3rd January 2023 Daily Current Affairs in English

1. What is the target of number of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres under the Ayushman Bharat?

[A] 1 Lakh

[B] 1.5 Lakh

[C] 2.5 Lakh

[D] 5 Lakh

Answer: B [1.5 Lakh]

The government has achieved the target of starting 1.5 lakh Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres across the country, as per the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Under Ayushman Bharat, the government had set a target of transforming existing 1.5 lakh Sub-Health Centres (SHCs) and rural and urban Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the country as AB-HWCs by December 2022.

2. Which institution released the ‘Statistical Tables relating to Banks in India’?

[A] Finance Ministry

[B] Reserve Bank of India

[C] NITI Aayog

[D] World Bank

Answer: B [Reserve Bank of India]

The Reserve Bank released its web publication titled ‘Statistical Tables relating to Banks in India: 2021-22’

The publication covers the activities of the Indian banking sector. It presents entity-wise information of liabilities and assets; income and expenses; financial ratios, number of employees and details of priority sector advances for scheduled commercial banks among other information.

3. Zuari Bridge, the second largest cable-stayed bridge in India, is located in which state/UT?

[A] Arunachal Pradesh

[B] Punjab

[C] Goa

[D] Jammu and Kashmir

Answer: C [Goa]

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the first phase of a new bridge on the Zuari River which will improve connectivity between North Goa and South Goa.

Zuari Bridge is the second largest cable-stayed bridge in India, behind Mumbai’s Bandra-Worli sea link. The bridge is part of a Rs 2,530 crore road project covering a distance of 13.2 kilometres between Bambolim and Verna villages in Goa. Dilip Buildcon is constructing the new Zuari bridge.

4. Which state organises the world’s largest open-air theatre ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival?

[A] Gujarat

[B] Odisha

[C] West Bengal

[D] Kerala

Answer: B [Odisha]

The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival, considered to be the world’s largest open-air theatre, began in the Western Odisha town of Bargarh.

The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ came into existence in Bargarh in 1947-48 as part of the celebration of the country’s Independence. It is celebrated annually and episodes related to Hindu God Krishna is presented through folk art forms.

5. Which country has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of 2023?

[A] Finland

[B] Sweden

[C] Italy

[D] Germany

Answer: B [Sweden]

Sweden has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of the year, on January 1, 2023,

It followed Czech Republic, which headed the Council in the second half of 2022. This is the third time that Sweden has taken over the Presidency of the Council. The EU Council Presidency rotates every six months between the Member States of the EU.

6. Common Mormon, which was seen in the news recently, belongs to which species?

[A] Snake

[B] Butterfly

[C] Spider

[D] Turtle

Answer: B [Butterfly]

A recent study by scientists of the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) have discovered that butterflies warn, fool, and escape their predators using traits such as wing colour patterns and even flight behaviour.

The study investigated the butterfly mimetic communities of the Western Ghats over five years. The female Common Mormon mimics the toxic Common Rose. In mimicry, a palatable organism resembles an unpalatable organism to deceive predators.

7. 119 million year old skeleton of ‘Confuciusornis shifan’ bird has been found in which country?

[A] India

[B] Australia

[C] China

[D] Argentina

Answer: C [China]

A new species of confuciusornithid bird being named ‘Confuciusornis shifan’ has been identified from a complete skeleton found in northeastern China.

The bird lived in present-day China during the Early Cretaceous epoch, some 119 million years ago. Confuciusornithidae is a clade of Early Cretaceous pygostylian birds and represents the earliest known toothless, beaked birds.

8. Which Asian country has officially recognised e-Sports as part of multi-sports events?

[A] Sri Lanka

[B] India

[C] Bangladesh

[D] China

Answer: B [India]

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (3) of article 77 of the Constitution amended the rules governing E-sports.

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Sports Ministry are asked to include ‘e-Sports as part of multi-sports events’.

9. What is the name of the annual state-level Youth Festival organised in Kerala?

[A] Keralotsavam

[B] Kerala Sahavu

[C] Malayala Manorama

[D] Mallu Magic

Answer: A [Keralotsavam]

Keralotsavam is the state-level Youth Festival of Kerala. It is coordinated by Kerala State Youth Welfare Board.

Palakkad emerged the overall champions of the state-level sports competitions held as a part of Keralotsavam. Kozhikode and Kannur stood in the second and third positions. The government provides support for setting up training grounds in all village panchayats.

10. International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recognised the ‘Nijaat’ Campaign of which state Police?

[A] Tamil Nadu

[B] Chhattisgarh

[C] Kerala

[D] New Delhi

Answer: B [Chhattisgarh]

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), US-based international organisation has selected ‘Nijaat’ campaign of Chhattisgarh police for ‘Leadership in Crime Prevention’ in the institutional category.

The anti-drug and illicit liquor campaign was launched by the Chhattisgarh police includes tough action against businesses of illegal drugs or narcotics, public awareness, and extending support in counselling and rehabilitation.

11. What is the name of the difference between the total revenue and total expenditures of a country in a year?

[A] Fiscal Deficit

[B] Revenue Deficit

[C] Primary Deficit

[D] Budget Deficit

Answer: A [Fiscal Deficit]

Fiscal Deficit is the difference between the total revenue and total expenditures of a country in a year.

