This is the current affairs of 15 & 16 August 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. On August 15, 2023, which Independence Day did the citizens celebrate?
a. 75th
b. 76th
c. 77th
d. 78th
Answer: c. 77th
– India became independent on August 15, 1947.
– In 2023, the citizens celebrated the 77th Independence Day.
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2. During his speech from the Red Fort on Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned which guarantee?
a. India will become the third largest economic power in the world in 5 years
b. Those living in rented houses in cities will get concession in bank loans.
c. 25 thousand Jan Aushadhi Kendras will be opened across the country
d. All of the above
Answer: d. All of the above
Vishwakarma Scheme:
– On the 77th Independence Day, the Prime Minister announced that the Vishwakarma Scheme will be launched on September 17.
– The budget for this scheme will be between 13 to 15 billion rupees. The government will provide assistance to individuals with traditional skills through this scheme. People like goldsmiths, blacksmiths, barbers, and leatherworkers will benefit from it.
Peaceful Resolution for Manipur:
– The PM mentioned Manipur twice. He began his speech by saying that in Manipur, a sport was played with respect for mothers and daughters, and lives were lost. The news of peace has been coming for a few days. The nation stands with the people of Manipur. Efforts for peace are being made.
Dream of Empowered Women:
– PM Modi praised women’s self-help groups and expressed a desire to create two crore ‘Lakhpati Didi’ (Prosperous Sisters).
– He advocated for the safety of daughters, and emphasized collective responsibility against atrocities.
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3.The President approved how many gallantry awards for the personnel of the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) on the 77th Independence Day?
a. 76
b. 86
c. 96
d. 69
Answer: a. 76
Number of Medals:
– Kirti Chakra (Posthumous): 4
– Shaurya Chakra: 11 (5 Posthumous)
– Sena Medal (Gallantry): 2
– Sena Padak (Gallantry): 52
– Nausena Padak (Gallantry): 3
– Vayu Sena Padak (Gallantry): 4
India’s Highest Gallantry Awards: During War and Peace
– Highest Gallantry Awards during War: Param Vir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Vir Chakra
– Highest Gallantry Awards during Peace: Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra
– Other Gallantry Awards: Sena Padak, Nausena Padak, Vayu Sena Padak
Kirti Chakra Award Recipients
– After Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra are India’s second and third highest peacetime gallantry awards.
– This time, the Kirti Chakra will be conferred to four CRPF personnel who were martyred during anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh in April 2021.
– The recipients include Dilip Kumar Das, Raj Kumar Yadav, Babloo Rabha, and Samba Rao.
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4. In which country is Europe’s highest active volcano ‘Mount Etna’, which erupted again in August 2023?
a. Italy
b. Germany
c. France
d. Belarus
Answer: a. Italy
– Mount Etna is a volcano located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy.
– It has an approximate height of 3,357 meters (11,013 feet).
– It is the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active volcanoes globally.
– Due to an eruption in August 2023, air traffic had to be halted in the city of Catania.
What is a Volcano and How Does it Erupt?
– Before discussing volcanic eruptions, it’s important to understand what a volcano is.
– A volcano is an opening or rupture in the Earth’s surface that allows magma – the hot liquid and semi-liquid rock – along with volcanic ash and gases to escape.
– In other words, a volcano is a fissure or vent on the Earth’s surface through which lava, molten rocks, and gases from the Earth’s interior are expelled.
– Within the mantle of the Earth (one of its three main layers), there is a weak region known as the asthenosphere, and magma is present in this region.
– Volcanic hotspots are areas where the Earth’s tectonic plates are meeting.
– There are estimated to be around a million undersea volcanoes, with most of them located near tectonic plate boundaries.
– When tectonic plates collide, temperature and pressure increase. This leads to the formation of magma, which is molten material beneath the Earth’s surface.
– As this magma rises to the surface, it forms lava upon reaching the Earth’s outermost layer.
– When this magma breaches the Earth’s crust, it is called lava.
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5. The Chief Minister of which state announced the ‘Abua Awas’ scheme?
a. Bihar
b. Jharkhand
c. Uttar Pradesh
d. Madhya Pradesh
Answer: b. Jharkhand
– On the occasion of the 77th Independence Day, the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, announced the ‘Abhua Awas’ scheme.
– This is a 15,000 crore rupee scheme.
– Under this scheme, needy individuals will receive a 3-room house. It includes a separate room for parents, a separate one for sons and daughters-in-law, and a separate one for children.
Jharkhand
– Capital: Ranchi
Governor: CP Radhakrishnan
Chief Minister: Hemant Soren
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6. Who is the winner of the reality show ‘Bigg Boss OTT Season-2’?
a. Abhishek Malhan
b. Pooja Bhatt
c. Elvish Yadav
d. Manisha Rani
Answer: c. Elvish Yadav
– Elvish Yadav is a famous YouTuber.
– He is the first contestant in the history of Bigg Boss to win the show through a wild card entry.
– He defeated Abhishek Malhan to clinch the title.
– After spending around 40 days in the house, he emerged as the winner of the show.
– He was awarded 25 lakh rupees in cash and a sparkling trophy by Bigg Boss.
