This is the current affairs of 14 & 15 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. Name the new Chief (Director) of CBI?
a. Rashmi Desai
b. Praveen Sood
c. Alok Mittal
d. Subodh Raj
Answer: b. Praveen Sood
– Praveen Sood is the DGP (Director General of Police) of Karnataka.
– He has now been appointed as the new Director of the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation).
– He is an IPS (Indian Police Service) officer of the 1986 batch from the Karnataka cadre.
– Praveen Sood will hold this position for two years.
– He was supposed to retire in May 2024, but with this appointment, his tenure has been extended until May 2025.
– The current Director of the CBI, Subodh Kumar Jaiswal’s term will end on May 25. Sood can join on the same day.
– Praveen Sood hails from Kangra in Himachal Pradesh.
– He was appointed as the DGP of Karnataka in June 2020.
Who chose the CBI director
– As per the order of the Supreme Court, a three-member committee selects the CBI Director.
– The committee comprises the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, and the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of the largest opposition party) in the Lok Sabha. (Now, the selection of election commissioners will also be done in the same way.)
– On the evening of May 14, 2023, a meeting was held between all three members (PM Narendra Modi, CJI Dipak Misra, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha).
– PM Modi and CJI Dipak Misra put their stamp on Praveen Sood’s name. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had objections to Sood’s name.
– This is because Praveen Sood’s name was not in the panel earlier. His name was added at the last moment.
– Interestingly, the meeting took place on the day when the Congress party won a big victory in the Karnataka Assembly elections.
CBI
– Established: 1963
– Headquarters: New Delhi
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2. How many seats did the INC (Congress) win with a majority in the Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023?
a. 136
b. 135
c. 122
d. 113
Answer: b. 135
– Assembly elections were held in Karnataka on May 10, 2023, and the results came out on May 13, 2023.
– A party needs 114 seats to form the government here.
– The Indian National Congress (INC) obtained a majority and won 135 seats.
The BJP was ahead on 65 seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] was ahead on 19 seats.
– Before the elections, the BJP was in power in Karnataka. It had formed the government in July 2019.
– Prior to that, HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) was the Chief Minister, supported by the Congress. However, several MLAs defected to the BJP, which was called “Operation Lotus” in the media. It was alleged that the BJP formed the government by resorting to horse-trading.
– The BJP had done the same in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat later on.
– Now, in May 2023, voters in Karnataka have given a resounding mandate to the Congress, putting a check on any future “Operation Lotus.” This same situation was seen in Himachal Pradesh before.
How important is the Karnataka election?
– There are 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.
– According to this, in the Lok Sabha elections to be held in the next year (2024), Karnataka becomes a very important state for the Congress.
– Karnataka has topped other states in most of the cases. Whether it is a matter of economy or otherwise.
– The capital here, Bangalore is the IT hub of the country.
5 reasons that make Karnataka more important than other states:
1. Comparison to the country’s economic development:
– Karnataka’s economic situation has been quite good for the past several years compared to the rest of the country.
– In the year 2022-23, the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was Rs. 13.26 lakh crore with a growth rate of 7.6%.
– During the same period, the Indian economy grew at 7%.
– The service sector is the largest contributor to Karnataka’s economy.
– In the financial year 2021-22, Karnataka’s GSDP growth rate in the service sector was 63.16%.
– In addition, it was 21.48% in the industry sector and 15.36% in agriculture and related sectors.
2. per capita income higher than the country
– During the financial year 2021-22, the per capita income of Karnataka was 1.64 lakh rupees.
– This was more than 1.5 times the per capita income of India (92,583 rupees).
– Only six states had a per capita income higher than Karnataka during the financial year 2021-22.
These six states were:
(Goa – per capita income of 3.10 lakh rupees)
(Sikkim – 2.56 lakh rupees)
(Delhi – 2.52 lakh rupees)
(Chandigarh – 2.15 lakh rupees)
(Gujarat – 1.74 lakh rupees)
(Haryana – 1.73 lakh rupees)
3. Compared to country, inflation, unemployment, and poverty are low in the state:
– Unemployment – According to the Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS), during the period of July-June 2021-22, the unemployment rate in Karnataka was 3.2%. The comparative all-India unemployment rate during this period was 4.1%.
