Daily Current Affairs July 13

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 July 13. 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.

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July 13| Daily Current Affairs 2023

Important Days – Daily Current Affairs July 13

1. Which day is observed annually on the 12th of July?
A) World Environment Day
B) World Paper Bag Day
C) International Plastic Bag Free Day
D) World Recycling Day
E) Global Packaging Day
Answer: B) World Paper Bag Day

• Every year, on the 12th of July, World Paper Bag Day is commemorated to underscore the importance of opting for paper bags over plastic alternatives.
• The history of Paper Bags can be traced back to the 19th century when the first paper bag machine was invented by Francis Wolle in 1852.
• This revolutionary creation paved the way for the mass production of paper bags and eventually led to their widespread use as a packaging solution.
• A significant turning point occurred in 1999 when San Francisco took a stand against plastic bags by banning their usage in grocery stores and pharmacies, becoming the first city worldwide to enforce such a prohibition.

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Banking and Finance – Daily Current Affairs July 13

2. Which Indian company has launched the first international payment gateway through Curlec in Malaysia?
A) Paytm
B) Flipkart
C) Razorpay
D) Ola
E) Zomato
Answer: C) Razorpay

• Razorpay, India’s fintech giant and leading Full-Stack Payments and Business Banking Platform launches its first international payment gateway for the Malaysian market with Curlec, now known as ‘Curlec by Razorpay’ to solve digital payment problems in emerging markets.
• In February 2022, Bengaluru-headquartered Razorpay which was established in 2014, announced its first international expansion into South-East Asia with the acquisition of a majority stake in Curlec.
• The new Curlec payment gateway by Razorpay aims to serve more than 5,000 businesses with a target of Malaysian Ringgit worth 10 billion in annualised Gross Transaction Value (GTV) by the year 2025.

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3. Which bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telangana State Police (TSP) to provide the Baroda Police Salary Package to its serving personnel and pensioners?
A) State Bank of India (SBI)
B) Punjab National Bank (PNB)
C) Bank of India (BOI)
D) Bank of Baroda (BOB)
E) ICICI Bank
Answer: D) Bank of Baroda (BOB)

• Bank of Baroda (Bank), one of India’s leading public sector banks, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Telangana State Police (TSP) to extend the Baroda Police Salary Package offerings to its serving personnel and pensioners.
• The MoU covers special benefits including enhanced free comprehensive Personal Accident Insurance Cover (PAI), special offers on Yoddha Retail Loans, Debit and Credit Cards and a host of other benefits.
• After the approval of the MoU by Anjanikumar, Director General of Police Telangana, the MoU was signed by AbhilashaBisht, ADGP (Welfare & Sports) on behalf of Telangana Police and Ritesh Kumar, General Manager and Zonal Head, Bank of Baroda, Hyderabad Zone.
• The Baroda Police Salary Package offers many benefits to the TSP, including Personal Accident Insurance Death Cover up to Rs.1.05 crore on duty and up to Rs.90 lakh off duty.
• In addition, it offers Permanent Total Disability cover up to Rs.60 lakh and Permanent Partial Disability cover up to Rs.30 lakh.

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4. Which bank launched the MahilaSamman Savings Certificate Scheme?
A) State Bank of India (SBI)
B) Punjab National Bank (PNB)
C) Bank of India (BOI)
D) Bank of Baroda (BOB)
E) ICICI Bank
Answer: D) Bank of Baroda (BOB)

• Bank of Baroda, one of India’s leading public sector banks announced the launch of the MahilaSamman Savings Certificate (MSSC) Scheme, a new initiative by the Government for women.
• MSSC is a two-year deposit scheme, which offers an interest rate of 7.5% per annum.
• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the MahilaSamman Savings Certificate, a small savings scheme for women and girls, in the Union Budget 2023-24.
• The scheme is valid for a two-year period up to March 31, 2025.
• Both customers and non-customers can open a MahilaSamman Savings Certificate Scheme at Bank of Baroda. All women are eligible to open an account, which can be opened for herself or by a guardian (female or male) on behalf of a minor girl.
• Under this scheme, a single account holder can make a cumulative deposit of Rs 200,000 – either at one time or in phases with a minimum deposit of Rs 1,000, in multiples of Rs 100.
• Individuals can open multiple accounts but a minimum time gap of three months is to be maintained between the existing account and the opening of another account.
• The interest is compounded quarterly and credited to the MahilaSamman Savings Certificate account.
• Partial withdrawal can be initiated by the account holder or the Legal Guardian (in case of a minor) up to 40% of the eligible balance after completion of one year from the date of opening of the account.
• MSSC account opening forms are available at all Bank of Baroda branches.

