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Q .

Which state targets to be first 'green energy state' by 2025?

Gujarat

Telangana

Himachal Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Himachal Pradesh

Note : The Himachal Pradesh government intends to make the state as the first "Green Energy State" by the end of 2025 by harnessing hydro, hydrogen and solar energy and switching to green products, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Friday (20th January 2023).

* The state government would also invest in solar plants and will install 500 MW solar projects during the year 2023-24, out of this, 200 MW would be installed by HPPCL for which land has been identified for 70 MW capacity and the rest of the sites will be finalized soon.

* Solar projects up to 150 MW capacity would be installed by HIMURJA through private participation and priority would be given to Himachalis in awarding these projects, he said and added that the capacity of the projects will range from 250 KW to 1 MW.

* The Government of Himachal Pradesh has received a dividend of Rs. 2355 crore against the equity contribution of Rs. 1055 crore and 12 percent free power from Nathpa Jhakri and Rampur hydro power projects amounting to around Rs. 7000 crore so far.

* Thaplan, Solar Power Project (SPP) of 112.5 MW was being set up in district Una. In addition to this, 20 MW SPP Bhanjal and Kadh in Una district, 20 MW in Fatehpur in Kangra district, 30 MW SPP Kolar in Sirmaur district and 12.5 MW in Rajgir in district Kangra were under pre-construction stage....

Source : Business Standard

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Published On : January 23, 2023

Q .

Who has inaugurated India's first STEM Innovation and Learning Center (SILC) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu?

Grameen Foundation

Clinton Foundation

MacArthur Foundation

American India Foundation

Correct Answer : Option (D) - American India Foundation

Note : The American India Foundation (AIF) has inaugurated India’s first STEM Innovation and Learning Center (SILC) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

* It was inaugurated under the scheme of Vanavil Mandram.

* AIF is an award-winning flagship education Program 'Digital Equalizer (DE)'.

* It has designed the Center to be a one-stop solution for STEM among students and teachers.

* AIF's DE has also launched Drone and Satellite Launch Vehicle (DSLV) Mission on the occasion..

Source : The Print

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Published On : January 22, 2023

Q .

Brazil and _________ to Begin Preparations for Common Currency.

Spain

Argentina

Portugal

Australia

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Argentina

Note :

Brazil and Argentina aim for greater economic integration, including the development of a common currency, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentine leader Alberto Fernandez said in a joint article they penned.

"We intend to overcome the barriers to our exchanges, simplify and modernize the rules and encourage the use of local currencies," says the text published on the Argentine website Perfil.

"We also decided to advance discussions on a common South American currency that can be used for both financial and commercial flows, reducing costs operations and our external vulnerability."

The plan, set to be discussed at a summit in Buenos Aires, will focus on how a new currency which Brazil suggests calling the “sur” (south) could boost regional trade and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.

The idea of a common currency was raised originally in an article written last year by Fernando Haddad and Gabriel Galipolo, now Brazil’s finance minister and his executive secretary, respectively, and was mentioned by Lula during the campaign.

Lula’s Push For Greater Regional Integration :

Lula chose Argentina for his inaugural international trip since taking office, keeping with the tradition of first visiting Brazil’s largest trading partner in the region. That follows four years of tense relations during the government of former Brazilian right-wing President JaJir Bolsonaro.

Lula’s trip to neighboring Argentina also marks the return of Brazil to the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), which Brazil left in 2019 under order from Bolsonaro, who refused to participate in the regional group due to the presence of Cuba and Venezuela.

Both presidents emphasized the need for a good relationship between Argentina and Brazil to strengthen regional integration, according to the article. The leaders also emphasized strengthening the Mercosur trade bloc, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, and which Brazilian Finance Minister Haddad recently lamented has been abandoned in recent years.

About MERCOSUR :

* Headquarter : Montevideo (Uruguay).
* The Mercusor trading bloc was established in 1991

* Mercosur is a sub-regional bloc of South American Countries.

* Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency

* Its full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

* Its associate countries are Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname...

Source : US News

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Published On : January 22, 2023

Q .

Who Inaugurated 'International Craft Summit' in Odisha on 20th January 2023?

Droupadi Murmu

Nitish Kumar

Naveen Patnaik

Dharmendra Pradhan

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Naveen Patnaik

Note :

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday (20th January 2023) inaugurated an ‘International Craft Summit’ in Jajpur.

This is the first-of-its-kind craft summit featuring a confluence of pioneering craftspeople, culture, and art enthusiasts. International delegates from 15 countries have arrived in Jajpur to engage with local artisans and other stakeholders, informed the government.

Four UN agencies and five UNESCO Creative Cities have partnered with the District to realize this ambitious and forward-looking event on behalf of the State Government.

