ALL EXAM QUIZ 12.08.2023

Explanation:

• The government of Iraq has taken a big and tough decision regarding 'homosexuality'. The country's media regulator has banned the use of the word homosexuality.
• An order was issued regarding this to all the media and social media companies there. It has been said in the order that all companies should use the term 'sexual deviation' instead of 'homosexuality'.

Explanation:

• World Biofuel Day is observed every year on 10th August to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and to highlight the various efforts made by the Government in the biofuel sector.
• This day also honors the research experiments by Sir Rudolf Diesel who ran an engine with peanut oil in the year 1893.
• His research experiment had predicted that vegetable oil is going to replace fossil fuels in the next century to fuel different mechanical engines. The World Biofuel Day is being observed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas since 2015.

Explanation:

• Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has launched “Indira Gandhi Free Smartphone Scheme 2023”. The program provides free mobile phone, internet and voice call services to women in the state.
• The distribution of smartphones will take place from August 10 to August 30, 2023, with priority given to widows and divorced women.

Explanation:

• Srinagar district has become the highest-performing district under the Jal Jeevan Survekshan (JJS-2023), outshining 114 Har Ghar Jal certified villages across India.
• This remarkable recognition solidifies Srinagar’s commitment to the successful implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a visionary initiative aimed at ensuring universal access to clean and safe drinking water.
• The Srinagar District achieved this honor through its exceptional performance in the assessment of the Jal Jeevan Survekshan conducted from October 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.

Explanation:

• The Life Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has approved the appointment of Amit Jhingran as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SBI Life Insurance Company Limited.
• Amit Jhingran has over three decades of experience in the insurance sector and is working as the Assistant General Manager of Hyderabad Circle.
• He joined the company in 1991 as a Probationary Officer and has been with SBI Life since then. Amit Jhingran also held the post of Chief Executive Officer of SBI, Chicago.

Explanation:

• Bharti Institute of Public Policy, a renowned think tank under the Indian School of Business (ISB), and the Government of Goa have entered into an MoU.
• Under the terms of the MoU, the Bharti Institute of Public Policy will work closely with the Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development to organize specialized workshops.
• The objective of these workshops is to enhance the capabilities of state officials by empowering them with the tools to effectively formulate and implement evidence-backed policies.

Explanation:

• Indian eagle-owl was classified as a species only in recent years, thus distinguishing it from the Eurasian eagle-owl.

Indian eagle-owl

• It is also called the rock eagle-owl or Bengal eagle-owl.
• It is a large horned owl species native to hilly and rocky scrub forests in the Indian Subcontinent.

Explanation:

• The Union Ministry of Education has constituted an expert committee to relook at its rules and guidelines on anti-discrimination in respect of SCs, STs, OBCs, persons with disabilities and other minorities in higher educational institutions.
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) took this step following a Supreme Court directive, where the top court asked the government to explain the positive steps taken to make campuses free of caste discrimination.
• The Ministry of Education, formerly known as the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, is a Ministry of the Government of India.

Explanation:

• Madhya Pradesh government in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has introduced an AI-powered chatbot named 'Just Ask'.
• The primary goal of this initiative is to provide accurate and easily accessible information related to social issues and sexual and reproductive health and rights, targeting adolescents and young adults.
• The interactive nature of a chatbot allows it to engage users in conversation and provide reliable information at no charge. It is designed to showcase two aspiring role models named Dhruv and Drishti.
• The launch event saw the participation of MP Health Minister Prabhuram Chowdhary and UNFPA India representative Andrea M Wojnar.

Explanation:

• In the financial year 2022-23, Government e-marketplace (GeM) recorded its highest ever gross business value of ₹ 2,01,113 crore.
• The Economic Survey 2021-22 found that for 10 out of 22 items, prices on GeM were seen to be 9.5% lower than other online platforms.