GENERAL AWARENESS

January 2021

Vol. 9, Issue 05

A PUBLICATION OF GYANM EDUCATION & TRAINING INSTITUTE PVT. LTD. SCO 13-14-15, 2ND FLOOR, SEC 34-A, CHANDIGARH

Contents NATIONAL NEWS

CURRENT AFFAIRS NOVEMBER 03-39 October to November 2020 BULLET NEWS VIRTUAL SUMMIT HELD WITH LUXEMBOURG PM 40-66 June 2020 to Sept 2020 LATEST 100 GK MCQs 67-74 SBI PO PRELIMS 75-86 MODEL TEST PAPER Current GK Bytes 87-110

FIGURES TO REMEMBER

REPO RATE 4.00% REVERSE REPO RATE 3.35% MARGINAL STANDING 4.25%

FACILITY RATE BANK RATE 4.25% Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Luxembourg counterpart Xavier Bettel STATUTORY LIQUIDITY RATIO 18.00% held a virtual summit on Nov 19. This was the first stand-alone Summit CASH RESERVE RATIO 3.00% meeting between India and Luxembourg in the past two decades. The two BASE RATE(s) 8.15 to leaders discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral relationship, including (of various banks) 9.40% strengthening of India-Luxembourg cooperation in the post-COVID world. Luxembourg is a small European country, surrounded by Belgium, Germany INDIA’s RANK IN and France.

Global Hunger Index 2020 94th PM MODI ATTENDS 12TH BRICS SUMMIT th Teacher Status Index (GTSI) 6 Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 12th BRICS Summit on November Asia Power Index 2020 4th 17 in virtual mode. The summit was hosted by Russia, under the theme Global Global Economic Freedom Index 105th Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth. India will be taking over the Chairship of the BRICS for the year 2021 and will host the 13th BRICS Summit Human Capital Index 116th next year. th Global Innovation Index 48 World Risk Index (WRI) 89th P M ADDRESSES 17TH ASEAN-INDIA SUMMIT Budget Transparency Index 53rd Prime Minister Narendra Modi co-chaired the 17th ASEAN-India Summit along Global Energy Transition Index 7th with Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc on November 12. The Global Press Freedom Index 142nd Summit provides the opportunity for India to engage with ASEAN nations at the Inclusive Internet Index 46th highest level. ASEAN is a regional group of ten south east Asian countries. World Happiness Report 144th REPORT BY 15TH FINANCE COMMISSION Intellectual Property Index 40th The Fifteenth Finance Commission led by its Chairman th Sustainability Index 77 N.K. Singh submitted its report for the period of 2021-26 Flourishing Index 131st to President Ram Nath Kovind on Nov 9. The report will Climate Change Performance Index 9th now be tabled in the Parliament by the Finance Minister Global Talent Competitive Index 72nd along with an Action Taken Report of the government. Carbon Disclosure Project Report 5th A finance commission is set up every five years by the Democracy Index 2019 51st President under Article 280 of the Constitution. Its main function is to Corruption Perception Index 80th recommend how the Union government should share taxes levied by it with the Social Mobility Index 76th states. These recommendations cover a period of five years.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 3

TRAINED HORSES & DOGS GIFTED TO B’DESH INDIA HAS FAIR BUSINESS BRIBERY RISKS India has been placed at 77th position in a global list of 194 countries that measured business bribery risks in 2020. The list has been compiled by TRACE, a US based anti-bribery standard setting organisation. According to this year’s data, North Korea, Turkmenistan, South Sudan, Venezuela and Eritrea present the highest commercial bribery risk, while Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and New Zealand present the lowest.

The ranking is based on four factors: business interactions Indian army gifted 20 horses and 10 dogs to the with government, anti-bribery deterrence and Bangladesh army. The fully trained military horses and enforcement, government and civil service transparency, mine detecting dogs were gifted to further strengthen and capacity for civil society oversight, including the role the bilateral relations between the two countries. The of the media. Indian Army also trained Bangladesh Army for training and handling these specialist dogs and horses. OCTOBER DIPAM SEEKS SUPPORT FROM WORLD BANK INDIA AND US SIGN ‘BECA’ DEAL Department of Investment and Public Asset Management, DIPAM signed an agreement with the World Bank to receive advisory services for asset monetization. DIPAM, a unit under Ministry of Finance, is mandated with facilitating monetization of non-core assets of government CPSEs under strategic disinvestment or closure and enemy property of value of Rs. 100 crore and above.

BOOK ON GANDHI RELEASED IN NEPAL

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari released a special anthology on Mahatma Gandhi- ‘MaileBujheko Gandhi’ India and the US signed the Basic Exchange and (My understanding about Gandhi) - during a ceremony Cooperation Agreement (BECA) at the end of the third at Kathmandu. The book has been brought out by the Indo-US 2+2 summit. BECA is a military pact reserved Embassy of India along with the BP Koirala India-Nepal for close defence allies of the USA. It allows access to US Foundation to cherish the values of the Mahatma's generated satellite imagery that is used in precision universal teachings with Nepali friends. strikes by armed drones and long-range missiles. The two countries resolved to jointly undertake WEF SELECTS 4 INDIAN CITIES development and infrastructure projects abroad to Four Indian cities - Bengaluru, Faridabad, Indore and counter Chinese aggression in security and economic Hyderabad figure among the 36 cities across the world domains. that have agreed to pioneer a roadmap for safely QUAD MINISTERIAL MEETING HELD IN TOKYO adopting new technology as part of the G20 Global Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister External affairs attended the Smart Cities Alliance. Other selected cities include cities 2nd QUAD Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo, Japan on such as London, Moscow, Toronto, Brasilia, Dubai and October 6. The meeting focused on the issue of ensuring Melbourne. a free and open Indo-Pacific in the face of China’s The cities were selected by the World Economic Forum increasingly aggressive behaviour across the region. (WEF) from 22 countries across the world to pioneer a The four QUAD members collectively affirmed the new global policy roadmap for smart cities developed by importance of maintaining a free, open and inclusive the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance. Indo-Pacific region.

