Daily Current Affairs: 19 January 2023 | Gkseries

Current Affairs is the most important area in all competitive exams. But the difficulty level is very high. That’s why; many aspirants get confused, how to select Current Affairs for Preparation of Competitive Examination? In this Post, Daily Current Affairs 19 January 2023, we have tried to cover each and every point and also included all important facts from National/ International news that are useful for upcoming competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, State Govt. etc.

Current Affairs for Competitive Exam – 19 January 2022

‘Naanera’ bagged ‘Golden Kailasha’ Award in Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival

‘Naanera’ bagged ‘Golden Kailasha’ Award in Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival: The Deepankar Prakash-directed Rajasthani film Naanera won the Golden Kailasha award for best film at the Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival. Naanera (Grandfather’s House) revolves around Manish (Main Character). Manish’s uncle begins making decisions by himself after his father’s passing. The character’s journey leads him to a questionable point when he begins a secret love affair with a cousin and the family finds itself in the middle of another death. Naanera has also bagged awards for best director, best screenplay, and best editor.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

 ‘Naanera’ bagged ‘Golden Kailasha’ Award in Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival- Key Points

• The Best Picture award was announced by FIPRESSCI India Jury N Vidyashakar. The award came with a trophy and a Rs. 1 lakh cash prize.
• The Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival is currently in its eighth edition, and it took place in Aurangabad from 11th January to 15th January 2022.
• Kannada film Koli Esru (Chicken Curry), won awards for best child artist (Apeksha Chorna Hallid the best actress for Akshatha Pandavapura.
• The film revolves around a young mother in the village who goes out of her way to fulfill her daughter’s wish to eat chicken curry.
• Jeetu Kamal won the best actor prize for the Bengali film Aparajito. Kamal played the role of Indian Cinema legend Satyajit Ray in the film which traces the journey of the directors he worked with on his debut 1955 film Pather Panchali.
• The five-day Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival featured 55 films. After the pandemic had been present for two years, the Ajanta-Ellora Film Festival was launched.

Padho Pardesh scheme discontinued by Ministry of Minority Affairs

Padho Pardesh scheme discontinued by Ministry of Minority Affairs: The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) has discontinued the scheme of interest subsidy on education loans for overseas studies for students belonging to minority communities (Padho Pardesh). The Indian Banks’ Association informed all banks last month that the Padho Pardesh Interest Subsidy Scheme would not be continued in 2022–2023. Until now, Canara Bank, the designated nodal bank, has carried out the scheme. The existing beneficiaries as on March 31, 2022, will continue to receive the interest subsidy during the moratorium period of the loan, subject to compliance with the extant guidelines, according to the Association’s communication to Banks.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

Padho Pardesh Interest Subsidy Scheme from 2022-23: Objective

The objective of the scheme, which was part of the then Prime Minister’s June 2006 fifteen-point programme for the welfare of minorities, is to award interest subsidy to meritorious students belonging to economically weaker sections of notified minority communities to provide them better opportunities for higher education at Masters, M.Phil and Ph.D levels abroad and enhance their employability.

About the Padho Pardesh Interest Subsidy Scheme from 2022-23

Under the scheme, interest payable by the students availing education loans as prescribed under the Education Loan Scheme of the IBA for the period of moratorium (that is course period, plus one year or six months after getting a job, whichever is earlier) shall be borne by the Government of India.

After the period of moratorium is over, the interest on the outstanding loan amount shall be paid by the student, in accordance with the existing Educational Loan Scheme. Beyond the moratorium period, the Candidate shall be responsible for the Principal Instalments and Interest.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Canara Bank Headquarters: Bengaluru;
• Canara Bank Founder: Ammembal Subba Rao Pai;
• Canara Bank MD and CEO: L V Prabhakar;
• Canara Bank Founded: 1 July 1906.