Joining the programme on a virtual platform, the Chief Minister said it is a historic occasion for Odisha. He said, “Jajpur was the Ancient Capital of Odisha.

With its existing assets of religious tourism, urban tourism and Buddhist tourism, it has the potential to be a major tourist hub The cultural heritage of Jajpur is reflected in its vibrant art forms.”

Science and Technology Minister Shri Ashok Panda, Rural Development Minister Priti Ranjan Ghadai, and Handloom, Textile and Handicrafts Minister Rita Sahu participated. They highlighted the cultural heritage of Odisha and its significance in the modern age.

Junhi Han, Chief of the UNESCO Culture Sector for South Asian countries appreciated the efforts for the promotion of local art, artists and artisans...

Source : The Print

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Published On : January 22, 2023

Q .

Which company Raises $350 Mn From General Atlantic, Joins India’s Decacorn Club.

PhonePe

Paytm

BharatPe

Google Pay

Correct Answer : Option (A) - PhonePe

Note :

Payments and financial services unicorn PhonePe has raised $350 million in funding from General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, at a pre-money valuation of $12 billion, making the Walmart-owned start-up the most-valued financial technology (fintech) player in India.

The investment is the first tranche of the company’s latest fundraise that could see marquee global and Indian investors put in up to $1 billion in the fintech firm.

With this funding round, the home-grown digital payments start-up has more than doubled its valuation — from $5.5 billion in 2020. With a $12-billion valuation, it has joined the decacorn club.

* PhonePe has managed to raise late-stage funding amid a funding winter. General Atlantic will be infusing substantial capital, along with Walmart and other new investors, to a final raise of $1 billion.

* The latest fundraise follows the company’s recently announced change of domicile to India and full separation from Flipkart. It could not be immediately ascertained how the market capitalisation table of the company will look like, given other investments will come in some weeks.

* Additionally, Qatar Investment Authority and Microsoft have brought shares directly into the company as part of its complete separation from Flipkart.

* PhonePe plans to deploy the funds to make investments in infrastructure, including development of data centres and build financial services offerings at scale in the country. The company also plans to invest in new businesses, including insurance, wealth management, and lending.

* PhonePe recently announced a full separation from Flipkart Group. After partial separation from Flipkart in December 2020, several Flipkart shareholders, led by Walmart, acquired shares in the recent separation. This move will allow both companies to chart their growth paths and build their businesses independently.

* PhonePe, which was founded in December 2015, said the funding will help it “turbo-charge” digital payments in India and enable greater financial inclusion.

* The company has more than 400 million registered users, implying more than one in four Indians use its services.PhonePe has the largest market share in the UPI payments space. With this fundraise, PhonePe ranks above other decacorns like Swiggy, Oyo, Ola, Paytm, Dream11, RazorPay, and Polygon.

What is a Decacorn : A decacorn is a startup company that has a current valuation of over $10 billion. According to CBInsights, there are presently eighteen decacorns within the world, with ten being from the USA. Toutiao (Bytedance), a Chinese digital media/AI company is at the highest of the list with a present valuation of $75 billion.

Decacorns are the evolved versions of unicorns. What separates them isn’t simply the funding. It’s the distinctive business model, the revenue model, and also the rate. They’ve received such investments and have a post-money valuation of over $10 billion as a result of they’ve shown the globe a fantastic growth rate that the others couldn’t...

Source : Business Standard

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Published On : January 22, 2023

Q .

Who has been appointed as next DGCA director general, to take charge on 28 February 2023.

R.S. Jamwa

Ravi Krishna

Vikram Dev Dutt

Ashutosh Vasistha

Correct Answer : Option (C) - Vikram Dev Dutt

Note :

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Saturday (21st January 2023) approved the appointment of Vikram Dev Dutt as the next Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Dutt will take over the charge as the DGCA chief on 28th February 2023 after the superannuation of Arun Kumar, the incumbent DGCA chief.

Notably, Dutt was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India Ltd last year(2022).

He was the last government-appointed Chairman and Managing Director of the airlines.

In 2022, Air India was sold to Tata Group. His appointment as the DGCA director general will be in the "rank and pay of additional secretary to the Government of India".

About Vikram Dev Dutt :

* Dutt is a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre.

* Dutt also served as principal secretary for the health and family welfare department of the Delhi government.

* He was the principal secretary for finance in the government of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

* Notably, Kumar is a 1989-batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre. He has been leading the aviation regulator since July 2019.

* DGCA s a statutory body of the Central government to regulate civil aviation in India. It became a statutory body under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Source : Times Now News

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Published On : January 22, 2023

Q .

Who is attended the All India Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police 2022 in New Delhi on 21st Jan 2023?

