13th January 2023 Daily Current Affairs in English
1. What is the name of the short-range ballistic missile which was recently test-launched by India?
[A] Prithvi II
[B] Agni V
[C] Vikas II
[D] Bhim I
Answer : [A] Prithvi II
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out a training launch of a Short-Range Ballistic Missile, Prithvi-II from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the Odisha coast. The Defence Ministry said that the missile struck its target with high accuracy. The user training launch successfully validated all operational and technical parameters of the Prithvi-II missile, which has a range of around 350 kilometers.
2. Which song from an Indian film won Golden Globe award 2023 for Best Original Song?
[A] Marenge Toh Wahin Jaakar
[B] Naatu Naatu
[C] Pasoori
[D] Kalakathu
Answer : [B] Naatu Naatu
Indian film RRR’s song Natu Natu has won the prestigious Golden Globe award for Best Original Song. The track from the director SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster movie is composed by MM Keeravani.
3. What is the name of the international agreement signed in 1987 to ban Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)?
[A] Paris Agreement
[B] Montreal Protocol
[C] Chicago Agreement
[D] Kyoto Protocol
Answer : [B] Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol, an international agreement in 1987 to stop using the harmful chemicals, has been successful, as per a recent UN report, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were commonly found in spray cans, fridges, foam insulation and air conditioners, were blamed for damaging the ozone layer.
4. As per the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects Report, what is the expected economic growth of India in 2023-24?
[A] 5.5%
[B] 6.6%
[C] 7.0%
[D] 7.7%
Answer : [B] 6.6%
In its report titled Global Economic Prospects, the World Bank said that India will be fastest-growing economy among seven largest emerging markets and developing economics. As per the report, India’s economic growth will slow to 6.6% in the next fiscal year from an expected 6.9% growth in the current year.
5. ‘Year of Enterprises’ Project is a flagship scheme of which Indian state?
[A] Haryana
[B] Odisha
[C] West Bengal
[D] Kerala
Answer : [D] Kerala
The ‘Year of Enterprises’ project of Kerala has been regarded as the best practice model in the second Chief Secretaries National Conference. It was selected in the ‘Thrust on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)’ category. The project by Kerala Government was started in the current fiscal year with the aim to create one lakh enterprises in a year, while the state achieved the goal in eight months.
6. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Global Investors Summit in which city?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Ahmedabad
[C] Indore
[D] Lucknow
Answer : [C] Indore
Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 7th edition of ‘Invest Madhya Pradesh-Global Investors Summit’, in Indore The theme of the flagship event of the state government is ‘Madhya Pradesh-The Future Ready State’. Guyana President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi also addressed the meet.
7. Fatima Sheikh, whose birth anniversary was observed recently, was associated with which field?
[A] Sportsperson
[B] Social Reformer
[C] Business person
[D] Politician
Answer : [B] Social Reformer
The 192nd birth anniversary of the pioneering social reformer Fatima Sheikh was observed recently. Fatima Sheikh was a teacher, anti-caste activist, proponent of girls’ education, and social reformer in 19th century Maharashtra. Along with Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule, she started the first girls school in the country. Last year, Fatima Sheikh was honoured with a Google Doodle on her birth anniversary.
8. ‘Title 42’ immigration policy, which was seen in the news, is associated with which country?
[A] Australia
[B] USA
[C] China
[D] Germany
Answer : [B] USA
In March 2020, U.S. health authorities issued ‘Title 42’ to allow border agents to rapidly send migrants who were crossing the U.S.-Mexico border back to Mexico or other countries. The Federal courts have prevented to lift the Title 42 public health order, and the US Government has announced new enforcement measures to increase security at the border and reduce the number of individuals crossing unlawfully between ports of entry.
9. As per UNICEF, child mortality refers to the probability a newborn would die before reaching how many years of age?
[A] 1
[B] 3
[C] 5
[D] 7
Answer : [C] 5
The child mortality or under-five mortality rate refers to the probability a newborn would die before reaching exactly 5 years of age. It is expressed per 1,000 live births. As per the ‘Levels & trends in child mortality 2022’ released by UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), an estimated 5 million children died before their fifth birthday and another 5-24 years lost their lives in 2021.
10. Which Indian state became the first fully digital banking state in the country?
[A] Punjab
[B] Kerala
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Himachal Pradesh
Answer : [B] Kerala
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared Kerala as the first state in the country to go fully digital in its banking service. Kerala also received three ‘Digital India’ awards for the advancement in the digital sector including silver medal for Ksheerashree portal, platinum award for Digital Workforce Management System and gold medal for District Administration of Kottayam.
