Current Affairs October 2013

Current Affairs from 1st Oct, 2013 to 31st Oct, 2013

A publication of Nirdeshak.com

1 October 2013

seizing documents showing syphoning of funds by non-existent companies in the name of supplying fodder)

3) What was India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) for the April-June quarter of the current fiscal as declared by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 30 September, 2013? – $21.8 billion (CAD is the difference between inflow and outflow of foreign exchange) Other important facts pertaining to CAD during April-June quarter of 2013  CAD for the quarter was 4.9% of the GDP (CAD was 4.4% or $16.9 billion in the same quarter of last fiscal, 2012-13)  High imports of gold and oil were the main reasons responsible for pushing up 1) A special CBI court at Ranchi on 30 the CAD. Gold imports increased by $7.3 September, 2013 convicted former Bihar Chief billion in the first quarter of current fiscal. Minster and RJD leader Lalu Prasad and 44 Excluding the increase in gold imports of others (including former Chief Minister Jagannath $7.3 billion in Q1 of 2013-14 over the Mishra) in the in the multi-crore fodder scam case corresponding quarter of the preceding of 1990s. The court will pronounce the quantum of year, CAD would work out to $14.5 billion, sentence to the convicts on 3 October, 2013. He which translates into 3.2% cent of GDP was convicted in which case? – Fraudulent  CAD had declined to 3.6% in the January- withdrawal of Rs 37.7 crore from Chaibasa March quarter after touching a record treasury of Jharkhand (The RJD chief will face high of 6.5% in the October-December immediate disqualification as a Lok Sabha quarter member as per a Supreme Court order that an  The government plans to bring down CAD to 3.7% or $70 billion in the 2013-14 fiscal, MP or legislator would stand disqualified from 4.8% or $88.2 billion in 2012-13 immediately if convicted by a court for crimes with

punishment of two years or more) 4) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 30

September, 2013 came up with a report titled ‘A 2) The infamous Chaibasa treasury case related

IRS Profile of Banks: 2012-13’, which among other to the multi-crore fodder-scam of Bihar, in which FA data, reported statistics pertaining to net non- RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted AF performing assets (NPA) of the banking sector. T by a special-CBI court in Ranchi, was unearthed What are the important NPA figures mentioned in by the then Deputy Commissioner of West this report? Singhbhum in 1996. What is his name? – Amit CURREN  The net NPA of all banks increased to Khare(The fodder scam came to surface after

1 1.68% of the total loan at the end of 2012- e Deputy Commissioner Amit Khare raided offices 13 (The net NPA of all banks was 1.28% at

of animal husbandry department in January 1996, Pag

the end of 2011-12. Increase in net NPA  The cost of funds for state-owned banks reflects deterioration in economic rose to 6.27% from 6.06% in 2011-12 activities)  Net NPA of the 26 public sector banks, including State Bank of India (SBI), rose 5) Petrol price was on 30 September, 2013 cut to 2.02% during the year as compared to reduced by …………per litre – Rs. 3.05 (This was 1.53% in the previous fiscal the first reduction of petrol price in over five  SBI and its five associates recorded a net months and the steepest reduction in over five NPA of 2.04% against 1.76% in the years. Since June, 2013 petrol prices had been comparable period raised seven times, totalling Rs. 10.80 per litre,  Net NPA of new private sector bank rose excluding VAT, as the rupee depreciated sharply marginally to 0.45% as compared to against the rupee. On the other hand diesel prices 0.42% were raised by 50 paise a litre. Oil firms also  Tight liquidity situation resulted in raised rates of non-subsidised domestic cooking increase in cost of funds of all gas that households buy after exhausting their commercial banks to 6.12% as against quota of 9 subsidised cylinders) 5.90% in 2011-12

2 October 2013

insurance provider in India with a market share of around 83%)

2) The United States government went into a shutdown from the mid-night of 30 September, 2013. This meant that an estimated 800,000 federal workers faced furloughs (leave without payment) and most of the space agency and

other government operations remained closed. 1) Life insurance policies of Life Insurance What was the reason for this shutdown? – Corporation of India (LIC) became costlier from Collusion between Republicans and 1 October, 2013 due to an IRDA guideline that Democrats over the flagship healthcare came into effect from this date. What guideline is programme of President Barack Obama in this? – Levy of 3% service-tax on all non-unit- the US Congress which led to an interruption linked products beginning 1 October in Federal funding (This is the first instance of 2013 (While private insurers add a service tax shutdown in the U.S. since twin shutdowns of component to the premium paid by customers, 1995 and 1996. In U.S. politics, a government

LIC has not been levying the tax on its popular shutdown is a situation in which the government

endowment and money-back plans. From 1 stops providing all but essential services.

IRS October, however, all LIC policies will attract a Typically, federal services that continue despite FA

separate service tax. In a recent announcement, a shutdown include the National Weather AF T insurance watchdog IRDA (Insurance Service and its parent agencies, medical Regulatory and Development Authority) services at federal facilities, the postal service,

mandated that service tax shall not be included armed forces, air traffic management, etc. A CURREN in the contractual premium, but collected from government shutdown is similar to a lockout in

2 the private sector) e policyholder separately. LIC is the largest life-

Pag

3) Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rasheed Masood label, according to the Ministry of Small and was on 1 October, 2013 sentenced to four years Medium Enterprises. Khadi was promoted by in jail by a Special CBI Court at New Delhi. What Mahatma Gandhi to counter Western fabric and was the charge against Masood? – became a symbol of self-reliance during Fraudulently nominating undeserving country’s freedom struggle) candidates from across the country to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura medical colleges 7) Who took over as the new Chairman & from the central pool in 1990-91 (This case Managing Director of Bharat Petroleum pertains to the time when he was Union Health Corporation Limited (BPCL) on 1 October, Minister during the National Front Govt. in 1990. 2013? – S. Varadarajan (He replaced R.K. With this Masood became the first MP to lose Singh who has retired) his seat after a recent Supreme Court order on immediate disqualification of convicted 8) Ashok Reddy Nukala was recently appointed lawmakers) as new Chairman of Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB), a regional rural bank. KVGB is 4) Indian Railways’ freight tariff was increased sponsored by which public-sector bank? – from 1 October, 2013 due to the increase in fuel Syndicate Bank cost. This increase came into effect as it was a budget proposal to review the fuel adjustment component (FAC) after – Six Months (Railways 9) According to the newly released census data had earlier hiked the freight rate by 5.7 per cent of Census 2011 pertaining to slum dwellers, how on 1 April, 2013 while linking the FAC with many Indians live in slums in 2011? – 65 goods tariff. FAC was proposed in the budget million (In the Census of 2001 the total and was linked with fuel and energy prices and population of slum dwellers stood at 52 million. calculated accordingly) The census defines a slum as “residential areas

where dwellings are unfit for human habitation” 5) Who was recently appointed as India’s new because they are dilapidated, cramped, poorly High Commissioner to the United Kingdom ventilated, unclean, or “any combination of these (UK)? – Ranjan Mathai (Mathai will succeed factors which are detrimental to the safety and Jaimini Bhagwati and will take his charge soon. health” and covers all 4,041 statutory towns in Mathai is the former Foreign Secretary and he India) retired on 31 July, 2013)

10) According to the newly released census data 6) What is the name of a distinct identity to of Census 2011 pertaining to India’s slums, Khadi which was launched on 30 September, which state has the highest slum population in 2013 by the President Pranab Mukherjee? –

the country? – Maharashtra (Maharashtra’s

Khadi Mark (The launch of Khadi Mark on the slum population stood at 11 million. Andhra

IRS occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October, 2013 Pradesh follows with over 10 million in slums, FA will ensure that no textile can be sold or and West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have over 6 AF otherwise traded by any person or institution as T million slum residents each) Khadi or Khadi product in any form or manner

without it bearing a Khadi Mark tag, sticker or CURREN

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3 October 2013

Justice. This bill seeks to replace which existing bill? – The Gujarat Lokayukta Act, 1986 (The State had a Lokayukta till 2003 when the last incumbent retired High Court judge, S.M. Soni, stepped down from his position. Unlike the act in force at present, the Gujarat Lokayukta Aayog Bill, 2013 provides primacy to the Chief Minister, over the Gujarat High Court Chief Justice, in appointing the lokayukta)

3) Indian Olympic Association (IOA) acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra recently informed the organisers of the 2014

Commonwealth Games that that given the

current crisis in the association, and in view of 1) The Union Cabinet on 2 October, 2013 the upcoming festival season, India would not be unanimously decided to drop a controversial able to host the Delhi leg of the Queen’s Baton ordinance and bill aimed at protecting convicted Relay on its scheduled dates. This baton is lawmakers. This was done a few days after scheduled to be in Delhi from 11 to 14 October, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi had 2013, and then travel to Bangladesh. 2014 publicly denounced the move to pass the Commonwealth Games are to be hosted at? – ordinance. This ordinance sought to overrule Glasgow, Scotland (CWG 2014 is scheduled which ruling of the Supreme Court? – The to be held in Glasgow between 23 July and 14 ruling given by the Supreme Court on 10 July August next year. In CWG tradition, the relay 2013 which wanted convicted MPs and State begins in the host city of the previous games legislators disqualified from their respective before travelling to other Commonwealth legislatures (While giving this historic decision nations. The International Olympic Committee the court struck down Section 8(4) of the (IOC) had continued with the suspension of IOA Representatives of the People Act, 1951, which due to its inability to hold elections and reform its protects convicted MPs and MLAs from organisational structure) disqualification if they appeal before a higher

court within three months) 4) The National Textile Corporation (NTC) on 2

October, 2013 launched a retail chain for

2) The Gujarat State Assembly on 1 October, showcasing its products. The initiative, being

IRS 2013 for the second time passed the Gujarat rolled out through franchise route, will have 300 FA Lokayukta Aayog Bill, 2013, which was returned stores in the first phase. What is the name of AF by Governor Dr. Beniwal. In September, 2013 T this newly launched retail chain? – Indian Dr. Beniwal had returned the Bill, which was Republic(Initially, the stores will sell only men’s passed by the State Assembly on 2 April. The wear. First of the stores will come up in CURREN new bill empowers the State government with Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and New Delhi.

