Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 25th August 2023

1. What is the share provided by the Centre in implementation of projects under “North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme” (NESIDS)?

[A] 100%

[B] 75%

[C] 50%

[D] 25%

Answer: [A] 100%

The North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme” (NESIDS) is a Central Sector Scheme on launched in 2017, under which 100% centrally funding is provided to the State Governments of North Eastern Region for the projects of physical infrastructure. Recently, the continuation of the NESIDS with an approved by the cabinet, for the period from 2022-23 till 2025-26 at an outlay of Rs.8139.50 crore.

2. India has partnered with which country for the MeitY- National Science Foundation (NSF) research collaboration?

[A] Japan

[B] UK

[C] USA

[D] South Korea

Answer: [C] USA

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information. Technology (MeitY) of the Government of India have signed an Implementation Arrangement on research cooperation. Under the agreement, the first Joint Call for proposals has been made by the Meity, in the areas of semiconductor research, next generation communication technologies/networks/systems, cyber-security, sustainability and green technologies and Intelligent Transportation Systems.

3. Which institution has recently approved USD 25 million proposal submitted by the India’s Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying?

[A] AIIB

[B] World Bank

[C] G20 Pandemic Fund

[D] NDB

Answer: [C] G20 Pandemic Fund

The G20 Pandemic Fund has approved a $25 million proposal submitted by India’s Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), Government of India on “Animal Health Security Strengthening in India for Pandemic Preparedness and Response”. The G20 Pandemic Fund was established under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, which finances critical investments to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels of low- and middle-income countries.

4. Which country is the host of ‘World Water Week 2023’ event?

[A] Sweden

[B] USA

[C] Sri Lanka

[D] Bangladesh

Answer: [A] Sweden

The Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) recently chaired an online session in from India, during the World Water Week. The session was titled ‘Peer Networking for Integrated River Basin Planning and Management’ having a discussion on the adoption of the river basin management approach. The World Water Week 2023 (from 20-24 August 2023) is an annual event held online and at Stockholm (Sweden) with the theme ‘Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World’.

5. India’s first indigenous e-Tractor Prima ET11 is developed by which institution?

[A] L&T

[B] DRDO

[C] CSIR

[D] IIT Madras

Answer: CSIR

The country’s first indigenous e-Tractor Prima ET11 has been developed by the CSIR’s Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur. The machine was launched by the Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh. Dr. Jitendra Singh unveiled a book by the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) and a compendium showcasing 75 technologies developed by CSIR.

6. What is the name of the rover, which is a part of the Chandrayaan 3 mission?

[A] Surya

[B] Pragyan

[C] Agni

[D] Chandra

Answer: [B] Pragyan

The Pragyan rover of the Chandrayaan 3 mission, is embedded within the Vikram lander. After the soft landing of the Vikram lander, the Pragyan rover has begun its investigation begun its investigative. The mission cycle is 14 days, equivalent to one lunar day and the Pragyan will embark on a series of pioneering experiments designed conduct experiments like analysing the Moon’s chemical composition, scrutinizing its soil and rocks etc.

7. Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera is associated with?

[A] Chandrayaan 3

[B] Brahmos Missile

[C] Indian Naval Ship- Shaurya

[D] Aircraft Carrier – Vikrant

Answer: [A] Chandrayaan 3

The Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC) of the Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram Lander is designed to guide Vikram lander to a safe landing site during its descent onto the lunar surface, where there are no boulders or deep trenches The ISRO had recently shared the pictures of the lunar far side captured by LHDAC, which is developed at Space Applications Centre (SAC) of ISRO.

8. Who was John Warnock, who was seen in the news recently?

[A] Noble Peace Prize Laurate

[B] Co-founder of Adobe

[C] US Presidential candidate

[D] NASA Astronaut

Answer: [B] Co-founder of Adobe

John Warnock was an American computer scientist and the co-founder of Adobe Inc. He recently passed away at the age of 82. Warnock pioneered the development of graphics, publishing, web and electronic document technologies that have revolutionized the field of publishing and visual communications. In 1982, Warnock, along with Charles Geschke, established the Adobe company. The duo is remembered for creating PDF format of documents.

9. Which International development financial institution has planned to issue Indian rupee bond?

[A] New Development Bank

[B] Asian Development Bank

[C] International Monetary Fund

[D] World Bank

Answer: [A] New Development Bank

The New Development Bank (NDB) founded by the BRICS countries is planning to issue its first Indian rupee bond by October 2023. This was mentioned by the Bank’s chief operating officer ahead of the BRICS 2023 Summit in Johannesburg. The New Development Bank (NDB) issued its first rand bond in South Africa recently. NDB is headquartered in Shanghai, China.

10. Where is the National Workshop on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals in Gram Panchayats organised?

[A] Tamil Nadu

[B] Kerala

[C] Karnataka

[D] Jammu and Kashmir

Answer: [D] Jammu and Kashmir

The Union Ministry of Panchayat Raj, in close collaboration with the J&K’s Panchayati Raj & Rural Development Department is organizing the National Workshop on Localization of Sustainable Development Goals in Gram Panchayats, at Srinagar. The ‘Meri Panchayat Mobile app’ developed by Ministry of Panchayati Raj would be launched during the event.

