Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
The eXperiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC) is a newly established research institute in IIT Madras.
It is India’s research and product innovation centre focusing on extended reality and haptics technology. An MoU was signed recently between ISRO and the IIT Madras to develop a training module for the Indian spaceflight programme at the XTIC. It will be developed using the augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality.

Notes:
The Wetland Ex-Situ Conservation Establishment (WESCE) is a zoo that is being proposed by the state government of Rajasthan.
It is set to be established within the Keoladeo National Park, a World Heritage Site also known as the Bharatpur bird sanctuary. The WESCE will display a range of wetland species like water buffaloes, dolphins, crocodiles, and others.

Notes:
The government has set up a special committee to examine the need for a separate competition law for digital companies.
Chaired by Corporate Affairs Secretary Manoj Govil, the committee will review whether existing antitrust laws in the country are equipped to deal with the challenges that have emerged from the digital economy, and submit to the government a draft Digital Competition Act within three months.

Notes:
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India hiked the key policy rate, the Repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.50 per cent in a bid to control the retail inflation.
The RBI has increased the repo rate by a cumulative 250 basis points to 6.50 per cent since May this year. The RBI has projected GDP growth for the next fiscal (FY2024) at 6.4 per cent.

Notes:
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare signed an MoU with Digital Green under a public-private partnership framework to build a ‘National-level digital extension platform’.
The platform will host a digital library of multi-format multi-lingual content and upskill extension workers for agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, livestock and rural livelihood missions through certified online courses.

Notes:
Smart Cities Mission is the Indian Government’s urban renewal program that seeks to create sustainable and citizen-centric smart cities.
It is being implemented by the Union Ministry of Housing Urban Affairs in collaboration with the state governments. As many as 22 smart cities are expected to complete all projects under the Smart Cities Mission. The remaining 78 smart cities under this mission are expected to complete their projects in the next 3 to 4 months.

Notes:
The state government of Gujarat has recently announced a 100 percent increase in Annual Statement of Rates.
The Annual Statement of Rate (ASR), also known as the Jantri rate, is the minimum rate set by state governments for registering real estate property when it changes ownership. These rates differ between cities and places based on the type, location, and size of the property.

Notes:
‘Forever chemicals’ is a term used to describe a group of synthetic chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are highly persistent in the environment and resist degradation.
They are called ‘forever’ chemicals because they do not break down naturally and can persist for decades or even centuries. A new study led by Oxford University found high levels of forever chemicals in the ice around Norway’s Svalbard.

Notes:
The Indian government announced that retail inflation increased to 6.52% in January from 5.72% in December 2022, mainly due to the rise in food prices.
Retail inflation is measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The Reserve Bank of India’s household survey on inflation expectations forecasts that retail inflation will remain elevated in the next year due to a general increase in prices across different sectors.

Notes:
Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday in the US that is celebrated on the third Monday of February every year.
The holiday is a tribute to past US presidents, particularly George Washington, who was born on February 22.  The significance of the holiday is to pay tribute to the leaders who have served the country.