QUAD - Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is a strategic grouping of four nations - India, Australia, Japan and USA. All four countries of the Quad have problems with China and view Beijing’s conduct with suspicion. Australian government has pledged to halt projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Japan is worried about Chinese intrusions near the Senkaku Islands, and the US is engaged in a trade war and has opposed China’s aggressive activities in the South China Sea. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 4

VIRTUAL SUMMIT HELD WITH DANISH PM WORLD’s LONGEST HIGHWAY TUNNEL IN HP Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated on Oct 3 the world’s longest highway tunnel, Atal Tunnel at Rohtang in Himachal Pradesh. The horseshoe-shaped tunnel has been built by the Border Roads Organisation at a cost of about Rs 4,000 crore. The 9.02 km long tunnel is 10.5 metres wide and has a height of 5.52 metres and a car can zip through at 80 kmph. The tunnel is built with ultra-modern facilities in the PirPanjal range of Himalayas at an altitude of 10,000 feet from the Mean Sea Level. It will connect Manali to Leh throughout the year, reducing distance by 46 km and driving time by around 5 hours thus saving crore of rupees in transport. Earlier the Lahaul-Spiti valley was cut off for about six months each year in winters due to heavy snowfall. The tunnel will

boost the socio-economic development of the valley. Indian Prime Minister held a Virtual Bilateral Summit on Sep 28 with the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette CBSE LAUNCHES FACIAL RECOGNITION TECH Frederiksen. A MoU in the field of intellectual property The CBSE has introduced a state of the art Facial cooperation between the two countries was also signed Recognition technology that will enable students to on the occasion. download their digital academic documents of class X Denmark also announced her joining of ISA - and XII. This computer application matches a human International Solar Alliance. Bilateral trade in goods and face from a digital image already stored in the database services between India and Denmark has grown by over and once successful, the certificate will be emailed to the 30 per cent from 2.82 billion dollars in 2016 to $3.68 student. This application is now available on “Parinam billion in 2019. Manjusha” and DigiLocker platform.

POLL SPENDING LIMIT RAISED BY 10% 8 BEACHES GET BLUE FLAG CERTIFICATION Eight beaches from India have secured the coveted The Government hiked the poll campaign spending limit International Blue Flag Certification. The iconic Blue by 10 percent for candidates contesting Lok Sabha and Flag is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary Assembly elections. The hike has been made notified by awards for beaches, marinas. In order to qualify for the the Law Ministry on the recommendations of the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, Election Commission that contestants be allowed to educational, safety and accessibility criteria have to be spend more on campaigning keeping in mind difficulties met and maintained. they may face due to COVID-19 curbs. The eight BlueFlag beaches are Shivrajpur beach in The maximum expenditure a candidate can incur for Dwarka, Gujarat; Ghoghla beach in Diu; Kasarkod and campaigning in Lok Sabha polls is now Rs. 77 lakh, up Padubidri in Karnataka; Kappad in Kerala; Rushikonda in from Rs. 70 lakh earlier. For the Assembly election, it has Andhra Pradesh; Golden Beach in Puri, Odisha and been hiked from Rs. 28 lakh to Rs. 30.80 lakh. The last Radhanagar beach in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. time the expenditure ceiling was enhanced was ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2014.

INDIA GETS CHAIRMANSHIP OF ILO JUSTICE LOKUR TO MONITOR ‘PARALI’ BURNING Apurva Chandra, The Supreme Court appointed former Supreme Court Labour and Employ- judge, Justice Madan B. Lokur as a one-man committee ment Secretary, has to monitor and prevent instances of stubble (Parali) been elected as the burning by farmers in the three States. Chairperson of the (Parali burning refers to burning of crop residue to Governing Body of the remove them from the field to sow the next crop). International Labour He will be helped by student volunteer forces deployed Organization, ILO for from the National Cadet Corps, the National Service the period October Scheme and the Bharat Scouts and Guides to protect 2020- June 2021. The Governing Body is the apex Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) from pollution executive body of the ILO which decides policies, caused by stubble-burning in the three neighbouring programmes, agenda, budget and elects the Director- Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh this winter. Student General. At present ILO is based at Geneva, Switzerland forces will patrol highways and fields in the three States and has 187 members. and ensure that no fires are started in the fields. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 5

ONLY AC COACHES IN ALL SUPER FAST TRAINS INDIA RANKS 6th IN VALUING ITS TEACHERS A recent report released by the UK-based Varkey Foundation ranked India at sixth spot for people's implicit, unconscious and automatic views on the status of teachers in the country. The report proves that respecting teachers isn't only an important moral duty – it's essential for a country's educational outcomes. The report is based on the data gathered by the Global Teacher Status Index (GTSI) 2018 – a 35-country survey conducted from 1,000 representative respondents in each of the countries.

Railways has decided to upgrade all non-AC sleeper INDIA RANKS VERY LOW ON HUNGER INDEX coaches to AC ones for high speed trains. It will upgrade India ranked 94 among 107 nations in the Global all its trains capable of running at a maximum speed of Hunger Index 2020 and was in the 'serious' hunger 130 km per hour and beyond with special air- category with a score of 27.2. According to the report, conditioned coaches. All existing mail and express 14 percent of India's population is undernourishedThe trains with a maximum speed of up to 110 km per hour experts blame poor implementation processes, lack of will continue to ply with sleeper coaches. effective monitoring, siloed approach in tackling malnutrition and poor performance by large states for $ 1.9 MILLION SUPPORT FROM USAID the low ranking. Last year, India's rank was 102 out of The US has committed $1.9 million to support 117 countries. vulnerable populations like informal sector workers 17 countries ranked at the top on GHI with a score of whose livelihoods have been disrupted due to COVID- less than 5 while Chad, a landlocked country in north 19. The aid will be extended by the US Agency for central Africa, stood at the last rung with an extreme International Development to rebuild local economies score of 44.7 in the ‘alarming’ category. GHI score is and improve the livelihoods of Indians who have been calculated on four indicators—undernourishment; child hit hardest by the pandemic. The facility is expected to wasting; child stunting and child mortality—among the reach between 60,000-100,000 workers and enterprises children under the age of five. The Welthungerhilfe, and will give preference to youth and women. Germany and Concern Worldwide, Ireland have been publishing the annual Global Hunger Index every year in NDB APPROVES $741 INFRA LOAN FOR INDIA October. The New Development Bank, also known as BRICS Bank, approved funds worth USD 741 million for INDIA EXPOSED TO HIGH POLLUTION LEVELS infrastructure projects in India. It includes $ 500 million India recorded the highest for Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) annual average PM 2.5 Project and $ 241 million for the Mumbai Metro Rail II concentration exposure in the (Line 6) Project. The RRTS will have a total length of world last year, according to the 82.15 km (68.03 km elevated and 14.12 km recent State of Global Air 2020 underground) with 25 stations while Mumbai Metro will (SOGA 2020) report released by have a length of about 14.47 km in the city of Mumbai. US-based Health Effects Institute The NDB was established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and Global Burden of Disease. The report also said that and South Africa to mobilize resources for infrastructure India has been recording an increase in PM 2.5 pollution and sustainable development projects in BRICS countries since 2010 contrary to Centre’s claims that annual air and other emerging economies and developing countries. pollution levels in the country are coming down. It is based in Shanghai and is headed by Marcos Troyjo. PM 2.5 refers to the micro ‘particulate matter’ present in the air whose average diameter is 2.5 micron or less. For INDIA SECURED 4th POSITION IN ASIA POWER reference, human hair is around 50 to 70 micron thick. In India has been ranked at 4th position, with a score of India, air pollution is the highest risk factor because of the 39.7 out of 100, in the Asia Power Index 2020, released huge burden of premature deaths it contributes to. by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute. The Index ranks 26 According to the WHO, it is estimated that "around 7 countries and territories to assess the relative power of million people die every year from exposure to fine states in Asia. The United States has retained its particles in polluted air that penetrate deep into the lungs position as the most powerful country influencing the and cardiovascular system, causing diseases including Asia-Pacific with a score of 81.6, followed by China stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive (76.1) and Japan (41) at second and third spot pulmonary diseases and respiratory infections, including respectively. pneumonia.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 6

INDIA TO PROMOTE BUDDHISM IN SRI LANKA NITISH IS BIHAR CM FOR 7TH TIME Nitish Kumar (of Janta Dal - United) was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Bihar for the seventh time on November 16. Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Kumar at Raj Bhavan in Patna. BJP legislature party leader Tarkishore Prasad and Deputy Leader Renu Devi were made the new Deputy Chief Ministers.

