This is the current affairs of 9th 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. Recommends ban on diesel four wheelers from 2027 in cities with more than one million population, Whose chairmanship committee gave it to the center?
a. Tarun Kapoor
b. Amit Shah
c. Ashwini Vaishn
d. Rakesh Kapoor
Answer: a. Tarun Kapoor (Former Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum)
– The Ministry of Petroleum of the Central Government had formed a committee under the chairmanship of former Secretary Tarun Kapoor.
– This committee submitted a report in February 2023.
– The Central Government has not accepted the report until May 9, 2023.
What was said in the report –
– By the year 2027, the use of diesel four-wheelers should be banned in cities with a population of more than one million.
– These vehicles should be converted into electric and gas-powered vehicles.
– Only electric vehicles should be registered in these cities from 2024.
– Internal combustion engine (petrol and diesel) bikes, scooters, and three-wheeled vehicles should be phased out by 2035.
– There should be no diesel city buses in urban areas in about 10 years.
– The policy of ethanol-mixed fuel should be increased to phase out diesel vehicles.
Why this suggestion?
– These steps will help India achieve its goal of reducing its emissions to net-zero by 2070.
– Net-zero, or becoming carbon neutral, means not increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the environment.
– The government has set a goal to obtain 50% of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2030 and to reduce the country’s total estimated carbon emissions by one billion tonnes by the same year.
– The government wants to promote the use of natural gas, which is less polluting than liquid fuels like diesel, in industries and automobiles.
– India’s goal is to increase the share of natural gas in its energy mix from 6.7% to 15% by 2030.
Greenhouse gas emissions in India
– After China, the United States, and the European Union, India is the world’s fourth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide.
– However, the large population in India means that its emissions per person are much lower compared to other major economies of the world.
– In 2019, India emitted 1.9 tonnes of CO2 per person, while the United States emitted 15.5 tonnes and Russia emitted 12.5 tonnes in the same year.
Demand for diesel and petrol to decrease after 2040
– According to a report, the demand for petrol and diesel in India will peak in 2040.
– After this, the demand for electric vehicles will decrease.
– The use of electricity for cooking is also expected to increase, leading to a decrease in the demand for LPG, and the hope is to achieve zero emissions by 2070 with 100% electrification.
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas – Hardeep Singh Puri.
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2. The country’s first military cantonment board, which was dissolved by the central government and made a military station?
a. Agra Cantonment
b. Delhi Cantonment
c. yole cantonment
d. Kanpur Cantonment
Answer: c. Yol Cantonment (in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh)
– The Ministry of Defense has issued a notification to dissolve the Yol Cantonment Board and replace it with a military station.
– Essentially, a Cantonment Board is similar to a municipality. It is a large area and is under the command of a military officer who leads the Board (Council).
– Now, the Yol Cantonment Board has been dissolved. Most of its civilian area will be handed over to the municipality.
– Meanwhile, the military station will be a small area that will be a military district.
– There are a total of 58 + 1 military stations in the country (one new one has been added).
Himachal Pradesh
– CM: Sukhbir Singh Sukh
– Governor: Shiv Pratap Shukla
– Capital: Shimla
Indian Army
– Chief: General Manoj Pandey
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3. How many military cantonment boards are there in the country, Who started the process of disbanding them to build military stations and handing over civilian areas to the municipal corporation?
a. 62
b. 65
c. 85
d. 94
Answer: a. 62
– The central government has issued a notification on April 27, 2023.
– It states that all cantonment boards in the country will be dissolved and replaced by military stations. Civilian areas will be included in nearby municipal corporations.
– This initiative started with the Yol Cantonment Board located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
– First, a notification was issued to dissolve the Yol Cantonment Board and replace it with a military station.
What is a Cantonment Board?
– A Cantonment Board is spread across large areas where both the military and civilians reside.
– The entire control of the Cantonment Board lies with the military, and the state government has no interference in it.
– The chairman of the Cantonment Board is a military officer, while the vice-chairman’s post is held by a civilian who is elected.
– Often, disputes arise between the military and civilians in these areas.
– Also, the benefits of the state governments’ plans are not accessible to the general public.
– Now, the government is planning to make significant changes in it.
– There are a total of 62 Cantonment Boards in the country, which will be dissolved.
– This Cantonment area will be made smaller, and its name will be Military Station.
– The military can now focus on the development of the Military Station.
– The areas where civilians reside will come under the jurisdiction of the local municipal administration and state government.
History of Cantonment:
– There are a total of 62 Cantonment areas in 19 states of the country.
– It spreads over 1.61 lakh acres of land.
– During independence, there were 56 cantonments in the country, and six Cantonment areas were added later. The latest is the Cantonment of Ajmer, which was established in 1962.
