AffairsCloud brings you the complete and important daily Current Affairs Quiz 18 August 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.
Our Current Affairs August 2023 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Current Affairs Quiz.
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- Which state government has recently (in August ‘23) announced a plan to establish India’s first Common Testing Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) (drones) under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS)?
1) Tamil Nadu
2) Maharashtra
3) Odisha
4) Andhra Pradesh
5) Uttar Pradesh
Answer & Explanation
Answer-1) Tamil Nadu
Explanation:
Tamil Nadu (TN) is set to establish India’s first Common Testing Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) (drones) under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS). The centre will be established at a cost of Rs 45 crore over an area of 2.3 acres at the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) Industrial Park, Vallam Vadagal near Sriperumbudur in Kanchipuram district, TN.
i. It would be established by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO), which is the nodal agency for implementing the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor (TNDIC), which aims to provide an ecosystem for the aerospace and defence industry in the region.
ii. The Centre will enable TN to become a significant contributor to the Self-reliance of India in the aerospace & defence sector.
- Which organisation/Bank has recently approved a USD 40.5 million loan for an integrated project focussing on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Maternal Mental Health in Meghalaya, India?
1) World Health Organization
2) Asian Development Bank
3) United Nations Children’s Fund
4) New Development Bank
5) African Development Bank
Answer & Explanation
Answer-2) Asian Development Bank
Explanation:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 40.5 million loan for an integrated project focussing on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Maternal Mental Health in Meghalaya. The Government of Meghalaya is contributing USD 15.27 million to the project.
i. This initiative attempts to focus on daycare centers known as Anganwadi centers (AWC), aiming to enhance access to nurturing care including crucial elements such as maternal mental health support and inclusive group-based parenting programs involving fathers.
ii. The project is initiated to strengthen home-based childcare for children aged 0 – 1.5 years and center-based childcare for those aged 1.5 – 6 years.
iii. The ADB-supported project will upgrade 1,800 AWCs and construct around 600 new AWCs in remote and challenging areas with climate-resilient designs.
- Name the bank that has recently (in August ‘23) launched Jeevan Dhara, a unique savings bank account designed for pensioners.
1) Canara Bank
2) Union Bank of India
3) Bank of Baroda
4) Bank of India
5) Indian Bank
Answer & Explanation
Answer-1) Canara Bank
Explanation:
Canara Bank launched Canara Jeevan Dhara, a unique savings bank account designed for pensioners and those who are planning for retirement, including all the employees who retired on a voluntary basis or standard retirement procedures.
Variants:
• Under this scheme, the bank provides two variants based on the amount of pension credit.
• Diamonds account is designed for pension credits of up to Rs 50,000.
• Platinum account caters to pension credits exceeding Rs 50,000.
- As per the All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) released by National Statistical Office (NSO) in August 2023, India’s retail inflation rate hiked to __________ in July, 2023 surpassing the upper limit of the RBI’s 2-6% tolerance range.
1) 7.16%
2) 7.21%
3) 6.32%
4) 7.44%
5) 6.89%
Answer & Explanation
Answer-4) 7.44%
Explanation:
As per the All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) released by National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), India’s retail inflation rate hiked to 7.44% in July, 2023 surpassing the upper limit of the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 2-6% tolerance range. The inflation rate recorded 4.87% in June 2023.
• This is due to a surge in prices of vegetables, cereals, pulses, spices and milk.
i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has increased its inflation forecast for the current FY2024 to 5.4% from the earlier estimate of 5.1%.
ii. Rajasthan registered the highest inflation rate at 9.66%, followed by Jharkhand at 9.16%, Tamil Nadu at 8.95%, Odisha at 8.67%, and Uttarakhand at 8.58%.
iii. In July 2023, wholesale prices continued to display deflationary trends for the fourth consecutive month. This notable increase in food and primary article prices led to a substantial reduction in the overall price decline, narrowing it to (-)1.36%.
- Name the personality who has recently (in August ‘23) given an additional charge as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA).
1) Ajay Kumar
2) Faiz Ahmed Kidwai
3) Ashok Dalwai
4) Chanchal Kumar
5) Jayanth Dalwai
Answer & Explanation
Answer-2) Faiz Ahmed Kidwai
Explanation:
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has issued an order appointing Faiz Ahmed Kidwai as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) on an additional charge basis.
• This appointment is effective for a period of 9 months starting from June 5, 2023, until the appointment of a new CEO or until further orders.
