Daily Current Affairs Quiz: February 24, 2023

 ANSWER: C

 ANSWER: A

ANSWER: C

 ANSWER: D

• The Union Cabinet approved extension of the term of 22nd Law Commission up to August 31, 2024.
• The three-year term of the Commission headed by former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Rituraj Awasthi ended on February 20. Justice Awasthi was appointed chairperson in November last year.

About Law Comission

• It is a non-statutory body.
• First law commission of independent India was constituted in 1955 and is re-constituted from time to time.
• It will consist of:
  • A full-time Chairperson.
  • Four full-time Members (including Member-Secretary).
  • Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department as ex officio Members.
  • Not more than five part-time Members.
• Mandate includes:
  • Identification of laws which are no longer relevant and recommending for the repeal of obsolete and unnecessary enactments;
  • Suggesting enactment of new legislations as may be necessary to implement the directive principles and to attain the objectives set out in the preamble of the constitution;
  • Considering and conveying to the government its views on any subject relating to law and judicial administration that may be specifically referred to it by the government through ministry of law & justice (department of legal affairs);
  • Considering the requests for providing research to any foreign countries as may be referred to it by the government through ministry of law & justice (department of legal affairs);
  • Preparing and submitting to the central government, from time to time, reports on all issues, matters, studies and research undertaken by it and recommending such reports for effective measures to be taken by the union or any state; and
  • Performing such other functions as may be assigned to it by the central government from time to time.

 ANSWER: C

• A deadly malaria vector, transmitter Anopheles Stephensi, has been detected in Kenya.
• Kenya is now the sixth and latest country in Africa to report an invasion of the deadly malaria species.
• Anopheles Stephensi originated in Southeast Asia, West Asia and Arabian Peninsula.

About Malaria

• Malaria is a life-threatening mosquito borne blood disease caused by plasmodium parasites.
• It is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America as well as Asia.
• It is both preventable as well as curable.
• There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose greatest threat.
• Anopheles stephensi is capable of transmitting both Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax.
  • It is highly adaptive and can thrive in urban environments.

 ANSWER: A

• Known as one of India’s most inventive classical dancers and pioneering dance educationists, Mohiniyattam exponent Kanak Rele, who played a significant role in bringing a systematic structure, academic veracity and much currency to Mohiniyattam, besides propagating female roles in Kathakali, died recently.
• She was conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 2013.

About Mohiniyattam

• Mohiniyattam is from Kerala and one of the eight classical dances of India.
  • 8 Classical dances are Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Sattriya, Mohiniyattam and Manipuri.
• It is performed by women in honour of god Vishnu in his incarnation as enchantress Mohini.
• Conventionally a solo dance performed by female artists, it emotes a play through dancing and singing. Instruments used: Maddalam, Mridangam, Veena, Kuzhitalam or Cymbals, Edakka etc.
• It has its roots in sage Bharata Muni’s text called ‘Natya Shastra’.
• Mohiniyattam lays emphasis on acting. The dancer identifies herself with the character and sentiments existing in the compositions like the Padams and Pada Varnams which give ample opportunity for facial expressions.
• The hand gestures, 24 in number, are mainly adopted from Hastalakshana Deepika, a text followed by Kathakali. Few are also borrowed from Natya Shastra, Abhinaya Darpana and Balarambharatam.
• The gestures and facial expressions are closer to the natural(gramya) and the realistic (lokadharmi) than to the dramatic or rigidly conventional (natyadharmi).

ANSWER: B

• Prime Minister recently congratulated Members of Parliament who will be conferred the Sansad Ratna Awards 2023.
• The Jury Committee has chosen a total of 13 MPs and two parliamentary committees for the award, with a lifetime award being presented for the first time this year.
• The Sansad Ratna Awards were instituted in 2010, inspired by the teachings of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who launched the first edition of the Award function in Chennai. They seek to recognise and felicitate the top-performing MPs on the basis of their work in the apex legislative body.
  • So far, 90 Parliamentarians have been given this award.
• The Sansad Ratna Awards are not given by the Government of India but by The Prime Point Foundation.
• The jury committee is composed of eminent Parliamentarians and members of civil society.
• The nominations were based on an MP’s cumulative performance in Parliament, from the beginning of the 17th Lok Sabha until the end of Winter Session 2022.
• Factors that the decision is based on include- questions asked, private members’ Bills introduced, debates initiated, attendance, funds utilised, etc.

