Daily Current Affairs January 05

Dear Champions, as you all know that a lot of competitive exams have been notified consequently. Candidates have to prepare themselves according to the level of competition and expectation of the Recruitment board. Regarding that one of the most important topic is Daily Current Affairs January 05. Current Affairs in the form of contemporary events of national & international play a crucial role in almost every competitive exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC, UPSC, TNPSC, Railway etc.

Current affairs are the most dynamic yet scoring among all sections and need to be prepared from the right source. Here, we cafunsta team, providing  Daily GK Updates, Current Affairs Questions, and Monthly  current affairs pdf.

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January 05 | Daily Current Affairs 2024

Ranking – Daily Current Affairs January 05

1. Who has overtaken Mukesh Ambani on the Bloomberg Billionaire’s Index to become India’s and Asia’s richest person?
A) Ratan Tata
B) Adi Godrej
C) Azim Premji
D) Gautam Adani
E) Lakshmi Mittal
Answer: D) Gautam Adani

• Gautam Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Group of companies has overtaken Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on the Bloomberg Billionaire’s Index (BBI), to become India’s and Asia’s richest man.
• While Adani has seen his worth climb into the top 12 on the world rankings, Ambani is just one rung below at 13. Both have moved up spots since last year.
• Earlier in December 2023, the billionaire had climbed to the 15th spot, reaching within close distance of Ambani who was then at 14.
• RIL’s Ambani is now India and Asia’s second richest man at the 13th spot with a wealth of $97 billion. He has gained $764 million since the last change and added $665 million to his wealth YTD.
• Rounding up the other Indians in the BBI Top 50 are Shapoor Mistry with $34.6 billion at 38, and Shiv Nadar with $33 billion at the 45th spot.

Banking and Finance – Daily Current Affairs January 05

2. Karnataka Bank (KBL) and Satin Creditcare Network Ltd (SCNL) have entered into a co-lending arrangement for providing financial support to which groups?
A) Agricultural Cooperatives
B) Industrial Enterprises
C) Joint Liability Groups (JLG) of economically active women
D) Urban Housing Societies
E) Educational Institutions
Answer: C) Joint Liability Groups (JLG) of economically active women

• Private sector Karnataka Bank (KBL) and Satin Creditcare Network Ltd (SCNL), a NBFC-Micro Finance Institution (MFI), have entered into a co-lending arrangement to provide financial support to Joint Liability Groups (JLG) of economically active women in both rural and semi-urban areas and to give impetus to the microcredit facilities segment of the country.
• In line with the Reserve Bank of India’s guidelines on co-lending by banks and NBFCs to priority sectors to improve the flow of credit to unserved and underserved segments, the arrangement will leverage Karnataka Bank’s low cost of funds and the end-to-end digital capabilities of KBL and Satin through the Yubi platform for co-lending to help in the sourcing, servicing, and recovery of small-ticket income-generating priority sector loans.

Appointments – Daily Current Affairs January 05

3. Who is set to head PhonePe’s global payments business, as announced recently?
A) Ritesh Pai
B) Aditya Puri
C) Nandan Nilekani
D) Uday Kotak
E) Chanda Kochhar
Answer: A) Ritesh Pai

• PhonePe has appointed former Yes Bank official Ritesh Pai as chief executive officer of its international payments business. He will lead the company’s global expansion plans
• In his last role, Pai served as president, products and solutions at TerraPay, where he was responsible for launching and implementing payment products and solutions globally. Prior to that he served as senior group president and chief digital officer at Yes Bank, where he led the digital strategy.

4. P Santhosh, Chief General Manager of Canara Bank, has been sent on deputation to which organization until a new CEO is appointed?
A) Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
B) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
C) National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL)
D) State Bank of India (SBI)
E) Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Answer: C) National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL)

• Natarajan Sundar, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Asset Reconstruction Co Ltd (ARC), has quit. P Santhosh, Chief General Manager of Canara Bank, has been sent on deputation to NARCL until a new CEO is appointed.
• Canara Bank is the sponsor bank of NARCL with over a 10 per cent stake. Public sector banks are major shareholders of NARCL.
• Sundar was with State Bank of India before taking charge at NARCL.
• During his stint at SBI, Sundar held the position of Deputy Managing Director (DMD) and was working as Chief Credit Officer for the Bank.
• He carries over three decades of experience in the banking sector, spanning across Corporate & Wholesale Banking, Corporate Credit, International Banking, Project Finance, etc.

