14072020 ~ Daily Current Affairs Quiz Key + Notes

1. Which Company has got approval from DCGI(Drugs Controller General of India) for Itolizumab,  a novel biologic therapy to be approved for treating patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 complications? 

1. Glenmark

2. Cipla

3. Biocon 

4. Hetero 

BIOCON has received approval from the  Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), Itolizumab a novel biologic therapy to be approved for treating patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 complications.

Biocon Executive Chairperson ~ Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

2. Which famous sixth century Byzantine monument has been converted into a mosque by the Government of Turkey ? 

1. Hagia Sophia

2. Aya Sofya

3. Topkapi Palace

4. Galata Tower

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s decision to turn Hagia Sophia back into a  mosque. 

The sixth century Byzantine monument had been at the centre of the conflict between Ottoman Muslims and Greek Orthodox Christians for centuries. Now officially the Great Mosque of Ayasofya. 

3. Which agency has signed an MoU with the National Crime Records

Bureau to access the centralised online database on FIRs and stolen

vehicles, and will act as an integrated intelligence grid that connects

databases of core security agencies ?

1. National Security Agency, NSA

2. National Intelligence Grid ,NATGRID

3. National Investigation Agency (NIA)

4. Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW)

NATGRID is the integrated intelligence master database structure for counter-terrorism purpose connecting databases of various core security agencies under Government of India.

Est by Home Min P. Chidambaram in 2009

Ashok Patnaik is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)

4.Which State has launched ‘Paudhe Lagao, Paryavaran Bachao’,

or ‘Plant Saplings, Save Environment’ a 17-day long mega plantation

drive to plant 31 lakh tree saplings in 17 days to increase green cover? 

1. Uttar Pradesh

2. Madhya Pradesh

3. Delhi

4. Rajasthan

The plantation drive is expected to increase the city’s green cover from 325 square kilometres at present to 350 sq km by 2021

5.Which company will invest $10 billion in India in next 5-7 years, focusing on digitizing the economy and building India first products?

1. Facebook

2. Amazon

3. Netflix

4. Google

Google to invest $10 billion in India in next 5-7 years, focusing on digitizing the economy and building India first products through“Google for India Digitisation Fund”

CEO of Google & Alphabet -Sundar Pichai

Alphabet - parent firm of Google

6. The Supreme Court on Monday has ruled that the erstwhile Travancore royal family is the “human ministrant” or the  shebait (manager) of the properties belonging to Sree Padmanabhaswa­my temple. Where is the temple situated ?

1. Kozhikode, Kerala

2. Kochi, Kerala

3. Koyamputhtoor, Tamil Nadu

4. Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

 The Supreme Court on Monday has ruled that the erstwhile Travancore royal family is the “human ministrant” or the shebait (manager) of the properties belonging to Sree Padmanabhaswa­my temple inThiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

SC judgment categorically held that the death of a ruler does not affect the royal family’s shebaitship of the temple.

7.Which Indian industry body has said in its “Economic Outlook Survey” conducted in June 2020 , that annual median growth forecast for FY21 at -4.5% ?

1. CII

2. FICCI

3. COAI

4. Moody’s

FICCI, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry was formed in 1927. 

President of FICCI -Sangita Reddy

8.Which of the following has made it to the Guinness Book of

World Records for being the world's largest camera trap wildlife survey?

1. India's Tiger Census 2018

2. India’s Rhinoceros Census ,2018

3. Migratory Birds Census, 2018

4. None of the above

India's 2018 Tiger Census has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the world's largest on-camera wildlife survey.

2018 Tiger Census had estimated 2,967 tigers in India, compared to 2,226 in 2014.

Global Tiger Day, also known as International  Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation, held annually on 29 July.

9. Who is the current and 5th National Security Adviser (NSA)?

1. Ajit Doval

2. Bipin Rawat

3. MM Naravane

4. Karambir Singh

The NSA’s post has been upgraded to the rank of Cabinet Minister.

The NSA of India also serves as the Prime Minister's Special Interlocutor with China as well as the envoy to Pakistan and Israel on security affairs.    

   1st NSA - Brajesh Mishra -1998 under then PM AB Vajpayee

10.Which City was  selected under Smart cities as no 1 in top 20 from

among the 98 nominated cities on 28 January 2016, by

then Minister of Housing Development Shri Venkiah Naidu?

