Best PSC / PCS / STATE PCS online Current Affairs

Current Affairs Oct-2020

Showing 161 - 180 of 235 entries

161. Which state government has launched ‘Digital Seva Setu Programme’?

A
Madhya Pradesh

B
Gujarat

C
Assam

D
Uttarakhand

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Gujarat]

Explaination : [The State Government of Gujarat has recently launched Digital Seva Setu Programme for the rural areas of the state. Under this programme, the citizens will be provided access to various public welfare services at the Panchayat level. This Digital Seva Setu has been initiated under the Bharat Net Project that aims to connect the Village Panchayats through fibre network]

162. When is the Indian Air Force Day celebrated across the country?

A
October 2

B
October 4

C
October 6

D
October 8

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [October 8]

Explaination : [The Indian Air Force is celebrating 88th Air Force Day on October 8. On the same day, the Air Force in India was officially formed in 1932 to support the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. After 1950, the force was renamed as the Indian Air Force from its earlier name of the Royal Indian Air Force. The Indian Air Force is the largest air Defence force in the world]

163. Which personality/ institution won the Nobel Peace Prize 2020?

A
Jacinda Ardern

B
Greta Thunberg

C
World Health Organization

D
UN World Food Programme

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [UN World Food Programme]

Explaination : [The Nobel Peace Prize 2020 was awarded to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for feeding millions of people amid the coronavirus pandemic. The WFP was founded in the year 1961. The UN organisation had helped 97 million people last year and distributed to over 15 billion rations to people in 88 countries last year. The award consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a cheque for 10 million Swedish kronor.]

164. Which is the biggest economy to join COVAX Global Covid-19 vaccine alliance, as on October 10 2020?

A
India

B
China

C
United States

D
Russia

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [China]

Explaination : [China has formally joined the WHO-backed global Covid-19 vaccine initiative known as COVAX, after signing the agreement with Gavi, the international Vaccine Alliance. As the United States and Russia stayed out of the initiative, as of October China is the biggest economy to join the WHO-backed global vaccine alliance. The initiative aims to distribute 2 billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021.]

165. What is the name of the Indigenously Developed Anti Radiation Missile, tested by DRDO?

A
RUDRAM

B
SHIVA

C
SHAKTI

D
RAKSHAK

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [RUDRAM]

Explaination : [Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful test of the New Generation Anti Radiation Missile (NGRAM) called the Rudram-1. The missile has been tested at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore. This is India’s first indigenous anti-radiation missile and it would be launched from various fighter aircraft used by the Indian Air Force.]

166. Who is the head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology?

A
Shashi Tharoor

B
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

C
Meenakshi Lekhi

D
Girish Bapat

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Shashi Tharoor]

Explaination : [The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology is chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. It was seen in news as the Committee has decided to take up the issue of manipulations in Television Rating Points (TRP) by some channels. Tharoor was earlier reappointed the Chairman of the reinstated Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT last month.]

167. Which is the first state/UT to become the first Har Ghar Jal State in the country?

A
Gujarat

B
Kerala

C
Tamil Nadu

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [Goa]

Explaination : [Goa has become the first Har Ghar Jal State in the country which means the state has provided tap water connection to every rural household. As per the recent statement by the Jal Shakti Ministry, the state has provided tap water connection to over two lakh 30 thousand rural households. North Goa and South Goa are completely saturated with piped water supply through tap connections.]

168. Nechiphu Tunnel, who was seen in the news recently, is located in which state?

A
Assam

B
Sikkim

C
Arunachal Pradesh

D
Uttarakhand

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Arunachal Pradesh]

Explaination : [Union Defence minister Rajnath Singh has recently laid the foundation stone of the Nechiphu Tunnel located in Arunachal Pradesh. The tunnel is located on the Balipara-Charduar-Tawang (BCT) road in West Kameng district of the state. It will be a 450 m-long tunnel with two lanes of 3.5m width each. Another 1.8 km-long tunnel is also being constructed on the BCT road.]

169. Which company has launched the indigenous variety of Calcium Nitrate and Boronated Calcium Nitrate?

A
SPIC

B
Fertilizer Corporation of India

C
Vedanta Chemicals

D
Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals India Ltd

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals India Ltd]

Explaination : [The Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals India Ltd (GSFC) has launched the indigenous variety of calcium nitrate and boronated calcium nitrate. These two chemicals are being manufactured for the first time in India and till now they were imported. Calcium Nitrate is a very soluble component and is widely used in Fertigation. It is also used for wastewater treatment and to increase the strength of cement. Boronated Calcium Nitrate is a water-soluble fertilizer which contains high-quality macro and essential nutrients.]

170. The Government has selected which company to connect 5,000 village Panchayats with satellite broadband under BharatNet project?

A
Hughes Communications India

B
Airtel Digital

C
TATA Sky

D
Zing Digital

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Hughes Communications India]

Explaination : [The Government has selected Hughes Communications India to connect 5,000 village panchayats with satellite broadband under BharatNet project by March 2021. The 5000 Gram Panchayats are to be selected from the border and Naxal-affected states as well as in island territories. It also includes those located in north-eastern states and the Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh as well as in Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep.]

