Tnpsc Current Affairs in English – 25th May 2023

1. Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve, which was seen in the news, is located in which state/UT?

[A] Maharashtra

[B] Gujarat

[C] Bihar

[D] Uttarkhand

Answer: [A] Maharashtra

Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve is situated in Maharashtra’s Gondia district. It is currently witnessing a slight surge in tiger population. Two tigresses captured recently in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur by the forest department will be released into the Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR), as part of a tiger translocation programme.

2. Which state has recently commenced removal of dotted lands in the state from prohibited list?

[A] Andhra Pradesh

[B] Tamil Nadu

[C] Gujarat

[D] Uttar Pradesh

Answer: [A] Andhra Pradesh

A dotted land is a disputed land that does not have a clear ownership documents. The Andhra Pradesh government has recently commenced the removal of dotted lands in the state from prohibited list. Over 2 lakh acres of the British- era dotted lands have been identified for permanent denotification.

3. Which country is set to manufacture generic variant of long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) drug, used for HIV prevention?

[A] India

[B] USA

[C] South Africa

[D] Israel

Answer: [C] South Africa

South Africa is set to manufacture a cost- effective and generic variant of the long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) drug, used for HIV prevention, marking the first time the country produces this medication. The move is significant as the majority of medicine production on the African continent is limited to only 38 countries, resulting in less than 40% of medicines being manufactured locally.

4. Which institution released the ‘Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update’?

[A] UNEP

[B] UNFCCC

[C] WMO

[D] IMD

Answer: [C] WMO

According to a report by the WMO, global temperatures are predicted to reach record highs within the next five years, with at least one year becoming the warmest on record. The report also highlights a 66% likelihood of the annual average near-surface global temperature exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre- industrial levels for at least one year between 2023 and 2027.

5. Which country is the host of the G-7 Summit in 2023?

[A] USA

[B] Japan

[C] South Africa

[D] Brazil

Answer: [B] Japan

The 49th G7 summit was recently held from 19 to 21 May 2023 in Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The grouping issued a special “Hiroshima Vision Statement on Nuclear Disarmament”. The G-7 members issued a separate statement on Ukraine, hitting Russia with more sanctions.

6. Which country launched the ‘Spitzer Space Telescope’?

[A] India

[B] Russia

[C] USA

[D] UAE

Answer: [C] USA

Spitzer space telescope that was dedicated to infrared imaging and was launched in 2003. While it was initially designed to function for a little longer than five years, Spitzer continued to work along till January 2020, when it was retired. Rhea Space Activity, a Washington-based astrophysics startup, will develop the Spitzer Resurrector Mission. With the mission, a spacecraft would travel to Spitzer to service and restore its operation.

7. Which institution proposed a ‘Framework for Unexplained Suspicious Trading Pattern’?

[A] RBI

[B] SEBI

[C] NPCI

[D] IRDAI

Answer: [B] SEBI

The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has recently proposed a regulatory framework to respond to unexplained suspicious trading pattern around the presence of material non- public information. The framework would deal with malpractices by market participants, who use new-age technologies by way of encrypted or vanishing messages, and modus operandi to evade the law.

8. Russia signed an agreement with which country to finalise the construction of Rasht- Astara Railway?

[A] Iran

[B] Israel

[C] UAE

[D] China

Answer: [A] Iran

Presidents of Russia and Iran have signed an agreement via a video link to finalize the construction of the Rasht (Iranian city on Caspian Sea)-Astara (Azerbaijan) railway. The project is expected to boost the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

9. Which institution proposed changes to mutual fund fees to address the issue of mis-selling?

[A] SEBI

[B] PFRDA

[C] NPCI

[D] NITI Aayog

Answer: [A] SEBI

The SEBI has proposed major changes to the mutual fund fees to address the issue of miS-

selling and minimize costs of investing in mutual funds. According to this recommendation, the total expense ratio, which refers to the annual fee collected by asset managers from unitholders, should be standardized across different scheme categories like equity or debt in mutual funds.

10. Under Shipbuilding Financial Assistance (SBFA), what per cent of Contract price is provided as assistance to ship yards for specialized vessel?

[A] 10

[B] 20

[C] 25

[D] 50

Answer: [B] 20

Shipbuilding Financial Assistance (SBFA) was introduced by the Indian Government to made India-made ships competitive in the lob market. Under this initiative, Indian Shipyards are provided up to 20% of the Contract Price or the Fair Price (whichever is lower) as assistance for each specialized vessel they construct.