1. Amravati

2. Pune

3. Aurangabad

4. Bhubaneswar

PM Schemes Contd.. ~Smart Citites, AMRUT & PM Awas Yojana (PMAY)

Smart Cities Mission

- The Mission had sought to make 100 selected cities "smart”, primarily through an “Area­ Based Development” model.

- "100 Smart Cities Mission" was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 25 June 2015, 

- to be implemented under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

- It is a five-year program in which, except for West Bengal, all other Indian states and Union territories are participating by nominating at least one city for the Smart Cities challenge.

- Minister of Urban Development, selected top 20 from among the 98 nominated cities on 28 January 2016. Bhubaneswar topped the list of the top 20, followed by Pune and Jaipur.

- On 7 September 2019, the 10,000-acre Aurangabad Industrial City (AURIC) in Aurangabad, Maharashtra was inaugurated as the first greenfield industrial smart city of India.

- Public-Private Partnership (PPP) will be the key to implement smart cities.

- A total of ₹98,000 crore was approved by the Indian Cabinet for

• the development of 100 smart cities (₹48,000 crore) under Smart Cities Mission
•  and the rejuvenation of 500 others (₹50,000 crore) under AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation )

AMRUT(Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation )

- aims at equipping 500 cities with infrastructural services such as water, sewerage, storm water drains, transport and development of green spaces and parks.

- replaces the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) targets upgrading urban infrastructure across 500 tier 2 & 3 cities.

- Under AMRUT, Central Government will provide 

~an assistance of 50% of project cost for cities with a population of up to 10 lakh each;

~ and one third of project cost for cities with a population of above 10 lakh each, rest to be borne by the states and urban local bodies.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(PMAY)

- Launched 25 June 2015

- initiative by Government of India in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million affordable houses by 31 March 2022

- Two components 

• PMAY-U - Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) for Urban poor  
• PMAY- G -Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) for Rural poor

- 3 phases of PMAY-U

• PMAY Phase-1 2015 -17 to cover 100 cities.
• PMAY Phase-2 2017-19 to cover additional 200 cities.
• PMAY Phase-3 2019 -22 to cover the remaining cities.

- Proposed objective  to build 2 crore houses for urban poor including “Economically Weaker Sections” and LIG in urban areas by the year 2022 through a financial assistance by central govt.

- 4 components of PMAY-U

• “In situ”Slum Redevelopment with private sector using land as resource (ISSR)
• Affordable Housing through Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS)
• Affordable Housing in Partnership with private and public sector (AHP)
• Beneficiary led house construction/enhancement (BLC)

- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAY-G) was formerly called the Indira Awas Yojana

- On July 8, FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced a scheme to provide affordable rental housing complexes (ARHCs) to urban migrants and poor as a sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)(Urban) . 

PM Schemes ~ Pradhan Mantri Yojana -Ready Reckoner

PM Garib Kalyan Yojana extended

-Under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, PM announced a package of Rs1.75 lakh crore. 

-In the last 3 months, Rs 31,000 crore deposited in bank accounts of 20 crore poor families. Also, Rs 18000 crore deposited in bank accounts of more than 9 crore farmers.

-announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on March 26, the government announced free foodgrains and cash payment to women and poor senior citizens and farmers

PM Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) will be extended till the end of November

-  PM Modi said the scheme will continue till November end, aiding around 80 crore people to avail free grains. This extension will cost over Rs 90,000 crore

-80 crore poor people, covering about two-thirds of the country's population, will get 5 kg rice or wheat each month for the next three months free of charge, in addition to the 5 kg they already get.

Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan(GKRA)

-is a 125-day Abhiyaan launched by Prime Minister on 20th June, 2020

- to address the issues of returnee migrant workers & similarly affected rural population by Covid-19

-by giving focus on 25 works in 116 selected districts across 6 States 

(Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand) 

-the 116 districts will also contain 27 aspirational districts—>India’s poorest areas in socio-economic indices

- with a resource of Rs 50,000 cr

- Broad objectives: 

1. Provide for immediate employment opportunities to returnee migrant workers and similarly affected rural populations.

2. Saturate villages with public infrastructure and assets 

3. Set Stage for enhancing longer term livelihood opportunities.

PM KISAN -Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi

-initiative by the government of India in which all farmers families will get up to ₹6,000 per year as minimum income support

-initiative was announced by Piyush Goyal during the 2019 Interim Union Budget

-scheme will cost ₹75,000 crore per annum and will come in effect from Dec 2018

-₹6,000 per year will be paid to each eligible farmer in three instalments and will be deposited directly to their bank accounts.