4 regard to the appointment of the Lokayukta by e NTC is the corporation of govt. owned textile doing away with the role of the High Court Chief

Pag mills spread across the country)

project, which includes a 72-km long elevated 5) First coach of the upcoming Hyderabad Metro rail-track? – L&T (The Hyundai-Rotem Rail project was unveiled in Hyderabad on 2 consortium is the supplier for coaches of this October, 2013. Which company is heading this project)

4 October 2013

concerns of Congress leaders and people of coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana on the issue of partitioning presents its report. Who is heading this crucial committee? – AK Antony, Union Defence Minister

3) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad was on 3 October, 2013 sentenced to five years imprisonment in a 17-year-old fodder scam case by a special CBI court at Ranchi. He was convicted on corruption and other charges on 30 1) Union Cabinet on 3 October, 2013 gave its September, 2013 by the same court. Who was seal of approval to a Home Ministry proposal to the judge of this special CBI court which divide Andhra Pradesh and carve out the new delivered this sentence? – Pravas Kumar state of Telangana from it. Hyderabad would be Singh (This sentence disqualifies Lalu Prasad shared capital of the remaining Andhra Pradesh Yadav from Parliament and renders him and Telangana for how many years, as ineligible for contesting elections for 11 years. approved by the Union Cabinet? – 10 He was also fined Rs. 25 lakh while another years (This announcement was followed by a former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra string of resignations from the Union Council of was sentenced to four years imprisonment in the Ministers, with Human Resource Development case) Minister M. Pallam Raju, Textiles Minister Kavuri Samba Siva Rao, Minister of State for Tourism 4) Eight convicts were sentenced to life Chiranjeevi, and Minister of State for Railways imprisonment by the Phulbani additional district Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy putting in their and session’s court in Kandhamal (Orissa) on 3

papers) October, 2013 for the murder of Vishwa Hindu

Parishad (VHP) leader, Swami IRS

FA 2) Tensions suddenly flared up in coastal Lakshmanananda Saraswati. This murder,

AF Andhra and Rayalaseema regions on 3 October, which rocked the state of Orissa for quite some T 2013 amid reports that the Central Cabinet time, took place on – 23 August, 2008 would discuss and approve in the evening a 5) Which five Indian universities/institutes made CURREN note on bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. These

reports caused surprise since Seemandhra to the prestigious Times Higher Education World 5 e leaders were expecting some forward movement University Rankings 2013-14 of the top 400

Pag only after a committee constituted to gauge the universities of the World, which was released

recently? – Panjab University (Chandigarh), 6) First National Awards for Senior Citizens were IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur and IIT presented by the President Pranab Mukherjee Roorkee(There were only two Indian on 1 October, 2013. What was the name given universities (IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee) to these awards, which were given under eight listed in the rankings for year 2012-13. Panjab different categories? – Vayoshreshtha University joins the group of universities ranked Samman (These awards were given on the between 226 and 250, putting it way ahead of its occasion of the International Day of Older closest Indian rival IIT Delhi, which is in the 351- Persons) 400 group. Overall, the California Institute of Technology (CIT) retained its place at the top of 7) Uttam Chandarana, who passed away on 2 the rankings for the third consecutive year, with October, 2013, was a sportsman of yesteryears. Harvard University regaining second place (up He was associated with which sport? – Table from fourth), a position shared with the UK’s Tennis (He won men’s singles title in 1943 University of Oxford. Stanford University slipped (Hyderabad), in 1948 (Colombo), in 1949 from joint second to fourth) (Hyderabad) and in 1954 (Baroda). He, however, also excelled in tennis, athletics, billiards and snooker and cricket)

5 October 2013

proposals to the committee of the RBI central board. There are 26 applicants from the public and private sector for bank licences, including Tata Sons, India’s biggest business group, and firms controlled by billionaires Anil Ambani and Kumar Mangalam Birla.

2) Which state would become the first in the country to have the provision of negative voting 1) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 4 for its electorate, as announced by the Election October, 2013 set up a four-member committee Commission on 4 October, 2013? – under former Governor Bimal Jalan to scrutinize Chhattisgarh (The Assembly elections in

applications for new bank licences. These

Chhattisgarh will be conducted in two phases on licenses are expected to be awarded by IRS 11 and 19 November, 2013. It will therefore

FA January, 2014. Who are the other three become the first state where the option of

AF members of this committee? –Usha Thorat negative voting will be introduced. Under this T (former RBI Deputy Governor), C B Bhave option a voter can opt to give his/her vote to (former SEBI Chairman) and Nachiket Mor none of the candidates featuring in the poll. The

CURREN (financial sector expert) – The committee will Election Commission on 4 October, 2013

make its recommendations to the Governor and

6 announced the schedule for Assembly elections e

Deputy Governors, who will make the final in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Pag

Delhi and Mizoram. The first phase of elections and a toilet. It is presently being tested on the in Chhattisgarh will be held on 11 November, Bareilly-Moradabad railway section) 2013 and the second phase on 19 November, 2013. Madhya Pradesh will go to polls on 25 5) India’s largest forged-wheel factory for November, 2013, while elections in Rajasthan railways is proposed to be established at which will be held on 1 December, 2013. Elections in place of Uttar Pradesh? – Lalganj in Delhi and Mizoram will be held on 4 December, Raibareili (An agreement for this forged-wheel 2013. Counting of votes will be held on 8 factory was signed between Union Steel Ministry December, 2013) and Railway Ministry on 3 October, 2013. The proposed factory will be established with an 3) Ahead of the festival season, the Union Govt. investment of Rs. 1,100 crore. In the first stage on 3 October, 2013 decided to enhance capital this factory would have capacity to manufacture infusion into the PSU banks over and above 1 lakh wheels for railway engines and fast speed what was provided in the Budget. This was to trains. This capacity would be doubled in the enable them to extend more credit to auto and second stage) consumer durables sectors to stimulate demand and combat slowdown. How much fund was 6) Which qualifier team on 4 October, 2013 provided to the banks for capital infusion in the qualified to play the ICC World Cup for the first Budget? – Rs. 14,000 crore (The additional time? –Afghanistan (Afghanistan defeated amount of capital will be provided to banks to Kenya by seven wickets to finish second in the enable them to lend to borrowers in select World Cricket League Championship in Sharjah. sectors such as two-wheeler, consumer With this win Afghanistan made its maiden entry durables, etc at lower rates in order to stimulate into the cricket world cup and will play in the demand) 2015 ICC World Cup to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Ireland was the first 4) What is the name given to India’s first 5,500 qualifier team to qualify for this event) horse power (HP) diesel locomotive that has been manufactured by Diesel Locomotive Works 7) What is the size of the proposed IPO (initial (DLW), Varanasi? – Bheem (It is known as public offering) of social-media company Twitter WDG-5 in railway nomenclature. Bheem’s 5,500 Inc., which was revealed by the company on 3 HP diesel engine will be the first of its kind in October, 2013? – $ 1 billion (Twitter’s IPO is India. Currently, Railways employs 4,500 HP the most eagerly-awaited tech offering since engines for freight transport. Bheem has been Facebook’s over-hyped public launch in May designed by Research Designs and Standards 2012. This IPO is expected to take place during Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow. It has a host of November, 2013. Twitter would list its stocks

new features, which include computerised under the TWTR ticker symbol)

controls, an air conditioned cabin for the driver IRS

FA

AF T

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6 October 2013

4-5 years to develop it. The proposal to develop Nyoma air-base is expected to be taken up by the Union Cabinet in November, 2013)

3) Which African country on 2 October, 2013 announced its decision to quit Commonwealth? –Gambia (Gambia is a Western African country and was a member of the Commonwealth since

1965, when it gained independence from Britain. 1) India on 5 October, 2013 started commercial The Gambian government did not give a reason export of electricity to which neighbouring for the decision to leave the Commonwealth. country, to which India will export 500 However, it comes amid a greater emphasis by megawatts of electricity a day over a period of Britain on human rights and increasing pressure 35 years? –Bangladesh (This initiative is seen to promote equality based on sexuality. as a big boost to India’s electricity diplomacy Commonwealth is a group of over 50 countries efforts on the eastern border. Electricity to made up largely of former British colonies. Bangladesh will be provided through the 71-km Gambia called Commonwealth a “neo-colonial Baharampur – Bheramara transmission link. On institution” while announcing its withdrawal from this occasion the Bangladesh-India Power this group headed by British monarch Queen Transmission Centre at Bheramara Elizabeth) (Bangladesh) was also inaugurated. The electricity is being imported under a 4) Union Govt. on 5 October, 2013 launched the memorandum of understanding signed during sale of small 5-kg LPG cylinders from company- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s owned- company-operated (COCO) petrol visit to India in 2010) pumps. Initially the pilot project of this scheme has been started in which 4 cities of the 2) Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal countries? – Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and NAK Browne on 4 October, 2013 announced Bengaluru (This scheme was launched by IAF’s plans to develop a fighter aircraft base Union Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily at near Ladakh as part of its efforts to build up Bengaluru on 5 October. COCO petrol pumps military infrastructure along the border with make up for just 3% of over 47,000 petrol pumps China. Where is this air-base proposed? – in the country. This scheme is expected to become a boon to migratory population such as

Nyoma (Nyoma is an important location for

both the Army and the IAF in the south east of students, IT professionals, BPO employees and IRS persons with odd duty timings as it would

FA Ladakh which has good weather all round the provide them the flexibility to pick up cylinders

AF year. Located at an altitude of around 13,000 T feet, Nyoma is lower in height than and obtain subsequent refills at time of their the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Daulat choice as petrol stations are open for longer hours)

CURREN Beg Oldie but is higher than the air bases in Leh

and Thoise. The cost of developing the air base 8 e would be around Rs 2,173 crore and it will take 5) Union Petroleum Ministry on 5 October 2013

Pag launched the pilot project of inter- company LPG

portability scheme under which LPG consumer manufactured in the public-private partnership can also opt for the distributor of his choice mode between the Indian Council of Medical within a cluster of LPG distributors in the vicinity Research (ICMR) and Bharat Biotech. JE, a and across the oil companies. The pilot of this mosquito-borne viral infection, is the most portability scheme has been launched in how common cause of viral encephalitis in eastern many cities? – 24 Uttar Pradesh (UP), claiming hundreds of lives every year. Mortality is higher among children 6) What is the name of India’s first indigenous and thousands of them in this area have been vaccine to protect children from Japanese rendered disabled by it. Till now India was encephalitis (JE) which was launched on 4 importing vaccine for JE from China) October, 2013? – JENVAC (JENVAC is being

7 October 2013

and CLT20 titles in the same year. With this Sachin Tendulkar’s limited-overs career ended with a championship trophy. Champion teams from numerous countries play in Champions League T20) 3) What is the per employee business generation average of all Indian banks for 2012- 13 according to the latest data on Indian banking sector released by the RBI recently? – 12.13 crore(RBI recently released ‘A Profile of Banks: 2012-13’, which mentions statistics pertaining to 1) The Gorakhpur railway station got the title of per employee business generation of Indian world’s longest platform on 6 October, 2013 as banks for year 2012-13. However, the business the remodelled Gorakhpur yard was inaugurated per employee of India’s largest bank SBI was on this day. This platform measures 1366.33 Rs. 9.43 crore, which is much below the metres with ramp and it pushed West Bengal’s aggregate of all banks) Kharagpur to second spot. Gorakhpur railway station comes under which railway division of 4) Who won the Korean Grand Prix F1 on 6 Indian Railways? – North-Eastern Railway Octber, 2013? – Sebastian Vettel (Germany) of

