Best PSC / PCS / STATE PCS online Current Affairs

Current Affairs FEB-2021

Showing 221 - 240 of 266 entries

221. What is the rank of India, in the Covid-19 performance index released by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute?

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [86]

Explaination : [According to the performance index compiled by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute, New Zealand handled the pandemic the most effectively. India is ranked 86th in the index comprising 98 countries, which measures several key indicators including confirmed cases, deaths, cases per million people and deaths per million people. New Zealand is followed by Vietnam and Taiwan while Brazil is the worst performing country.]

222. As per the NSO’s revised estimates released recently, what was India’s GDP growth rate for 2019-20?

A
1.3%

B
3.2%

C
4.0%

D
5.2%

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [4.0%]

Explaination : [The National Statistical Office (NSO) recently released its revised national account data. As per the data, the economic growth rate for 2019-20 was revised downwards to 4 per cent. The decrease from the previous estimate of 4.2 per cent was mainly due to contraction in secondary sectors like manufacturing and construction. Real GDP growth of 2018-19 is estimated at 6.5 per cent, against the 6.1 per cent revealed in January estimate.]

223. Vaccination against which disease was conducted recently as a National Vaccination Day?

A
Hepatitis

B
Polio

C
Pneumonia

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Polio]

Explaination : [On the Polio National Immunization Day scheduled on January 31, 2021, around 89 lakh children were given polio drops under National Polio Immunisation drive across the country. President Ram Nath Kovind launched the first round of Pulse Polio Programme 2021. Over seven lakh booths were set up for implementing the drive. A house-to-house surveillance will also be provided to vaccinate the remaining children.]

224. Praveen Sinha has been appointed as the Acting Chief of which Indian organisation?

A
Intelligence Bureau

B
Central Vigilance Commission

C
Central Bureau of Investigation

D
Election Commission of India

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Central Bureau of Investigation]

Explaination : [The Additional Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Praveen Sinha has been appointed as the acting chief of CBI. He is a 1988-batch Gujarat cadre IPS officer. After Rishi Kumar Shukla who retired recently, the acting Chief has been appointed till a decision on a New Director is taken. This is the third time in last five years that an interim chief will head CBI.]

225. Which Indian company has partnered with UNICEF to distribute vaccines around the world?

A
Biocon

B
Serum Institute of India

C
Bharat Biotech

D
Dr Reddys

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Serum Institute of India]

Explaination : [The Serum Institute of India (SII) and UNICEF have recently entered into a long-term supply agreement. Under the agreement, the UNICEF will have access to 1.1 billion doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford and the Novavax vaccines to distribute around 100 countries]

226. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is to set up an expert committee on which category of banks?

A
Small Finance Banks

B
Urban Cooperative Banks

C
Regional Rural Banks

D
Neo Banks

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Urban Cooperative Banks]

Explaination : [The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up an expert committee on Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) involving all stakeholders. The Committee would prepare a road map to strengthen the sector, enable faster resolution of UCBs. In 2020, the Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) and Multi-State Co-operative Banks were brought under the supervisory power of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).]

227. Which cricket player recently became the 6th Indian to take 300 wickets in test cricket?

A
Jasprit Bumrah

B
Ishant Sharma

C
Ravichandran Ashwin

D
Bhuvaneshwar Kumar

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Ishant Sharma]

Explaination : [India fast bowler Ishant Sharma became the sixth Indian bowler to take 300 wickets in Test cricket. He achieved this feat in his 98th test against England at Chennai. Previously, Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan are the other Indian bowlers who had taken over 300 wickets in tests.]

228. The foreign grants received by NGOS in the country are regulated by which act?

A
Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)

B
Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)

C
Anti-money Laundering Act

D
Non-Government Organisations Act

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)]

Explaination : [Foreign grants received by NGOs are regulated by the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 or FCRA. After registering with the Home Affairs Ministry, the NGO would be provided a unique FCRA registration number, to be renewed every five years. As per the recent Government data, the FCRA licences of over 20,600 NGOs were cancelled in the last 10 years, on violation of the provisions of FCRA act.]

229. Which country has banned BBC News from broadcasting in its nation?

A
United Kingdom

C
China

D
Pakistan

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [China]

Explaination : [The Government of China has banned BBC World News from broadcasting in the country. This announcement has been made by the country’s television regulator. China has accused BBC for making derogatory reports on the country about coronavirus and the persecution of ethnic minority Uighurs.]

230. In which year did the United States come out of the UN Human Rights Council?

A
2014

B
2016

C
2018

D
2020

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [2018]

Explaination : [Former United States President pulled out of the United Nations Human Rights Council in the year 2018, citing its disproportionate focus on Israel. Recently, the U.S. officials announced that the Joe Biden administration is set to announce that the country will re-join the UNHRC. After formal announcement, the U.S will return as an observer in the U.N body before becoming a full member.]

231. ‘SVAMITVA’ scheme, which was making news recently, is implemented by which Union Ministry?