-weaker farmer families having a cultivable land up to 2 Hectare

PM SVANidhi

- The Union Cabinet on June 1 cleared a credit scheme for 50 lakh Urban, peri urban & rural street vendors so that they can revive their businesses under Pradhan Mantri Street Vendor AtmaNirbhar Nidhi

Objectives
1. working capital loan up to Rs.10,000 at subsidized rate of interest;
2.To incentivize regular repayment of loan;
3.To reward digital transactions.

- Scheme shall be implemented up to March, 2022.

AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

-PM Narendra Modi announced an economic package totaling Rs.20 lakh crore to tide over the Covid-19 crisis

- announced on 12 May 2020

- this is 10 per cent of India’s GDP

- includes the govt’s announcements on supporting key sectors & measures by Reserve Bank of India

-five pillars of AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan — economy, infrastructure, technology driven system, vibrant demography and demand

WTO Terms (World Trade Organization) ~ MFN status, Market Economy Status

Most Favoured Nation (MFN)

- clause in WTO’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

- is intended to ensure that member countries of the organization do not discriminate between their trade partners

-WTO member nation usually grants MFN status to all other members

-primary condition under MFN is that a country must charge the same tariff rate on imports irrespective of their origin.

-India granted MFN status to Pakistan in 1996, but it was not reciprocated by the latter.

-India  withdrew MFN from Pakistan, in 2019 after terrorist attack in Pulwama J&K.

WTO & China’s Market Economy Status

-China became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 11 December 2001, on the condition that it will be treated as a non-market economy by other member countries for anti-dumping proceedings

-A non-market economy refers to a country which has a complete or substantially complete monopoly of its trade and where all domestic prices are fixed by the state. 

-While the 15-year period ended in December 2016, the EU & US have desisted from granting market economy status to China, citing wide-ranging price control on export commodities by China.

-market economy status that would have legally insulated it from higher tariffs being imposed by other countries.

-In June 2020, China has lost a dispute to the European Union at WTO for market economy status  as former allowed dispute to lapse

-After the latest development, to protect their industries, the EU and US will be able to apply high anti-dumping tariffs on goods from China.         

BRICS Quiz + Notes

 

1. What was the theme of 11th BRICS summit held in Brazil in Nov 2019?

• BRICS: economic growth for an innovative future
• Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity
• BRICS and Africa
• BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future.

2. BRICS development bank is now known as New Development Bank. Who will replace Mr.KV Kamath as the President of NDB from 7th July 2020? 

• Mr. Andrey Bokarev
• Marcos Trojyo
• Mr. Wencai Zhang
• None of the above

3. Where is the NDB,(New Development Bank) BRICS  headquarters?

• Brasiliana
• New Delhi
• Moscow
• Shanghai

 4. When did the BRICS states signed the Agreement on the New Development Bank, which makes provisions for the legal basis of the bank?

•  July 2014 (6th BRICS summit)
• March 2013 (5th BRICS summit)
• March 2012 (4th BRICS summit)
• None of the Above

 5.When was BRICS formed and when South Africa included ?

• 2009;2010
• 2009;2011
• 2008;2009
• 2009; 2010

______________________________________________________

BRICS notes

BRICS is the acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies: 
Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

• In 2001, "BRIC" was coined by Jim O'Neill, then-chairman of Goldman Sachs , , in his publication "Building Better Global Economic BRICs"

• The BRIC grouping's first formal summit, also held in Yekaterinburg, commenced on 16 June 2009,

• Abbreviation BRICS

• Formation 2009

• South Africa officially became a member nation on 24 December 2010

• Who will host BRICS 2020?

- Next Summit 12th Summit - 21-23 July 2020-Saint Petersburg, Russia 

-Theme : BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth

New Development Bank/ NDB or NDB BRICS Bank 

• BRICS Development Bank is a multilateral development bank operated by the BRICS states. 