WORLD’s FIRST TRAM LIBRARY IN KOLKATA In a first of its kind in the world, the West Bengal India has announced USD 15 million grant assistance to Transport Corporation (WBTC) has launched a maiden Sri Lanka for the promotion of Buddhist ties between tram service in Kolkata for children, including students the two countries. The grant will help deepen people to preparing for competitive exams. Students will also people linkage between the two countries in the sphere have access to Wi-Fi. As of now, a 32-seater car will run of Buddhism. on the Shyambazar-Esplanade route. India has been re-elected as the President of the This will not only attract the students but will also International Solar Alliance (ISA) and France as the Co- reinvigorate the love for trams and reading. The Kolkata President for a term of two years. Head Office of the ISA is tramways have been operating since 1873 when the in Gurugram, Haryana. maiden tram took off with horses.

AMNESTY STOPS ITS OPERATIONS IN INDIA WORLD’s BIGGEST ELEPHANT CARE CENTRE London based global human rights watchdog, Amnesty The Elephant International India stopped its operations in India on Rehabilitation Centre account of the complete freezing of its bank accounts by at Kottur in the Government of India for alleged violation of Thiruvanan-thapuram, provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act Kerala is set to become (FEMA) and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act the largest care and (FCRA). Its entire staff has been laid off, and campaign cure centre for and research work stopped in the region. elephants in the Amnesty has been critical of the Indian government in world. The first phase recent years, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi's of the Elephant move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir Rehabilitation Centre will be commissioned in February last year. However, Amnesty alleged that the crackdown 2021. The project is being implemented at a cost of Rs was an outcome of its calls for transparency and 108 crore. The centre has facilities to accommodate 50 accountability, most recently for the human rights elephants including the existing 16 elephants. The aim violations in this year’s Delhi riots and in Kashmir. of the centre is to give elephants a natural ecosystem just like in the forest.

NEWS FROM STATES COUNTRY’s FIRST MOSS GARDEN OPENED

India's first moss garden has been developed at NOVEMBER Khurpatal in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The

CHHATH PUJA CELEBRATED WITH FERVOUR garden aims to conserve the various species of moss and The four-day celebrations other bryophytes and to make people aware of its of the immensely popular significance in the environment besides creating a Chhath Puja concluded on recreation centre for tourists. Nov 21 with devotees Moss is one of the most ancient flora on the planet, offering prayers to the existing since the Jurassic era. They are the first plants rising sun in different to grow on rocky land and by breaking down the rocks parts of the country. and the soil. People in Bihar and adjoining areas of UP and Jharkhand, celebrate this festival with great fervour. KERALA FIRST TO FIX MSP FOR VEGETABLES Coming towards the end of the harvest season, the sixth Kerala has become the first state in the country to fix the day after Diwali, Chhath Puja started as a thanksgiving minimum support price (MSP) for 16 varieties of ritual, to express farmers’ gratitude for a bumper crop. vegetables. The scheme would come into effect from Devotees offer their prayers to and seek blessings from November 1. The MSP will be 20 per cent above the the Sun God and his sister Chhathi Maiyya. production cost of the vegetable. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 7

INDIA’s FIRST SOLAR WATER SUPPLY PROJECT ARUNACHAL TOPS IN FEMALE BIRTHS According to a 2018 report on the ‘Vital statistics on India based on the Civil Registration System’, Arunachal Pradesh recorded the best sex ratio in the country with 1,085 females born per thousand males, while Manipur fared the worst with just 757. Arunachal is followed by Nagaland (965) and Mizoram (964). Before Manipur came Lakshadweep (839) and Daman-Diu (877). Sex ratio refers to the number of females born per thousand males. The report was released by the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs.

India’s ‘first of its kind’ solar-based Integrated Multi- CHANDAULI TOPS ASPIRATIONAL DISTRICTS Village Water Supply Project was commissioned in Chandauli district of Uttar Pradesh topped the rankings Arunachal Pradesh. The project, built at a cost of Rs of aspirational districts by government think-tank Niti 28.50 crore, would provide drinking water to 17,480 Aayog for September, 2020. Bokaro and Purbi people in 39 villages of Lower Dibang Valley district in Singhbhum (both in Jharkhand) have been placed at Arunachal Pradesh. The project also includes an second and third positions, respectively. The rankings amusement park including swimming pool, took into account incremental progress made by over amphitheatre, fountains, and sit-outs. 112 aspirational districts across six developmental areas during September. MUMBAI IS FIRST WOMEN FOCUSED CITY The aspirational districts programme, launched in January 2018, aims to transform districts that have Mumbai has become the first Indian city to have an shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas and urban plan with a gender-specific focus—land have emerged as pockets of under-development. reservations for physical-social infrastructure designed to meet women’s needs. With women in the workforce as the pivot, the revised urban design now seeks to AYODHYA CREATES NEW WORLD RECORD address other aspects of inclusion too such as housing, transport, education, healthcare, and safety to alter the overall landscape for women in the city.

INDIA’s FIRST SOLAR MINIATURE TRAIN A solar energy-driven miniature train, billed as the country’s first of its kind, was inaugurated at the Veli Tourist Village, situated 12 km away from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The train would be an attraction especially for children. The miniature rail has all the features of a fully- equipped rail system, including a tunnel, station and a ticket office. Artificial steam spouted by the engine of the train, modeled after About 8,000 volunteers, drawn from a local college and the vintage steam locomotive, will stir nostalgic feelings. NGOs, lit up over six lakh earthen lamps lined up on the Saryu river bank in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on Nov 13 TAMIL NADU TOPS IN WATER CONSERVATION to mark the home coming of Lord Rama. Officials from The Ministry of Jal Guinness Book of World Records confirmed a final count Shakti, Department of as 6,06,569 ‘diyas’, saying it was “largest display of oil Water Resources, River lamps” in the world, creating a new world record. Development and Ganga Rejuvenation INDIA’s LONGEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE announced the Second The country’s longest single-lane motorable suspension National Water Awards bridge was inaugurated in Tehri Garhwal district in on November 11. Tamil Uttarakhand. The 725-metre long Dobra-Chanti Nadu bagged the Best suspension bridge has been built in 14 years over the State Award in overall Tehri lake with a cost of Rs. 2.95 crore. It would help water conservation efforts, followed by Maharashtra connect Pratap Nagar town with Tehri Garhwal district and Rajasthan at second and third spot, respectively. headquarters.

