ALL EXAM QUIZ 15.01.2024

Explanation:

• 5 Lok Sabha MPs have been selected for the Sansad Ratna Awards.
• Five Lok Sabha MPs, including Sukanta Majumdar of BJP and Shrikant Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, have been selected for the Sansad Ratna Awards, which were announced on 7 January.
• BJP's Sudhir Gupta, NC's Amol Ramsing Kolhe, and Congress's Kuldeep Rai Sharma are the other three MPs selected for this award.
• The awards will be presented at a function on 17 February.
• The awards are based on comprehensive performance, with nominees selected by a jury committee headed by Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and former Chief Election Commissioner of India TS Krishnamurthy.
• Sansad Ratna Awards are presented annually to top-performing MPs on the basis of performance.
• The Sansad Maha Ratna Awards are presented once in five years for consistency in performance in the Lok Sabha.
• The Sansad Ratna Awards were instituted on the suggestion of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam to recognize outstanding parliamentarians.
• In 2010, the first edition of the award ceremony was hosted in Chennai.

Explanation:

• On January 10, the Indigenously Drishti 10 Starliner unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufactured by Adani Defense and Aerospace was included in the Indian Navy.
• The UAV began its journey from Hyderabad to Porbandar as it joined the naval maritime operations.
• This is a significant opportunity and transformative step in India's pursuit of self-reliance in ISR technology and maritime dominance.
• The integration of Drishti 10 into naval operations will enhance naval capabilities, strengthening our readiness for ever-evolving maritime surveillance and reconnaissance.
• The Drishti 10 Starliner represents a state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform.
• It has an impressive endurance of 36 hours and a payload capacity of 450 kg and has the distinction of being the only all-weather military platform with STANAG 4671 certification.
• Additionally, it is authorized for flight in both segregated and unsegregated airspace.
• Drishti 10 'Starliner' is India's first indigenously developed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), based on Elbit's Hermes 900 MALE (Medium Altitude Long Range) platform.
• It is equipped with multiple hard points and a 250 kg modular internal installation bay.

Explanation:

• India and the UK signed a MoU for the bilateral international cadet exchange programme.
• India and U.K signed a Letter of Arrangement (LoA) on defence collaboration in Research and Development.
• The LoA on R&D was signed between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).
• It was signed after the bilateral meeting held between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his British counterpart Grant Shapps in London.
• Both leaders discussed a range of defence, security and cooperation matters with particular emphasis on enhancing defence-industrial collaboration.
• It is the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to the U.K. in the last two decades.
• Shri Rajnath Singh was present at the ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Horse Guards Parade Ground before the bilateral meeting with his UK counterpart.

Explanation:

• IIT Madras will open its campus at Kandy in Sri Lanka.
• IIT Madras has decided to open a new campus at Kandy in Sri Lanka.
• Sri Lanka’s Education minister Dr. Susil Premajayantha made this announcement.
• Before the new campus establishment, a team of academics would be sent by the Sri Lankan government to IIT Madras.
• This is part of the Budget 2024 presented by Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremasinghe.
• Earlier, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras formally launched its campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
• Currently, around 50 students have been admitted to this institute.

Explanation:

• According to the ILO report, the global unemployment rate will increase to 5.2% in 2024.
• The International Labour Organization (ILO) said that this increase is mainly because of growth in joblessness in advanced economies.
• As per the forecast of ILO's 2024 'World Employment and Social Outlook' report, the number of unemployed people will increase by 2 million.
• As a result, the global unemployment rate will increase to 5.2% from 5.1% in 2023.
• According to the ILO, aggregate labour productivity growth has swiftly returned to the low pace observed over the preceding ten years, following a brief growth burst as countries recovered from the epidemic.
• The scenario is more worrying in high-income nations, where employment growth is predicted to turn negative in 2024 and show only slight increases in 2025.

Explanation:

• DPIIT is organising the Startup India Innovation Week 2024 from 10 January 2024.
• DPIIT is organising it to bring together India’s startups, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
• Startup India Innovation Week 2024 is being organised from 10th January 2024 to 18th January 2024.
• The result declaration ceremony for the States’ Startup Ranking and National Startup Awards 2023 will be held on 16th January 2024.
• PM Modi launched the Startup India initiative on 16th January 2016.
• It was launched to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing innovation.
• It was also launched to boost startups and encourage investments in the startup ecosystem of the country.
• According to the Commerce and Industry Ministry, the number of recognized startups has grown to more than one lakh 17 thousand from about 400 startups in 2016.
• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is also partnering with the Department of Youth Affairs to promote the Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) initiative.
• Prime Minister Modi launched Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) initiative on 31st October 2023.

Explanation:

• India will chair and host the UNESCO's World Heritage Committee meeting from 21 to 31 July.
• This will be the first instance when a country is chairing and hosting the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.
• The main focus will be on global discussions on preserving cultural and historical heritage.
• The World Heritage Committee decided that its 46th session will take place in India.
• The Unesco's World Heritage Committee comprises 21 members.
• It plays an important role in bringing new sites to the prestigious list of Unesco World Heritage Sites.
• UNESCO is a specialized UN agency to promotes global peace and national security through collaborative efforts in education, arts, science, and culture.
• It also highlights the importance of international cooperation in preserving cultural and natural treasures.

Explanation:

• Chattisgarh government to launch Ramlala Darshan Scheme for Ayodhya Pilgrimage.
• The Chhattisgarh government has decided to launch the 'Shri Ramlala Darshan scheme’.
• This scheme will be implemented by the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and the Budget Tourism Department.
• Annually, around 20,000 pilgrims will be taken for the Shri Ramlala Darshan.
• People aged between 18 to 75 will be eligible for availing benefits of this scheme. The health examination will be conducted by the district medical board.
• Under this scheme, transportation will be facilitated in collaboration with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).

Explanation:

• Indian passport ranked 80th in the Henley Passport Index 2024.
• The Indian passport is in the 80th position in the Henley Passport Index 2024.
• It will allow Indian citizens to travel to 62 countries without a visa.
• India shares its rank with Uzbekistan. India’s neighboring country Pakistan is in the 101st position.
• In 2023, India's passport was ranked at the 80th spot.
• Japan and Singapore have continued to top the list for five years now.
• South Korea, Sweden, and Finland are in the second position with access to 193 locations.
• Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands are in third place with access to 192 countries without visas.
• The United Arab Emirates climbed to 11th spot with visa-free access to 183 countries.
• The least powerful passport in the world is Afghanistan. It has access to 28 countries.
• Syria (103), Iraq (102), Pakistan (101) and Yemen (100) are among the least powerful passport countries.

Explanation:

2, 1, 4, 3