Mar 2018 – Part -1

General Awareness Mar 2018 – Part -1

Answer the following question by choosing the best option from the choices given.

1. Recently, the CCEA has approved around Rs. 1000 crore Central Sector Scheme to states Punjab, Haryana, UP and NCR. What is the reference? 1. management of crop residue 4. management of traffic 2. smart city management 5. None of the above 3. citizen security Ans: 1 Solution: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Rs. 1,151 crore Central Sector Scheme for in-situ management of crop residue in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi. It will promote agricultural mechanization for next two years (2018-20) to provide cost-effective and eco-friendly solution to farmers to deal with problem of stubble burning that result in raising air pollution levels in Delhi and neighbouring states every winter.

2. With which nation did the Union Cabinet approve the signing of Migration and Mobility Partnership agreement in the recent times? 1. Germany 4. Italy 2. France 5. None of the above 3. Russia Ans: 2 Solution: The Union Cabinet has approved signing of Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement between India and France. Decision in this regard was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agreement will be signed during state visit of French President to India in March 2018. The others include agreement between India and France in field of academics, MoU between India and France to prevent illicit consumption of Narcotic Drugs, Memorandum of Cooperation between India and France in field of environment.

3. What is IMPRINT - II related to? 1. Adult health in rural India 4. secondary school education in India 2. primary school education in India 5. None of the above 3. research and innovation in India

Ans: 3 Solution: The Ministry of Human Resource Development has sanctioned Rs. 1000 crore for phase II of Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) India programme to boost research and innovation in the country. Under the IMPRINT-II, a fund is being created by Department of Science and Technology (DST) and HRD Ministry together, in which participation will come from industry and other interested Ministries. The project will be run as a separate vertical in coordination with DST.

4. In 2018, 40 participants of Indian Origin have attended the KIP. What is the full form of the KIP? Which state partnered the event? 1. Known Indian Provisions, New Delhi 3. Know India Programme, Gujarat 2. Know International Provinces, Washington 4. Know India Programme, Madhya Pradesh D.C. 5. Arunachal Pradesh Ans: 4 Solution: 40 participants of Indian Origin from 9 countries attended 46th edition of Know India Programme (KIP). Madhya Pradesh was partner state of this edition. As part of the initiative participants visited Madhya Pradesh, Parliament House, President’s House and attended orientation programme at the Foreign Service Institute. Know India Programmes (KIP) is initiative (scheme) of Ministry of External Affairs for Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) between the age group of 18 to 30 years. The scheme was launched in 2004 and has so far had 40 editions in which some 1,293 PIO youths have participated.

5. For the first time, India has imported ____ from the United States. 1. machinery 4. PNG 2. coco 5. LNG 3. cashew Ans: 5 Solution: India for first time has started process of importing Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) from United States. The development comes on the heels of India’s first import of crude oil from the US in October 2017. The first US- sourced LNG shipment was imported by state-owned GAIL and was shipped it on board of its chartered LNG ship ‘Meridian Spirit’ from Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass LNG export facility in Louisiana. It will be discharged at GAIL’s Dabhol terminal, Maharashtra.

6. Which ministry has released the draft National Strategy for Standardisation? 1. Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry 4. Union Cabinet 2. Ministry of Finance 5. None of the above 3. Ministry of Textile Ans: 1 Solution: The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released draft Indian National Strategy for Standardisation for standardisation of products and services to provide level playing field to domestic industry and adopt best global practices. The strategy will play an active role and take leadership positions in apex international forums in related areas besides creating response mechanisms to global developments on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment practices that impact market access of Indian goods and services.

7. The headquarters of the Animal Welfare Board of India has been shifted to Haryana from: 1. Gujarat 4. Andhra Pradesh 2. Tamil Nadu 5. None of the above 3. Telangana Ans: 2 Solution: Government has shifted headquarters of Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to Ballabhgarh in Faridabad District of Haryana from Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was shifted after consultation with AWBI for better coordination between the Environment Ministry and AWBI for carrying out the animal welfare activities. The Rule 3 of the Animal Welfare Board (Administrative) Rules, 1962 mentions that the headquarter of AWBI shall be at New Delhi or at such other place as central government, may, after consultation with the Board direct.

