This is the current affairs of 18 November 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Who represented the Government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of the 8th President of Maldives Mohammed Muizzu?
a. Narendra Modi
b. Kiran Rijiju
c. Narendra Singh Tomar
d. Amit Shah
Answer: b. Kiran Rijiju
– The inauguration ceremony of the Maldives’ President took place on November 17, 2023. Hussein Mohammed Latheef also took the oath as the 10th Vice President of the Maldives during the ceremony.
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also invited to the ceremony.
– However, due to India’s oppositional statements before the Maldives’ elections, the Indian government sent Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju to the ceremony.
– Among others present at the inauguration ceremony were Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickramasinghe, Bangladesh’s Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi, and Seychelles’ Vice President Ahmed Afif.
– China’s special envoy and State Counselor Shen Yikang were also present.
China’s influence will increase in India’s neighborhood due to Muizzu’s election
– Muizzu’s presidency hints at a growing Chinese influence in India’s neighborhood.
– In fact, during the previous tenure of Muizzu’s People’s National Congress, the Maldives became a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
– Muhammad Muizzu, who won the presidential election, was the mayor of Male, the capital of the Maldives. During his tenure, he strengthened relations with China.
Controversy over the two helicopters gifted to Maldives in India’s gift
– India gifted two helicopters in 2010 and 2013 and a small aircraft in 2020 to the Maldives as a gift. This has caused quite a stir in the Maldives.
Maldives is crucial due to its location.
– Due to the Maldives’ location in the Indian Ocean, it holds strategic importance for both China and India.
– The Maldives consists of more than 1100 small and large islands spread southwest in the Indian Ocean. It serves as a crucial route connecting eastern and western countries.
– It is believed that China has taken 16 of these islands on lease.
– If China captures these islands, it could not only keep an eye on India’s commercial ships but also monitor the Navy’s convoys.
– Moreover, in times of conflict, it could station its ships on these islands.
Maldives
– The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean.
– Capital: Male
– President: Muhammad Muizzu
– Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa
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2. Who is the new director of SPG (Special Protection Group)?
a. V. Dayal
b. V.Rama Swami
c. Alok Sharma
d. Arun Kumar Sinha
Answer: c. Alok Sharma
– They are an IPS officer from the 1991 batch of the Uttar Pradesh cadre.
– They were appointed to the IG post on February 19, 2021. Later, they were promoted to the additional Director position.
– SPG (Special Protection Group) is a team of highly robust and modern trend commandos. The responsibility of security for highly distinguished individuals including the Prime Minister of the country has been entrusted to the SPG. The selection of commando soldiers in the SPG is made from the best commandos of the country’s paramilitary forces like CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, etc.
– Before Alok Sharma, the Director of SPG was Arun Kumar Sinha, who passed away on September 6.
– After the demise of Arun Kumar Sinha, the SPG Chief’s position had been vacant for almost two months. However, due to being a senior officer in the SPG, they were commanding the entire SPG during that time.
SPG
Establishment: 1985
Headquarters: New Delhi
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3. In which state, the High Court quashed the law giving 75% reservation to local youth in the private sector, calling it unconstitutional?
a. Haryana
b. Punjab
c. Rajasthan
d. Chandigarh
Answer: a. Haryana
– The High Court, while delivering the verdict, stated that it is clear in the Constitution that discrimination cannot be made on the basis of place of birth or permanent address. The law applied to grant reservation to local people is applicable to private companies, and the state government does not have the authority. This subject falls under Entry 81 of the central list, and therefore, the state cannot enact laws.
– The High Court mentioned that if this law is approved, every state will do the same, and an artificial barrier will be established within the country, which cannot be allowed at any cost.
– In November 2021, the Haryana government issued a notification for the Employment of Local Candidates Act. This law came into effect across the state from January 15, 2022.
– Seven to eight industrial organizations in the state, including Faridabad and Gurugram, challenged this law in the High Court.
The provision in the law:
– Passed in 2020, the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act provides 75% of jobs in new factories/industries or established industries/institutions to the original residents of Haryana.
– It applies to various private companies, societies, trusts, limited liability partnership firms, partnership firms, etc., employing 10 or more individuals with a monthly salary of less than 30,000 rupees.
– Residence certificates were necessary for this, reducing the requirement for residency from 15 years to 5 years.
Haryana
Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
Capital: Chandigarh
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4. Joint military exercise ‘Mitra Shakti’ 2023 was organized between India and which neighboring country?
a. Pakistan
b. Bangladesh
c. Sri Lanka
d. China
Answer: c. Sri Lanka
– This is the ninth edition of the military exercise ‘Mitra Shakti’.
– It was organized in Pune’s Aundh from November 16 to November 29, 2023.
– The exercise involves soldiers practicing various types of dangerous missions.
The eighth edition of Mitra Shakti was held at the Combat Training School, Ampara in Sri Lanka in October 2021.
Who is representing the Indian contingent?
– The Indian contingent is primarily represented by 120 soldiers of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment.
– The Sri Lankan contingent is represented by soldiers of the 53rd Infantry Division.
