Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 18th August 2023

1. As per the recent monetary policy committee announcement, what is the repo rate as of August 2023?

[A] 5.5%

[B] 6.5%

[C] 7.5%

[D] 8.5%

Answer: [B] 6.5 %

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept the policy rate unchanged at 6.5% in the recent monetary policy committee meeting. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das retained FY24 GDP growth projections at 6.5%, but raised the CPI inflation forecast for FY24 to 5.4%.

2. Which country is the host of Malabar 2023 multilateral naval exercise?

[A] India

[B] Australia

[C] UAE

[D] Sri Lanka

Answer: [B] Australia

The multilateral naval exercise Malabar 2023 commenced at Sydney in Australia. Indian Navy’s indigenous frontline warships INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata is participating in the 11-day event. Ships and aircraft from the US Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defence Force and the Royal Australian Navy are also participating in the exercise. MALABAR series of maritime exercise commenced in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between Indian Navy and US Navy.

3. Reliance Jio recently completed the work related to connecting which country with a High-Speed Optic Fibre cable?

[A] Cambodia

[B] Maldives

[C] Indonesia

[D] Sri Lanka

Answer: [B] Maldives

Indian telecommunications major, Reliance Jio QUZ. AUgust 18, 2023 has completed the work related to connecting Maldives with a High-Speed Optic Fibre cable. A ceremony was held in Hulhumale in Maldives on Friday to land the Ocean Connect Maldives-India Asia Express (0CM-IAX) Submarine Cable System. The IAX cable system originates in Mumbai and connects Singapore, with branches and landings in India, Malaysia, and Thailand.

4. ‘One District One Product’ launched its collaboration with which Union Ministry?

[A] Ministry of Rural Development

[B] Ministry of MSME

[C] Ministry of External Affairs

[D] Ministry of Women and Child Development

Answer:[A] Ministry of Rural Development

One District One Product (ODOP) program, an initiative under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, launched its collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development in New Delhi. DPIIT, Rural Development Ministry jointly launched ‘One District One Product’ Wall at SARAS Ajeevika Store.

5. Which country is the host of ‘Zayed Talwar 2023 exercise?

[A] Iran

[B] Israel

[C] UAE

[D] Pakistan

Answer: [C] UAE

The bilateral naval exercise ‘Zayed Talwar’ aims to enhance the interoperability and synergy between the Indian Navy and UAE Navy. INS Visakhapatnam and INS Trikand have reached Dubai in the UAE to participate in the ‘Zayed Talwar’ bilateral drill with the UAE Navy.

6. As per recent data, which country is the largest source of Human Hair (raw material) in the world?

[A] China

[B] India

[C] Japan

[D] Indonesia

Answer: [B] India

India is the largest source of Human Hair (raw material) in the world: Centre, as per the information provided by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel. India had exported 169.23 million dollar in value of Human Hair during last fiscal. PLEX Council is working with the government to provide training to Indian exporters to start producing high-value goods such as wigs.

7. Which country’s hockey team is the winner of the Asian Champions Trophy 2023?

[A] India

[B] Malaysia

[C] South Korea

[D] Japan

Answer: [A] India

India won the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 after a sensational final against Malaysia with the final score of 4-3. Harmanpreet is the top-scorer of the tournament as he finished the tournament with nine goals.

8. ‘Kalyanamasthu and Shaadi Tohfa’ schemes are implemented by which state?

[A] Kerala

[B] Karnataka

[C] Andhra Pradesh

[D] Odisha

Answer: [C] Andhra Pradesh

Recently, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy provided financial aid to qualified individuals under the ‘YSR Kalyanamasthu and YSR Shaadi Tohfa’ programs. The financial assistance is provided to parents from poor financial backgrounds to help them perform their children’s marriage after their education. The YSR Kalyanamasthu is meant for the girls belonging to SC, ST, BC and Minorities, disabled, construction worker families, while the YSR Shaadi Tohfa is for the Muslim girls.

9. RBI has selected which companies to use AI and ML to improve regulatory supervision?

[A] McKinsey and Accenture

[B] McKinsey and IBM

[C] Deloitte and Accenture

[D] Deloitte and IBM

Answer: [A] McKinsey and Accenture

The Reserve Bank of India has planned to work with global consultancy firms in order to improve regulatory supervision over banks and NBFCs. The central bank has selected McKinsey and Company India and Accenture Solutions India to develop systems that use artificial intelligence and machine learning for supervisory functions.

10. Which state ranked at the,top in overall fiscal health scorecard as per FY 23 revised budget estimates?

[A] Tamil Nadu

[B] Maharashtra

[C] Karnataka

[D] Odisha

Answer: [B] Maharashtra

Based on the FY23 revised budget estimates, Maharashtra tops the ranking in overall fiscal health scoreca rd, followed by Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Telangana and Jharkhand. Based on the FY24 first budget estimates, the top three states are Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, shows a report on the fiscal health of the key 17 states. It is based on the 4 fiscal parameters-fiscal deficit; own tax revenue, state debt levels (as a percentage of their individual gross state domestic product) and the interest payment to revenue receipts.

