Best PSC / PCS / STATE PCS online Current Affairs

Current Affairs JULY-2020

Showing 81 - 100 of 236 entries

81. Which country has launched its spacecraft to Mars named ‘Hope’?

A
Israel

B
North Korea

C
United Arab Emirates

D
China

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [United Arab Emirates]

Explaination : [The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the first Arab country to launch a spacecraft to Mars. In its first interplanetary mission, it has sent a car-sized spacecraft named ‘Hope’. UAE has sent the spacecraft from the space centre of Japan. After traversing the space, it will start orbiting around Mars to examine its weather. China is set to launch its Mars Mission on July 23. NASA is also to launch its Perseverance Mars rover to examine its hospitability. ]

82. In which state/UT, Zoram Mega Food Park has been inaugurated?

A
Assam

B
Mizoram

C
Arunachal Pradesh

D
Bihar

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Mizoram]

Explaination : [Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal has recently inaugurated the Zoram Mega Food Park at Kolasib in Mizoram. The Food Park that is built over 55 acres of land has entailed a cost of Rs 75 crore. It is expected to directly benefit over 25,000 farmers and provide ample employment opportunities. 37 Mega Food Parks have been approved in the last six years and 18 of them have started functioning. ]

83. What is the expansion of CCPA, which is related to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019?

A
Commission of Consumer Protection Authority

B
Central Consumer Protection Authority

C
Chief Consumer Protection Agency

D
Chief Consumer Products Agency

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Central Consumer Protection Authority]

Explaination : [The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 came in to force from 20 July. The act aims to establish the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA). CCPA will protect and enforce the rights of consumers, as it will be empowered to conduct investigations into violations of consumer rights. The authority can also institute complaints, order recall of unsafe goods and services, and impose penalties for misleading advertisements. ]

84. Which state/UT has approved Rs 25 lakhs insurance cover for all its Panchayat Members?

A
New Delhi

B
Jammu & Kashmir

C
Assam

D
Meghalaya

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Jammu & Kashmir]

Explaination : [The Jammu and Kashmir administration has approved insurance cover of ₹25 lakh to all panchayat members in the Union Territory. All elected BDC chairperson, sarpanches, panches and elected members of municipal bodies are covered in the event of death due to militancy. Last month, a sarpanch was shot dead by militants in south Kashmir. The UT also made an amendment to grant short-term permits to the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) on land up to 1 hectare, till September 30, 2021. ]

85. What is the rank of India in the Global Direct Selling –2019 Retail Sales report?

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [15]

Explaination : [The World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA) has released the Global Direct Selling –2019 Retail Sales report. As per the latest edition of the report, India’s direct selling industry has recorded sales of USD 2.47 billion in 2019, reporting a growth of 12.1 per cent. Due to the growth in sales, India has been ranked 15th in the report, from its previous year rank of 19. The list is topped by the US. In terms of the number of direct sellers, India is at 6th rank. ]

86. Which country has launched its Mars mission named Tianwen-1, in an attempt to land the spacecraft on Mars?

A
Russia

B
Germany

C
China

D
United Arab Emirates

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [China]

Explaination : [China has launched its most ambitious Mars mission, in an attempt to land the spacecraft on Mars. So far, only the United States has successfully landed a spacecraft on the soil of Mars. Tianwen-1 was launched on a Long March-5 carrier rocket from Hainan Island. It contains both an orbiter and a rover and will take about seven months to reach the red planet. It will investigate on underground water and evidences of any ancient life. Tianwen means ‘quest for heavenly truth’. ]

87. National Productivity Council (NPC) is an autonomous organisation functioning under which Union Ministry?

A
Ministry of Human Resources and Development

B
Ministry of Commerce & Industry

C
Ministry of MSME

D
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Ministry of Commerce & Industry]

Explaination : [National Productivity Council (NPC) is a national level autonomous organization under the administrative control of the Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, to promote productivity culture in India. Recently, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal chaired the 49th Governing Council Meeting of National Productivity Council (NPC). ]

88. Lazarus Chakwera has been elected as the President of which African country?

A
Zimbabwe

B
Malawi

C
Zambia

D
Mozambique

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Malawi]

Explaination : [The electoral commission of the East African country Malawi has declared opposition alliance leader. Lazarus Chakwera, as the winner of the country’s presidential re-election. The result of the previous May 2019 election has been declared invalid by the constitutional court, over allegations of irregularities. Lazarus Chakwera secured the required majority defeating the incumbent President Peter Mutharika, who has been in power since 2014. ]

89. Who has been conferred with the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to statistics?

A
D Subba Rao

B
C Rangarajan

C
Bimal Jalan

D
Y V Reddy

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [C Rangarajan]

Explaination : [Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor C Rangarajan has been conferred with the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to statistics. The award has been given to him on the occasion of Statistics Day, which is celebrated on June 29 every year, to commemorate the birth anniversary of PC Mahalanobis, the ‘father of Indian statistics’. C Rangarajan had served as the Chairman of the National Statistical Commission. ]

90. Which Indian institution has launched the world’s first online Bachelor of Science Degree in Data Science and programming?

