Dear Readers, Daily Current Affairs Questions Quiz for SBI, IBPS, RBI, RRB, SSC Exam 2023 of 12th May 2023. Daily GK quiz online for bank & competitive exam. Here we have given the Daily Current Affairs Quiz based on the previous days Daily Current Affairs updates. Candidates preparing for IBPS, SBI, RBI, RRB, SSC Exam 2023 & other competitive exams can make use of these Current Affairs Quiz.

 

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1) Recently, National e-Governance Services Limited partnered with which private bank to launch an electronic bank guarantee facility?

(a) Axis Bank

(b) ICICI Bank

(c) HDFC Bank

(d) TMB Bank

(e) Federal Bank

2) Which bank recently enabled the linkage of RuPay credit cards with the Unified Payments Interface?

(a) Axis Bank

(b) ICICI Bank

(c) HDFC Bank

(d) TMB Bank

(e) Federal Bank

3) What is the name of the new lending proposition of YES Bank that provides financial assistance to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises manufacturers who want to install solar panels at their premises?

(a) YES SOLAR

(b) YES KIRAN

(c) YES FARM

(d) YES SURYA

(e) YES SAKTHI

4) Which Bank recently launched a Recurring Deposit scheme with life cover “ CentSurakshitSamriddhi” exclusively for earning individuals in the age group of 18 – 50 years?

(a) Indian Bank

(b) Central Bank of India

(c) Bank of India 

(d) State Bank of India 

(e) Union Bank of India 

5) Recently, the Reserve Bank of India imposed a penalty of Rs 1.73 crore on HSBC Ltd for the contravention of certain rules under Credit Information Companies Rules, 2006. Where is the HSBC Ltd headquarters located?

(a) Chendu

(b) Tianjin

(c) Hong Kong

(d) Shanghai

(e) Beijing

6) The Union Health Ministry recently launched a learning management system ‘SAKSHAM. What is the acronym of SAKSHAM?

(a) Systematic Advanced Knowledge for Sustainable Health Management

(b) Stimulating Advanced Knowledge for Sustainable Health Management

(c) Stimulating Average Knowledge for Sustainable Health Management

(d) Specific Advanced Knowledge for Sustainable Health Management

(e) Secrecy Advanced Knowledge for Sustainable Health Management

7) The foundation stone of the LIGO-India (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory – India ) was laid by PM Modi and is being constructed in which state?

(a) Maharashtra

(b) Gujarat

(c) Kerala

(d) West Bengal

(e) Karnataka

8) Under which initiative, the Indian Council of Medical Research conducted a trial run of the delivery of blood bags by drones?

(a) eDrone

(b) Drone X

(c) Blood Drone

(d) Drone Red

(e) iDrone

9) A task force would be established under the Union Rural Development Ministry for the National Conference on "Land Governance in North Eastern States" . Where was the conference held?

(a) Assam

(b) Bihar

(c) Punjab

(d) Gujarat

(e) Chandigarh

10) What is the deadline set by India to establish green hydrogen bunkering and refueling facilities at all 12 major ports in the drive to cut its carbon footprint?

(a) 2030

(b) 2027

(c) 2032

(d) 2035

(e) 2034

11) Santiniketan, where Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore constructed Visva-Bharati more than a century ago has been nominated for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List according to Union Culture Minister. Where is Santiniketan located?

(a) Assam

(b) Bihar

(c) West Bengal

(d) Kerala

(e) Uttar Pradesh

12) The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found a second reserve of lithium in Degana in Rajasthan's Nagaur district. Where were India’s first lithium reserves found?

(a) Jammu and Kashmir

(b) Uttarakhand

(c) New Delhi

(d) Uttar Pradesh

(e) Tamil Nadu

13) Recently in May 2023, Which state provided a roadmap to promote a robotic framework ecosystem?

(a) Bihar

(b) Telangana

(c) Punjab

(d) Gujarat

(e) Chandigarh

14) 'Chief Minister's Skill Upgradation and Global Employment Scheme' (Mukhya Mantri Kaushal Unnayan aur Vaishavik Rozgar Yojana) was approved by Uttarakhand Chief Minister recently. Who is the governor of Uttarakhand?

