This is the current affairs of 12 & 13 September 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. In which state two people died due to the dangerous ‘Nipah’ virus and after this an alert was issued?
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Maharashtra
c. Karnataka
d. Kerala
Answer: d. Kerala
– Two people have died from the Nipah virus in Kozhikode, Kerala.
– In addition to this, five more people, including a 9-year-old boy, have been found infected in the state.
– On September 12, Central Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the deaths in Kerala are indeed due to Nipah. We have sent a team of experts to assist the state government in assessing the situation and dealing with it.
– Now neighboring states Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have also begun taking precautionary measures.
Alerts have been issued in several districts.
– Alerts have been issued in Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad, and Malappuram in Kerala.
– Seven gram panchayats in Kozhikode have been declared containment zones.
– Wearing masks has been made mandatory in containment zones and hospitals.
– All educational institutions, anganwadi centers, banks, and government offices have been ordered to remain closed.
– Shops are allowed to open only for medicines and essential items from 7 in the morning to 5 in the evening.
Cases have occurred before:
– In 2018, 17 people died from the Nipah virus in the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala.
– In 2019, a Nipah virus case was also reported in Kochi.
– In 2021, there was another case of Nipah virus in Kozhikode.
What is Nipah Virus Infection and How Does It Spread?
– Nipah is a zoonotic disease, meaning it spreads to humans through infected animals or contaminated food.
– According to the WHO, it can also spread from one person to another through close contact with an infected individual.
– The Nipah virus can be transmitted from bats and pigs to humans.
– The mortality rate of this disease is very high, and there is currently no treatment or vaccine available for it.
Nipah was encountered in Malaysia 25 years ago:
– According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nipah virus was first identified in the Sungai Nipah village of Malaysia in 1998. It was named after this village.
– At that time, farmers who raised pigs were found to be infected with this virus.
– According to the reports from the Malaysian case, infections were also found to spread from domestic animals such as dogs, cats, goats, and horses.
– Even at that time, bats and pigs were considered as the sources of the virus. Since then, this virus has been found in several countries around the world.
How rapidly does the Nipah virus spread?
– The Nipah virus is considered to spread much more slowly compared to SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus).
– It is not highly contagious, and human-to-human transmission is not very easy.
– However, its ability to cause fatalities is the biggest concern.
– During the first outbreak in Siliguri, West Bengal, India in 2001, out of the 66 confirmed cases, 45 people died. This means a mortality rate of 68%.
Symptoms of the Nipah virus:
– According to WHO, patients infected with the Nipah virus may experience symptoms such as viral fever, severe headache, feeling nauseous, throat irritation, difficulty in breathing, and dizziness.
– If these symptoms persist for 1-2 weeks, it is advisable to contact a doctor.
Kerala
CM – Pinarayi Vijayan
Governor – Arif Mohammad Khan
Capital – Thiruvananthapuram
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2. Special session of Parliament: 18 to 22 September 2023
– The Central Government has called a special session of Parliament from September 18th to 22nd. During this session, four bills will be presented.
– Information about this was provided in the parliamentary bulletin issued by the Rajya Sabha on September 13th.
– On the first day of the session, which is September 18th, there will be a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the parliamentary journey, achievements, experiences, memories, and lessons of the last 75 years.
– Prior to this, on September 17th, the Prime Minister will hoist the national flag at the new Parliament building. This day also marks Modi’s birthday and Vishwakarma Jayanti.
– Work in Parliament can begin only after the flag hoisting, as per the Flag Code of India, which mandates that any government building can be designated as having the national flag after it has been hoisted.
Which bills will be presented:
– The Post Office Bill 2023 (in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha).
– A bill related to the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha).
– The Advocates Amendment Bill 2023 (only in Lok Sabha).
– The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill 2023 (only in Lok Sabha).
Rule for Convening Parliament Sessions in the Constitution:
– Article 85 of the Constitution mentions the convening of parliamentary sessions. Typically, Parliament holds three sessions:
1. Budget Session: Starts at the end of January and runs until the end of April or the first week of May.
2. Monsoon Session: Begins in July and continues until August.
3. Winter Session: Held from November to December.
Are Special Sessions Different from Regular Sessions?
– The term “special session” is not explicitly used in the Constitution, but as per Article 85, the President can summon Parliament at any time.
– Whether it’s a regular session or a special session, the procedure to convene them is the same. The right to convene a session lies with the government (on the President’s proposal). The government decides when to summon Parliament.
– According to Article 85(2a) of the Constitution, the President can summon a session of Parliament at any time and place.
– This provision allows Parliament meetings to be held anywhere, not necessarily in the Parliament building or at a specific time.
– This provision takes into account situations like war or natural disasters. The rules for these sessions are the same as for regular sessions.
– The Constitution specifies that there should not be more than a 6-month gap between two sessions of Parliament.
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3. Indian Air Force, Army and Navy took part in the exercise ‘Bright Star-23’ organized in which country?
a. Egypt
b. Japan
c. France
d. Bangladesh
Answer: a. Egypt
– This war exercise is being held from August 27th to September 16th, 2023.
– This multinational tri-service military exercise is a historic opportunity in which 34 countries are participating.
– India is participating in this Tri-Service exercise for the first time.