5. Who has been appointed as the new Vice Chief of the Naval Staff?
A) Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain
B) Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi
C) Vice Admiral G. Ashok Kumar
D) Vice Admiral Karambir Singh
E) Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh
Answer: B) Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi

• Vice-Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi took over as the Vice-Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS), Vice-Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh took over from him as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOCINC), Western Naval Command, at INS Shikra in Mumbai.
• The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R. Hari Kumar, is set to step down on superannuation on April 30 when Vice-Admiral Tripathi will be the senior-most Naval officer. All three Services will get new Chiefs this year. In another change, Vice-Admiral V. Srinivas took over as 30th FOCINC of the Southern Naval Command in a ceremonial parade at the Naval Base in Kochi on December 31. He replaced Vice-Admiral M. A. Hampiholi, who retired after close to four decades in the Navy
• An alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa, and National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, Vice-Admiral Tripathi was commissioned into the Navy on July 1, 1985. A communication and electronic warfare specialist, on promotion to the rank of Vice-Admiral in June 2019, he was appointed Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala, Kerala, and served as Director-General of Naval Operations from July 2020 to May 2021. Later, from June 2021 to February 2023, he served as the Chief of Personnel.
• Before taking over as the FOCINC, Vice-Admiral Singh served as the VCNS at Naval Headquarters. He was commissioned in 1986 into the Executive Branch of the Navy.
• Among other appointments, Vice-Admiral Kiran Deshmukh assumed charge as the Chief of Materiel (COM).
• In the Army, Lt. General R.C. Tiwari assumed charge as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Command on January 1. Lt. Gen. Navin Sachdeva took over the Command of the White Knight Corps from Lt. Gen. Sandeep Jain. Lt. Gen. Nagendra Singh assumed the command of the Chetak corps.
• Lt. Gen. Prit Pal Singh assumed the command of the Sudarshan Chakra Corps from Lt. Gen. Vipul Shinghal.

Awards – Daily Current Affairs January 05

6. Which writer has been awarded the Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar for the year 2023?
A) Amish Tripathi
B) Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
C) Arundhati Roy
D) Chetan Bhagat
E) Jhumpa Lahiri
Answer: B) Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay

• Bengali writer Shirshendhu Mukyopadhyaya has been awarded the 2023 Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar. He has written more than 90 books, including travelogues and fiction for children.
• The writer will receive a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a silver medal, and a citation. The selection committee for the national award, named in honour of the late Kannada poet Kuvempu, was chaired by BL Shankar (president of the Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Trust) and comprised Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharya, Geetha Vijayakumar, and Agrahara Krishnamurthy. The committee said that Mukyopadhyaya has brought “new sensibilities to his writings and enriched Indian literature through his works in the Bengali language.”
• The Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar is a national annual literary award that recognises writers who have made significant contributions to any Indian language. Tamil writer Imayam was the previous year’s winner.

International Affairs – Daily Current Affairs January 05

7. The Cabinet has given approval for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Guyana. What is the focus of cooperation mentioned in the MoU?
A) Agriculture and Food Security
B) Cybersecurity and Information Technology
C) Space Exploration and Research
D) Cooperation in the Hydrocarbon Sector
E) Renewable Energy Development
Answer: D) Cooperation in the Hydrocarbon Sector

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India and the Ministry of Natural Resources, Republic of Guyana on cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector.

Details of the MoU:

• The proposed MoU covers the complete value chain of hydrocarbon sector including sourcing of crude oil from Guyana, participation of Indian companies in Exploration and Production (E&P) sector of Guyana, cooperation in the areas of crude Oil refining, capacity building, Strengthening bilateral trade, collaboration in natural gas sector, collaboration in developing regulatory policy framework in oil & gas sector in Guyana; Cooperation in the area of clean energy including biofuels as well as renewables sector including solar energy etc.