The Fiscal Deficit at the end of November touched 59 per cent of the full year budget estimate. According to data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), the fiscal deficit was ₹978,154 crore in the April-November period 2022-23.

12. Where is the ‘Institute of Veterinary Biological Products (IVBP)’ located?

[A] Pune

[B] Ahmedabad

[C] Lucknow

[D] Mysuru

Answer: A [Pune]

The government signed a pact with the Pune-based Institute of Veterinary Biological Products (IVBP) for commercial production of ‘Lumpi-ProVac’ vaccine.

It is an indigenously developed vaccine for the control of lumpy skin disease in cattle. At present Goat Pox vaccine is used for controlling Lumpy Skin Disease in animals. ICAR-NRCE, Haryana, in collaboration with ICAR- IVRI, Uttar Pradesh developed the vaccine named Lumpi-ProVac.

13. As per a recent UN survey, which region has the highest unemployment rate in the world?

[A] African

[B] Arab

[C] South-Asian

[D] North-American

Answer: B [Arab]

According to the latest UN survey, the Arab region registered a 12 per cent unemployment rate in 2022, which is the highest in the world.

Poverty measured against national lines also surged, affecting 130 million people in Arab countries. More than one-third of the region’s population is affected, excluding Libya and Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The survey showed an expected 3.4 per cent growth next year throughout the Arab region.

14. What is the total investment made by the Department of Science & Technology in the Science and Technology system in 2022-23?

[A] Rs 2002 crore

[B] Rs 4002 crore

[C] Rs 6002 crore

[D] Rs 8002 crore

Answer: C [Rs 6002 crore]

The total investment made by the Department of Science & Technology in Science and Technology system in 2022-23 is Rs 6002 crore.

In the last 8 years, the investment has doubled from about Rs 2900 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 6002 crore in 2022-23. The Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) has increased more than three times in the last 10 years, as per the year-end review report of the Ministry.

15. Which cabinet has decided to merge its districts with existing ones and redraw boundaries in 14 places?

[A] Punjab

[B] Assam

[C] Uttar Pradesh

[D] Bihar

Answer: B [Assam]

The Assam Cabinet decided to merge four districts with existing ones and redraw boundaries in 14 places.

The decision was taken a day ahead of the Election Commission’s (EC) deadline on starting the delimitation exercise for assembly and parliamentary seats. EC earlier announced fresh delimitation of 126 assembly and 14 parliamentary seats and banned creation of new administrative units.

16. The New Integrated food security Scheme subsumes two current schemes of which Ministry?

[A] Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

[B] Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

[C] Ministry of Home Affairs

[D] Ministry of Rural Development

Answer: B [Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution]

The new integrated food security Scheme was rolled out with effect from 1 January 2023. It would provide free food grains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA).

The new scheme will subsume two current food subsidy schemes of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution namely the Food Subsidy to FCI for NFSA, and Food Subsidy for decentralized procurement states.

17. Which country has handed over the chairmanship of Wassenaar Arrangement to India in 2023?

[A] France

[B] Germany

[C] Ireland

[D] USA

Answer: C [Ireland]

India assumed the chairmanship of the plenary of the Wassenaar Arrangement for one year on January 2023.

The 42-member Wassenaar Arrangement is a voluntary export control regime that monitors transfers of conventional weapons and dual-use goods. Ireland’s ambassador handed over the chairmanship to India’s ambassador last year. India joined the Wassenaar Arrangement in December 2017 as its 42nd participating state.

18. Which state received the largest outlay in the total expenditure of Rs 13,000 crore on cleaning the Ganga since 2014?

[A] Bihar

[B] Uttar Pradesh

[C] Uttarakhand

[D] West Bengal

Answer: B [Uttar Pradesh]

The Union government spent more than Rs 13,000 crore on cleaning the Ganga since 2014. The Ganga Council recently met in Kolkata and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the meeting through video conference.

Uttar Pradesh received the largest outlay among states at 4,205 crore. Bihar is in second place at 3,516 crores. Bengal (1,302 crore), Delhi (1,253) and Uttarakhand (1,117) are the other regions in the top five states.

19. As per the Ministry of Culture, how many centrally protected monuments are missing?

[A] 10

[B] 20

[C] 50

[D] 100

Answer: C [50]

According to a submission made in Parliament by the Ministry of Culture, 50 of India’s 3,693 centrally protected monuments are missing.

The missing monuments include 11 that were in Uttar Pradesh, two each in Delhi and Haryana. The list also included monuments in Assam, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. As per the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), 14 of these monuments have been lost to rapid urbanisation, 12 are submerged by reservoirs or dams, and the locations of remaining 24 are untraceable.

20. Which institution builds the K9-Vajra tracked self-propelled howitzers?

[A] DRDO

[B] HAL

[C] Larsen & Toubro

[D] BHEL

Answer: C [Larsen & Toubro]

The Defence Ministry has started the process for procurement of 100 more K9-Vajra tracked self-propelled howitzers which are built in India by Larsen & Toubro (L&T).

The howitzers are built using technology transferred from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense. The K9-Vajra is a 155 mm, 52-calibre tracked self-propelled howitzer.