Daily Current Affairs Quiz : January 13,2022

Answer: C

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) recently successfully flight tested the final deliverable configuration of the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM).

About Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile

• The indigenously developed anti-tank missile is a low weight, ‘fire and forget’ missile and is launched from a man portable launcher, integrated with thermal sight.
• During the test, which was conducted at a range in Southern India, the missile impacted the designated target with precision and destroyed it. The final impact event was captured on camera. The purpose of this particular test was to prove the consistent performance for the missile system at its minimum range.

Answer: C

• First Colombo Security Conclave Virtual Workshop on Developing Regional Cyber Security Capabilities recently took place

About the conclave

• The first Colombo Security Conclave Virtual Workshop on “Developing Regional Cyber Security Capabilities on Defensive operations, Deep/Dark Web handling and Digital Forensics” was hosted by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Government of India in association with National Forensics Science University, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and the Secretariat of the Colombo Security Conclave, over two days on 10-11 January 2022.
• Delegates from Member and Observer States of the of Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) including Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Bangladesh participated in the workshop.

Answer: A

• An extended range sea-to-sea variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was successfully test-fired by India from the Indian Navy’s newly commissioned INS Visakhapatnam recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation said.

About sea-to-sea variant of the BrahMos

• BrahMos, deployed by the Navy on its warships first in 2005, has the capability to hit sea-based targets beyond radar horizon.
• Advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was tested from INS Visakhapatnam recently. Missile hit the designated target ship precisely.
• The Navy too said the launch was an achievement. Successful test-firing of the extended-range BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile from INS Visakhapatnam, Indian Navy’s newest indigenously-built guided missile destroyer, represents a twin achievement: Certifies the accuracy of the ship’s combat system and armament complex. Validates a new capability the missile provides the Navy and the Nation.

Answer: D

• The US Mint has begun shipping the first coins with Maya Angelou’s likeness on the American quarter, a 25-cent piece. She is the first Black woman to appear on a US coin.

About Poet Maya Angelou

• Angelou, author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” will also be the first figure commemorated through the American Women Quarters Program, which was signed into law in January 2021.
• Each 2022 quarter is designed to reflect the breadth and depth of accomplishments being celebrated throughout this historic coin program. Maya Angelou, featured on the reverse of this first coin in the series, used words to inspire and uplift.

Answer: B

• London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners has released the Henley Passport Index for the year 2022, based on exclusive data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

About the report

• According to the latest report, even as the world continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan and Singapore top the list of being the most powerful passport in the world for the year 2022. The visa-free score of both these countries is at 192.
• Afghanistan (rank 111) and Iraq (rank 110) continue to be in the ‘worst passports to hold’ category having a visa-free score of 26 and 28 respectively.
• According to the report, Japanese citizens can travel to as many as 192 countries visa-free or visa-on-arrival access destinations around the world. Singapore is tied in the first place (with a score of 192) and South Korea ties with Germany in second place (with a score of 190).
• Countries like Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain are tied at the third position with regard to the most powerful passports in the world with a visa-free score of 189.
• India has improved it ranks and is currently placed at 83rd position from the earlier 90th position in the most powerful passport report with a visa-free score of 60.
• USA and the United Kingdom have risen one ranking to be placed at sixth position.
• India has improved it ranks and is currently placed at 83rd in the most powerful passport report with a visa-free score of 60.

Answer: C

• Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) has signed a Joint Development Agreement with Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform to continue to develop the Kenya Transmission Project on a public-private partnership basis.

About the project

• The project entails the development, financing, construction, and operation of the 400kV Lessos – Loosuk and 220kV Kisumu – Musaga transmission lines under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework. Once completed, the project will be the first Independent Power Transmission (IPT) in Kenya and will set a reference point in Africa as the first financing of transmission lines on a PPP basis. This Project will also improve both the supply and reliability of power transmission in Western Kenya and further create a demonstration effect to help increase private sector investments into the expansion of Africa’s power transmission networks, which is critical to bridging the continent’s electricity access gap.
• In this development partnership, POWERGRID, one of the world’s leading electric transmission utility companies will provide technical and operational know-how to the project, while Africa50 will bring its project development and finance expertise and will act as a bridge between the Kenyan government and private investors.
• The signing of this agreement underscores POWERGRID and Africa50’s commitment to continue to dedicate resources to accelerate development activities on the project until financial close.

Answer: A

• Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur  inaugurated a heliport, constructed at a cost of Rs 18 crore, near the Sanjauli-Dhalli bypass.
• The Centre has provided Rs 12.13 crore for the construction of this project under the Himalayan Circuit of the Swadesh Darshan programme and Rs 6 crore under UDAN-2.
• Heliports are also being constructed at Baddi, Rampur and Mandi under the Udaan-2 scheme of Government of India.
• The state government will soon send a proposal for construction of new heliports at Reckong Peo, Chamba, Dalhousie, Jhanjeli, Jawalaji etc to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation to give a fillip to tourism activities in these areas.

Answer: B

• Agribusiness management expert Vijay Paul Sharma of Una has been reappointed the chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• He is an alumnus of Palampur Agriculture University and has served as the CACP Chairman from June 2016 to May 2021.
• The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), set up in 1965, is a decentralized agency of the Government of India (GoI).
• The CACP is an expert body that recommends the MSPs of the Kharif and Rabi crops to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). 

Answer:  C

• The five-day National Kabaddi Invitation Championship tournament concluded at Indira Maidan.
• Deswal Kabaddi Academy- Delhi men’s team and the women’s team from Himachal Pradesh have emerged as the winners of the tournament.
• The final match between the women’s Kabaddi teams between Sahasra Seema Bal (SSB) and Himachal Pradesh’s (HP) team ended with the latter comfortably managing a 16 point lead against the former (40-24).