Daily GK Update- 1st February 2024 Current Affairs

                   Current Affairs

                                              National Affairs

Five New Ramsar Sites have been added to the list of Ramsar Sites.

• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav said on the eve of World Wetlands Day 2024, that India has increased its tally of Ramsar sites (Wetlands of International Importance) to 80 from the existing 75.

         Five New Ramsar Sites

• Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve-Karnataka
• Aghanashini Estuary-Karnataka
• Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve-Karnataka
• Karaivetti Bird sanctuary-Tamil Nadu
• Longwood Shola Reserve Forest-Tamil Nadu

Jharkhand Hemant Soren resigns as Chief Minister.

• After his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, the Jharkhand Chief Minister resigned from the post of Chief Minister.
• Champai Soren is going to be the new chief minister of Jharkhand.

                                       International Affairs

China becomes the largest gold consumer replacing India.

• China pipped India as the top gold consumer of the world in 2023 with Beijing's demand for jewellery rising by 10 percent and investment by 28 percent.
• Releasing Gold Demand Trends for 2023 and Q4 2023, the World Gold Council (WGC), a body of gold producers, said China was the main engine of growth.

Ibrahim Iskandar becomes the new King of Malaysia.

• Ibrahim Johar, the current ruler of the Malaysian state Johar has become the new King of Malaysia.
• Under the nation's unique system, the heads of the nine royal families take turns to be the King, known as the "Yang di-Pertuan Agong" every five years.

                                                   Economy

Interim Budget 2024 is to be presented today.

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present Interim Budget 2024 today on 1st February.
• This year's full budget will not be presented because, in the year of the general elections of Lok Sabha, the full budget is not presented.

Ajay Narayn Jha has been appointed as the 4th member of the Finance Commission.

• Former Finance and Expenditure Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha, who was also a member of the 15th Finance Commission, has been appointed as a full-time member.
• He has been appointed along with Annie George Mathew, former Special Secretary in the Department of Expenditure, and Niranjan Rajadhyaksha, Executive Director of Artha Global.

1. How many Ramsar Sites (Wetlands of International Importance) does India now have?

(a) 55

(b) 70

(c) 75

(d) 80

Answer- 80

2. Who resigned as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate?

(a) Raghubar Das

(b) Hemant Soren

(c) Babulal Marandi

(d) Shibu Soren

Answer- Hemant Soren

3. Which country surpassed India to become the world's largest gold consumer in 2023?

(a) Russia

(b) China

(c) United States

(d) Australia

Answer- China

4. Who was appointed as the 4th member of the Finance Commission in India?

(a) Shaktikanta Das

(b) Raghuram Rajan

(c) Ajay Narayan Jha

(d) Arvind Subramanian

Answer- Ajay Narayan Jha

5. What is the theme for World Wetlands Day 2024?

(a) “Wetlands for Climate Change”

(b) “Wetlands for Sustainable Development”

(c) “Wetlands for Biodiversity”

(d) “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing”

Answer- “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing”