1st February 2023 Daily Current Affairs in English
1. Which country issued a notice to Pakistan seeking modification of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)?
[A] USA
[B] India
[C] Russia
[D] China
Answer : [B] India
India has issued a notice to Pakistan for modification of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960 following Islamabad’s inflexibility on its implementation. The notice was sent through respective commissioners for Indus waters. India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank Being a signatory of the pact.
2. Which city hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival 2023?
[A] Gandhinagar
[B] Mumbai
[C] Mysuru
[D] Kochi
Answer : [B] Mumbai
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival began with a grand opening ceremony in Mumbai. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur and Minister of State Meenakshi Lakhi inaugurated the SCO Film Festival. The SCO Film Festival organized to mark India’s Presidency at SCO and to showcase the diversity of films from the SCO region.
3. Which Union Ministry recently notified officials to act as members of Grievance Appellate Committees (GAC)?
[A] Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
[B] Ministry of Home Affairs
[C] Ministry of Finance Affairs
[D] Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Answer : [A] Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology notified nine officials to act as members of Grievance Appellate Committees (GAC). The Centre established three Grievance Appellate Committees based on the recently amended Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (“IT Rules 2021”). Three Committees have been constituted with three members each.
4. Road Transport and Highway Ministry announced to scrap all government vehicles older than how many years?
[A] 10
[B] 15
[C] 20
[D] 25
Answer : [B] 15
Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari announced from April 1, all government-owned vehicles that are older than 15 years will be scrapped. As part of this, more than nine lakh vehicles, owned by central and state governments, transport corporations and public sector undertakings, and new vehicles with alternative fuels will replace them.
5. ‘Nidhi Aapke Nikat’ is an outreach programme of which institution?
[A] RBI
[B] IRDAI
[C] EPFO
[D] SEBI
Answer : [C] EPFO
Employees’ Provident Fund Organization, EPFO, launched a massive outreach programme in all the districts through a revamped ‘Nidhi Aapke Nikat’ programme. The aim of this programme is to reach all the districts on 27th of every month and strengthen the relationship between the organization and its stakeholders.
6. Which Union Ministry recently cleared 15 Research & Development projects worth around INR 32.25 crores?
[A] Union Ministry of Textiles
[B] Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[C] Union Ministry of MSME
[D] Union Ministry of Steel
Answer : [A] Union Ministry of Textiles
The Union Ministry of Textiles cleared 15 Research & Development projects worth around INR 32.25 crores across key strategic areas. The projects are from various categories include Speciality fibre, Protective textiles, Geo-textiles, Medical Textiles, Sustainable Textiles, and Textiles for building Materials.
7. When is the ‘International Customs Day 2023’ observed?
[A] January 25
[B] January 26
[C] January 27
[D] January 30
Answer : [B] January 26
India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) celebrates International Customs Day, 2023. The theme for this year, as given by the World Customs Organization (WCO) was “Nurturing the Next Generation : Promoting a Culture of Knowledge-sharing and Professional Pride in Customs”.
8. Which airline introduced a new software for real-time reporting of in-flight incidents?
[A] IndiGo
[B] Air India
[C] Spice Jet
[D] Vistara
Answer : [B] Air India
Tata group-owned Air India said it will use a UK-headquartered Ideagen’s enterprise cloud software application Coruson. The safety data software application will help enhance the safety management system and facilitate real-time reporting of in-flight incidents.
9. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is a statutory body established under which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
[B] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
[C] Ministry of Consumer Affairs
[D] Ministry of Agriculture and Family Welfare
Answer : [A] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India is a statutory body established under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. FSSAI recently notified financial regulations and according to the FSSAI (Finance) Regulations, 2023, it will maintain a Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Fund. This will be annually audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
10. Which city is the host of the 15th BRICS summit 2023?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Durban
[C] Beijing
[D] Moscow
Answer : [B] Durban
The 15th BRICS summit will take place this year in late August in South Africa’s Durban. The announcement was made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei in Eritrea. In 2013, the fifth annual BRICS summit was held in Durban, South Africa. BRICS was formed in 2006. In April 2011, for the first time, South Africa participated in the 3rd BRICS Summit.
11. How many Indians are in the IIC-named match officials for 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup?
[A] One
[B] Three
[C] Five
[D] Seven
Answer : [B] Three
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced an all-13-member female panel of match officials for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in next month in South Africa. The Indian trio of GS Lakshmi, Vrinda Rathi, and Janani Narayanan are included in the group.
