Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 25th April 2023

1. What is ‘Magnaporthe oryzae’ which was seen in the news recently?

[A] Plant

[B] Fungus

[C] Bacterium

[D] Insect

Answer: [B] Fungus

‘Magnaporthe oryzae’ is a fungus that causes ‘wheat blast’. It is currently destroying wheat crops in South America, threatening its food security in a major scale. Scientists have warned. that the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae could spread worldwide. Cases of infection have earlier been reported in Asia in 2016 and Africa in 2018.

2. What amount has been allotted to the ‘National Quantum Mission’?

[A] Rs 1000 crore

[B] Rs 2000 crore

[C] Rs 3000 crore

[D] Rs 6000 crore

Answer: [D] Rs 6000 crore

The National Quantum Mission was approved recently by the Union Cabinet. Its aim is to seed, núrture and scale scientific and industrial research and development and create an innovative ecosystem in quantum technology. The Centre has approved Rs 6,003 crore for the National Quantum Mission, to fund scientific and industrial research development in quantum technology.

3. Which city hosted the ‘National Conference on Water Sufficient Panchayat, Clean & Green Panchayat and Healthy Panchayat’?

[A] Pune

[B] Chennai

[C] New Delhi

[D] Guwahati

Answer: [C] New Delhi

The National Conference on Water Sufficient Panchayat, Clean & Green Panchayat and Healthy Panchayat will be held in New Delhi. It will showcase best practices followed by Panchayati Raj institutions (PRI) and augment capacity building of elected representatives with greater exposure, interactive learning and experience sharing.

4. Which Union Ministry is associated with the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023?

[A] Ministry of Communication

[B] Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

[C] Ministry of Culture

[D] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Answer: [B] Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

The Union Cabinet cleared the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which has provisions for harsher punishments for film piracy and the introduction of new age categories for classifying films. The Bill will be introduced in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, as per the Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur.

5. Which state passed a bill to provide reservation in state government jobs from 60 percent to 77 percent?

[A] Kerala

[B] Jharkhand

[C] West Bengal

[D]Andhra Pradesh

Answer: [B] Jharkhand

Jharkhand Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (Amendment) Bill, 2022 proposes a raise in reservation in state government jobs from 60 percent to 77 percent for SC, ST and OBC communities as well as the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). Jharkhand Governor recently returned this bill to the government, directing it to be reviewed.

6. As per a recent research, individuals infected with which disease are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes?

[A] Influenza

[B] COVID-19

[C] Hypertension

[D] Dengue

Answer: [B] COVID-19

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic health condition that impacts the way the body processes blood sugar (glucose). According to a new research, individuals infected with COVID-19 were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes within a year of their infection, compared to those who have not been exposed to the viral pathogen.

7. ‘Bhoodan movement’ was started in 1951 by which leader?

[A] Mahatma Gandhi

[B] Vinoba Bhave

[C] Rabindranath Tagore

[D] Aurobindo Ghosh

Answer: [B] Vinoba Bhave

Gramdan is the expansion of Bhoodan movement that was started in 1951 by Vinoba Bhave. Under this initiative, the entire village will put its land under a common trust. At present, seven states in India have 3,660 Gramdan villages, the highest being in Odisha (1309).

8. ‘Hanuman Plover Bird’ is a species endemic to which countries?

[A] India and Sri Lanka

[B] USA and Canada

[C] Australia and New Zealand

[D] Japan and Indonesia

Answer: [A] India and Sri Lanka

Hanuman Plover Bird has been reinstated as species after more than eight decades. This bird is endemic to India and Sri Lanka. Hanuman Plover Bird was merged with the Kentish plover in the 1930s as both species were considered to be the same.

9. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is associated with which space agency?

[A] NASA

[B] ISRO

[C] JAXA

[D] ESA

Answer: [A] NASA

‘Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite’ (TESS) is a space telescope for NASA’s Explorer program, designed to search for exoplanets. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) recently marked five years in space. Since it was launched in 2018, the satellite has mapped more than 93 percent of the entire sky, discovered 329 new alien worlds and thousands more exoplanet candidates.

10. Which Union Ministry has launched the ‘SATHI Portal and Mobile App’?

[A] Ministry of Agriculture and Far

[B] Ministry of Defence

[C] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

[D] Ministry of Power

Answer: [A] Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched the SATHI (Seed Traceability, Authentication and Holistic Inventory) Portal and Mobile App. It is a Centralized Online System for seed traceability, authentication and inventory designed to deal with the challenges of seed production, quality seed identification and seed certification. It has been developed by the NIC in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

11. What is the name of the geographic region where hydrogen serves more than one end sector or application

[A] Hydrogen sphere

[B] Hydrogen valley

[C] Hydrogen cylinder

[D] Hydrogen cone

Answer: [B] Hydrogen valley

The Indian Government has invited Expression of Interest (EOI) for the development of hydrogen valley innovation clusters (HVIC) in the country. According to the DST guidelines, a hydrogen valley is a specific geographic region where hydrogen serves more than one end sector or application.

12. Which Asian country is set to launch the ‘Digital Highway Network’?

[A] India

[B] Sri Lanka

[C] Nepal

[D] Bangladesh

Answer: [A] India

The National Highways Logistics Management (NHLML), a fully-owned special purpose vehicle of the Indian Government, is set to develop a digital highway network by setting up integrated utility corridors along national highways. As part of this initiative, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has designed 1,367 km of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and 512 km of the Hyderabad-Bangalore Corridor as pilot routes for digital highway development.

13. Which Union Ministry launched the ‘YUVA PORTAL’ to identify potential young Start-Ups?

[A] Ministry of Science and Technology

[B] Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

[C] Ministry of Power

[D] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Answer: [B] Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launches ‘YUVA PORTAL’ to identify potential young Start-Ups. Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the One Week -One Lab programme. It will offer the opportunity to the CSIR labs to showcase the work being done by them so that others can avail of it.

14. Which country hosts the multilateral defence exercise named ‘Orion’?

[A] France

[B] USA

[C] UAE

[D] Israel

Answer: [A] France

Exercise Orion, a bilateral military EXERCISE between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force (FASF) started at the Mont-de- Marsan airbase in France. IAF Contingent comprises of four Rafale, two C-17, two 11-78 aircraft, and 165 air warriors. This would be the first overseas exercise for the IAF’s Rafale aircraft.

15. Andrey Rublev, who has won the Monte Carlo title, is from which country?

[A] Serbia

[B] Russia

[C] Spain

[D] Switzerland

Answer: [B] Russia

Russia’s Andrey Rublev wins Monte Carlo title after winning the final against Denmark’s Holger Rune. The player was deprived of his national flag after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 19-year-old Rune had defeated five Top 10 players to win the title in Paris last year.

16. Who is the first Indian woman to be namedas a ‘Wisden Cricketer of the Year’?

[A] Smriti Mandana

[B] Harmanpreet Kaur

[C] Mithali Raj

[D] Deepti Sharma

Answer: [B] Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet Kaur became the first Indian woman to be named as one of Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Year. She led Mumbai Indians to win the inaugural Women’s Premier League in March. Suryakumar Yadav was named Wisden’s Leading T20 Cricketer of the Year. At present, Suryakumar Yadav remains at number one position in the ICC T20 men’s rankings.

17. Which state adopted a resolution urging the Centre to extend quota for Dalit Christians?

[A] Tamil Nadu

[B] Medhalaya

[C] Arunachal Pradesh

[D] New Delhi

Answer: [A] Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Assembly has recently adopted a resolution urging the Centre to extend quota for Dalit Christians. The resolution urged the Centre to amend the Constitution to extend statutory protection, rights, and concessions, including reservation, to Scheduled Caste members who have converted to Christianity.

18. NMDC is exploring lithium reserves for mining in which country?

[A] Sri Lanka

[B] Bangladesh

[C] Australia

[D] Maldives

Answer: [C] Australia

Indian iron ore miner NMDC Ltd. is exploring lithium reserves, about 200 km off Perth, Australia. NMDC is the majority owner of a mine located in Mt Bevan in Australia. India found lithium deposits for the first time in the country in February and is planning to auction a block for mining.

19. Which city is the host of the ‘Global Buddhist Summit’ in 2023?

[A] Varanasi

[B] Patna

[C] New Delhi

[D] Nagpur

Answer: [C] New Delhi

Global Buddhist Summit is being hosted by the India’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with International Buddhist Confederation. The theme of the Global Buddhist Summit is “Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis”.

20. Assam sign an agreement for settlement of inter-state boundary dispute, with which state?

[A] Sikkim

[B] Arunachal Pradesh

[C] Meghalaya

[D] West Bengal

Answer: [B] Arunachal Pradesh

The governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have signed an agreement for the settlement of an inter-state boundary dispute between the two States. It will end the dispute relating to 123 villages along the border. After the agreement, a detailed survey is to be carried out by the Survey of India to determine the boundaries of both states.