(a) Banwarilal Purohit

(b) Kalraj Mishra

(c) R.N. Ravi

(d) Gurmit Singh

(e) Arif Mohammed Khan

15) Name the first state to provide digital health cards for children under the School Health Program initiative.

(a) Jammu and Kashmir

(b) Uttarakhand

(c) New Delhi

(d) Uttar Pradesh

(e) Tamil Nadu

16) Recently, Ora Finance was awarded a license to operate an NBFC. What is the acronym of NBFC?

(a) Non-Banking Financial Collector

(b) Non-Banking Financial Company

(c) Non-Banking Financial Consumer

(d) Non-Banking Financial Collaboration

(e) Non-Banking Financial Corporate

17) From August 1, 2023, companies with annual revenue of over Rs 5 crores will be required to produce electronic or e-invoices for B2B transactions. What is the current turnover amountrequired for B2B transactions?

(a) Rs 30 crore and above

(b) Rs 10 crore and above

(c) Rs 15 crore and above

(d) Rs 20 crore and above

(e) Rs 25 crore and above

18) Who has recently received the Laureus World Sports Awards' World Sportsman of the Year honour in Paris?

(a) Neymar

(b) Cristiano Ronaldo

(c) Lionel Messi

(d) Antoine Griezmann

(e) Sergio Ramos

19) Who has been recommended by the Public Enterprise Selection Board for the position of Chairman and Managing Director at Power Finance Corporation?

(a) Molly Chakraborty

(b) Anushka Sharma

(c) Sonica Aron

(d) Shweta Pathak

(e) Parminder Chopra

20) The purchase of certain compulsorily CB from Biocon Biologics Ltd. by Edelweiss Alternative Asset Advisors and ESOF III Investment Fund was approved by the Competition Commission of India. CB stands for _____.

(a) Convertible Debentures

(b) Convertible Deluxe

(c) Commercial Debentures

(d) Convertible Debt

(e) Complementary Debt

21) To support the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the defence ministry signed a 21,935-crore contract with Airbus Defence and Space in September 2021 for ____ C295 aircraft.

(a) z

(b) 46

(c) 56

(d) 66

(e) 76

22) Which IIT has recently teamed with Defence Research and Development Organisation&Piezoelectric MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) technology sensor for underwater communications?

(a) IIT Bombay

(b) IIT Kanpur

(c) IIT Madras

(d) IIT Delhi

(e) IIT Roorkee

23) What is the name of the training program launched by ISRO for post-graduate and final-year undergraduate students of physical sciences and technology?

(a) GOAHEAD

(b) START

(c) START-UP

(d) STAND-UP

(e) CHEER-UP

24) International Nurses Day is celebrated every year on May 12. What is the theme of the International Nurses Day 2023?

(a) Our Health. Our Nurse

(b) Our Body. Care Nurse

(c) Our Health. Our Future

(d) Our Nurses. Our Future

(e) Our Soul. Our Future

25) Recently, RBI imposed penalties on two cooperative banks for the violation of norms.Which of the following banks are they?

(a)Thrissur Urban Cooperative Bank, BhilaiNagrikSahakari Bank

(b) Thiruvananthapuram Urban Cooperative Bank, BhilaiNagrikSahakari Bank

(c)Malabar Urban Cooperative Bank, Thiruvananthapuram Urban Cooperative Bank

(d)Ernakulam Urban Cooperative Bank, Thrissur Urban Cooperative Bank

(e) Ernakulam Urban Cooperative Bank, Kannur Urban Cooperative Bank

Answers :

1) Answer: E

Indian private sector bank Federal Bank has partnered with National e-Governance Services Limited (NeSL) to launch an electronic bank guarantee (e-BG) facility.

With this partnership, Federal Bank hopes to completely replace the traditional paper-based process ‘in due course’.

What does “bank guarantee” mean?

A bank guarantee is an assurance a financial institute like a bank offers to the external party if the borrower is unable to pay the debt.