(NER) Red Bull team (Kimi Raikonnen (Finland) of

Lotus was second while his teammate Romain

IRS 2) Which team won the Champions League T20 Grosjean (France) claimed third spot. With this

FA for 2013, the final of which was played on 6 win Vettel leads the championship with 77 points AF

T October, 2013 at the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi? and is expected to wrap up the 2013 F1 title at – Mumbai Indians (Mumbai Indians defeated next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix at

Rajasthan Royals by 33 runs in the final to claim Suzuka) CURREN

its second Champions League T20 crown. After

9 Chennai Super Kings’s feat in 2010, Mumbai 5) The revised passenger fares came into effect e

Indians became the second team to win the IPL from 7 October, 2013 to implement Fuel Pag

Adjustment Component (FAC). What is the Second Class Ordinary (Non-Suburban). The approximate percentage hike in passenger fares fair of Second Class Ordinary (Suburban) or which became effective? – Around 2% (This Second Class MST have not been increased) includes all AC classes, Sleeper class and

8 October 2013

last users’ trial of Prithvi-II was successfully carried out from the same base on 12 August, 2013)

3) The Supreme Court on 7 October, 2013 rejected BCCI’s suggestion for setting up a special committee to probe the IPL spot-fixing scandal. It proposed a three-member panel to examine the issue. Who was nominated as the head of this panel by the Supreme Court? – Justice Mukul Mudgal, former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court (The Supreme Court bench also proposed the names of senior advocate and Additional Solicitor General N Nageshwar Rao and Assam Cricket Association member Nilay Dutta to be part of the 1) The Union Government on 7 October, 2013 panel. The bench turned down BCCI’s proposal cleared the elevation of Arundhati Bhattacharya for setting up a Special Purpose Committee as the new Chairperson of SBI. She will become (SPC) comprising senior politician Arun Jaitley the first woman to head SBI, which is India’s and Nilay Dutta to look into the issue) largest bank. Bhattacharya will become ………head of SBI – 24th (She will succeed 4) Who took over as the first Chief Minister of Sri Pratip Chaudhuri, who retired on 30 September, Lanka’s Northern Province on 7 October, 2013? 2013. Her tenure will be of around two and a half – C.V. Wigneswaran (He is a former Supreme years) Court judge and his party, the Tamil National

Alliance (TNA), won the provincial council

2) India on 7 October, 2013 successfully test- elections held on 21 September, 2013. Much of RS RS I fired indigenously developed nuclear-capable the area of Northern Province was under LTTE’s FA Prithvi-II missile from a test range at Chandipur

AF control for nearly 30 years) T T in Orissa. What is the strike range of this missile, which is the first missile to be developed by 5) Bangladesh on 7 October, 2013 ratified an

DRDO under India’s prestigious IGMDP extradition treaty with India. This will enable the CURREN (Integrated Guided Missile Development process of handing over of suspects and

Programme)? – 350 km (Prithvi-II is capable of convicted prisoners between India and 10 e carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and is Bangladesh. The ratification of the treaty paves thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines. The Pag the way for Bangladesh to transfer Indian

separatist leader, Anup Chetia, to India. Chetia govt. has how much stake in HPL, which is is top leader of which separatist movement? – being divested through this take sale? – United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), 39.9% (Purnendu Chatterjee-led The Chatterjee which is the largest separatist movement in the Group (TCG) has 40.88% stake, in HPL. IOC state of Assam has an 8.89 per cent stake as a strategic investor and the rest is with financial institutions 6) Americans James Rothman and Randy and Tata Group companies Tata Motors and Schekman and German-born researcher Tata Power. HPL had an accumulated loss of Rs Thomas Suedhof were on 7 October announced 1,980 crore at the end of 31 March, 2012, and as the winners of the 2013 Nobel Prize in debt topping of Rs 3,500 crore. The plant, medicine. They have been awarded this prize for located 125 km from Kolkata at Haldia, operates which discovery done by them? – Discoveries at about 65% of installed capacity) on how hormones, enzymes and other key substances are transported within 8) According to the latest data pertaining to visa cells (Their research on “vesicle traffic” the acceptance of various countries released by transport system of our cells helped scientists Henley & Partners Visa Restriction Index, understand how “cargo is delivered to the right citizens of which country enjoy the widest range place at the right time” inside cells. Disturbances of visa-free travel in the world? – Great to the system can contribute to diabetes and Britain (British citizens enjoy the widest range of neurological and immunological disorders) visa-free travel in the world, being able to visit 173 countries with just a passport. India figures 7) The much-awaited sale of West Bengal 74th on the list, while Afghanistan comes at the Government’s stake in troubled Haldia bottom of the table, with only 28 countries Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) took place on 7 available for entry without visa. Iraqi passport October, 2013. State-owned Indian Oil Corp holders can go to 31 countries while Pakistan (IOC) emerged as the sole bidder for the West and Somalia are tied at the third from the bottom Bengal government’s stake in HPL. West Bengal with 32)

9 October 2013

suspected Pakistani special forces. This bid was the biggest infiltration bid after the 1999 Kargil

confrontation. This incident took place at which

place in Kashmir? – Keran Sector’s Shaalbhati RS RS

I village (8 terrorists were killed and 59 weapons FA

AF including 18 AK rifles and war-like stores were T T captured in this army operation. Indian army suspects that 30-40 well equipped infiltrating

militants were involved in this infiltration bid) CURREN

1) Indian Army on 8 October, 2013 wrapped-up

its 15-day-long major operation along the Line of

2) The Air Force Day was celebrated across the 11

e Control (LoC) in Jammu & Kashmir to foil a establishments of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on 8 massive infiltration bid by terrorists backed by

Pag October, 2013. IAF completed how many years

of its establishment on this day? – 81 (IAF was verdict was based on a case filed by Qasim established on 8 October, 1932 with formation of Ibrahim, a resort tycoon, who had been the No.1 Squadron. The main programme of eliminated in the first round of polls. He had IAF’s 81st Anniversary was held in the form of contended that the first round was not free and the Air Force Day Parade at Air Force Station fair. However, all observers during the polls, Hindon, Ghaziabad) including local NGO Transparency Maldives, the Indian Election Observer’s team lead by the 3) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 7 former CEC, J.M.Lyngdoh, the Commonwealth October, 2013 eased more money into the observers team, the European Union team, and system to help banks offer affordable lending a team from the United States had praised the options to retail customers. For this, which two conduct of polls) steps were taken by the RBI :  Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) was 5) The 2013 Nobel Prize for Physics was shared brought down to 9% by cutting it down among Peter Higgs of Britain and Francois by 50 basis points from 9.5% (MSF is Englert of Belgium as announced on 8 October, the rate at which banks borrow funds 2013. They were given this prize for which overnight from RBI against approved discovery of theirs? – The theoretical government securities) discovery of the origin of mass of subatomic  Banks were allowed to borrow money particles, also called the Boson Theory (The from RBI for one-week and two-weeks so-called boson theory was a central part of the (This new offer of extended period loans Standard Model of particle physics that is also expected to further ease liquidity describes how the universe is constructed. The in the system) theory was recently confirmed through the (These measures came in the wake of a gradual discovery of the predicted fundamental particle stability in the rupee and point towards a by two teams working at the nuclear research seemingly combined effort by both the central organisation, CERN, in Switzerland) bank and the government to pep up demand in 6) The Supreme Court on 8 October, 2013 the crucial festive season) commuted the death sentence of former Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma to life 4) The Maldives Supreme Court on 7 October, imprisonment in the Naina Sahni murder case. A 2013 suspended the results of the first round three-judge bench led by Chief Justice P elections of September 7, in which Maldivian Sathasivam held that the murder was an Democratic Party candidate, Mohamed outcome of an estranged personal relationship Nasheed, stood first with over 45.45% of the and Sharma’s chances of reformation could not popular vote. This decision gave a huge setback be completely ruled out. Naina Sahni murder to former President Nasheed. Which date was case, which had rocked the country and was announced as the re-run of the first round of

RS RS also known as ‘tandoor’ case, took place in – I polls by the Supreme Court? – 19 October FA 1995

AF 2013 (The Supreme Court ruled that a fresh T T round must be held before 20 October. The

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10 October 2013

strength of the methods that Karplus, Levitt and Warshel have developed is that they are universal. They can be used to study all kinds of chemistry; from the molecules of life to industrial chemical processes. All the three scientists are naturalized US citizens. Karplus is also an Austrian citizen. Warshel is also an Israeli citizen while Levitt was born in South Africa and holds citizenship of Britain and Israel)

3) Which country lifted a ban on women wearing the Islamic head scarf in state institutions on 8 October, 2013? – Turkey (This ended an almost 90 year old restriction on women head scarf and this move is being seen as part of a package of reforms meant to bolster country’s democracy. This ban had kept many women from joining the 1) Supreme Court on 8 October, 2013 directed public service in Turkey. On the other hand the Central Govt. to reserve what percentage of country’s secularists see this abolition as govt. jobs for disabled persons? – 3% (This evidence of the govt. pushing an Islamic historic ruling of the Supreme Court came after a agenda) marathon legal battle for providing a level- playing field in govt. jobs for at least 4 crore 4) The trade deficit of India fell to a 30-month people with disabilities in India. The Supreme low in September 2013, as announced by the Court bench led by Chief Justice P Sathasivam Union Govt. on 9 October, 2013. What was the quashed the Centre’s 2005 office memorandum trade deficit during September? – $6.7 and the govt.’s claim that the reservation policy billion (Exports increased 11.15% during the not only had to be different for Group A, B, C month to $27.64 billion compared to the same and D posts but the quota had to confine to month in the previous year, while imports fell some identified posts) sharply by 18.10% to $34.43 billion. Imports declined primarily due to a fall in crude oil and 2) Three American scientists Martin Karplus, gold inflow. This brought the much-needed relief

Arieh Warshel and Michael Levitt were on 9 to the Indian Government fighting a falling RS RS

I October announced as the winners of the 2013 rupee) FA

Nobel Prize in Chemistry. They have been AF

T T awarded this prize for which contribution in the 5) What is the name of the NASA spacecraft field of Chemistry? – For the development of bound for Jupiter, which on 9 October, 2013

multi-scale models for complex chemical swung by Earth to get the boost it needs to CURREN

systems (In the 1970s, Martin Karplus, Michael reach the giant planet in 2016? – Juno (Juno is

Levitt and Arieh Warshel laid the foundation for the spacecraft launched by NASA in 2011 and is 13 e the powerful programs that are used to to reach Jupiter in 2016. Using Earth as a understand and predict chemical processes. The