11. What is the position of India in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Rankings, as of August 2023?

[A] First

[B] Third

[C] Fifth

[D] Seventh

Answer: [B] Third

Indian men’s hockey team has jumped to the third spot in FIH Men’s Hockey World Rankings following their Asian Champions Trophy title win in Chennai. India has reached the third spot with 2771.35 points. The rankings are topped by three-time World Champions Netherlands with 3095.90 points. Belgium is in the second position with 2917.87 points.

12. Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has been named as the new caretaker Prime Minister of which country?

[A] Pakistan

[B] Afghanistan

[C] Iran

[D] Israel

Answer: [A] Pakistan

Anwaar-ul-Hag has been sworn in as the new interim Prime Minister of Pakistan. His appointment came after the dissolution of Pakistan’s Parliament three days before the legislative body would have completed its five year tenure. Then Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and opposition leader Raja Riaz agreed to name Senator Kakar as the caretaker premier.

13. Which state/UT released dedicated quidelines for rescue and release of snakes?

[A] Odisha

[B] Kerala

[C] Sikkim

[D] West Bengal

Answer: [A] Odisha

The Odisha government released guidelines permitting only certified snake handlers to rescue snakes from human areas, with violations leading to penalties under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Rescues are limited to situations where snakes pose threats to humans, and with snakebites accounting for 40% of disaster deaths in the state, the need for trained professionals is paramount.

14. ‘Kamar’ Tribal Group is a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) of which state/UT?

[A] Chhattisgarh

[B] Odisha

[C] Jharkhand

[D] Madhya Pradesh

Answer: [A] Chhattisgarh

The ‘Kamar’ tribe in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari district, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG), has been granted habitat rights to protect their culture and livelihood. This makes Kamar the first PVTG in the state to receive such status. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel handed over the habitat rights certificates to heads of 22 settlements on the occasion of the World Tribal Day- 9 August.

15. Which institution launched ‘SuSwagatam online system?

[A] Reserve Bank of India

[B] Chief Justice of India

[C] Union of External Affairs

[D] NITI Aayog

Answer: [B] Chief justice of India

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud announced the launch of ‘SuSwagatam’, an online system for generating entry passes to the Supreme Court. The new initiative eliminates the need for physical passes and long queues, ensuring easier access to the court premises.

16. The tomb of Qin Shi Huang, which was seen in the news, is located in which country?

[A] Japan

[B] China

[C] Singapore

[D] North Korea

Answer: [B] China

The tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of unified China, is believed to contain dangerous traps and remains unopened despite being discovered in 1974. While historical records suggest the tomb contains crossbows set to shoot intruders and vast amounts of liquid mercury, recent studies indicate that mercury may be seeping out, leading some to consider non-invasive methods of exploration.

17. 247-million-year-old lizard-like amphibian ‘Arenaepeton supinatus’ has been discovered in which country?

[A] India

[B] Greece

[C] China

[D] Australia

Answer: [D] Australia

In New South Wales, Australia, scientists have identified the remains of a 247-million-year-old lizard-like amphibian, potentially rewriting the evolution of amphibians in the country. This remarkable species, naied Arenaepeton supinatus, survived two mass-extinctiori events and is part of the rare Temnospondyli family, with only three such fossils identified in Australia to date.

18. What is the name of the minimum temperature that can be reached under current ambient conditions by evaporation of water?

[A] Evaporation temperature

[B] Ambient temperature

[C] We bulb temperature

[D] Conditional temperature

Answer: [C] Wet bulb temperature

Pennsylvania State University researchers tested the ‘wet bulb temperature,’ where sweat no longer evaporates, leading to potential heatstroke. It is the lowest temperature that can be reached under current ambient conditions by the evaporation of water only. Their findings revealed that the critical limit is 30.6°C, significantly lower than previously thought.

19. RATIONS Trail, which was seen in the news, is associated with which disease?

[A] Cancer

[B] Tuberculosis

[C] COVID-19

[D] Diabetes

Answer: [B] Tuberculosis

The RATIONS (Reducing Activation of Tuberculosis by Improvement of Nutritional Status) trial, published in the Lancet, discovered that nutritional support could reduce tuberculosis incidence by 39%-48% among close Contacts of confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis patients. This study involved 10,345 household contacts across four Jharkhand districts and was integrated into the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.

20. As per the Chief Election Commissioner and other EC Bill, who is the head of the committee to appoint CECs and ECs?

[A] Chief Justice of India

[B] Prime Minister

[C] President

[D] Union Law and Justice Minister

Answer: [B] Prime Minister

Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill was introduced in Rajya Sabha. It proposes the setting up of a 3- member committee led by the Prime Minister for appointing future chief election commissioners and election commissioners.