Key Highlights : 

Electronic Bank Guarantee facilitates the issuance, invocation, amendment, and cancellation of Bank Guarantee in digital form and removes the need of printing any document/request thereof.

It is safe, secure, and fast, facilitating trade/business activities.

Individual, Sole Proprietor, Company, Partnership Firm, Govt. Agencies, the Association of People, and the Body of Individuals are eligible to avail of this facility.

This is currently available only in states where e-stamping is available.

The benefits of e-bank guarantees include saving time and cost, enabling faster communication, removing the scope for fraud, and ensuring correct payment of stamp duty.

About Federal Bank:

Established: April 23, 1931

Headquarters:  Aluva, Kochi, Kerala.

MD & CEO: Shyam Srinivasan

Tagline: Your Perfect Banking Partner

About NeSL: 

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

MD & CEO: Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri

NeSL is India’s first Information Utility and is registered with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) under the aegis of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC).

2) Answer: A

India’s third largest private sector bank, Axis Bank, has successfully enabled the linkage of RuPay credit cards with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

Axis Bank has become the latest entrant in the list of banks that offer customers the to link their RuPay credit card with UPI, with other banks being Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, Indian Bank, Punjab National Bank (PNB), and Union Bank of India (UBI).

Bank customers can pay with their RuPay Credit Card when scanning UPI QR Codes or at the merchant’s UPI checkout page.

The feature will allow bank customers to receive credit card rewards and the lender is rolling out the functionality in phases.

UPI transactions rose 43% year-on-year (y-o-y) to a record `14.1 trillion in value terms during April 2023.

In terms of overall volume, it rose 59% y-o-y to a new high of 8.9 billion.

About Axis Bank :

Established : 3 December 1993

Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

MD &CEO : Amitabh Chaudhry

Tagline :Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi

3) Answer: B

YES Bank, has launched a lending proposition called “YES KIRAN” to provide financial assistance to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) manufacturers who want to install solar panels at their premises.

Aim :

To support the adoption of sustainable energy practices by MSMEs while also bringing cost efficiency by reducing their expenses towards power and fuel.

About YES KIRAN :

YES KIRAN offers a range of benefits to MSMEs, including less operational cost, end-to-end support, flexible loan tenure at competitive interest rates, and a variety of tie-ups with leading solar panel manufacturers and installers such as Tata Power Solar Systems Limited, Goldi Solar, Loom Solar.

The bank has also partnered with companies like Panasonic Solar Power System to help businesses transition to renewable energy solutions.

It also fulfills India’s G20 vision of achieving a target of over 50% energy production from renewable sources by 2030.

About YES Bank :

Founded : 2004

Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

MD &CEO : Prashant Kumar

Tagline : Experience Our Expertise

4) Answer: B

The central bank of India has launched a unique Recurring Deposit scheme with life cover “ CentSurakshitSamriddhi” exclusively for earning individuals in the age group of 18 – 50 years with the additional benefit of Life insurance coverage of 100 times of principal instalment amount till the maturity of Recurring Deposit.

Key features of the scheme  :

Eligibility: Age group 18-50 years (Earning customer only)

Installment: Minimum 10 k Maximum 1 lac.

Period of Deposit: 84 months

Maturity Amount: 100 times of principal installment amount

Life Insurance Coverage: 100 times of principal installment amount.

Insurance Premium: Will be borne by the bank in regular accounts.

Premature Withdrawal: Available with penalty clause.

Loan Facility: Available after six months.

Death Clause: Life insurance coverage amount plus RD closure amount. (Terms & Conditions apply)

About the Central Bank of India :

Founded: 21 December 1911

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

MD & CEO: Matam Venkata Rao

Tagline: Build a Better Life Around Us./ Central To You Since 1911

5) Answer: C

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 1,73,75,000 (Rs 1.73 crore) on the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC Ltd) for the contravention of certain rules under Credit Information Companies Rules, 2006 (CIC Rules).

The statutory inspection for supervisory evaluation (lSE) of the bank was conducted by RBI concerning its financial position as on March 31, 2021, and the examination of the Risk Assessment Report and all related correspondences about the same.