– Inflation – In March 2023, retail inflation in Karnataka was recorded at 5.58%, while the country’s retail inflation was 5.66%.
– Poverty – The ratio of BPL (Below Poverty Line) population in Karnataka is lower than the national average.
4. The fourth largest contributor to the country’s exports
– During the year 2021-22, the value of exports from Karnataka was $25,874.50 million.
– This was 6.13% of India’s total exports of $422,004.42 million.
– Only three states – Gujarat ($126,805.21 million), Maharashtra ($73,119.50 million), and Tamil Nadu ($35,169.43 million) – were ahead of Karnataka.
5. Third largest contributor to direct taxes
– Direct taxes include corporate tax, personal income tax, and other direct taxes.
– Karnataka is the third largest contributor to direct taxes.
– During the financial year 2021-22, Karnataka contributed 1.68 lakh crore rupees, which is 12% of the total direct tax collection (14.12 lakh crore rupees) in the country.
– Only Maharashtra (direct tax collection of 5.24 lakh crore rupees) and Delhi (1.77 lakh crore rupees) were ahead of Karnataka.
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3. Name the new CEO of Twitter?
a. Vijaya Gadde
b. Linda Yacarino
c. Rashmi Khanna
d. Mark Dimassimo
Answer: b. Linda Yacarino
– A while ago, Elon Musk shared photos of his dog Floki on Twitter and jokingly referred to him as the new CEO of Twitter.
– But now, social media platform Twitter has a new CEO.
– Twitter owner Elon Musk provided information about Linda Yaccarino.
– Musk said that Yaccarino will primarily focus on business operations, while he will focus on product design and new technology.
– This means that Elon Musk will be the Chairman and CTO (Chief Technology Officer) of Twitter, while Yaccarino will be the CEO. She will join the company in the next six weeks.
When Musk became the owner, he removed the Indian-origin CEO
– Elon Musk became the new owner of Twitter on October 27, 2022.
– He had bought Twitter for $44 billion.
– As soon as he became the owner, he fired the two top executives of Indian origin, Parag Agrawal (former CEO) and Vijaya Gadde (Chief Legal Affairs and Policy Officer).
– Parag Agrawal had been made the CEO of Twitter just 11 months ago in November 2021.
About Linda Yaccarino:
– She is 59 years old and of Italian-American origin.
– Publications like Fortune and Forbes have recognized her as an influential and powerful woman.
– She was appointed to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition during Trump’s presidency in 2018.
– She is the Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal Media LLC.
About NBCUniversal:
– It is an American company related to news and entertainment.
– It owns and operates a television network, motion picture company, television production operations, television station group, world-famous theme parks, and a premium advertising-supported streaming service.
– Linda is known for its commercial partnership with brands like Apple and Google.
– The interesting thing is that Linda is a leader in the advertising world.
– Elon Musk has hinted that Twitter will become even more commercial by making Linda the CEO.
– Video creators will benefit from this, just like on Instagram.
What has changed on Twitter:
– Elon Musk has launched the Blue subscription service worldwide.
– The price of the Blue subscription service for Android and iOS mobile users in India is Rs. 900 per month.
– Web users can subscribe to the Blue subscription service for Rs. 650 per month.
– Facebook has also launched a similar plan after seeing this.
Twitter:
– Founded – 2006
– Headquarters – San Francisco, California, USA
– Founders – Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Evan Williams, Biz Stone
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4. In which city the Global Ayurveda Fair will be held in December 2023?
a. Delhi
b. Bangalore
c. Lucknow
d. Thiruvananthapuram
Answer: d. Thiruvananthapuram (Capital of Kerala)
– The Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF 2023) will be held in Thiruvananthapuram (the capital of Kerala) from December 1 to December 5.
– This will be the fifth edition of the festival and Ayurvedic practitioners from around the world will participate.
– The theme of this festival is “Emerging Challenges in Healthcare and a Renaissance in Ayurveda.”
Minister of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) – Sarbananda Sonowal
Kerala
– Chief Minister – Pinarayi Vijayan
– Governor – Arif Mohammad Khan
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5. Name the Green Port Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to achieve the goal of zero carbon emission?
a. Blue Ocean
b. India Ocean
c. Green Ocean
d. Earth Ocean
Answer: c. Green Ocean
– The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways launched the Green Port Guideline ‘Harit Sagar’ in May 2023.
