28th February 2023 Daily Current Affairs in English
1. ‘National Health Authority’s Scan and Share Service’ was launched as part of which scheme?
[A] Swachh Bharat Mission
[B] Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
[C] Mission Indradhanush
[D] Janani Suraksha Yojana
Answer : [B] Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
National Health Authority’s Scan and Share service has been adopted by 365 hospitals across 25 states and UTs in India within five months of its launch. It was launched as part of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. The service enables paperless and instant token generation for outpatient department (OPD) registration using a unique QR code displayed by participating hospitals.
2. Kaziranga National Park is located in which state?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Assam
[C] Odisha
[D] Sikkim
Answer : [B] Assam
Kaziranga National Park is a protected area located in the Indian state of Assam. It is home to a large population of one-horned rhinoceroses, As of 2018 census, 2,613 rhinos are living in the park. The Central government has sought a factual report on the rhino population numbers in the National Park and Tiger Reserve based on the survey conducted in March 2022. Earlier, an activist found the possibility of number of rhinos being inflated.
3. Which country launched the ‘National Green Fiscal Incentives Policy Framework’?
[A] USA
[B] Kenya
[C] UAE
[D] Australia
Answer : [B] Kenya
According to Kenya’s National Green Fiscal Incentives Policy Framework, the government is planning to introduce a traffic congestion charge and a new tax for manufactures who emit significant amounts of carbon. The purpose of this proposal is to reduce carbon emissions, alleviate air pollution, and tackle traffic congestion in major cities and towns.
4. Which state was ranked the top performer in the ‘Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Index 2022’?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Karnataka
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Answer : [A] West Bengal
The Institute for Competitiveness released the second edition of the Foundation Literacy and Numeracy Index 2022. It measures the literacy of children below the age of 10. The index measures states based on five key parameters including educational infrastructure, access to education, basic health, learning outcomes, and governance. It ranked West Bengal as the top performer and Uttar Pradesh as the lowest among large state category.
5. A mix of Fentanyl and animal tranquilizer called Xylazine, known as ‘Tranq Dope’ is causing concerns in which country?
[A] India
[B] Sri Lanka
[C] USA
[D] China
Answer : [C] USA
A dangerous mix of Fentanyl and animal tranquilizer ‘Xylazine’, known as “Tranq Dope”, is being said in the US. Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, is known for destructive effects on people’s skin. The substance is being used as a synthetic cutting agent for opioids like heroin and is causing outbreaks of skin inflections and overdoses in major cities across the country.
6. Tourette Syndrome, which was seen in the news, is associated with which branch of medicine?
[A] Cardiology
[B] Neurology
[C] Gynecology
[D] Ophthalmology
Answer : [B] Neurology
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary tics in individuals. These tics are sudden movements, sounds, or twitches that are repeated uncontrollably. A famous Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi recently went public about being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome. The University of Nottingham has developed the Neupulse device, aimed at reducing tics.
7. Which country launched the ‘Soyuz MS-23’ space flight?
[A] Russia
[B] Saudi Arabia
[C] Israel
[D] UAE
Answer : [A] Russia
Russia recently launched an uncrewed Soyuz spaceflight named Soyuz MS-23. The purpose of this mission is to replace the Soyuz MS spacecraft currently docked at the International Space Station. The Soyuz MS-22 capsule’s cooling system was found to be leaking. The new spacecraft will provide a safe and reliable means of transportation for future missions to and from the space station. The mission also includes the repairing of the leaking capsule.
8. What is the name of the small space rock, which is responsible for the coolant leakage of the Soyuz MS-22 capsule?
[A] Mini-meteoroid
[B] Micro-meteoroid
[C] Ultra-meteoroid
[D] Milli-meteoroid
Answer : [B] Micro-meteoroid
Micrometeoroid is a small space rock that weighs less than 1 gram. It is responsible for the coolant leakage of the Soyuz MS-22 capsule. This prevented the spacecraft from being either used as a refuge or a return vehicle as its cabin temperature cannot be regulated. As per International Astronomical Union (IAU), the term ‘meteoroid’ is used to describe any solid object that is found to be moving in space while being less than 1 meter in size.
9. United States conducted a simulated table-top exercise called ‘DSC TTX’, along with which country?
[A] India
[B] South Korea
[C] Japan
[D] China
Answer : [B] South Korea
The United States and South Korea recently conducted a simulated table-top exercise called DSC TTX. It is aimed at determining actions to be taken in the event of a possible nuclear attack by North Korea. The exercise was the eighth edition of the US and South Korean deterrence strategy committee table-top exercise.
10. Where is the Urban 20 Engagement Group’s inaugural event held?
[A] Bengaluru
[B] Ahmedabad
[C] Varanasi
[D] Guwahati
Answer : [B] Ahmedabad
The Urban 20 (U20) Engagement Group held its inaugural event in Ahmedabad, attended by more than 70 delegates from 42 cities. This is the largest recorded attendance since the inception of U20. The U20 meeting focused on the role of cities in economic prosperity and ecological harmony. The meeting aimed to equip city governments with on-ground solutions to close the gap between policy and practice.
