Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2023

Notes:
Ministry of Rural Development’s Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has launched the Prajjwala Challenge.
Under the challenge, ideas are invited from individuals, Enterprises, Start ups, Private Sector, Civil Society and others to transform the rural economy.

Notes:
The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ festival, considered to be the world’s largest open-air theatre, began in the Western Odisha town of Bargarh.
The ‘Dhanu Yatra’ came into existence in Bargarh in 1947-48 as part of the celebration of the country’s Independence. It is celebrated annually and episodes related to Hindu God Krishna is presented through folk art forms.

Notes:
Sweden has taken over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of the year, on January 1, 2023,
It followed Czech Republic, which headed the Council in the second half of 2022. This is the third time that Sweden has taken over the Presidency of the Council. The EU Council Presidency rotates every six months between the Member States of the EU.

Notes:
The new integrated food security Scheme was rolled out with effect from 1 January 2023. It would provide free food grains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The new scheme will subsume two current food subsidy schemes of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution namely the Food Subsidy to FCI for NFSA, and Food Subsidy for decentralized procurement states.

Notes:
Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) was launched on 30 December 2016 in India. The payment application was indigenously developed by National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI). ·
The app lets users make simple and quick transactions using Unified Payments Interface (UPI). In November 2022, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced the launch of BHIM App open source license model. Recently, the sixth anniversary of BHIM app was celebrated.

Notes:
Government of India sponsored the proposal for International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023 which was accepted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Embassies of India across more than 140 countries will be participating in celebration of IYM during 2023. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, organized an opening ceremony for the International Year of Millets – 2023 at Rome, Italy.

Notes:
The Centre has appointed Ajay Kumar Srivastava as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Indian Overseas Bank.
Partha Pratim Sengupta has demitted office as MD & CEO of the bank after his superannuation. Sanjay Vinayak Mudaliyar, Chief General Manager at Bank of Baroda is appointed as executive director in IOB. As of 30 September 2022, the Government of India held 96.38% in IOB.

Notes:
The Union Railways Ministry has rolled out a five-pronged energy efficiency plan to become carbon-neutral by 2030.
The policy is broadly focuses on five action points namely sustainable buildings, cloud-based data monitoring and management portal, energy efficiency in equipment and appliances, power quality and restoration, and capacity building and awareness.

Notes:
The 108th session of Indian Science Congress (ISC) has been launched in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the Indian Science Congress 2023.
The five-day event is being hosted by the Nagpur University with the focal theme of ‘Science and Technology for Sustainable Development with Women Empowerment’.

Notes:
Canada has banned most foreigners from buying Homes, to make more homes available to locals facing a housing crunch.
The ban prohibits people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents from buying residential properties, and imposes a C$10,000 fine on those who breach it.