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7. Name the new name of ‘Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society’, which was implemented by the Central Government on 15 August 2023?
a. Narendra Modi Memorial & Library Society
b. Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial Society
c. PM Memorial Museum & Library Society
d. Savarkar Memorial Museum and Library
Answer: c. PM Memorial Museum & Library Society
– The ‘Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society’ located in Delhi will now be known as the ‘Prime Minister’s Museum and Library Society’.
– This new name came into effect from August 15, 2023.
– Earlier, on June 15, 2023, the central government had decided to change the name of the society.
– It has been announced that this museum will be expanded to include dedicated sections for all Prime Ministers.
– The museum already houses exhibits related to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru along with a few other Prime Ministers.
Official Residence of Pandit Nehru
– Initially, this building was known as Teen Murti Bhavan.
– In 1948, when Pandit Nehru became the Prime Minister of the country, Teen Murti Bhavan became his official residence.
– Pandit Nehru lived in this house for 16 years and took his last breath here.
– Subsequently, in dedication to Pandit Nehru, the building was renamed as Pandit Nehru Museum and Memorial.
– This building houses items related to Nehru’s life.
– Alongside Pandit Nehru, memories of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi are also preserved in Teen Murti Bhavan.
– Later, memories associated with some other Prime Ministers were also added.
– This building, originally built in the Edwardian Classical style, preserves a piece of India’s history.
– Prior to independence, Teen Murti Bhavan was a part of Edwin Lutyens’ Imperial Capital. It served as the official residence of the Commander-in-Chief of British India during the English rule.
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8. Which Arab country has India made the payment for crude oil in rupees for the first time?
a. Saudi Arab
b. UAE
c. Iraq
d. Qatar
Answer: b. UAE
– On August 14, 2023, India made a payment in rupees to purchase 10 lakh barrels of oil.
– This information was provided by the Indian embassy in UAE.
– It has been reported that the transaction took place between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) of UAE and the Indian Oil Corporation.
On July 15, 2023, an agreement was reached
– Between India and the UAE, an agreement was reached on July 15, 2023, for local currency settlement (Rupee and Dirham) in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Jai Al Nahyan.
– Previously, the payment for imported oil from the UAE was made in dollars.
– Now, for such transactions, the utilization of Rupee and Dirham is being seen as a form of de-dollarization, reducing reliance on the dollar.
– Conducting transactions in local currency reduces transaction costs and saves time.
How is the payment happening?
– Actually, India, which is buying goods from the UAE, is making its payment in rupees.
– Whereas the UAE, which is buying goods from India, is making its payment in dirhams.
– Afterward, both countries settle the exchange of these currencies through a ‘local currency settlement’ system.
UAE is a significant energy partner
– The UAE is the fifth largest country from which India fulfills its crude oil requirements.
– It is also a major source of LNG and LPG imports for India.
– In this context, local currency payments between both countries could prove beneficial for India.
What does India export to the UAE?
– India’s major exports to the UAE include petroleum products, metals, stones, gems and jewelry, minerals, food items such as grains, sugar, fruits and vegetables, tea, meat and seafood, textiles, engineering machinery products, and chemicals.
UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner
– The UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner.
– There is a trade business of over 6 trillion rupees between the two countries.
– UAE has imported goods worth 2 trillion rupees from India.
– India faces a trade deficit with the UAE, meaning it imports more from UAE than it exports.
– In the financial year 2022-23, India has imported goods worth 4 trillion rupees from the UAE. India has also signed a trade pact with the UAE.
UAE
– Capital: Abu Dhabi
– President: Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
– Prime Minister: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
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9. Name the founder of Sulabh International, who passed away on 15th August 2023?
a. Rakeshwar Pathak
b. Bindeshwar Pathak
c. Rajkaran Pathak
d. None of these
Answer: b. Bindeshwar Pathak
– Bindseshwar Pathak hailed from Vaishali, Bihar.
– He was 80 years old.
– He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in the year 2003.
– In 1970, he founded Sulabh International, pioneering the provision of clean public toilets to citizens.
– Across the country, there are about 8,500 public toilets and bathing facilities under Sulabh International.
– Bindseshwar Pathak, who led a campaign against the practice of manual scavenging in India, played a significant role in the country’s sanitation movement.
– Dr. Pathak first invented the “disposal compost toilet” in 1968, which could be made from readily available materials at low cost.
– Due to his efforts, the United Nations recognized November 19, 2013, as World Toilet Day.
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10. Which country won the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 (Hockey)?
a. Malaysia
b. France
c. India
d. New Zealand
Answer: c. India
– In the final of the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey, the Indian Men’s Hockey Team secured victory by defeating Malaysia.
– India clinched this title for the fourth time.
– The final match took place on August 12, 2023, in Chennai.
Indian Captain: Harmanpreet Singh
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11. Under whose chairmanship, NCERT constituted a 19-member National Curriculum and Teaching Learning Material Committee (NSTC) to revise the textbooks for classes 3 to 12?
a. Sudha Murty
b. Shankar Mahadevan
c. Sanjeev Sanyal
d. M. C. Pant
Answer: d. M. C. Pant
– He is the Chancellor of NIEPA (National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration).
– The committee members include Sudha Murthy, Shankar Mahadevan, Sanjiv Sanyal, and others.
