Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2023

Notes:
Paytm Payments Bank has become the first platform to launch UPI LITE payments, to enable quick and seamless transactions of up to Rs 200 without having to enter a PIN to make a payment.
UPI LITE is enabled by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and it aids users to carry out multiple small-value UPI transactions without using a PIN.

Notes:
India ranks 42nd among 55 leading global economies in the International Intellectual Property Index report released by the U.S. Chambers of Commerce.
India was at the 40th rank in the year 2021. The report covers patent and copyright laws, ability to monetise IP assets and the ratification of international agreements. Morocco and Thailand at 2.5% each and Vietnam at 2.02% had the largest improvements in their overall score.

Notes:
India’s indigenously-made light combat aircraft Tejas will be participating in an international multilateral air exercise named Exercise Desert Flag VIll.
It is hosted by the UAE, which will see participation from the air forces of the UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, the UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, Republic of Korea, and the US. As per the Indian Air Force, five LCA Tejas and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft would take part.

Notes:
The Indian Air Force contingent comprising 145 Air Warriors is participating in Exercise Cobra Warrior in United Kingdom.
The Exercise Cobra Warrior is a multilateral Air exercise in which Air Forces from Finland, Sweden, South Africa, United States of America and Singapore would also be participating alongside Royal Air Force and IAF.

Notes:
The Indian High Commission in London opened its visa application process for U.K. nationals to apply for the new Young Professionals Scheme (YPS).
Under the reciprocal scheme signed between India and UK at the G20 summit in Indonesia last November, Indian and British nationals aged between 18 and 30 can apply to live and work in either country for a period of up to two years.

Notes:
The ‘Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission’ was launched in the year 2021, to connect digital health solutions of various hospitals with each other.
A milestone has been achieved under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), as over 25 crore health records have been successfully linked to the Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts.

Notes:
The 47th Civil Accounts Day is observed on March 1, 2023. The day marks the foundation of the Indian Civil Accounts Service in New Delhi’s Dr. Ambedkar International Centre.
The Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) was established in 1976 after separating the maintenance of accounts of the Union Government from audit.

Notes:
Rajesh Malhotra, a 1989-batch Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, was appointed as the Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau.
He has taken over the position after the superannuation of Satyendra Prakash. Previously, Rajesh Malhotra had been working in Ministry of Finance since January 2018.

Notes:
The SAMARTH (Scheme for Capacity Building in Textiles Sector) scheme is an umbrella skilling initiative that aims to provide incentives and create jobs in the textile industry.
It will be implemented until March 2024. The Indian Government is planning to rope in more industry partners to boost skill development under the SAMARTH scheme. This initiative is part of the steps taken by the government to make the textile sector worth 250 billion USD by the end of this decade from the present 150-155 billion USD.

Notes:
Race Across India is Asia’s longest ever cycle race. It was kicked off recently from Srinagar in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The final destination of this first-of-its-kind race is Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu covering a distance of 3,655 kilometres. Geeta Rao is the only female participant in this race, which is being participated by 29 cyclists. She is India’s first differently-abled Super Randonneur.