Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2022

Notes:
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has bagged a top data security award for best practices in the government sector.
Data Security Council of India (DSCI) is a not-for-profit industry body on data protection in India, setup by NASSCOM.  DSCI awarded UIDAI for its significant role in securing ‘Aadhaar’ infrastructure that provides digital identity based welfare services to residents.

Notes:
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar mentioned that families with annual incomes up to 1,80,000 are being brought under ‘BPL family category’ and around 29 lakh cards will be made in this regard.
He also announced that the government’s official portal Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) will begin its Citizen Facilitation Center. The state government will celebrate 2023 as ‘Antyodaya Arogya Varsh, and under the ‘Chirayu Yojana’ 29 lakh families shall be given health insurance.

Notes:
The Ministry of Railways has formulated a new scheme to modernise over 1,000 small stations over the coming years.
Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is a part of its station redevelopment drive. The key features of the proposed stations include provisions for roof top plazas, longer platforms, ballast-less tracks, and 5G connectivity.

Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has been appointed as the nodal ministry for matters relating to online gaming with monetary risks.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has been tasked with regulating esports (video games not involving money). India’s gaming market is currently estimated at USD 2.6 billion and expected to be worth USD 8.6 billion by 2027.

Notes:
Asian Games silver medallist Brijesh Damani won his maiden National Billiards Championship as he defeated his fellow player Dhruv Sitwala in Indore.
Indian Oil’s Brijesh had defeated B. Bhaskar of Karnataka and reigning World 6Red Champion S. Shrikrishna in quarterfinal and semifinal. At present, Brijesh has six international medals, including a silver at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games.

Notes:
As part of India’s G20 presidency, the Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched the ‘G20 Digital Innovation Alliance” (G20-DIA)’.
He also launched the ‘Stay Safe Online’ campaign to increase awareness about the safe practices to be used while being online. MeitY is the Nodal Ministry for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG). During India’s G20 presidency, MeitY will focus on three priority areas, namely Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Cyber Security, and Digital Skill Development.

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has ranked Indian-PSU company WAPCOS as top amongst consulting services firms in water and other infrastructure sectors.
In another report ‘Fact Sheet – 2022’ released by the ADB, WAPCOS was placed amongst the Top 3 consultants from India involved in consulting services contracts under ADB loan, grant, and technical assistance projects in energy, transport and water, and other urban infrastructure sectors.

Notes:
The Maharashtra Assembly unanimously passed the Maharashtra Lokayukta Act, 2022, which will give additional powers to the Lokayukta to direct state agencies to probe public servants, including the chief minister and state ministers.
The government has accepted all the recommendations made by the committee led by social activist Anna Hazare. The Act will now be presented in the Legislative Council for approval.

Notes:
The US Census Bureau said the world’s population is projected to be at 7.9 billion on New Year’s Day 2023.
This is an increase of 73.7 million since January 2022 and an increase in global population of 0.9 percent over the previous year. The Census Bureau projected that there will be 4.3 births and two deaths globally every second in January 2023.

Notes:
Brazil football legend Pele recently passed away due to cancer at the age of 82. His funeral is set to be held at the stadium where Brazilian soccer legend Pele played some of his best matches.
The legendary player led Brazil to World Cup victory in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Brazil’s Neymar tied Pele’s record during this year’s World Cup in Qatar.