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5. What feature has Google Pay introduced on its platform to enhance digital payments?
A) UPI 2.0
B) QR code payments
C) UPI LITE
D) NFC payments
E) Peer-to-peer transfers
Answer: C) UPI LITE

• Google Pay has rolled out UPI LITE on its platform with the aim of making digital payments simple, fast and reliable.
• UPI LITE enables users to make fast, one-click UPI transactions without the need to enter the UPI PIN.
• The UPI LITE account can be loaded with up to ₹2,000 twice a day, and allows users to do instant UPI transactions of up to ₹200.
• The UPI LITE feature was launched by Reserve Bank of India in September 2022 to ease the UPI transaction process and is enabled by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). As of now, 15 banks support UPI LITE

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6. Which bank recently launched a UPI QR code that is interoperable with the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)?
A) State Bank of India (SBI)
B) ICICI Bank
C) Axis Bank
D) HDFC Bank
E) Punjab National Bank (PNB)
Answer: D) HDFC Bank

• HDFC Bank launched UPI QR code interoperable with the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
• The interoperable UPI QR code will allow HDFC Bank merchants, who have been onboarded on the bank’s CBDC platform, to accept payments from their customers in the form of Digital Rupee currency.
• CBDC, or Digital Rupee, is a tokenised digital version of the Indian Rupee issued by the RBI.
• An interoperable QR code will enable the basic QR payment acceptance terminal to support Scan & Pay feature from various factors & payment options. It provides freedom to accept payments using the same QR from various factors.
• The interoperability of UPI QR codes with CBDC will enable customers to transact money available in their CBDC wallet across UPI QR codes. Further, there will be no need to scan different QR codes at the same merchant.
• In the case of merchants, they only need to display one QR code at the storefront or through the acquiring bank’s mobile application. Moreover, they need not change their existing QR codes.
• The central bank has started the pilot on CDBC on the wholesale side from November 1, 2022 while the retail testing was started on December 1.
• RBI aims to increase the daily transaction volume of CDBC retail to 1 million by the end of 2023, as compared to 5,000-10,000 now.

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Awards – Daily Current Affairs July 13

7. Which prestigious award was conferred upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi by France?
A) Order of the British Empire (OBE)
B) Presidential Medal of Freedom
C) Order of Australia
D) Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
E) Order of Canada
Answer: D) Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest award by H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France.
• the Legion of Honor is the reward for “outstanding merit acquired in the service of the nation in a civilian or military capacity”.
• In the past, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor has been received by select prominent leaders and eminent personalities from across the world.
• These include the former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles – the then Prince of Wales, Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, among others.
• In June, Egypt conferred the Order of the Nile on Modi.
• He also received the Order of the DrukGyalpo from Bhutan in 2021, the Legion of Merit from the US in 2020, the Order of St Andrew from Russia in 2019, the Order of Zayed from the UAE in 2019, and the Order of Abdulaziz Al Saud from Saudia Arabia in 2016.

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Science and Technology – Daily Current Affairs July 13

8. Which country has launched the world’s first methane-fueled space rocket?
A) United States
B) Russia
C) China
D) India
E) European Union
Answer: C) China

• A private Chinese company has launched the world’s first methane-liquid oxygen space rocket into orbit.
• The Zhuque-2 carrier rocket blasted off at 9am local time (01:00 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and “completed the flight mission according to the procedure”.
• The launch was the second attempt by Beijing-based firm LandSpace – one of the earliest companies in China’s commercial space sector – to launch the Zhuque-2, and its success beat out US rivals in developing what may become the next generation of launch vehicles, which are considered to be less polluting, safer, cheaper and a suitable propellant for a reusable rocket.
• The first launch attempt of the Zhuqu-2 in December had failed.
• The rocket successfully delivered a test payload into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).
  LandSpace also became the second private Chinese company to launch a liquid-propellant rocket.
• In April, Beijing Tianbing Technology successfully launched a kerosene-oxygen rocket, taking another step towards developing rockets that can be refueled and reused.

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International Affairs – Daily Current Affairs July 13

9. Which Indian naval vessel participated in the CMF Exercise ‘OP Southern Readiness – 2023’?
A) INS Vikramaditya
B) INS Sunayna
C) INS Kamorta
D) INS Chennai
E) INS Shardul
Answer: B) INS Sunayna

• INS Sunayna was at Seychelles from 10-12 Jul 23 to participate in Op Southern Readiness 2023 conducted by Combined Maritime Forces(CMF).
• The visit was aimed at strengthening multilateral ties and enhancing cooperation through CMF exercise which is a multinational initiative aimed at enhancing maritime security, countering piracy to ensure safety and freedom of navigation in the region.
• During the visit, personnel of participating Navies from USA, Italy, UK, Seychelles Defence Forces & Marine Police, member nations of EUNAVFOR were engaged in wide range of professional interactions, subject matter expert exchanges and visits.
• A combined yoga session was organised onboard with participation of personnel from Seychelles Defence Forces and CMF along with the ship’s crew.

