Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2023

Notes:
India’s agricultural and processed food products exports rose by 16 per cent in the first eight months (April-November) of the current financial year 2022-23 on an annual basis.
For the year 2022-23, an export target of $23.56 billion has been fixed for the agricultural and processed food products basket. At present, the agricultural exports attained 74 per cent of its annual export target.

Notes:
North Korea has recently fired three ballistic missiles toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula, as per the South Korean military.
The three short-range ballistic missiles were fired from North Hwanghae Province, south of the capital Pyongyang. The launches came a day after South Korea successfully conducted a test flight of a solid-propellant space launch vehicle. North Korea has fired around 70 ballistic missiles this year, including about eight intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM).

Notes:
Sweden has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of the year, on January 1, 2023,
It followed Czech Republic, which headed the Council in the second half of 2022. This is the third time that Sweden has taken over the Presidency of the Council. The EU Council Presidency rotates every six months between the Member States of the EU.

Notes:
The Assam Cabinet decided to merge four districts with existing ones and redraw boundaries in 14 places.
The decision was taken a day ahead of the Election Commission’s (EC) deadline on starting the delimitation exercise for assembly and parliamentary seats. EC earlier announced fresh delimitation of 126 assembly and 14 parliamentary seats and banned creation of new administrative units.

Notes:
The Union government spent more than Rs 13,000 crore on cleaning the Ganga since 2014. The Ganga Council recently met in Kolkata and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the meeting through video conference.
Uttar Pradesh received the largest outlay among states at 4,205 crore. Bihar is in second place at 3,516 crores. Bengal (1,302 crore), Delhi (1,253) and Uttarakhand (1,117) are the other regions in the top five states.

Notes:
Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is working on a new industrial policy.
The draft ‘Statement on Industrial Policy 2022-Make in India for the world’ has been circulated to different ministries for their views and comments. It proposes to increase financing sources for industry and a scheme for promoting Made in India brand.

Notes:
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office for a third term as Brazil’s President, after the divisive election in October.
The outgoing leader of the Latin America’s biggest economy is Jair Bolsonaro. The 77-year-old ex-metalworker Lula da Silva previously led Brazil from 2003 to 2010.

Notes:
The Centre has constituted a High Powered Committee to discuss measures to protect Ladakh’s unique culture, language and employment.
A 17 member committee has been set up under the Chairmanship of Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai. Other members include Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur, MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, and nominee officials of Home ministry among others.

Notes:
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has listed around 20 restrictive and discriminatory conditions of procuring agencies under various ministries against local suppliers.
As per DPIIT, the conditions make them non-complaint with the government’s public procurement for Make in India order. It includes additional requirement of bank guarantee for local suppliers, delayed payment terms, excessive past experience requirements etc.

Notes:
Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland were made the new members of the U.N. Security Council for the two-year seats they won unopposed in June.
The five countries would replace India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway in the Council. The ambassadors of the five countries installed their national flags alongside those of other members outside the council chambers.