This is the current affairs of 26 & 27 July 2023. Here are 12 questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. In which African country, the army arrested the President in a coup in July 2023?
a. South Africa
b. Niger
c. Nigeria
d. Mzombique
Answer: b. Niger
Niger
Capital: Niamey
Currency: West African CFA Franc
Neighboring countries: Nigeria, Chad, Libya, Algeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin
– On July 27, 2023, there was a coup in Niger.
– Some armed soldiers stormed the Presidential Palace and seized control of it.
– Along with this, President Mohammad Bazoum was ousted from power and arrested.
– According to the news agency Reuters, the military announced the coup on national television.
– Colonel Amadou Abdramane stated on TV that they had deposed the President and removed him from power.
Niger’s borders sealed, nationwide curfew imposed
– The Colonel stated further that due to the deteriorating security situation and poor governance, they are ending the presidency’s rule.
– Abdramane mentioned that Niger’s borders are sealed.
– A nationwide curfew has been imposed, and all government offices have been suspended.
USA and UN announce assistance to the President
– Amidst this, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed their willingness to provide humanitarian aid to Niger’s President.
– On the other hand, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also stated that he has spoken with the President and offered full support from the United Nations.
– However, the Nigerien military has issued a warning against any foreign intervention, stating that they are ready to face the consequences.
There have been coups in the West and Central African country in the last 3 years.
Country and Coup
– Chad: April 2021
– Mali: August 2020
– Burkina Faso: January 2022
– Guinea: September 2021
– Sudan: April 2019
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2. The opposition presented a no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha against the Modi government, which is the 10th no-confidence motion in the history of the Indian Parliament?
a. 25th
b. 26th
c. 27th
d. 28th
Answer: d. 28th
No-Confidence Motion against the Modi Government in Lok Sabha
– During the monsoon session, the coalition ‘India’ consisting of 26 opposition parties decided to bring a no-confidence motion against the Modi government on Tuesday.
– The proposal was accepted by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
– This is the 28th no-confidence motion since independence.
What is a No-Confidence Motion?
– When an opposition party in Lok Sabha believes that the government does not have a majority or has lost the confidence of the house, they bring a no-confidence motion. In English, it is known as the No-Confidence Motion.
– According to Article 75 of the Constitution, the Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha, meaning it can only continue to function if it has the majority support in this house. If the no-confidence motion is passed against the Council of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, they must resign.
Understanding No-Confidence Motion in Legal Language
– In the legal rules of the Lok Sabha, the No-Confidence Motion holds great significance. Its mention can be found in Rules 198(1) to 198(5) of the Lok Sabha’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business. This motion is just a single line, stating, “This House expresses no confidence in the Council of Ministers.”
– Rule 198(1)(k): Under this rule, the member who wishes to bring the no-confidence motion seeks permission from the Speaker upon being called by the House.
– Rule 198(1)(h): The member must provide written notice of the motion to the Lok Sabha Secretary by 10 in the morning.
– Rule 198(2): The motion requires support from at least 50 members in its favor; otherwise, the Speaker does not grant permission for its introduction.
– Rule 198(3): After obtaining the Speaker’s permission, a day or days are fixed for the discussion on the motion.
– Rule 198(4): On the final day of the discussion on the no-confidence motion, the Speaker conducts the voting and announces the decision.
How Voting Works:
– When a No-Confidence Motion is brought in the Parliament, the ruling party needs to prove that they have a majority.
– After the discussion, there is voting on the No-Confidence Motion in the Lok Sabha.
– Only Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Lok Sabha are eligible to vote; members from the Rajya Sabha cannot participate in the voting process.
– If the majority of the members support the motion, it is passed.
– On the other hand, if the government wins the vote, it remains in power.
– Before this, the Modi government had to face its first ‘No-Confidence’ motion in 2018. At that time, the motion was defeated by a significant margin.
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3. The Central Government told the population of India in the Parliament less than that of China, what was the estimated figure till July 1, 2023?
a. 139 crores
b. 149 crores
c. 159 crores
d. 169 crores
Answer: a. 139 crore (139 crore 23 lakh 29 thousand)
– On July 25, 2023, Central Minister of Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, provided this information in a written response in the Lok Sabha.