11. Which country is the host of ‘Asia Pacific Conference of German Business’ in 2024?
[A] India
[B] Germany
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Sri Lanka
Answer : [A] India
The Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK) is a flagship event that provides platform to strengthen personal and economic ties between countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. India is likely to host the Asia Pacific Conference of German Businesses in 2024. This was announced during the visit by German chancellor Olaf Scholz to India. The visit largely focused on the war in Ukraine and cooperation in green hydrogen.
12. Tribeni, which is the host of Kumbho Mohotshav, is located in which state?
[A] Assam
[B] West Bengal
[C] Odisha
[D] Karnataka
Answer : [B] West Bengal
Tribeni Kumbho Mohotshav is an age-old festival that is celebrated on the banks of Ganga River. However, it was stopped 700 years ago and revived only 2 years ago by locals. Its origins can be traced back to thousands of years and it finds mention in Bengali literary works like Mangalakavya, Vaishnava literature, Shakta literature and others. Various Bengali traditional genres like Kirtan, Baul, Godiyo Nritto, Sree-Khol, Poter Gaan, and Chou-Nach were included.
13. ‘Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava’ Cultural Festival was inaugurated in which state/UT?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Mumbai
[C] Pune
[D] Chennai
Answer : [A] New Delhi
The ‘Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava’ cultural festival will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. The festival is part of the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ initiative of the Indian Government. The ‘Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava’ cultural festival celebrates the cultural heritage of Karnataka. It is organized under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. This festival will feature various art forms from Karnataka such as dance, music, drama, poetry etc.
14. ‘Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF)’ is a division of which institution?
[A] International Monetary Fund
[B] World Bank
[C] World Economic Forum
[D] Asian Development Bank
Answer : [A] International Monetary Fund
The Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) is a division of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that provides financial assistance to the world’s most impoverished countries. It was established in 1999, to replace the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility. The IMF recently sought urgent action from the international community to strengthen the global financial architecture, including global financial safety net and the debt resolution.
15. The first temple to use a mechanical, lifelike elephant for its rituals, is located in which state?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Odisha
Answer : [B] Kerala
The Irinjadappilly Sree Krishna Temple in Kerala’s Thrissur district has made history by being the first temple in India to use a mechanical, lifelike elephant for its rituals, instead of a live one. Named ‘Irinjadappilly Raman’, the robotic elephant was gifted to the temple by animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. It is used to promote cruelty-free ceremonies and support the rehabilitation and life of real elephants in forests.
16. Which department released the ‘Secretariat Reforms’ Report, which shows progress in government operations
[A] Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
[B] Department of Personnel and Training
[C] Department of Expenditure
[D] Department of Revenue
Answer : [A] Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances
The 2nd Edition of the Secretariat Reforms report for January 2023 shows significant progress in various areas of government operations like decision-making and public services. It was released by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). The report focused on areas such as Swachhata Campaign, efficiency in government decision-making, e-Office implementation and the government’s best practices.
17. The 18th World Security Congress witnessed the adoption of which declaration?
[A] Varanasi Declaration
[B] Jaipur Declaration
[C] Pune Declaration
[D] Mysuru Declaration
Answer : [B] Jaipur Declaration
The conclusion of the 18th World Security Congress witnessed the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration. It was held jointly by India’s Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Paris-based International Union of Railways (UIC). This globally-recognized platform focuses on the current security challenges in the railways sector.
18. Which country created a ‘Recovery Visa’ recently to help bring in specialist workers?
[A] India
[B] New Zealand
[C] China
[D] Sri Lanka
Answer : [B] New Zealand
New Zealand created a Recovery Visa recently to help bring in specialist workers required to support the rebuilding efforts in the disaster-hit regions of the country. It was launched after the Gabrielle cyclone and Auckland flooding. It covers experts such as insurance assessors, infrastructure and utilities engineers and technicians, heavy machinery operators and debris removal workers.
19. Phukot Karnali Hydropower Project is associated with which country?
[A] Singapore
[B] Nepal
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Myanmar
Answer : [B] Nepal
Nepal is planning to develop the Phukot Karnali Hydropower Project, a semi-reservoir hydropower project with a capacity of 480 MW. It is to be built through collaboration between India’s National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and Nepal’s Vidyut Utpadan Company Ltd (VUCL). The surplus electricity from this hydroelectric project will be exported to India and Nepal will get 21.9% free energy monthly from the project.
20. As per the CSE Annual Green School Award, which state was recognized as the Best Green State?
[A] Himachal Pradesh
[B] Assam
[C] West Bengal
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Answer : [A] Himachal Pradesh
New Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) recently announced the Annual Green School Awards. The schools underwent an audit process to assess their resource management and environment-friendly practices on campus. Nineteen schools were awarded the topmost Annual Green School Award. Additionally, the programme recognized Himachal Pradesh as the Best Green State.