NCERT Launched India’s First National Assessment Regulator “PARAKH”

NCERT Launched India’s First National Assessment Regulator “PARAKH”: The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) has released India’s first national assessment regulator, PARAKH, which will work on setting norms, standards, and guidelines for student assessment and evaluation for all recognized school boards in the country.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

To assist eliminate inconsistencies in the grades of students enrolled with several state boards, the PARAKH regulator wants to establish assessment norms for all boards. PARAKH stands for The Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development. It is established within the education survey division of the NCERT.

NCERT Launched India’s First National Assessment Regulator “PARAKH” – Key Points

• The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s implementation includes the launch of PARAKH.
• It has envisaged a standard-setting body to advise school boards regarding the new assessment patterns and the latest research and promote collaboration between them.
• PARAKH will work in three major assessment areas including large-scale assessments, school-based assessments, and examination reforms.
• It will seek to bring academic standards among students into parity among the authorised school boards in India.
• PARAKH will collaborate closely with state education directorates, state education boards, and international organisations that work in the assessment and evaluation fields.
• Last year in September, NCERT invited expressions of interest (EoI) from international agencies to help in setting up PARAKH.
• PARAKH will be responsible for conducting large-scale assessments, including the National Achievement Survey (NAS).
• The center will also manage India’s participation in international assessments such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS).

A Book Come! Let’s Run Authored by Tamil Nadu Health Minister Released

A Book Come! Let’s Run Authored by Tamil Nadu Health Minister Released: Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma’s book, “Come! Let’s Run,” is available in English. Subramanian was released by Krishnamachari Srikkanth, former Captain of the Indian Cricket team. The Tamil version of the same book titled ‘Odalam Vanga’ was released on March 8, 2021. The book was published by Emerald Publishers, and Geeta Padmanaban—a teacher—along with J. Joicy and Sharon—translated it into English.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

This book is a fascinating account of the physical, emotional, and historical journey taken by Thiru. Subramanian while competing in marathons in Tamil Nadu, India, and other countries. He includes interesting facts and details about each place he ran a marathon while talking about the challenges of running each race. Every volunteer in the party has perseverance and is always ready to face challenges and win. This book is proof of that. Especially at a time when the state assembly elections are around the corner, this book is definitely a source of inspiration.

Leading Scientist A.D. Damodaran passes away

Leading Scientist A.D. Damodaran passes away: Leading researcher AD Damodaran, 87, died in Thiruvananthapuram. He was the previous head of the CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST). He also served as the Chairman of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

A renowned material scientist, he had a stint with the Nuclear Fuels Complex, Hyderabad, and was visiting scientist at both the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, and the Indian Institute of Metals. In May 1985, Damodaran started working at CSIR-NIIST as the director, a position he held for 12 years. He was also the chairman of the public sector Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation (Keltron) and an expert in Intellectual Property Rights, food nutrition, nutraceuticals and advanced materials. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed condolences on the demise of Damodaran, who also happens to be the son-in-law of EMS Namboothiripad, Marxist theoretician and the first chief minister of the state.

Writer K Venu received Federal Bank Literary Award 2023

Federal Bank Literary Award 2022: Federal Bank Literary Award 2022 was given to renowned author K Venu for his autobiography, “Oranweshananthinte Katha.” Venu received the award from Balagopal Chandrasekhar, Chairman and Independent Director of Federal Bank, at a special event held as part of the Kerala Literature Festival.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

 ‘Oranweshananthinte Katha’ was chosen by the judging panel comprising writer and literary critic KC Narayanan, Sunil P Ilayidom and PK Rajashekharan.  P K Rajashekaran, a member of the judging panel, said that the book’s core reminded him of the most intense political period in Kerala’s modern history. The Federal Bank has created a literary award for the first time ever. By constituting the award, Federal Bank aims to celebrate the diversity of contemporary literature and recognise writers for their cultural contributions.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

    Federal Bank Headquarters: Aluva;

    Federal Bank CEO: Shyam Srinivasan (23 Sept 2010–);

    Federal Bank Founder: K.P Hormis;

    Federal Bank Founded: 23 April 1931, Nedumpuram

Former BSF chief Pankaj Kumar Singh appointed as Deputy NSA

Former BSF chief Pankaj Kumar Singh appointed as Deputy NSA: Former Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Pankaj Kumar Singh was appointed as the Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) in National Security Council Secretariat for two years.

