This is the current affairs of 15 March 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Who became the new Election Commissioner of the country?
a. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar
b. Gyanesh Kumar and Gangadhar Rahat
c. Sukhbir Sandhu and Indivar Pandey
d. Utpal Kumar Singh and Gyanesh Kumar
Answer: a. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar
– The President appointed retired IAS officers Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar as the new Election Commissioners of the country on March 14, 2024.
– Their selection was made by a committee comprising the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), the leader of the largest opposition or opposition party in the Lok Sabha (Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury), and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM (Amit Shah).
– Despite Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s dissent, the decision to appoint two Election Commissioners was made by the majority decision of the Prime Minister and a Cabinet Minister. Later, the President ratified it.
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
– He has served as the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand and the Chairman of NHAI.
Gyanesh Kumar
– He is an IAS officer of the Kerala cadre. He has served in the Ministry of Home Affairs and retired from the position of Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation.
Election Commission of India
– It conducts elections for the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, President, and Vice President in the country.
– The Election Commission consists of three members.
– One Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.
– The Chief Election Commissioner is Rajiv Kumar, and the two new Election Commissioners are Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar.
Term of Office for the Election Commissioner
– The term of office of the Election Commissioner is six years or until the age of 65 (whichever is earlier) as per the Constitution.
Provision for appointment in the Constitution
– As per Article 324(2) of the Constitution, the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners should be made by the President on the basis of law.
– The Central Government made a law for their selection in 2022. The committee comprises the PM, the leader of the largest opposition or opposition party in the Lok Sabha, and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM.
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2. After the order of the Supreme Court, the Election Commission made the data of electoral bonds public, according to which party received the maximum donation of Rs 60 billion?
a. Congress
b. BJP
c. TMC
d. BRS
Answer: b. BJP (60 billion rupees, total bond subscription 47.46%)
– On March 14, 2024, the Election Commission released all the data related to Electoral Bonds on its website.
– Two lists comprising 763 pages have been uploaded on the website.
– One list contains information about the purchasers of the bonds, while the other details the bonds received by political parties.
– The data consists of approximately 763 pages.
– The matching of who bought bonds from which company has not been done yet.
– However, it is known which company bought how many electoral bonds and which party encashed how many bonds.
– The Supreme Court has directed for the matching of the buyers and sellers.
Which political party received how much money:
Companies and their Electoral Bond purchases:
The Supreme Court had given the Commission a deadline of March 15:
– The Supreme Court had ordered the Commission to make this data public by March 15.
– This data was submitted to the Election Commission by the State Bank of India (SBI). Initially, SBI had requested for an extension, but the Supreme Court denied it.
About the Electoral Bond Scheme controversy:
– The Electoral Bond Scheme 2017 was introduced in the budget by the then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
– On January 2, 2018, the Central Government notified it.
– It is a type of promissory note, also known as a bank note.
– Any Indian citizen or company can purchase it. It was issued by SBI.
– The bond can be donated to a preferred party, one that has received at least one percent of the vote and meets other eligibility criteria.
Its feature was that the donor’s or company’s anonymity was maintained through the bond.
– The purchaser can buy bonds ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹1 crore.
– Within 15 days of donating the bonds, it has to be encashed by the party from a verified bank account with the Election Commission.
– The scheme was challenged in the Supreme Court in 2017. The hearing began in 2019.
– In February 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that the Electoral Bond Scheme is unconstitutional.
– The court declared it unconstitutional under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, which guarantees fundamental rights, including the right to information. It also directed to make all the data public.
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3. When was World Sleep Day celebrated in the year 2024?
a. 12 March
b. 13 March
c. 14 March
d. 15 March
Answer: d. 15 March
– This day is celebrated every year on the third Friday of March.
Theme for 2024:
– Sleep Equity for Global Health
– World Sleep Day is observed globally to raise awareness about the importance of sleep.
– Its aim is to make people worldwide aware of the significance of sleep, so they understand how important sleep is in life.
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4. India signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with which European countries ‘European Free Trade Association’ (EFTA) in March 2024?
a. Hungary, Ireland
b. Iceland, Liechtenstein
c. Norway, Switzerland
d. Both b and c
Answer: d. Both b and c (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland)
– On March 10, 2024, India signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with four countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland) of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
– These four countries are not part of the European Union (a group of 27 countries).
