This is the current affairs of 10th August 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Kerala Assembly passed a resolution to rename the state as?
a. Tiruvar
b. Keralam
c. Keraluvam
d. Chennai
Answer: b. Keralam
– Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presented the proposal to change the name of Kerala as “Keralam” in the Legislative Assembly on August 9, 2023. It was unanimously passed.
– Now, the recommendation to change the name has been sent to the central government.
– The state’s name will only be changed after receiving approval from the center.
– If the center does not agree, the name cannot be changed.
What are the arguments behind the name change?
– Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that since the state’s language is Malayalam, its name should be “Keralam.”
– The idea of creating a united Kerala for the communities that speak Malayalam has been significant since the time of the Indian independence movement. – However, the name “Kerala” is written in the first schedule of the Constitution.
– The Kerala Legislative Assembly has demanded that the central government modify the name of the state to “Keralam” as per Article 3 of the Constitution. It should also be included in all languages in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.
About the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution:
– The eighth schedule of the Constitution includes a total of 22 languages.
– These languages are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santali, Maithili, and Dogri.
What does Article 3 of the Indian Constitution say?
– Article 3 of the Indian Constitution pertains to the formation of new states and changes in the areas, boundaries, or names of existing states.
– The Parliament is empowered with special powers to use it. It can be used to create a new state by separating a region from an existing state or by combining two or more states or parts of states, increasing or decreasing the area of a state, altering the boundaries of a state, or changing the name of a state.
Kerala:
– CM – Pinarayi Vijayan
– Governor – Arif Mohammed Khan
– Capital – Thiruvananthapuram
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2. Defense Ministry has decided to replace Microsoft with which Indian operating system?
a. Maya
b. Karuna
c. Tulsi
d. India
Answer: a. Maya
About Maya OS:
– Maya was developed by government agencies in the year 2023.
– It is a new operating system (OS) based on an open-source platform.
– It features an interface and all functionalities similar to Windows, and users won’t feel significant differences during the transition.
Why was Maya needed?
– Malware attacks and other cyber threats have been increasing on Microsoft’s Windows operating system.
– Maya has been designed by government organizations to prevent malware attacks effectively.
– Currently, Maya is being installed only in the Ministry of Defence’s systems, not on computers connected to the networks of all three armed forces.
What is an Operating System (OS)?
– An OS is a software program that acts as an intermediary between computer hardware and computer users.
– It provides a user-friendly interface and manages the hardware and software resources of a computer system.
– An OS, once loaded into the computer through a boot program, manages all other application programs on the computer.
What is Malware?
– Malware is a broad term used to describe malicious software.
– It is specifically designed to damage, exploit, or compromise computer systems, networks, and devices.
– Malware is created to harm, manipulate, or compromise, and it is often used for unauthorized access or fraudulent activities.
– Defence Minister – Rajnath Singh
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3. Which country’s government banned the use of the word ‘homosexuality’ in the media?
a. Israel
b. USA
c. Iraq
d. France
Answer: c. Iraq
– In August 2023, Iraq’s media regulator issued an order to all media and social media companies regarding this.
– The order states that all companies should use the term ‘sexual deviance’ instead of ‘homosexuality.’
– According to ‘The World’s Dataset,’ same-sex relations have been declared a crime in over 60 countries, while same-sex activities are legal in more than 130 countries.
Iraq:
– Prime Minister: Mohammed Shia al-Sudani
– Capital: Baghdad
– President: Abdul Latif Rashid
– Currency: Iraqi Dinar
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4. RBI did not change the repo rate in the bi-monthly monetary policy review (August 2023), what is this repo rate?
a. 5.5%
b. 5.8%
c. 6.2%
d. 6.5%
Answer: d. 6.5%
– The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee decided not to increase the repo rate on August 10, 2023.
– During the previous three monetary policy reviews, the RBI’s MPC had kept the repo rate unchanged.
– Prior to this, the RBI’s policy committee had increased the repo rate by 250 basis points (2.5%) from May 2022 to February 2023.
What is the Repo Rate?
– In simple terms, just as banks lend us money and charge us interest on that loan.
– Similarly, banks sometimes need a substantial amount of money for their day-to-day operations, and they borrow from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
– The rate at which the Reserve Bank collects interest on this loan is called the repo rate.
How does the Repo Rate Affect the Common Man?
– The repo rate is a powerful tool with the RBI to combat inflation.
– When inflation is very high, the RBI tries to reduce money flow in the economy by increasing the repo rate.
– When banks can borrow at a lower interest rate, meaning when the repo rate is low, they can provide cheaper loans to their customers.
