Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 30th April 2023
1. Which institution prepares the National Health Account (NHA) estimates for India?
[A] WHO
[B] NITI Aayog
[C] AIIMS
[D] NHSRC
Answer: [D] NHSRC
The National Health Account (NHA) estimates report is prepared by National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), under the Union Health Ministry. The report is being released since 2014 and the 7th report for 2019-20 is released recently. The NHA estimates are prepared by using an accounting framework based on the internationally accepted standard of System of Health Accounts, 2011, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. Nagorno-Karabakh is a region which is disputed between which 2 countries?
[A] Armenia and Azerbaijan
[B] Russia and Ukraine
[C] USA and Mexico
[D] Nepal and China
Answer: [A] Armenia and Azerbaijan
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked mountainous region in the South Caucasus that is disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The two countries, both formerly part of the Soviet Union – have fought repeatedly over the last 35 years for control of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan had recently set up a checkpoint at the start of L. Lachin corridor, the only land route that links Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh.
3. ‘Big Catch-up’ Initiative is launched by which organization?
[A] IMF
[B] FAO
[C] WHO
[D] RBI
Answer: [C] WHO
The Big Catch-up is launched by the World Health Organisation, as a part of World Immunisation Week. Under this, WH0 along with other public health organizations is working to restore progress made in the immunization coverage that was lost due to the pandemic. It will pay special attention on 10 countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan to restore essential immunization coverage to at least 2019 levels.
4. Which organization has released the World Development Report 2023?
[A] IMF
[B] World Bank
[C] ADB
[D] AIIB
Answer: [B] World Bank
The World Bank has released the “World Development Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies”. According to this report, around 184 million people across the globe lack citizenship to the country in which they live. The report proposes a framework to maximize the development impacts of cross-border movenments on both destination and origin Countries.
5. Which space agency is associated with the ‘Future Circular Collider project’?
[A] ISRO
[B] NASA
[C] CERN
[D] JAXA
Answer: [C] CERN
The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is currently working on the first phase of its Future Circular Collider (FCC) project. The Future Circular Collider is expected to be a potential successor of the Large Hadron Collider – the world’s largest and most powerful accelerator that was started in 2008.
6. How many Zero Shadow Day occurs in a year for places between Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn?
[A] One
[B] Two
[C] Three
[D] Four
Answer: [B] Two
For people living between +23.5 and -23.5 degrees latitude, the Sun’s declination will be equal to their latitude twice – once during Uttarayan and once during Dakshinayan. On Such occasions, Sun will be exactly overhead at noon and will not cast a shadow of an object on the ground. Uttarayan (movement of the Sun from south to north from winter solstice to summer solstice) and Dakshinayan (back from north to south) happen because Earth’s rotation axis is tilted at an angle of roughly 23.5° to the axis of revolution around the Sun.
7. As per the recently released NHA Estimates for India 2019-20, which is the share of Out-of Pocket Expenditure (0OPE) in total Healthy Expenditure (THE)?
[A] 47.1%
[B] 59.2%
[C] 60.4%
[D] 90.1%
Answer: [A] 47.1%
As per the recently released National Health Account (NHA) estimates report for India 2019-20, the share of Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (0OPE) in total Health Expenditure (THE) has declined from 62.6% to 47.1%., The continuous decline in the 00PE in the overall health spending is observed to be in line with the increased public spending in health care, which show progress towards Universal Health Coverage in India.
8. Where was the Advantage Healthcare India (AHCI) 2023 conference held?
[A] Mumbai
[B] Kochi
[C] Hyderabad
[D] New Delhi
Answer: [D] New Delhi
Advantage Healthcare India (AHCI) is a leading event in South East Asia focused on the medical value travel industry. It is a 2-day event held at Pragathi Maidan, New Delhi at the side lines of G20 meetingsS. The aim of the event was to create a a platform for all important stakeholder groups across the health care industry, ensuring rich takeaways and immense learning and networking opportunities for all participants.
9. Spheroidal carbonaceous particle is a component of?
[A] Fly Ash
[B] Saw Dust
[C] Dry Ice
[D] Common Salt
Answer: [A] Fly Ash
Spheroidal carbonaceous particle (SCP) component of fly ash and is a by-product of industrial high-temperature combustion af coal and fuel-oil. Recently, researchers from British Antarctic Survey and the University College London, for the first time identified SCP in an Antarctic ice core. The sample dated back to 1936, indicating physical markers of fossil fuel combustion have been trapped in ice layers for decades.
10. Using which type of waves, the composition of Mars’s core composition has been predicted by NASA?
[A] X Ray Waves
[B] Gama Ray Waves
[C] Neutrino Ray Waves
[D] Seismic Waves
Answer: [D] Seismic Waves
Scientists of NASA have observed seismic waves traveling through Mars’ core for the first time, using which they have predicted the composition of the planet’s core. The seismic data was collected by the NASA InSight lander. The data reveals that, Mars core is filled with liquid iron- alloy core with high percentages of sulphur and oxygen.
