11th January 2023 Daily Current Affairs in English
1. Which Indian public sector bank received RBI approval to hold special rupee vostro accounts of three banks from Sri Lanka?
[A] State Bank of India
[B] Canara Bank
[C] Indian Bank
[D] Punjab National Bank
Answer : [C] Indian Bank
Indian Bank has received the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulatory approval to hold special rupee vostro accounts of three banks from Sri Lanka. A vostro account in local currency would allow Sri Lanka to import from India without dipping into its dollar supply, as the country is facing a worst forex crunch.
2. Which Indian state launched the caste-based census?
[A] Bihar
[B] Assam
[C] West Bengal
[D] Jharkhand
Answer : [A] Bihar
The first phase of the caste-based census kicked off in Bihar, in which the number of all households in the state will be counted. The Bihar cabinet on June 2, 2022 decided to conduct the caste-based census in the state. The decadal census conducted by the Union Government counts religious groups and Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
3. Which state won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission?
[A] Kolkata
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Odisha
[D] Rajasthan
Answer : [C] Odisha
Odisha has won the UN-Habitat’s World Habitat Awards 2023 for Jaga Mission initiative of the state. Jaga mission is the world’s largest land titling and slum upgrading program which aims at empowering the lives of slum dwellers. Odisha is understanding Jaga Mission to upgrade all of the state’s 2,919 slums. In the last five years of the initiative, 1,75,000 families have been granted land tenure security.
4. Which institution launched the ‘Portal for mapping of Industrial Units and Laboratories’
[A] DPIIT
[B] BIS
[C] FICCI
[D] NITI Aayog
Answer : [B] BIS
On the 76th Foundation Day of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the portal for mapping of Industrial Units and Laboratories was launched. Commerce and Industry Ministry also launched standards clubs in schools, Standards National Action Plan (SNAP) 2022-27, revised National Building Code of India (NBC 2016) and National Electrical Code of India 2023.
5. Which organization publishes the Food Price Index (FFPI)?
[A] UNICEF
[B] FAO
[C] IMF
[D] World Bank
Answer : [B] FAO
The UN agency, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has published its latest Food Price Index (FFPI) which tracks the monthly international prices of cereals, vegetable oil, dairy, meat and sugar. The FFPI averaged to 132.4 points in December, which is one per cent lower than the previous December. The FFPI was notably higher in 2022 than in 2021.
6. Which city announced to launch a new mobility card to pay fares electronically on buses and metro?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Kolkata
[C] Delhi
[D] Chennai
Answer : [C] Delhi
Delhi government is set to launch a new mobility card for commuters to pay fares electronically on both buses and the metro. Delhi Transport department issued a notice inviting a tender for the project. The cards are part of the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), which enables passengers from any part of the country to use NCMC-compliant RuPay debit card for travel.
7. Which Indian state has been recently hit by Avian Flu in many of its districts?
[A] Odisha
[B] Kerala
[C] Jharkhand
[D] Bihar
Answer : [B] Kerala
Avian flu has been confirmed in many Kerala districts and the Kerala Health Department has directed all districts to be on the alert. Avian flu was also confirmed in a grama panchayat in the capital city Thiruvananthapuram. The district administration issued orders that all poultry and other pet birds in the affected wards be killed and that all egg, meat, bird fodder, and litter be destroyed.
8. One 97 Communications is the parent entity of which financial service company?
[A] PhonePe
[B] PayTm
[C] Groww
[D] BharatPe
Answer : [B] PayTm
One 97 Communications is the parent entity of the leading Indian mobile payments and financial services company Paytm, headquartered in Noida. Paytm payments Bank appointed Surinder Chawla as Managing Director and CEO, after banking regulator RBI’s approval. However, the RBI continues to bar Paytm payments Bank from on-boarding new customers.
9. Which institution announced to issue ‘Sovereign Green Bonds’?
[A] Niti Aayog
[B] RBI
[C] NSE
[D] BSE
Answer : [B] RBI
The Reserve Bank has announced the indicative calendar for the issuance of Sovereign Green Bonds. Accordingly, two auctions will be conducted for an amount of eight thousand crore rupees each. The RBI has informed that five percent of the notified amount will be reserved for retail investors, with options of five years or ten years. The proceeds will be deployed in public sector projects which help in reducing the carbon intensity and mobilizing resources for green infrastructure.
10. Which neighbouring country of India is set to dispatch over 159 containers of Ammunition to Ukraine?
[A] Afghanistan
[B] Pakistan
[C] China
[D] Bangladesh
Answer : [B] Pakistan
Pakistan is planning to dispatch 159 containers of ammunition including projectiles and primers to Ukraine through a port in Poland. A vessel named BBC Vesuvius is set to carry 155mm projectiles, propelling bag charges and other ammunition. Earlier, Pakistan played a crucial role in transfer of arms on behalf of the UK to Ukraine.