Pag gravitational slingshot is a common trick since

there isn’t a rocket that’s powerful enough to by this joint-venture which operated cash and catapult a spacecraft directly to the outer solar carry stores across India? – Best Price Modern system. Juno is scheduled to arrive at Jupiter on Wholesale (The two partners had joined hands 4 July, 2016 after journeying 1.7 billion miles) in 2007 and launched its first B2B Best Price Modern Wholesale cash-and-carry store in 6) Bharti Enterprises and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Amritsar in May 2009. At present, there are 20 on 9 October, 2013 announced their decision to Best Price Modern Wholesale stores located at part their ways in their joint-venture operations in various cities across India) the Indian retail sector. Subsequently, the U.S. 7) Who was appointed as the new Pakistan High retail major will buy out the Indian partner from Commissioner to India on 9 October, 2013? – their 50:50 wholesale cash and carry joint Syed Ibne Abbas (Abbas will replace Salman venture – Bharti Wal-Mart, for an undisclosed Bashir) sum. What is the name of the retail-chain owned

11 October 2013

examine the feasibility of encrypted SMS-based fund transfers so as to boost mobile banking in the country. Who will head this committee? – B. Sambamurthy, Director, Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) – The committee will study challenges faced by banks in mobile banking. It will consider the advantages/ challenges of having a single application across all handsets in an SMS-encrypted environment. The 1) 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded committee will also look at any other solution to to Canada’s Alice Munro. The Swedish expand the reach of mobile banking and Academy made this announcement on 10 accordingly, draw a roadmap to implement those October, 2013. With this Munro became the solutions) …………women to be awarded this prestigious prize – 13th (She is also the first Canadian to 3) India on 10 October, 2013 signed

win the prestigious honour. She was acclaimed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with

as the “master of the contemporary story” by the how many countries for the ambitious Nalanda

RS RS I

Swedish Academy. Her important works University project being built near the ruins of FA

AF include Dance of the Happy the ancient academic institution? – T T Shades (1968), Girls and Women (1971) Seven (These seven countries are – Australia, andThe Beggar Maid: Stories of Flo and Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand,

Rose (1978)) Lao PDR and Myanmar. These seven countries CURREN have pledged their support for this project.

2) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) during These agreements are key to India’s plans to 14

e October, 2013 constituted a committee to Pag

establish Nalanda University in Bihar as an during 2012-13 according to the recently institution of international repute) released report by World Bank titled ‘Migration and Remittance Flows: Recent Trends and 4) Who will be conferred the Indira Gandhi Outlook-2013-16’. What was the total amount of Award for National Integration for year 2012 as remittance sent to India by Non-Resident announced on 10 October, 2013 by the award Indians (NRIs) during the year? – $71 committee? – M S Swaminathan, renowned billion (Total remittance to India was larger than agricultural scientist (Swaminathan is also its total income from IT exports. China was known as “The Father of Green Revolution. He second in this list with total remittances of $60 has served as Director of the Indian Agricultural billion followed by the Philippines with $26 billion Research Institute, New Delhi (1966-72), of remittance) Director General of the Indian Council of 6) Who took over as the new Chairman & Agricultural Research and Secretary to the Managing Director (CMD) of Corporation Bank Government of India, Department of Agricultural during October, 2013? – SR Bansal (Bansal Research and Education (1972-79)) was Executive Director of Punjab National Bank (PNB) before taking his new charge. Corporation 5) India was the largest recipient of foreign Bank is a public-sector bank headquartered at remittances among the developing countries Mangalore in Karnataka)

12 October 2013

of weapons. The OPCW has conducted more than 5,000 inspections in 86 countries. It says 100 percent of the declared chemical weapons stockpiles have been inventoried and verified)

2) What is the name of a new class of investors, which was announced by Indian capital market regulator SEBI during October, 2013 and which would encompass all FIIs (Foreign Institutional Investors), their sub-accounts and Qualified Foreign Investors (QFIs)? – Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPIs) – With the announcement of

1) The Organization for the Prohibition of FPI, a new regime for overseas investments in

RS RS Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was awarded the I Indian capital markets was ushered. The KYC FA Nobel Peace Prize for 2013 as announced on 12

AF October, 2013. This award was given to the (Know Your Client) requirements and other T T organization for its extensive efforts to rid the registration procedures would be much simpler world of chemical arsenals. The 189-member for FPIs compared to current practices. The SEBI also decided to grant them a permanent

CURREN OPCW has its headquarters in – The Hague,

the Netherlands (OPCW was founded in 1997 to registration, as against the current practice of granting approvals for one year or five years to

15 enforce the Chemical Weapons Convention, the e first international treaty to outlaw an entire class the overseas entities seeking to invest in Indian

Pag markets. The SEBI board approved the new

Sebi (Foreign Portfolio Investors) Regulations, through more than 60,000 locations. They 2013 to bring about these wide-ranging provide instant money transfer service so that changes) the money is available to the customers within minutes of completing the transaction) 3) India Post during October, 2013 signed an agreement with Wall Street Exchange for launch 4) What is the name of two archers of Arunachal of an International Electronic Money Transfer Pradesh who were provided stapled visa by service through ‘Instant Cash’ product brand. China for their participation in the Youth World This tie-up offers the Indian diaspora worldwide Archery Championship in China and who – especially in the gulf region – a safe, secure subsequently could not a board a flight to China and reliable money transfer service for their on 10 October, 2013? – Maselo Mihu and families back home. ‘Instant Cash’ is a money Sorang Yumi (These two were the only ones in transfer product owned by which group? – The the 30-member contingent to have been Emirates Post Group (‘Instant Cash’ is a wholly issued stapled visas for the event starting in owned subsidiary of the Emirates Post Group, Wuxi from 12 October, 2013) and its services are available in 59 countries

13-14 October 2013

correct but was also accurate as it could be in the location of where the storm would hit the coast. This resulted in almost zero casualty seeing the speed and magnitude of Phailin. In the country’s biggest evacuation ever, about 9 lakh people from the coastal districts of Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh were shifted to safer places as the cyclonic storm Phailin with its centre at Gopalpur in Orissa barrelled on. The National Disaster Management Authority 1) Cyclone ‘Phailin’ became the strongest (NDMA) deployed over 28 teams in Odisha and cyclone to hit India over a decade when it struck 15 in Andhra Pradesh) two states of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh on the 2) Name of an IIT Professor came to highlight, evening of 12 October, 2013 with speeds of over who first sounded the alert about Cyclone 200 km per hour. This cyclonic storm struck the

Phailin, five days before it actually hit the east RS RS

I coastal districts of Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, coast on 12 October, 2013. What is his name? – FA Jagatsinghpur in Odisha and Srikakulam in

AF Prof. Kapil Gupta of IIT Bombay (Prof. Gupta Andhra Pradesh. Over 20 deaths were reported T T noticed the warning on 7 October on a website due to devastation caused by Phailin. When the run by the US Air Force and Navy. He alerted last super-cyclone had struck India? – In the National Disaster Management Authority CURREN 1999 (The cyclone of 1999 had caused over (NDMA), which brought together all the 9000 deaths. But a well-equipped Indian concerned agencies, leading to the timely 16 Meteorological Department (IMD) managed to e evacuation of over nine lakh people. He is a not only get the scale of the natural event

Pag member of the core team which advises NDMA

on natural disasters and has been studying when this guideline of IRDA will come into urban flooding since the 2005 Mumbai floods) effect? – 1 April, 2014 (IRDA mentioned that for pricing the risk, the mortality study conducted by 3) Over 100 people, around half of which were the Institute of Actuaries of India (IAI) with the women and children, were killed in a stampede support of the working group constituted by the on 13 October, 2013 during Navratri festivities in National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) a temple in Madhya Pradesh. This incident took could be used) place at which place? – In Datia’s Ratangarh 5) Who is poised to become the first woman to Mata Temple (The tragedy happened after head the US Federal Reserve, which is the rumours spread that a bridge that the devotees central bank of the United States? – Janet were crossing was about to collapse. The Yellen (Yellen was nominated to head US devotees were killed in the stampede on the Federal Reserve by President Barack Obama on bridge over Sindh river leading to the temple at 9 October, 2013. Yellen has been the deputy Ratangarh, where lakhs of devotees had Chairman of Federal Reserve since 2010. She congregated) will succeed Ben S. Bernanke, whose term expires on 31 January, 2014) 4) According to the draft guidelines issued by 6) Who won the Japanese F1 Grand Prix held the Insurance Regulatory and Development on 13 October, 2013 at the Suzuka circuit? – Authority (IRDA) on 11 October, 2013 it will Sebastian Vettel (Germany) of Red Bull (His become mandatory for insurers to offer Australian teammate Mark Webber was second insurance cover for people living with HIV/AIDS. and the third spot was claimed by Romain IRDA clearly mentioned that the patients Grosjean (France) belonging to the Lotus team. suffering with HIV/AIDS should not be denied life With this win leads the championship with 90 insurance products if the eligibility criteria, as per points) the underwriting policy, is being satisfied. From

15 October 2013

Academy of Sciences on 14 October, 2013. What was the area of research of these three economists for which they were selected for this prestigious award? – For developing new methods to study trends in asset markets (Fama, Hansen and Shiller had laid the

foundation of the current understanding of asset RS RS

I prices. The economics award is not a Nobel

FA Prize in the same sense as the medicine,

AF chemistry, physics, literature and peace prizes, T T which were created by Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel in 1895. Sweden’s central bank added the economics prize in 1968 as a

CURREN 1) Three American economists – Eugene Fama, memorial to Nobel) Lars Peter Hansen (both with the University of Chicago) and Robert Shiller (Yale University)

17 2) What is India’s rank in the 2013 Global

e won the 2013 Nobel Prize for Economics. This announcement was made by the Royal Swedish Hunger Index (GHI), which was released by the

