Best PSC / PCS / STATE PCS online Current Affairs

Current Affairs Aug-2020

Showing 21 - 40 of 222 entries

21. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has permitted registration of which type of vehicle without pre fitted batteries?

A
Electric Vehicles

B
Solar operated Vehicles

C
Auto Rickshaws

D
Defence Vehicles

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Electric Vehicles]

Explaination : [The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has permitted registration of Electric Vehicles without pre-fitted batteries. The ministry has stated that Electric Vehicles without batteries can be sold and registered only with the type approval certificate issued by the Test Agency. Also, the Ministry has clarified that there is no need to mention any other details of the Battery for the purpose of Registration.]

22. The PM SVANidhi scheme that has crossed a loan sanction mark of 1 lakh, has been launched by which Ministry?

A
Ministry of Finance

B
Ministry of Rural Development

C
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

D
Ministry of Agriculture

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs]

Explaination : [Under the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar Nidhi (SVANidhi) Scheme which was launched by Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, the number of loans sanctioned by Financial Institutions has crossed 1 lakh mark. The scheme facilitates sanction of collateral free working capital loans up to Rs.10,000 of 1-year term to street vendors. The scheme has been launched as a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Financial Assistance Package for COVID 19.]

23. What documentary films were screened by the Films Division, to mark the celebration of Independence Day?

A
Vice Roy’s House and Mangal Pandey

B
The legend of Bhagat Sigh and Chittagong

C
India Wins Freedom and India Independent

D
India Untouched and Gulabi Gang

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [India Wins Freedom and India Independent]

Explaination : [At the 74th Independence Day celebration on 15th August 2020, the Films Division would screen two documentary films – ‘India wins Freedom’ and ‘India Independent’. Apart from the above 2 films, 14 selected films on Independence movement were showcased in the “Online Patriotic Film Festival” being organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting from 7th Aug 2020 to 21st Aug 2020 in www.cinemasofindia.com.]

24. The resolution of which country to extend a ban of Arms on Iran, was rejected by the UN Security Council?

A
Russia

B
France

C
United States

D
China

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [United States]

Explaination : [The United Nations Security Council has rejected a resolution made by the United States to extend a ban of Arms on Iran. Only the Dominican Republic supported the proposal of the United States in the 15-member UN Security Council. Russia and China opposed the proposal while Germany, France, the UK and eight other member countries abstained from voting. ]

25. Which organisation to establish a “Centre of excellence” in Uttar Pradesh Defence corridor?

A
DRDO

B
Indian Navy

C
ONGC

D
NHAI

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Indian Navy]

Explaination : [Indian Navy has signed a deal with Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) for setting up a “Centre of excellence”. The Centre of excellence is to come up in the Defence corridor of Uttar Pradesh. The centre of excellence would provide solutions to the problems and challenges of the Indian Navy. The centre is proposed to be established with the help of IIT, BHU and other prominent institutions of the country.]

26. Who has been appointed as the Director General of Border Security Force?

A
Rakesh Asthana

B
Nageswara Rao

C
Rishi Kumar Shukla

D
Ranjit Sinha

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Rakesh Asthana]

Explaination : [IPS officer Rakesh Asthana has been appointed as the Director General of Border Security Force (BSF). The incumbent head RK Shukla is set to retire in February 2020. Prior to this appointment, he was the head of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security since January 2019. SS Deswal is set to replace him in the said post. Asthana was a 1984-batch IPS Officer and a former official of the Central Bureau of Investigation.]

27. Which organization has built a 180 feet bridge in Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand in a short span of 3 weeks?

A
Indian Army

B
National Highways Authority of India

C
Boarder Roads Organization

D
Larsen and Toubro

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Boarder Roads Organization]

Explaination : [A 180-feet Bailey bridge in Jauljibi sector of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand has been constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), amidst frequent landslides and heavy rains. The 50-metre span concrete bridge was damaged in the month of July as the area was hit by a cloud burst. The bridge construction by BRO will help around 15,000 people in 20 villages of the district.]