• The bank's primary focus of lending will be infrastructure project,   authorized lending of up to $34 billion annually

• President of NDB (from 07- July 2020) -  Marcos Trojyo

• Previous president  of NDB - Mr.KV Kamath (From 2015 to 2020)

• Vice President (from 07 July2020) - Anil Kishora (ex- Deputy MD & Chief Risk Officer (CRO) of SBI 

06072020 Daily Current Affairs Quiz + Key &Notes

1. Which  part  of  the  Constitution  of  India  was  described  as  the  “Soul  of  the Constitution’  by  Dr.  Ambedkar ?

1. The  Preamble 

2. The  Chapter  on  Fundamental  Rights Directive  

3. Principles  of  State  Policy

4. Right  to  Constitutional  Remedies

- Article 32 of Indian Constitution

- Without it, fundamental right s lose their importance

- empowers citizens to move to court of law , if there is denial of fundamental rights

2. After Mizoram, which the Indian state has banned the import, trading and sale of dog meat?

1. Manipur

2. Assam

3. Meghalaya

4. Nagaland.

3. Which famous film personality with a career spanning over forty years,had choreographed more than 2000 songs,  passed away on July 3,2020?

1. Wajid Khan

2. Saroj Khan

3. Irrfan Khan

4. None of the above

Saroj Khan (born as Nirmala Nagpal; 22 November 1948 – 3 July 2020)

4. What is the name of multi-barrel rocket launch system developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO),which can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds ?

1. Maareech

2. Pinaka

3. Astra

4. Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM)

- Maareech ~ Advanced Torpedo Defence System ~ torpedo detection &countermeasure system used by the Indian Navy.

- Astra ~all weather beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by DRDO. First air to air missile developed by India, used by Indian Air Force; Indian Navy

-LRLACM ~ aimed at enhancing India’s firing range from between 400 km and 500 km of the Brahmos to 1000 km

it demonstrates critical cruise missile technologies such as aerodynamic configuration, vertical launch using solid booster, thrust vector control system, booster separation, in-flight wing deployment, in-flight engine start and long range way-point navigation system.

5. Which government has launched a comprehensive e-learning portal called LEAD,which has more than 10,000 instructional materials and course content for Classes I to XII?

1. Uttar Pradesh

2. Tamil Nadu

3. Delhi

4. Karnataka

- “Learning through E-Resources Made Accessible for Delhi (LEAD)”

6. The project 'Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Program (STARS)' for India, to improve the quality and governance of school education in 6 States, which includes an assistance of $500 million was provided by 

1. BRICS

2. ADB

3. IMF

4. World Bank

 $500-million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a final maturity of 14.5 years, including a grace period of five years

7. “Overdraft :Saving the Indian Saver” is a book that focuses on NPA issues that has afflicted Indian banking system in recent years. Who has written the book?

1. Shaktikanta Das

2. Urijit Patel

3. C Rangarajan

4. Michael D Patra

Urijit patel, (former RBI governor) was appointed National Institute of Public Finance and Policy NIPFP, for four-year term commencing June 22, 2020,

8.Which American celebrity rapper has announced on Saturday that he would run for President in 2020?

1. Eminem

2. 50 cent

3. Jay Z

4. Kanye West

9. Who is the current Prime minister of Nepal?

1. KP Sharma Oli

2. Purna Chandra Thapa

3. Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”

4. Bishnu Paudel

10.Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura are three border territories with India that got included in a new map sanctioned under the constitution  by which country

1. China

2. Bhutan

3. Bangladesh

4. Nepal

11. Who is the current Economic affairs secretary?

1. Atanu Chakraborty

2. Tarun Bajaj

3. Ajay Bhushan Pandey

4. None of the above

12. Who is the president of  “Tibetan Government in Exile” or Central Tibet Administration

1. HH Dalai Lama

2. Lobsang Sangay

3. Pema Khandu

4. Neiphiu Rio

13.Unified NCR or the unified strategy for Delhi and NCR to tackle the coronavirus pandemic in suburbs like Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad that can't be separated from the national capital was advocated by

1. Arvind Kejriwal

2. Amit Shah

3. Manish Sisodia

4. Dr. Harsh Vardhan 

14. RBI will purchase government securities maturing between 2027 and 2033, while it sells short-term bills maturing in October and April 2021 for Rs 10000 crore each, under OMO. What is the name given to this simultaneous sale and purchase of bonds?

1. Operation Thunderstorm

2. Operation Desert storm

3. Operation Twist

4. None of the above 

15. What is the full form of OMO?

1. Open Market operations

2. Other Market operations

3. Option Market operations

4. Other Market Options

5. Open Market Options