Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Examinations: January 16, 2023
Instead of reading books to prepare for the Current Affairs portion, use Embibe’s daily current affairs updates and continue the normal newspaper reading habit. A thorough review of The Hindu, Economic Times, and India Today is referred to present these questions to the aspirants. We have organised the most recent subjects for today’s current affairs into categories for general preparation.
Motivation++
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”
– Thomas Edison
Current Affairs: National
Tripura Launches ‘Saharsh’ Initiative in all Govt, Govt-Aided Schools.
To encourage social and emotional learning, the Tripura government introduced a special education programme titled ‘Saharsh’ on Saturday.
What Is the ‘Saharsh’ initiative?
The ‘Saharsh’ was launched in August last year in 40 schools of the state on a pilot basis. It will be extended to all government and aided schools of the state from the second week of January.
This programme is an effort to encourage social and emotional learning, introducing a special education programme – ‘Saharsh’.
Launched in pilot mode in Aug 2022 in 40 schools, now it will be extended to all Government and aided schools of the state.
It aimed at empowering children to learn with happiness.
Fact
Tripura currently ranks in the Grade-I category in the Performance Grading Index.
Question:
Which of the following states/UT recently launched the ‘Saharsh’ initiative in all govt. and govt-aided schools to encourage social and emotional learning?
A. Delhi
B. Tripura
C. Manipur
D. Kerala
Answer: B
Current Affairs: Environment and Ecology
Rare White Tufted Royal Butterfly Found in Kannur
A team of butterfly observers and researchers have found White Tufted Royal Butterfly, a rare butterfly species, at Kalliyad in Kannur.
According to researcher and butterfly observer V.C. Balakrishnan, the butterfly is protected under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The species was spotted in Agasthyakoodam in 2017 and in the Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in 2018.
Facts About Butterflies:
Butterflies are insects from the order Lepidoptera of phylum Arthropoda, which also includes moths.
Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings and conspicuous, fluttering flight.
Recently, a Himalayan butterfly known as Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus) has been discovered as India’s largest butterfly after 88 years.
The butterfly acts as an indicator and pollinator species.
An indicator species provides information on the ecosystem’s overall condition and other species in that ecosystem.
They reflect the quality and changes in environmental conditions as well as aspects of community composition.
Question:
Recently researchers have found the White Tufted Royal Butterfly, a rare butterfly species at Kalliyad in Kannur, located in which of the following states?
A. Kerala
B. Assam
C. Tamil Nadu
D. Uttarakhand
Answer: A
Check out the Highlights of the Economic Survey 2022-23 by clicking on the link given below: Economic Survey 2022-23
Current Affairs: Reports and Indexes
WEF Published Global Risks Report 2023
The World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland released the 18th edition of the Global Risk Report 2023 based on the 2022-2023 Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS) that reveals the cost of living crisis, food supply crisis, energy supply crisis, rising inflation and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure are the major risks, the world is witnessing currently.
Key Findings of the Report:
The top five risks for India are Digital inequality, Geopolitical contest for resources, Cost-of-living crisis, Debt crises, Natural disasters and Extreme weather events over the short and medium term.
The cost of living will dominate global risks in the next two years, while climate action failure dominates the next decade.
Economic aftereffects of COVID-19 and the Ukraine war resulted in rising inflation, rapid normalisation of monetary policies, low-growth, low-investment era.
Technology such as AI, quantum computing and biotechnology, etc., will exacerbate inequalities and the digital divide.
Only 34% of climate finance is currently allocated to climate adaptation worldwide.
What Does the Report Recommend?
Investing in multi-domain, cross-sector risk preparedness. Improving risk identification and foresight.
Re-building and strengthening global risk preparedness cooperation.
Question:
Which of the following risks is NOT included in the top five risks for India according to the World Economic Forum recently published Global Risks Report 2023?
A. Digital inequality
B. Cost-of-living crisis
C. Debt crises
D. Health sector crises
Answer: D
Current Affairs: National
Digital India Land Record Modernization Programme
The Union government has informed the Supreme Court that significant progress has been made in the computerisation of land ownership records.
