Home Page > Current Affairs > 17th March 2023

Daily Current Affairs and MCQs for March 16th, 2023

By Prishth || March 17, 2023, 12:16 IST

Stay informed and test your knowledge with our daily current affairs and MCQs for March 17th, 2023. Download the PDF and challenge yourself with our MCQs on a range of topics, from politics to sports. Perfect for students and exam preparation. Stay ahead of the game - Read now.

Welcome to the Daily Current Affairs page for March 17th, where we provide you with the latest updates on national and international news. Here are the key highlights for March 17th 2023, followed by some multiple-choice questions based on the current affairs:

Click Here: Download Current Affairs For March 17th In PDF Format

1. India's milk production increased to 221.06 million tonnes in FY22

• India's milk production increased by 5% to 221.06 million tonnes in 2021-22.
• Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying Parshottam Rupala launched an annual publication called 'Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2022.'
• Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh are the top five major milk-producing states.
  

2. An MoU was signed between the Ministry of Steel and selected companies under the PLI scheme. 

• Ministry of Steel signed MoUs with selected companies under the Production-linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for specialty steel in New Delhi.
• 27 companies signed a total of 57 MoUs during the event.
• Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasized that India has become the center of growth for the future of the steel industry and will play a seminal role in the next two decades in this sector.
  

3. President of India presented the President's Flag (President's Colour) to INS Dronacharya.

• President Droupadi Murmu presented the President's Colour to INS Dronacharya, Indian Navy's gunnery school at Fort Kochi.
• Speaking on the occasion, the President highlighted the critical role of maritime strength to India's strategic, military, economic, and commercial interests.
  

4. A joint commemorative postage stamp has been launched by India-Luxembourg

• The Postage Stamp symbolises the long standing and strong ties between India and Luxembourg.
• India and Luxembourg have been cooperating in the steel sector for two decades, with the Paul Worth company of Luxembourg working in India as part of this partnership.
• The partnership between India and Luxembourg across various fields demonstrates their commitment to strengthening their friendship and exploring future opportunities for cooperation.
  

5. Deepak Mohanty appointed as chairperson of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)

• Deepak Mohanty has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA).
• The appointment will be effective from the date of assumption of charge till he attains the age of 65 years or until further orders.
•  Before this, Mohanty was the Whole-Time Member (Economics) of PFRDA for two years, overseeing areas of development and regulation of pension funds.
  

6. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has been granted the 'Governor of the Year' Award at Central Banking Awards 2023.

• Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das awarded 'Governor of the Year' award for 2023 by Central Banking.
• Das awarded for leading the financial markets through pandemic and the Ukraine war.
• Former governor Raghuram Rajan was the first Indian to receive this award in 2015.
• Das helped steer the Indian economy through multiple obstacles since his appointment in December 2019.
• Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war were the two major tests he faced.
  

7.  AgriUnifest has been inaugurated by Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar in Bengaluru. 

• Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the 5-day cultural program "AgriUnifest" in Bangalore.
• The event was organized by Bangalore Agricultural University in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• The program was a part of the All India Inter Agricultural University Youth Festival developed by ICAR to integrate Indian agriculture by bridging different Indian cultures.
• More than 2500 students from 60 Agricultural Universities participated in 18 competitions showcasing their talents in Music, Dance, Literature, Theatre, and Fine Arts.
  

Click Here: Download Current Affairs For March 17th In PDF Format

8. Assam Finance Minister presented a Rs 935.23 crore deficit budget for the 2023-24 financial year. 

• Assam finance minister Ajanta Neog presented a state budget of Rs 3.21 lakh crore for the 2023 fiscal on March 16.
• The budget aims to generate employment and has a deficit of Rs 935.23 crore by the end of the 2023-24 fiscal.
• The state's GDP is estimated to grow from Rs 3.93 lakh crore in 2021-22 to Rs 5.5 lakh crore in 2023-24 according to Neog's budget speech.
  

9. Indian Navy is participating in 'Sea Dragon 23' exercise.

• 'Exercise Sea Dragon 23' is the third edition of the coordinated multi-lateral anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise for long-range maritime reconnaissance (MR) ASW aircraft.
• Indian Navy's P-8I aircraft arrived at Guam, USA on March 14 for 'Exercise Sea Dragon 23'
• The exercise is conducted by the United States Navy from March 15 to March 30
• The exercise aims to achieve high levels of coordination between the friendly navies based on their shared values and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific
• The participating countries will focus on coordinated anti-submarine warfare and test the capabilities of participating aircraft in tracking simulated and live underwater targets while also sharing mutual expertise.
  

