Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2023

Notes:
In the SAFF championship India is set to face Lebanon in the semi-final at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.
India earlier recorded a 2-0 win over Nepal in the SAFF Championship. In 2022, India retained the SAFF U20 title by beating Bangladesh 5-2 in the final.

Notes:
Wanindu Hasaranga equalled the record for the most consecutive five-wicket hauls in ODIs during the Sri Lanka’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
Hasaranga joined Pakistan great Waqar Younis as the only bowlers to claim five scalps in three consecutive ODIs when he took 5/79 from 10 overs against Ireland. Hasaranga currently has 61 wickets from 44 ODIs.

Notes:
The Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications recently announced the ‘5G & Beyond Hackathon 2023’.
It is aimed at shortlisting India-focused cutting-edge ideas that can be converted into workable 5G & beyond products and solutions. Hundred winners of the hackathon will share a total prize pool of Rs one crore.

Notes:
Australia, one of the biggest non-NATO contributors to Ukraine, announced new USD 74m assistance package to Ukraine.
The money will go towards providing new military vehicles and artillery ammunition but funds are also being sent for humanitarian needs. Australia will also extend duty-free access for goods imported from Ukraine for a further 12 months.

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi approved a unique package of innovative schemes for farmers with a total outlay of Rs.3,70,128 crore.
The CCEA approved continuation of Urea Subsidy Scheme to ensure constant availability of urea to the farmers at the same price of Rs 242/ 45 kg bag excluding taxes and neem coating charges. Rs. 1451 crore approved for Market Development Assistance (MDA) Scheme to exemplify model of wealth from waste.

Notes:
The Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) of the scheduled commercial banks, which declined to a 10-year low of 3.9 per cent in March 2023.
It is expected to fall further to 3.6 per cent by March 2024, as per the Reserve Bank of India. However, the report stated that nearly 10 per cent of retail borrowers are missing monthly payments.

Notes:
The Department of Expenditure has given a boost to reforms by the States in power sector by providing financial incentives, under which an additional borrowing space of up to 0.5 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is available to the States annually for a four-year period from 2021-22 to 2024-25.
A total of 12 states have received Rs. 66,413 crores in incentives for their efforts in implementing power sector reforms.

Notes:
At a London auction held by Sotheby’s, the final portrait created by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt was sold for USD 108.4 million or 885 crores, making it the highest-priced artwork ever sold at a European auction.
Regarded as one of the most influential decorative painters of the 20th century, Gustav Klimt’s oil on canvas painting, “The Kiss,” created between 1907 and 1908, depicts two lovers in an embrace and is recognized as one of his most iconic masterpieces.

Notes:
The current account deficit (CAD) quantifies the disparity between the exports and imports of goods and services in an economy.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022-2023, India witnessed a reduction in its current account deficit (CAD) to 0.2 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), compared to 2 percent in the previous quarter.

Notes:
As per a recent notification by the Directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT), the import of cigarette lighters if the price per unit is less than Rs.20, stands prohibited, with a view to discourage inbound shipments of the product.
The prohibition has been imposed on pocket lighters, gas fuelled, non-refillable or refillable. However, the import is not prohibited, if the CIF value is Rs.20 or more per unit.