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LUHRI HYDRO POWER PROJECT APPROVED In terms of Foreign tourists, Tamil Nadu topped the list with nearly 68 lakh foreigners visiting the state in 2019, followed by Maharashtra (over 55 lakh) at the second position and Uttar Pradesh (over 47 lakh) at third place.

HARYANA BEST IN CONTROLLING ANEMIA Haryana State topped the Anemia Mukt Bharat Index among 29 states in the country. The Anemia Mukt Bharat, a joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and UNICEF, has been launched to reduce the prevalence of Anemia all over India. Anemia is a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues. Having anemia can make you feel tired and weak.

The union government approved 210 MW Luhri Stage-I GOA TO HAVE INDIA’s FIRST SAND DUNE PARK Hydro Electric Project on Satluj River in Himachal India’s first sand dune park is soon to come up in the Pradesh with an investment of Rs 1,810.56 crore. The beach state Goa. The World Bank has accepted the project located near Kotgarh, Shimla, will be proposal of the Biodiversity Board of the state for this implemented by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) purpose and sanctioned a sum of Rs 3 crore for the on the Build-Own-Operate-Maintain (BOOM) basis in project. The park will open up new avenues for next five years. tourism in Goa. Sand dunes are geological deposits of sand formed by the action of wind. These geomorphic WB LOAN FOR ROADS OF MEGHALAYA features act as nature’s first line of defense from the The World Bank granted a $120 million loan to improve forces of the ocean. and modernise the transport sector of Meghalaya. The project will improve about 300 kilometres of strategic KERALA FIRST TO HAVE DIGITAL SCHOOLS road segments and stand-alone bridges by using innovative, climate resilient, and nature-based solutions.

❖ Tamil Nadu government is implementing the Smart Black Board scheme in 80,000 government schools to ensure a better teaching environment. ❖ Shanghai based New Development Bank (BRICS Bank) approved a $500 million loan for funding the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut regional rapid transit project in the National Capital Region. ❖ The Asian Development Bank approved a $50 million loan to improve operational efficiencies and resource

planning and management in West Bengal. ❖ The Asian Development Bank agreed to provide a Kerala has become the first state in the country to have high-tech classrooms in all its public schools. Over 3.74 $132.8 loan to the Indian state of Meghalaya for lakh digital equipments were distributed in 16,027 upgrading the power distribution network and schools for the smart classroom project. The project improving the power quality. was launched on January 21, 2018. High-tech labs were

started in 11,275 primary and upper primary schools OCTOBER for classes 1 to 7. The programme was started on July 5,

U P TOPS IN ATTRACTING TOURIST VISITORS 2019.

Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the top destination for attracting the highest number of domestic tourists GOA FIRST TO HAVE 100% TAP CONNECTIONS visiting the state in 2019 as per the Indian Tourism Goa has become the first state in the country to provide Statistics,2020, released by the Ministry of Tourism. tap water connection to every rural household under About 53.6 crore domestic tourists, most of them the “HarGhar Jal Yojna”. The state has provided tap Kumbh pilgrims, visited Uttar Pradesh in 2019, which is water connection to all the 2.30 lakh rural households. 23.1% of the total travellers. Tamil Nadu (21.3%) came The government's Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide second followed by Andhra Pradesh (10.2%). piped water to all rural households by 2024.

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KERALA TO LAUNCH FARMERS WELFARE FUND SURAT GETS INDIA’s LONGEST BRTS - 108 KM With the opening of Kumbharia to Kadodora route in the Surat Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) corridor, Surat becomes the first city in India to have the longest, 108 km BRTS network. Currently, there are more than 166 buses operating on a total of 13 routes in the BRTS corridor in which more than 1.03 lakh passengers travel daily. In the BRTS, busses run on almost captive roads on the pattern of Metro rail service.

ISRAEL TO PROMOTE HIGH VALUE FARMING Meghalaya state entered into partnership with Israel for the establishment of a one of its kind Centre of Excellence to promote high value vegetables in the

Kerala has become the first state in India to set up state. Meghalaya will benefit from the wide expertise 'Kerala Farmers Welfare Fund Board' for the welfare of offered by the Israel collaboration in terms of farmers in the state. Farmers joining the Board will be fertigation, protected cultivation, quality planting entitled to a personal pension, family pension, sickness materials, among others. The collaboration will bring in benefit, disability benefit, medical assistance, marriage technology support, advanced know-how and quality and maternity allowance, education assistance and planting materials from Israel. The Israeli technology is posthumous benefits. renowned the world over for helping turn arid lands Farmers will have to pay a registration fee of Rs 100 to into green for cultivation. become a member of the board's welfare fund scheme and a minimum monthly contribution of Rs 100. The DOLPHIN SAFARI LAUNCHED IN THREE STATES Government will provide an equivalent share of up to Rs The National Mission for Clean Ganga launched Dolphin- 250 to the members of the Welfare Fund. based ecotourism programme, including Dolphin safari, at six sites in three states – Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and INDIA’s FIRST ORGANIC SPICES SEED PARKS West Bengal -- along the country’s national river on the India’s first-of-its-kind organic spices seed parks will occasion of the ‘Ganga River Dolphin Day’ on October 5. come up at two places in Gujarat with an aim to A new campaign, ‘My Ganga My Dolphin’, was also encourage capacity building and adoption of best launched on the occasion to conduct Dolphin census in practices. Cumin and fennel seeds, are the main crops in 250 km stretch from Bijnor to Narora in Uttar the region. NABARD-supported Organic Spices Seed Pradesh.India celebrates October 5 every year as the Park for Saunf (fennel seed) will come up in the ‘Ganga River Dolphin Day’ as on this day Ganga Dolphins Banaskantha district and Jeera (cumin seed) in Patan for were declared national aquatic animals in 2010. promotion of organic seed value chain of the spices. GI TAG FOR SIKKIM CHILLY - DALLE KHURSANI WORLD’s LONGEST ROPEWAY AT GIRNAR Dalle Khursani, the famous red hot cherry pepper of In a big relief to the devotees of Goddess Ambaji, a Sikkim, is set to get a geographical indication (GI) tag passenger ropeway service was started at Girnar from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Mountain in Junagadh district of Gujarat. Built at the Internal Trade (DPIIT). It is considered as one of the cost of Rs.130 crore, the 2.3-km-long Girnar ropeway, world’s hottest chilies. The GI tag is a name or a sign covering 900 metres in height, is believed to be among given to a certain product that has a specific the longest ropeways in the world to connect a temple. geographical location or origin. Earlier, it used to take 5-7 hours to climb Girnar mountain to reach the Ambaji’s temple at the top, but now it will take only 7-8 minutes. The ropeway has the capacity to carry 800 pilgrims an hour.

CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY TOPS IN PATENTS Mohali’s Gharuan-based Chandigarh University in Punjab has emerged as the top varsity in India by filing the highest number of patents in a year. The university filed 336 patents in a year, according to the annual rankings for 2018-19 recently released by the office of Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks. The university has filed 779 patents so far. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 10

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 11

AAI’s FIRST ENERGY NEUTRAL AIRPORT GOVT. INITIATIVES

NOVEMBER

NATIONAL NEWBORN WEEK - NOV 15 TO 21 India observed the National Newborn Week from 15 to 21 November. This week is observed every year to reinforce the importance of newborn’s health as a key priority area of the health sector. It aims to minimise the infant mortality rate by improving healthcare conditions for babies in the neonatal period. The theme of this year’s week was ‘Quality, Equity, Dignity for

every newborn at every health facility and everywhere’. Puducherry airport has become the Airports Authority of India's (AAI) first entirely solar-powered airport in ‘SAFAIMITRA SURAKSHA CHALLENGE’ the country with the commissioning of 500KWp ground- Government launched ‘Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge’ mounted solar power plant at a cost of Rs 2.8 crore. The for the safety of sewer or septic tank cleaners. It will airport will save a power bill of Rs 10 lakh per month promote mechanized cleaning to avoid hazardous with the commissioning of the solar power plant. The cleaning of sewers and septic tanks, which many times annual electrical energy consumption of the airport on proves fatal. The challenge will focus on promoting average is over seven lakh units, whole of which now infrastructure creation for mechanized cleaning. will be met by solar power. Government had enacted the Prohibition of It may be noted that among all airports, Cochin Employment as Manual Scavengers and their International Airport is the first one to become fully solar Rehabilitation Act, 2013 to prohibit manual scavenging powered in August, 2015. and hazardous cleaning of septic tanks.

HARYANA LAUNCHES ‘GRAM DARSHAN’ AATMANIRBHAR BHARAT ROZGAR YOJANA Haryana government launched ‘Gram Darshan’, a digital Government has announced platform making the accessibility of data of all the 6,197 an “Aatmanirbhar Bharat Gram Panchayats of the state online. It will make all Rozgar Yojana”. government services accessible to the common citizens Under it, the government in their locality, through the Gram Panchayat websites will give Employees and ensure efficiency, transparency and reliability of contribution and employer’s such services to realise their basic needs. contribution to EPF-

ADB LOANS FOR RAJASTHAN AND M P registered organizations on recruiting new people. It will cover new employees whose monthly wages are The Asian Development Bank approved two loans less than Rs. 15000 and people who lost their jobs in the totalling USD 570 million (about Rs 4,200 crore) for pandemic period from March 1, to September 30 in an urban sector projects in Rajasthan and Madhya EPFO-registered establishment. The Centre will provide Pradesh. Of this, USD 300 million loan is for developing subsidy for two years in respect of newly eligible Rajasthan's secondary towns and USD 270 million loan employees engaged on or after October 1, 2020 under is for Madhya Pradesh Urban Services Improvement the scheme. Project.

❖ Vedanta Group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd signed a pact with Gujarat government to set up India’s largest COMMISSION TO MANAGE AIR POLLUTION green field Zinc smelter in the Tapi district of the The President signed an ordinance for setting up a state with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore. commission to manage air quality in NCR (National ❖ Asian Development Bank, Manila approved a $177- Capital Region) and adjoining areas. The commission million loan to upgrade 450 kilometres of state will be chaired by a government official equivalent to highways and major district roads in Maharashtra. the rank of Secretary or Chief Secretary, and it will also include a representative from the Ministry of Environment, members from the state of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and technical experts from Central Pollution Control Board and ISRO. It will help in better coordination among institutions, research and identify problems in improving the air quality in

NCR regions. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 12

Rs. 2200 CRORE FOR IMPROVING AIR QUALITY The scheme will cover women researchers in the age group of 35-55 years. SERB is a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India.

CREDIT G’TEE SCHEME EXTENDED The Finance Ministry has extended the existing Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) for small businesses, business enterprises, and individual loans for business purposes till March 31, 2021. The ECLGS 2.0 has been launched for 26 stressed sectors including construction, real estate, power and iron and steel manufacturing. Under the scheme, the entities will get additional credit

up to 20 percent of outstanding credit. The repayment Based on the recommendations of the 15th Finance can be done in five years, which includes 1-year Commission, the central government released Rs. 2,200 moratorium and 4 years of repayment. crores as the first installment to 15 states for the improvement of air quality measures in their million- OTT CONTENT TO BE REGULATED plus cities. The grant will help the states to undertake Responding to the streaming of uncensored various air quality measures which include capacity- objectionable content on the OTT (over the top) building of the local bodies in their million-plus cities. platform, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting The 15th Finance Commission completed the report has brought digital/online media under its purview. under the chairmanship of NK Singh. Currently, there is no law or autonomous body governing digital content. ‘MERI SAHELI’ INITIATIVE BY RAILWAYS The 2nd Schedule of the Government of India Railways has launched ‘Meri Saheli’ initiative for (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961 has been amended focused action on security of women passengers across to include the Films and Audio-Visual programmes, all zones. It aims to provide safety and security to lady News and current affairs content. This means that passengers travelling by trains for their entire journey, digital content providers such as Netflix, Amazon Prime from starting station to destination station. The scheme Video, and Hotstar will now be regulated by the Union will be implemented by the Railway Protection Force, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. RPF. The RPF team will collect only the seat numbers of the ladies and convey them to stoppages en-route. The ACTION PLAN FOR VULTURE CONSERVATION RPF personnel at the stopping stations en-route keep an The National Board for Wildlife approved an Action Plan unobtrusive watch over the concerned coaches and for Vulture Conservation 2020-25 under which five berths to ensure full safety of the lady passengers. vulture conservation and breeding centres will be

established in Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Maharashtra, “NYAY KAUSHAL” FOR E-FILING OF CASES Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. will get a each, according to India’s first-everE-resource centre and virtual court the Action Plan for Vulture Conservation 2020-2025. called “Nyay Kaushal” was inaugurated at Judicial Vultures are often overlooked and perceived as lowly Officers Training Institute in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The scavengers, but they play a crucial role in the Nyay Kaushal will facilitate electronic-filing of cases in environments in which they live. Vultures, also known as the Supreme Court, any High Court as well as district nature’s cleanup crew, do the dirty work of cleaning up courts across the country to enable speedy justice for after death, helping to keep ecosystems healthy as they litigants, by utilising technology. act as natural carcass recyclers.

