PIB

24*7
29th – 30th April 2024
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Q1: Which port has recently received approval from the

Ministry of Ports and Shipping to operate as India's first full-
fledged deepwater transshipment port?
[a] Deendayal (Kandla) Port
[b] Cochin
[c] Chennai
[d] Paradip
[e] Vizhinjam Port

Solution: [e]
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Vizhinjam Port approved as

India’s 1st transshipment
port
What: The Ministry of Ports and
Shipping has recently approved Adani
Group’s Vizhinjam Port to operate as a
transshipment port. It will be India's first
full-fledged deepwater transshipment
port.
Why: To enhance India’s global trade
footprint and reduce reliance on foreign
ports for cargo handling.
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About Transshipment Port

• This is a crucial hub where cargo is transferred from one big
vessel to several smaller ones before they reach the final port of
discharge.

• Approximately 75% of India’s transshipment cargo is currently

processed at ports overseas, with destinations such as Colombo
(Sri Lanka), Singapore, and Klang (Malaysia) handling about 85%
of this cargo.
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About Vizhinjam Port

• Ownership: It is fully owned by the Kerala government and is

being built by Adani Vizhinjam Ports Private Ltd, a subsidiary of
Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd.
▪ APSEZ is India’s largest private-sector port operator.

• Location: It is strategically located around 10 nautical miles from

the key international shipping route connecting Europe and the
Persian Gulf with East Asia.
▪ Through this route around 30% of global maritime cargo
passes.
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About Vizhinjam Port

• Launch Year: It was launched in 2015 by APSEZ to create a

deepwater port to handle large volumes of cargo.
▪ It is expected to be fully operational by May 2024.
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Q2: Which sector has been recently granted Authorised

Economic Operator (AEO) status by the Ministry of
Finance?
[a] Sea Food
[b] Gems and Jewellery
[c] Petroleum
[d] Critical Minerals
[e] Space

Solution: [b]
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Authorised Economic
Operator status
What: The Ministry of Finance has
recently extended Authorised Economic
Operator (AEO) status to the Gem and
Jewellery Sector.
Why:
• To integrate India’s gem and Jewellery
sector into global trade frameworks
• To simplify export operations and
reduce the cost and time burdens on
exporters of this sector.
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About Authorised Economic Operator

(AEO) Status
• Objective: To enhance international supply chain security and
facilitate the movement of legitimate goods.

• Launch Year: 2007

• It is a program under the World Customs Organisation (WCO)

SAFE Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate global
trade.
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About Authorised Economic Operator

(AEO) Status
• Under it, an entity engaged in international trade is approved by
the Customs as compliant with supply chain security standards
and granted AEO status and certain benefits.

• Entities granted AEO status are recognized as 'secure' traders and

reliable trading partners.
▪ This status affords them benefits such as expedited clearance
times, fewer examinations, and improved security and
communication with supply chain partners.
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India’s AEO Programme

• It was introduced as pilot project in 2011 by the Customs

Department, Ministry of Finance as part of a broader framework
for ease of doing business.

• It is a voluntary compliance programme, sync with India’s

commitments made under World Trade Organisation Trade
Facilitation Agreement Facility (TFA)

• First AEO Certified Company in Gem and Jewellery Sector: Asian

Star, a prominent diamond and jewellery manufacturer
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[a] 1 and 3 Only Q3: Recently, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited
[b] 1 and 2 Only (IREDA) has been granted Navratna status by the Department of Public
Enterprises, Ministry of Finance. Which of the following benefits will
[c] 1, 2 and 3 Only
IREDA get after receiving this coveted status?
[d] 2, 3 and 4 Only
(1) It can invest up to Rs. 1,000 crores without seeking approval from
[e] All of the above the central government
(2) It can incur capital expenditure on the purchase of new items or for
replacement, without any monetary ceiling
(3) It can invest up to 15% of their net worth on a single project, or 30%
of their net worth in a given year, subject to a cap of Rs. 1,000 crores
(4) It has now a free hand to enter into technology joint ventures or
strategic alliances

Solution: [e]
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IREDA granted Navratna

Status
What: The Department of Public Enterprises,
Ministry of Finance has recently granted
Navratna status to Indian Renewable Energy
Development Agency Limited (IREDA).
• With this, the total number of Navratna
Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs) has
increased to 17.

