Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Dust particles in Jamshedpur and adjoining areas in Jharkhand have a heavy concentration of toxic metals.
Though they are not carcinogenic, the particles pose a high health risk, especially for children. Thgis was revealed at a conference held by the state pollution control board and Ranchi Municipal Corporation in association with ASAR, an organisation working on clean air and environment. As of now, Ranchi does not have any government-operated continuous air quality monitoring system.

Notes:
For the next fiscal year 2023-24, the Union Budget has pegged disinvestment revenue at Rs 51,000 crore.
The government has also scaled down the disinvestment target for the current fiscal to Rs 50,000 crore, from Rs 65,000 crore budgeted last year. The Government expects divestment processes initiated in the current fiscal to be closed by the next fiscal year, including IDBI, Shipping Corporation of India and NMDC Steel.

Notes:
Union Sports Ministry formed an Oversight Committee to probe allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Former wrestler Babita Phogat has joined the Oversight Committee panel. The Oversight Committee is also conducting an enquiry into the allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment, intimidation, financial irregularities and administrative lapses of WFI.

Notes:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new initiative for empowering the Vishwakarma community.
The PM VIKAS (Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman) yojana will provide support by providing skills training to artisans and craftsmen people engaged in traditional and skilled professions. The special package will help integrate them with MSME value chain.

Notes:
Finance Minister stated that the Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission will be launched, to  improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs).
Rs.15,000 crore will be made available to implement the Mission in the next three years under the Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes.

Notes:
The biggest book fair of Bangladesh ‘Ekushey Boi Mela’ was inaugurated in Dhaka by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The theme of this year’s book fair is ‘Poro Boi, Goro Desh: Bangbandhur Bangladesh’- Read books, build the country, a country of Bangabandhu’s dream. The Prime Minister also distributed the Bangla Academy Award 2022 in recognition of the literary works in Bangla.

Notes:
According to a recent gazette notification, the government has revised the definition of broadband connectivity, specifying a higher minimum download speed of 2 megabits per second.
Earlier, the definition notified by the Telecom Department in 2013 had benchmarked it to 512 kbps (kilobits per second) as minimum download speed. As of November 30, 2022, India had about 825.4 million broadband subscribers, of which 793.5 million were wireless broadband users.

Notes:
The government has agreed to convert Vodafone Idea’s accrued interest worth over Rs 16,000 crore on deferred adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues into equity at Rs 10 a share.
Earlier In October 2022, market regulator SEBI approved the conversion of Vodafone Idea dues into equity.

Notes:
Maharashtra tops the list in sales of electric vehicles across all segments which have availed of the FAME II subsidy.
It is followed by Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan. The top five states collectively account for over 56 per cent of the 0.85 million electric vehicles bought through the scheme, according to government data. Under the FAME II scheme, the government earmarked Rs 10,000 crore as a subsidy to electric vehicles. The scheme has been extended till March-end 2024.

Notes:
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, NABARD and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited.
It aims to enable Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to provide services offered by Common Service Centers. Over 300 services will be made available to the rural population including 13 crore farmer members of PACS.