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National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs July 13

10. Which organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at BITS Pilani’s PIEDS Finxcelerator, Pilani Campus in Rajasthan?
A) International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) and BITS Pilani
B) PIEDS BITS Pilani and Rajasthan Government
C) IFSCA and Rajasthan Government
D) PIEDS BITS Pilani and PIEDS Finxcelerator
E) IFSCA and PIEDS Finxcelerator
Answer: A) International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) and BITS Pilani

• International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) and PIEDS BITS Pilani, have signed a MoU at BITS Pilani PIEDS Finxcelerator, Pilani Campus in Rajasthan
• This MoU aims to put in place a framework for cooperation and understanding between IFSCA and BITS Pilani PIEDS Finxcelerator to collaborate in supporting and facilitating FinTech and TechFin entities.
• The IFSCA is responsible for development and regulation of international financial services, including that of insurance sector, in the IFSC, which is treated as a separate international financial jurisdiction, distinct from rest of India.
• IFSCA aims to develop a strong global connect and focus on the needs of the Indian economy as well as to serve as an international financial platform at regional/ global level.
• The Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS) TBI BITS Pilani,Pilani Campus is a non-profit society, its initiatives are spread across incubation, acceleration, seed funding, and innovation.
• PIEDS has supported more than 170 startups, incubated 132 startups, and funded 62 startups.
• This MoU will enable cooperation and collaboration on diverse initiatives regarding FinTech. FinTechs registered with BITS Pilani PIEDS may be facilitated to access IFSCA’s Regulatory and Innovation Sandbox and apply to the IFSCA (FinTech Incentive) Scheme, 2022.

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11. What is the purpose of the ‘Ama Odisha, Naveen Odisha’ scheme approved by the Odisha Cabinet?
A) Promote tourism in rural areas
B) Improve healthcare facilities in rural areas
C) Enhance education infrastructure in rural areas
D) Develop agricultural resources in rural areas
E) Build rural infrastructure
Answer: E) Build rural infrastructure

• Odisha Cabinet approved ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ scheme with an allocation of Rs 4000 crore.
• The scheme is among nine proposals that got the cabinet nod.
• The State government has modified the guidelines of the earlier intervention
• “AmaGaonAmaBikash” by giving it a new dimension in the form of “Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha” under the State Plan to make it effective from the Financial Year 2023-24.
• There is provision of Rs. 4000 Crore under the scheme from the State Budget. The scheme will cover all Gram Panchayats in each Block of the State with the entitlement of Rs. 50 lakh. The project cost will be between Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs10 lakh.
• The scheme envisages the creation of additional facilities for Mission Shakti Groups at GP level, bridging critical gaps at GP level to improve rural areas by way of providing urban facilities, development of sports facilities for the youth, providing banking facilities, improvement of digital access in terms of mobile connectivity, optical fibre connectivity, WiFi and internet connectivity.

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12. What is the key feature of the revamped PMJAY-MA scheme launched by the Gujarat government?
A) Financial assistance for education
B) Employment opportunities for rural youth
C) Health insurance coverage of Rs 10 lakh
D) Subsidies for agricultural equipment
E) Infrastructure development in urban areas
Answer: C) Health insurance coverage of Rs 10 lakh

• The Gujarat Government launched the revamped Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana-MukhyamantriAmrutam (PMJAY-MA) scheme, under which people can avail free medical treatment up to Rs 10 lakh instead of the previous limit of Rs 5 lakh.
• Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel on Tuesday officially launched the revised health insurance scheme from his office in the presence of health department officials
• While the Centre’s PMJAY is popularly known as Ayushman Bharat, MA stands for the state government’s MukhyamantriAmrutam (MA) scheme, which was merged with the central health scheme.
• 2,027 state-run hospitals, 803 private and 18 hospitals of the Central government in the state are authorised to provide treatment or perform surgeries under the PMJAY-MA, and 2,471 types of treatments and surgeries are available to card holders in these hospitals.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his stint as the chief minister of Gujarat, had launched the MA scheme with an insurance cover of Rs 2 lakh, which was subsequently increased to Rs 3 lakh. In 2018, the prime minister launched the PMJAY with an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.

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13. Which television network introduced Lisa, India’s first AI news presenter?
A) NDTV
B) Zee News
C) Odisha Television
D) Times Now
E) Republic TV
Answer: C) Odisha Television

• Odisha Television Limited (OTV) has introduced the state’s first artificial intelligence (AI) news anchor named Lisa. The introduction of Lisa, the AI news anchor, took place at a ceremony held in Bhubaneswar.
• The introduction of Lisa, the first AI anchor in Odisha’s regional television broadcasting arena, signifies a new era in television journalism.
• OTV is owned by Bhubaneswar-based Odisha Television Network started and promoted by JagiMangat Panda. Odisha Television is the first private Electronic Media in the state of Odisha.
• It was launched in 1997 in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack after which it slowly spread to all major towns of the state. It was converted from cable to a satellite channel in December 2006.