– Indian Army Chief – General Manoj Pandey
– Indian Navy Chief – Admiral R. Hari Kumar
– Indian Air Force Chief – Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari
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5. When is World Day for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence observed?
a. 17 November
b. 18 November
c. 19 November
d. 20 November
Answer: b. 18 November
– The objective of this day is to prevent sexual abuse and misconduct and to assist those who have been affected by it.
– The proposal for this day was put forward by African countries Sierra Leone and Nigeria, and it received support from over 110 countries.
– On November 21, 2022, the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) approved the celebration of this day.
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6. By how much did RBI increase the limit on provisioning for unsecured loans for banks and NBFCs?
a. 10%
b. 20%
c. 25%
d. 30%
Answer: c. 25%
An Unsecured Loan means – a loan for which there is no requirement of any kind of collateral. For example – personal loan, consumer loan, credit card.
What did RBI do?
– RBI has instructed banks to set a limit on their unsecured loan portfolio.
– Norms have been changed. There is more concern about unsecured loans sinking, so banks will have to keep more capital secure. Even if it sinks, it should not have an impact on the bank’s balance sheet.
– There’s considerable worry regarding credit cards. The provisioning on credit cards has been increased by 25%.
– It was increased by 125% for commercial banks and was 100% for NBFCs. So, it has been increased by 25% for both. The risk weightage for NBFCs has been increased because they borrow from banks and give unsecured loans.
– In the Indian banking system, a start has been made to send a message to banks to avoid giving unsecured loans.
– There’s a risk that in the last year, there has been a significant increase in non-performing unsecured loans and credit cards.
– There’s a rapid decline in savings in India. Income growth is low.
– Despite this, people are taking loans and making purchases.
– It can be seen that there is a credit boom in India, but there’s no security behind this boom. Those taking loans do not have a defined income. They don’t have a regular salary structure. Such people are making purchases by taking loans, using credit cards.
– In India, those taking unsecured loans without collateral, the loan is expensive and many people could default. That’s why the Reserve Bank had to do this for the first time.
– This is surprising because normally RBI and banks encourage loans. The entire function of banking is to enable people to take more and more loans.
– But for the first time in India, the Reserve Bank is discharging a specific type of loan so that if it sinks, it can be recovered.
Where will the impact be?
– Three to four significant impacts will be seen.
– First, banks will have to maintain more capital for unsecured loans.
– So, banks may have to increase interest rates on this. So, if you have a credit card, it might get expensive. Unsecured loans will also become expensive.
– NBFCs will be significantly affected. Because the primary business of NBFCs is to provide scooter loans, mobile phone loans, personal loans.
– NBFCs do shadow banking, which means they lend bank loans.
– So, the bank lending from the back will also now require them to maintain more capital.
– Private banks are usually secure because they have big corporate accounts.
– There will be a mixed impact on government banks.
RBI Governor – Shaktikanta Das
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7. When was World Antimicrobial Awareness Week celebrated in the year 2023?
a. 16 to 22 November
b. 18 to 24 November
c. 16 to 21 November
d. 19 to 25 November
Answer: b. 18 to 24 November
Theme of the year 2023:
– Preventing antimicrobial resistance together
– In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) initiated “World Antibiotic Awareness Week” to enhance global awareness and prevent the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
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8. When is National Naturopathy Day celebrated?
a. 18 November
b. 19 November
c. 20 November
d. 21 November
Answer: a. 18 November
– The objective of this day is to promote drug-free systems by making changes in diet and lifestyle to prevent diseases.
– In India, since 2018, Natural Medicine Day is celebrated every year on November 18.
– On this day, Mahatma Gandhi became a lifelong member of the Nature Cure Foundation Trust and signed the charter.
– Gandhi Ji is considered the founder of natural medicine in India because it was through his efforts that this treatment system became popular in the country.
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9. Who will host the Oscar show at the 96th Oscar Awards?
a. Jimmy Kimmel
b. Will Smith
c. Gunith Monga
d. Brendan Fraser
Answer: a. Jimmy Kimmel
– In November 2023, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced:
– Jimmy Kimmel will host the Oscars for the fourth time, marking his consecutive second year as the host.
Previous Hosting Years:
– Year 2024 (March 10, 2024)
– Year 2023
– Year 2018
– Year 2017
96th Academy Awards 2024:
– When: March 10, 2024
– Where: Dolby Theater in Hollywood
– Host: Jimmy Kimmel
About the Oscars:
– The Oscars are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the United States.
– It is a prestigious annual award given to the best directors, actors, writers, and technicians associated with the film industry.
– The first ceremony was held on May 16, 1929.
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10. BN Goswami passed away on 17 November 2023, he was a historian and writer of which field?
a. Politics
b. Art
c. Science
d. Sports
Answer: b. Art
– His full name was Brijinder Nath Goswami.
– He was 90 years old.
– He was born on August 15, 1933.
– He had received the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards.
– Goswami left his prestigious civil service career after less than three years to pursue a career in the field of arts in 1958.
– He was renowned in the art world under the pseudonym BNG.
– He authored more than 26 books.
