will be implementing the network of digital highways by developing integrated utility corridors along the national highways to develop OFC infrastructure.

▪ New York City topped a new list of the world’s wealthiest cities in 2023, with Japan’s Tokyo and Silicon Valley’s Bay Area claiming the second and third spots.
▪ Mumbai featured at 21st while Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad too found a mention.
▪ The list, compiled by London-based consultancy Henley & Partners, ranked the cities by taking into account the number of resident millionaires (rounded off to the neared 100) as of December 31, 2022.

▪ Top cities on the list- ▪ New York City (United States) ▪ Tokyo (Japan) ▪ The Bay Area (United States) ▪ London (United Kingdom) ▪ Singapore (Singapore)

▪ Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) Shri Anurag Singh Thakur will chair the 2 days ‘Chintan Shivir’ of Ministers of Youth Affairs & Sports of States and UTs in Imphal, Manipur on 24th-25th April.
▪ More than 100 invitees from various States, Union Territories and the Ministry of Youth Affairs are expected to attend the unique two-day Chintan Shivir and put forward their views and ideas on making the nation fitter and making India into one of the biggest sporting powers in the world.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways & AYUSH Shri Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCWPC), IIT M – Discovery Campus on 24th April 2023 at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Under the Sagarmala Programme, NTCWPC has been established in IIT Chennai at a cost of Rs. 77 Crore.

The Institute has world-class capabilities for undertaking 2D & 3D investigations of research and consultancy nature for the Port, Coastal, and Waterway sector across all disciplines. Modelling of Ocean, determining the Coastal & Estuarine Flows, Sediment transport and morphodynamics, planning of Navigation and Maneuvering, estimation of Dredging & Siltation, consultancy in Port and Coastal Engineering – designing the Structures and Breakwaters, Autonomous Platforms & vehicles, Experimental & CFD modelling of flow & Hull interaction, Hydrodynamics of multiple hulls, Ocean renewable energy coupled with port facilities are some of the areas where expertise has already been developed for the benefit of the country.