List of Sansad Ratna Awards 2023

Sansad Ratna Awards 2023 nominated from Lok Sabha

• Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (INC, West Bengal),
• Gopal Chinayya Shetty (BJP, Maharashtra),
• Sudhir Gupta (BJP, Madhya Pradesh) and
• Amol Ramsing Kolhe (NCP, Maharashtra)
• Bidyut Baran Mahato (BJP, Jharkhand),
• Sukanta Majumdar (BJP, West Bengal),
• Kuldeep Rai Sharma (INC, Andaman Nicobar Islands),
• Dr Heena Vijayakumar Gavit (BJP, Maharashtra),

Sansad Ratna Awards 2023 from Rajya Sabha

• Smt Fauzia Tahseen Ahmed Khan (NCP, Maharashtra)
• John Brittas (CPI-M, Kerala),
• Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD, Bihar),
• Vishambhar Prasad Nishad (Samajwadi Party, UP) and
• Smt Chhaya Verma (INC, Chhattisgarh)

Two Parliamentary Committees of Lok Sabha nominated for Sansad Ratna Award 2023

• Rajya Sabha’s Standing Committee on Tourism, Transport, and Culture, chaired by Vijay Sai Reddy
• Lok Sabha’s Parliamentary Committee on Finance, chaired by Jayant Sinha

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lifetime Achievement Award: T K Rangarajan (Former Rajya Sabha MP for two terms  and a Senior CPIM Leader)

ANSWER: D

• Saudi Arabia unveiled its latest grand plan to transform its capital city Riyadh called the Mukaab – “cube” in Arabic.
• The Mukaab is among the ambitious architectural projects planned and undertaken by Saudi Arabia as a part of its Vision 2030, aimed at revolutionising the country’s economy and lifestyle.
• It will stand 400 metres high, wide and long, big enough to hold 20 Empire State Buildings.
• The cubic shape of the Mukaab will ensure the ultimate utilisation of space.
• The Mukaab will be built using the modern Najdi architectural style – a twist on the traditional Najdi architectural style from the Najd region in the centre of the Arabian peninsula.
• This architectural style was perfected over generations to be best suited for the region’s desert climate – its design focuses on naturally controlling the climate inside the structure.

ANSWER: A

• On February 21, also known as International Mother Language Day, the Kerala High Court published two of its most recent decisions in Malayalam, making it the first high court in the nation to do so.
• On the court’s website, the Malayalam decisions were posted right underneath the English version.

 ANSWER: B

• The Seattle City Council passed an ordinance adding caste to the list of protected classes in the city’s municipal code, along with groups like race, religion, and gender identity.
• Seattle created history by becoming the first US city to pass an explicit ban on caste-based discrimination

 ANSWER: A

• Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi has been appointed as the new Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). He will hold the position till Feb 28, 2025.
• Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi is a former Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission secretary-cum-scientific director.
• He will supersede Dr. PBN Prasad who is holding the position till 28th February 2023.

 ANSWER: C

• Mahendra Kumar Mishra, an Indian educator and social worker for the advancement of indigenous languages in Odisha, received the World Mother Language Award from PM Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• Mishra has worked over three decades on the language, culture and education of the marginalised languages of Odisha.

 ANSWER: D

• The government has appointed Anil Kapil as Adviser (Infrastructure) to Chief Minister on co-terminus basis.
• He will also advise the HP Infrastructure Development Board.
• Kapil has worked with 15 Finance Secretaries in the state in different capacities with the HRTC, the HPRIDC, the HPIDB, etc.
• He managed various infrastructure projects for the state as project and contract management expert.

ANSWER: C

• The G20 science and technology department meeting is proposed to be held at Dharamshala in Kangra district on April 19-20 in which about 70 delegates from across the world, including India, will participate.