– The Indian Air Force has stated that India’s participation in the war exercise includes 5 MiG-29 fighter aircraft, 2 IL-78 transport aircraft, 2 C-130s, and 2 C-17 aircraft in the transport aircraft category.
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4. Which transport aircraft of Airbus Defense and Space Company did the Air Force Chief receive in Spain in September 2023?
a. KC-46
b. C-295
c. C-390
d. CL-650
Answer: b. C-295
– European company Airbus Defence and Space (ADSpace) handed over the first C-295 tactical military air-lift plane to India on September 13, 2023.
– Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari received the aircraft in the city of Seville, Spain.
India will receive 16 aircraft from Spain, and 40 will be manufactured in India:
– In September 2021, India signed a deal worth ₹21,000 crores with ADSpace for the C-295 transport aircraft.
– The order was for a total of 56 planes.
– Out of these, 16 planes will be delivered in ready-to-fly condition from Spain, while the remaining 40 planes will be manufactured by Tata Advanced Systems Limited in Vadodara, Gujarat.
– These transport aircraft will replace the Avro aircraft.
– It is a medium tactical transport aircraft.
According to reports, the first C-295 transport aircraft’s induction will take place at Agra Airbase, where a pilot training center for the aircraft will also be set up by next year.
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5. What was the retail inflation rate in the country in August 2023?
a. 5.25%
b. 6.83%
c. 7.25%
d. 8.65%
Answer: b. 6.83%
– Before this, it had reached 7.44% in July.
– However, the inflation rate in August is still above the RBI’s upper tolerance limit of 6%.
How Wholesale Inflation Rate is Determined:
– It is determined based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
– It calculates the inflation in food items, fruits, clothing, footwear, housing, fuel, electricity, and other essentials.
– As consumers, you and I purchase goods and services from the retail market. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the changes in prices related to those goods and services we pay for on average.
Who releases the Retail Inflation Rate report?
– The National Statistical Office (NSO).
– It falls under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
How does the RBI control inflation?
– To reduce inflation, the flow of money (liquidity) in the market is reduced.
– For this purpose, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) increases the repo rate.
– However, RBI decided not to increase the repo rate in April, June, and July.
– Prior to this, RBI had raised the repo rate continuously for 6 times. RBI also lowered its inflation forecast.
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6. Who inaugurated the ‘National e-Vidhan Application’ (NeVA) in Gujarat Assembly?
a. President
b. Prime Minister
c. Union Home Minister
d. Union Education Minister
Answer: a. President
– On September 13, 2023, President Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the ‘National E-Vidhan Application’ (NeVA) in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
The Assembly proceedings will become paperless:
– After the inauguration of the E-Vidhan Application, all legislative proceedings will become completely paperless.
– Tablets have been installed on all seats in the Assembly for this purpose.
– In the Assembly, legislators will no longer use paper and pen; instead, they will use tablets to raise issues related to their constituencies and conduct question-answer sessions. The tablets will have records of all proceedings.
– With its implementation, the Assembly has gone completely online.
Gujarat
Chief Minister – Bhupendra Patel
Assembly Speaker – Shankar Chaudhary
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7. Who inaugurated the ‘Four-day Global Seminar on Farmers’ Rights’ organized in Delhi in September 2023?
a. President
b. Prime Minister
c. Union Home Minister
d. Union Education Minister
Answer: a. President
– Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar presided over the ceremony.
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8. When is Engineers Day celebrated in India?
a. 14 September
b. 15 September
c. 16 September
d. 17 September
Answer: b. 15 September
– Dr. M Visvesvaraya’s birth date (15 September) was declared ‘Engineer’s Day’ by the Government of India in the year 1968.
– Visvesvaraya has been awarded Bharat Ratna in the year 1955.
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9. When is National Hindi Day celebrated?
a. 10 January
b. 14 September
c. 18 September
d. 21 September
Answer: b. 14 September
– National Hindi Day is celebrated every year in India on September 14th.
– Additionally, on January 10th, World Hindi Day is celebrated.
– Talking about National Hindi Day, on this day in 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted a resolution that Hindi would be the official language of India. It will be used for communication in Hindi-speaking states.
– English is an associate official language and is used for communication with the states.
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10. Name the first Indian spacecraft which took the first selfie from space?
a. Aditya L1
b. Chandrayaan-3
c. Mangalyaan
d. Solar Parker Probe
Answer: a. Aditya L1
– Aditya L1 captured images of the Sun and the Moon on its way to reach the Lagrange Point (L1) and sent them to ISRO.
– It took a selfie with the Earth and the Moon.
– According to ISRO, the cameras onboard Aditya L1 captured images of its largest payload, the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), and the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) on September 4th.
– The cameras on Aditya L1 captured this image on the second day of its four-month-long journey in space.
When was Aditya L1 launched?
– It was launched on September 2nd from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota using the PSLV-C57 XL version rocket.
– It will reach the L1 point after covering a distance of 1.5 million kilometers in four months.
What is Lagrange Point-1 (L1)?
– The name Lagrange Point is based on the name of the Italian-French mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange.
– It is commonly known as L1.
– There are five such points between the Earth and the Sun.
– It is where the gravitational force of the Sun and Earth balances, creating a centrifugal force.
