This is the current affairs of 4 to 6 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. In which state/UT, trucks, commercial vehicles, construction work were banned and schools closed due to dangerous levels of air pollution?
a. Delhi
b. Ladakh
c. Chandigarh
d. Puducherry
Answer: a. Delhi
– On November 5, 2023, the air quality index (AQI) in the capital city of the country, Delhi, crossed the mark of 450.
– Subsequently, the Commissioner for Air Quality Management (CAQM) implemented Stage IV of GRAP throughout Delhi.
Under Stage IV of GRAP, what was banned in Delhi-NCR and what things were shut down?
– Ban on trucks contributing to pollution.
– Ban on commercial four-wheeled vehicles.
– Ban on all construction activities.
– All primary schools will remain closed until November 10, 2023 (though schools have the option of online learning for classes 6 to 12).
What is GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan)?
– GRAP is a pollution control plan in Delhi aimed at curbing air pollution.
– Under this plan, emergency measures are implemented by the Commissioner for Air Quality Management (CAQM) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in various phases in Delhi, NCR, and surrounding areas to address environmental, forest, and climate change concerns.
What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)?
– The Air Quality Index (AQI) indicates the level of air pollution at a specific location.
– You can understand the state of air pollution levels and air quality in a country through this index.
– According to it, if the air is clean, it is represented in the index as between 0 to 50.
– The satisfactory state of air quality occurs when the index is between 51 to 100.
– Similarly, an index between 101-200 means that the air pollution level is in the moderate category.
– The range between 201 to 300 indicates poor air quality.
– If the index falls between 301-400, the air quality is considered very poor.
– An index between 401-500 is considered extremely hazardous for air quality.
The situation of air pollution in Delhi:
– According to data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi crossed the mark of 450 on November 3, 2023.
– On this day, the 24-hour average AQI was 468, which was the worst since the previous high level of 471 recorded on November 12, 2021.
– This situation persisted on November 5, 2023, leading to the intervention of the Commissioner for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
– Air quality in Delhi’s neighboring areas – Ghaziabad (410), Gurugram (441), Noida (436), Greater Noida (467), and Faridabad (461) – was also reported to be hazardous.
The reason for the spike in air pollution in Delhi:
– The increase in air pollution in Delhi-NCR over the past week is due to the increased burning of paddy straw after the crop harvest in Punjab and Haryana.
– According to an analysis by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi experiences severe pollution from November 1 to November 15.
– This pollution is a result of the events of paddy straw burning in Punjab and Haryana.
– According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), on November 4, 2023, 24.5% of the particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in Delhi was attributed to the smoke released from burning paddy straw.
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2. In which two cities of Sri Lanka did Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurate the branch of SBI in November 2023?
a. Dambulla, Tangalle
b. Anuradhapura, Ella
c. Negombo, Colombo
d. Jaffna, Trincomalee
Answer: d. Jaffna, Trincomalee
– On November 3, 2023, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the second branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) in Jaffna.
– Additionally, on November 2, 2023, she inaugurated another SBI branch in Trincomalee.
– Prior to this, SBI had five branches in Sri Lanka, and now the number has increased to seven.
What did Nirmala Sitharaman say about the inauguration of SBI branches?
– The Finance Minister stated that SBI is the first foreign bank to successfully start LKR-INR trade.
– This step will reduce Sri Lanka’s dependence on the US dollar for its imports.
History of SBI in Sri Lanka:
– The State Bank of India has been operating in Sri Lanka since 1864.
– Initially, it was a branch of the Bank of Hindustan, which was taken over by the Bank of Madras in 1867.
– In 1921, the Bank of Madras merged into the Imperial Bank of India.
– Subsequently, in 1955, the Imperial Bank of India became the State Bank of India.
– The Colombo branch of the bank was primarily established for the handling of coffee exports and government businesses.
– With a presence of over 150 years, SBI Sri Lanka is the oldest bank in the country.
– The main office and the principal branch are located in a heritage building in the Fort area of Colombo, which serves as the financial center of Sri Lanka.
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3. Till when did PM Modi announce the extension of free ration scheme Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)?
a. 2024
b. 2025
c. 2028
d. 2032
Answer: c. 2028 (for the next five years)
– On November 4, 2023, Prime Minister Modi made an announcement during a public rally in Durg, Chhattisgarh.
– Under this plan, approximately 81.35 crore poor people are provided with 5 kilograms of wheat and rice every month.
– This scheme was originally set to conclude at the end of December 2023, but a decision has been made to extend it.
About the Plan:
– When the plan began: The Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana was initiated in the year 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the crisis in food production.
– How much grain is provided: All ration cardholders are entitled to 5 kilograms of grains.
– The monthly quantity of food grains is defined according to the mandatory categories under the National Food Security Act.
– The government provides rice at three rupees per kilogram, wheat at two rupees per kilogram, and coarse grains at one rupee per kilogram under the provisions of the National Food Security Act. However, it is being provided for free for a limited period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the duration of this provision has been extended.