8. What is the primary goal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and USAID/India for International Development on June 14, 2023?
A) Strengthening defense cooperation
B) Achieving Mission Net Zero Carbon Emission by 2030 in Indian Railways
C) Promoting cultural exchange programs
D) Enhancing agricultural productivity
E) Facilitating healthcare advancements
Answer: B) Achieving Mission Net Zero Carbon Emission by 2030 in Indian Railways

• The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today was apprised of signing of Memorandum of Understanding between India and United States for International Development/India (USAID/India) on June 14, 2023 for supporting Indian Railways to achieve Mission Net Zero Carbon Emission by 2030.
• The MoU provides a platform for Indian Railways to interact and share the latest developments and knowledge in the railway sector. The MoU facilitates utility modernization, advanced energy solutions and systems, regional energy and market integration and private sector participation and engagement, training and seminars/workshops focusing on specific technology areas like Renewable Energy, energy efficiency and other interactions for knowledge sharing.
• Earlier, USAID/India had also worked with IR focused on deployment of rooftop solar across railway platforms.
• The MoU signed by Indian Railways with United States Agency for International Development/India is for enabling energy self-sufficiency with the following understanding:
• Both the Participants intend to jointly work broadly on the following key activity areas with details to be agreed separately:
• Long-term energy planning including clean energy for Indian Railways.
• Develop an Energy Efficiency Policy and Action Plan for Indian Railway Buildings.
• Planning for clean energy procurement to achieve Indian Railway’s net-zero vision.
• Technical support for addressing regulatory and implementation barriers.
• Bid design and bid management support for system-friendly, large-scale renewable procurement.
• Supporting Indian Railways in the promotion of e-mobility.
• Collaboratively host event, conferences, and capacity-building programs in the mentioned identified areas.
• Either participant may request in writing a revision, modification or amendment to all or any part of this MoU. Any revision, modification or amendment approved by the Participants will form part of the revised MoU. Such revision, modification or amendment will come into effect on such date as may be determined by the Participants.
• This Memorandum of Understanding is effective as of the date of signing and is expected to continue for a period of five year or until the effective end of South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) whichever period is shorter.

National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs January 05

9. The Cabinet has approved the naming of the Ayodhya airport. What will be the official name?
A) Ayodhya International Airport
B) Maharishi Valmiki Domestic Airport
C) Sita-Ram International Airport
D) Lord Rama Airport
E) Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham
Answer: E) Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham

• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to declare the airport as an international airport. The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also agreed to name Ayodhya airport as ‘Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham’
• On December 30, 2023, the Prime Minister inaugurated the newly built Ayodhya Airport.
• In the first phase, the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport will be able to handle 10 lakh passengers annually. Phase 1 of the airport is developed at a cost of more than ₹1,450 crore. The airport’s terminal building will have an area of 6,500 sq m. After the second phase, the airport will cater to 60 lakh commuters annually.
• The facade of the Terminal Building depicts the temple architecture of the upcoming Shri Ram Mandir of Ayodhya whereas the interiors are decorated with local art, paintings and murals depicting the life of ‘Bhagwan Shri Ram.’

Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) concerning cooperation on the development of a Joint Small Satellite:

• The Union Cabinet chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding signed at Port Louis, Mauritius on November 01, 2023 between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication, and Innovation of the Republic of Mauritius, concerning cooperation on the development of a Joint Small Satellite.

Impact:

• MoU will help to establish a framework for cooperation between ISRO and MRIC on the development of a joint satellite as well as for cooperation on the use of the MRIC’s Ground Station. Some of the subsystems for the joint satellite will be taken up through the participation of Indian industries and would benefit the industry.
• Collaboration through this joint development of satellite will help in further ensuring continuous support from the Mauritius Government for the Indian ground station at Mauritius, which is critical for ISRO/India’s launch vehicle and satellite missions. In addition, the joint satellite building will also help in ensuring MRIC support from their ground station for ISRO’s small satellite mission in future. Some of the subsystems for the joint satellite will be taken up through the participation of Indian industries and thus may result in employment generation.

