This is the current affairs of 29 & 30 October 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
PDF Download: Click here
1. Which state government launched “Pran Vayu Devta Pension Scheme” for elderly trees?
a. Bihar
b. Uttar Pradesh
c. Haryana
d. Madhya Pradesh
Answer: c. Haryana
– The Haryana government launched the “Prana Vayu Devata Pension Scheme” in October 2023.
– This scheme is for trees aged 75 years or older.
– The residents of the state are given a pension of 2,750 rupees per year for the “maintenance and care” of elderly trees on their property.
– In the first phase, 3,810 trees have been selected for the pension.
– Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar stated that Haryana is the first state to implement such a scheme.
– The Chief Minister urged common people who have trees 75 years or older in their courtyards to apply for the pension at their respective district forest department offices.
Number of Tree Species Eligible for Pension
– Approximately 40 species of trees have been declared as Prana Vayu Devata trees.
– These include peepal, banyan, neem, mango, jaal, gular, krishna kadamb, and pilkhan trees. These trees provide more oxygen compared to others.
– The most notable are peepal and neem, which release oxygen 24 hours a day.
Which Trees Are Eligible for the Pension
– This pension arrangement is for trees present on private property, village council land, institutional property, and government property.
– Trees located in forest areas are not covered under this scheme.
Haryana
– Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
– Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
– Capital: Chandigarh
– State Tree: Peepal
– State Flower: Lotus
– State Animal: Blackbuck
– State Bird: Black Francolin
—————
2. Who has been elected as the new King of Malaysia for a five-year term?
a. Abdullah Pertuan Agong
b. Anwar Ibrahim
c. Johri Ibrahim
d. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar
Answer: d. Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar
– In Malaysia, the king is formally referred to as “Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”
– He was elected as the 17th king.
– After the term of the current king, Abdullah Parduan Agong, ends on January 31, 2024, the new king will be sworn in.
– Ibrahim comes from the powerful Johor royal family, whose leader commands his private army.
– His father, Sultan Iskandar, reigned as king 39 years ago in 1984.
What Does a Five-Year Reign Mean for the King?
– Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with a unique system.
– It follows a centuries-old tradition where the rulers of the nine Malay states take turns ascending the throne every five years.
– These rulers come together to elect the new king.
– This system has been in place since Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957.
– The current king, Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, ascended the throne in 2019. He will be king until January 31, 2024.
– The role of the king is highly respected in Malaysia, especially among the country’s Malay Muslim majority. Criticizing the king can result in jail sentences.
– The king’s role is somewhat ceremonial, but he plays a key role in overseeing major appointments, similar to a Prime Minister, and serves as the commander-in-chief of Islam and its armed forces in the Muslim-majority country.
Malaysia
– King: Abdullah Parduan Agong (Until January 2024)
– Prime Minister: Anwar Ibrahim
– Capital: Kuala Lumpur
– National Language: Malay
– Currency: Malaysian Ringgit
—————
3. Serial blasts took place in the prayer meeting of which sect of Christianity in Ernakulam, Kerala in October 2023?
a. Protestant
b. Jehovah’s Witnesses
c. Roman Catholic
d. None of these
Answer: b. Jehovah’s Witnesses
– In a prayer meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses, three consecutive explosions occurred.
– As a result, two people died, while 52 others were injured.
– This incident took place while approximately two thousand people were praying at the convention center.
One Person Surrendered
– A person named Dominic Martin surrendered to the police, stating that he had planted an IED bomb at the prayer meeting.
– He is associated with the Jehovah’s Witnesses group but does not subscribe to their beliefs.
About Jehovah’s Witnesses:
– Jehovah’s Witnesses are a Christian minority community.
– The origins of this faith date back to the 1870s, initiated by American pastor Charles Taze Russell through the Bible student movement.
– Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in the Holy Trinity (the concept that God, the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are three equal persons). Instead, they view Jesus as the son of God, not God Himself.
– They hold Jesus in high regard and consider his teachings and examples as their model, hence self-identifying as Christians.
– They regard Jesus Christ as the “King of God’s Kingdom in heaven,” but not as the almighty God.
– They base their beliefs solely on the Bible, which they consider to be the Word of God.
– Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate holidays like Christmas or Easter, as they believe these festivals are rooted in pagan traditions.
– There is no centralized leadership in this community, and it is spread throughout the world.
Supreme Court’s Significant Decision:
– In India, a historic case related to this faith was Bijoe Emmanuel and others vs. the State of Kerala and others.
– In its 1986 ruling, the Supreme Court provided protection to three children of this faith who did not sing the national anthem in their school.
– The court recognized that compelling them to sing the national anthem would violate their fundamental rights under Article 25 of the Constitution, which protects their religious freedom.
– Essentially, their parents had argued before the Kerala High Court that Jehovah’s Witnesses were only permitted to worship Jehovah, and since the national anthem was a form of prayer, the children could stand but not sing it.
Kerala
CM – P. Vijayan
Governor – Arif Mohammad Khan
Capital – Thiruvananthapuram
—————
4. When is World Thrift Day celebrated?
a. 20 October
b. 24 October
c. 29 October
d. 30 October
Answer: d. 30 October
– This day is celebrated to promote the importance of saving money.
– In today’s world, saving money is highly crucial.
Budgeting is a necessity for every contributor to economic development.
– This day was established in 1925 by the World Society of Savings Banks.
—————-
5. When is World Cities Day celebrated?
a. 20 October
b. 24 October
c. 29 October
d. 31 October
Answer: d. 31 October
– Theme 2023 : Tourism And Green Investments
– The United Nations General Assembly has declared this day.
—————-
6. How many total medals did India win in the 4th Asian Para Games 2022 (to be held in 2023)?
a. 100
b. 101
c. 111
d. 112
Answer: c. 111
– Indian players participated in 22 types of sports.
Medal count
Gold – 29
Silver – 31
Bronze – 51
Total medals – 111
Medal count of top 5 countries
Rank – Country – Gold – Silver – Bronze – Total
1 – China – 214 – 167 – 140 – 521
2 – Iran – 44 – 46 – 41 – 131
3 – Japan – 42 – 49 – 59 – 150
4 – Korea – 30 – 33 – 40 – 103
5 – India – 29 – 31 – 51 – 111
Gold Medal Winners and Categories:
1 – Ankur Dharma – Athletics Men’s 5000m-T11
2 – Nishad Kumar – Athletics Men’s High Jump-T47
3 – Shailesh Kumar – Athletics Men’s High Jump-T63
4 – Pranav Surma – Athletics Men’s Club Throw-F51
5 – Avani Lekhara – Shooting Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1
6 – Praveen Kumar – Athletics Men’s High Jump-T64
7 – Deepti Jhajharia – Athletics Women’s 400m-T20
8 – Prachi Yadav – Canoeing Women’s KL2
9 – Neeraj Yadav – Athletics Men’s Discus Throw-F54/55/56
10 – Sumit – Athletics Men’s Javelin Throw-F64
11 – Hani – Athletics Men’s Javelin Throw-F37/38
12 – Sundar Singh Gurjar – Athletics Men’s Javelin Throw-F46
13 – Ankur Daka – Athletics Men’s 1500m-T11
14 – Rakshita Raju – Athletics Women’s 1500m-T11
15 – Nimisha Suresh – Athletics Women’s Long Jump-T47
16 – Sheetal Devi/Rakesh Kumar – Archery Mixed Team Compound – Open
17 – Sachin Sarjeerav Athlete – Athletics Men’s Shot Put-F46
18 – Siddharth Babu – Shooting AR6 – Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1
19 – Sheetal Devi – Archery Women’s Individual Compound – Open
20 – Raman Sharma – Athletics Men’s 1500m-T38
21 – Soliraj Dharmaraj – Athletics Men’s Long Jump-T64
22 – Pramod Bhagat – Badminton Men’s Singles SL3
23 – Suhas Yathiraj Lalinakere – Badminton Men’s Singles SL4
24 – Nitesh Kumar/Tarun – Badminton Men’s Doubles SL3-SL4
25 – Thulasi Mathi Murugesan – Badminton Women’s Singles SU5
26 – Neeraj Yadav – Athletics Men’s Javelin Throw-F55
27 – Dilip Mahadu Gawit – Athletics Men’s 400m-T47
28 – Satish Inani Darpan – Chess Men’s Individual Rapid VI-B1
29 – Satish Inani Darpan/Kumar Pradhan Saunderiya/Ashwinbhai Kanchanbhai Makwana – Chess Men’s Team Rapid VI-B1
————–
7. Which player won the gold medal in badminton men’s singles SL4 category in the fourth Asian Games?
a. Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj
b. Satish Inani Darpan
c. Kanchanbhai Makwana
d. Rudransh Khandelwal
Answer: a. Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj
About Suhas Yathiraj:
– He was born in Shimoga, Karnataka.