Droupadi Murmu

S. Jaishankar

Yogi Adityanath

Narendra Modi

Correct Answer : Option (D) - Narendra Modi

Note :

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the All India Conference of Directors General (DG) and Inspectors General (IG) of Police 2022 in New Delhi 21st Jan 2023. He will also attend the conference 22nd Jan 2023.

The three-day conference was inaugurated by Home Minister Amit Shah 20th Jan 2023.

Discussions on futuristic themes in policing and security are taking place during the conference. Besides, a wide range of issues including Cyber Crime, Technology in Policing, Counter Terrorism challenges, Left Wing Extremism, Capacity Building, and Prison Reforms are also parts of discussions during the conference.

The conference is the culmination of extensive deliberations involving police and intelligence officers from the district, state and national levels on identified themes. Best practices from States and Union Territories will be presented at the Conference so that States can learn from each other.

About 100 invitees including DGP of States and UTs and Heads of Central Armed Police Forces and Central Police Organizations are attending the Conference physically, while the remaining invitees are participating virtually from across the country.

Since 2014, the Prime Minister has taken a keen interest in the DGP conference. Unlike the symbolic presence of Prime Ministers earlier, he sits through all major sessions of the conference.

Prime Minister not only listens patiently to all the inputs but also encourages free and informal discussions so that new ideas could come up. This provides a congenial atmosphere for the top police officials of the country to directly brief the Prime Minister on key policing and internal security issues affecting the country, and give their open and frank recommendations...

Source : AIR

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Published On : January 22, 2023

Q .

Who has been appointed as the new chair of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) TravelTech committee?

Dhruv Shringi

Sanjay Mohan

Nishant Pitti

Ashwin Damera

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Sanjay Mohan

Note :

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has announced the appointment of Sanjay Mohan, group chief technological officer(CTO), MakeMyTrip India as the chair of the TravelTech Committee.

Additionally, Rikant Pittie, co-founder, EaseMyTrip and Yang Li, head-public affairs (APAC), Booking.com, have been appointed as the new co-chairs.

Technology has had a seminal impact on the travel and tourism industry and is increasingly helping to make the user experience more complete and immersive, Sanjay Mohan, chair, TravelTech Committee, said.

Source : Financial Express

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Published On : January 21, 2023

Q .

Who has been appointed (19th Jan 2023) by as Administrator to manage the use of funds for the next ISSF Shooting World Cup in 2023?

Sanjiv Khanna

Arjan Kumar Sikri

Ajay Rastogi

Sanjay Kishan Kaul

Correct Answer : Option (B) - Arjan Kumar Sikri

Note : The Delhi High Court on Thursday (19th Jan 2023) appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri as an administrator to oversee the utilization of funds for the upcoming International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup being held in India in March, 2023.

The ISSF World Cup (Rifle/Pistol) will take place in March 2023 in Bhopal.

* Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad’s divisional bench noted that if there is any obstacle to arranging the World Cup event, which would require funds from the Central Government, the prestige of the nation will be harmed.

* The administrator may also enlist the services of any athlete of his choosing who has competed at the national or international level in shooting, according to the court.

* After the occurrence, the bench requested that a report be sent in a sealed cover.

* The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) requested the court to vacate or modify the orders made the previous year in response to a petition filed by Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra challenging the Centre’s recognition of several National Sports Federations...

Source : New Indian Express

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Published On : January 21, 2023

Q .

Which company co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings resigned from his position on 19th Jan 2023?

Netflix Inc.

Disney+

SonyLIV

Spotify

Correct Answer : Option (A) - Netflix Inc.

Note :

Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) co-founder Reed Hastings stepped down On Thursday (19th Jan 2023) as chief executive of the company that upended Hollywood by delivering movies and TV shows online.

Chief Operating Officer, Greg Peters will now serve as co-CEO alongside Ted Sarandos, who has held that role since 2020. Hastings will become Executive Chairman.

Shares of Netflix rose 6.1% to $335.05 in after-hours trading as the streaming video pioneer also said it had picked up more subscribers than expected at the end of last year.

The company has been under pressure after losing customers in the first half of 2022. Its stock, a one-time Wall Street darling, had fallen nearly 38% in the past year.

Sarandos and Peters will share the title of chief executives, with Hastings serving as executive chairman. The change is effective immediately, representing the culmination of a decade of succession planning by the board.

"Hastings made his exit as Netflix said it added 7.66 million subscribers in the fourth quarter, beating Wall Street forecasts of 4.57 million with help from "Harry & Meghan" and "Wednesday" in the battle to attract streaming television viewers.

Earnings per share, however, came in at 12 cents, below the 45 cents expected by analysts polled by Refinitiv.Netflix projected "modest" gains in subscribers through March.

It forecast 4% year-over-year growth in revenue during the period with the help of new revenue streams...

Source : Zeebiz

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Published On : January 21, 2023

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