– And if the Reserve Bank raises the repo rate, borrowing for banks becomes expensive, leading them to charge higher interest rates on loans to their customers.
Reverse Repo Rate:
– This is the opposite of the repo rate.
When banks have a surplus of funds after their day’s work, they deposit that amount with the Reserve Bank.
– The RBI provides interest on this amount.
The rate at which the Reserve Bank provides interest on this amount is called the reverse repo rate.
– Chairperson of the Monetary Policy Committee – Shaktikanta Das, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
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5. After Bihar, the Chief Minister of which state announced to conduct caste census?
a. Jharkhand
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Kerala
d. Rajasthan
Answer: d. Rajasthan
– Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the conduct of a caste-based census in Rajasthan in August 2023.
– Additionally, he mentioned increasing the OBC reservation from 21% to 27%.
– Currently, Rajasthan has reservations of 16% for SC, 12% for ST, 21% for OBC, 10% for EWS, and 5% for MBC.
Resolution Passed in the Legislative Assembly for Caste-Based Census
– In recent days, the government passed a resolution in the legislative assembly, directing the central government to conduct a caste-based census.
– This resolution demanded conducting a caste-based census and releasing the old figures publicly.
Which States are Conducting a Caste Census?
– Caste census is currently underway in Bihar.
– Previously, at the state level, Karnataka did this in 2015, but the caste-based figures were not released.
When was the Last Caste Census in the Country?
– The first caste census in British India took place in the year 1931.
– Subsequently, the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) took place in 2011.
– Census reveals the demographics of the Indian population.
– In contrast, SECC aimed to measure the economic and social status of castes.
– Official data from SECC hasn’t been published yet, though its economic data has been released.
What are the Benefits of Caste Census?
– The educational, social, political, and economic conditions of the OBC community can be understood.
Moreover, it can help formulate appropriate policies for people.
– In 1980, the Mandal Commission’s biggest concern was the population of OBCs. This was because the last caste census took place in 1931. According to it, the OBC population in the country was 52%.
– Therefore, the Mandal Commission also based its report on the 1931 census and recommended a 27% reservation.
– A caste census can help identify marginalized individuals and provide them with recognition.
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6. When is the World Biofuel Day celebrated?
a. 09 August
b. 10 August
c. 11 August
d. 12 August
Answer: b. 10 August
– This day is celebrated in memory of the inventor of the diesel engine, Sir Rudolf Diesel.
– Rudolf Diesel developed biodiesel in 1890.
– Biodiesel is a fuel obtained from plants. Its most notable feature is that it doesn’t cause pollution.
– Biodiesel can play a significant role in controlling pollution, which is why the government is also focusing on it.
– Biodiesel’s prime example is biodiesel itself.
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7. The police of which violence-hit state registered an FIR against the Assam Rifles soldiers in August 2023?
a. Assam
b. Mizoram
c. Manipur
d. Rajasthan
Answer: c. Manipur
– The caste-based violence in Manipur started on May 3 and continues to persist.
– Amidst this violence, there have been visible disagreements and tensions at the grassroots level between the deployed security forces in the state.
– Experts say that there is ongoing tension between Assam Rifles and Manipur Police regarding the caste-based violence. Manipur Police seems to be inclined towards the Meitei community, while most of the Assam Rifles battalions have been stationed in the hills for a long time, resulting in their connection with the Kuki community.
About Assam Rifles:
– Assam Rifles is a central paramilitary force that operates under the operational control of the Indian Army.
– It is primarily stationed along the India-Myanmar border and in the volatile regions of Northeast.
– While its administrative control lies with the Ministry of Home Affairs, its operational control rests with the Army.
– It was established in 1835.
– Since then, it has been involved in two World Wars and fought in the 1962 India-China war, and its role has been pivotal as a counter-insurgency force against terrorist groups in the Northeast.
Manipur:
– Chief Minister – N Biren Singh
– Governor – Anusuiya Uikey
– Capital – Imphal
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8. When is World Lion Day celebrated?
a. 08 August
b. 09 August
c. 10 August
d. 11 August
Answer: c. 10 August
– The day also seeks to garner support for the conservation of the lion.
– This day is being celebrated every year since 2013.
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9. Which state government launched the Griha Laxmi scheme in August 2023?
a. Telangana
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Madhya Pradesh
d. Bihar
Answer: a. Telangana
– It is a financial assistance program for women belonging to SC, ST and BC communities. This will help them to construct or improve the house.
– Through this scheme, the beneficiary will get an assistance of three lakh rupees.
Telangana
– CM – K Chandrasekhar Rao
– Governor – Taminsai Soundararajan
– Capital – Hyderabad
