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Current Affairs Quiz: 15 March 2023

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AffairsCloud brings you the complete and important daily Current Affairs Quiz 15 March 2023 to achieve more marks in Banking, Insurance, UPSC, SSC, CLAT, Railways and all other competitive Exams. We have prepared the current affairs quiz question from our daily current affairs 2023 updates.

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    1. In which city, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari has recently (in March ‘23) unveiled India’s first and world’s second 100% methanol-powered 10-tonne prototype truck?
      1) Surat, Gujarat
      2) Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
      3) Bengaluru, Karnataka
      4) Pune, Maharashtra
      5) Indore, Madhya Pradesh
      Answer-3) Bengaluru, Karnataka
      Explanation:
      The union minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways unveiled India’s first and world’s second 100% methanol-powered 10-tonne prototype truck in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
      • The technology of converting diesel, petrol and CNG (Compressed natural gas) engines into operating on 100% methanol (M100) is an initiative under a developmental programme undertaken by the NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) along with the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) Ashok Leyland and IISc (Indian Institute of Science) with financial assistance from the Department of Science and Technology(DST).
      • The technology was piloted in BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) buses and Ashok Leyland trucks.
      i. Nitin Gadkari also launched 10 MD15 (15% blending of methanol with diesel) BMTC buses.
      • NITI Aayog, IOC (Indian Oil Corporation) and ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) Pune, Maharashtra have decided to conduct field trials in three cities with 20 transport buses for a period of three months.

    2. Name the Asia’s 1st female loco pilot who recently (in March ‘23) became the first woman loco pilot of Vande Bharat Express train.
      1) Rangoli Patel
      2) Surekha Yadav
      3) Bhavna
      4) Sarita Khushwah
      5) Bala Sivaparvathi
      Answer-2) Surekha Yadav
      Explanation:
      Surekha Yadav, hailing from Satara, Maharashtra, Asia’s 1st female loco pilot, became the 1st woman to drive the recently launched semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express train.
      • On 13th March 2023, Surekha Yadav piloted the semi-high-speed train between Solapur station and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
      • Surekha Yadav became India’s 1st female train driver in 1988.

    3. Which of the following points is/are “Correct” with respect to the 5th edition of the global survey report of IQAir ‘World Air Quality Report 2022’ released in March 2023?
      A) Lahore (Pakistan), became the city with the worst air in the world in 2022 and Chad (central Africa) became the most air polluted country by replacing Bangladesh in 2022.
      B) India has ranked 7th in the 2022 report with PM2.5 levels of 53.3 µg/m3 (from 58.1 µg/m3 in 2021).
      C) Guam (American island) had the cleanest air of any nation, with a PM2.5 concentration of just 1.3 µg/m3.

      1) Only A
      2) Only A & B
      3) Only B & C
      4) Only A & C
      5) All A, B & C
      Answer-4) Only A & C
      Explanation:
      According to the 5th edition of the annual global survey report of IQAir, ‘World Air Quality Report 2022’, Lahore (Pakistan), became the city with the worst air in the world in 2022, (up from 15th in 2021). Chad in central Africa replaced Bangladesh as the country with the most polluted air in 2022 with PM2.5 levels of 89.7 µg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter).
      • The amount of PM2.5 (Particulate Matter 2.5) particles per cubic meter in the air in Lahore increased from 86.5 µg/m3 in 2021 to 97.4 µg/m3 in 2022, making it the most polluted city on earth.
      • Although India has some of the world’s most polluted cities, it ranks 8th in the 2022 report with PM2.5 levels of 53.3 µg/m3 (from 58.1 µg/m3 in 2021).
      i. With PM2.5 levels of 94.3µg/m3, Hotan, the only Chinese city in the top 20, came in second to Lahore (Rank 1), a decrease from the 101.5 levels recorded in 2021.
      ii. The next two cities in the rankings were both Indian: Bhiwadi, on the outskirts of Delhi, with pollution levels of 92.7µg/m3, while Delhi was close behind at 92.6µg/m3.
      iii. Guam, an American island in the Pacific, had the cleanest air of any nation, with a PM2.5 concentration of just 1.3 µg/m3 and Canberra (Australia) had the cleanest air of any capital city, at 2.8 µg/m3.