What is a Free Trade Agreement?
FTA – Free Trade Agreement
– This agreement is used to simplify trade.
– Under the EFTA, tariffs, regulatory laws, subsidies, and quotas on goods traded between two or more countries are simplified.
– Tariffs are either very low or eliminated. There are no restrictions on the import or export of products.
Why was the agreement made?
– This agreement was made to facilitate investment and exports in sectors such as IT, audio-visual, and skilled professionals’ movement in the domestic services sectors.
Objective of FTA
– The goal of this agreement is to attract $100 billion (approximately ₹8.27 lakh crore) worth of investment in India within 15 years and create up to 10 million jobs.
– This means that these four European countries will invest $100 billion in India.
First-time investment in India from EFTA countries
– Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal stated that for the first time in history, we are signing the EFTA with a binding commitment to invest $100 billion in India.
Since when has the discussion been going on for FTA?
– Talks for this trade agreement began in 2008, but for various reasons, they stalled in late 2013.
– After a long gap of a decade, discussions resumed in 2023.
– Before the final seal on the agreement, a total of 21 rounds of talks were held. The agreement was signed on March 10, 2024.
What will India benefit from?
– Among the four countries involved in the agreement, Switzerland has the largest business with India.
– India will now reduce or eliminate customs duties on high-quality Swiss products such as watches, chocolates, and biscuits for some time. India imposes a 30% import duty on chocolates and a 20% duty on watches.
– Collaboration opportunities will open up in various sectors such as digital trade, banking and financial services, transport and logistics, industrial machinery, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food processing, and clean energy due to the global leadership of EFTA countries.
– India has similar agreements with the UAE and Australia as well.
Iceland
– Iceland, a Nordic island nation, is defined by its dramatic volcanic landscape of geysers, hot springs, and lava fields.
– Capital: Reykjavik
– Prime Minister: Katrín Jakobsdóttir
– Currency: Icelandic Krona
Liechtenstein
– It is a small landlocked country in Europe.
– Prime Minister: Daniel Risch
– Capital: Vaduz
– Currency: Swiss Franc
Norway
– Norway is a Scandinavian country – encompassing mountains, glaciers, and deep coastal fjords.
– Prime Minister: Jonas Gahr Støre
– Capital: Oslo
– Currency: Norwegian Krone
Switzerland
– It is a landlocked country in Central Europe.
– Prime Minister: Viola Amherd
– Capital: Bern
– Currency: Swiss Franc
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5. When is World Consumer Rights Day celebrated?
a. 12 March
b. 13 March
c. 14 March
d. 15 March
Answer: d. 15 March
Theme for the year 2024:
– Fair and responsible AI for consumers
– The significance of this day is to enlighten all consumers about their rights and protect them from exploitation, discrimination, and other forms of inappropriate practices.
– World Consumer Rights Day was initiated by President John F. Kennedy, who addressed the American Congress specifically on consumer rights on March 15, 1962.
– Later, the United Nations (UN) recognized this day.
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6. How many OTT platforms were blocked by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in March 2024 on charges of broadcasting obscene and indecent content?
a. 75
b. 45
c. 28
d. 18
Answer: d. 18
– Allegations have been made of displaying obscene and indecent content on these OTT platforms.
– Additionally, social media accounts have also been blocked. These include 12 Facebook accounts, 17 X accounts, 16 Instagram accounts, and 12 YouTube accounts.
Which platforms have been blocked?
– The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting blocked 19 websites, 10 apps, and 57 social media handles associated with 18 OTT platforms nationwide in March 2024.
The 18 OTT platforms that have been blocked:
– Dreams, Films, Woovie, Yesma, Ankat Adda, Try Flicks, X Prime, Neon X VIP, Besharams, Hunters, Rabbit, Extra Mood, Netflix, Moodx, MozzFlix, Hot Shots VIP, Fuggi, ChikuFlix, Prime Play
Central Minister of Information and Broadcasting: Anurag Singh Thakur
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7. In which country have researchers discovered a new species of scorpion with 8 eyes and 8 legs, ‘Eusorpips krachan’?
a. India
b. Thailand
c. Slovenia
d. Brazil
Answer: b. Thailand
How and where was its discovery made in Thailand?