This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers.

The penalty has been imposed in the exercise of powers vested in RBI conferred under the provisions of Section 25 (1) and Section 23 (4) of the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.

About HSBC Ltd : 

Founded: 3 March 1865

Headquarters: Hong Kong

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, commonly known as HSBC, was the parent entity of the multinational HSBC banking group until 1991 and is now its Hong Kong-based Asia-Pacific subsidiary.

6) Answer: B

A learning management information system has been launched by Union Health Ministry.

It is named SAKSHAM (Stimulating Advanced Knowledge for Sustainable Health Management).

Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan launched SAKSHAM.

It is a digital learning platform.

It is a platform for providing online training and medical education to all health professionals in India.

It will ensure inclusive capacity building of health professionals.

As of now, the platform is hosting over 200 public health and 100 clinical courses through online mode.

The National Institute of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi has developed this platform.

7) Answer: A

PM Modi laid the foundation stone of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory – India (LIGO-India).

The LIGO-India facility is being constructed in the Hingoli district in Maharashtra.

LIGO-India will be an advanced gravitational-wave observatory to be located in India as part of a worldwide network.

Two existing LIGO observatories in the United States detected gravitational waves for the first time in 2015.

Since then, two more similar detectors have come onboard, one in Italy and the other in Japan.

LIGO India would be the fifth node of this network, and possibly the last.

The LIGO facility involves the construction of two 4-km-long vacuum chambers in an L-shape along with other structures.

The facility is set to become operational by 2030.

It is set to become the largest scientific facility in India.

This facility will be capable of sensing gravitational waves generated during the merger of massive astrophysical objects such as black holes, and neutron stars.

Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Plant in Visakhapatnam

The new magnet plant would produce rare earth magnets like Samarium-Cobalt and Neodymium-Iron-Boron.

This plant has been built inside an existing facility of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Visakhapatnam.

The National Hadron Beam Therapy Facility of Tata Memorial Centre, Navi Mumbai works to undertake highly precise delivery of radiation to the tumor with minimal dose to the surrounding normal structures.

8) Answer: E

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has successfully conducted a trial run of the delivery of blood bags by drones under its iDrone initiative.

The trial run, as part of a pathbreaking validation study, has been undertaken for the first time in the country by the ICMR; Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC); Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida; and the Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida.

The inaugural trial flight carried 10 units of whole blood samples from the GIMS and LHMC in visual line of sight.

LHMC and GIMS are centers for supplying blood bags and testing the samples.

JIIT is acting as the implementation center for drone sorties.

The project ‘i-DRONE’(ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach for North East) assessed the feasibility of using drones to deliver vaccines and medical supplies.

This was carried out in difficult geographical terrains including land, island, foothills, and hills.

The medical supplies delivered under the i-Drone project included COVID-19 vaccines, vaccines used in routine immunization programs, antenatal care medicines, multivitamins, syringes, and gloves.

The drone delivery system focused on an end-to-end ecosystem for drone-based logistic transportation within the states and was the first successful example of delivering vaccines through drones from land to islands in South Asia.

9) Answer: A

The Union Rural Development Ministry announced that a task force will be set up for land governance in the North-Eastern states.

This decision was taken at National Conference on “Land Governance in North Eastern States” held in Guwahati, Assam.

Sessions on current state practices and modernization of land records and land governance assessment framework were held during the conference.

The Assam, Tripura, Mizoram, and Meghalaya territorial and autonomous district councils held that digitization and modernization of land records are necessary for the development of the region.

In a part of Assam, the initiatives of computerization and digitization of land records and maps have shown good progress.

The Bodoland Territorial Council had proposed the digitization and modernization of land records and the Department of Land Resources has approved it.

The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous Council has eight districts.

The Garo Hills Autonomous District Council has a system of issuance of Annual Pattas by the District Council.

10) Answer: D

India has set a deadline of 2035 to establish green hydrogen bunkering and refueling facilities at all 12 major ports in the drive to cut its carbon footprint.

One of the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, India aims to cut emissions to net zero by 2070, and the shipping minister said three of its ports would initially have bunker facilities for green hydrogen and ammonia.

