Daily Current Affairs Today MCQ : 17 February 2023 Quiz

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National Aadi Mahotsav on 16th February 2023 at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi.

TRIFED is engaging with top designers to ensure quality and contemporary designs in tribal products, at the same time maintaining their originality.

The present edition of the flagship event of TRIFED has the theme of “A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Crafts, Culture, Cuisine, and Commerce”, which represents the basic ethos of tribal life.

More than 1000 tribal artisans and artists from 28 States/UTs will be participating in the festival.

This includes tribal cooks from 19 States/UTs for which 20 food stalls are being set up.

Mumbai has been ranked as the most-polluted city in India and second most polluted city globally, according to Swiss air tracking index IQAir.

On January 29, Mumbai was ranked 10th in the rankings for the poorest position.

Mumbai then clinched the second spot on February 2 before falling in the following days.

Then it again rose to take the second place on February 8.

On February 13, Mumbai took over Delhi as the most polluted city in India and was the third most unhealthy city worldwide for air quality worldwide.

Top 5 most-polluted cities worldwide -

Lahore (Pakistan), Mumbai (India), Kabul (Afghanistan), Kaohsiung (Taiwan) and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).

IQAir -

IQAir, a Swiss air tracking index and a real-time worldwide air quality monitor, collaborates with UNEP and Greenpeace and measures air quality in India using data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The cities are categorised into ’healthy’, unhealthy’ and ’hazardous’ as per US air quality index (AQI) standards, which are more stringent than in India.

The public sector oil refineries in India are estimated to build green hydrogen capacity of 137,000 (1.37 lakh) tonnes per annum (TPA) by 2030.

If fructified, besides boosting the economy with investments and jobs, this massive capacity building in the green hydrogen sector would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a large way.

Dr S S V Ramakumar, Director of R&D, Indian Oil Corporation has revealed the above information while speaking at the India Energy Week in Bengaluru.

Indian Oil would first put up a seven thousand TPA electrolysis plant at its Panipat refinery.

Also, Dr Ramakumar opined that biomass gasification is a better way of producing green hydrogen in India.

Green Hydrogen -

Green hydrogen is a type of hydrogen that is produced through the electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power.

The electrolysis process splits water into hydrogen and oxygen, and the hydrogen produced can be used as a clean and renewable fuel.

Uses -

Chemical industry: Manufacturing ammonia and fertilisers.

Petrochemical industry: Production of petroleum products.

Furthermore, it is starting to be used in the steel industry, a sector which is under considerable pressure in Europe because of its polluting effect.

Drone startup Garuda Aerospace has unveiled its solar-powered drone "SURAJ" designed specifically for surveillance operations, at Aero India 2023.

SURAJ is an ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) high-altitude drone designed specifically for surveillance operations, providing "real-time information to the high command and protecting jawans on the ground".

Principal Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister and former DRDO Chief Dr Satheesh Reddy unveiled it.

Recently, Garuda Aerospace had raised USD 22 Million, the "largest ever" Series A funding in the drone sector.

The drone is all set to support various Indian and global giants namely the Indian Army, Navy, Airforce, BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, DRDO, MOD, and MHA the company said in a release.

Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the IFFCO Nano Urea Liquid Plants at Aonla and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Dr Mandaviya stated that it is an important day because Nano urea plants have been dedicated to the nation.

He informed that Nano Urea, in the coming times will ensure the progress of the farmers and increase their income.

The Union Minister highlighted the benefits of Nano urea stating that it is the best green technology and provides solutions to pollution.

It saves the soil and also increases productivity and hence is the best for the farmers.

Key Points -

It is an alternate fertilizer. The farmers for years used urea and DAP to increase productivity. When urea is used, only 35% Nitrogen (Urea) gets used by the crop and the unused affects the soil.

The Ministry of Tourism under its schemes of "Swadesh Darshan" and "National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD)" has identified four pilgrim centers for development.

They provide financial assistance to State Governments/UT Administrations etc for the development of tourism infrastructure in the country.

The Ministry of Tourism has revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) to develop sustainable and responsible tourism destinations.

Under SD2.0, the Ministry has identified "Hampi" and "Mysuru" as destinations for development.

Pilgrim Centres Identified by Ministry of Tourism in Karnataka -

(i) Development of Maa Chamundeshwari Devi Temple, Mysuru, Karnataka

(ii) Sri Madhwa Vana, Kunjarugiri, Udupi District

(iii) Papnash Temple, Bidar District

(iv) Sri Renuka Yallamma Temple, Saudatti, Belagavi District

In Aero India, the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has received the Indian Technical Standard Order (ITSO) authorisation from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for its indigenously developed Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR). CVR and FDR are popularly known as "black boxes".

However, these recorders are painted in orange colour to help in their recovery following an aircraft accident.

CVR and FDR are used to record critical flight parameters and audio environment in a crash proof memory which is later used for investigation of aircraft incident or accident.

The term “black box” was a World War II British phrase, originating with the development of radio, radar, and electronic navigational aids in British and Allied combat aircraft.

Vodafone Idea appointed Murthy GVAS as the interim Chief Financial Officer and Key Managerial Personnel of the company, effective from February 15.

Murthy is currently designated as the executive vice-president, financial controller and head of taxation.

Murthy GVAS has 32 years of experience and expertise in finance operations, consolidation, compliance, taxation, systems integration, mergers and acquisitions.

The chartered accountant with over 32 years spent in the trade, Murthy had a six-year stint at Tata Steel before joining Vodafone.

He joined Vodafone in April 2000 making him experienced in the telecom sector for nearly 23 years.

Vodafone Idea Ltd:

Founded: 31 August 2018

Headquarters: Mumbai (Corp.), Gandhinagar (Reg.)

Chairman: Ravinder Takkar

CEO: Akshay Moondra

India Women all-rounder Deepti Sharma has become the first Indian to take 100 wickets in T20I cricket history.

Overall, the 25-year-old became the ninth bowler in the women’s game to do so.

With her three wickets in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 match against West Indies, she completed 100 wickets in 89 T20Is.

Deepti became India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is with the wicket of veteran batter Stafanie Taylor.

Poonam Yadav (98), Yuzvendra Chahal (91) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (90) are among the highest wicket-takers for India in T20I cricket.

She is India’s top-ranked bowler in the current ICC T20I chart and ranks second in ICC Women’s T20I all-rounder’s rankings.

Veteran West Indies spinner Anisa Mohammed remains at the top with 125 wickets in 117 T20Is, having last played an international T20I in September 2021.

David Malpass has announced that he is quitting as the president of the World Bank to take on "new challenges" after a rift with President Joe Biden’s administration over climate change policies.

He would be leaving the international development institution in June, ten months before the end of his five-year term.

His departure comes at a time when many countries around the world are facing severe financial problems.

Appointing the head of the World Bank is a prerogative of the US president and Biden will appoint Malpass’ successor.

Malpass was close to former President Donald Trump, who appointed him to the post in 2019 after Young Kim, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, quit.

Malpass had worked in Trump’s 2016 election campaign and became the Treasury undersecretary for international affairs before going to the World Bank.

World Bank

Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States

President: David Malpass

Founded: July 1944

Parent organization: World Bank Group

Founders: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White