    4. Which organisation of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has recently (in March ‘23) received Infrastructure Finance Company (IFC) status from Reserve Bank of India (RBI)?
      1) Association of Renewable Energy Agencies of States
      2) Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited
      3) Commission for Additional Sources of Energy
      4) Central Electricity Authority
      5) Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency
      Answer-5) Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency
      Explanation:
      On March 13, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted Infrastructure Finance Company (IFC) status to the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) enabling the latter to take higher exposure in RE (Renewable Energy) financing.
      • This IFC status will also help the company to access a wider investor base for fund mobilization.
      • Earlier IREDA was classified as an ‘Investment and Credit Company (ICC)’.
      i. This status has acknowledged IREDA’s 36 years of infrastructure financing and development with focused development of renewable energy.

    5. Which Small Finance Bank (SFB) has recently (in March ‘23) launched a ‘Blossom Women’s Savings Account’ for women customers with a 7% interest rate?
      1) Equitas SFB
      2) ESAF SFB
      3) Suryoday SFB
      4) Ujjivan SFB
      5) Capital SFB
      Answer-3) Suryoday SFB
      Explanation:
      On March 13, 2023, the Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SFB) launched a new savings account ‘Blossom Women’s Savings Account’, designed for women customers with up to a 7% interest rate per annum.
      • The account was created to support women to enable them to confidently save, invest and move towards achieving their financial goals.
      i. Eligibility: Women Resident individual above 18 years of age. Minimum Balance Requirement – Average Monthly Balance: Rs. 10,000.
      ii. The account offers monthly interest credit along with a specially designed RuPay Platinum Debit Card which offers discounts on shopping and online purchases.
      iii. As per the Suryoday SFB’s statement, around 79% of women (between the ages of 15-49 years) had a savings account in 2021, as compared to 53% in 2016, a nearly 50% increase in five years.

    6. In March 2023, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) infused Rs. ________________into the banking system through a 14-day Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction.
      1) Rs 82,650 crore
      2) Rs 80,950 crore
      3) Rs 72,500 crore
      4) Rs 79,700 crore
      5) Rs 85,900 crore
      Answer-1) Rs 82,650 crore
      Explanation:
      On 10th March 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) infused liquidity amounting to Rs 82,650 crore into the banking system through a 14-day Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auction. Under the VRR auction, Banks borrowed Rs 82,650 crore against the announced Rs 1 lakh crore (USD 12.19 billion)at a weighted average rate of 6.53%.
      i. In the bi-monthly monetary policy review, on February 8, 2023, Shaktikanta Das, RBI Governor, noted that the RBI would be modulated by the scheduled redemption of LTRO (long-term repo operation) and TLTRO (Targeted LTRO) funds from February to April 2023.

    7. For which book, Gyan Chaturvedi has recently (in March ‘23) selected for the 32nd Vyas Samman (2022)?
      1) Alag
      2) Pagalkhana
      3) Ham Na Marab
      4) Khamosh Nange Hamam Mein Hain
      5) Marichika
      Answer-2) Pagalkhana
      Explanation:
      Pagalkhana, a satirical Hindi novel authored by Dr Gyan Chaturvedi, a renowned Hindi Writer and Padma Shri Awardee (2015), has been selected for the 32nd Vyas Samman (2022). The book was published by Rajkamal Prakashan in 2018.
      • The selection committee headed by eminent litterateur Prof Ramji Tiwari chose Dr Chaturvedi’s Pagalkhana (mental asylum) as the winner of Vyas Samman 2022.
      i. Dr Gyan Chaturvedi was honoured with Padma Shri in 2015 for Literature and Education (Madhya Pradesh) by the Government of India.
      ii. He was the recipient of many awards such as Sharad Joshi Samman (2004-2005) from the Government of Madhya Pradesh, the Delhi Academy Award and the Indu Sharma Katha Samman (2002).
      iii. He published many books such as “Ham Na Marab”, “Khamosh Nange Hamam Mein Hain”, “Marichika”, “Alag” and “Pratyansha”.