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14. Which certification body has certified Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for its Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS)?
A) ISO
B) DNV
C) TUV SUD
D) InterCert USA
E) Bureau Veritas
Answer: D) InterCert USA

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has become the first Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) in India to get certified for Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) by an international accredited certification body, M/s InterCert USA.
• The Anti-Bribery Management System Certificate received by ONGC Chairman & CEO Arun Kumar.
• ONGC was the first organization in India that adopted the Integrity Pact (IP) by Transparency International in 2005.
• ABMS Certification, thus, becomes another significant milestone in the journey of the Energy Maharatna towards strengthening its stature as a preferred business partner.
• After complete assessment and validation by M/s InterCert USA, ABMS has been implemented as per ISO 37001:2016 International Standard under the guidance of an international consultancy firm M/s Digital Age, in the first phase across 10 departments of ONGC’s Corporate Office in Delhi.

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15. Who chaired the 50th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council?
A) Narendra Modi
B) Amit Shah
C) Rajnath Singh
D) Nirmala Sitharaman
E) Piyush Goyal
Answer: D) Nirmala Sitharaman

• The 50th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council was held New Delhi, under the chairpersonship of the Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.
• The first set of a Special Cover and customised ‘My Stamp’ were also presented to Chairperson and Members of the Council by the Chief Post Master General, Delhi.
• The all-powerful Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council decided to impose a 28% tax on the turnover of online gaming companies, horse racing and casinos
• GST Council exempts cancer fighting drugs, medicines for rare diseases from GST tax
  GST Council exempts GST satellite launch services by private operators.
• Reduction of GST in uncooked and unfried snack pellets from 18% to 5%
• Reduction of GST in fish soluble paste from 18% to 5%
• Reduction of GST in imitation of Zari thread to 5% from 12%
• Reduction of GST on LD slag from 18% to 5%.

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16. Who are the co-hosts of the seventh edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC), Asia’s premier digital technology exhibition?
A) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
B) Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI)
C) National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) and Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)
D) Indian Cellular Association (ICA) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
E) Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)
Answer: B) Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI)

• The seventh edition of Asia’s premier digital technology exhibition, India Mobile Congress (IMC), co-hosted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) will be held at PragatiMaidan in New Delhibetween October 27 to 29.
• Being organised on the theme of ‘Global Digital Innovation’, IMC is an ideal meeting point and showcase for industry, government, academics and other key stakeholders in the technology ecosystem.
• The prestigious IMC-2023 event will witness participation of more than 1 lakh participants, more than 5,000 Plus CXO-level delegates, 350 Plus speakers and 400 Plus exhibitors.

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17. Which food products from India recently received the Geographical Indications (GI) tag?
A) BikaneriBhujia and Darjeeling Tea
B) Alphonso Mango and Kanchipuram Silk Saree
C) Malabar Pepper and Coorg Coffee
D) Khaw Tai (Khamti Rice) and Yak Churpi
E) Mysore Pak and Assam Tea
Answer: D) Khaw Tai (Khamti Rice) and Yak Churpi

• After the Idu Mishmi textiles and Arunachal Wakro Orange, now two more products from Arunachal Pradesh namely, Khaw Tai (Khamti Rice) – grown by traditional Khampti tribal farmers in Namsai region – and Yak milk product ‘Yak Churpi’ from West Kameng and Tawang districts got the GI (Geographical Indications) food products tag.

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18. Who unveiled the trophy for the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2023?
A) Narendra Modi
B) Amit Shah
C) Nirmala Sitharaman
D) Anurag Singh Thakur
E) Piyush Goyal
Answer: D) Anurag Singh Thakur

• Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Thakur unveiled the coveted trophy for Hero Asian Champions Trophy, Chennai 2023 at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium in New Delhi.
• Union Minister also launched ‘Pass the Ball Trophy Tour’ campaign on the occasion.
• Hero Asian Champions Trophy, Chennai 2023 will begin from August 3rd, 2023 where India, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Pakistan, and China will vie for the Title.
• The Asian Champions Trophy, which is produced by acclaimed trophy designer Sanjay Sharma, is handcrafted with care from a harmonious combination of brass, aluminium, and copper that has been elegantly plated with nickel and gold. Each crystal adorning the crown, as well as its exquisite design, was custom-made for the prestigious trophy, adding a one-of-a-kind touch to its grandeur.
• The tournament will be held from 3rd August to 12 August 2023 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu

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