10. RBI and Central Bank of UAE inked MoU to promote innovation in financial products and services

• RBI and CBUAE signed a MoU to enhance cooperation and enable innovation in financial products and services.
• The MoU was signed on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.
• The two central banks will collaborate on various emerging areas of FinTech, especially CBDCs.
• They will explore interoperability between the CBDCs of CBUAE and RBI.
  

11. Two consecutive successful flight tests of Very Short Range Air Defence System missile have been conducted.

• DRDO conducted two successful flight tests of Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile at Chandipur, Odisha on March 14.
•  The missile is designed to provide short-range air defense against aerial threats like helicopters and aircraft.
• DRDO is India's premier research and development organization responsible for military research and development.
  

12. Svaya Robotics developed exoskeleton, the first indigenous quadruped robot in India.

• Hyderabad-based Svaya Robotics has designed India's first quadruped robot and wearable exoskeleton in collaboration with DRDO Labs and Defense Bio-engineering & Electro Medical Laboratory.
• The robots are technology demonstrators that are being brought to India from the United States and Switzerland to support the country's defense needs.
• The development of these robots will help to bolster India's defense capabilities.
  

IMPORTANT MCQs FOR 16^th MARCH 2023

1. Who has been awarded the 'Governor of the Year' Award at Central Banking Awards 2023?

a) Raghuram Rajan

b) Narendra Modi

c) Shaktikanta Das

d) Ajanta Neog

Answer: c) Shaktikanta Das

Explanation: The AgriUnifest cultural program was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar in Bengaluru. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

2. Which of the following was the first Indian to receive the 'Governor of the Year' Award?

a) Narendra Modi

b) Ajanta Neog

c) Raghuram Rajan

d) Shaktikanta Das

Answer: c) Raghuram Rajan

3. Which Indian city hosted the 5-day cultural program "AgriUnifest"?

a) Bengaluru

b) Mumbai

c) Chennai

d) Delhi

Answer: a) Bengaluru

4. Which country is conducting the 'Sea Dragon 23' exercise?

a) India

b) USA

c) Australia

d) UK

Answer: b) USA

5. Which organization developed India's first quadruped robot and wearable exoskeleton?

a) DRDO

b) Svaya Robotics

c) Defense Bio-engineering & Electro Medical Laboratory

d) Brookings Institution

Answer: b) Svaya Robotics

6. What is the total milk production of India in the fiscal year 2021-22?

Answer: (c) 221.06 million tonnes

Solution: India's milk production increased by 5% to 221.06 million tonnes in 2021-22. This increase in production is attributed to the government's efforts to promote dairy farming and increase milk productivity, particularly in the top five major milk-producing states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.

7.  How many MoUs were signed under the PLI scheme for specialty steel during the event in New Delhi?

Answer: (b) 57

Solution: The Ministry of Steel signed MoUs with selected companies under the Production-linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for specialty steel in New Delhi. A total of 27 companies signed

57 MoUs during the event. This scheme aims to promote domestic manufacturing of high-grade specialty steel and increase the country's self-reliance in this sector.

8.    Who presented the President's Colour to INS Dronacharya, Indian Navy's gunnery school at Fort Kochi?

Answer: (a) President Droupadi Murmu

Solution: President Droupadi Murmu presented the President's Colour to INS Dronacharya, Indian Navy's gunnery school at Fort Kochi. The President highlighted the critical role of maritime strength to India's strategic, military, economic, and commercial interests in her speech on the occasion.

9. Who has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA)?

Answer: (a) Deepak Mohanty

Solution: Deepak Mohanty has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority (PFRDA). He was previously the Whole-Time Member (Economics) of PFRDA for two years, where he oversaw the development and regulation of pension funds. This appointment is expected to boost the growth of the pension industry in India.

10. What does the joint commemorative postage stamp launched by India-Luxembourg symbolize?

Answer: (b) The long-standing and strong ties between India and Luxembourg

Solution: India and Luxembourg launched a joint commemorative postage stamp that symbolizes the long-standing and strong ties between the two countries. They have been cooperating in the steel sector for two decades, with Luxembourg's Paul Worth company working in India as part of this partnership.