11. Which city is the host of ‘Y20 India engagement Group meeting’?

[A] Pune

[B] Varanasi

[C] Chennai

[D] Kochi

Answer: [B] Varanasi

Under the overall framework of G20 Presidency. the Y20 India engagement Group meeting concluded in Varanasi. The Y20 2023 communiqué was released by the troika countries comprising of Chair Y20 India, Indonesia Organising Committee Representative and Brazil Organising Committee Representative. The Flag was officially handed over by Y20 India Chair to the Brazilian Head of Delegation.

12. The Government has raised the quantum of buffer of which product to 5.00 lakh metric tonne this year?

[A] Tomato

[B] Onion

[C] Potato

[D] Cotton

Answer: [B] Onion

The Government raised the quantum of onion buffer to 5.00 lakh metric tonne this year, after achieving the initial procurement target of 3.00 lakh metric tonne. The Department of Consumer Affairs has directed NCCF and NAFED to procure 1.00 lakh tonne each to achieve the additional procurement target alongside calibrated disposal of the procured stocks in major consumption centres. As on date, about 1,400 MT of onions from the buffer has been dispatched to the targeted markets.

13. Akhil Sheoran, who was seen in the news, is associated with which sports?

[A] Shooting

[B] Archery

[C] Cricket

[D] Tennis

Answer: [A] Shooting

Akhil Sheoran clinched the bronze and the Olympic quota in the 50-metre rifle 3-position event in the World Championship, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Akhil Sheoran along with Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Niraj Kumar won the team gold, one point ahead of Austria.

14. The foundation stone for Southeast Asia’s largest desalination plant was laid in which Indian state?

[A] Tamil Nadu

[B] Kerala

[C] Andhra Pradesh

[D] Rajasthan

Answer: [A] Tamil Nadu

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin laid the foundation stone for a new desalination plant to come up at Perur on East Coast Road at a cost of ₹4,276.44 crore. It has a capacity to treat 400 million litres of seawater per day. Once set up, the plant will be the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia. The project has funding support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), will be completed by December 2026.

15. Which state has decided to set up a committee to formulate education policy for the state in place of National Education Policy (NEP)?

[A] West Bengal

[B] Kerala

[C] Karnataka

[D] Jharkhand

Answer: [C] Karnataka

The Karnataka government decided to set up a committee to formulate education policy for the state. The state will scrap the National Education Policy (NEP) and continue the old education system for now. The previous government in Karnataka had introduced the new NEP in Karnataka.

16. Who is the chair of committee constituted to examine stalled real estate projects and recommend ways to complete them?

[A] Amit Shah

[B] Amitabh Kant

[C] VK Sarawat

[D] Parameswaran

Answer: [B] Amitabh Kant

A 14-member committee chaired by former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, was constituted to examine stalled real estate projects and recommend ways to complete them. The committee was set up in March by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. It included officials of Union Finance Ministry, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana state governments, IBBI, NHB and RERA of Haryana and UP. The report has been handed over to Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri.

17. Indian Coast Guard signed a MoU with its counterpart of which country, on enhanced maritime cooperation, for the first time?

[A] Philippines

[B] Maldives

[C] Sri Lanka

[D] France

Answer: [A] Philippines

Indian Coast Guard has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on enhanced maritime cooperation. Both the sides held their first bilateral meeting on a range of maritime issues. The MoU inked seeks to enhance the professional linkage between the two Coast Guards in the domain of Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), Maritime Search and Rescue (M-SAR) and Marine Pollution Response (MPR).

18. Which department has organised the ‘Bharat Internet Utsav’ media campaign?

[A] Department of Telecommunications

[B] Department of Science and Technology

[C] Department of Post

[D] Indian Computer Emergency Response Team

Answer: [A] Department of Telecommunications

Department of Telecommunications (DOT) organised the “Bharat Internet Utsav” media campaign, in collaboration with MYGOV for 45 days. This campaign aims to showcase the stories of individuals whose lives have been transformed by the internet, underscores the role of connectivity in driving inclusive development.

19. India and which bloc reached an agreement to review their free trade pact for goods by 2025?

[A] SAARC

[B] BIMSTEC

[C] ASEAN

[D] G-20

Answer: [C] ASEAN

India and the ASEAN countries reached an agreement to review their free trade pact for goods and set a 2025 timeline for concluding the review to address the asymmetry in bilateral trade. The decision came at a meeting of economic ministers from the two sides in Indonesia. The ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) was signed in 2009.

20. What is the position of India in the global ranking for direct selling, as per a study by WFDSA?

[A] Second

[B] Fourth

[C] Seventh

[D] Eleventh

Answer: [D] Eleventh

India recorded sales of USD 3.23 billion (about Rs 26,852 crore) in 2022, moving it up to position 11 in the global ranking for direct selling, according to a study by the World Federation of Direct Selling Association (WFDSA). As per the WFDSA report, last year, India’s direct selling registered a growth of 5.4 per cent over 2021 retail sales. India has the highest Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of almost 13.3 per cent over the previous three years, measured in constant dollars.