12. Who is the head of the expert committee to prepare and recommend National Electricity Policy (NEP), 2021?
[A] Nitin Gadkari
[B] Gireesh Pradhan
[C] Indu Shekhar Jha
[D] Arun Goyal
Answer : [B] Gireesh Pradhan
The Union Ministry of Power has finalized the draft National Electricity Policy and has sought comments from the states and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). An expert committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Gireesh Pradhan, Ex-Chairperson, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, to prepare and recommend National Electricity Policy (NEP), 2021.
13. Which Union Ministry is set to launch the virtual facility for e-adjudication of company law violations?
[A] Ministry of Finance
[B] Ministry of Corporate Affairs
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Answer : [B] Ministry of Corporate Affairs
The Ministry of corporate affairs will roll out the facility for e-adjudication of company law violations entirely in the virtual mode before the end of this financial year. The process of revamping the corporate filing system will also be completed by end of March. The ministry is also setting up a new national centre, the Centre for processing Accelerated Corporate Exit, to act as a single window facility for companies that wish to voluntarily exit from business.
14. Which company has launched the first Made-in-India helmet to meet Europe’s ECE 22.06 standard
[A] Vega
[B] Steelbird
[C] Studds
[D] Royal Enfield
Answer : [B] Steelbird
Steelbird has launched a new helmet named Ignyte IGN-7 to meet ECE 22.06 European certification for the first time. It is also the first helmet in India to receive triple homologation as it conforms to DOT FMVSS Noy, 218 for US market and India’s BIS safety standards.
15. “International holocaust remembrance day” is observed on which date?
[A] 24 January
[B] 27 January
[C] 30 January
[D] 2 February
Answer : [B] 27 January
On 27 January, the international community comes together to commemorate the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The theme of this year is “Home and Belonging”, which highlights the humanity of the Holocaust victims and survivors. This Day was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly to mark the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp in 1945.
16. Which country signed an agreement with the European Union to collaborate on responsible advancements in Artificial Intelligence?
[A] United States
[B] United Kingdom
[C] Australia
[D] Germany
Answer : [A] United States
The United States and the European Union have signed an agreement to collaborate on “responsible advancements” in Artificial Intelligence (AI). The agreement aims to speed up and enhance the use of artificial intelligence to improve agriculture, healthcare, emergency response, climate forecasting and the electric grid.
17. Which city is the host of the fifth Khelo India Youth Games 2022?
[A] Mysuru
[B] Bhopal
[C] Guwahati
[D] Shimla
Answer : [B] Bhopal
The Khelo India Youth Games 2022 is being held in Madhya Pradesh from January 30 to February 11, 2023. It will be the fifth edition of the event under the government of India’s Khelo India initiative. The last edition of the KIYG, Khelo India Youth Games 2021, was postponed thrice due to COVID-19 before finally being held in June last year. Consequently, the 2022 edition is being held in 2023.
18. What is the name of the ceremony which marks the end to the Republic Day celebrations?
[A] Beating Retreat Ceremony
[B] Martyrs’ Day Ceremony
[C] Presentation of Guard of Honour Ceremony
[D] Vijay Diwas Ceremony
Answer : [A] Beating Retreat Ceremony
The Beating Retreat Ceremony held in Vijay Chowk, Delhi, marks the end to the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations in India. It is also called ‘Beating the Retreat’. This year 29 Indian tunes were played by the music bands of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the State Police and the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF). Last year, an English hymn and a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi called Abide With Me was dropped.
19. Which cricketer won the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Sir Garfield Sobers award for cricketer of the year?
[A] Babar Azam
[B] Virat Kohli
[C] Rohit Sharma
[D] Joe Root
Answer : [A] Babar Azam
Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam wins the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Sir Garfield Sobers award for cricketer of the year. The Pakistan skipper was picked for both the ‘ODI Cricketer of the Year’ and the ‘Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of 2022’. He was the only player to breach the 2000-run mark in 2022 across all formats.
20. Mega International Container Transshipment Port (ICTP) is proposed to be constructed in which state/UT?
[A] Andaman and Nicobar Islands
[B] Lakshadweep
[C] Arunachal Pradesh
[D] Sikkim
Answer : [A] Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is working towards development of Mega International Container Transshipment Port (ICTP) at Galathea Bay of Great Nicobar Island of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The 41,000 crore international transshipment port at Great Nicobar Island aims to match with the global top container transshipment terminals. Other projects include, Airport, Township and power plant.