Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
The UNICEF recently released the ‘Prospects for Children in the Polycrisis: A 2023 Global Outlook’, report.
It explains ‘polycrisis’ as multiple, simultaneous crises that are strongly interdependent. As per the report some effects of the crises include higher food and energy prices leading to global hunger and malnourishment, limited access to healthcare, slow recovery from learning losses etc.

Notes:
In the Union Budget 2023, the Government enhanced the outlay for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana by 66 per cent to 79000 crore.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is an initiative by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The Finance Minister also proposed to use Permanent Account Number (PAN) card as a common identifier for all digital systems of government agencies.

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:
Equatorial Guinea has appointed Manuela Roka Botey as prime minister. She became the first woman in the country to hold the position. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled the country since 1979, made the announcement.
Ms Rotey was previously the education minister and joined the government in 2020. She replaces former premier Francisco Pascual Obama Asue.

Notes:
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently found 1,200-year-old idols in Nalanda in Bihar. They were found from a waterbody close to the ancient Nalanda University during desilting of a pond.
Nalanda Mahavihara is a world heritage site about 88 km from this place.  The idols were found during desilting under Bihar government’s ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali’ project launched to protect and conserve water and the environment.

Notes:
The First G-20 Energy Transition Working Group meeting was recently inaugurated in Bengaluru in the presence of Union Minister of Power and New and Renewable Energy R K Singh and Union Minister of Coal and Mines Prahlad Joshi.
India stands committed to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 45 percent by 2030 from 2005 level. The country also aims to achieve close to 50 percent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.

Notes:
National Award-winning legendary playback singer Vani Jairam passed away recently at the age of 78.
In a career spanning more than 50 years, Vani Jairam sang over 10,000 songs in several languages. The legendary singer was named for the Padma Bhushan the third-highest civilian award of the country by the Government of India, this year. Vani Jairam has won three National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer.

Notes:
Congo has recently joined the India-led International Solar Alliance. The Ambassador of Republic of Congo signed the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country in Central Africa bordered by the South Atlantic Ocean. DRC is the second-largest country in Africa by area.

Notes:
Reliance Retail has become the first Indian retailer to introduce Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), also known as digital rupee.
The company has piloted the use of Digital Rupee in one store in Mumbai, and is planning to make this facility available in all its stores in Mumbai within the next three to four months, in accordance with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) norms.

Notes:
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that the US has emerged as India’s top destination for merchandise exports during April-December this fiscal at USD 59.7 billion.
The US was followed by UAE (USD 23.31 billion); Netherlands (USD 14.1 billion); China (USD 11 billion); Singapore and Bangladesh (about USD 9 billion each).