Pag International Food Policy Research Institute on

way ahead than that of China. The US uses 18.6 14 October, 2013? – 63rd, with a hunger score of million barrels of oil per day compared with 21.3 (India’s rank in last year’s GHI was 67. The China’s 10.9 million, despite having a population report terms the situation in India as alarming, a third the size of China’s) even as its hunger score improved from 32.6 in 1990 to 24 in 2005 and 21.3 in 2013. This report 5) The first detailed study for Indian Railways’ ranks 120 developing countries of the world ambitious high-speed bullet train project is according to their hunger scores. China was th expected to commence at which rail corridor of 6 in this list whereas India’s neighbours Sri the country, for which an approval was given by Lanka (rank 43), Pakistan (rank 57) and the Indian Railways during September, 2013? – Bangladesh (rank 58) have been placed above Mumbai-Ahmedabad Corridor (Japan Internal India in this index) Cooperation Agency (JICA) will conduct a 3) An appeals court of a South-Eastern Asian feasibility study for Mumbai-Ahmedabad high country on 14 October, 2013 gave its ruling that speed rail corridor. Estimated to cost about Rs only Muslims can use the word “Allah” to refer to 63,000 crore, the 534-km-long Mumbai- god. With this ruling the court upheld a Ahmedabad route is expected to be the first government ban on the word being used in a corridor to be explored for the Railways Catholic publication. Which country is this? – ambitious bullet project. The high speed corridor Malaysia (The controversy started in 2008 when study has to be completed within 18 months and the government prohibited Catholic the cost of it will be shared jointly by railways publication The Herald from using the word and JICA) “Allah”, and the church filed a court case questioning the order. On December 31, 2009, the Kuala Lumpur High Court lifted the 6) What was the wholesale price index (WPI)- prohibition, noting that the church had a based inflation during September, 2013 as constitutional right to use the word in its announced by the govt. on 14 October, 2013? – publication on the ground that religions other 6.46% (It is higher than the 6.1% recorded in the than Islam can be practiced in peace and previous month (August, 2013)) harmony. The High Court decision triggered protests from Muslim groups. In its ruling the 7) Which corporate company on 14 October, appeals court observed that the use of Allah is 2013 became the first Indian corporate to not an integral part of the Christian faith, so we achieve sales of more than Rs 1,00,000 crore in find no justification for why they insist on using a quarter? – Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) – the name or word in their publication RIL’s turnover or sales soared 14.2% to Rs 1,06,523 crore during the second quarter (July- 4) Which country has overtaken the United September) of 2013-14. Company’s net profit for States to become the biggest net importer of oil the quarter stood at Rs. Rs 5,490 crore, up 1.5% in the world, according to the latest data from Rs. 5,409 crore a year earlier) released by the Energy Information Administration (EIA)? – China (China’s net oil 8) What is the name of an American ship which imports during September 2013 stood at 6.3 was detained for carrying arms and buying million barrels a day, which was more than the diesel in an unauthorized manner near Tuticorin, US’ oil import figure of 61 million barrels a day. Tamil Nadu on 12 October, 2013? – MV

China’s fast-growing economy, as well as the Seaman Guard Ohio (This vessel, whose crew

rise in car sales, has led to its new status. included eight Indians, was intercepted and RS RS I China’s own oil supply has been outstripped by detained by the Indian Coast Guard about 15

FA its economic boom, and its oil fields have been nautical miles east of Tuticorin. The Centre on AF

T T damaged by flooding during the past few 14 October, 2013 sought a report from the Tamil months. However, the US’ oil consumption is still Nadu government on the vessel)

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16 October 2013

4) HDFC Bank, India’s third largest bank, posted a 27.1% increase in profit to Rs. 1,982 crore for the quarter ended September 2013, announcement about which was made on 15 October, 2013. What was an important fact associated with this announcement? – This was HDFC Bank’s slowest quarterly growth in a decade and it was for the first time in a decade that bank’s profit growth fell below 30% 1) What is the name of Indian Navy’s largest offshore patrol vessel (OPV), which was 5) Indian cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar’s inducted into service on 15 October, 2013 at the farewell 200th test match will be held at which Southern Naval Command? – INS stadium as announced by BCCI’s Programmes Sunayna (This 105-metre long ship has been and Fixtures committee on 15 October, 2013? – designed and built by the public sector Goa Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium (This stadium Shipyard. It would soon be deployed for anti- will host the farewell Test for Sachin Tendulkar piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden) after the legendary batsman expressed a wish to play his landmark 200th match against the West 2) The 106th anniversary of the heritage Nilgiris Indies (14-18 November, 2013) in front of his Mountain Rail services was held at home crowd. It was decided to grant Tendulkar’s Udhagamandalam railway station in Tamil Nadu wish to play his last Test at the venue where he on15 October, 2013. What is the base station of made his debut in first class cricket) the Nilgiris Mountain Rail (NMR), which has been given Heritage Status by the UNESCO? – 6) Which team won the 54th Subroto Cup for Mettupalayam in Coimbatore (NMR operates football, final of which was held on 14 October, from Mettupalayam to Coonoor while one of its 2013 at Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium? – branch lines serves between Coonoor and Government Chawmfianga Middle School of Udhagamandalam, popularly known as Ooty) Kolasib, Mizoram(This Mizoram school defeated Betkuchi High School, Kamrup, Assam

3) Central Board of Secondary Education’s by 2-1 in the finals. This is the third time that a

(CBSE’s) first ever Career Counselling & team from Mizoram has won the title, although RS RS

I Guidance Centre (CCGC) in the country was Chawmfianga have won for the first time. FA

opened on 15 October, 2013 at which place? – Subroto Cup is the national football AF

T T Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh (The CCGC championship of India for Under-14 boys aims to assist students, especially those in rural category)

areas, with their career choices. It is open to CURREN students from all Boards across the country. The 7) Senior socialist leader Mohan Dhariya, who

counselling and guidance at CCGC is free of was last of the three ‘Young Turks’ of the 70s, 19 e cost; however, Rs. 50 will be charged for taking passed away on 14 October, 2013 at Pune.

Pag the Student’s Global Aptitude Index (SGAI)) Dhariya was a former Union Minister and deputy

chairman of Planning Commission. Who were Krishnakant (former Vice-President) the two other ‘Young Turks’, who were known andChandrashekhar (former Prime Minister) for their radical political thoughts during 70s? –

17 October 2013

3) India scored a memorable win over Australia in the second ODI of the ongoing one-day series by chasing a mammoth Australian total of 359 in an emphatic style with 39 balls to score at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur on 16 October, 2013. India defeated Australia by 9 wickets to score its biggest victory while chasing a target. Virat Kohli scored the fastest by any Indian in an ODI by scoring his century in 52

balls. Whose record was broken by Kohli? – 1) Who won the Man Booker Prize 2013 as Virendra Sehwag, who had scored his century announced on 15 October, 2013? – Eleanor in 60 balls against New Zealand at Hamilton in Catton for her novel ‘The Luminaries’ (With 2009 (This was the second highest successful this win 28-year old writer from New Zealand run-chase in the history of ODIs after South became the youngest novelist to win the coveted Africa made a stupendous 438, chasing down literary prize. She also set a new record for the Australia’s 434 in 2006) longest winning novel as ‘The Luminaries’ is an 852-page long novel. She got £50,000 for this 4) Which country qualified for the 2014 FIFA prize, which till this year had been awarded to World Cup recently and with it earned its first writers from the Commonwealth countries and berth as an independent nation? – Bosnia- Ireland. From next year, the prize will be opened Herzegovina (Bosnia-Herzegovina scored a 1-0 up to writers from all countries) with over Lithuania to earn a place at a major tournament for the first time. This country was 2) Sixteen days after the U.S. federal part of the erstwhile Yugoslavia from which it government shutdown resulted in the furlough of pronounced its independence in 1992. On the more than 700,000 workers and with less than other hand defending champions Spain also qualified for the World Cup with a 2-0 win over

24 hours remaining before a critical funding Georgia)

RS RS deadline passed, the U.S. Senate announced a I

FA deal on 16 October, 2013 that will end the

AF shutdown. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid 5) A large global private equity company, which T T and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell shot into prominence after acquiring PC maker announced a compromise to this effect. Under Dell Inc., recently made its first investment in India by investing in Bangalore-based Eka

CURREN this compromise agreement which date was

announced for another review of the debt Software Solutions. What is the name of this

ceiling? – 7 February, 2014 equity company? – Silver Lake (Silver Lake 20 e picked up a minority stake in Eka Software, a

Pag firm that creates software for commodity trading)

6) Which European country recently announced 7) Who was appointed as the new Chairman of its decision to exit the international bailout the Railway Board on 16 October, 2013 by the programme by December 2013 and seek funds Indian Railways? – Arunendra Kumar (Kumar from other outside sources? – The Republic of was the acting chairman of Railway Board and Ireland (The 85 billion euro (£73 billion) bailout was overlooking this charge after the retirement was forced on the country after its biggest banks of Vinay Mittal on 30 June, 2013) collapsed in 2010. Ireland sought help after a property crash left its banks under-capitalised)

18 October 2013

Chennai. In which three cities new bench of CESTAT would be established? – Chandigarh, Allahabad and Hyderabad (At present, CESTAT has three benches each in Delhi and Mumbai and one bench each at Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. CESTAT was set up in 1982 to provide an independent and impartial forum to hear the appeal against orders and decisions passed by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise under the Customs Act 1962, Central Excise Act 1944 1) U.S. President Barack Obama on 17 October and Gold (Control) Act, 1968) 2013 signed a bill into law to end the 16-day government shutdown. This law will also 3) Union Cabinet on 17 October, 2013 approved increase the current debt ceiling of $16.7 trillion the Rs. 50 per quintal raise in the minimum to prevent the country from a debt default with support price (MSP) of wheat to encourage potentially worldwide economic repercussions. farmers to cover more area under the crop in the What is the name of this important law? – The ongoing Rabi season. What is the MSP of wheat Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 (This act after this raise? – Rs. 1,400 per quintal (The provides fiscal year 2014 appropriations for increase in wheat MSP by Rs 50 per quintal is

projects and activities of the Federal the same as recommended by the Government

Government through 15 January, 2014. The advisory body, Commission for Agriculture Costs

RS RS I

effective time for the act begins on October 1, and Prices (CACP), but lower than what was FA

AF 2013 and the law extends the Nation’s debt limit proposed by the Agriculture Ministry due to T T through 7 February, 2014) concern over inflation. The agriculture ministry had proposed an increase of Rs 100 per quintal

2) The Union Cabinet on 17 October, 2013 gave to Rs 1,450 per quintal in wheat MSP for the CURREN its approval for setting up six additional benches 2014-15 marketing year (April-March)

of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax 21 e Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), including three at 4) Which country on 17 October, 2013

Pag the existing locations in New Delhi, Mumbai and announced honorary citizenship for Pakistani

teenage activist Malala Yousafzai, who will 5) Three police commandos were killed in a become sixth person to have been granted this landmine blast triggered by Maoists in a forest honour. Which country is this? – area on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in Canada (Canada has granted honorary the early hours of 17 October, 2013. This citizenship to five persons till now – Nelson incident took place in which Naxalite-prone Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi, the Dalai Lama, district of Maharashtra? – Gadchiroli (Three Aga Khan and Raoul Wallenburg (Swedish jawans of C-60 Commando Force were killed in diplomat)) this incident)

19 October 2013

stated that the Council failed in its duties toward Syria and this alleged failure enabled Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime to perpetrate the killings of its people, including with chemical weapons, without facing any deterrents or punishment)

3) The Union Cabinet on 17 October, 2013 gave its approval to construct an all-weather 14-km tunnel at Zojila pass in the state of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). This huge project is expected to cost Rs. 9,000 crore. This pass connects which 1) India’s tallest air traffic control (ATC) tower two regions of J&K? – Ladakh and was inaugurated on 18 October, 2013. This 84- Srinagar (The Zojila pass is situated at an metre structure offers five miles clear visibility for altitude of 11578 ft on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh controllers and gives a view of the entire National Highway (NH-1). Due to its present operational area of the airport. This ATC tower is condition it remains closed during the winter situated as which airport? – Chhatrapati Shivaji season on account of heavy snowfall and International Airport, Mumbai (This ATC will inclement weather. Construction of an all- however hold this record for a brief period till the weather tunnel would result in undisrupted round-the-year connectivity between Ladakh

