Current Affairs Quiz - November, 2023

Notes:
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has made ‘penny drop’ verification mandatory for the withdrawal of funds by subscribers of the National Pension System (NPS), Atal Pension Yojana and NPS Lite as well as modifications in bank account details.
Under the process, Central Recordkeeping Agencies (CRA) check the active status of the savings bank account and match the name in the bank account number with the name in the PRAN or according to the documents submitted.

Notes:
The Jharkhand Cabinet, last week, approved the ‘Abua Awas Yojna’ (AAY), a housing scheme for the poor, which will provide eight lakhs pucca houses to the homeless in the state, and has a total budget of Rs 16,320 crore.
The scheme will be implemented in three phases, with a target of 2 lakh houses in the current financial year; 3.5 lakh houses in FY 2024-25 and 2.5 lakh houses in FY 2025-26.

Notes:
The Indian junior men’s hockey team defeated New Zealand 6-2 to enter the semifinals of the Sultan of Johor Cup. Indian player Amandeep Lakra hit a hat-trick.
The Sultan of Johor Cup is an annual, international under-21 men’s field hockey tournament held in Malaysia.

Notes:
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and Tel Aviv University, Israel, have developed an aerogel adsorbent that can remove trace pollutants from wastewater.
The aerogel is made of graphene-modified silica and can remove small particles and microorganisms from wastewater.

Notes:
The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court issued a directive instructing the Goa government to formally declare a tiger reserve in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) and adjoining regions of the state within a three-month period.
Additionally, the court mandated the state to resolve the rights and claims of Scheduled Tribes and other forest inhabitants within a one-year timeframe.

Notes:
Recently, the Israeli military announced that it had intercepted a missile fired from the Red Sea region, amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East due to Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza with the help of ‘Arrow’ aerial defence system.
This announcement came after Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels fired drones towards Israel in retaliation for its war against Hamas.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has cleared a proposal to take up a comprehensive caste-based census in the State.
The cabinet decided to implement a new land allotment policy for setting up industries. It also ratified the State Investment Promotion Board’s (SIPB) approval of fresh investments worth ₹19,037 crore in various sectors.

Notes:
Storm Ciaran battered north-west Europe with torrential rains and winds upto 200 kilometres per hour.
Dozens of people have been injured and seven people died across Europe so far. The storm hit French shores with winds of more than 190 kilometres per hour slamming the northern tip of France’s Atlantic coast. In the UK, Channel Islands were among the worst-hit areas.

Notes:
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter, Saima Wazed, was nominated as the next Regional Director for the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia region.
Saima Wazed defeats Shambu Acharya, a public health veteran from Nepal, in a vote held during the 76th session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia Region.

Notes:
Sweden’s Saab has become the first foreign company that has bagged 100% FDI in India’s defence projects.
According to a report, Sweden’s Saab will set up a new facility in the country that will manufacture shoulder-fired rockets. Currently, India allows only 74% FDI in the defence sector under the automatic route. Beyond that, clearance can be obtained on a case-by-case basis.