ALL EXAM QUIZ 31.01.2024

Explanation:

• Zomato Payments has received RBI approval to operate as an online payment aggregator.
• A certificate of authorization from the Reserve Bank of India has been received by Zomato Payments Pvt Ltd (ZPPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zomato Limited, to operate as an online payment aggregator.
• The central bank has allowed ZPPL to do business as payment aggregators and issuers of pre-paid payment instruments from January 24, 2024.
• On August 4, 2021, the company had disclosed the incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary ZPPL to conduct business as a payment aggregator and issuer of prepaid payment instruments.
• In 2023, Zomato had joined hands with ICICI Bank to launch its own Unified Payments Interface (UPI) offering "Zomato UPI".
• This feature was introduced for select users and did not involve the KYC process.
• This eliminated the need for users to navigate to other payment apps, such as Google Pay, Paytm, and PhonePe, while placing orders on Zomato.
• This feature is a secure way to complete transactions and one can secure their account by adding a security PIN to it.
• In early January, Tata Payments and Bengaluru-based identity verification startup DigiO had secured payment aggregator (PA) licenses from the RBI.

Explanation:

• India has emerged as 5th largest source of tourists for America.
• The growing, affluent middle class and young, intrepid Indians travelling to the United States have made India the fifth largest source of tourism to the US, which is projected to grow 30% in 2024.
• Indian tourists spend significantly more in the US on average than other international travellers, accounting for a significant portion of the $173.9 billion that international tourists spend on tourism-related goods and services during their visit to the US.
• The expenditure increased by about 30% in the period January to October 2023 compared to the previous year.
• This coincides with the easing of visa processing delays, improved flight connectivity and a broader cross-section of tourism product offerings including culinary, sporting, transitional and adventure activities.
• 1.7 million Indian tourists came to America in 2023 and 1.2 million new visas were issued to Indians travelling to America in 2023.
• The US has also opened 2.5 lakh new tourist visa appointments for Indians.
• To reduce waiting times, the Consulate in Hyderabad now holds 3,500 appointments per day, with processing being done even on weekends.

Explanation:

• Health Ministry approved a new treatment regimen for leprosy.
• To stop transmission of leprosy at the sub-national level by 2027, the central government has approved a new treatment regimen for leprosy.
• The National Leprosy Eradication Programme is taking all the necessary measures to stop the transmission of leprosy.
• The government will introduce a three-drug regimen for Pauci-Bacillary (PB) cases in place of a two-drug regimen for six months.
• WHO’s recommended treatment regimen consists of three drugs — dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. The duration of treatment is six months for PB and 12 months for MB cases.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to supply the revised drug regimen from April 1, 2025.

Leprosy

• It is a chronic infectious disease which is caused by the Mycobacterium leprae bacteria.
• It affects the skin and peripheral nerves.
• The bacteria are transmitted through droplets from the nose and mouth. It is curable with multi-drug therapy (MDT).
• It is reported in all the six WHO regions.

Explanation:

• A viability gap funding scheme worth Rs 8,500 crore has been approved by Union Cabinet for promoting coal gasification.
• Total outlay of Rs 8,500 crore will be offered as financial aid for coal gasification projects under three categories.
• With a Rs 4,050 crore budget, Category I focuses on government PSUs for a maximum of three projects.
• A grant of Rs 1,350 crore or 15% of the project's capital expenditure (capex), whichever is less, may be awarded to any project falling under this category.
• Rs 3,850 crore is allotted to Category II, which combines government PSUs with the private sector.
• Each project falling under this category would be granted Rs 1,000 crore, or 15% of capital expenditure.
• Notably, in association with NITI Aayog, one project will be chosen via a tariff-based bidding procedure.
• With a budget of Rs 600 crore, Category III is dedicated to demonstration projects and small-scale product-based gasification plants.
• 15% of the total cost, or Rs 100 crore, will be awarded to qualifying projects that produce 1500 Nm3/hr of synthetic gas and have a minimum capital expenditure of Rs 100 crore.
• The authority to amend the modalities of the scheme has been granted to the Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS), chaired by the coal secretary.
• However, overall outlay will be maintained within Rs 8,500 crore.
• A transparent and competitive bidding procedure will be used to choose the entities that fall under categories II and III.
• The chosen entity will get the funding in two equal installments.

Explanation:

• After rejoining NDA, Nitish Kumar took the oath of office as the ninth consecutive chief minister of Bihar.
• There were eight more ministers sworn in as well.
• The new government's swearing-in ceremony was held at Patna, Bihar's Raj Bhavan.
• Eight people, including some leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), took the oath of office as ministers in Nitish Kumar's new Bihar Cabinet.

The names of the ministers are as follows

• Bijendra Prasad Yadav of Janata Dal (United) was sworn in as a cabinet minister.
• Vijay Kumar Chaudhary of JD(U) was sworn in as a cabinet minister.
• Shrawon Kumar of JD(U) was sworn in as a cabinet minister.
• Vijay Sinha of the BJP was sworn in as a cabinet minister.
• Samrat Choudhary of the BJP was sworn in as a cabinet minister.
• Dr. Prem Kumar of the BJP was sworn in as a cabinet minister.
• Santosh Kumar Suman of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) was sworn in as a minister.
• Independent MLA Sumit Kumar Singh was sworn in as a minister.

Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Chaudhary were appointed as the two Deputy Chief Ministers in new Bihar government.Earlier, Nitish Kumar, in coalition with the Left and Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD), formed the Bihar government in 2022.

Explanation:

• With his victory at the Australian Open, Rohan Bopanna became the oldest male player to win a grand slam title ever.
• He made history by becoming the oldest male player to win a grand slam title during the Open era.
• In the Australian Open men's doubles championship match, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden prevailed.
• After losing the US Open championship game the previous year, this was their first trophy together.
• Italians Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori were defeated 7-6(0) 7-5 by Australia’s Ebden and India’s Bopanna.
• The mixed doubles French Open 2017 was won by Bopanna.
• Both the 2022 Wimbledon men's doubles and the 2013 Australian Open mixed doubles were won by Ebden.
• Bopanna is about to become the oldest tennis player in history to hold the top spot.
• A large portion of Bopanna's success in his latter career has been credited to Iyengar yoga.

Explanation:

• ISRO to launch the new meteorological satellite from Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
• INSAT-3DS, the Indian Space Research Organisation's new meteorological satellite, tests and reviews have started.
• ISRO flagged off the satellite to the launch port at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on January 25.
• INSAT-3DS is designed to provide advanced meteorological observations and improve weather forecasting capabilities.
• The satellite has a 6-channel Imager and 19-channel Sounder for meteorological observations.
• It also has a Data Relay Transponder (DRT) and a search and rescue transponder.
• INSAT-3D was launched in 2013 and INSAT-3DR was launched in 2016.
• INSAT-3DS satellites will be launched in February through GSLV F14.
• The assembly, integration and testing of INSAT-3DS was completed at the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru.

Explanation:

• RBI’s working group made recommendations to resolve issues related to guarantees extended by State governments.
• A working group was constituted by the Reserve Bank of India in July 2022 to make recommendations on issues related to guarantees extended by State governments.
• The Working Group recommended a uniform reporting framework for the guarantees given by State governments and a uniform guarantee ceiling. It also recommended to expand the definition of ‘guarantee.’
• A ‘guarantee’ is a legal obligation for a State to make payments and protect an investor/lender from the risk of default by a borrower.
• The entity to whom the guarantee is given is the ‘creditor’, the defaulting entity on whose behalf the guarantee is given is called the ‘principal debtor’ and the entity giving the guarantee (State governments in this context) is called the ‘surety’.

At the State level, guarantees are given in three scenarios, which are as follows:

• Where a sovereign guarantee is a precondition for concessional loans from bilateral or multilateral agencies.
• To improve the viability of projects or activities with the potential to provide significant social and economic benefits.
• To enable public sector enterprises to raise resources at lower interest charges or on more favourable terms.

Explanation:

• Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt won Best Actor and Best Actress awards in the 69th edition of the Filmfare Awards.
• During the ceremony held in Gujarat on 28 January, Ranbir Kapoor was awarded Best Actor in a Lead Role (Male) for his performance in Sandeep Reddy Vanga's controversial film Animal.
• Alia Bhatt won the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female) for her performance in Karan Johar's romantic family drama Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani.
• Vidhu Vinod Chopra was recognized as Best Director for his biographical drama 12th Fail, which has been crowned as Best Film.

Complete list of winners of the 69th Filmfare Awards, 2024

Category Winner

Best Film 12th Fail

Best Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra (12th Fail)

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male) Ranbir Kapoor (Animal)

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female) Alia Bhatt (Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani)

Best Film (Critics’) Joram (Devashish Makhija)

Best Actor (Critics’) Vikrant Massey (12th Fail)

Best Actress (Critics’) Rani Mukerji (Mrs Chatterjee vs. Norway), Shefali Shah (Three of Us)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) Vicky Kaushal (Dunki)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female) Shabana Azmi (Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani)

Best Lyrics Amitabh Bhattacharya (“Tere Vaaste” – Zara Hatke Zara Bachke)

Best Playback Singer (Male) Bhupinder Babbal (Arjan Vailly – Animal)

Best Playback Singer (Female) Shilpa Rao (Besharam Rang – Pathaan)

Best Debut Director Tarun Dudeja (Dhak Dhak)

Best Debut Male Aditya Rawal (Faraaz)

Best Debut Female Alizeh Agnihotri (Farrey)

Lifetime Achievement Award David Dhawan

Explanation:

• World Leprosy Day or World Leprosy Eradication Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness about leprosy. This day is celebrated all over the world on the fourth Sunday of January.
• In the same sequence, this year this day is being celebrated on 29th January, but in India this day is celebrated on 30th January along with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Celebrating this day was started by Raul Foleiro in the year 1954. He dedicated this day to Gandhiji.