After assuming the new role, Singh will assist NSA Ajit Doval in the creation, implementation and improvisation of India’s national security strategies, including assessing threats posed by terrorism, data breaches & theft, cyber threats, the readiness of concerned agencies and cooperation between major organisations dealing with security issues and affairs.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

He is a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Rajasthan cadre. He retired as the BSF chief on December 31, 2022. Prakash Singh, a 1959-batch IPS officer, had headed BSF from June 1993 to January 1994. He has also served in the Rajasthan Police and CBI.

Earlier, he served as Inspector General of the CRPF in Chhattisgarh and IG (Operations) at CRPF, Delhi. Before moving to the BSF, Pankaj had served with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as Inspector General (Chhattisgarh) and IG (Operations) at CRPF HQ in Delhi. 

In 1996, Pankaj Singh petitioned the Supreme Court to carry out reforms in the police establishment following which the government started giving a fixed tenure of two years at least to the chief of the Intelligence Bureau, the CBI, the foreign secretary, the RAW chief and the Union home secretary.

B-20 inception meeting to be organised in Gandhinagar, Gujarat

B-20 inception meeting to be organised in Gandhinagar, Gujarat : As part of G-20 presidency, a Business-20 (B-20) inception meeting will be organized at Gandhinagar in Gujarat from 22- 24 January 2023.The meeting will be held to formulate policy recommendations to be submitted to G-20 ahead of the leaders’ Summit. This will be the first of 15 events that the State is set to organise as part of India’s G-20 presidency.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

Agenda: To formulate policy recommendations to be submitted to G-20 ahead of the leaders’ Summit.

Attended by: Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Ashwini Vaishnaw, CM Bhupendra Patel, Amitabh Kant (India’s Sherpa to G-20), and N Chandrasekaran (Tata Sons Chairman).

More than 150 policy-makers, business executives, CEOs, and senior executives representing enterprises from G-20 countries will take part in the inaugural meeting.

Viktor Axelsen wins men’s singles Malaysia Open title 2023

Viktor Axelsen wins men’s singles Malaysia Open title 2023 : Denmark badminton player, Viktor Axelsen won the men’s singles Malaysia Open title 2023, after defeating Kodai Naraoka from Japan. It was Axelsen’s ninth consecutive final in BWF Super 1000 level tournaments, a new record, and his eighth title in the top tier level series. The Dane was defending champion in Kuala Lumpur and retained his title by beating Naraoka Kodai of Japan in the final, in straight sets 21-6, 21-15.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

While Akane Yamaguchi (Japanese player) lifted the title in the women’s final, after beating South Korea’s An Se-young.

Other winners:

Men’s doubles: Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto (Indonesia)

Women’s doubles: Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan (China)

RBI proposes expected loss-based approach for provisioning by banks

RBI proposes expected loss-based approach for provisioning by banks: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed a framework for the adoption of an ‘expected loss-based approach for provisioning by banks. Presently, banks in India are required to make loan loss provisions based on an ‘incurred loss’ approach, which used to be the standard globally till recently.

Aim: To further enhance the resilience of the banking system, the RBI is proposing to amend the prudential regulations governing loan loss provisioning by banks to incorporate the more forward-looking expected credit loss approach as against the extant ‘incurred loss’ approach.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

Under the proposed framework, banks will be required to classify financial assets (primarily loans, including irrevocable loan commitments, and investments classified as held-to-maturity or available-for-sale) into one of three categories – Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3, depending upon the assessed credit losses on them, at the time of initial recognition as well as on each subsequent reporting date and make necessary provisions. Banks would be allowed to design and implement their own models for measuring expected credit losses for the purpose of estimating loss provisions in line with the proposed principles.