As per the Management Information System of Digital India land Records Modernisation Programme (DILRMP), out of 6,56,793 villages, Cadastral Maps have been Geo-referenced in 2,31,026 villages (35.17%), and 1,17,38,272 number of maps have been digitised.
What Is Digital India Land Record Modernization Programme:
The Digital India Land Record Modernization Programme (DILRMP), previously known as the National Land Record Modernization Programme (NLRMP), was launched in 2008 by the Government of India.
The purpose was to digitise and modernise land records and develop a centralised land record management system.
The official records of land, mapped and unmapped, will enable the government to give the landowners access to basic facilities and rights.
The DILRMP is the amalgamation of two projects: Computerisation of Land Records (CLR) and Strengthening of Revenue Administration and Updating of Land Records (SRA & ULR).
Major Objective of the Programme:
Attempts to build upon the commonalities that exist in the arena of land records in various states to develop an appropriate Integrated Land Information Management System (ILIMS) across the country.
The ILIMS integrates all the processes and land records databases with the banks, financial institutions, circle rates, Registration Offices and other sectors.
Major Components of the Programme:
Computerisation of land records, Survey/re-survey, Computerisation of Registration.
Question:
Which of the following is not a major component of the Digital India Land Record Modernization Programme (DILRMP)?
A. Computerisation of land records
B. Survey/re-survey
C. Computerisation of registration
D. Virtual mapping through drones
Answer: D
Current Affairs: Defence
ICG Ship ‘Kamla Devi’, Last Vessel of FPV Series, Commissioned
Indian Coast Guard ship Kamla Devi, the last in a series of five Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV), was commissioned in Kolkata on Thursday.
About Vessel:
The vessel, built indigenously by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, has been named after Kamla Devi Chattopadhyay, an eminent social reformer anddom activist.
The vessel is 48.9 metres long and 7.5 metres wide, with a displacement of 308 tonnes.
It is capable of achieving the maximum speed of 34 knots, is powered with MTU 4000 series engines and is propelled by three 71S type III Kamewa waterjets of Rolls Royce.
The ship is capable of undertaking multifaceted tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and medical evacuation.
This ship will patrol the seas and undertake anti-smuggling, anti-poaching and search and rescue operations when required.
Question:
What is the name of the last ship of the five Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) series that was commissioned recently?
A. Mamata Devi
B. Kamla devi
C. Rajahmundry
D. Neelgiri
Answer: B
Check out the Highlights of Union Budget 2023 by clicking on the link given below: Union Budget 2023-24
Current Affairs: Defence
UK, Japan signed a Defence Pact Allowing Reciprocal Troop Deployment
The UK and Japan recently signed a defence pact, which will permit the deployment of troops in each other’s countries and increase security cooperation.
The move comes as Britain is undertaking a ‘tilt’ towards the Indo-Pacific in its foreign and security policy.
What Is a Reciprocal Access Agreement?
The agreement would allow both forces to plan and deliver larger-scale, more complex military exercises and deployments.
It is one of the most significant treaties between the countries since 1902, when the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Alliance was signed.
The move comes as Britain is undertaking a ‘tilt’ towards the Indo-Pacific in its foreign and security policy.
Recently Japan’s F-X fighter jet program was merged with the UK and Italy’s ‘Tempest’ program to create the Global Combat Air Programme.
What Is India’s Reciprocal Exchange of Troops Agreements?
India is fast inking reciprocal military logistics pacts with like-minded countries to extend its strategic and naval operational reach in the entire Indian Ocean region (IOR) and beyond.
The mutual logistics support arrangement (MLSA) with Australia will help us extend the reach of our warships in southern IOR as well as the Western Pacific region for India.
The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) was inked with the US in 2016, with France in 2018 and later on with Japan in 2020.
Question:
Recently Japan has signed a defence pact allowing reciprocal troop deployment with which of the following countries?
A. India
B. UK
C. USA
D. Taiwan
Answer: B
Fact Book – 13 January 2023
India US Trade Policy Forum (TPF)
13th India and United States TPF recently concluded in Washington.
TPF is a platform for continuous engagement between two countries in the area of trade and to further bilateral trade and investment relations.