A
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras

B
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay

C
Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

D
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras]

Explaination : [The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has launched the world’s first online Diploma and Bachelor of Science Degree in Data Science and programming. The course has no age limit and students who have passed class 12 can enrol. The course will be conducted online and its exams will be conducted in an offline mode. The course has three levels including the foundation, diploma and degree and it is divided into six semesters. ]

91. ‘Striped Hairstreak and Elusive Prince’ are the recently discovered species of which creature?

A
Turtle

B
Snake

C
Butterfly

D
Spider

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Butterfly]

Explaination : [Lepidopterists, those who specialises in studying moths and butterflies, have recently discovered two new species of butterflies namely Striped Hairstreak and Elusive Prince in Arunachal Pradesh. The Striped Hairstreak was first recorded in Japan and the Elusive Prince was discovered in Vietnam. As per the Society for Education and Environmental Development (SEED), the discovery of two new species have increased the number of butterfly species of the country to 1327. ]

92. Which country has passed the Expat quota bill, which could force about 8 lakh Indians to leave, when enacted?

A
United Arab Emirates

B
Kuwait

C
Oman

D
Bahrain

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Kuwait]

Explaination : [The legal and legislative committee of Kuwait’s National Assembly has recently approved the draft expat quota bill. If the bill is enacted into a law, over 8 lakh Indians could be forced out of Kuwait. As per the proposed bill, Indians should not exceed 15% of the population. Out of the 4.3 million population of Kuwait, there are 3 million expats. Moreover, Indians are the largest expatriate community with 1.45 million. ]

93. G. Akash, who was seen in news recently, is associated with which sports?

A
Table Tennis

B
Chess

C
Weight Lifting

D
Javelin Throw

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Chess]

Explaination : [A 23-year old chess player from Tamil Nadu, G. Akash has recently become the 66th Grandmaster of India. Akash’s Grand Master title was confirmed at the second council meet of International Chess Federation (FIDE) of the year 2020. The Chennai-based player won the National title in the year 2012. His present FIDE rating is 2495. ]

94. ‘Golden Birdwing’, that was seen in news recently, belongs to which family of species?

A
Humming Bird

B
Butterfly

C
Spider

D
Snake

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Butterfly]

Explaination : [As per the latest issue of a research newsletter on life forms- ‘Bionotes’, a Himalayan butterfly named ‘Golden Birdwing’ is declared the largest butterfly of India. Until now, another butterfly named the Southern Birdwing holds the record of the country’s largest butterfly for 88 years, after a British military officer and butterfly researcher recorded it in 1932. The female Golden Birdwing has a wingspan of 194 mm, larger than that of the Southern Birdwing. ]

95. Which Indian state/UT has approved the drafting of ordinance to provide 75% reservation in private sector jobs?

A
Andhra Pradesh

B
Karnataka

C
Haryana

D
Odisha

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Haryana]

Explaination : [The Haryana cabinet has approved the drafting of an ordinance to provide 75% reservation in private sector jobs. As per the draft of the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Ordinance, 2020, 75% of the new employment would be provided to eligible candidates of state domicile. Another condition mentioned is the jobs would be of those having less than Rs 50,000 per month. ]

96. Which organisation is to launch interface points called ‘Turant Suvidha Kendras (TSKs)’?

A
Central Board of Investigation

B
Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs

C
Central Board of Secondary Education

D
Employee Provident Fund Organisation

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs]

Explaination : [As per the recent communication from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), all custom stations would set up Turant Suvidha Kendras (TSKs) by July 15. The centres would act as the only interface point with Customs officers for physical submission of documents. The Union Budget 2020 proposed to launch nation-wide faceless assessment and this is considered as the first step in the process. CBIC has also inducted several modern testing equipment into the Central Revenues Control Laboratory. ]

97. 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. ]

98. Which trade association has launched a platform in New Jersey, to promote trade partnerships between India and the US?

A
NASSCOM

B
FICCI

C
Data Security Council

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [NASSCOM]

Explaination : [The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) has launched Nasscom Launchpad in New Jersey. This platform seeks to promote cross border trade between India and the US and technology-based foreign direct investment (FDI) between the two regions. Member companies of NASSCOM will get hands-on training, assistance in site selection, government regulations and tax planning etc. ]

99. Which state government has constituted a commission to protect the Constitutional rights of tribal communities?

A
Odisha

B
Madhya Pradesh

C
Gujarat

D
Chhattisgarh

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Gujarat]

Explaination : [The State Government of Gujarat has recently constituted a five-member commission to decide rightful beneficiaries among three tribal communities residing in the areas of Gir, Barda, and Aalech forests. The commission would consist of a retired High Court Judge, two retired District Court Judges, a retired Forest Department official and a retired Additional Collector. The aim is to prevent wrong persons from taking benefits of the tribal people and to protect their rights. ]

100. China has warned about a local ‘unknown pneumonia’ prevalent in which country?

A
Taiwan

B
Vietnam

C
Kazakhstan

D
Thailand

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Kazakhstan]

Explaination : [The Chinese embassy in the central Asian country Kazakhstan has recently issued a statement, in which it has warned its citizens living in Kazakhstan, about a local ‘unknown pneumonia’. The embassy also announced that this unknown disease has a higher fatality rate than the Covid-19 disease. As per the statement, the disease has caused 1772 deaths in the first six months of the year, which also included several Chinese citizens. ]