The initial ports in the effort are to be Paradip in the east, Kandla in the west, and Tuticorin in the south.

The new shipping guidelines require ports to satisfy at least 60% of electricity needs through renewables by 2030 and 90% by 2047.

Also, by 2030, all ports must achieve cuts of more than a fifth in energy consumption on each tonne of cargo versus 2023.

Green belt area under port authority to be increased by over 20% by 2030 and 33% by 2047 of the port area

To boost the use of gas, the shipping ministry wants ports to set up at least one liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering station by 2030 and electric vehicle charging stations in and around port areas by 2025.

11) Answer: C

Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy said Santiniketan, the place where Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore built Visva-Bharati over a century ago, has been recommended for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List by an international advisory body.

India has been striving for a long to get a UNESCO tag for this cultural site located in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.

This will formally be announced in the World Heritage Committee meeting to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in September 2023.

The France-based International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is an international non-governmental organization that comprises professionals, experts, and representatives from local authorities, companies, and heritage organizations and is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of architectural and landscape heritage around the world.

Santiniketan, over 160 km from Kolkata (West Bengal), was originally an ashram built by Tagore’s father Debendranath Tagore, where anyone, irrespective of caste and creed, could come to meditate.

India has a total of 40 sites that enjoy the UNESCO World Heritage tag.

It also includes 52 sites in the Tentative List.

About UNESCO

Headquarters: Paris, France

Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom

Head: Audrey Azoulay

12) Answer: A

Months after India’s first lithium reserves were discovered in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found another reserve of the crucial mineral in Degana in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district.

These reserves are much bigger in quantity than the ones found in the Union Territory (UT) J&K & can meet 80% of the total country’s demand.

Currently, India is import-dependent on several minerals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt.

The tungsten mineral was discovered in Degana’sRenvat hill area in 1914.

For the first time in India, a lithium reserve of 5.9 million tonnes was found in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in February 2023.

About Lithium :

Lithium is a non-ferrous metal.

It is used in making mobilelaptops, electric vehicles, and other chargeable batteries.

Lithium is the lightest and softest metal in the world.

It is primarily used in the production of rechargeable batteries, particularly those used in electric vehicles, portable electronic devices, and power tools.

Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy density, making them a popular choice for use in devices where weight and size are important factors.

Australia produces 47% of the world’s lithium.

Chile and China are also the main lithium-producing countries in the world.

About Rajasthan :

Governor: Kalraj Mishra

Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot

Capital: Jaipur

National Park: Keoladeo National Park, Ranthambore National Park

Wildlife Sanctuary: Bassi Wildlife Sanctuary, Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary.

13) Answer: B

In a first-of-its-kind policy in India, the Telangana Government has introduced Telangana State Robotics Framework, which provides a roadmap to promote a robotic ecosystem in Telangana.

The vision of the framework is to create a sustainable robotics ecosystem in Telangana that champions innovation, entrepreneurship, and research and development, positioning the state as a leader in the field of robotics.

Telangana Information Technology (IT) and Industries Minister Shri KT Rama Rao launched the robotics framework which was developed by the Emerging Technologies Wing of the ITE&C (Information Technology, Electronics & Communications) Department of Telangana in collaboration with the All India Robotics Association.

Key Highlights :

The Government will set up a Telangana Robotics Innovation Centre (TRIC) to implement the framework, which will focus on the key pillars of infrastructure access, business enablement, fostering research and innovation, development of a skilled workforce, and responsible deployment.

The State Government will set up a Robo Park, which will provide testing facilities, co-working options, and co-production/manufacturing options.

The Telangana government is planning to organize a Global Robotics Summit to showcase its growing robotics ecosystem and attract investments from across the world.

To suit the mood of the occasion, the organizers deployed a robot to co-host the event held at the T-Hub.

To mark the launch of the framework, the Telangana government signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Hyderabad, ART PARK (AI & Robotics Technology Park) Indian Institute of Science (IISC), GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited  (GHIAL), AgHubProfessor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) and All India Robotics Association (AIRA).