TPF is co-chaired by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on the Indian side and USTR on the American side.
US highlighted the creation of a new TPF Working Group on Resilient Trade that’ll provide a structured framework for trade-focused bilateral discussion of issues of mutual interest, including trade facilitation, labour, environment, and good regulatory practices.
Also, it emphasises finding solutions to several WTO disputes between both nations.
Godavari Estuary in Andhra Pradesh Has Become Prime Habitat for Indian Skimmer
As per the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), the Godavari estuary in Andhra Pradesh has become a prime and safe habitat for the Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis).
The Indian skimmer grows to a length of 40-43 cm.
It has black upper parts, a white forehead, collar and lower parts, a long, thick, deep orange bill with a yellow tip and a longer lower mandible.
In flight, it has a white trailing edge to the wing and a short forked tail with blackish central feathers.
It breeds colonially on large, exposed sand-bars and islands.
The Godavari estuary is situated at the place where the 1330 km long Godavari meets the Bay of Bengal on the east coast of India in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Beypore Boat Included in Swadesh Darshan Project
The Kerala Tourism department is likely to highlight Beypore ‘Uru’ in the detailed project report (DPR) to be submitted to the Centre for the Swadesh Darshan project.
Beypore and Kumarakom are the only two tourism destinations from Kerala to be included in the second phase of the project.
Beypore boat is a wooden dhow (ship/sailing boat/sailing vessel) handcrafted by skilled artisans and carpenters in Beypore, Kerala.
Beypore boat is a symbol of Kerala’s trade relations and friendship with the Gulf countries.
Swadesh Darshan Scheme was first launched in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.
Swadesh Darshan 2.0 moves away from theme-based tourist circuits and focuses on reviving destination tourism.
The govt. has identified 15 States under this scheme to be promoted as part of India’s new domestic tourism policy.
Indian Peacekeepers Deployed with UNMISS Honoured with UN Medals for Exemplary Service
Over 1,000 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have been honoured with the prestigious UN medals at an award ceremony where the parade was led for the first time by a woman officer of the Indian Army.
At a special award ceremony in Upper Nile, 1,171 peacekeepers from India deployed with the UN mission in South Sudan were honoured with UN medals for their exemplary service.
UN peacekeeping began in 1948 when the UN Security Council authorised the deployment of UN military observers in the Middle East.
As of June 2022, 2370 Indian military personnel are deployed with UNMISS, the second highest after Rwanda (2637).
Last week, India deployed the largest platoon of women peacekeepers to the United Nations Interim Security Force, Abyei (UNISFA), heralding New Delhi’s intent of increasing the number of women in peacekeeping contingents significantly
India deployed the first-ever all-women’s contingent in Liberia in 2007.
Former Cricketer MS Dhoni, Garuda Aerospace Launch Surveillance Drone Named Droni
Former India cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and drone market Garuda Aerospace have launched a surveillance drone named ‘Droni.’ Dhoni is an ambassador-cum-investor in the low-cost drone manufacturer. Dhoni unveiled the camera drone called Droni at The Global Drone Expo in Chennai last year.
Droni is a battery-operated quadcopter surveillance drone.
Garuda Aerospace recently became the first-ever drone company in India to get dual DGCA approvals for both drone manufacturing type certificate and RTPO.
MS Dhoni and Garuda had also launched a short film, ‘Kheton Ke Kaptan’, aimed at encouraging youth and farmers to lead in their respective farms.
Solar-Powered Reactor Converts Plastic and Greenhouse Gases into Sustainable Fuels
Researchers from the University of Cambridge developed a first-of-its-kind system that can simultaneously convert plastic waste and greenhouse gases into two chemical products by drawing energy from the sun.
In a solar-powered reactor, carbon dioxide (CO2) and plastics are converted into sustainable fuels and valuable products used in various industries.
The reactor uses a light absorber based on perovskite – a promising alternative to silicon for next-generation solar cells.
Polyethylene (Polythene) terephthalate is a condensation polymer of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.
The by-product of the reaction is water, so it is an example of condensation or step-growth polymerization.
PET Plastic is a thermoplastic synthetic substance which is malleable under heat and can be placed into nearly any shape.
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