28. Manduadih railway station, that was renamed as ‘Banaras’, is located in which state?

A
Bihar

B
Uttar Pradesh

C
Jharkhand

D
Uttarakhand

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Uttar Pradesh]

Explaination : [The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has recently approved to rename the Manduadih railway station in Uttar Pradesh as ‘Banaras’. The state government of Uttar Pradesh had earlier sent a request to the Home Ministry for renaming the railway station in its Varanasi district. The Home Ministry issued a no-objection certificate after consulting with the Ministry of Railways, Department of Posts and Survey of India. ]

29. Which organisation is deploying ‘Ninja’ unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance?

A
Indian Space Research Organisation

B
Defence Research and Development Organisation

C
Railway Protection Force

D
Indo Tibetan Border Police Force

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Railway Protection Force]

Explaination : [Indian railways has announced that it has procured ‘Ninja Unmanned Aerial Vehicles’ (UAV) for surveillance operations. The Railway Protection Force is deploying the Ninja UAVs to improve monitoring and provide safety to railway assets and passengers. RPF has recently procured nine drones worth over Rs 30 lakh. It is to procure more drones shortly, which are capable of for real-time tracking and video streaming. ]

30. What is the expansion of ‘NRA’, that has been approved by the Cabinet, for conducting common entrance examinations?

A
New Recruitment Agency

B
National Recruitment Agency

C
New Recruitment Administration

D
National Rating Agency

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [National Recruitment Agency]

Explaination : [The Union Cabinet has recently approved to set up a new entity named ‘National Recruitment Agency (NRA)’ to carry out a national Common Entrance Test (CET). This exam would be a common screening test for non-gazetted vacancies in both departments of Central government and public sector organisations. It is to conduct first level tests currently conducted by agencies like SSC, RRB and IBPS among others.]

31. What is the name of the DRDO-certified device for disinfection of surfaces, launched by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari?

A
Aaradhya

B
Atulya

C
Abhimanyu

D
Akansha

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Atulya]

Explaination : [“Atulya” – a new device that can disinfect any premise in 30 seconds was unveiled by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari. The design of the device is certified by DRDO and is developed completely in India. It is portable and weighs about 3 kilograms. It can be used to disinfect any premise up to an area of 5 meters at a time. It can also be used to disinfect surfaces of home, office, boxes, furniture etc.]

32. Who has been posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra award, by the President of India?

A
Abdul Rashid Kalas

B
Krishan Singh Rawat

C
Anil Urs

D
Alok Kumar Dubey

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Abdul Rashid Kalas]

Explaination : [Indian President Ram Nath Kovind has approved 84 gallantry awards for Defence personnel. Abdul Rashid Kalas, Head Constable of Jammu and Kashmir Police has been posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra. The third highest gallantry award in peacetime, Shaurya Chakra has been awarded to nine Army personnel including Lt.Col. Krishan Singh Rawat, Major Anil Urs and Havildar Alok Kumar Dubey and IAF Wing Commander Vishak Nair. The President approved Sena Medal to 60 Army personnel, four Nao Sena Medal and five Vayu Sena Medal.]

33. India has extended technical response team and equipment to which country, to tackle its massive Oil spill?

A
Maldives

B
Mauritius

C
Philippines

D
Madagascar

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Mauritius]

Explaination : [A 10-member Technical Response Team and 30 tons of Technical Equipment are sent by India to assist Mauritius in its effort to contain oil spill. This has been done in response to the request by the Government of Mauritius. A Japanese ship named MV Wakashio, ran aground at Pointe d’Esny of Mauritius last month and oil began leaking from it. It is estimated that more than 1000 tons of oil leaked from the ship. Government of Mauritius has announced this as a National Emergency.]

