Weekly Current Affairs (22nd to 30th April 2022) Part - 1 - UPSC PDF Download

Banking & Financial Awareness

Q.1. What are the total enrolments (subscribers) under Atal Pension Yojana (APY) Scheme as of March 2022?

Correct Answer is Over 4.01 crore.

• Around 71% of the enrolments are done by PSBs, 19% by RRBs, 6% by Private Sector Banks, and 3% by Payment and Small Finance Banks.
• Banks like State Bank of India, Indian Bank, Bank of India, BoB, and Central Bank of India have achieved their annual targets in the Public-sector Bank category.

Q.2. Which payment bank has launched a joint initiative named Fincluvation to collaborate with the Fintech Startup community?

Correct Answer is India Post Payments Bank (IPPB).

• To co-create and innovate solutions for financial inclusion.
• Start-ups will develop solutions and tailored products and services for customers.

Q.3. According to the 2022 edition of the Chiratae-Zinnov India SaaS report titled, “India SaaS - Punching Through the Global Pecking Order, by which year the Indian SaaS (Software As A Service) industry is set to clock in $100 billion in revenues?

Correct Answer is 2026.

• The industry in India is witnessing a ‘coming-of-age’ moment, “with an incredible bull run that has firmly anchored its position on the global stage
• Indian SaaS witnessed massive growth at approx 55 per cent CAGR in 2021.

Q.4. In which country BHIM UPI has been activated by NPCI International Payments Ltd at NEOPAY terminals?

Correct Answer is UAE.

• This initiative will empower millions of Indians who travel to the UAE to safely and conveniently make payments using BHIM UPI across NEOPAY-enabled shops and merchant stores.
• NEOPAY is the payment subsidiary of Mashreq Bank.

Q.5. The Reserve Bank of India has issued new guidelines for the Credit card and debit cards company, these guidelines will come into effect from?

Correct Answer is July 1, 2022.

• The RBI has asked card companies not to issue unsolicited credit cards or upgrade existing cards without the explicit consent of the customer.
• Failing which they would be liable to pay double the amount billed as a penalty.

Q.6. For which type of banks, the RBI has extended the guidelines on Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) to large borrowers?

Correct Answer is NBFCs and Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs).

• The RBI further advised that non-individual borrowers enjoying aggregate exposure of ₹5 crores and above from banks and financial institutions (FIs) shall be required to obtain LEI codes as per the given timeline.
• The Legal Entity Identifier is a 20-digit number used to uniquely identify parties to financial transactions globally.

Q.7. Who is the head of the advisory committee on market data that recommends policy measures pertaining to areas like securities market data access and privacy?

Correct Answer is M S Sahoo.

• The panel will now have 21 members.
• Nithin Kamath; Ranjit Pawar; Sreekanth Nadella; Suhas Tuljapurkar are also included in the committee.

Q.8. Which bank has signed a pact with the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for tax collection?

Correct Answer is Dhanlaxmi Bank.

• The bank has been authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) based on recommendation from the Controller General of Accounts for collection of various taxes.
• This MoU will help customers to pay their direct taxes and GST payments and other indirect taxes through the branch network and digital platforms of the bank.

Q.9. Which payment bank has partnered with IndusInd Bank to offer fixed deposit (FD) facilities to its customers?

Correct Answer is Airtel Payments Bank.

• A customer can open FD of Rs 500 up to Rs 190,000 on the Airtel Thanks app.
• With this partnership, customers of Airtel Payments Bank savings account will get an interest rate of up to 6.5 %p.a. and senior citizens will get an additional 0.5% on all fixed deposits.

Q.10. Which IT company has expanded its strategic partnership with SBI Cards to power digital transformation?

Correct Answer is Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).

• TCS had helped the SBI cards to transform its core cards sourcing platform and digitized a significant portion of the process.
• TCS will digitalize and transform the online onboarding processes to enable a faster turnaround and frictionless experience.

Q.11. Which fintech company has collaborated with Bajaj Finance to introduce a fixed deposit feature on its platform by adding a new icon for an improved customer experience?

Correct Answer is  FinMapp.

• The fintech firm is offering an interest rate of 7.35% on the fixed deposit of app users.
• FinMapp offers multiple tenures to choose from for their fixed deposits of 15, 18, 22, 30, 33, and 44 months, or opt for one, three, and five years, respectively.

Q.12. Which country has topped in the real-time transactions in 2021 as per the ACI Worldwide Report?

Correct Answer is India.

• India has extended to 48.6 billion in 2021.
• India's transaction volume is seven times greater than the combined volumes of Germany, USA, UK, Canada, and France.
• Top Five countries: India(48.6 billion); China (18.5 billion); Thailand(9.7 billion); Brazil(8.7 billion); South Korea (7.4 billion)

Q.13. What is the name of the contactless keychain which was launched by Pencilton (teen-focused fintech)?

Correct Answer is PencilKey.

• Launched in a partnership with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Transcorp.
• Users can load money, check spends, block/unblock the account, set limits on their card through the Pencilton app, and can buy their PencilKey and PencilCard for ₹150 and ₹100 respectively.