11. Which Indian has been honoured by the ‘Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur’ award?

[A] N Chandrasekaran

[B] Ratan Tata

[C] Lakshmi Mittal

[D] Indra Nooyi

Answer: [A] N Chandrasekaran

Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur is France’s highest civilian honor. It was received recently by Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran. He was conferred the award for his contributions to strengthen the trade relationship between India and France. French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs also called Chandrasekaran ‘a friend of France’.

12. Which institution proposed changes to the definition of ‘Unpublished Price Sensitive Information (UPSI)’?

[A] RBI

[B] SEBI

[C] NPCI

[D] NITI Aayog

Answer: [B] SEBI

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed changes to the definition of unpublished price sensitive information (UPSI) in order to establish clear regulations and ensure consistent compliance among listed companies. The proposal was made in response to the inadequate categorization of announcements as UPSI and the subsequent compliance with legal requirements by listed entities.

13. IDEATION is a flagship startup program of the which institution?

[A] Numaligarh Refinery Limited

[B] BARC

[C] ISRO

[D] RBI

Answer: [A] Numaligarh Refinery Limited

IDEATION is a flagship startup program of the Assam-based Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL). The NRL and the T-Hub (Technology Hub), an innovation hub and ecosystem enabler based out of Hyderabad, have recently inked an MoU to collaborate on business innovation and growth hack.

14. Which Union Ministry implements the Amnesty scheme for traders who have defaulted on their export obligations?

[A] Union MSME Ministry

[B] Union Finance Ministry

[C] Union Commerce and Industry Ministry

[D] Union Corporate Affairs Ministry

Answer: [B] Union Finance Ministry

The Union Finance Ministry has implemented an amnesty scheme for traders who have defaulted on their export obligations under the Advance and EPCG (export promotion for capital goods) authorization scheme. According to the amnesty scheme, EXIM traders who have not fulfilled their export obligations can rectify the situation by paying customs duty and interest, up to a maximum limit of 100%.

15. As per the IDMC Report of Internal Displacement in India, how many people in India were internally displaced as a result of natural disasters?

[A] 1 million

[B] 2.5 million

[C] 3 million

[D] 5 million

Answer: [B] 2.5 million

A report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre in Geneva revealed that in 2022, approximately 2.5 million people in India were internally displaced as a result of natural disasters, particularly severe floods and cyclones. The South Asia region experienced a total of 12.5 million internal displacements due to disasters, with floods accounting for 90% of the displacements in the area.

16. Which city is the host of the ‘Wings India 2024’ event?

[A] Hyderabad

[B] Bengaluru

[C] Chennai

[D] Gandhi Nagar

Answer: [A] Hyderabad

Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Airport. Authority of India (AAI) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is organising Asia’s largest event on Civil Aviation, Wings India 2024. The event is scheduled to be held in January 2024 at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad, India. The theme of the event is “Connecting the World: Setting the stage for India @ 2047” (100 Years of India’s Independence).

17. RBI has urged to exchange Rs.2,000 notes by which date?

[A] June 30

[B] August 31

[C] September 30

[D] December 31

Answer: [C] September 30

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI has decided to withdraw Rs. 2,000 denominated notes from circulation. It has urged everyone to exchange  these notes by September 30 this year. However, the notes will continue as legal tender. Exchange of Rs 2,000 notes into notes of other denominations can be made upto a limit of Rs 20,000.

18. What is the new statutory authority recently formed that will be headed by the Chief Minister of Delhi?

[A] National Capital Civil Service Authority

[B] National Civil Service Authority

[C] National Principle Secretary Authority

[D] National Home Authority

Answer: [A] National Capital Civil Service Authority

The Central Government has recently introduced the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 to create the National Capital Civil Service Authority (NCCSA). It is a new statutory authority that will be headed by the Chief Minister of Delhi in addition to the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary of the Home department.

19. WildCRU, a research unit within Oxford University collaborated with Panthera to conserve which animal?

[A] Asian Lions

[B] African Lions

[C] African Elephants

[D] Great Indian Bustards

Answer: [B] African Lions

Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU is a research unit within Oxford University’s Department of Biology. It is collaborating with Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organisation, to conserve Africa’s lions. Together, both organisations have supported work in 12 countries.

20. Which institution developed the ‘Zorawar Light Tank’?

[A] ISRO

[B] DRDO

[C] BEL

[D] BHEL

Answer: [B] DRDO

The light tank Zorawar is developed jointly by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and the private sector firm L&T. It is expected to undergo trials in the high-altitude terrains by the end of 2023. The tank has been named after the legendary General Zorawar Singh who led multiple successful victories in Tibet.