11. Which insect, has been reared in Himachal Pradesh, for pollination of Apple fruit crops?
[A] Italian Bee
[B] Moth
[C] Dragonfly
[D] Beetle
Answer: [A] Italian Bee
Italian bees, also known as Apis mellifera, were first brought to India in 1962 and reared in Nagrota, Himachal Pradesh. These bees are used to pollination of Apple fruit crops in the region. Recently, unseasonal rain and snowfall in Himachal Pradesh is said to have killed Italian honeybees thereby causing huge losses for apple growers. Most bee deaths have been reported from Shimla, Kinnaur, Lahaul Spiti and Kullu districts, which are at an elevation of 2.13 kilometres or above.
12. As per a recent study, trees and crops endemic to which country have higher ‘Air Pollution Tolerance Index’?
[A] India
[B] Brazil
[C] Chile
[D] Sri Lanka
Answer: [A] India
The Air Pollution Tolerance Index is a tool used to assess the tolerance capacity of a crop or tree species against air pollution. A new study has found that certain trees and crops endemic to India have high APTI. Trees such as pipal, neem, mango and crops like maize, pigeon pea and safflower, wvhich are endemic to India can help lower the impact of air pollution by absorbing and filtering pollutants.
13. Recently, the second deepest blue hole was discovered off the coast of Yucatan Peninsula in which country?
[A] USA
[B] Mexica
[C] Russia
[D] UAE
Answer: [B] Mexica
Blue holes are large undersea vertical caves or sink holes found in the coastal regions. Recently, the second deepest blue hole was discovered off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsulla in Mexico. The new blue hole has about 900 feet deep, and it is behind only one other in depth-the Dragon Hole in the South China Sea.
14. When is the ‘World Intellectual Property Day’ observed?
[A] April 24
[B] April 26
[C] April 28
[D] April 30
Answer: [B] April 26
The World Intellectual Property Day is observed every year on April 26. It raises global awareness about intellectual properties and their protection. The WIPO convention came into effect in 1970 and, in the year 2000, WIPO’s member states declared April 26 as World Intellectual Property.
15. Which Union Ministry launched the ‘Pashudhan Jagruti Abhiyaan’?
[A] Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry andDairying
[B] Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
[C] Ministry of Rural Development
[D] Ministry of Home Affairs
Answer: [A] Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
Pashudhan Jagruti Abhiyaan is an awareness programme launched by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. It is organized as part of the Aazadi Ka Amrit Mahostav to increase farmers’ understanding of the latest. practices and techniques in animal husbandry and dairy farming.
16. ‘Piarosoma arunachalensis’, which was recently discovered, belongs to which species?
[A] Moth
[B] Spider
[C] Turtle
[D] Snake
Answer: [A] Moth
Piarosoma arunachalensis is a new species of moth found at the Tale Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh. This discovery records the first-time spotting of a species belonging to the Piarosoma genus in India and it is the 12th species across the world.
17. ‘Cyber National Mission Force’ is associated with which country?
[A] India
[B] USA
[C] Russia
[D] Israel
Answer: [B] USA
The Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF) comes under the aegis of the US Department of Defense. It is responsible for combating foreign malicious cyber actors and aiding foreign governments fight hackers. The United States is sending more of its cyber forces abroad to help foreign governments fight hackers. In the last three years, CNMF has conducted 47 such defensive operations across 20 countries.
18. Scientists from which country has developed ‘Mobile Vaccine Printer’?
[A] India
[B] USA
[C] Russia
[D] Israel
Answer: [B] USA
Mobile vaccine printer is an innovative technology developed by researchers at MIT. This small device is capable of producing hundreds of vaccine doses within a single day. It has the potential to provide vital vaccines to individuals in remote regions who lack the required resources for conventional vaccine storage and transportation.
19. Which state/UT launched the ‘5T School Transformation Programme’?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Odisha
[C] Jharkhand
[D] Telangana
Answer: [B] Odisha
Odisha Chief Minister recently launched the third phase of the 5T School Transformation Programme. It will help equip schools with modern technology, digital and smart classrooms, e-library and laboratories. He inauqurated 357 transformed schools in four districts.
20. Parkash Singh Badal, who passed away recently, was the former Chief Minister of which state?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
[B] Punjab
[C] Gujarat
[D] Jharkhand
Answer: [B] Punjab
Parkash Singh Badal, who passed away recently, was the former Chief Minister of Punjab and senior leader of Shiromani Akali Dal The five- time Chief Minister visited Pakistan with Vajpayee in 1999, and was accompanied by veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar, writer-poet Javed Akhtar, and actor Dev Anand, among others.