– The minister of this ministry is Sarbananda Sonowal.
‘Harit Sagar’
– Harit Sagar is a Sanskrit word which means “green ocean”.
– It aims to make India’s ports more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
– It also covers initiatives related to the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the development of green hydrogen facilities, LNG bunkering, and other aspects including offshore wind energy.
Objectives of Harit Sagar:
– To promote the use of renewable energy, water conservation, and biodiversity conservation in ports.
– To promote recycling and reuse for zero waste discharge in port operations.
– To grade and index ports based on standards.
Why is ‘Harit Sagar’ Guideline important?
– It aligns with national policies and initiatives such as the Paris Convention, Sustainable Development Goals, National Action Plan on Climate Change, and Swachh Bharat Mission.
– Through this, India can build an image as a responsible maritime nation that cares about its environment and people.
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6. Who has been conferred the Sagar Shrestha Samman (2022-23) in the cargo management category by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways?
a. Cochin Port
b. Mumbai Port
c. Mundra Port
d. Paradip Port
Answer: d. Paradip Port (Jagatsinghpur, Odisha)
– Central Port, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal presented this award.
– This award was given for the highest cargo management of 137.56 MMT.
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7. Which port has been awarded the ‘Sagar Shrestha’ award (2022-23) in the ‘Non-container turnaround time’ category by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways?
a. Cochin Port
b. Mumbai Port
c. Mundra Port
d. Dharma Port
Answer: a. Cochin Port
– Cochin Port Authority (CPA) has been awarded the Sagarmala Award for Best Turnaround Time in the non-container category during 2022-23.
– The award was presented to CPA Chairman M. Beena by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal.
– The award recognizes Cochin Port’s outstanding performance in handling dry bulk and liquid bulk cargo ships.
Which ports received which awards for the year 2022-23?
– Paradip Port, Jagatsinghpur (Odisha): Ship berth day output
– Cochin Port (Kerala): Turnaround time (non-container port)
– Deendayal Port, Kandla (Gujarat): Sagarmala Award for Highest Cargo Management of 137.56 MMT
– Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai (Maharashtra): Award for achievement in turnaround time
– Kamraj Port, Chennai (Tamil Nadu): Award for pre-berthing detention time
Note: Mumbai Port, located in Maharashtra, is the largest port in India.
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8. To which neighboring country did India extend a one billion dollar line of credit for one year?
a. Bangladesh
b. Pakistan
c. Afghanistan
d. Sri Lanka
Answer: d. Sri Lanka
– Sri Lanka is in a bad economic crisis. Just last year, there was a change of government after strong opposition from the people.
– India has extended a credit line of $1 billion to Sri Lanka for another year.
– With this amount, Sri Lanka will be able to import necessary goods from India on credit.
– This assistance is a part of the $4 billion emergency aid provided by India to Sri Lanka, which includes a credit line of $1 billion.
– India has now extended it until March 2024.
Sri Lanka:
– Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
– Largest city: Colombo
– President: Ranil Wickremesinghe (as of May 2022)
– Prime Minister: Dinesh Gunawardena
– Official languages: Sinhala and Tamil.
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9. Who holds the record for fastest fifty in IPL?
a. Yashasvi Jaiswal
b. Surya Kumar Yadav
c. KL Rahul
d. Pat Cummins
Answer: a. Yashasvi Jaiswal (13-ball fifty in IPL 2023)
– Yashasvi Jaiswal is a top-order batsman for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) team.
– He completed his half-century in just 13 balls during a match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in May 2023.
– The 56th match of IPL 2023 was played between the Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens.
– With this, Yashasvi Jaiswal now holds the record for the fastest fifty in IPL history.
– Whose record did he break? – KL Rahul’s record. He had scored a fifty in 14 balls.
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10. When is Mother’s Day celebrated?
a. First Sunday of May
b. Second Sunday of May
c. Third Sunday of May
d. Fourth Sunday of May
Answer: b. Second Sunday of May
– In the year 2023, this day will be celebrated on May 14th.
– Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world to show appreciation and love towards motherhood.
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