102-metre tower of Indira Gandhi International and Srinagar) RS RS Airport is commissioned in New Delhi) I FA

AF 2) Which country on 18 October, 2013 rejected 4) It was recently reported that the public sector T T its seat in the UN Security Council just hours banks, which were required to install onsite after it was selected as one of the 10 non- ATMs at 34,668 branches by March 31, 2013 had set up 5,726 ATMs at the end of August

CURREN permanent members in the council? – Saudi

Arabia (Saudi Arabia rejected the seat offered 2013. Hence In the remaining days of the financial year, the 26 public sector banks will

22 to it in the council saying the council is incapable e of resolving world conflicts. It categorically together have to set up 28,942 ATMs, or an

Pag average of 137 every day to achieve the target

of ATM at every branch by 31 March, 2014. was played on 17 October, 2013 at Delhi’s Under which drive the Finance Ministry had Ambedkar Stadium? – Radha Madhav Sanskrit asked the public-sector banks to have onsite Vidhyalaya, Manipur (This Manipur school ATMs or ATMs at branches by the end of March defeated Government Senior Secondary School, 2014? – Financial Inclusion (The government Bhiwani, Haryana by 6-4 to win this coveted had directed public sector banks to have ATMs tournament. The Subroto Cup Football at all their branches as part of its financial Tournament is an inter-school football inclusion drive) tournament of the country named after Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee, former Chief of the 5) Which school won the Girls’ title of the 54th Indian Air Force (IAF)) Subroto Cup football tournament, final of which

20 October 2013

Pentagon (Johnson succeeds Janet Napolitano. Homeland Security, set up after the 11 September, 2001 terrorist attacks, coordinates the work of 22 agencies with a 240,000-strong workforce. It is responsible for everything from anti-terrorism to cyber security to border control)

1) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 19 3) What is the title of a newly-released coffee October, 2013 launched the new Real Time table book on the great Brazilian footballer Pele, Gross Settlement (RTGS) system for large-value which weighs 15 kg and is worth $1,700? – funds transfer. This new RTGS system provides ‘1283’ (This 500-page limited edition book new functionalities like advance liquidity about the player, widely regarded as the features, gridlock resolution mechanism and greatest ever, is titled “1283″, the number of hybrid settlement facility, facility to accept future goals Pele scored in his career, and comprises value-dated transactions and options to process 1283 texts) multi-currency transactions. It complies with 4) Dr. Ravuri Bharadwaja, who passed away on which latest ISO standard system? – ISO 18 October, 2013, was a renowned personality 20022 (The RTGS system is used to settle associated with which field? – Literature (Dr.

interbank fund transfers by banks and their Ravuri Bharadwaja was a noted Telugu writer

customers and is critical in facilitating orderly and was conferred the Gnanpith Award for 2012, RS RS

I settlement of payment obligations. With the which is widely perceived as India’s highest FA implementation of the new RTGS system, new AF literary award, for his Telugu novel ‘Paakudu

T T regulations will replace the operating guidelines Raallu’ and regulations of 2004)

5) Online ad-placing service DoubleClick on 18 CURREN 2) On 18 October, 2013 who was nominated by October, 2013 announced that the way has

US President Barack Obama to head the been cleared to include space at Facebook. This 23 e Department of Homeland Security? – Jeh service had previously been shut out of

Pag Johnson, who is a former top lawyer of the Facebook’s advertising network. DoubleClick is

an ad-placing service of which Internet company? – Google(DoubleClick Bid Manager 7) Which school won the U-17 Boy’s title of the is a Google-owned online ad-placing service for 54th Subroto Cup football tournament, final of marketers to buy online ad space at websites which was played on 19 October, 2013 at across the Internet. Prior to this, Facebook did Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium? – OM Roy not permit the Google-owned service to sell ad Memorial, Shillong (Meghalaya) (This space at Facebook, which is world’s leading Meghalaya school defeated Magurmari High social network) School, Kokrajhar (Assam) by 4-0 to win this prestigious tournament. The Subroto Cup 6) Who won the title of the Indian Open Snooker Football Tournament is an inter-school football 2013, final of which was held on 19 October, tournament of the country named after Air 2013? – Ding Junhui of China (World No. 1 Marshal Subroto Mukerjee, former Chief of the Junhui defeated India’s Aditya Mehta by 5-0 in Indian Air Force (IAF)) the best-of-nine-frames contest)

21-22 October 2013

Masood, Congress MP of Rajya Sabha (Masood was held guilty in a case of corruption and other offences in September 2013. His conviction was the first after the Supreme Court struck down a provision in the electoral law that provided immunity to MPs and MLAs from immediate disqualification. His disqualification was issued on 21 October, 2013 by Rajya Sabha Secretary General Shumsher K. Sheriff)

3) Which four NBFC-Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) recently became the first MFIs to be 1) Who was announced as the first winner of given the ‘mfR1’ grading by CRISIL, which is the Israel’s $1 million Genesis Prize, an award highest grading under its eight-point scale popularly dubbed the “Jewish Nobel Prize.”? – specially designed for evaluating the operations New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (The of MFIs?- Bandhan Financial Services, Genesis Prize Foundation on 21 October, 2013

Kolkata, Equitas Microfinance, RS RS I said Mr. Bloomberg was honoured as the first Chennai, Janalakshmi Financial FA winner for his long record of public service and

AF Services and Ujjivan Financial

T T philanthropy) Servicesheadquartered in Bangalore

2) Who became the first Member of Parliament

4) What is the name of a newly formed regional CURREN

(MP) to lose seat after the Supreme Court struck political federation which was formed by 10 down a provision that protects a convicted regional parties of the North-East India on 20 24 lawmaker from disqualification on the ground of e October, 2013? – North East Regional pendency of appeal in higher courts? – Rashid

Pag Political Front (NERPF) – This newly formed

front was formed with an objective to safeguard October, 2013 at Mumbai? – Bank the political, economic, social and ethnic identity Internasional Indonesia – BII (BII is a of the people of the North East region. 10 parties subsidiary of Southeast Asia’s fourth largest which united to form NERPF are Asom Gana bank Maybank. BII’s Mumbai branch has been Parishad (AGP), Hills State Democratic Party established with an investment of $28 million) (HSDP), Naga People’s Front (NPF), Meghalaya United Democratic Party (MUDP), Manipur 6) The first meeting of the seven-member Tax Peoples Party (MDP), Manipur State Congress Administration Reforms Commission (TARC) led Party (MSCP), Manipur Democratic People’s by Parthasarathi Shome was held on 21 Front (MDPF), Indigenous Peoples Front of October, 2013 at Delhi. What is the tenure of Tripura (IPFT), Peoples Party of Arunachal TARC, which will act as an advisory body to the (PPA) and Mizo National Front (MNF)) Finance Ministry? – 18 months (TARC is expected to submit its first report in six months, 5) What is the name of the Indonesian bank suggesting measures to prevent economic whose first branch in India was opened on 21 offences among other things)

23 October 2013

up to 5,780 MWe from 4,780 with the addition of the first unit of KKNPP)

2) Which two leaders were disqualified from the Lok Sabha on 22 October, 2013 to become the first Lok Sabha members to be disqualified after the Supreme Court struck down a provision that protects a convicted lawmaker from disqualification on the ground of pendency of appeal in higher courts? – RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and JD(U) leader Jagdish 1) What major achievement was made at the Sharma (Both the leaders were disqualified as Lok Sabha members following their conviction in

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) in

RS RS Tamil Nadu on 22 October, 2013? – The first the fodder scam. Lok Sabha Secretary General I

FA unit of this plant was synchronised with the S. Bal Shekar issued the notifications

AF southern regional electricity grid (Unit-I, with disqualifying Lalu and Sharma. While Prasad T T the power generation capacity of 1,000 stands disqualified for a total of 11 years – five megawatt (MWe), produced around 150 MWe of years of jail term and six years subsequent to

CURREN electricity during this synchronization process. his release, Sharma stands disqualified for ten However, the unit later tripped. According to years – four years in jail and six more years after

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited that as per electoral laws) 25

e (NPCIL), India’s nuclear power share had gone Pag

3) The 14th Annual India-Russia Summit was Abdul Gayoom, and tourist resort owner Qasim held on 21 October, 2013 on the occasion of Ibrahim) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s official two- day visit to Russia. How many bilateral 5) Scientists from which country recently agreements were signed between the two announced development of the new Li-Fi (Light countries in this summit? – Five (These Fidelity) technology, which is a new and cheaper agreements were signed on varying subjects way of getting connected to the internet through including transfer of sentenced persons, light bulbs instead of radio frequencies? – understanding in the field of energy efficiency, China (Scientists of Shanghai’s Fudan understanding on standards bureau, cooperation University developed the Li-Fi technology as an in the field of science and technology and alternative to the very popular Wi-Fi (Wireless cooperation in the field of biotechnology) Fidelity) technology)

4) The Election Commission of Maldives on 22 6) Which state has the highest proportion of October, 2013 announced a new date for the Visitor Location Register (VLR) subscribers in presidential election in the country after police India according to the latest telecom on 19 October, 2013 prevented the scheduled subscription data (as on 31st July 2013) vote. What is this new date? – 9 November, released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of 2013 (While the new schedule may break India (TRAI) recently? – West Bengal, which through a political stalemate and reassure this had 88.74% VLR subscribers as on 31 July, troubled young democracy, it may not produce a 2013 (West Bengal was followed by new president before the incumbent’s term Maharashtra (88.22%) and Madhya Pradesh ends, creating a constitutional vacuum. If no (87.64%). On the other hand Tamil Nadu had candidate wins 50% votes in the 9 November the lowest proportion of VLR subscribers election, a runoff would be held on 16 (73.33%) and it includes subscribers of Chennai. November, 2013. The constitution requires a A VLR is a database that contains information president to be elected by 11 November, 2013 about the subscribers roaming within a mobile when sitting President Mohamed Waheed switching center’s (MSC’s) location area. The Hassan’s term ends. Former President primary role of the VLR is to minimize the Mohammaed Nasheed’s rivals at the election number of queries that MSCs have to make to would be Yaamin Abdul Gayoom, a brother of the home location register (HLR), which holds Maldives’ longtime autocratic ruler Maumoon permanent data regarding the cellular network’s subscribers)

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Uttarakhand, which was set-up by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests recently, will be jointly headed by which two persons? – Prof. Ravi Chopra and Chandi Prasad Bhatt (Prof Ravi Chopra is a member of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) whereas environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt is a founding member of the Chipko Movement. The panel will study if these projects had caused the devastating floods in the state that claimed over 5,000 lives in June this year. It will submit 1) Legendary playback singer Manna Dey its report within three months) passed away at the age of 94 on 24 October,

