Best PSC / PCS / STATE PCS online Current Affairs

Current Affairs JULY-2020

Showing 61 - 80 of 236 entries

61. Which Indian state/UT has launched a plantation drive called ‘Paudhe Lagao, Paryavaran Bachao’ (Plant Saplings, Save Environment)?

A
Sikkim

B
West Bengal

C
New Delhi

D
Jharkhand

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [New Delhi]

Explaination : [The Union Territory of Delhi has announced that a plantation drive called ‘Paudhe Lagao, Paryavaran Bachao’ (Plant Saplings, Save Environment). As per the Environment Ministry, Delhi is to launch a 17-day long plantation drive of 31 lakh saplings, to increase the green cover to 350 sq km by 2021. The aim of the drive is to create awareness about increasing green cover to reduce pollution in the UT. The period of the drive will be observed as “Vrikshaaropan Pakhavaada”. ]

62. ‘Dharma Chakra Parvattana’ is a famous celebration of which religion?

A
Jainism

B
Buddhism

C
Hinduism

D
Sikhism

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Buddhism]

Explaination : [‘Dharma Chakra Parvattana’ is a famous celebration of Buddhism, which commemorates Gautam Buddha’s first discourse to his first five disciples at Sarnath. The International Buddhist Confederation, under the Ministry of Culture, celebrates Ashadha Poornima as Dharma Chakra Day. The Prime Minister has recently conveyed his greetings on Ashadha Poornima, also known as Guru Purnima. ]

63. What is the name of the free video-conferencing application, launched by Reliance Jio?

A
JioMeet

B
Vande Bharat

C
Hello India

D
Jio Zoom

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [JioMeet]

Explaination : [Reliance Industries has recently launched a new video conferencing application named ‘JioMeet’, as a competition to the popular video conferencing app Zoom. The JioMeet video conferencing app is available across all play stores and web. As per the statement of Reliance Jio, the application supports High Definition audio and video call quality. It allows a maximum of 100 participants and unlike Zoom, it does not have a restricted meeting time of 40 minutes. ]

64. What is the rank of India in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index?

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [117]

Explaination : [The Sustainable Development Report 2020 has been released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Bertelsmann Stiftung. In this year’s edition of the report, Sweden has topped the SDG rankings with a score of 84.7. It is followed by Denmark and Finland. India is placed at 117th rank with a score of 61.9. The countries are ranked based on their implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in terms of six broad transformations. ]

65. Which is the first Indian state to provide LPG connections to all its households?

A
Gujarat

B
Himachal Pradesh

C
Andhra Pradesh

D
Odisha

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Himachal Pradesh]

Explaination : [Himachal Pradesh has recently become the first state in the country to provide LPG connections to all its households. The state has been implementing ‘Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana’ scheme for implementing this objective. Under the scheme, around 2.76 lakh families in the state have benefitted by receiving LPG connections. The state also implemented Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana to provide free LPG connection to BPL families. ]

66. Indian Coast Guard has signed an MoU with its counterpart of which country, to boost maritime relations?

A
Japan

B
Indonesia

C
France

D
Sri Lanka

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Indonesia]

Explaination : [A MoU has recently been signed between the Indian Coast Guard and Indonesia Coast Guard, to boost maritime relations. This agreement will enhance the partnership between the two countries in the fields of maritime law enforcement, search and rescue and pollution response. The Coast guards of the two countries would be engaged in exchange of information for reducing maritime crimes. ]

67. The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) works under which Union Ministry?

A
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

B
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

C
Ministry of AYUSH

D
Ministry of MSME

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Ministry of AYUSH]

Explaination : [The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) was established by the Union Government in the year 2000. It works under the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha & Homeopathy (AYUSH). Recently, NMPB has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, NBPGR, to conserve Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Genetic Resources. The resources would be conserved in the National Gene bank and or at Regional Stations. ]

68. An employee who earns a monthly salary of up to Rs 15,000 is mandatorily required to join which security scheme?

A
Employee Provident Fund

B
Atal Pension Yojana

C
National Pension Scheme

D
New Pension Scheme

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Employee Provident Fund]

Explaination : [An employee who earns a monthly salary of up to Rs 15,000 is mandatorily required to join the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) scheme. Union Cabinet has approved extension of EPF contribution of 24% i.e., employees share of 12% and employers share of 12%, for another 3 months till August 2020. Under the AtmaNirbhar Yojana, the Government had earlier proposed to make the 24% contribution. This will cost Rs 4680 crore to the Government. ]

69. A commercial communication satellite named ‘APStar-6D’ was launched from which country, using its flagship Long March rocket?

A
United States

B
China

C
Russia

D
Israel

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [China]

Explaination : [A commercial communication satellite named ‘APStar-6D’ has been recently launched by China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC). It is developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and was launched using the variant of the country’s Long March rocket. This new satellite can provide a communication capacity of at least 50Gbps, as per sources. ]

70. Which is the first Arab country, to plan for its Mars orbiter mission?

A
United Arab Emirates

B
Kuwait

C
Qatar

D
Saudi Arabia

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [United Arab Emirates]

Explaination : [The United Arab Emirates has recently announced its plans to send its first Mars mission and it has become the first Arab country to do so. Until now, only the United States, India, USSR and the European Space Agency have successfully sent their Mars orbiter missions. China is in the process of launching its first Mars rover. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is heading the Mars project of the UAE.]