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4. PM Modi was elected Chairman of Shri Somnath Trust (SST) for the third time, how many years will be his tenure this time?
a. Five Years
b. Four Years
c. Three Years
d. Two Years
Answer: a. Five Years
– On October 30, 2023, Prime Minister Modi was elected as the Chairman of Shri Somnath Trust (SST).
– This is the first time in the 74-year history of Shri Somnath Trust that the Chairman of the Trust Board has been elected for a five-year term.
– Until now, the Chairman’s term was only one year.
– To implement this change, the rules of the Trust were amended, and it was approved by the Charity Commissioner of Gujarat.
– With this modification, the Chairman of SST will have a term of five years instead of one.
– Prime Minister Modi was chosen for this position during the 122nd meeting of the Executive Board of SST held at the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar.
– Prior to this, he served as the Chairman of the Trust in 2021 and 2022.
About Shri Somnath Trust (SST):
– SST is a religious and charitable trust.
– The trust owns the Somnath Temple located in Veraval, Gujarat.
– The management and oversight of the Somnath Temple are carried out under this trust.
The trust is led by politicians.
– The state and central governments can appoint each trustee (trustee) in the Executive Board of SST.
– Currently, Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani are among the six trustees.
– After Morarji Desai, Modi is the second Prime Minister to become the Chairman of this trust.
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5. Where was the second edition of the mega food event World Food India 2023 held?
a. Lucknow
b. Chennai
c. New Delhi
d. Bangalore
Answer: c. New Delhi
– ‘World Food India 2023,’ the second edition of the mega food event, was organized on November 3, 2023, at Bharat Mandap in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the three-day World Food India 2023.
– During this event, the Prime Minister provided initial capital assistance to over a lakh self-help group (SHG) members.
– On the first day, 16 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and various industry organizations.
– These 16 MoUs involve a total investment of 17,990 crore rupees.
World Food India 2023:
– The objective of this event is to present India as the ‘Food Basket of the World.’
– The year 2023 is being celebrated as the International Year of Nutritional Cereals.
– The event saw participation from more than 80 countries, including CEOs of major food processing companies.
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6. According to US Customs and Border Protection data, how many Indians who entered the US illegally were arrested from October 2022 to September 2023?
a. 9,000
b. 12,000
c. 65,090
d. 96,917
Answer: d. 96,917
How many Indians were caught at the border?
– Out of 96,917 Indians, 30,010 Indians were caught at the ‘US-Canada’ border.
– Additionally, 41,770 Indians were apprehended while crossing the ‘US-Mexico’ border.
What did the US say?
– US Congressman James Langford stated in the Congress on November 2, 2023, that in the past year, approximately 45,000 Indians have illegally crossed the southern border of the United States. Of them, 96,917 have been apprehended.
– James Langford explained that these Indians claim that they fear their own country, India. By saying this, they take advantage of international laws that classify them as refugees.
How many Indians were caught in recent years?
– The number of Indians caught while illegally crossing the American border has seen a reported five-fold increase in recent years.
– In 2019-20, 19,883 Indians.
– In 2020-21, 30,662 Indians.
– In 2021-22, 63,927 Indians.
– In 2022-23, 96,917 Indians.
– According to the newspaper The Hindu, the Indians arrested have been categorized into four groups.
– These four categories are – Unaccompanied Minors (AM), Family Units (FMUA), Single Adults, and Unaccompanied Children (UC).
– Among those who entered the United States illegally, the highest number belongs to Single Adults.
– In the financial year 2023, 84,000 Indian Single Adults have illegally crossed the border.
(Note: The U.S. government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30.)
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7. When is Infant Protection Day celebrated?
a. 10 November
b. 08 November
c. 09 November
d. 07 November
Answer: d. 07 November
– This day is celebrated to spread awareness about the measures taken to save the lives of infants and provide adequate protection and care.
– The infant mortality rate in India in 2022 is 27.695 deaths per 1000 live births.
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8. When was World Tsunami Awareness Day celebrated?
a. 3 November
b. 5 November
c. 7 November
d. 9 November
Answer: b. 5 November
– This day is celebrated to increase awareness about tsunamis and share new ideas to reduce the risk.
Theme for the year 2023:
Fighting Inequality for a Resilient Future.
– World Tsunami Awareness Day has been observed since Japan’s initiative.
– The first World Tsunami Awareness Day was celebrated worldwide on November 5, 2016.
– It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly on December 22, 2015.
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9. In which year will India host the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA)?
a. 2024
b. 2025
c. 2026
d. 2027
Answer: a. 2024
– Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, made this announcement at India Mobile Congress 2023.
– This conference is held every four years.
– WTSA conference was supposed to be held in India in 2020, but due to COVID-19, it was organized in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2022.
– The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) is the governing council of the International Telecommunication Union.
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10. When is the International Day to Prevent Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict observed?
a. 3 November
b. 4 November
c. 5 November
d. 6 November
Answer: d. 6 November
– This day was declared by the United Nations in the year 2021.
– UNEP estimates that conflicts over the possession of natural resources are likely to double in the future.