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4. Where was the first Heritage Center of the Indian Air Force established, which was inaugurated by the Defense Minister?
a. Delhi
b. Mumbai
c. Chennai
d. Chandigarh
Answer: d. Chandigarh
– Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated it on May 8, 2023.
– The establishment of this heritage center was done under an agreement between the Union Territory of – Chandigarh and the Indian Air Force.
– This is the Indian Air Force’s first heritage center and showcases its role in various wars.
– It displays the 1965, 1971, Kargil War, and Balakot Airstrike.
– Indian Air Force Chief – Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary.
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5. Name the fourth private company to get telecom license?
a. Zoom
b. Britannia
c. Wechat
d. Telegram
Answer: a. Zoom
– Zoom Video Communications (ZVC) has been granted an integrated license from the Department of Telecommunications in India.
– This license enables the company to provide National Long Distance (NLD) and International Long Distance (ILD) services across the country.
– With this, Zoom has become the fourth telecom provider in India after Jio, Airtel, and Vi.
– ZVC, the parent company of Zoom, has stated that after receiving the license, Zoom will soon offer telephone services to its customers and enterprise customers.
– This American company provides voice and video conferencing services to its customers through its website and app.
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6. Which state started its first air ambulance service for the common people?
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Bihar
c. Jharkhand
d. Tamil Nadu
Answer: c. Jharkhand
– On April 28, 2023, Jharkhand’s Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched the state’s first air ambulance service.
– It will be available at seven locations – Ranchi, Devghar, Bokaro, Jamshedpur, Dumka, Dhanbad, Giridih.
– Through air ambulance, seriously ill patients in emergency situations can be transferred to hospitals for better treatment.
– CM Soren says that the service is not only for capable people, but also for those who cannot afford it, and the government’s intention is to take them through air ambulance and provide health services as per their needs.
– The government’s effort is to create helipads near roads in different places, so that people injured in serious road accidents can be taken to hospitals on time.
Jharkhand
– Capital – Ranchi
– CM – Hemant Soren
– Governor – CP Radhakrishnan
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7. Name the mascot of Khelo India University Games 2022 (to be held in 2023)?
a. Rashmi Hiran
b. Jeetu Barasingha
c. Raju Khargosh
d. None of these
Answer: b. Jeetu Barasingha
– The organization of the Khelo India University Games 2022 will start from May 25, 2022 and will continue until June 3, 2023 in Uttar Pradesh.
– Before this, the Chief Minister of UP, Yogi Adityanath, and the Central Minister of Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur, launched its auspicious logo, anthem, torch, and song.
– Barasingha is the state animal of Uttar Pradesh.
Khelo India University Games
– The opening ceremony of the Games will be held in Lucknow and the closing ceremony will be held in Varanasi.
– The shooting competition will be held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi.
– The Kabaddi competition will be held in Noida. Some other competitions will also be held in different parts of the state.
– The Khelo India University Games will have participation from under-27 university players.
– Around 7,500 people including approximately 4,000 athletes from across the country will participate in the Games.
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8. What is the title of the anthem of Khelo India University Games 2022 (to be held in 2023)?
a. Khelo India Hamara India
b. Khelo India in every youth
c. Khelo India – Har Dil Mein Desh
d. None of These
Answer: c. Khelo India – Har Dil Mein Desh
– This song is written and sung by singer Palash Sen.
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9. The Navy decommissioned the warship INS Magar on 6 May 2023, it is a warship of which class?
a. Veer Class
b. Magar Class
c. Kilo Class
d. Kalvari Class
Answer: b. Magar Class
INS Magar served for 36 years.
– The Indian Navy decommissioned this warship on 6 May 2023.
– The decommissioning ceremony was held at Naval Base Kochi.
INS Magar
– INS Magar was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata.
– It was commissioned on 15 July 1987 by Late Admiral RH Tahiliani.
– Its length is 120 meters and beam is 17.5 meters.
– Its weapon systems include CRN 91 guns, pallet launchers (armor) and WM-18A rocket launchers.
– It also carries four Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP), which were used for landing troops.
– It had participated in many campaigns including Samudra Setu.
– Apart from this, at the time of Kovid-19 epidemic, played an important role in bringing back more than 4000 Indians from different places of the world to their country.
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10. When is Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Raising Day celebrated?
a. 7 May
b. 8 May
c. 9 May
d. 10 May
Answer: a. 7 May
– On May 7th, 2023, the entire country celebrated its 64th foundation day in all its units.
– The objective is to secure India’s borders and develop basic infrastructure in remote areas of northern and northeastern states.
BRO (Border Roads Organisation)
– The Border Roads Organisation is an executive force for road construction in India.
– It undertakes construction and maintenance of road networks and bridges in India’s border regions, facing adverse conditions.
– It is a statutory body under the ownership of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.