Q.14. What is the new feature launched by the Bank of Baroda on its bob World mobile banking platform for seniors and the elderly?

Correct Answer is bob World Gold.

• It is a unique digital banking platform that has been designed to provide its senior customers with a simple, smooth and secure mobile banking experience.
• This platform has easy navigation, large fonts, sufficient spacing and clear menus.

Q.15. For which programme, the World Bank has approved a USD 47 million financial support to the Government of India?

Correct Answer is The Mission Karmayog.

• The loan of $47 million provided from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a final maturity of 11 years, including a grace period of 4.5 years.
• Mission Karmayogi was launched by Union Cabinet on 2nd September 2020.

Q.16. What is the additional funding that has been approved by the Union Cabinet for India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)?

Correct Answer is Rs. 820 crores

• With this grant, the project outlay for setting up of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been revised from Rs.1435 crore to Rs.2255 crore.
• The Cabinet has also granted in-principle approval for a future fund of Rs.500 crore for meeting regulatory requirements and technological upgradation.

Q.17. What per cent the government offers interest subvention annually to banks on short-term crop loans up to Rs 3 lakh to farmers at an interest rate of 7%p.a?

Correct Answer is 2%.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has amended norms for banks to claim the amount of interest subvention which is provided to farmers under the short-term crop loan scheme through Kisan Credit Card (KCC).
• Pending claims for the 2021-22 FY can be submitted by June 30, 2023, by the statutory auditor's certification.

Q.18. Which bank has launched India’s first comprehensive digital ecosystem for all Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country, which can also be used by the customers of other banks?

Correct Answer is ICICI Bank.

• Anyone can use the benefits of digital solutions on the InstaBIZ app.
• MSMEs customers of other banks can avail of a host of services by logging in as a ‘Guest’ in the app.
• It provides sanctions of instant and paperless overdraft facility up to Rs 25 lakh through ‘InstaOD Plus’.

Obituaries

Q.1. K Sankaranarayanan passed away, was related to which field?

Correct Answer is Politics.

• He served as governor of Maharashtra, Nagaland, and Jharkhand during his career.
• He had also held additional charges of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Goa as Governor.

Q.2. Mwai Kibaki passed away, was related to which field?

Correct Answer is Former president of Kenya.

• He led the country from 2002 to 2013. During his rule, more than 1,100 people died in bloody ethnic battles after disputed 2007 polls, but to prevent such unrest he adopted a new constitution with reforms.
• His rule was ruined by uncontrolled corruption and lavish spending on flagship projects which increased the country's debt.

Q.3. Padma Shri awardee Binapani Mohanty has passed away, was related to which field?

Correct Answer is  Noted writer of Odisha.

• Her many short stories have been translated into various languages (including: Hindi, English, Kannada, Marathi).
• Her collection of short stories 'Pata Dei' has won Sahitya Akademi award. She also received Sarala Samman from the Government of Odisha.

Q.4. James Dringwell Rymbai has passed away, was a former CM of which state?

Correct Answer is  Meghalaya.

• He had entered into electoral politics in 1982 and contested elections to the legislative assembly from the Jirang constituency successfully.
• He was elected the speaker of the Meghalaya Assembly in 1993 and became the CM in 2006 till March 2007.

Q.5. Mamannamana Vijayan has passed away, was related to which field?

Correct Answer is Biology (Structural biologist).

• He was a former president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) from 2008 to 2010.
• He has been honoured with SS Bhatnagar Award, Ranbaxy Award, OP Bhasin Award, and also the first GN Ramachandran Medal by Indian Science Congress Association and was also awarded Padma Shri in 2004.

Q.6. Elvera Britto has passed away, was related to which sports?

Correct Answer is Hockey(Former Indian women's hockey team captain).

• Elvera led Karnataka's domestic team to win seven national titles. She ruled the domestic circuit from 1960 to 1967.
• She is the second women hockey player to be conferred with the Arjuna Award(1965) after Anne Lumsden.

Important Days

Q.1. On which date, World Earth Day is observed every year?

Correct Answer is April 22.

• To spread awareness to protect the environment which is going through rapid changes.
• The theme of Earth Day 2022: ‘Invest in our planet’

Q.2. Which date is observed as World Book and Copyright Day, also known as World Book Day?

Correct Answer is 23 April.

• The day is celebrated in over a hundred countries around the world. 23 April is also the day legendary writers -Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and William Shakespeare died.
• The theme of World Book Day 2022 is ‘Read…So you never feel alone.’

Q.3. Which date is observed as World Malaria Day by the World Health Organisation (WHO) globally?

Correct Answer is April 25.

• Theme 2022: Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives
• Dr. Alphonse Laveran has discovered the Malaria parasite.

Q.4. Which state government has announced that December 18, every year will be observed as Minorities Rights Day at the state level?

Correct Answer is Tamil Nadu.

• The state government promotes the upliftment and economic advancement of the minorities through effective implementation of schemes and welfare measures.
• The minority girl students in rural areas to pursue their studies would provide education aid of Rs 500 to the students of Classes 3 to 5 and Rs 1,000 to the wards of Class 6.

Q.5. Which date is observed as World Intellectual Property Day annually?