2013 at Bangalore. Known for his golden voice 4) The Planning Commission recently decided and incredible command over classical singing, that the Raghuram Rajan committee report on he sang in many Indian languages including the development index for states will not work Hindi, Bengali, Assamese, Marathi, Malayalam, for distribution of all central funds. The Kannada, Gujarati, Punjabi and Bhojpuri. What commission’s move was in response to protests was Manna Dey’s original name? – Prabodh made by several states at the new ordering of Chandra Dey(Manna was his nickname. Among backwardness that has been drawn up by the Manna Dey’s best loved Hindi songs were ‘Ek committee headed by Rajan. The Planning Chatur Naar’from Padosan, ‘Zindagi Kaise Hai Commission instead set up for a new two- Paheli’ from Anand, ‘Ae Meri Zohrajabeen’ from member plan panel for a fresh look at the issues Waqt, ‘Tu Pyaar Ka Saagar Hai’ from Seema involved in transferring money to state and ‘Yaari Hai Imaan Mera’ from Zanjeer. governments from plan budget. Who are the two Manna Dey received the Padma Shri, Padma members of this newly set up committee? – Bhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Awards) Mihir Shah and Abhijit Sen

2) The Finance Ministry on 23 October, 2013 5) Which Southeast Asian country recently finalised the bank-wise capital allocation, which announced a new Islamic criminal law to be is part of the capital infusion plan for 20 public enforced within six months in the country, which sector banks which altogether will get Rs 14,000 could include penalties like amputation for theft crore. How much capital will be infused into the and stoning for adultery? – Brunei (The Sultan State Bank of India (SBI)? – Rs. 2000 of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah on 22 October, 2013 crore (SBI has got the largest share in this announced strict Islamic penalties based on capital infusion initiative. The capital infusion is

Shariah to be imposed in the country. The law done with the twin objective of adequately

RS RS would apply only to Muslims, who comprise I meeting the credit requirement of the productive

FA about two-thirds of the population of nearly sectors of the economy as well as to maintain AF 420,000 people) T T regulatory capital adequacy ratios. Banks can

raise Rs 10,000 crore from markets against the 6) What is the name of a new ordinance that Rs 14,000 crore infusion)

CURREN was passed by the Pakistani President on 22

October, 2013 which gives more teeth to fight 3) The 17-member expert committee to study

27 terror? – Protection of Pakistan Ordinance, e the impact of 24 hydro-electric power projects on 2013(The new ordinance has a slew of

Pag the ecologically fragile Himalayan region in

provisions with high security prisons, separate punishments. Such offences as designated police stations for specified crimes with federal under the law will be cognisable and non- prosecutors to argue cases in special federal bailable) courts, preventive detentions and enhanced

25 October 2013

10 lakh each and Dr. Baidyanath Halder will have to pay Rs. 5 lakh to Dr. Saha within eight weeks. The rest of the amount, along with the interest, will be paid by the hospital. The National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) in 2011 had awarded Rs. 1.73 crore to the doctor whose wife Anuradha Saha died in 1998 following faulty treatment administered at the hospital)

3) What is the name of a panel constituted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently, which 1) Coca Cola opened its new newest bottling would give its recommendations for plant in India on 24 October, 2013. With the implementing a national Indian Bill Payment inauguration of this plant at Chatta region of System so that households will be able to use Uttar Pradesh, Coca Cola has 58 bottling plants bank accounts to pay school fees, utilities, in India. Coca Cola completed how many years medical bills and make remittances of operation in India on 24 October? – 20 electronically? – GIRO Advisory Group years(The inauguration of the Chatta bottling (GAG) – GAG is headed by Prof. Umesh Bellur, plant coincides with the completion of Coca Professor, Indian Institute of Technology, Cola’s twenty years in India. On 24 October, Bombay. The panel would submit its report by 1993 Coca Cola India began operations in Agra) the end of December, 2013.

2) In the biggest compensation in a medical 4) Indian Railways on 23 October, 2013 negligence case in India till date, the Supreme announced its decision to increase the speed of the superfast trains to 160-200 km. With this

Court on 24 October, 2013 awarded Rs 5.96 decision the existing superfast trains of India like RS RS crore as compensation to be paid by a Kolkata- I Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto Expresses will FA based hospital and three doctors. This huge

AF compensation is to be paid to a US-based get an increase in the speed. What is the fastest T T Indian-origin doctor Kunal Saha for medical speed of an Indian superfast train at present? – negligence which led to the death of his wife in 150 Km (The fastest train of India is the Bhopal Shatabdi with the top speed of 150 kmph. In

CURREN 1998. Which Kolkata-based hospital featured in

this case? – AMRI Hospital (The court said out spite of possessing one of the largest train network in the world the speed of India’s

28 of the total compensation amount, Dr. Balram e Prasad and Dr. Sukumar Mukherjee will pay Rs. superfast trains has remained stagnant for

Pag decades now)

Indo-Tibetan Border Police border guards at 69 5) How much fund was recently sanctioned by posts in the icy Himalayan locations along the the Union Govt. to fortify and upgrade jawans’ 3,488km Sino-Indian frontier. The ITBP was facilities in far-flung Indo-Tibetan Border Police raised as a border guarding force in the wake of (ITBP) posts located along the Sino-Indian the 1962 Chinese aggression and the force has border? – Rs. 1,260 crore (The funds will be 56 battalions (56,000 personnel) at present) used to enhance the living conditions of the

26-27 October 2013

5-year period. The data pertaining to unemployment rate was based on NSSO’s 8th Quinquennial survey on employment and unemployment conducted in the 66th round of NSS during July 2009 to June 2010)

3) Which city witnessed maximum unemployment rate during the five year period ending 2009-10, as stated in the latest NSSO

report released on 26 October, 2013? – 1) Which dam completed 50 years of its Patna (Patna witnessed unemployment rate of establishment on 24 October, 2013? – Bhakra 13.2% during this period and it was followed by dam(Bhakra dam started its operations from 24 Kanpur which witnessed 7.7% unemployment) October, 1963. It was one of the tallest straight gravity dams in the world when its construction 4) Which city witnessed minimum was completed in 1963 and it cost Rs. 245 unemployment rate during the five year period crore. The Bhakra-Nangal dam complex houses ending 2009-10, as stated in the latest NSSO the largest base of hydro power in India with report released on 26 October, 2013? – production capacity of 2900 MW and it shows Bhopal (Bhopal witnessed an unemployment the cheapest model of electricity production in rate of just 0.1% during this period. Gujarat’s India. The Bhakra Beas Management Board Surat was in second place with unemployment (BBMB), which lights up half of north India rate of 0.6%)

through the Northern Regional Grid, has 5) What is the name of the agreement to

RS RS produced electricity at just 22 paise per unit, I strengthen cooperation on trans-border rivers

FA according to its FY 2012-13 figures)

AF that was signed between India and China on 23 T T 2) What was India’s unemployment rate during October, 2013 on the occasion of Indian Prime the five year period ending 2009-10, data Minister Manmohan Singh’s state visit to China? – Trans-Border River Agreement –

CURREN pertaining to which was released by the National

Sample Survey Organisation on 26 October, TBRA (Both countries agreed to strengthen their cooperation further on the trans-border rivers

29 2013? – 2.8% (This displayed fall of 1% in e unemployment rate from 3.8% during previous through the existing Expert Level Mechanism to

Pag provide flood-season data and emergency

management. Under the new agreement, October, 2013? – Pune Warriors (The team Chinese side agreed to provide more flood data was terminated after the Sahara-owned of Brahmaputra from May to October instead of franchise defaulted on its payments and refused June to October in the previous agreements to furnish the bank guarantee for the next river water agreements in 2008 and 2010. TBRA season. The Pune Warriors have been on has more significance as India has been collision course with the BCCI after the Board expressing concerns over China’s plans to encashed its bank guarantee due to non- construct more dams which India fears could payment of franchise fee. Pune, bought by restrict the flows of the Himalayan river flowing Sahara for $370 million (approx Rs 1702 crore) from Tibet) in 2010, was the most expensive franchise on the IPL roster and its termination would cause 6) Which franchisee team of the Indian Premier substantial financial loss to the BCCI) League (IPL) was terminated by the BCCI on 26

28 October 2013

winning spree in 2010. Nico Rosberg (Germany) of Mercedes team came second in this race while French driver Romain Grosjean of Lotus team finished third)

2) Six people were killed and over 70 were injured in six serial bomb blasts near the venue of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi’s rally in Patna on 27 October, 2013 minutes before he reached there to address a huge gathering. What was the name given to this rally, which pulled massive crowds to rally’s venue Gandhi Maidan? – “Hunkar Rally” (All these blasts were of low intensity and the deaths was mainly due to huge outpouring of crowds at the venue. Another low intensity bomb also exploded at the Patna railway station in the 1) On 27 October, 2013 Red Bull’s Sebastian

morning) RS RS

I Vettel (Germany) won the Indian Grand Prix

FA Formula One (F1) trophy for the third

AF 3) Indian power producer NTPC Ltd. is in the

T T consecutive time having won all the three titles final stages of launching an ambitious plan to of this race since its inception in 2011. With this move imported coal from the high seas to its win he also won the F1 Grand Prix title for 2013. generating stations through country’s inland CURREN What history Vettel created with this win? – He waterways. This ambitious plan has been became the youngest four-time champion of chalked with an aim at cushioning the impact of 30 F1 title(Sebastian Vettel has won the F1 title for e expensive imported coal. Which would be the the fourth consecutive time and he started his