– According to him, the ‘National Commission on Population’ had estimated India’s population to be 1 billion 39 crore 23 lakh 29 thousand as of July 1, 2023.
– The Central Minister mentioned in the Lok Sabha that as of July 1, 2023, China’s population was estimated to be 142.56 crore (1 billion 42 crore 56 lakh 71 thousand).
– The population figure for China is based on the online publication of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations (UN), Population Division, and the World Population Prospects 2022.
Contrary to the UN Report, India’s Estimate
– The response of the Central Minister in the Parliament implied that China’s population is higher than India’s.
– However, India’s population estimate contradicts the report of the United Nations.
In April 2023, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had declared India as the most populous country in the world.
– According to that report, as of April 2023, India’s population was 143.8 crores (1,428 million), and China’s population was 142.5 crores (1,425 million).
What the Government said about India’s Census:
– Central Minister of State, Nityanand Rai, informed the Lok Sabha that the Central Government had issued a notification in the Gazette on March 28, 2019, for conducting the census in 2021. However, due to the outbreak of COVID in the same year (2019), all activities related to the census were suspended.
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4. How many people left India and took citizenship of another country from January to June 2023?
a. 57,000
b. 67,000
c. 87,000
d. 97,000
Answer: c. 87,000
– Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar released this data in response to a question in Parliament.
– According to the data, from 2011 to June 2023, 17.50 lakh people have relinquished Indian citizenship.
– In 2022 alone, 2.25 lakh people had given up their Indian citizenship.
– In the initial six months of 2023 (January to June), 87 thousand Indians have acquired citizenship of other countries.
– High net-worth individuals (HNIs) are increasingly moving to Western countries after leaving India.
Number of countries where Indians have acquired citizenship: 135 countries
– Among these, the majority of people are moving to the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, and Germany.
Quit India campaign of the rich – Brain and money drain from India
– Many Indian people who can contribute to the development of the country are choosing to leave their citizenship.
– These prosperous individuals are migrating to various places around the world in search of a better quality of life, improved standards of living, higher salaries, and stable political conditions than what their country offers.
Ultra-rich (HNIs: high net-worth individuals)
– HNIs are individuals who possess assets worth one million dollars or more than 8.2 crore rupees.
– According to the Henley Global Citizens Report, there were 3.47 lakh such individuals in India as of December 2021.
– Among them, 1.49 lakh HNIs were concentrated in just nine cities: Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Gurugram, and Ahmedabad.
– As per the report, India ranks fourth globally in terms of private wealth, following the United States, China, and Japan.
– Citizenship in exchange for Investment in Western Countries
– Obtaining citizenship in Western countries in exchange for investment is relatively easier. For the wealthy, these countries have long-term visa programs that simplify the citizenship process.
Examples include:
– USA: US EB-5 Visa
– Portugal: Golden Visa
– Australia: Global Talent Independent Visa
– Malta: Permanent Residence Program
– Greece: Residency by Investment Program
USA: US EB-5 Visa
– To obtain this visa, a minimum investment of $800,000 (approximately ₹6.6 crore) for a period of 5 to 7 years is required, along with the creation of at least 10 permanent jobs for American citizens.
– After five years of holding the visa, an individual becomes eligible to apply for American citizenship.
Portugal: Golden Visa
– For this visa, one needs to make an investment of five lakh euros (₹4.4 crore) and create at least 10 jobs for Portuguese citizens.
– After five years of investment, the person becomes eligible for Portuguese citizenship, which allows visa-free travel to more than 150 countries.
– Today, affluent families seek better healthcare services, an open and flexible business environment, and access to improved educational and professional opportunities. As a result, they are changing citizenships.
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5. When was the 85th Raising Day of CRPF celebrated?
a. 25 July
b. 26 July
c. 27 July
d. 28 July
Answer: c. 27 July
– The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) celebrated its 85th Raising Day on July 27, 2023.
About CRPF:
– The establishment of this force took place on July 27, 1939, as the ‘Crown Representative’s Police.’
– After independence, it was restructured under the CRPF Act and officially became the Central Reserve Police Force on December 28, 1949.
– CRPF Headquarters: New Delhi.
