Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2022

Notes:
Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) are set to hold their maiden bilateral air exercise, Veer Guardian 23.
The exercise will be held at Hyakuri air base and Iruma air base in Japan in January 2023. It aims to promote mutual understanding and strengthen defence cooperation between the Air Forces.

Notes:
The Karnataka government has introduced a new startup policy (2022-27), which aims to add around 10000 startups more in the state in the next five years.
The new policy has been framed by the Department of Electronics and IT/BT. As a part of the policy, the state government will launch an INR 100 Cr venture capital fund to support deep-tech startups working in AI&ML, electric vehicle, med-tech, robotics and drones, among others.

Notes:
The Jharkhand Assembly recently passed a Rs 8,533.79-crore supplementary budget for the current fiscal by voice vote.
On August 1, the house passed a Rs 3,436.56-crore supplementary budget for the 2022-23 fiscal. As per the house, the government has spent 49 per cent of the main estimates till date, and a supplementary budget was required for ensuring a proper supply of power and scholarships.

Notes:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved Bharat Biotech’s intranasal Covid vaccine as a booster dose for those above 18 years of age.
India’s first intranasal Covid vaccine iNCOVACC will be added to the CoWin app, which is a web platform for vaccination registration in the country. At present, only Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Serum Institute’s Covishield and Covovax, Russian Sputink V and Biological E Ltd’s Corbevax are listed in the CoWin portal.

Notes:
IIT Kharagpur Director VK Tewary announced that IIT Kharagpur is to set up an engineering institute in Malaysia.
The institute had compiled a compendium of 75 innovations undertaken by its staff and researchers. The engineering institute has also set up the 260-bed Syama Prasad Mookerjee Institute of Medical Sciences.

Notes:
Good Governance Day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on December 25.
Several Leaders paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his memorial ‘Sadaiv Atal’ on his 98th birth anniversary. ‘Sadaiv Atal’ memorial is located in Raj Ghat, New Delhi. On Good governance Day, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions launched revamped Probity Portal, e-HRMS 2.0 Portal.

Notes:
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) cautioned that India’s fiscal space is at risk, in its Article IV consultation report.
IMF also called for a more ambitious and well-communicated consolidation to ensure medium-term fiscal sustainability. It called for further structural reforms, including addressing the adverse impact of climate change, to secure strong and sustainable growth.

Notes:
Pharmaceutical company Hetero received World Health Organization Prequalification of Medicines Programme (WHO PQ) approval for its generic version of Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate Nirmatrelvir.
Nirmatrelvir, which originated in Pfizer laboratories, is co-packaged with ritonavir tablets as Pfizer’s Covid-19 oral antiviral drug Paxlovid.

Notes:
The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 125 million loan to improve urban services in Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu Urban Flagship Investment Program seeks to develop climate-resilient sewage collection and treatment, and drainage and water supply systems in three cities in the state. This is the third and the last tranche of the USD 500 million multi-tranche financing facility (MFF) for the Program approved by ADB in 2018.

Notes:
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) issued demand notices to Google for its failure to pay the penalties within the stipulated time.
CCI earlier imposed penalties on the internet major for anti-competitive practices.  Google has filed appeals before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) two orders in October.