71. What is the name of the tropical Storm, that has made heavy rains, flood and landfall in New Jersey?

A
Franklin

C
Freeze

D
Fana

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Fay]

Explaination : [The tropical Storm Fay has created heavy rains and floods and has made landfall in New Jersey, before it weakened and moved over the region. As per the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the storm was moving north at 27 kph and producing top sustained winds of 64 kph. The storm created landfall along the coast of New Jersey. Several beaches in the place were closed and flash flooding is also expected. ]

72. When is Malala Day celebrated every year?

A
July 12

B
July 13

C
July 14

D
July 15

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [July 12]

Explaination : [The United Nations declared July 12 as ‘Malala Day’ every year, to honour the sixteen-year old Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who was advocating the promotion of education of girls. On the same day in 2013, she delivered an inspiring speech at the United Nations (UN) headquarters on the need for gender equality in education. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate has recently completed her degree at the Oxford University. ]

73. WWF and Fauna & Flora International (FFI) have warned about the change in which country’s law on commercial farming of endangered species?

A
India

B
China

C
Myanmar

D
Taiwan

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Myanmar]

Explaination : [International environmental conservation group, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Fauna & Flora International (FFI) have warned about the change in the law of Myanmar, which has allowed commercial farming of endangered species. The wildlife conservation groups have cautioned that the change may boost the demand for rare animals in the world and may create a parallel trade market. In June, Myanmar passed a law, which allowed private zoos to breed 90 wildlife species including endangered ones. ]

74. Which Indian state celebrates the birth anniversary of poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya as ‘Bhanu Jayanti’?

A
Sikkim

B
Assam

C
Meghalaya

D
Nagaland

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Sikkim]

Explaination : [The birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharya is celebrated as ‘Bhanu Jayanti’, in the state of Sikkim. The poet is revered in Nepali Literature as ‘Adikavi’ and he is said to have laid the foundation of the Nepali literature. He had also translated several religious scripts from Sanskrit to Nepali. The Governor Ganga Prasad and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang participated in the commemorative event. ]

75. Global payment tech leader VISA has partnered with which private bank to deploy VISA Secure for e-Commerce?

A
City Union Bank

B
Federal Bank

C
Karnataka Bank

D
Kotak Mahindra Bank

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Federal Bank]

Explaination : [Global leader in payments technology Visa has partnered with Federal Bank to deploy Visa Secure to the bank’s cardholders. Visa Secure is an authentication program that uses the latest standards of the EMV protocol. This upgraded technology will provide security to curb online frauds and quick check-out experience to the card-holders. ]

76. What is the target year set by the Indian Railways to achieve net zero carbon emission?

A
2025

B
2027

C
2030

D
2035

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [2030]

Explaination : [The Indian Railways has set the target to achieve net zero carbon emission by the year 2030. In order to achieve the target of becoming a Green Railways, it has accelerated the efforts. Some of its initiatives include Electrification of lines, improving energy efficiency of trains, green certification for stations, fitting bio toilets in coaches and switching to renewable sources of energy. Recently, a 1.7 mega watt plant at Bina in Madhya Pradesh in collaboration with BHEL has been installed. ]

77. As per the recommendation of the NITI Aayog, what is the percentage of recycled products to be used in large infrastructure projects?

A
5 per cent

B
10 per cent

C
25 per cent

D
50 per cent

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [25 per cent]

Explaination : [NITI Aayog has recommended that the Government of India should use 25 per cent use of recycled products in large infrastructure projects to promote secondary products across India. The chief executive officer of Niti Aayog, Amitabh Kant announced that the recycled products including metals, plastics and paper will promote secondary products that are now hardly found in our country. India levies 2.5 per cent customs duty on the scrap while importing. ]

78. Which state is the top investment destination in India in first quarter of 2019-20, as per Projects Today?

A
Maharashtra

B
Tamil Nadu

C
Gujarat

D
Karnataka

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Tamil Nadu]

Explaination : [According to a survey by Projects Today, an online database of projects, Tamil Nadu is the top investment destination in India in first quarter of 2019-20. The investment flow in the state amounts to Rs 18,236 crore, which is around 18.63 per cent of the total fresh investment. The state has signed as many as 17 agreements in May 2020. It is followed by Maharashtra with investment flow of Rs 11,229 crore. ]

79. Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) is located in which state?

A
Sikkim

B
Assam

C
Manipur

D
Meghalaya

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Assam]

Explaination : [Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) is located in the state of Assam. Assam is witnessing heavy floods, which has affected around 40 lakh people. The Tiger reserve, which is also a UNESO World Heritage site, remains submerged in water, due to the heavy floods. As many as 86 animals have died, including rhinoceros, deer and wild boar. This year’s flood is said to be the sixth worst flood since 1988. ]

80. ‘Plasma Donation Campaign’ has been organised in which Indian state/UT?

A
Maharashtra

B
New Delhi

C
Madhya Pradesh

D
Kerala

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [New Delhi]

Explaination : [Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has flagged off a ‘Plasma Donation Campaign’ at AIIMS, New Delhi. The campaign programme was co-organized by Delhi Police. As many as 26 police personnel who had recovered from COVID-19 volunteered to donate blood plasma. New Delhi has recently inaugurated the first Plasma bank of the country. ]