– During a wildlife campaign in Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan National Park, a team of researchers discovered this new species of scorpion.
– This new species of scorpion has 8 eyes and 8 legs.
– This species has been named ‘Euscorpiops Krachan’ after the name of the national park.
– They studied three adult males and one adult female of this species.
– They published their findings in the Zootaxa journal.
Important information about Kaeng Krachan National Park:
– Kaeng Krachan National Park is spread over an area of 2,915 square kilometers or 1.8 million rai.
– It is the largest national park in Thailand.
– It was declared as one of the national parks on June 12, 1981.
What are the special features of this new species of scorpion?
– According to the study, most of the characteristics exhibited by the subgenus Euscorpiops scorpions are present in the new species.
– They are much smaller in comparison to most other subspecies.
– Their color is brown, though females are darker compared to males.
– They also have eight eyes and eight legs.
– The study suggests that other subspecies of scorpions hunt by ‘ambushing or sitting-and-waiting’, similar tactics are believed to be adopted by the new species during hunting.
– It is also believed that similar strategies are adopted by this species during hunting.
– The study also found that ‘there are limits to the distribution of this species’ with a high level of endemism (species found only in a particular area).
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8. Karnataka banned the use of which dye in Cotton Candy and Gobi Manchurian?
a. Carmoisine
b. Lycopene
c. Rhodamine B
d. Erythrosine
Answer: c. Rhodamine B
Ban on the use of Rhodamine B dye:
– The Karnataka government has imposed a ban on the use of the artificial dye ‘Rhodamine B’ in ‘cotton candy’ and the popular Chinese dish Gobi Manchurian in the state.
– The state government has also stated that its use can have a detrimental effect on everyone’s health, especially children.
– This decision was taken by the state government under the amended policy of the Chief Food Regulatory Officer.
– However, Rhodamine B was already banned in food items.
What is Rhodamine B?
– Rhodamine B is a synthetic compound and a fluorescent dye.
– It is commonly used in microscopy, flow cytometry, dye lasers, and fluorescence imaging.
– Its use is also as an agent for coloring substances like ink and beauty products.
– It is a pink to red-blue powder or crystal.
Why was this ban imposed?
– The Food Safety Commissioner in Karnataka revealed that samples of Gobi Manchurian and cotton candy were taken in the state.
– Most of the samples contained the carcinogenic Rhodamine B dye, which can cause harmful diseases like cancer.
– Referring to the risks of cancer, orders have been issued to ban the use of Rhodamine B in Gobi Manchurian and cotton candy.
– Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that many food products are being used with banned chemicals.
– He said, “We conducted a survey across Karnataka and found that these chemicals (Rhodamine B food coloring agents) are still being used,
– so we are issuing another notice that banned substances should not be used, and if used, strict action will be taken.”
What is the provision for punishment?
– According to an official, in case of any violation of Rule 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the department can file a case in the department court,
– which can result in imprisonment from seven years to life and a fine of up to 1 million rupees.
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9. The Central Government signed a loan agreement of how many rupees with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for infrastructure improvement in the sub-urban areas around Ahmedabad city?
a. 81 million dollars
b. 181 million dollars
c. 281 million dollars
d. 381 million dollars
Answer: b. 181 million dollars (approximately 1501 crore rupees)
Gujarat
Capital: Gandhinagar
Chief Minister: Bhupendra Patel
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10. Name the first Sikh minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province?
a. Sardar Vijay Singh
b. Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora
c. Rajinder Singh Patiala
d. None of these
Answer: b. Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora
– The Chief Minister of Punjab in Pakistan is Maryam Nawaz.
– Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, a three-time member of the provincial assembly, has become the first Sikh minister of this province.
– He has been appointed as the Minister of Minority Affairs.
– He said, “After the partition in 1947, this is the first time that a Sikh has been included in the cabinet of the Punjab province.”
Pakistan
PM – Shahbaz Sharif
President – Asif Ali Zardari
Capital – Islamabad
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