This is the current affairs of 22 May 2023. Here are 10 questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. On which expressway, the world record for construction of 100 lane kilometer road in 100 hours was made?
a. Yamuna Expressway
b. Pune Mumbai Expressway
c. Ghaziabad-Aligarh Expressway
d. Agra-Lucknow Expressway
Answer: c. Ghaziabad-Aligarh Expressway
– The country has set a new world record in road construction.
– The work started on May 15, 2023, at 10:00 AM and was completed on May 19, 2023, at 2:00 PM.
– The road construction was done with bituminous concrete.
Which company has built this road?
– This road has been built by three companies: Gajiyabad Aligarh Expressway Limited, Cube Highway, and teams from L&T (Larsen & Toubro Group).
What is the meaning of 100 lane kilometers?
– In the year 2018, the central government changed the method of calculating the length during road construction.
– According to this, if a four-lane road is built in 10 kilometers, then that road will be referred to as 40 lane kilometers.
– This was not the case before 2018. At that time, the length was measured in kilometers, not according to the lanes. For example, if there is a four-lane road in 10 kilometers, it was considered as 10 kilometers.
– In this way, the figure now appears much larger, giving a feeling that significant work is being done in road construction.
– The concept of lane kilometers in road construction is argued by the central government to be calculated in a similar way in the United States as well.
– The construction of a 100 lane kilometer road on the Gajiyabad-Aligarh Expressway in Uttar Pradesh was completed in 100 hours.
So how many kilometers of road were built in 100 hours?
– The Gajiyabad-Aligarh Expressway is a four-lane road, so when calculated in lane kilometers, it would be 100 kilometers.
– However, in reality, only 25 kilometers of road were built in 100 hours.
– The Gajiyabad-Aligarh Expressway is a part of NH-34.
– This expressway spans approximately 118 kilometers.
– In terms of lane kilometers, it would be considered more than 472 lane kilometers. Lane kilometers may increase in certain areas due to diversions.
– Road and Highway Minister – Nitin Gadkari.
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2. RBI decided to give how much amount as surplus (dividend) to the Central Government for the financial year 2022-23?
a. Rs 99,122 crore
b. Rs 57,128 crore
c. Rs 87,416 crore
d. Rs 45,764 crore
Answer: c. 87,416 करोड़ रुपए / Rs 87,416 crore
– This decision was made in the RBI Board Meeting on May 19, 2023.
– Under this, RBI will give the central government 87,416 crore rupees.
This amount is nearly three times higher compared to the previous financial year (2021-22) when 30,310 crore rupees were given.
– RBI has decided to increase the Contingency Risk Buffer from 5.5% to 6%.
– Contingency Risk Buffer is used to cover various types of economic risks.
– The approval to transfer this dividend to the government was given in the 602nd meeting of the Central Board of Directors.
What is the surplus amount?
– Actually, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) does not have to pay any taxes on its income.
– After fulfilling its requirements, necessary provisions, and investments, the remaining amount is called the surplus.
– The RBI has to transfer this surplus amount to the government.
– The biggest sources of income for RBI are the interest earned on bonds and the interest charged on loans given to banks (such as reverse repo rate and others).
Last year, RBI gave the government a dividend of 30,310 crore rupees.
– Last year, which is the financial year 2021-22, RBI gave the government a dividend of 30,310 crore rupees.
– RBI Governor: Shaktikanta Das.
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3. The Indian Air Force has temporarily grounded the entire fleet of which aircraft?
a. MiG 29
b. MiG 21
c. Sukhoi 30 mki
d. Tejas
Answer: b. MiG 21
– Actually, a MiG-21 crashed in Rajasthan on 8th May. In the last 16 months (January 2021 to May 2023), these fighter jets have crashed 7 times.
– After 1963, India had a total of 872 MiG-21 aircraft, out of which more than half have crashed in accidents.
– Due to this, it is also called the “Flying Coffin.”
– Considering this, the Air Force has decided to ground all MiG-21 aircraft until the investigation is complete.
How many MiG-21 does the Air Force have?
– The Air Force has 3 squadrons of MiG-21.
– Each squadron has 16 to 18 aircraft.
– Based on this calculation, there are approximately 50 MiG-21s in service.
– They are scheduled to be retired by 2025.
– The Indian Air Force has a total of 31 combat squadrons.
Halting all MiG-21 flights a risk, dilemma for the Air Force
– The Indian Air Force believes that in the event of a war with China or Pakistan, we may have to face the combined air force of both these countries.
– Keeping this threat in mind, it has been decided to maintain 42 squadrons of combat aircraft in our Air Force.
– Each squadron consists of approximately 16 to 18 aircraft.
– However, due to continuous crashes of MiG-21 and failure in procuring new aircraft, our Air Force is currently operating with 32 squadrons instead of 42.
– Among these, there are only 3 squadrons of MiG-21.
– The grounding of MiG-21s has suddenly disturbed the power balance of the Air Force.
Participation in MiG-21 squadron’s battles
– This squadron is also known as the ‘Sword Arms’.
– It was part of “Operation Safed Sagar” during the Kargil conflict in 1999.
– Additionally, it played a role in the air strike in Balakot, Pakistan in 2019.
MiG-21 Bison Aircraft
– India acquired the old version of the MiG-21, the MiG-21 FL, in 1963.
– The MiG-21 Bison is an upgraded version of the MiG-21B, which was first inducted into service in 1976.
– However, the older MiG-21 FL was retired in 2013.
– The IAF received its first upgraded MiG-21 Bison in 2001.
– The final upgraded version was received in 2008.