The Emerging Technologies Wing of Telangana’s IT, Electronics, and Communication Department developed the framework in collaboration with the All India Robotics Association (AIRA) and inputs from academia, industry experts, and stakeholders.

Earlier, Telangana launched 5 frameworks, covering the niche technology areas of Blockchain (2018), Drones (2019), AI (2020), Cloud Adoption Framework (2021), and SpaceTech (2022).

About Telangana :

Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan

Chief Minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao

Capital: Hyderabad

National Park: Mrugavani National Park, Periyar National Park

Tiger Reserve: Amrabad Tiger Reserve

14) Answer: D

Uttarakhand Chief Minister (CM) Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami approved ‘Chief Minister’s Skill Upgradation and Global Employment Scheme’ (Mukhya Mantri Kaushal Unnayan aur Vaishavik Rozgar Yojana).

Aim :

To help youths of Uttarakhand to pursue careers in foreign nations.

Key Highlights :

An application has been developed on the ‘Apuni Sarkar Portal’ to create a database related to youth seeking employment abroad.

The proposals are being invited from organizations working in the field of foreign employment and so far the proposals of many organizations have been received by the government.

In the first phase, work will be done to connect the youth of the state with the employment opportunities available abroad in the fields of nursing and hospitality.

A workshop will be held on May 9, 2023, where interested candidates will be screened and after selection, trained for jobs available in the elderly care sector in Japan.

About Uttarakhand :

Governor: Gurmit Singh

Chief Minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami

Capital: Bhararisain (Summer capital), Dehradun (Winter Capital)

National Park: Corbett National Park, Gangotri National Park, Nanda Devi National Park

Wildlife Sanctuaries: KanchulaKharak Musk Deer Sanctuary, Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary

15) Answer: D

Uttar Pradesh (UP) has become the first state which will make digital health cards for children.

The School Health Program has been launched by the Urban Development Department and Lucknow Smart City.

Key Highlights :

Under the project, a digital health report card for the overall physical and mental well-being of 1765 municipal school students is being made.

A unique ID card will be prepared for each child.

Through this card, the child’s parents, school, and administrative officials can download this health card.

Follow-up of the Digital Health Report is also done every 6 months.

The digital health report card is being made based on 130 parameters.

These children are also being given the benefit of health insurance worth Rs 25,000.

As part of the pilot project, Lucknow Smart City has started the School Health Program in 3 schools in Lucknow.

Under the pilot project, health checkup of 1765 children is the responsibility of 3 municipal schools including Aminabad Inter College, Kashmiri Mohalla Girls Inter College, and Kashmiri Mohalla Montessori School.

Following the successful completion of the pilot project, the program may be implemented in the other 9 smart cities of UP.

About UP :

Governor: Anandiben Patel

Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath

Capital: Lucknow

National Park: Dudhwa National Park

Wildlife Sanctuary: Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary, National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary

16) Answer: B

Agritech firm Unnati said its subsidiary Ora Finance has been awarded a license to operate an NBFC.

Ora Finance can now cater to the financial requirements of the various players in the agriculture ecosystem while aiming to bridge the gaps in agri-financing currently prevalent.

Ora Finance will target its services to farmers, retailers, traders, distributors, food processors, manufacturers, and brands focused on the agriculture sector.

Eligibility criteria of NBFC (Non-Banking Financial Company )– The company must be registered under the Companies Act, 2013, or any other relevant law.

The company must have a minimum net owned funds of Rs. 2 crores.

The company must have a board of directors with at least one director having at least ten years of experience in the banking or financial sector.

Ashok Prasad, Co-founder of Unnati.

17) Answer: B

Businesses with turnover of over Rs 5 crore will have to generate electronic or e-invoice for B2B transactions with effect from August 1, 2023.

Currently, businesses with a turnover of Rs 10 crore and above are required to generate e-invoices for all B2B transactions.

The finance ministry through a notification dated May 10 has notified a reduction in the threshold for e-invoicing.

Effective August 1, any taxpayer with a turnover exceeding Rs 5 crore should raise e-invoices for B2B supplies.

e-Invoicing or electronic invoicing system was introduced under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) law.