– He has been differently-abled (with difficulty in his legs) since birth.
– He pursued a degree in computer science engineering from the National Institute of Technology.
– He began preparing for the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examinations.
– After passing the UPSC exam, he was posted in Agra. He later served as the district magistrate in various districts, including Jaunpur, Sonbhadra, Azamgarh, Hathras, Maharajganj, Prayagraj, and Gautam Buddh Nagar.
– He is from the 2007 batch of IAS officers.
– He currently serves as the Secretary of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department in Uttar Pradesh.
—————
8. Who won the gold medal in Chess (Men’s Team Rapid VI-B1) event in the 4th Asian Para Games?
a. Satish Inani Darpan, Kumar Pradhan Soundarya
b. Ashwinbhai Kanchanbhai Makwana
c. Rudransh Khandelwal
d. both a and b
Answer: d. Both a and b (Satish Inani Darpan, Kumar Pradhan Soundarya and Ashwinbhai Kanchanbhai Makwana)
Satish Inani Darpan:
– He is a talented visually impaired Indian chess player and a Chartered Accountant from Vadodara.
– He was born on February 14, 1994, in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Kumar Pradhan Saundarya:
– He is a software engineer and a visually impaired Indian chess player.
– He was born on December 13, 1999.
Ashwinbhai Kanchanbhai Makwana:
– He is a talented visually impaired Indian chess player.
– He has shown excellent performance in chess competitions.
————–
9. Which medal did India win in the men’s individual rapid VI-B1 event?
a. Gold
b. Silver
c. Bronze
d. All Three Above
Answer: d. All Three Above (Gold, Silver and Bronze)
Who got which medal?
– Satish Inani Darpan: Gold
– Kumar Pradhan Soundarya: Silver
– Ashwinbhai Kanchanbhai Makwana: Bronze
————–
10. Which Indian won the gold medal in the men’s individual rapid VI-B1 event?
a. Satish Inani Darpan
b. Kumar Pradhan Soundarya
c. Rudransh Khandelwal
d. Dilip Mahadu Gavit
Answer: a. Satish Inani Darpan
Satish Inani Darpan
– He is a talented blind Indian chess player and Chartered Accountant from Vadodara.
– He was born on 14 February 1994 in Vadodara, Gujarat.
—————
11. Which Indian athlete won the gold medal in the men’s 400m-T47 event in the 4th Asian Para Games?
a. Satish Inani Darpan
b. Ashwinbhai Kanchanbhai Makwana
c. Rudransh Khandelwal
d. Dilip Mahadu Gavit
Answer: d. Dilip Mahadu Gavit
– He is an Indian Paralympian.
– He was born on 21 April 2003.
————–
12. Which Indian won the gold medal in the women’s singles SU5 event in badminton in the 4th Asian Para Games?
a. Satish Inani Darpan
b. Ashwinbhai Kanchanbhai Makwana
c. Thulasimathi Murugesan
d. Dilip Mahadu Gavit
Answer: c. Thulasimathi Murugesan
– He is an Indian Paralympian and badminton player.
—————-
13. Which Indian won the gold medal in badminton (men’s doubles SL3-SL4) in the 4th Asian Para Games?
a. Nitesh Kumar
b. Tarun Dhillon
c. Dilip Mahadu Gavit
d. Both a and b
Answer: d. Both a and b (Nitesh Kumar and Tarun Dhillon)
Nitesh Kumar
– He was born on 30 December 1994.
– He is an Indian professional para-badminton player.
– He is from a village named Bas Kirtan in Rajasthan.
Tarun Dhillon
– He was born on 18 August 1994.
– He is an Indian para-badminton player.
– He lives in Hisar district of Haryana.