Plans to replace the MiG-21 with which aircraft
– In order to provide a viable replacement for the MiG-21 Bison, the Ministry of Defence signed a deal in the previous year, 2021, to purchase 83 Tejas combat aircraft.
– This deal was made with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a cost of 48,000 crore rupees.
– Additionally, the Air Force is also in the process of acquiring 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA).
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4. When is World Turtle Day celebrated?
a. 22 May
b. 22 May
c. 27 May
d. 28 May
Answer: b. 23 May
– Theme 2023 : I love Turtles.
– This day is celebrated to raise awareness among people to protect turtles and their endangered habitats across the world.
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5. India launched ‘Operation Karuna’ in which neighboring country to help the cyclone affected people?
a. Bangladesh
b. Pakistan
c. Sri Lanka
d. Myanmar
Answer: d. Myanmar
– In the first week of May 2023, the cyclone ‘Mocha’ collided with Myanmar.
– It caused devastation in the coastal region of Yangon (the largest city in the country), resulting in loss of life and property.
– India initiated ‘Operation Karuna’ to aid the people of the neighboring country.
– Three Indian Navy ships, INS Shivalik, INS Kamorta, and INS Savitri, arrived in Yangon on May 18 with emergency relief supplies such as food, tents, essential medicines, water pumps, portable generators, clothing, and sanitation items.
Cyclone Mocha
– This storm originated in the Bay of Bengal and was classified as a super cyclone.
– It had a wind speed of 277 kilometers per hour.
– The name ‘Mocha’ for the cyclonic storm was given by Yemen.
Myanmar
– Currency: Kyat
– Prime Minister: Min Aung Hlaing
– Capital: Naypyidaw
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6. Which neighboring country declared the year 2025 as ‘Special Tourism Year’?
a. Pakistan
b. Bangladesh
c. Nepal
d. Myanmar
Answer: c. Nepal
– President Ram Chandra Paudel announced it during a joint session of the Nepali Parliament.
– According to it, the decade of 2080 will be recognized as the ‘Visit Nepal Decade,’ and 2025 will be a special year for tourism.
– In recent years, Nepal has experienced a decline in tourism due to the impact of COVID-19. Although there has been an increase now, the pace is slow.
– Tourism is a significant source of foreign currency in Nepal.
– In light of this, Nepal has taken this step.
Nepal
– President: Ram Chandra Paudel
– Prime Minister: Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda
– Capital: Kathmandu
– Currency: Nepalese Rupee
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7. PM Modi unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in which city of the world in May 2023?
a. Nagasaki
b. Hiroshima
c. Sydney
d. Suva
Answer: b. Hiroshima
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Hiroshima, Japan on May 20, 2023.
– At that time, he had arrived to participate as a guest in the G7 Summit.
– The statue of Mahatma Gandhi, honored with the Padma Bhushan award, was crafted by sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar.
– It is a 42-inch tall statue made of bronze.
Statue near Hiroshima Peace Memorial A-Bomb Dome
– This statue is located near the “A-Bomb” Dome, close to the Motoyasu River, and is visited daily by thousands of local residents and tourists alike.
– The Hiroshima Peace Memorial is also known as the A-Bomb Dome.
What did Narendra Modi say:
– This place has been chosen as a symbol of unity for peace and non-violence.
– Mahatma Gandhi dedicated his life to peace and non-violence.
– This place truly resonates with Gandhi Ji’s principles and his life, inspiring the world and leaders.
When did the atomic bombs drop:
– “Little Boy” bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.
– “Fat Man” bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
– Approximately 1.5 to 2 lakh people were killed.
Japan:
– Prime Minister – Fumio Kishida
– Capital – Tokyo
– Currency – Japanese Yen
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8. Which Indian leader got Fiji’s highest honor ‘Companion of the Order of Fiji’ in the year 2023?
a. Lal Krishna Advani
b. Narendra Modi
c. Amit Shah
d. Nitin Gadkari
Answer: b. Narendra Modi
– Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka honored Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the highest respect of his country.
– PM Modi said that this honor belongs to all the people of India.
Fiji:
– A country located in the South Pacific Ocean.
– Capital: Suva
– President: William Katonivere
– Prime Minister: Sitiveni Rabuka
– Official languages: English, Fijian, and Hindi
– Currency: Fijian Dollar
– In May 2023, Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka apologized to people of Indian origin in his country.
– Sitiveni Rabuka staged a military coup in 1987. At that time, he was an officer in the army.
– Rabuka ousted the government influenced by people of Indian origin and seized power.
– During this period, many people of Indian origin had to flee due to violence and abuse.
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9. Which country conferred its highest honor ‘The Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu’ on PM Modi?
a. Fiji
b. Vanuatu
c. Kiribati
d. Papua New Guinea
Answer: d. Papua New Guinea
– Governor-General Sir Bob Dada of Papua New Guinea honored Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with ‘The Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu’.
– He received this honor on May 22, 2023.
Papua New Guinea
– It is a country located in the South Pacific Ocean.
– It shares a land border with Indonesia.
– PM: James Marape
– Capital: Port Moresby
– Currency: Papua New Guinean Kina
– Population: Approximately 7 million.
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10. Actor Ray Stevenson passed away on May 21, 2023. He was an actor in which Indian film?
a. RRR
b. Gulam
c. Rang De Basanti
d. Khalnayak
Answer: a. RRR
– Actor Ray Stevenson was 58 years old.
– He was a famous Hollywood actor and played the role of an English officer in the Indian film RRR.
– He has worked in several Marvel movies in Hollywood.
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