SCHEME TO PROMOTE WOMEN SCIENTISTS ❖ Government has decided to rename the Ministry of A new scheme ‘SERB – POWER’ launched to encourage Shipping as the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and and support emerging as well as eminent women Waterways to focus on development of ports and researchers to undertake R&D activities in frontier waterways. areas of science and engineering. SERB-POWER stands for Science and Engineering Research Board – Promoting Opportunities For Women in Exploratory Research. The scheme aims to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering research in various S&T programs in Indian academic institutions and R&D laboratories. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 13

OCTOBER During the summit, delegates and experts in research, policy and innovation on Artificial Intelligence exchanged NEW SCHEMES TO PUSH CONSUMER SPENDING ideas to chart a course for using AI for social transformation, inclusion and empowerment in areas like Healthcare, Agriculture, Education and Smart Mobility, among other sectors.

AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR HEALTHCARE COOPS Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched the Ayushman Sahakar scheme, developed by National Cooperative Development Corporation. The scheme aims to help cooperatives play an important role in the creation of healthcare infrastructure in India. Under the scheme, prospective cooperatives will get term loans up to 10 thousand crore rupees in the future.

The Finance Minister announced a consumer spending STARS PROJECT TO STRENGTHEN TEACHING related proposal, comprising of two components: The Union Cabinet approved the “Strengthening Leave Travel Concession (LTC) Cash Voucher scheme Teaching-Learning and Results for States” -STARS Under this, government employees can opt to receive project supported by the World Bank. The Project seeks cash amounting to leave encashment plus 3 times ticket to support States in developing, implementing, fare, to buy items that attract a GST of 12% or more, evaluating and improving interventions with direct before March 31, 2021. However, only digital linkages to improved education outcomes. transactions will be allowed and GST invoices will need The STARS project would be implemented as a new to be produced. Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Department of School Education and Literacy as part of New Education The Special Festival Advance Scheme Policy. Initially, it will cover six States, Himachal Under this scheme, all central government employees Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, will get an interest-free advance of Rs 10,000, in the Kerala and Odisha. form of a prepaid RuPay Card, to be spent by March 31, 2021. The interest-free advance will have to be paid back in 10 instalments. KAMDHENU DEEPAWALI ABHIYAN LAUNCHED Rashtriya Kamdhenu Aayog (RKA) has started a nation- ‘E-DHARTI GEO PORTAL’ LAUNCHED wide campaign to celebrate Kamdhenu Deepawali Abhiyan for promoting extensive use of cow-dung The Ministry of Union Housing and Urban Affairs has products during this Diwali Festival. The range will recently launched the ‘e-Dharti Geo Portal’ which will include Cow dung-based Diyas, Candles, Dhoop, Swastik, integrate legacy drawings such as maps and lease plans Wall-piece, Paper-weight, Havan Samagri, Idols of Lord in the management information system. It will allow the Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi and many more such data to become geographic information system (GIS)- items. enabled. RKA was constituted in Feb 2019 to organize animal The portal will have details of around 60,000 properties husbandry on modern and scientific lines and to take that are commercial, residential, industrial as well as steps for preserving and improving breeds, and institutional. The portal will issue a certificate for each prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other property that will include details like land type, property milch and draught cattle. It functions under the type, date of allotment, property status, property address, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying in the details about present lessee and litigation status, among Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. others. As per 2012 livestock census, India has 300 million bovine SUMMIT ‘RAISE’ ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE population; out of this 191 million are cattle (cows) and The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology 108.7 million are buffaloes. India is the global leader in and NITI Aayog organized the Mega Virtual Summit on milk production with peak milk production of 176.35 Artificial Intelligence: “Summit RAISE (Responsible AI for MMT during 2017-18. Social Empowerment) 2020” from 5 to 9 of October. Global tech leaders from across the globe discussed cross-sector topics such as ‘Leveraging AI for Pandemic Preparedness’, the Impetus that Innovation Places on Digitisation’, Inclusive AI and Partnerships for Successful Innovation. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 14

PROPERTY RIGHTS TO RURAL HOUSEHOLDS PM LAUNCHES VAIBHAV SUMMIT Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik, VAIBHAV Summit on October 2 through video conferencing. The Summit is a global virtual summit of overseas and resident Indian researchers and academicians that will continue till the 31st October. The summit aims to bring Indian origin luminaries in academic institutes and Research and Development organizations across the world and resident

counterparts on a single platform. The participants will The Prime Minister virtually launched the physical explore possibilities for collaboration mechanisms to distribution of property cards under the ‘SVAMITVA’ strengthen the academic and Science and Technology scheme on October 11 to enable around 1 lakh base in India for global development. household property holders in rural areas to download their property cards through the SMS link which will be SOCIAL INNOVATION & INCUBATION MISSION delivered on their registered mobile phones. Now they Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar can use their property as a financial asset to take loans Chand Gehlot launched the Ambedkar Social Innovation or for other financial benefits. It will also help in and Incubation Mission (ASIIM) under Venture Capital reducing disputes over land property. Fund for SCs, with a view to promoting innovation and enterprise among SC students studying in higher SVAMITVA - “Survey of Villages and Mapping with educational institutions. The objective of this fund is to Improvised Technology in Village Areas” Scheme aims at provide concessional finance to the entities of the SC providing the ‘records of the title’ to the household entrepreneurs. owners in villages in the rural areas and issue property cards. It is a central sector scheme of the Panchayati Raj Ministry. Initially, one lakh villages will be covered in the six states.

‘KAPILA’ TO PROMOTE I P LITERACY On the 89th birth anniversary celebration of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, government launched a campaign named ‘KAPILA’, which stands for Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness to spread awareness through educational programs about the importance of patenting an invention, to lead India towards self-reliance. SWIGGY TO PROMOTE STREET FOOD VENDORS The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has entered NATIONAL START-UP AWARDS-2020 into an MoU with Swiggy, one of the leading food The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal delivery platforms, to onboard street food vendors on Trade (DPIIT) in the Ministry of Commerce and its e-commerce platform. The MoU aims at giving the Industry declared winners of the first National Start-Up street food vendors online access to thousands of Awards-2020. The awards were given in 35 categories consumers and help them grow their businesses. across 12 sectors like health, education, agriculture, The arrangement has been facilitated under the Prime food, energy, space and many more. Startups were Minister Street Vendor’s Atma Nibhar Nidhi (PM shortlisted on the basis of innovation, enterprise, SVANidhi) Scheme. The street vendors will be helped employment generation, and social impact. A cash prize with PAN and FSSAI registration, training on technology, of Rs 5 lakh each will be given to the winning startup in menu digitization and pricing along with hygiene and each area. packaging best practices.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 15

OCTOBER

ECONOMY & INDUSTRY

INDIAN ECONOMY TO SLIP BY 10.3% - IMF NOVEMBER The World Economic Outlook Report released by the

International Monetary Fund says that the Indian INDIAN ECONOMY ENTERS RECESSION economy, severely hit by the corona virus pandemic, is projected to contract by a massive 10.3 per cent this year (2020) as against a growth of 4.2 percent in the previous year (2019). However, India is likely to bounce back with an impressive 8.8 per cent growth rate in 2021, thus regaining the position of the fastest growing emerging economy.