8. Which state inaugurated the first helicopter shuttle service in India? 1. Maharashtra 4. Tamil Nadu 2. Gujarat 5. None of the above 3. Karnataka Ans: 3 Solution: India’s first helicopter shuttle service (HeliTaxi) was launched in IT capital Bengaluru, Karnataka in a bid to provide last-mile connectivity. The maiden trip of helitaxi was between Electronic City and Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. It was provided by Thumby Aviation.

9. The Economic Affairs Secretary, Subhash Garg, will head the 8-member steering committee on: 1. bank frauds 4. regulation of fintech sector in India 2. NPA 5. Bengal 3. regulation of credit cards in India Ans: 4 Solution: The Union Government has set up 8-member steering committee look into the development and regulation of the financial technology (fintech) sector in India. It will be headed by Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Garg. The move follows an announcement by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Budget. Members: Electronics and Information Technology Secretary, Financial Services Secretary, MSME Secretary, Chairperson of Central Board of Excise and Customs, Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India, Chief Executive Officer of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and Joint Secretary Department of Economic Affairs.

10. What is the quantum of fund in thousand crore INR that has been approved under Nirbhaya Fund in 2018? 1. 2367 4. 3124 2. 6745 5. 2919 3. 1578 Ans: 5 Solution: The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development has approved projects worth Rs 2,919 crore under Nirbhaya Fund for creating eight safe cities. They are Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Lucknow. The projects for safe cities will have special focus on women safety in public spaces and quick response systems to create deterrence against crime. Plans for safe cities were prepared in coordination with municipal corporations and police commissionerates of these cities.

11. Who launched the Women Entrepreneurship Platform in India on the occasion of International Women's Day? 1. NITI Aayog 4. RBI 2. WEF 5. None of the above 3. Union Government Ans: 1 Solution: NITI Aayog launched the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) on March 8, 2018, on the occasion of International Women’s day. The platform was launched by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant at the NITI Aayog premises in Delhi in the presence of UN Resident Coordinator in India Yuri Afanasiev, Kailash Kher, industry leaders and supporting partners. The launch also saw the release of WEP’s theme song ‘ Naari Shakti’, which has been composed and sung by renowned singer Kailash Kher.

12. Who has been awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017? 1. Shirian Shaigal 4. Saina Nehwal 2. Gita Mittal 5. None of the above 3. Sonia Gandhi Ans: 2 Solution: The Acing Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Gita Mittal was conferred the ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017’ by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. The award, known as India’s highest civilian honour for women, was bestowed upon 30 women and organizations on March 8, on the occasion of the International Women’s day. Mittal is the first woman from the field of law and justice to be conferred the prestigious award. She is known to have introduced many welcome changes in the functioning of the Delhi High Court, ever since she took over as the Acting Chief Justice of the court after the retirement of Justice G Rohini in April 2017.

13. A group of researchers for the first time has discovered the reason for heating the atmosphere of the Sun. What is the reference here? 1. molecules 4. atoms 2. proton 5. None of the above 3. magnetic waves Ans: 3 Solution: In a ground-breaking discovery, researchers have discovered that the magnetic waves crashing through the Sun may be the key to heating its atmosphere and propelling the solar wind. Researchers belonging to Northern Ireland’s Queen's University led an international team to uncover the mystery of how magnetic waves heat the sun. The research paper was published in a journal called Nature Physics.