Cabinet approves overarching scheme “PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI)” of the Ministry of Earth Sciences:

• The Union Cabinet Chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved the overarching scheme “PRITHvi VIgyan (PRITHVI)” of Ministry of Earth Sciences, for implementation during the period from 2021-26 at an overall cost of Rs. 4,797 crores.
• The scheme encompasses five ongoing sub-schemes namely “Atmosphere & Climate Research-Modelling Observing Systems & Services (ACROSS)”, “Ocean Services, Modelling Application, Resources and Technology (O-SMART)”, “Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER)”, “Seismology and Geosciences (SAGE)” and “Research, Education, Training and Outreach (REACHOUT)”.
• The major Objectives of the overarching Prithvi Scheme are:
  • Augmentation and sustainance of long-term observations of the atmosphere, ocean, geosphere, cryosphere and solid earth to record the vital signs of the Earth System and change.
  • Development of modelling systems for understanding and predicting weather, ocean and climate hazards and understanding the science of climate change.
  • Exploration polar and high seas regions of the Earth towards discovery of new phenomena and resources.
  • Development of technology for exploration and sustainable harnessing of oceanic resources for societal applications.
  • Translation of knowledge and insights from Earth systems science into services for societal, environmental and economic benefit.
• Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is mandated to translate Science to Services for the Society in providing services for weather, climate, ocean and coastal state, hydrology, seismology, and natural hazards; to explore and harness marine living and non-living resources in a sustainable manner for the country and to explore the three poles of the Earth (Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayas).

10. Coal India Ltd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which organization to establish Multi Skill Development Institutes under each Subsidiary?
A) Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises
B) National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
C) National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)
D) Ministry of Labour and Employment
E) National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog)
Answer: C) National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)

• Coal India Limited (CIL) has entered into a MoU with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) for “Setting up of Multi Skill Development Institutes (MSDIs)”.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Sh. Vinay Ranjan, Director (P&IR), Coal India Limited and Sh. Manoj Kumar, CMD, EdCIL (India) Ltd. along with Directors (Personnel) from CIL’s subsidiaries and dignitaries from Ministry of Coal and other Coal Companies.
• As agreed in the MoU, one MSDI will be set up in each subsidiary with CCL, BCCL, MCL, NCL & SECL covered in the first phase, and the remaining subsidiaries in the second phase. The existing infrastructure available at CIL subsidiaries will be developed as MSDIs. The project will cover one-time capex for repurposing of existing infrastructure as MSDIs and Recurring & Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) expenses per year.
• This initiative underscores CIL’s commitment to foster skill development and creating sustainable employment for local youth in coal-bearing areas. The project will help the youth of command areas in getting market-oriented skill training and entering into formal sector employment/entrepreneurship.
• Skilling is a focal point for both the Government of India and CIL’s CSR activities, underscoring CIL’s commitment to empower communities. Looking at the shortage of skill training centers in coal bearing areas, it is very important to train youth from these areas for finding alternative sources of livelihood.

Coal India Limited Partners with EdCIL for Educational Transformation in Coal Mining Districts of Jharkhand:

• Coal India Limited (CIL), a Maharatna PSU is committed to sustainable and socially responsible practices. Under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), CIL actively engages in initiatives to uplift the education sector and empower the residents of its mining command areas through it.
• As incorporation of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) based learning is being increasingly adopted as the modern means of pedagogy today, CIL has entered into a MoU with EdCIL (India) Limited for “Digitizing Education in eleven districts of Jharkhand” on 03.01.2024 at New Delhi.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Ms. Rupinder Brar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, Govt. of India Sh. Vinay Ranjan, Director (P&IR), Coal India Limited and Sh. Manoj Kumar, CMD, EdCIL (India) Ltd. along with Directors (Personnel) from CIL’s subsidiaries and dignitaries from Ministry of Coal and other Coal Companies
• The project will be implemented in 11 districts of Jharkhand within a period of three years. These districts have mining areas of three subsidiaries of CIL namely Eastern Coalfields Ltd. (ECL), Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL) and Central Coalfields Ltd. (CCL). The estimate cost of the project is Rs. 27.08 crores. One smart classroom and one ICT (Information & Communication Technology) lab will be installed in each identified school. The project also has provision of teacher training and three-year maintenance of installed equipment.
• This initiative which is in line with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 represents a significant stride in leveraging technology to enhance education in coal districts. This is a step forward to fulfil the government’s vision of a Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• The project will empower the students with rich educational content improving the learning outcomes. CIL is committed to driving positive change and enabling a brighter future for the communities through its CSR activities.

Over All Review

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