Pag first NTPC plant to receive coal consignment

through an inland waterway? – Farakka plant in 6) What is the name of one of the last surviving West Bengal (This plant would receive a ship vintage steam locomotives of Indian Railways bearing 69,060 metric tonnes (MT) of imported that on 26 October, 2013 got on to its duty of coal. This consignment has already been hauling two coaches for the package tour stationed at Sandheads, the transshipment point between Delhi and Alwar? – ‘Akbar’ (‘Akbar’ in the Bay of Bengal. Inland water transport was manufactured at the Chittranjan Locomotive (IWT) is widely acknowledged as among the Works (CLW) and has been named after the cheapest form of transport for goods and is used great Mughal emperor of the same name. After extensively in countries such as China, remaining many years out of service, ‘Akbar’ Germany and the US by power utilities for was restored, overhauled and reclaimed in full transporting bulk coal) working condition at the Amritsar workshop of Northern Railway in October 2012. Amritsar 4) With village of Haryana came into limelight on Workshop has acquired unique distinction of 27 October, 2013 as the venue of a Ranji tie being the only workshop of Indian Railway which between Haryana and Mumbai in which Sachin is rehabilitating steam locos and carrying out Tendulkar played probably his last Ranji Trophy periodic overhaul of these vintage locos) match? – Lahli (The match between hosts Haryana and Sachin Tendulkar’s team Mumbai 7) Who was appointed as the new Chief Coach was staged at the sleepy hamlet Lahli’s of Indian national hockey team during October, Chaudhary Bansi Lal Stadium. Lahli for the first 2013? – Terry Walsh of Australia (The reputed time witnessed such a high-profile match and Australian, a silver medallist in the 1976 thousands of spectators thronged in to the Montreal Games, comes with a vast experience small-sized stadium. Sachin, however, could of coaching and has also represented Australia score only 5 runs before he got out in this high- in three Olympics. He was appointed as a profile match) replacement to his compatriot Michael Nobbs, who was sacked after a string of poor results) 5) What was India’s teledensity at the end of August, 2013 according to the latest data 8) Which country recently achieved its 100th released by TRAI on 26 October, 2013? – Test match win recently? – South Africa (South 73.60 (India’s teledensity at the end of July, African test team on 26 October, 2013 achieved 2013 stood at 73.54 (The telephone subscription its 100th Test match victory since the formation in the urban areas slightly declined from 548.92 of a unified national cricket body. This milestone million in July, 2013 to 548.90 million at the end was achieved in the 207th win since the United of August, 2013. Subscription in rural areas Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) came increased from 355.54 million to 357.27 million into existence in 1991. The century mark was

during the same period) achieved when South Africa beat Pakistan by an

RS RS innings and 92 runs in the second Test match, I

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mutual fund penetration in small districts of the country for which mutual funds can also adopt some districts)

3) What is India’s projected growth rate for current fiscal year (2013-14) in RBI’s Macroeconomic and Monetary Developments Second Quarter Review 2013-14, which was released on 28 October, 2013? – 4.8% (The growth rate has been scaled down from earlier estimate of 5.7%. This projection is based on 1) What name was given to the storm which RBI-sponsored survey of professional battered the United Kingdom on 28 October, forecasters outside the purview of RBI) 2013 and which was country’s worst storm since

1987? – St. Jude (The name was given after the 4) Opportunity, the Mars rover of US space patron saint of lost causes who is traditionally agency NASA recently began its expedition to celebrated on 28 October every year. The storm scale the tallest mountain it has yet encountered St. Jude battered south England and Wales with in nearly 10 years of its exploration of the red winds upto 160 Km per hours. Three persons planet. What is the name of this tallest died and over 2.5 lakh homes across the UK mountain? – Solander Point (Solander Point is went powerless due to high intensity storm at the north end of the western-southwestern winds) ridgeline of Endeavour crater on Mars)

2) Indian security market regulator Securities 5) On 26 October, 2013 a Memorandum of and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on 28 Understanding (MOU) was signed for October, 2013 asked mutual funds to adopt establishment of a new liquefied natural gas different districts to increase their penetration. (LNG) Terminal at which major port of India? - SEBI gave reference of a CRISIL report on Paradip, Orissa(The MOU was signed mutual funds, which quotes data from between Paradip Port Trust and GAIL (India) Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) to Ltd. for setting up of a LNG Terminal in Paradip disclose the fact that Indian mutual fund market Port Trust (PPT). GAIL envisages setting up the has been dominated by investors belonging to project with a send-out capacity of 4 MMPTA in large cities of the country. According to this Phase I with a storage capacity of 170,000 cubic report what percentage of the gross mutual fund meters. This will entail a total investment of Rs. market has been captured by investors of India’s 3108 crore out of which PPT would invest Rs. five largest cities? – 74%(Another problem

650 crore and balance Rs. 2458 crore will be effecting Indian mutual fund market is the fact

RS RS invested by GAIL. India’s existing LNG are I that mutual funds lost 8% or nearly 35 lakh retail

FA situated at Maharashtra, Dahej (Gujarat), Hazira folios over past six months ended September, AF (Gujarat) and Kochi (Kerala))

T T 2013 according to the latest data released by

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3) RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan on 29 October, 2013 cut the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate by 25 bps to 8.75% in the October monetary policy review. What was the significance of this move from the view of repo rate? – The gap between the repo rate and the MSF rate is now back to 100 bps, which signals the return to normalcy in currency markets (The MSF is an emergency window that banks borrow from when faced with a funds crunch)

4) Noted Hindi author Rajendra Yadav passed away in the late night of 28 October, 2013 at Delhi. Along with Mohan Rakesh he is considered as a pioneer of the literary 1) Union Govt. on 28 October, 2013 constituted movement in Hindi literature often called “Nayi a high-level committee to look at the division of Kahani”. What is the name of the Hindi literary assets and the administrative framework which magazine which was founded by Munshi would be required when Telangana is created Premchand and was re-launched by Rajendra upon bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh (AP). Who Yadav in 1986? – ‘Hans’(‘Hans’ was founded by is heading this committee? – K. Vijay Kumar, Munshi Premchand in 1930 but its publication Former DG of CRPF (The panel will take into was stopped in 1953. Rajendra Yadav re- account the legal, financial and administrative launched ‘Hans’ on 31 July, 1986 on the measures that may be required for the transition occasion of Premchand’s birth anniversary and to a new capital by the residuary state of AP. he continued to edit it till his death. Yadav’s This committee will also look at various options important works include ‘Sara Akash’, ‘Ukhre regarding the division of assets between the Huey Log’, ‘Ek Inch Muskaan’, and ‘Kulta’) new state of Telangana and the residuary one of AP) 5) Who will be the new Chief of Indian Air Force (IAF) as announced by the Union Govt. on 29 2) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor October, 2013? – Air Marshal Arup Raghuram Rajan on 29 October, 2013 hiked the Raha (Raha is presently Vice-Chief of Air Staff repo rate by 25 basis points in the October and he will take over after Air Chief Marshal monetary policy review. The repo rate is now at

N.A.K Browne retires on 31 December, 2013. Air 7.75%. What was the main reason for increasing

RS RS Marshal Raha was commissioned into the IAF I the repo rate? – Increase in inflation during FA on December 14, 1974 in the fighter stream of

AF the past few months (Wholesale price index the Flying Branch) T T (WPI) inflation touched 6.46% in September while consumer price index inflation was at 6) Bharat Broadband Network Ltd (BBNL) has 9.84%. Both these measures have been way

CURREN been entrusted with the task of implementation

beyond the comfort level of the RBI. Repo rate is of Internet connectivity across 2.5 lakh gram the rate at which banks borrow short term funds

33 panchayats in India to provide e-government

e from RBI) services. Under this initiative around one lakh Pag

panchayats would be connected by September the worker returns home, whichever is earlier. 2014, another one-lakh by July 2015 and the The workers have to contribute between 1000 last 50,000 by March 2016. BBNL, which was rupees and 12000 rupees per annum towards set up as a special purpose vehicle, has been the pension fund and 4000 rupees towards the set up by the Centre and three PSUs. Which return and resettlement fund. Bank of Baroda is three PSUs are these? – Bharat Sanchar the official banking partner of the scheme to Nigam Ltd (BSNL), Railtel and Power Tel (the enroll the workers) telecom business of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd). The upcoming National Optical Fibre 8) Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries Network (NOFN) aimed at last mile connectivity Limited (RIL) retained his title as India’s will form the backbone for these facilities. wealthiest person for sixth year in a row. His networth stood at $21 billion. NRI steel tycoon 7) On 28 October, 2013 the Mahatma Gandhi Lakshmi Mittal (USD 16 billion) also continues to Pravasi Suraksha Yojana (MGPSY) was hold the second position in this list released by launched in Dubai for blue-collar Indian workers the Forbes magazine. Who pushed IT czar Azim working in UAE. MGPSY is a special social Premji of Wipro to fourth position to become security scheme for overseas Indian workers on third richest Indian? – Dilip Shanghvi (Sun temporary work permit in 17 countries. When Pharma’s Shanghvi jumped to third place with was this scheme launched? – 1 May, about 50% surge in his wealth to $13.9 billion 2012 (MGPSY was envisaged with the objective while Azim Premji’s wealth stood at $13.8 billion. of helping the workers to save money for their Other people on this list include Pallonji Mistry retirement, their return to India and resettlement (5th position with $12.5 billion), Hinduja brothers and provides life insurance cover against natural (6th position with $9 billion), Shiv Nadar (7th death during the period of coverage. Govt. of position with $8.6 billion), Adi Godrej (8th India contributes up to 2000 rupees every year position with $8.3 billion), Kumar Mangalam for male workers and 3000 rupees every year to Birla (9th position with $7.6 billion) and Sunil women workers for up to either five years or until Mittal (10th position with ($6.6 billion)

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3) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 29 October, 2013 decided to close the special window for commercial banks to meet the cash requirements of mutual funds (MFs) with immediate effect. When was this special window opened by RBI? – On 17 July 2013 (This special window of Rs 25,000 crore was opened to help the crisis-ridden mutual funds tide over liquidity problems. Now with the improvement in liquidity conditions, the RBI decided to close this special window. The last time RBI had opened 1) Sachin Tendulkar played the last domestic such a facility was in 2008, after the collapse of match of his illustrious career at Lahli’s Lehman Brothers triggered a chain reaction and Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Rohtak, caused a global financial crisis that sent fixed Haryana. He played for his Mumbai team income markets in a tizzy) against Haryana in a Ranji Trophy tie and finished the match in style on 30 October, 2013 4) What was the guideline issued by the RBI on by steering his team to a hard-earned victory. 29 October, 2013 pertaining to transaction- What was Tendulkar’s score in the last innings based SMSes by banks? – The RBI asked of this match, which was his last in domestic banks to charge customers for transaction circuit? – 79 not out (Tendulkar will bring the SMS alerts on the basis of usage, instead of curtain down on his glorious 24-year tryst with imposing a fixed fee, to ensure equity and be international cricket by playing his 200th Test reasonable (In its guideline the RBI said that match against West Indies at Mumbai’s fees based on actual usage are necessary to Wankhede Stadium between 14 and 18 ensure reasonableness and equity in charges November 2013) levied by banks. In March 2011, the RBI had set guidelines for banks to send online alerts to 2) Indian film Aamir Khan was honoured with the customers for all types of transactions, inaugural award of the America Abroad Media irrespective of the amount. However, the central (AAM) on 29 October, 2013 in a glittering event bank had not issued rules on charging held at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium in customers for these alerts) Washington. He was given this award for his television show, Satyameva Jayate. This award 5) The RBI on 29 October, 2013 allowed the by AAM, which was also given to Oscar-winning commercial banks to revise the periodicity of

director Kathryn Bigelow and 2013 Nobel Prize interest payments. This guideline was

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T T these personalities – Making a major impact on social issues through cinema (All three savings bank account and term deposit holders winners of AAM’s inaugural awards were to earn interest at shorter intervals. What is

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longer intervals (RBI had deregulated the savings interest rates of banks in 2011)

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