Best PSC / PCS / STATE PCS online Current Affairs

Current Affairs Aug-2020

Showing 141 - 160 of 222 entries

141. Which state has the highest number of women beneficiaries under the MUDRA Loan scheme, as on date?

A
Kerala

B
Karnataka

C
Andhra Pradesh

D
Tamil Nadu

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [Tamil Nadu]

Explaination : [As per the recent date given by the Ministry of Finance to the Rajya Sabha, over 15 crore loans worth Rs 4.78-lakh crore have been disbursed to women borrowers since the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) was launched. Among the states, Tamil Nadu topped the list of women beneficiaries with loans amounting Rs 58227 crores. It is followed by the women in West Bengal (Rs 55,232 crore) and Karnataka (Rs 47,714 crore).]

142. Which Indian state topped the ‘Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020’ released by NITI Aayog?

A
Gujarat

B
Tamil Nadu

C
Maharashtra

D
Telangana

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Gujarat]

Explaination : [The NITI Aayog has recently released a report on Export Preparedness Index 2020, in partnership with the Institute of Competitiveness. It ranked states on four key parameters namely Policy, Business Ecosystem, Export Ecosystem and Export Performance. As per the report, Gujarat has topped the index, followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Among the top ten places of the list, six out of the country’s coastal states found place. Rajasthan topped among the landlocked states and Uttarakhand topped among the Himalayan states.]

143. The COAS Unit Appreciation was conferred to the 51st Special Action Group of which Defence force?

A
Central Reserve Police Force

B
Indian Coast Guard

C
National Security Guard

D
Assam Rifles

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [National Security Guard]

Explaination : [The COAS (Chief of Army Staff) Unit Appreciation was conferred to NSG’s (National Security Guard) 51 Special Action Group (SAG). The appreciation was conferred to the unit for the group’s exemplary achievements in combating terrorism. The most important operation undertaken by the unit is “Operation Black Tornado” which was launched against the terror strikes in Mumbai in November 2008.]

144. Which Union Ministry launched ‘National GIS-enabled land bank system’?

A
Ministry of Agriculture

B
Ministry of Commerce and Industry

C
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

D
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Ministry of Commerce and Industry]

Explaination : [Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has launched the prototype of the ‘National GIS-enabled land bank system’. It enables the investors to get real-time information about the availability of industrial land and resources. The project is initially launched for six states and will expanded to all states/UTs by December 2020.]

145. Strait Island, that was seen in news recently, is a part of which island group?

A
Andaman & Nicobar Island

B
Lakshadweep

C
Maldives

D
Mauritius

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Andaman & Nicobar Island]

Explaination : [Strait Island was seen in news, as it is home to the Great Andamanese tribe. Only a little over 50 people belonging to the tribe are alive as on date. Recently, ten members of the Great Andamanese tribe were tested positive for the Covid-19 and six of them were said to have recovered. More than 5000 Great Andamanese were said to have lived in the island in the 19th century.]

146. Which state is to set up India’s first Skill University at a cost of over Rs 850 crores?

A
Madhya Pradesh

B
Assam

C
West Bengal

D
Gujarat

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Assam]

Explaination : [The Government of Assam has proposed to set up a Skill University at Mangaldoi in Darrang district. The new University would be set up at a cost of over Rs.850 crore. Assam Cabinet has approved the Assam Skill Development University Bill. The Director of Assam Skill Development Mission has stated that the university will be called as Skill City and it would be the first of its kind in India. It would have a capacity of 10,000 seats.]

147. The Indian Government has imposed safeguard duty on which product till July 2021, to protect domestic manufacturers?

A
Medical devices

B
Solar cells

C
Textile

D
Electronics

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Solar cells]

Explaination : [The Indian Government has imposed safeguard duty on solar cells for one more year till July 2021 to protect domestic manufacturers. This move will also discourage cheap imports from countries like China. Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), the investigative arm of the Commerce Ministry had recommended to the Department of Revenue for this imposition of duty.]

148. Cabinet approved the MoU signed by India with which country, in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy?

A
Australia

B
Zimbabwe

C
Austria

D
Finland

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Zimbabwe]

Explaination : [The Union Cabinet of India has given approval to Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Zimbabwe on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy. The MoU that was originally signed on November 3, 2018, will mutually benefit the two countries in the field of Traditional Medicine including recognition of educational qualifications, provision of scholarships etc.]

149. Which organisation released the report “The Toxic Truth: Children’s exposure to lead pollution undermines a generation of potential”?

A
UNESCO

B
World Health Organisation

C
UNICEF

D
Food and Agricultural Organisation

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [UNICEF]

Explaination : [United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and non-profit Pure Earth jointly released a report titled “The Toxic Truth: Children’s exposure to lead pollution undermines a generation of potential”. As per the report, one third of the world’s children (800 million) are affected by lead poisoning and 275 million of them are in India. The report also highlights that around half of the affected children were from South Asia. Informal recycling of lead-acid batteries is a major contributor to lead poisoning.]

