ANSWER: C

ANSWER: A

ANSWER: B

ANSWER: C

• It stands for Support for Up-gradation Preventive Repair & Maintenance of Equipment.
• It is a programme launched by Department of Science and Technology.
• It is a first-of-its-kind program to provide financial support for repair/ upgradation/ maintenance/ retrofitting or acquiring additional attachments to increase functional capabilities of existing Analytical Instrumentation Facilities (AIFs).
• Analytical Instruments are vital for pursuing research through sample analysis in many areas of modern science and technology.
• Funding pattern: 75:25 for all private and government owned institutions except for state funded institutions which will get 100% funding.
• Support under the scheme will be upto 3 years.

ANSWER: B

• Festivities of the famous Thrissur Pooram began with Kodiyettam, ceremonial flag hoisting, at the participating temples.

About Thrissur Pooram:

• Thrissur Pooram is an annual Hindu festival celebrated in Kerala during the Malayalam month of Medom(April-May).
• It is considered to be the Mother of all Poorams, a cultural highlight that towers above all other festivals.
• It is celebrated in the grand assembly of Gods and Goddesses in and around Thrissur.
• It was the brainchild of Raja Rama Varma, famously known as Sakthan Thampuran, the Maharaja of Cochin (1790–1805).
• It is centred on the Vadakkunnathan Temple, with all these temples sending their processions to pay obeisance to Shiva, the presiding deity.
• The processions and rituals of each of deities follow a very strict itinerary, scheduled in such a way that the tempo of the Pooram celebrations – 36 hours non-stop – is maintained without any loss of energy.
• A massive parade is planned on temple grounds, accompanied by Chenda Melam and Pancha Vadyam music.
• The final day of the pooram occurs on the seventh day referred as “Pakal Pooram”.

ANSWER: A

• The UP state government recently completed the distribution of 55,14,921 ‘gharaunis’ (rural house records) in Uttar Pradesh under the Svamitva scheme.

About SVAMITVA scheme:

• A Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2021.
• It seeks to give ownership of property in rural inhabited areas, by mapping land parcels using drone technology and providing a ‘Record of Rights’ to village household owners with the issuance of legal ownership cards (Property cards/Title deeds) to the property owners.
• It is implemented with the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Department, State Panchayati Raj Department and Survey of India.
• Full coverage of nearly 6.62 lakh villages in India and establishment of an extensive CORS network with 567 CORS stations.
• CORS network
  • A Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) network provides regional positioning service.
  • It plays a major role in achieving centimetre accuracy positioning in many applications, for example, cadastral mapping, land information management, large-scale mapping

ANSWER: D

• Recently, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK India) announced the much-awaited launch of its globally top-selling shingles vaccine Shingrix in India.

About Shingles disease:

• It is caused by the varicella-zoster virus the same virus that causes chickenpox.
• It can occur anywhere in the human body.
• It typically looks like a single stripe of blisters that wraps around the left side or the right side of the torso.
• Non contagious
• The risk of shingles increases with older age and it is most common in people over age 50.
• Symptoms: Pain, burning, tingling sensitivity to touch etc.
• A vaccine called Shingrix is available which helps in preventing shingles and its complications.

ANSWER: D

• India has launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ to bring back its citizens stranded in war-torn Sudan.
• The estimated number of Indians in Sudan is around 4,000.
• As part of the operation, two C-130 aircraft and the navy ship INS Sumedha is on standby to safely evacuate stranded Indians.

ANSWER: B

• It is observed on April 23^rd every year, and the year 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the event.
• English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and it is estimated that over 1.5 billion people speak it as their first, second or foreign language.
• The theme for World English Day 2023 is “English as a global language: bridging cultures, connecting the world.”

ANSWER: A

• Ministry of Textiles developed the E-Commerce portal for handicrafts and handloom sector.
• India handmade portal offers a wide range of products, including clothing, home decor, jewellery, accessories, and more.
• Portal will provide an opportunity to total 62 Lakh weavers and artisans become future e-entrepreneurs.
• It’ll provide products from more than 35 Lakh Handloom weavers & 27 Lakh Handicraft artisans directly to consumers while eliminating middlemen.

ANSWER: C

• Shoolini University has been awarded the Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE) Grant from the Department of Science and Technology.
• The grant, worth Rs 9 crore, will be used to further research in the fields of cancer and water.
• Under the PURSE scheme, the grant is awarded to institutions with an exemplary research record.
• Shoolini University is one of only 12 universities and four private universities to have received the grant, along with Ashoka, Manipal, and BITS Pilani.