Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2023

Notes:
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) conducts ‘Nidhi Apke Nikat’ outreach program on 10th of every month in all field offices.
It aims to expand its reach and attract more participation. Bhavishya Nidhi Adalat, which was a grievance redressal mechanism of EPFO has been renamed as Nidhi Aapke Nikat.

Notes:
India Meteorological Department (IMD) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences released the ‘Statement on climate of India during 2022’ report.
As per the report, the annual mean land surface air temperature averaged over India during 2022 was +0.510C above the long-term average (1981-2010 period). The year 2022 was the fifth warmest year on record since nationwide records commenced in 1901.

Notes:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued Draft Regulation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants Rules, 2022.
It proposes that in order to manage the treatment plants professionally, there shall be a Special Purpose Vehicle or Society or Trust.

Notes:
Japan continues to top the list of the world’s most powerful passport for the year 2023, according to the Henley Passport Index report 2023.
Japanese citizens can travel to as many as 193 countries visa-free or visa-on-arrival access destinations around the world. The second spot is shared by Singapore and South Korea. Indian passport ranks 85th in the world’s most powerful passport index 2023 and gives visa-free entry to 59 destinations.

Notes:
ReNew Power said installed India’s first 3x platform wind turbine generators (WTGs) in Gadag, Karnataka.
The new WTGs will be a part of the country’s first ‘Round the Clock’ renewable energy project, combining wind, solar and a battery energy storage system (BESS). This project will produce enough energy to power over 1 million households in India annually.

Notes:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has specified identity standards for basmati rice including brown basmati, milled basmati, parboiled brown basmati, and milled parboiled basmati.
The standards aimed at establishing fair practices in the trade of basmati rice and protect consumer interest, both domestically and globally. These new standards will be enforced from August 1.

Notes:
An expert panel of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has recommended market authorisation for Covovax as a heterologous booster dose for adults, who were administered two doses of Covishield or Covaxin.
Serum Institute of India manufactures Covid vaccine, through technology transfer from Novavax. The subject expert committee (SEC) of the CDSCO recommended for market authorisation.

Notes:
The Delhi government has suggested that the Centre can grant “migrated minority” status to Hindus who moved to the national capital from places like Jammu &Kashmir or Ladakh where they are a religious minority.
This is a part of a compilation of views collected by the Centre from 24 States on whether religious and linguistic minority communities should be identified and notified by the Union or the respective States. The Centre submitted the affidavit in the Supreme Court.

Notes:
The US government has announced name changes for five places whose designations included a racist term for Native American women.
Deb Haaland, who is the first Native American cabinet secretary in US history created a task force to replace derogatory names of the nation’s geographic features. The sites are in the states of California, North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.

Notes:
FIFA has opened a disciplinary case against Argentine Football Association for alleged offensive player misconduct and violations of fair play at World Cup final.
FIFA cited its media and marketing regulations for prosecuting the case, which appears to relate to a celebration by players running through the interview zone after the game. Argentina beat France in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw in Qatar.