150. Who is set to become the first non-white person to feature on a British coin?

A
Babasaheb Ambedkar

B
Mahatma Gandhi

C
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

D
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Mahatma Gandhi]

Explaination : [The United Kingdom is set to imprint the image of Mahatma Gandhi in a new set of coins, as a part of efforts to celebrate the contributions of non-white individuals. Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has sent the recommendation to the Royal Mint Advisory Committee (RMAC). It is conducting a campaign called “We Too Built Britain”. If the coins are minted with Gandhi’s image, he would be the first non-White person to feature on a British coin.]

151. Where is the headquarters of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) located?

A
Mumbai

B
New Delhi

C
Gandhi Nagar

D
Kolkata

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [New Delhi]

Explaination : [Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India head-quartered in New Delhi. It promotes India’s external cultural relations by cultural exchange. The council was founded by the first Education Minister of independent India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in the year 1950. ICCR recently organised a two-day international webinar on the theme of ‘Lokmanya Tilak – Swaraj to Self-reliant India’.]

152. Which England cricketer has been made the member of House of Lords of the British Parliament?

A
Ian Botham

B
Viv Richards

C
Bob Willis

D
David Bower

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Ian Botham]

Explaination : [Veteran England all-rounder Ian Botham has been made a member of the House of Lords of the British Parliament. The 64-year-old former England captain is the first cricketer to be awarded this honour since 2011. He is among the 36 new members announced by the Government. He was knighted in the year 2007 for his services in cricket and in the field of charity.]

153. Which oil company has formed a Joint Venture to manufacture Bitumen Derivatives?

A
Indian Oil

B
Hindstan Petroleum

C
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation

D
Bharat Petroleum

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Indian Oil]

Explaination : [State-owned oil and gas company and the largest commercial oil company in the country, Indian Oil has partnered with France’s Total. The Joint Venture has been formed to make Superior Quality Bitumen derivatives and specialty products for India’s road construction industry. The JB would initially take over the existing plant of Total at Jodhpur, Rajasthan and then invest Rs 226 crore to set up six new plants across India.]

154. Which nation has become the first one in the Arab world to produce nuclear energy?

A
Saudi Arabia

C
Bahrain

D
Qatar

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [UAE]

Explaination : [The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the first gulf nation to produce nuclear energy. Unit 1 of the Abu Dhabi-based Barakah nuclear power plant has become operational.]

155. Government has decided to sell how much stake in Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL)?

A
25 percent

B
15 percent

C
30 percent

D
50 percent

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [50 percent]

Explaination : [NA]

156. Which state topped Niti Aayog's Export Preparedness Index 2020?

A
Gujarat

B
Maharashtra

C
Tamil Nadu

D
Kerala

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Gujarat]

Explaination : [NA]

157. Who has been appointed as the Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of the credit rating agency ICRA Ltd?

A
N Sivaraman

B
Sankara Narayanan

C
Manoj Fadnis

D
Dilip Sadarangani

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [ N Sivaraman]

Explaination : [India’s leading credit rating agency ICRA Ltd has appointed N Sivaraman as the Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer. The appointment has been made for three years with effect from August 10. His tenure may also be extended for two more years. He had held senior positions in L&T Finance Holdings and he has served as the Chief Operating Officer at IL&FS till July 31, 2020.]

158. SABIC chemical plant that is set to become the world’s first to run entirely on renewable power, is located in which country?

A
Russia

B
Spain

C
Germany

D
United Kingdom

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Spain]

Explaination : [Global chemical company SABIC’s polycarbonate plant in Spain is set to become the world’s first that will run entirely on renewable power. The Riyadh-headquartered company has signed a major agreement with an electricity utility company Iberdrola, in this regard. This plant is expected to be completely operational by the year 2024.]

159. Mahatma Gandhi Setu (bridge), that was seen in news, is located in which state?

A
West Bengal

B
Bihar

C
Gujarat

D
Uttrakhand

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Bihar]

Explaination : [Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the upstream lane of Mahatma Gandhi bridge, through video conference. The 5.5 km four lane bridge is built over river Ganga connecting Patna and Hajipur of Bihar. The reconstruction work of this bridge started in the year 2017 and the cost outlay is Rs 1742 crore. The downstream lane of the bridge is to be completed by 2021. The concrete structure of the old bridge will be replaced by new steel deck.]

160. The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) is being implemented under which programme?

A
National Health Mission

B
Ajeevika

C
Indra Dhanush

D
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [National Health Mission]

Explaination : [The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) under the National Health Mission (NHM). It is an innovative technological solution that aims to strengthen immunization supply chain system across the country. It aims to provide real-time information on vaccine stocks and storage temperatures. At present the network has been used in 22 states and will be rolled out in all states.]