It applies to certain taxpayers registered under the GST law in phases.

Under Goods and Services Tax (GST) law, e-invoicing for business-to-business (B2B) transactions was made mandatory for companies with a turnover of over Rs 500 crore from October 1, 2020, which was then extended to those with a turnover of over Rs 100 crore effective January 1, 2021.

From April 1, 2021, companies with turnover of over Rs 50 crore were generating B2B e-invoices, and the threshold was brought down to Rs 20 crore beginning April 1, 2022.

From October 1, 2022, the threshold was further lowered to Rs 10 crore.

18) Answer: C

Lionel Messi won the World Sportsman of the Year award at Laureus World Sports Awards organized in Paris.

Lionel Messi also received another award as part of a Team of the Year for the victory of Argentina at the FIFA World Cup last year.

This is Messi’s second individual title.

He shared the Sportsman of the Year award with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in 2020.

Messi is the 1st athlete who has won individual and team awards in the same year (2023).

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won the Sportswoman of the Year award.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a Jamaican sprinter who last year won 100-meter gold at the World Athletics Championships for the fifth time.

Tennis player Carlos Alcaraz was given the Breakthrough of the Year award.

Alcaraz won the US Open last year as a teenager.

Laureus World Sports Awards were held in person in Paris for the first time since 2020.

They were held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Laureus World Sports Award is an annual award ceremony, which honors individuals and teams from the sports world for their achievements.

It is presented by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

It is often referred to as the Oscar of sports.

Other winners of awards are given below.

World Team of the Year Award: Argentina Men’s Football Team

World Comeback of the Year Award: Christian Eriksen

World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability Award: Catherine Debrunner

World Action Sportsperson of the Year Award: Eileen Gu

Laureus Sport for Good Award: TeamUp

19) Answer: E

The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) has recommended Parminder Chopra for the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of India’s largest Nonbank financial company (NBFC) by net worth (all reserves), Power Finance Corporation (PFC).

Chopra will be the first woman to be appointed as the CMD of the PFC.

In her new role as CMD, Chopra will be responsible for driving the strategic initiatives at PFC, spearheading the organization’s growth trajectory, and further strengthening its position as a leading Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU).

About Parminder Chopra : 

She has over 35 years of experience in the power sector, including work experience at NHPC and the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL).

She has been with the company since 2005.

She has been serving as the Director (Finance) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) since 2020, as well as a member of the board of directors.

About PFC : 

Established: 1986

Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Power Finance Corporation Ltd. is an Indian central public sector undertaking under the ownership of the Ministry of Power (MoF), Government of India (GoI).

20) Answer: A

Fair-trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) has cleared Edelweiss Alternative Asset Advisors (EAAA) and ESOF III Investment Fund’s (Acquirers) subscription to certain compulsorily CB (Convertible Debentures) of Biocon Biologics Ltd (BBL) (Target).

The deal has been cleared under the green channel route.

A convertible debenture is a type of long-term debt issued by a company that can be converted into shares of equity stock after a specified period.

Key Highlights : 

Edelweiss Alternative Asset Advisors is a Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)-registered alternative asset advisor.

ESOF III Investment Fund is a SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Fund (AIF).

BBL is a global biosimilar firm, engaged in the manufacturing and commercialization of pharmaceutical formulations.

The parties’ activities do not exhibit any horizontal, vertical, or complementary overlaps in any of the plausible relevant markets.

About CCI :

Established: 14 October 2003

Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Chairman: Sangeeta Verma

Secretary: P K Singh

The CCI is the chief national competition regulator in India.

It is a statutory body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

21) Answer: C

The Indian Air Force’s (IAF)’s first C295 medium transport aircraft has completed its maiden flight in Spain marking an important step towards delivery in the second half of 2023.

The tactical aircraft took off from Seville, Spain, after 3 hours of flight.

This first flight represents a significant accomplishment for the first Make in India aerospace program.

In September 2021, the defense ministry signed a ₹21,935-crore contract with Airbus Defence and Space for 56 C295 planes to give a push to the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (self-reliant India campaign).

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus Defence and Space are jointly executing the program.

Key Highlights :

As part of the contract, 16 C295 aircraft will be delivered by Airbus in flyaway condition from Spain, and the remaining 40 will be manufactured in India.

The 16 flyaway aircraft are scheduled to be delivered between September 2023 and August 2025, while the first Made in India C295 will roll out of the new facility in September 2026 and the remaining 39 by August 2031.

The C295 program comprises a total of 280 orders from 39 operators, making it an unmatched aircraft in its weight and mission class.

About IAF :

Established: 1932

Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Chief of the Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari

22) Answer: C

Scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M), Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN) have teamed up to create a cutting-edge Piezoelectric MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical System) technology sensor for underwater communications.

This sensor will be beneficial for defence applications, particularly in the naval forces.

The research was led by IIT Madras professors Amitava Das Gupta and Boby George along with E. Varadarajan, scientist, and V. Natarajan, senior scientist of DRDO at the DRDO Industry Academia – Ramanujan Centre of Excellence (DIA-CRoE) in the institute.

Key Highlights : 

The Indian Navy’s Next Generation SONAR initiative by DRDO will use this sensor to support both innovative and modern technological advances.

The indigenous invention of this technology allows India to fabricate the devices at a lesser cost than the internationally available foundries, where production costs are high and the availability of foundries is restricted.

The establishment of cutting-edge piezo MEMS technology helps India expand beyond the limits of defence capabilities and undertake strategic operations for key applications.

To create high-performance thin films and transform “piezo thin film” into sophisticated, futuristic naval sensors and equipment for underwater applications, “piezoelectric MEMS technology” is required.

Piezo Thin Films are one of the most important components of piezo MEMS devices and are used in acoustics and vibration sensing.

The fabricated Lead-Zirconium-Titanium oxide (PZT) thin film-based acoustic sensor outperforms the traditional PVDF-based acoustic sensor in terms of functionality.

Globally, several research groups and defence laboratories in the United States (US), Europe, Korea, Japan, and China are involved in the development of technologies.

About DRDO :

Established: 1958

Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India

Chairman: Dr. Sameer V Kamath

23) Answer: B

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a new introductory-level online training program called Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START) for post-graduate and final-year undergraduate students of physical sciences and technology.

Academic institutions can submit applications for the program through the Jigyasa portal by May 20, 2023.

The program will cover various domains of Space Science, including Astronomy and Astrophysics, Heliophysics and Sun-Earth interaction, Instrumentation, and Aeronomy.

Scientists from Indian academia and ISRO centres will handle the program.

About the START program:

The START program is part of ISRO’s efforts to help students who want to pursue careers in space science and technology.

The program’s main aim is to provide introductory-level training in space science and technology to students and give them an overview of this field.

The program’s lecture will also cover topics on the Indian space science exploration program and research opportunities in space science and technologies.

“YUvaVIgyaniKAryakram” (YUVIKA) or “Young Scientist Programme” is being organized by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) as a special program for school children.

About ISRO :

Established: 15 August 1969

Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Chairman: S. Somanath

24) Answer: D

International Nurses Day is celebrated every year on May 12.

Nurses Day is celebrated to praise the Nurses who contribute their work to the Society

The theme for the 2023 resource is ‘Our Nurses. Our Future.’

In 1953, US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare officer Dorothy Sutherland contacted US President Dwight.D.Elsenhower to celebrate “Nurses Day”.

Since 1965, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has celebrated this day.

From January 1974, May 12 was officially declared “International Nurses Day”.

On this special day, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) distributed the Nurses Day kit to the people to know the importance of nurses.

In Bangladesh, where the number of nurses is half of the number of doctors.

25) Answer: A

RBI has also imposed penalties on two cooperative banks for violation of norms.

Kerala-based Thrissur Urban Cooperative Bank Ltd has been fined Rs 2 lakh for flouting gold loan norms.

BhilaiNagrikSahakari Bank has been fined Rs 1.25 lakh for not depositing unclaimed deposits in time under the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme (DEAF Scheme).