Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
India and Spain agreed to collaborate on digital infrastructure, climate action and sustainable development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Spanish counterpart Mr Pedro Sánchez discussed several bilateral and international issues of mutual interest. They have also reviewed ongoing bilateral initiatives and expressed satisfaction at the high-level exchanges and growing cooperation in defence, economic and commercial sectors.

Notes:
Indian Railways launches Rail Post Gati Shakti Express Cargo Service to provide logistics for services sector in country simultaneously on four sectors.
The Cargo Service is a joint parcel product of the two entities between Indian Railways and India Post. The service was among the announcements made by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in last year’s Budget.

Notes:
India and Fiji signed a Memorandum of Understanding on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports.
Under this agreement, diplomatic and official passport holders will be able to enter, transit, and stay in each other territories without a visa for a period not exceeding 90 days.

Notes:
One of the most elongated asteroids, designated 2011 AG5, passed safely past the Earth at around 1.8 million kilometers.
It is an elongated asteroid with the similar dimensions of the Empire State Building was discovered for the first time in 2011. It is measured to be 1,600 feet long and around 500 feet wide.

Notes:
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has announced ₹9,698 crore-worth projects in the State Budget 2023-23 for comprehensive development of Bengaluru city.
Under the Amrutha Nagarothana Scheme, works worth ₹6,000 crore are being implemented in Bengaluru. Development of 108 km of roads has been taken up under the high-density corridors scheme.

Notes:
World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in February, which aims to raise awareness about these unique mammals.
International non-profit organisation TRAFFIC has released a fact sheet on the eve of World Pangolin Day. It reported that 1,203 pangolins have been found in illegal wildlife trade in India from 2018 to 2022. The pangolin scales are used as an ingredient in traditional medicine in China and Southeast Asia.

Notes:
The third phase of ‘Sagar Parikrama’ initiative, which aims to resolve fishermen issues, is set to begin in Gujarat.
Sagar Parikrama is a journey across the coastal belt demonstrating solidarity with all fisherpersons, fish farmers as a spirit of 75th Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. It is an initiative of Government of India, aiming to resolve the issues of the fishers and other stakeholders and facilitate their economic upliftment.

Notes:
The US administration has unveiled a new Commercial Arms Transfer (CAT) policy that places greater emphasis on human rights in its arms export policy,
This is in contrast to the Trump-era policy that gave more importance to commercial considerations. The new policy covers the review of government-to-government weapons transfers, security assistance, and licensed commercial sales of US-origin military equipment overseen by various government departments.

Notes:
The Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK) is a flagship event that provides platform to strengthen personal and economic ties between countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
India is likely to host the Asia Pacific Conference of German Businesses in 2024. This was announced during the visit by German chancellor Olaf Scholz to India. The visit largely focused on the war in Ukraine and cooperation in green hydrogen.

Notes:

• According to data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India, Maharashtra, New Delhi and Goa have the maximum mutual fund penetration in India, due to high income levels, high literacy rates and substantial inflows rom corporations and high net-worth individuals (HNIs).
• While Jharkhand is one of the top 10 states with a depth of 13%, MF penetration is barely 5-6% in Telangana and Kerala. Jharkhand ranks 16^th in terms of per capita AUM (Rs 10, 750) despite having a higher penetration.
• The highest per capita AUMs are in New Delhi, Goa and Maharashtra. These are the only three states where the per capita AUM exceeds Rs. 1 lakh.
• The states with the lowest per capita AUM are Manipur, Bihar and Tripura.
• Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Bihar have the lowest penetration rates among large states.