Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2023

Notes:
Based on the FY23 revised budget estimates, Maharashtra tops the ranking in overall fiscal health scorecard, followed by Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Telangana and Jharkhand.
Based on the FY24 first budget estimates, the top three states are Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, shows a report on the fiscal health of the key 17 states. It is based on the 4 fiscal parameters–fiscal deficit; own tax revenue, state debt levels (as a percentage of their individual gross state domestic product) and the interest payment to revenue receipts.

Notes:
Indian men’s hockey team has jumped to the third spot in FIH Men’s Hockey World Rankings following their Asian Champions Trophy title win in Chennai.
India has reached the third spot with 2771.35 points. The rankings are topped by three-time World Champions Netherlands with 3095.90 points. Belgium is in the second position with 2917.87 points.

Notes:
Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud announced the launch of ‘SuSwagatam’, an online system for generating entry passes to the Supreme Court.
The new initiative eliminates the need for physical passes and long queues, ensuring easier access to the court premises.

Notes:
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched Rs 15000 crore ‘Abua Awas Yojna’ on the occasion of the 77th Independence Day to build homes for the needy in the next two years.
Mukhya Mantri Sarathi Yojana has been started to provide skill training to the youth of the state. Mukhyamantri Rozgar Srijan Yojana is being implemented to provide loans at subsidized rates to tribal, dalit, backward, minority and differently- abled youth of the state for self-employment.

Notes:
The Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the signing and ratification of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) between the Central Board of Indirect taxes and Customs (CBIC), India and the Department of Home Affairs incorporating the Australian Border Force, Australian Government.
The arrangement is aimed at providing reciprocal benefits to accredited and trusted exporters of both the signatories in the clearance of goods by the Customs authorities of the importing country.

Notes:
Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar inaugurated the G20-Digital Innovation Alliance Summit in Bengaluru.
As part of India’s G20 Presidency, G20 Digital Innovation Alliance (G20-DIA) initiative was launched under MeitY Startup Hub.

Notes:
The Sulina Channel is situated in the eastern part of Romania, near the town of Sulina. It connects the Danube River to the Black Sea, providing a direct passage for ships traveling to and from the river and the sea.
It has provided Ukraine with an alternative passage for its grain after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal last month. Ukraine, often called the “breadbasket of Europe”, is among the world’s biggest grain exporters, with its economy heavily dependent on agricultural exports.

Notes:
R K Singh, Union Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy, dedicated the 660 MW Unit of Barh Super Thermal Power Project at Barh in Patna, Bihar.
NTPC fulfils over 90% of power requirement of Bihar. The Minister also laid the foundation stone for extension of POWERGRID’s Lakhisarai Sub-station.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a fresh set of guidelines for banks and other regulated entities (REs) on the imposition of penal charges on loan borrowers.
It was reported that many banks use penal rate of interest, over and above the applicable interest rates, in case of defaults / non-compliance by the borrower with the terms on which credit facilities were sanctioned. The guidelines will be effective from January 1, 2024.

Notes:
India and Trinidad and Tobago have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sharing of INDIA STACK.
It is a collection of open APIs and digital public goods that aim to facilitate identity, data, and payment services on a large scale.