14. Which nation has won the inaugural IBSF Snooker Team World Cup? 1. England 4. India 2. US 5. None of the above 3. Pakistan Ans: 4 Solution: The Indian combine of Pankaj Advani and Manan Chandra staged a remarkable recovery to beat Pakistan in the final of the inaugural IBSF Snooker Team World Cup

15. How many women are present in the Forbes India issue called as W-Power Trailblazers as in 2018? 1. 23 4. 10 2. 45 5. 25 3. 30 Ans: 5 Solution: Ahead of International Women's Day on March 8, Forbes India has released its "W-Power Trailblazers" issue, featuring 25 women stars, on the ascendency in business. The 25 women stars included names like Chiki Sarkar, publisher, Juggernaut Books, Adhuna Bhabani, founder-director, Bblunt, Anupriya Acharya, CEO (India), Publicis Media, Kavitha Sairam, co-founder, FIB-SOL Life Technologies, Dina Wadia and Shivpriya Nanda, joint managing partners, J Sagar Associates among others.

16. The fourth India - Europe Business Forum (IE29BF) took place in ____ in March 2018. 1. New Delhi 4. Karnataka 2. Gujarat 5. None of the above 3. Maharashtra Ans: 1 Solution: The fourth India-Europe 29 Business Forum (IE29BF) took place in New Delhi from 5-6 March 2018. The Forum was created for the first time in 2014 by Ministry of External Affairs and Federation of Indian Chambers and Commerce (FICCI) to provide an institutionalized platform for promoting business exchanges between India and the twenty nine countries of Central Europe region. While the Forum is primarily meant to promote Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings, it receives significant participation by Government officials. The theme of IE29BF 2018 was ‘Synergising Economic Vision for Expanded Relations’. The focus sectors for the Forum were "Industry 4.0 : Defining India-Europe 29 Cooperation through Developing Innovation Eco-system in Hi-Tech Manufacturing and Skilling & transforming Human Capital in India”, "Promoting E-Governance through ICT technology & inviting Europe 29 Expertise for digitalization of Healthcare sector in India” and "Collaborating to develop 100 Smart Cities in India : Innovative urban transport solutions and clean technologies to define India-Europe 29 future partnership”. For IE29BF 2018, Czech Republic was the ‘Focus Country’.

17. Which state has organized the International Yoga Festival? 1. Assam 4. Gujarat 2. Uttarakhand 5. None of the above 3. Uttar Pradesh

Ans: 2 Solution: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on March 1 inaugurated the week-long 29th annual, world-famous International Yoga Festival (IYF) international yoga festival in Rishikesh's Parmarth Niketan. The IYF offers daily classes from 4 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. with more than 80 revered saints, yogacharyas, presenters and experts from nearly 20 countries around the world. There are also classes in meditation, mudras, Sanskrit chanting, reiki, Indian philosophy and spiritual discourses to be held by revered spiritual leaders from India and abroad.

18. Who became the first woman to be directly inducted as a combat officer into the ITBP? 1. Asman 4. Rupa 2. Sheetal 5. None of the above 3. Prakriti Ans: 3 Solution: Prakriti has become the first woman to be directly inducted as combat officer into the ITBP (Indo- Tibetan Border Police). ITBP has women in combat roles already. But they are present in constable ranks only. Prakriti is the first woman officer in combat role in ITBP. In 2016, the government permitted the CAPFs to induct women officers in combat roles. ITBP is one of the five CAPFs.

19. What is Rydberg polarons related to? 1. electricity 4. matter 2. astronomy 5. None of the above 3. religion Ans: 4 Solution: An international team of scientists have provided the first proof of an exotic new state of matter, known as Rydberg polarons. Scientists have described how a new state of matter can be created, by essentially putting atoms inside other atoms. Rydberg polarons basically involves making use of the space between the electron and the nucleus inside an atom, enough to fit other atoms inside.

20. In 2018, the World Kidney Day has been observed on: 1. March 3rd 4. April 1st 2. March 15th 5. March 8th 3. March 27th Ans: 5

Solution: World Kidney Day is observed annually throughout the world on the second Thursday of March. World Kidney Day is a global awareness campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys and how it’s related to our overall health. The objective of the day is to not just spread awareness about kidney diseases and its cure, but also spread how kidney diseases can be prevented. The theme of World Kidney Day 2018 is “Kidneys And Women’s Health: Include, Value, Empower”. ***