11. Which Indian city topped the start-up funding in 2022, as per recent report?
[A] Chennai
[B] Bengaluru
[C] Hyderabad
[D] Mumbai
Answer : [B] Bengaluru
According to data provided by Tracxn, a leading global market intelligence platform, Bengaluru topped the startup funding chart in India with USD 10.8 billion in 2022. It is followed by Mumbai at USD 3.9 billion, and Gurugram at a distant USD 2.6 billion. Startups based in Delhi and Chennai registered USD 1.2 billion each in funding, followed by Pune.
12. Anthropological study conducted in rural areas of which country showed that women worked much harder than men?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] USA
[D] Greece
Answer : [B] China
An Anthropological study conducted in rural China revealed that women worked much harder than men, and contributed most of the fruits of this labour to their families. As per the study, women walked on average just over 12,000 steps per day, while men walked just over 9,000 steps. It also found that individuals who disperse at marriage to live away from their kin have higher workloads than those who stay with their natal families.
13. RAMP scheme, which was seen in the news, is implemented by which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Finance
[B] Ministry of MSME
[C] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[D] Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Answer : [B] Ministry of MSME
MSME Minister Narayan Rane launched the web portal for the Rs 6,062.45-crore Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) for MSMEs. The scheme was originally announced back in 2020 by the government and the World Bank to support Covid-hit MSMEs in the country. Out of the total scheme’s limit, Rs 3,750 crore was approved by World Bank in June 2021 while the balance would be funded by the government.
14. As per a recent data, which two states were the top investment destinations in the country in 2021-22?
[A] Maharashtra and Gujarat
[B] Gujarat and Rajasthan
[C] Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh
[D] Gujarat and Telangana
Answer : [B] Gujarat and Rajasthan
As per a data by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Gujarat and Rajasthan are the top Indian states in the area pf investments. Both the states were successful in attracting investments from both domestic and international businesses. Fresh investments worth Rs 3.98 trillion were announced for Gujarat during 2021-22 while Rajasthan attracted new investments worth Rs 2.37 trillion.
15. ‘Nidhi Apke Nikat’ is the outreach program conducted by which institution?
[A] IRDAI
[B] PFRDA
[C] EPFO
[D] RBI
Answer : [C] EPFO
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) conducts ‘Nidhi Apke Nikat’ outreach program on 10th of every month in all field offices. It aims to expand its reach and attract more participation. Bhavishya Nidhi Adalat, which was a grievance redressal mechanism of EPFO has been renamed as Nidhi Aapke Nikat.
16. Which country is the host of the ‘World Hindi Day Conference 2023’?
[A] Bangladesh
[B] Maldives
[C] Fiji
[D] Thailand
Answer : [C] Fiji
World Hindi Day, also known as Vishwa Hindi Diwas, is observed on January 10 every year. The day aims to create awareness and to promote the Hindi language across the world. The theme this year of the conference is ‘Hindi: Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence’. The World Hindi Day conference is to be held at Nadi, Fiji.
17. Which Indian state passed the Bill providing 30 per cent horizontal reservation to domiciled women of the state?
[A] Kerala
[B] Uttarakhand
[C] Jharkhand
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Answer : [B] Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand Governor Gurmit Singh consented to a Bill providing 30 per cent horizontal reservation to domiciled women of the state in government jobs. Uttarakhand Public Services (Horizontal Reservation for Women) Bill, 2022 was passed by the state assembly.
18. Which Union Ministry launched the ‘Statement on climate of India during 2022’ report?
[A] Ministry of Earth Sciences
[B] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
[C] Ministry of Power
[D] Ministry of Home Affairs
Answer : [A] Ministry of Earth Sciences
India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences released the ‘Statement on climate of India during 2022’ report. As per the report, the annual mean land surface air temperature averaged over India during 2022 was +0.510C above the long-term average (1981-2010 period). The year 2022 was the fifth warmest year on record since nationwide records commenced in 1901.
19. As per UNICEF, which country has achieved over 75 percent decline in under-5 child mortality rate?
[A] India
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Indonesia
[D] Thailand
Answer : [B] Bangladesh
Bangladesh has registered a sharp decline of over 75 percent in the under-5 child mortality rate since 1990, as per the recent report released by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on behalf of the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). In 1990, the under-5 child mortality rate was 146 per thousand live births which declined to 86 in 2000 and 27 in 2021.
20. Which Union Ministry issued the ‘Draft Regulation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants Rules, 2022’?
[A] Ministry of Power
[B] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
[C] Ministry of Earth Sciences
[D] Ministry of Home Affairs
Answer : [B] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued draft Regulation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants Rules, 2022. It proposes that in order to manage the treatment plants professionally, there shall be a Special Purpose Vehicle or Society or Trust.