Mitigating Model Risk

To mitigate the concerns relating to model risk and considering the significant variability that may arise, the RBI will be issuing broad guidance that will be required to be considered while designing the credit risk models by commercial banks. The precise expectations on the information and factors that banks should take into account when determining credit risk will be specified in the guidance. The expected credit loss models proposed to be adopted by banks will have to be independently validated to verify whether the models follow the guidance issued by RBI, based on sound reasoning, calibrated use of all relevant data that is available with the bank and, whether proper back-testing and internal validation of the models have been done to remove any bias.

Impact on Banks

The impact of adopting the forward-looking expected credit loss approach to estimating loss provisions, is likely to result in excess provisions as compared to shortfall in provisions.

Exclusion

The proposed norms are for all scheduled commercial banks, excluding regional rural banks and smaller cooperative banks (based on a threshold to be decided based on comments)

Timeline

The RBI has until February 28, 2023, to receive comments on the paper. Considering the complexities involved in designing the models and the time required to test them, sufficient time will be provided for implementation.

PM Modi Inaugurated Second Phase of Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23

PM Modi Inaugurated Second Phase of Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the second phase of Saansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23 via video conferencing. Harish Dwivedi, a member of parliament for Basti since 2021, arranged the Saansad Khel Mahakumbh in the Uttar Pradeshi district of Basti in 2022–2023.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

The Khel Mahakumbh features both indoor and outdoor sporting events, such as chess, carrom, badminton, table tennis, wrestling, kabaddi, football, hockey, volleyball, handball, and more. There are several other competitions including essay writing, painting, rangoli making, etc are also organized during the Khel Mahakumbh.

PM Modi Inaugurated Second Phase of Sansad Khel Mahakumbh 2022-23- Key Points

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has noted that Basti is the pious land of Maharishi Vashist which is made up of labor and meditation, asceticism, and renunciation.
• PM Modi has also appreciated the scale of Khel Mahakumbh and expressed hope that India’s traditional expertise in sports will get a new wing through such events.
• He stated that over 200 Members of Parliament had set up such Khel Mahakumbhs in their districts. As Member of Parliament from Kashi, Shri Modi informed that such events are being organized in Varanasi also.
• Prime Minister also informed that through these games, performing athletes are being picked up for further training under the Sports Authority of India.
• The Prime Minister has expressed his happiness that about 40,000 athletes are participating in the Khel Mahakumbh, three times more than the last year.
• Highlight of the event is the participation of girls in the Sansad Khel Mahakumbh, The daughters of Basti, Purvanchal, Uttar Pradesh, and all of India, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will exhibit their ability and abilities on a worldwide platform.

Pakistan is South Asia’s Weakest Economy, World Bank report

Pakistan is South Asia’s Weakest Economy, World Bank report: Pakistan’s economic growth is expected to drop down even more this year, to just two percent, according to the World Bank. This will mark a drop of two percentage points from its June 2022 estimates, according to the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report. According to the analysis, Pakistan’s economic output was not only contracting on its own, but it was also slowing down regional growth. Forecasting Pakistan’s GDP growth rate to improve to 3.2 per cent in 2024, the report said, “Policy uncertainty further complicates the economic outlook” of Pakistan.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

More About This:

This pace reflects still robust growth in India, Maldives, and Nepal, offsetting the effects of the floods in Pakistan and the economic and political crises in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. However, the worsening global economy will have an adverse effect on investment in the area, according to the report, which also predicted a “sharp, long-lasting slowdown” with this year’s predicted global growth of 1.7%.

Devastating Floods, Biggest Reason:

Floods in Pakistan in July last year was cited as the main reason for the faltering economic situation in the country by the World Bank. The report also cited devastating floods in 2022 as a reason for the precarious economic situation in the country. Floods deluged almost one-third of Pakistan and directly impacted about 15 percent of the country’s population. “Recovery and reconstruction needs are expected to be 1.6 times the FY2022-23 national development budget,” the report said.