• He is currently serving as the Additional Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare(DA&FW), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare(MoA&FW).
• Faiz Ahmed Kidwai succeeds Dr. Ashok Dalwai, who was serving as CEO of NRAA since July 2017.
i. Anuradha Thakur has been given additional charge as the Director of Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), a statutory corporate fraud investigating agency in India, for a period of 6 months with effect from 31st July 2023, till the appointment of regular incumbent or until further orders.
- Who has been recently (in August ‘23) given an additional charge as the Managing Director (MD) of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL)?
1) Riten Kumar Singh
2) Atul Kumar
3) Mahmood Ahmed
4) Ashish Gupta
5) Ramesh Kumar Pahuja
Answer & Explanation
Answer-3) Mahmood Ahmed
Explanation:
Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), has been given additional charge as the Managing Director (MD) of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) under the MoRTH.
• Mahmood Ahmed is a 1993 batch Indian Post & Telecommunication Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS) officer.
• He will hold the post till the appointment of the regular incumbent or until further orders.
• The post has been vacant since Chanchal Kumar, MD of NHIDCL, was moved to the Ministry of Civil Aviation(MCA) as Officer On Special Duty(OSD).
- Name the Institute that has recently (in August ‘23) discovered a unique carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star “HE 1005-1439”.
1) Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru (Karnataka)
2) Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational-Sciences, Nainital (Uttarakhand)
3) Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Mumbai (Maharashtra)
4) Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru (Karnataka)
5) Institute of Nano Science and Technology, Mohali (Punjab)
Answer & Explanation
Answer- 1) Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru (Karnataka)
Explanation:
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru, Karnataka have discovered a unique star named “HE 1005-1439”. This star defies the conventional classification of stars and stands out as a carbon-enhanced metal-poor (CEMP) star, a rare class of chemically peculiar stars.
i. CEMP stars have [C/Fe] (Carbon/Iron) > +1, compared to the Sun CEMP stars have carbon enhanced at least 10 times more than iron, and [Fe/H] (Iron/Hydrogen) < -1, meaning that iron is less than a 10th that in the Sun.
ii. The discovery of the new star challenges the previous understanding of star formation processes.
- Name the Pakistani cricketer who has recently (in August ‘2023) announced his retirement from all forms of cricket?
1) Shaheen Afridi
2) Fakhar Zaman
3) Abbas Afridi
4) Mohammad Amir
5) Wahab Riaz
Answer & Explanation
Answer-5) Wahab Riaz
Explanation:
Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz announced his retirement from international cricket across all formats. He continues to play in franchise cricket.
• He has been serving as the caretaker Sports Minister of the Punjab province in Pakistan since January 2023.
• Wahab Riaz made his international debut in an ODI against Zimbabwe in 2008.
i. He was part of the Pakistan team in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s World Cup (ODI) in 2011, 2015 and 2019 & He was also the leading wicket taker for Pakistan in 2015 World Cup with 17 wickets.
ii. At present, he is playing Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Lanka Premier League (LPL), and County cricket in England.
- Name the state government that has recently (in August ‘23) launched ‘Athidhi Portal’ for the registration of migrant workers.
1) Karnataka
2) Kerala
3) Andhra Pradesh
4) Tamil Nadu
5) Telangana
Answer & Explanation
Answer-2) Kerala
Explanation:
Kerala government has launched a user-friendly web portal named ‘Athidhi Portal’, for the registration of migrant workers in Kerala. The portal will establish a unique identification system to streamline the registration process.
i. The portal will allow the government to address the grievances against sexual crimes allegedly committed by migrant workers.
ii. The portal will serve as a centralised platform to collect and manage information about workers, ensuring they have access to essential social security benefits.
- In August 2023, ________ (state) became the 1st state in India to provide free In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) therapy.
1) Tamil Nadu
2) Telangana
3) Karnataka
4) Goa
5) Andhra Pradesh
Answer & Explanation
Answer-4) Goa
Explanation:
Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa inaugurated free In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) therapy at the Goa Medical College (GMC) in Bambolim,Goa along with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI).
i. With this, Goa has become the first state in the country to offer free artificial insemination treatment.
ii. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment is the most common method of artificial insemination for parents who are unable to conceive naturally.
iii. GMC is the first hospital in the country to offer free IVF treatment. Patients will not be charged. The entire funding will come from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
- Which state government has recently (in August ‘23) announced a plan to establish India’s first Common Testing Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) (drones) under the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme (DTIS)?
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