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6. Name the first woman parliamentarian from Nagaland, who got the chance to chair the Rajya Sabha?
a. Phangnon Konyak
b. Dr Fauzia Khan
c. Sulta Dev
d. PT Usha
Answer: a. Phangnon Konyak
– He is a Rajya Sabha member from Nagaland representing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
– On July 25, 2023, he presided over the Upper House of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) as the Chairman.
– He was included in the panel of Deputy Chairpersons in the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) on July 17.
– This panel includes four women MPs, including S. Fangnan Konyak, along with PT Usha, Dr. Fauzia Khan, and Sulta Devi.
– Before the monsoon session, the reconstituted panel has a total of eight members, half of whom are women.
– In fact, in the absence of the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Deputy Chairman, one of the members from this panel presides over the proceedings.
– 9th and current Chief Minister of Nagaland: Neiphiu Rio.
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7. Names of how many MNREGA workers were removed in the year 2022-23?
a. 1.18 Lakh
b. 3.18 Lakh
c. 5.18 Lakh
d. 7.18 Lakh
Answer: c. 5.18 Lakh
– In the financial year 2022-23, a total of 5,18,91,168 laborers were removed from the list under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
– This is 247 percent higher compared to the figures in 2021-22.
– In the previous financial year 2021-22, 1.49 lakh job cards were canceled.
– In the financial year 2022-23, the highest number of MGNREGA job cards, 1.57 lakh, were canceled in West Bengal.
Reasons for canceling the job cards:
– Fake job cards
– Duplicate job cards
– Laborers who are no longer willing to work
– Families permanently relocated by the Gram Panchayat
– Deceased laborers
About MGNREGA:
– Implementation year: It was enacted in 2006 (the law was passed by Parliament in 2005).
– Objective: To enhance livelihood security in rural areas.
– Under this scheme, a minimum of 100 days of wage employment is provided in a financial year.
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8. Which country banned sex change and transgender marriage in July 2023?
a. USA
b. France
c. Germany
d. Russia
Answer: d. Russia
Russia imposes a ban on gender transition and transgender marriage
– Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that now imposes a ban on gender transition and transgender marriage.
– People are now prohibited from undergoing surgery to change their gender identity.
– The Russian Parliament had previously passed this law.
– This law has dealt a significant blow to the LGBTQ+ community.
LGBTQ+ : Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer
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9. Who became the CEO and MD of Tata Steel for the second time?
a. TV Narendran
b. N Chandrasekaran
c. Ratan Tata
d. None of these
Answer: a. TV Narendran
– He has been appointed as the CEO and MD of Tata Steel for another five-year term.
– T.V. Narendran was first appointed as the CEO and Managing Director of the company in October 2017.
Tata Steel:
– Founded: In the year 1907 in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
– Founders: Jamshedji Tata and Dorabji Tata
– Headquarters: Mumbai
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10. What is the name of the renovated International Exhibition-cum-Convention Center (IECC) inaugurated by PM Modi at Pragati Maidan in Delhi?
a. India Mandapam
b. Bharat Center
c. Bharat Mandapam
d. G-20 Pavilion
Answer: c. Bharat Mandapam
– The redevelopment of the convention center has been done at a cost of 2,700 crore rupees.
– The 18th G-20 summit will be held in this convention center on 9th and 10th September.
– It has a capacity to accommodate more than 7,000 people.
– The convention center also features an amphitheater with a seating capacity of 3,000 people, equivalent to three PVR theaters.
– The meeting room can accommodate 100 people at once, and there is parking space available for more than 5,500 vehicles.
– This complex belongs to the government agency India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) and spans across 123 acres.
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11. When is Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrated?
a. 28 July
b. 27 July
c. 26 July
d. 25 July
Answer: c. 26 July
– Every year, on 26th July, this day is observed to commemorate the sacrifices made by soldiers during the Kargil War in 1999.
– The war was fought for over 60 days, between May and July 1999, and in the end, India regained control over all the territories.
– The conflict came to an end on 26th July 1999.
– To reclaim Indian territories from Pakistani infiltrators in the Kargil-Dras sector, the Indian Army launched ‘Operation Vijay’.
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12. When is the International Day for Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystem observed?
a. 25 July
b. 26 July
c. 27 July
d. 28 July
Answer: b. 26 July
– The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about the mangrove ecosystem and promote their sustainable management and conservation.
– This day has been declared by UNESCO.