A
Rural Development Ministry

B
Panchayati Raj Ministry

C
Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry

D
Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Panchayati Raj Ministry]

Explaination : [SVAMITVA is a new scheme launched under the Panchayati Raj Ministry in 2020. It aims to provide the property cards to the property owners through drone survey by Survey of India. Out of the total budget allocation to the Ministry, a provision of Rs.200 crores has been made for the SVAMITVA scheme. The pilot phase of the scheme was approved with Budget outlay of Rs.79.65 crore, to be implemented in 9 States.]

232. Which Indian state has topped the list of beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat Yojana, as of 2020?

A
Kerala

B
Tamil Nadu

C
Gujarat

D
Karnataka

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Tamil Nadu]

Explaination : [As per the information provided by the Health Ministry, Tamil Nadu tops the beneficiaries list with around 25.56 lakh people getting treatment worth Rs 3,239.5 crore, since 2018. Till February 4 this year, there were around 1.6 crore hospital admissions worth Rs 19, 714 crores under the scheme. Tamil Nadu is followed by Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. The scheme aims to provide a health assurance cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to poor families.]

233. Which country has test-fired surface-to-surface cruise missile named ‘Babar’?

A
Pakistan

B
Bangladesh

C
Nepal

D
Afghanistan

Show Answer

Correct Answer : A [Pakistan]

Explaination : [Pakistan recently conducted a successful test-firing of a surface-to-surface cruise missile named ‘Babar’, which can strike targets up to 450 kilometres. Pakistan Navy is also organising a multilateral maritime Exercise Aman, which is being participated by as many as 46 countries including US, China, Russia, UK, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia.]

234. As per recent Government release, which state suffered the highest crop loss due to floods in the year 2019?

A
Tamil Nadu

B
Kerala

C
Karnataka

D
Madhya Pradesh

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [Madhya Pradesh]

Explaination : [The Government has recently stated that Madhya Pradesh was the worst hit state in terms of crop loss due to floods in the year 2019. It has registered zero crop loss in 2017 and 2018. The estimated crop loss in the state was 6.047 million hecatres due to extreme rainfall and flood.]

235. Priyanka Goswami, who was making news recently, is associate with which sports?

A
Weight Lifting

B
Race walking

C
Archery

D
Squash

Show Answer

Correct Answer : B [Race walking]

Explaination : [24-year-old Priyanka Goswami of Uttar Pradesh won the women’s 20-km walk event with a time of 1:28:45, at the National Open Race-Walking Championships in Ranchi. Sandeep Kumar broke the record in the corresponding men’s event.]

236. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and FICCI organised a CEO forum with which country?

A
Japan

B
United States

C
Singapore

D
United Kingdom

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Singapore]

Explaination : [India-Singapore CEO Forum was recently organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and FICCI. The India-Singapore CEO Forum was launched in November 2018. Union Minister Piyush Goyal addressed the forum and expressed that both the countries can work together in areas such as e-commerce, fintech, smart manufacturing and healthcare.]

237. The resolution plan for DHFL submitted by which company has been approved by RBI?

A
Tata Group

B
Adani Group

C
State Bank of India

D
Piramal Capital and Housing Finance

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [Piramal Capital and Housing Finance]

Explaination : [The resolution plan for the dent ridden Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL), submitted by Piramal Capital and Housing Finance has been recently approved by the Reserve Bank of India. In 2019, RBI referred the case of DHFL to National Companies Law Tribunal (NCLT). The committee of creditors (CoC) had earlier in January approved the plan submitted by Piramal Capital.]

238. Which country has formally re-joined the Paris Climate agreement recently?

A
India

B
Japan

Show Answer

Correct Answer : D [USA]

Explaination : [The United States of America has officially re-joined the Paris international climate pact recently. Earlier, the USA under the former President Donald Trump’s leadership quit from the agreement and remained outside the pact for 107 days. With the change in government in USA led by Joe Biden, US decided to rejoin the Paris pact. Biden has set 2022 as the deadline for achievement of 2030 emission cuts as envisaged in the Paris pact.]

239. Which Indian state assembly played the National Anthem after almost 60 years?

A
Sikkim

B
Meghalaya

C
Nagaland

D
Himachal Pradesh

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Nagaland]

Explaination : [The national anthem was played inside the Nagaland state assembly for the first time, almost 60 years after Nagaland attained statehood. Nagaland was accorded statehood on December 1, 1963, and it was the 16th state of the Indian Union. Though playing the national anthem is not mandatory in state assemblies, the practice is usually followed in many states.]

240. Which country has posted a liaison officer at Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre (IFC)?

B
Japan

C
Australia

D
Sri Lanka

Show Answer

Correct Answer : C [Australia]

Explaination : [The Government of Australia has posted a liaison officer at Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre (IFC) which is located at Gurugram. The Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IOR) was established in the year 2018 in order to keep watch on shipping traffic and other critical developments in the IOR]