    8. Who was recently (in March ‘23) appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) by replacing Bishnu Charan Patnaik?
      1) Ranjan Sharma
      2) Vinod Kumar Verma
      3) Anil Kumar
      4) Tablesh Pandey
      5) Raj Kamal
      Answer-4) Tablesh Pandey
      Explanation:
      On 14th March 2023, the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India, a public sector life insurance company, elevated Tablesh Pandey, the Executive Director of LIC, to the position of Managing Director (MD) of the LIC, with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the office on or after 1st April 2023.
      • Tablesh Pandey will replace the current Managing Director Bishnu Charan Patnaik.
      Note: Currently, the LIC has 4 Managing Directors. The other 3 Managing Directors are M Jagannath, Siddhartha Mohanty (Interim Chairman), and Mini Ipe
      i. Additionally, LIC appointed Siddhartha Mohanty as the interim Chairman for three months with effect from 14th March 2023.

    9. Which of the following points is “Incorrect” with respect to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 held in March 2023?
      1) India has clinched the four-match Test series of India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 for the record 11th time & qualified for the World Test Championship final.
      2) Indian Team spinner Ravindra Jadeja became the 1st fastest bowler to take 450 Test wickets in 89 matches in terms of Tests played.
      3) Virat Kohli became the second-highest run-getter against Australia in international cricket & the fastest batsman to score 75 international centuries, he achieved the feat in 552 innings.
      4) Indian Cricket Team’s all rounder Ravindra Jadeja became the second player in India to take 503 wickets and score 5,527 runs in 298 international matches across 241 innings.
      5) Axar Patel has become the fastest Indian to complete 50 wickets in Test cricket in terms of balls bowled (2,205) by surpassing Jasprit Bumrah (2,465).
      Answer-2) Indian Team spinner Ravindra Jadeja became the 1st fastest bowler to take 450 Test wickets in 89 matches in terms of Tests played.
      Explanation:
      India has clinched the four-match Test series of India vs Australia Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 by 2-1 for the record 11th time. With this, India booked their place into the final of the World Test Championship.
      • The fourth and final BGT Test held at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat was concluded in a draw.
      • Indian Team spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the second fastest bowler to take 450 Test wickets in 89 matches in terms of Tests played. He has followed Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan who achieved this landmark in 80 matches.
      • He also became just the second Indian bowler to reach 450 Test wickets after Anil Kumble (619), who had achieved the feat in 93 matches.
      • Virat Kohli completed 75 centuries in his 494th international appearance in the fourth and final Test. He also became the fastest batter to complete 25,000 international runs, accomplishing the feat in 549 innings.
      • He surpassed Brian Lara by becoming the second-highest run-getter against Australia in international cricket.
      • Axar Patel has become the fastest Indian to complete 50 wickets in Test cricket in terms of balls bowled (2,205) by surpassing Jasprit Bumrah (2,465).
      • Indian Cricket Team’s all rounder Ravindra Jadeja became the second player in India to take 503 wickets and score 5,527 runs in 298 international matches across 241 innings at an average of 33.29.
      • Ravichandran Ashwin moves to number one spot in the Icc Men’s Test bowling rankings by succeeding England pacer James Anderson.
      • Star Sports Network, the official broadcaster of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has roped in eight sponsors for Test and ODI series between India and Australia from February 9 to March 22.

    10. What is the theme of International Day of Mathematics (IDM) 2023 that was observed across the globe on 14th March 2023?
      1) Mathematics Unites
      2) Mathematics for a Better World
      3) Mathematics for Everyone
      4) Mathematics and its Importance in the Growth of Humanity
      5) Mathematics is Everywhere
      Answer-3) Mathematics for Everyone
      Explanation:
      International Day of Mathematics (IDM) 2023 was observed across the globe on 14th March 2023 with the theme of “Mathematics for Everyone”.
      i. The day is observed to create awareness about the importance of mathematics in addressing the challenges in areas like Artificial Intelligence(AI), climate change, energy and sustainable development.
      ii. In the month/date format, March 14th represents the value of Pi(often represented by the lower-case Greek letter π), 3.14, which defines the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.