Daily Current Affairs Quiz: March 30, 2023

Solution: option a.)
Alia Mir, a woman from J&K has been honoured with the Wildlife Conservation Award by the administration for her conservation efforts in the region.
J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha facilitated her with the wildlife honour award.
She is also the first woman from Kashmir who works for the charity Wildlife SOS organization which is part of the Wildlife Rescue Team.

Solution: option a.)
India on Wednesday will host a meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSAs) of member-countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which will be attended among others by Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev in New Delhi.
The meeting will be chaired by NSA Ajit Kumar Doval and will be attended in person by several high-level delegates from the Central Asian Republics. Diplomatic sources have confirmed that China and Pakistan will participate in the meeting virtually.
Mr. Doval, who has emerged as one of the core negotiators between India and Russia in the backdrop of the Ukraine war, has engaged Mr. Patrushev multiple times over the last year since the beginning of the Russian campaign in February 2022.

Solution: option b.)

The World Bank has approved a $108 million (approximately ₹ 889 crores) loan to help Assam improve disaster preparedness and enhance flood forecasting. According to a release from the multilateral bank, the project will benefit around six million people and is part of a larger $500 million investment program for the state.
The Assam Integrated River Basin Management Project will help the state reduce vulnerability to floods and river erosion by building green infrastructure in the Beki and Buridehing river basins, protecting around one lakh people.
World Bank MD: Makhter Diop
World Bank ESTD,(H.Q): 1945,Washigton(D.C)

Solution: option d.)

The Ministry of Education has shortlisted around 9,000 schools across the country for its flagship Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI).
The institutions were selected based on six broad parameters including curriculum, access and infrastructure, human resources, and gender equity were assessed.
About PM SHRI: PM Modi announced this scheme on 5th September 2022.
It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
Aim: To upgrade and develop around 14,500 schools.

Solution: option c.)
The deadline to link Permanent Account Number (PAN) card and the Aadhaar card has been extended to June 30, 2023. In a notification on Tuesday, the Finance Ministry said that from July 1, 2023, all unlinked PAN cards shall become inoperative.
“In order to provide some more time to the taxpayers, the date for linking PAN and Aadhaar has been extended to 30th June 2023, whereby persons can intimate their Aadhaar to the prescribed authority for Aadhaar-PAN linking without facing repercussions,” the notification by Central Board of Direct Taxes stated.

Solution: option b.)

The Union government has sanctioned 800 crore rupees under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) Scheme Phase -2 for setting up 7432 public fast charging stations across the country.
At present, there are about 6,586 charging stations across the country.
This move will boost the electric vehicle ecosystem in India and encourage more people to switch to cleaner modes of transportation. The government has formulated FAME India Scheme in 2015.

Solution: option a.)

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Researchers have developed a three dimensional (3D) paper-based portable device that can detect adulteration in milk within 30 seconds.
This new technology can be used at home and only one milliliter of liquid sample is required to test for adulteration.
The device can detect various commonly used adulterant agents such as detergent, soap, hydrogen peroxide, urea, starch, salt, and sodium-hydrogen-carbonate.
The traditional methods to test the purity of milk which are expensive and time consuming, this new technology is cost effective.

Solution: option c.)
The government on Tuesday raised the age limit for Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority’s (PFRDA’s) ombudsman to 70 years from the existing 65 years. Ombudsman’s role is to receive, consider and facilitate resolution of complaints or grievances which fall within the ambit of PFRDA regulations.
An appeal can be filed with the ombudsman under the regulations –
(a) by a complainant whose grievance has not been resolved within thirty days from the escalation of the grievance to National Pension System Trust
(b) by a complainant, where a complaint has been made directly against the National Pension System Trust and no other intermediary and the same remains unresolved within the specified period of thirty days.

Solution: option c.)

Union Minister Shri Giriraj Singh initiates ‘Captive Employment’ initiative under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY), paving the way for greater industry participation in skilling rural poor youth 19 Captive Employers signed MoU with Ministry of Rural Development, under DDU-GKY program for training and placing more than 31,000 rural youth in their own establishment or subsidiary companies.
The selected CAPTIVE EMPLOYERS will be providing training to rural poor youth in their respective industries, namely, hospitality, apparel & textiles, manufacturing, IT/ITeS, telecom, retail, Power etc.
Shri Giriraj Singh emphasised that the Captive Employer scheme will bridge the gap between job seeker and job provider.

Solution: option b.)

Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Monday announced that left-handed batter Nitish Rana will be the side’s captain for the upcoming IPL 2023 in the absence of Shreyas Iyer, who is recovering from a back injury.
KKR also said in their official statement that they are hopeful of Iyer recovering and participating in IPL 2023 at some stage. Rana has previously led his domestic cricket team Delhi in 12 T20 matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with the side having eight wins and four losses.
“We feel fortunate that Nitish, with the captaincy experience having led his state side in white ball cricket and the IPL experience he has had with KKR since 2018, will do a great job.

Solution: option a.)

ISRO had signed an agreement with the UK’s Network Access Associates Ltd for the launch of 72 satellites into Low-Earth orbits.
The first batch of 36 satellites was launched in October last year. The Indian Space Research Organisation informed that its largest LVM3 rocket on Sunday successfully placed 36 internet satellites of UK-based OneWeb group Company into intended orbits.
Earlier, in the morning, the 43.5-metre tall rocket blasted off at prefixed time at 9 am Sunday, from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, about 135 kms from Chennai, at the end of a 24.30-hour countdown.
This is the second dedicated mission for NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation.
ISRO had signed an agreement with Network Access Associates Ltd, United Kingdom (OneWeb Group Company) for the launch of 72 satellites into Low-Earth orbits(LEO).

Solution: option b.)

In the aftermath of Silicon Valley Bank’s failure earlier this month, the Federal Reserve announced it was further increasing its support for commercial banks, creating a plan that effectively backstopped all deposits, insured and uninsured, across the U.S. financial system. Banks with accounts with the Fed enjoy a number of perks like higher interest rates and instant transfers not available to average Americans and businesses, but one proposal could change that by creating a “public banking option,” potentially helping millions of people through American Express.
In 2020, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, introduced a bill to create “FedAccounts” as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Solution: option c.)

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has recommended an interchange fee on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions of over Rs 2,000 made through Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs). The NPCI has proposed an interchange fee of up to 1.1 per cent and the move is aimed at increasing revenue for banks and payment service providers, who have been struggling with the high cost of UPI transactions. The interchange pricing will be reviewed by September 30, 2023,
UPI is currently the most preferred and the most used payment system in India that allows users to transfer money between bank accounts instantly using their mobile phones. The PPIs, on the other hand, are digital wallets that allow users to store money and make payments.

Solution: option d.)

Team India has won the Hero Tri-Nation Football Tournament, 2023 beating Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan). In the third and final match of the tournament played on Tuesday at Khuman Lampak
Main Stadium, India beat Kyrgyz Republic by 2 goals.
Team India scored 2 goals while the opponent scored nil in normal time. Goals from Sandesh Jhingan and Sunil Chhetri earned India the Tri-Nation trophy with a 2-0 win over the Kyrgyzstan.
India had previously defeated Myanmar by 1-0. Governor of Manipur Sushri Anusuiya Uikey witnessed the spectacular final match. Governor handed over the winning
trophy to the Captain of Team.
India, Sunil Chhetri.
She along with Chief Minister N. Biren Singh gave away medals to the players. Referees, officials of Youth Affairs & Sports and All India Football Federation were also felicitated in the presentation ceremony.