Correct Answer is April 26.

• To raise awareness of the impact of how patents, copyright, trademarks and design affect our daily life.
• The theme for World Intellectual Property Day 2022 is focused on ‘IP and Youth innovating for a better future'.

Q.6. The World Day for Safety and Health at Work was observed on which date?

Correct Answer is 28 April.

• Aims to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
• The theme for 2022 is Act together to build a positive safety and health culture.

New Appointments

Q.1. Who has been appointed as the next Director-General of Military Operations with effect from May 1?

Correct Answer is Lieutenant General Manoj Kumar Katiyar

• He worked as the General Officer Commanding of 1 Corps, a strike formation that is responsible for operations against both Pakistan and China.
• He has also worked as Director-General Staff Duties at Army Headquarters.

Q.2. Who has been appointed as Procter & Gamble (P&G) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for its Indian operations from July 1, 2022?

Correct Answer is L V Vaidyanathan.

• He will replace Madhusudan Gopalan, who takes charge as Senior Vice President of Grooming & Oral Care, P&G Japan, and Korea.
• Presently, Vaidyanathan is responsible for industry-leading growth and value creation for the company in Indonesia.

Q.3. Who has been appointed as the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the govt of India for a period of 3 years?

Correct Answer is Ajay Kumar Sood.

• Presently he is a member of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council to the PM. He will succeed renowned biologist K Vijay Raghavan.
• The PSA's office aims to provide pragmatic and objective advice to the PM and cabinet on matters related to science, technology, and innovation with a focus on the application of science and tech.

Q.4. Who has been appointed as Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman with effect from May 1, 2022, ?

Correct Answer is  Economist, Suman Bery.

• He was appointed after Rajiv Kumar stepped down from the post.
• The Government accepted his resignation.

Q.5. Who has been appointed as Aditya Birla Capital Chief Executive Officer?

Correct Answer is Vishakha Mulye.

• Mulye is currently the executive director in charge of corporate banking, proprietary trading, markets and transaction banking.
• Mulye replaces Ajay Srinivasan who will now take up another role within the Aditya Birla Group.

Q.6. Who has been appointed as UNICEF's YuWaah(Generation Unlimited) as co-chair?

Correct Answer is  Ashwin Yardi (CEO of Capgemini in India).

• He will be a co-chair along with Yasumasa Kimura (the UNICEF Representative).
• YuWaah aims to work on improve skilling, community development and economic opportunity for young people.

Q.7. Who has defeated three-time prime minister Janez Janša in the Slovenia PM election?

Correct Answer is  Robert Golob.

• State election authorities have confirmed that the Freedom Movement won nearly 34% of the votes as compared to around 24% for the governing conservative Slovenian Democratic Party.
• The New Slovenia party with 7%, followed by the Social Democrats with more than 6% and the Left party with just 4%.

Q.8. Who has won a second term as president of France with 58.2% of the vote?

Correct Answer is Emmanuel Macron.

• He set to become the first president after Chirac who secured a second term in office.
• He defeated Marine Le Pen (Party: Rassemblement national) who secured 41.8% of the vote in an election.

Q.9. Who has been elected as the chairperson of the Haj Committee of India?

Correct Answer is A P Abdullahkutty.

• He is the national vice president of the BJP and a former Member of Parliament.
• The committee also includes two women named Munnawari Begum from Tamil Nadu and Mafuja Khatun from West Bengal who have been selected as its vice-chairpersons.

Q.10. Who has been appointed as MD and CEO of Future Generali India Life Insurance (FGILI)?

Correct Answer is Bruce de Broize.

• He takes over from Miranjit Mukherjee who served as interim CEO since September 2021.
• He was the Regional Head of Distribution for Generali Asia based in Hong Kong for over five years.

Q.11. Who has been appointed as a chairperson of National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) for 2022-23?

Correct Answer is Krishnan Ramanujam.

• He is a Senior Executive at TCS. He was the Vice-Chairperson of the body.
• He succeeds Rekha M Menon (Accenture's Senior Managing Director in India), who served as the Chairperson for 2021-22.

Q.12. Who has been appointed as the chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) for a second time?

Correct Answer is Vijay Sampla.

• He resigned as the NCSC chairman ahead of the Punjab elections and had contested elections.
• He is an eminent Dalit politician from Punjab, who began his political career in 1998 as the Sarpanch of Sofipind village in Jalandhar Cantonment.

Q.13. Who has been appointed as an advisor of Online lending platform, Indifi Technologies?

Correct Answer is Former chairman of SBI, Rajnish Kumar.

• Presently, he sits on the boards of HSBC Asia Pacific, L&T Infotech, Hero MotoCorp and BharatPe.
• As an advisor, he will engage with the management on the company's growth strategy and provide guidance in the financial services sector.

Q.14. Who has been appointed as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from May 1?

Correct Answer is Lieutenant General Baggavalli Somashekar Raju .

• He was an alumnus of Sainik School Bijapur and National Defence Academy and commissioned in the Jat Regiment on December 15, 1984.
• He had commanded a battalion during Operation Parakram in the Western Theatre and J&K.