Cost of food items touches sky:

In Pakistan, soaring prices of basic food items have been burning hole in the pockets of people. Wheat, which is an essential staple food of Pakistanis, is barely in reach for many locals. Its prices have surged over 57 per cent, while the cost of wheat flour also saw an increase of 41 per cent, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said.

Pakistan’s forex reserves hit new low:

Pakistan’s forex reserves have hit a new low of USD 4.6 billion that would be barely adequate to pay for foreign bills for three weeks. The country needs aid valued at USD 33 billion, according to analysts. The shortage of dollars has been drastically hurting the economy and diverting remittances from the legal banking channel to the grey market.

World’s oldest person, Lucile Randon passes away at the age of 118

World’s oldest person: French nun Lucile Randon, the oldest person in the world, passed away at the age of 118. Randon, also known as Sister Andre, was born in southern France on February 11, 1904, a decade before World War I. Although she had previously been thought of as the oldest European, Kane Tanaka of Japan passed away last year at the age of 119, making her the oldest person in the entire globe. The record for oldest confirmed age reached by a human belongs to Jeanne Calment, also of southern France, who died in 1997 at the age of 122. Guinness World Records had officially recognised her status in April 2022.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

At the age of 26, she converted to Catholicism and was baptized.  She joined the Daughters of Charity order of nuns at the rather late age of 41, motivated by a desire to “go further.” Sister Andre was thereafter posted to a Vichy hospital, where she stayed for 31 years. Spending most of her life dedicated to religious service, Sister André also held the record for the oldest nun living. Later in life, she relocated to Toulon on the Mediterranean coast. Prayer, mealtimes, and visits from residents and hospice personnel interrupted her days in the nursing home. She also got letters on a regular basis, practically all of which she responded to. In 2021, she survived getting Covid-19, which infected 81 nursing home patients.

How do Guinness World Records validate the oldest people?

Guinness World Records works with lead consultant for gerontology, Robert D Young (USA), in the study of aging. Young has been the Director of the Supercentenarian Research Database Division for the Gerontology Research Group since 2015.

18th National Disaster Response Force Day celebrates on 19th January 2023

18th National Disaster Response Force day: The National Disaster Response Force observes its 18th National Disaster Response Force Day on January 19, 2023. (NDRF). The day has been celebrated on this day since 2006 when the rescue force was officially formed. The specialised, multi-skilled rescue force is made up of battalions from the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Assam Rifles. The main organisation in charge of executing rescue operations in the event of a disaster, such as drowning, building collapses, landslides, disastrous floods, earthquakes, and cyclones, is the NDRF.

January 2023 Current Affairs Quiz

National Disaster Response Force day 2023: Significance

In its 17 years of operation, the NDRF has managed to save 1.44 lakh lives and evacuate more than 7 lakh stranded people with its 13,000 personnel and 12 battalions spread around the country. In 2021 alone, the NDRF saved 12,000 lives in various rescue operations. The NDRF Raising Day is an important day as it provides an opportunity for the brave personnel of the rescue force to be recognised, honoured and awarded for their work. Eight NDRF rescuers received the “Union Home Minister’s Special Operation Medal” on NDRF Raising Day 2022 in recognition of their remarkable efforts in 2021.

National Disaster Response Force day: History

India saw a series of natural disasters in the later 1990s and early 2000s. These include the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, the Gujarat earthquakes in 2001, and the Mumbai floods in 2005 among others. While Indian Armed Forces were deployed for rescue and recovery missions, there was a need for a dedicated rescue operation-focused response force. The Disaster Management Act of 2005 was consequently enacted. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was established by the act as the top agency for handling natural catastrophes, and the NDRF was created as the specialised rescue force operating under the NDMA’s authority.