▪ NOTE: Earlier in April 2024, Housing &

Urban Development Corporation Ltd
(HUDCO) and National Fertilizers
Limited (NFL) were granted this
status.
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About Navratna status

• The government categorizes all Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs)
into three categories, namely Maharatna, Navratna, and
Miniratna.

• Navratna is a status given to certain PSEs in India that are

considered to be Navratnas, or "nine jewels."
▪ It was first given to a set of 9 Central PSEs in 1997.

• Criteria: CPSE is eligible to be considered for a grant of Navratna

status if it meets the following criteria.
▪ It must report a net profit of more than Rs 5,000 crore for
three consecutive years, and maintain an average annual
turnover of Rs 25,000 crore for three years, or have an annual
average net worth of over Rs 15,000 crore for three years.
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About Navratna status

▪ Miniratna I, Schedule 'A’, has obtained 'excellent' or 'very
good' MOU rating in 3 of the last 5 years and has composite
score of 60 or above in the following 6 selected performance
indicators
1. Net Profit to Net worth
2. Manpower Cost to Total Cost of Production or Cost of
Services
3. Profit before depreciation, interest and tax (PBDIT) to
Capital employed
4. PBIT to Turnover
5. Earnings Per Share
6. Inter-Sectoral Performance
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Benefits of Navratna status

• Navratna CPSEs can invest up to Rs. 1,000 crores without seeking
approval from the central government.

• They are also allowed to invest up to 15% of their net worth on a

single project, or 30% of their net worth in a given year, subject to
a cap of Rs. 1,000 crore.

• They are allowed to incur capital expenditure on the purchase of

new items or for replacement, without any monetary ceiling.

• They are also given a free hand to enter into technology joint
ventures or strategic alliances.
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Q4: Which Public Sector Enterprise has recently availed a

Green Loan of Japanese Yen (JPY) 60.536 billion to
finance eligible green projects in India?
[a] NTPC
[b] ONGC
[c] REC
[d] CIL
[e] NHPC

Solution: [c]
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Q5: Where has India’s first Multi-purpose (Combined Heat &

Power) Green Hydrogen Pilot Project been inaugurated
recently?
[a] Odisha
[b] Tamil Nadu
[c] Haryana
[d] Himachal Pradesh
[e] Karnataka

Solution: [d]
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Q6: With which Ministry has the Indian Air Force recently
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
integrate the DigiLocker platform?
[a] Ministry of Education
[b] Ministry of Science and Technology
[c] Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
[d] Ministry of Communications
[e] Ministry of Home Affairs

Solution: [c]
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Q7: Which country recently hosted the Shanghai

Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’
Meeting, endorsing India’s ‘One Earth, One Family, One
Future’?
[a] Iran
[b] China
[c] Russia
[d] Turkmenistan
[e] Kazakhstan

Solution: [e]
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Q8: The Central Government has recently allowed the

export of 99,150 MT of onion to six countries Bangladesh,
UAE, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka. Which of
the following is the nodal agency for the export of onion to
the countries?
[a] NCEL
[b] NCCF
[c] NAFED
[d] NABARD
[e] GMMF

Solution: [a]
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Q9: Which PSU has recently signed an MoU with Norwegian

company M/s Ocean Sun for the implementation of floating
solar energy technology in India?
[a] IREDA
[b] REC
[c] NTPC
[d] CIL
[e] NHPC

Solution: [e]
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Q10: Which Bank recently launched the Integrated

Pensioners’ Portal – Bhavishya Portal of the Department of
Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare to ensure ease of living for
pensioners?
[a] State Bank of India
[b] Bank of India
[c] ICICI Bank
[d] HDFC Bank
[e] Bandhan Bank

Solution: [b]