11. Which Tennis player Won the Adelaide International men’s singles title?
[A] Rafael Nadal
[B] Novak Djokovic
[C] Daniil Medvedev
[D] Nick Kyrgios
Answer : [B] Novak Djokovic
Ace Tennis player Novak Djokovic defeated America’s Sebastian Korda in the final to win the Adelaide International men’s singles title. The 21-time Grand Slam winner also equalled Rafael Nadal’s tally of 92 ATP singles titles in the Open Era. They are only behind Jimmy Connors (109), Roger Federer (103) and Ivan Lendl (94). Djokovic also won his 34th match in a row on Australian soil since 2019.
12. Anahat Singh, who was seen in the news, plays which sports?
[A] Weight Lifting
[B] Chess
[C] Squash
[D] Tennis
Answer : [C] Squash
Indian squash prodigy Anahat Singh recently clinched the girl’s Under-15 squash title at the British Junior Open tournament in Birmingham. The 14-year-old defeated Sohaila Hazem of Egypt, 3-1 in the final. The British Junior Open is held in January every year in the UK where players from all over the world compete to win the title.
13. Kangla Nongpok Thong, eastern gate of the Kangla fort, has been inaugurated in which state?
[A] Assam
[B] Manipur
[C] West Bengal
[D] Sikkim
Answer : [B] Manipur
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh handed over and dedicated the Kangla Nongpok Thong, an eastern gate of the historic Kangla fort in Imphal to the people of the state. The Nongpok Thong will be manned by India Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel while the Nongchup Thong (western gate) will remain closed. The Nongpok Thong was constructed through Imphal Smart City Limited (ISCL) as Funding Agency.
14. Which city is the host of the 108th Indian Science Congress (ISC)?
[A] Aurangabad
[B] Nagpur
[C] Varanasi
[D] Ahmedabad
Answer : [B] Nagpur
The 108th annual session of ISC will be held at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, which is celebrating its centenary this year. The focal theme of this year’s ISC is “Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment”. Children’s Science Congress, Farmer’s Science Congress and Tribal Science Congress were also held on the sidelines.
15. Which Indian state is the birth place of the modern-day polo, the Sagol Kangjei?
[A] Assam
[B] Manipur
[C] West Bengal
[D] Arunachal Pradesh
Answer : [B] Manipur
Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a 120-feet-tall statue of a polo player riding a pony at Marjing Polo Complex in Imphal, Manipur. Manipur is considered the birthplace of the game and it reached the British before 1850. In November last year, the first Chief Minister’s Sagol Kangjei Championship was held during the Sangai festival to promote the indigenous game. The ponies in Manipur are becoming vulnerable due to lack of grazing grounds.
16. Which city is the host of ‘Aadi Shaurya – Parv Parakram Ka’, a Military Tattoo and Tribal Dance Festival?
[A] Ranchi
[B] Raipur
[C] New Delhi
[D] Patna
Answer : [C] New Delhi
Aadi Shaurya – Parv Parakram Ka, a Military Tattoo and Tribal Dance Festival will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in New Delhi. As per the Defence Ministry, the two-day festival will showcase the competence of the Armed Forces and the beauty of India’s tribal culture. The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs are jointly organizing the event.
17. Orthodox Christians, who follow the Julian calendar mark the Christmas festival in which month?
[A] November
[B] December
[C] January
[D] June
Answer : [C] January
Christmas is celebrated on December 25, according to the Gregorian calendar, in most of the Western world. Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar and mark the festival on January 7. Russian President Vladmir Putin called for a temporary 36-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to allow Orthodox followers to attend Christmas services. Orthodox Christians are estimated to be between 200 and 300 million people globally.
18. Who is the first Indian Tennis player to win a WTA singles title?
[A] Yuki Bhambri
[B] Sania Mirza
[C] Ramkumar Ramanathan
[D] Lakshya Sen
Answer : [B] Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza became the first Indian to win a WTA singles title in 2005. She reached her career-high ranking of world number 27 by 2007. Recently, the 36-year-old has confirmed her retirement from professional Tennis. She will be playing at her final Grand Slam appearance in women’s doubles at the Australian Open alongside Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina. She will retire at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai. Sania Mirza has won six Grand Slam doubles titles, the first for any Indian.
19. Which Indian state is the host of the Purple Fest, the first Inclusive festival for persons with disabilities?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Goa
[C] Gujarat
[D] Kerala
Answer : [B] Goa
Goa organized the Purple Fest, the first Inclusive festival for persons with disabilities. It celebrated the lives and achievements of PwDs and served as a platform to increase awareness towards the inclusion of such persons in the society. Purple Fest was organized at Panjim, by the Directorate of Social Welfare, Office of the State Commissioner of PwDs (Goa), Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Information & Publicity department (Goa) and Entertainment Society of Goa.
20. Deepor Beel, is the only Ramsar site of which state?
[A] Assam
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Punjab
[D] Haryana
Answer : [A] Assam
Deepor Beel, the only Ramsar site of Assam, recorded over 26,000 birds of 97 different species during a recent bird count. The site recorded 10,289 birds of 66 species recorded in 2021. It is troubled by developmental projects and urban waste. A spot bird photography contest was also held during the event and repeat of the bird count exercise is scheduled during the Asian Waterfowl Count.