171. ‘Exporting Corruption 2020’ is a report released by which organisation?

A
Transparency International

B
UNESCO

C
World Trade Organisation

D
UNCTAD

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Transparency International]

Explaination : [The Berlin-based Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International released its recent study entitled ‘Exporting Corruption 2020: Assessing Enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention’. As per the study, India is one among the biggest global exporters with the worst track records along with China, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Hong Kong, Canada and Mexico. It also revealed that India lacks a mechanism to crack down on bribery of foreign officials by its exporters.]

172. As per a joint statement by FAO, IFAD, ILO and WHO, what fraction of the world’s workforce is at the risk of losing livelihoods due to Covid-19?

A
One Third

B
Half

C
One Fourth

D
One Fifth

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Half]

Explaination : [As per a joint statement issued by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organisation (ILO), World Health Organisation (WHO), nearly half of the global workforce are at risk of losing their livelihoods. The statement also stated that the number of undernourished people could increase 132 million by the end of this year from the current levels of 690 million.]

173. The Central Pollution Control Board has deployed 50 teams to inspect pollution-causing activities in which state/UT?

A
Delhi NCR

B
Uttar Pradesh

C
Bihar

D
Kolkata

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Delhi NCR]

Explaination : [The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has deployed 50 teams in Delhi NCR, to inspect pollution-causing activities in the National Capital. This has been done in view of the pollution during the upcoming winter. Ministry of Environment has stated that 95% of the pollution caused in Delhi is on account of local factors like dust, construction activities, biomass burning etc and only 4% is caused by stubble burning.]

174. As per the recent publication in Lancet journal, what is the life expectancy of India in 2019?

A
65 years

B
66.6 years

C
70.8 years

D
80.8 years

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [70.8 years]

Explaination : [As per a recent publication by the Lancet journal, life expectancy in India has risen from 59.6 years in 1990 to 70.8 years in 2019. The value ranges between 77.3 years in Kerala to 66.9 years in Uttar Pradesh. The report has however pointed out that, in India, people are living more years with illness and disability. High Blood pressure, use of tobacco, air pollution and COVID pandemic has resulted in acute health emergencies.]

175. Heeng (asafoetida) has been cultivated in India for the first time in which state?

A
Arunachal Pradesh

B
Himachal Pradesh

C
Uttarakhand

D
Assam

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Himachal Pradesh]

Explaination : [Heeng (asafoetida) has been cultivated in India for the first time in Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh. This is done with the help of a technology developed by CSIR Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT). Heeng, one of the most commonly used condiments in Indian cuisine, is being imported from Afghanistan, Iran and Uzbekistan till date.]

176. The ‘Kati Bihu festival’ is celebrated in which state/UT?

A
Odisha

B
Assam

C
West Bengal

D
Karnataka

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Assam]

Explaination : [The ‘Kati Bihu’ festival was celebrated in the state of Assam recently. It is an agricultural festival being celebrated in the month of October. It is an important festival, during which they light up their homes and agricultural fields. They also perform cultural dances and organise feasts across the state.]

177. Which country has become the first to use facial verification in its national ID database?

A
Malaysia

B
Russia

C
Singapore

D
Russia

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Singapore]

Explaination : [Singapore is to become the world’s first country to use facial verification in its national identification database. Under the scheme, millions of people will be able to access government agencies and other services with a quick face scan. However, privacy advocates are apprehensive about the security and privacy threats.]

178. PM 2020’, that was seen in news recently, is associated with which organisation?

A
ISRO

B
DRDO

C
BSNL

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [DRDO]

Explaination : [Defence Minister Rajnath Singh released a new version of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Procurement Manual 2020 (PM-2020). The previous Procurement Manual was altered in the year 2016. The manual aims to encourage more participation of start-ups and micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) in defence research and development.]

179. ‘Right of First Refusal (RoFR)’, that was seen in news recently, is associated with which field?

A
Medicine

B
Shipping

C
Environment

D
Education

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Shipping]

Explaination : [The government has amended existing norms in chartering of vessels and the first priority will be given to ships built and flagged in India as well as owned by Indians. As per the Shipping Ministry, for any kind of charter of a vessel, the Right of First Refusal (RoFR) would be exerted to ‘Indian built, Indian flagged and Indian owned’ vessels as the first priority. This will provide additional market access and business support to ships built in India.]

180. What is the minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) size for housing finance companies, as per the recent notification of the RBI?

A
Rs 10 crore

B
Rs 25 crore

C
Rs 50 crore

D
Rs 100 crore

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Rs 25 crore]

Explaination : [The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has fixed the minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) size for housing finance companies at Rs 25 crore. As per the RBI notification, the housing finance companies (HFCs) that hold a Certificate of Registration (CoR) and having an NOF of less than Rs 25 crore will be required to achieve NOF of Rs 15 crore by March 31, 2022 and Rs 25 crore by March 31, 2023.]