34. What is the name of the mobile unit deployed by All India Institute of Ayurveda to provide door step health services to Delhi Police?

A
Ayurveda Rath

B
Dhanwantari Rath

C
Health on Wheels

D
Mobile Medic

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Dhanwantari Rath]

Explaination : [All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Delhi Police for providing door step Ayurvedic preventive health services to Delhi Police. The service which is supported by AYUSH Ministry, would be provided by a mobile unit of AIIA named ‘Dhanwantari Rath’. It would also be available in the Police Wellness Centers. This is a part of “AYURAKSHA”, a joint venture of AIIA & Delhi Police for maintaining the health of Delhi police personnel during the COVID 19 pandemic.]

35. Which State / UT has emerged as the top performer of PM SVA Nidhi scheme?

A
Delhi

B
Uttar Pradesh

C
Madhya Pradesh

D
Assam

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Madhya Pradesh]

Explaination : [Madhya Pradesh has sanctioned 58,476 loans to street vendors under Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atma-Nirbhar Scheme (PM SVA Nidhi). This makes Madhya Pradesh the top performing state under the scheme. More than 47% of the total sanctions in the country is made by Madhya Pradesh. Under the scheme, working capital loan of Rs.10000/- for a term of one year is given to street vendors, to resume their livelihoods.]

36. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has recently permitted a relaxation to which financial institutions, to inject liquidity into Discoms?

A
RBI and NABARD

B
PFC and REC

C
NTPC and NHPC

D
ONGC and GAIL

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [PFC and REC]

Explaination : [The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a one-time relaxation to Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) for extending loans to state-owned electricity distribution companies (Discoms). This measure has been made by the Government to inject liquidity into Discoms, as a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Scheme. As per the existing guidelines, Discoms can avail working capital loans equal to 25% of last year’s revenues, under UDAY scheme from PFC and REC. ]

37. Indian e-commerce company Flipkart is to expand its business to which country?

A
Sri Lanka

B
Nepal

C
Bangladesh

D
Japan

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Nepal]

Explaination : [Indian e-commerce company Flipkart has signed a strategic partnership with Nepal’s leading e-commerce company Sastodeal. This partnership will provide lakhs of sellers registered with Flipkart, an access to the e-commerce market of Nepal. Sastodeal will host more than 5,000 products from Flipkart sellers including the Flipkart Private Brands, MarQ and Smart Buy in various categories. ]

38. What is the new name of Religare Health Insurance Company Ltd?

A
Health Care Limited

B
Care Health Insurance Ltd

C
Regil Health Insurance Ltd

D
Union Health Insurance Ltd

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Care Health Insurance Ltd]

Explaination : [The name of the “Religare Health Insurance Company Ltd” which is a subsidiary of Religare Enterprises has been changed to “Care Health Insurance Ltd”. The change of name is effective from 19th August 2020. Religare Health Insurance was established by Religare enterprise limited, Union Bank of India and Corporation Bank in the year 2012. The company is headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana.]

39. Which country recorded an outbreak of West Nile Virus that causes West Nile Fever?

A
Germany

B
Spain

C
Uganda

D
Israel

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Spain]

Explaination : [Spain has recently reported an outbreak of West Nile Virus spread by mosquitos. It spreads due to mosquitoes and causes West Nile Fever. It has claimed the lives of two people in Spain and several people were admitted in hospital. It was originally discovered in Uganda in 1937. It was indigenous to Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia. This RNA virus belongs to the Flaviviridae family, which also has Zika virus, yellow fever virus and Dengue virus.]

40. Which Indian state announced that it would be the first to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020?

A
Madhya Pradesh

B
Karnataka

C
Gujarat

D
Uttar Pradesh

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Karnataka]

Explaination : [Karnataka has announced that it would be the first state to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka participated in the ‘Highlights of the National Education policy and its implementation’ workshop. He announced that the state has started to launch administrative reforms and amendments to implement the policy ]