GDP SET TO SHRINK BY 9.6% - WORLD BANK The World Bank reported that India's GDP is expected to contract by 9.6 per cent this fiscal which is reflective of the national lockdown and the income shock experienced by households and firms due to the COVID- 19 pandemic, noting that the country's economic

A recent RBI report says that India’s economy has situation is “much worse” than ever seen before. The entered into a recession for the first time in history, in World Bank said that the spread of the corona virus and the first half of 2020-21. RBI’s Economic Activity Index containment measures have severely disrupted supply estimates that India’s GDP growth for the second and demand conditions in India. quarter of the current financial year was negative and CPI-IW BASE YEAR CHANGED TO 2016 the GDP contracted by 8.6 per cent during the quarter Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar released the new ending September, 2020, recording the second series of Consumer Price Index for industrial workers successive quarter of GDP contraction. (CPI-IW) with the new Base Year 2016. The CPI-IW is India's economy had shrunk about 24 per cent in the first used primarily for measuring Dearness Allowance quarter ended June, 2020. A recession is defined as two payable to workers in the organized sector including successive quarters of decline in the growth of GDP. Public Sector Undertakings, Banks and Insurance

companies besides government employees. Earlier the 1st FOREIGN SWF TO GET 100% TAX REBATE base year for the CPI-IW was 2001. Abu Dhabi’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) -- MIC Redwood 1 RSC Limited -- has become the first foreign INDIA TO BEGIN HEENG CULTIVATION SWF that has been notified and granted 100% income- For the first time in India, tax exemption for the long-term investments to be made cultivation of Heeng (Ferula in the specified priority sectors in India. assafoetida) has been started in MIC Redwood has been provided 100 per cent income Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal tax exemption to income from interest, dividend and Pradesh. Currently, Heeng is not long-term capital gains for its investment in India's produced in India and is imported priority sector. The income tax exemption to SWFs and from Afghanistan, Iran and the Pension Fund is expected to provide much needed Uzbekistan. CSIR-Institute of foreign funding to the infrastructure sector and will go a Himalayan Bioresource Technology has introduced six long way in boosting the growth in the infrastructure accessions of heeng from Iran through the National sector. Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi. A sovereign wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund Heeng is a perennial plant that can be grown in cold which comprises money generated by the government, desert regions. Its roots produce oleo-gum resin after often derived from a country's surplus reserves. five years of plantation. The resin is used as a strong flavouring agent in various Indian recipes.

NTPC ‘BEST EMPLOYER’ IN INDIA State-run power giant NTPC topped the list of Indian PSUs under 'World's Best Employer 2020', published by Forbes. The recognition is testimony to the NTPC's commitment towards inculcating best in class practices that are thoughtfully designed and robustly executed.

NTPC is one of the eight Maharatna companies of India.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 16

AMAZON TIES UP WITH IRCTC FOR TICKETS LAKSHMI VILAS BANK TO BE MERGED In view of its weak financials, the Reserve Bank has placed the Chennai based Lakshmi Vilas Bank Limited under moratorium (temporary freezing of accounts) from Nov 17 for a period of thirty days with a view to protect depositors’ interest. Besides, RBI has also announced the draft scheme of amalgamation of The Lakshmi Vilas Bank with Delhi based DBS Bank India Limited, a subsidiary of DBS Bank of Singapore.

‘MINE’ FOR MILLENNIALS FROM ICICI BANK The ICICI Bank launched ‘Mine’, the country’s first full banking stack for millennials -- tech savvy persons in the age group of 18 to 35 years. It offers a mobile first, highly personalised and experiential led banking experience to them.

E commerce major Amazon India has collaborated with It offers an instant savings account, a feature driven IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism iMobile application that offers investment guidance to Corporation) to let users book train tickets via the e- suit the demand of millennials, curated credit and debit commerce site. The ability will allow users to book train card, instant personal loans & overdrafts, and even an tickets with convenience, much like flight, bus tickets experiential branch with social engagement space. and more can be booked. Users won't be required to pay any additional service charge or payment gateway fees. WHATSAPP TO LAUNCH PAYMENTS FEATURE WhatsApp Inc., the Facebook-owned messaging With a view to promote domestic manufacturing and cut platform, will roll out payments feature for users across imports of non essential items, Government has banned the country in 10 regional languages. The arrangement imports of air conditioners with refrigerants.

has been approved by the National Payments

Corporation of India. Anyone having a debit card with a bank that supports UPI can set it up straight away. BANKING & FINANCE WhatsApp Pay will join an already crowded market of

NOVEMBER payment services offered via the UPI network. Google Pay, PhonePe and PayTM are some of the largest processors of UPI payments, apart from applications of individual RBI LAUNCHES INNOVATION HUB banks. Using WhatsApp the users can transfer funds The Reserve Bank of India has created a Reserve Bank across 160 banks in India. Innovation Hub (RBIH) to promote innovation across the financial sector by leveraging technology and DBS BANK RANKED BEST IN THE WORLD creating an environment which would facilitate and DBS Bank, Singapore, the largest bank in south-east foster innovation. Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder and Asia, has been named the 'Safest Bank in Asia' for the former co-Chairman, Infosys, has been appointed as the 12th consecutive year by New York-based trade first Chairperson of the RBIH. publication Global Finance. It was also ranked as the

“Best Bank in the world. NO SERVICE CHARGE ON BSBD ACCOUNTS DBS's rankings as the fourth-safest commercial bank in The Ministry of Finance has clarified that no service the world and 14th safest bank globally, remain charge is applicable on the 60 crore Basic Savings Bank unchanged from 2019 and 2018. Deposit (BSBD) accounts, including over 40 crore Jan Citibank, New York won the award for Best Corporate Dhan accounts. The clarification was issued in view of Bank and Best Global Transaction Bank and several other several media reports alluding to steep increase in awards in different categories. service charges by certain Public Sector Banks. As per RBI guidelines, all banks, including Public Sector Banks, are permitted to levy charges for their services in a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory manner, but the BSBD accounts are exempt from service charges. However, BSBD accounts have some limitations such as balance not more than 50,000 and not more than 10,000 rupees withdrawal in a month.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 17

❖ HDFC Bank Ltd. has been voted ‘Most Outstanding 6 PSBs REMOVED FROM THE 2nd SCHEDULE Company – Financial Sector’ in India, in a poll The RBI has excluded six public sector banks that were conducted by the well-known UK based publication merged with other banks, from the Second Schedule of Asiamoney. the RBI Act, 1934. The six banks are Syndicate Bank,

Oriental Bank of Commerce, United Bank of India, OCTOBER Andhra Bank, Corporation Bank, and Allahabad Bank.

RBI MAKES NO CHANGES IN POLICY RATES These six banks were merged with other public sector banks (PSBs) with effect from April 1, 2020.

OBC and United Bank of India merged into Punjab National Bank; Syndicate Bank into Canara Bank; Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank into Union Bank of India; and Allahabad Bank into Indian Bank. After the consolidation, there are now seven large PSBs, and five smaller ones. A bank mentioned in the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act is known as 'Scheduled Commercial

The six member Monetary Policy Committee of the RBI Bank', becoming eligible to borrow funds from the RBI. decided on Oct 9 to keep benchmark interest rate RBI’s NEW GUIDELINES FOR DR/CR CARDS unchanged at 4 percent, maintaining status quo for the In an attempt to make digital payments using debit second time in a row. Accordingly, MSF Rate, Bank Rate cards and credit cards more secure, the RBI issued & Repo Rates remain unchanged. However, it several new guidelines that came into effect from maintained an accommodative stance, implying more October 1, 2020. As per new rules, people will now be rate cuts in the future if the need arises to support the able to register for preferences such as opt-in or opt-out economy hit by the COVID-19 crisis. services, spend limits and other services for online

transactions, international transactions and contactless INTT. ON INTT. WAIVED FOR SMALL LOANS transactions. Users will have 24x7 access to switch The government announced on October 23 waiver of ON/OFF or change all transaction limits via all available interest on interest for loans up to Rs. 2 crore channels — mobile application / internet banking / irrespective of whether moratorium was availed or not. ATMs / Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Earlier, the Supreme Court has directed the Centre on

October 14 to implement “as soon as possible” interest RBI LAUNCHES “POSITIVE PAY SYSTEM” waiver on loans of up to Rs 2 crore under the RBI The Reserve Bank has introduced a safer “Positive Pay moratorium scheme in view of the COVID-19 pandemic System” for cheque payments of above 50,000 rupees to saying the common man’s Diwali is in the government’s prevent cases of fraud. The system will be developed by hands. the National Payments Corporation of India and will be As per the guidelines, the scheme can be availed by implemented from January 1, 2021. borrowers in specified loan accounts for a period from Customers will now have to furnish details of cheques March 1 to August 31, 2020. Housing loans, education like name of the beneficiary, amount and date to the loans, credit card dues, auto loans, MSME loans, consumer drawee bank through available means, SMS, internet durable loans and consumption loans are covered under banking or ATM and mobile app. the scheme. The lending institutions after crediting the This will be applicable if the amount of the cheque is amount will claim the reimbursement from the central above Rs 50,000. The furnished details will be re- government. confirmed by the bank for completing the transaction RBI GETS ITS FOURTH DEPUTY GOVERNOR successfully. However, the process will take place only if M Rajeshwar Rao, RBI’s senior-most executive director the customer opts for it. has been appointed as the Deputy Governor of the central bank. He will take the place of N S Vishwanathan, who stepped down three months ahead of his extended tenure on health grounds. According to the RBI Act, 1934, the central bank needs to have four Deputy Governors – two from within the ranks, one commercial banker and another an economist/financial expert to head the monetary policy department. The RBI's other three Deputy Governors are BP Kanungo, MK Jain and Michael Debabrata Patra. They have tenure of five years. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 18

IDBI BANK LAUNCHES WHATSAPP BANKING DEFENCE, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NOVEMBER

NAVY GETS TORPEDO - VARUNASTRA Giving a major boost to India’s Naval firepower, Bharat Dynamics Ltd. Hyderabad handed over its first Heavyweight Torpedo, Varunastra, to the Indian Navy.

The weapon has a range of 40 kilometers, can travel at a IDBI Bank announced the launch of banking services on speed of up to 70 kilometers per hour, and dive to a WhatsApp. The WhatsApp Banking service is being maximum depth of 400 meters. offered through a dedicated WhatsApp verified number It has been designed by the Naval Science and ensuring end-to-end encryption. The facility will enable Technological Laboratory, a unit of the DRDO in IDBI Bank customers to avail various essential services Visakhapatnam. Varunastra is an anti-submarine such as account balance information, last five torpedo and is electrically-propelled. transactions, request for a cheque book and an email statement, etc. TH NAVY GETS 9 SURVEILLANCE PLANE A commemorative coin of 75 rupees denomination In a major boost to the Indian Navy's warfare was released to mark the 75th Anniversary of the FAO - capabilities, the ninth Boeing P-8I surveillance plane Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, Italy. was delivered to it from the US at its naval air base in The FAO was founded as a special UN agency on October Goa on November 18. The plane is capable of 16, 1945 in Quebec City in Canada. exceptional maritime surveillance and reconnaissance

A commemorative 100 rupee coin was released in the capabilities. honour of Vijaya Raje Scindia on her 100th birth anniversary. One of the founder members of BJP, she is SUBMARINE INS VAGIR JOINS INDIAN NAVY also popularly known as the Rajmata of Gwalior. Indian Navy’s fifth Scorpene-class submarine INS Vagir, having superior stealth features like the advanced RBI has roped in Bollywood megastar Amitabh acoustic absorption technique, was launched on Nov 12 Bachchan for the customer awareness campaign. The at the Mazagon Dock in south Mumbai. These campaign aims to prevent gullible account holders from submarines can undertake missions like anti-surface being duped by fraudsters. warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, RBI DEFERS CCB & NSFR TO APRIL 1, 2021 mine laying, and area surveillance. The Reserve Bank of India deferred implementation of Vagir is named after the Sand Fish, a deadly deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean. provisions made under Basel III capital due to uncertainty related to Covid crisis. RBI deferred the India Coast Guard ship C-452 indigenously designed final tranche of the capital conservation buffer (CCB) and built by M/s L & T, Surat, was inducted into Indian and the implementation of net stable funding ratio Coast Guard at its Ratnagiri base in Maharashtra. (NSFR) by six months to April 1, 2021. The CCB is designed to ensure that banks build up The Indian Navy successfully test fired an anti-ship capital buffers during normal times which can be drawn missile from its guided missile corvette INS Kora in the in case of need during stressed periods. The NSFR Bay of Bengal on October 30 as part of a drill that ensures reduction in funding risk over a longer time reflected its combat readiness in the strategic sea. horizon by requiring banks to fund their activities with sufficiently stable sources of funding.

FX LEVELS CROSS ALL TIME HIGH OF $ 555 BN India's foreign exchange reserves surged by 3.6 billion dollars to touch a fresh lifetime high of 555.12 billion dollars in the week ended 16th October. Foreign currency assets, a major part of the overall reserves, increased by 3.5 billion dollars to 512.322 billion dollars while Gold reserves went up by 86 million dollars in the reporting week to reach 36.7 billion dollars.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 19

THREE MORE RAFALE JETS LAND IN INDIA TRI-SERVICE EXERCISE BULL STRIKE HELD A military exercise involving Special Forces was carried out in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands between November 3 and 5 as the Army, Navy and Air Force got together for the war games. The exercise ‘Bull Strike’ focussed on enhancing interoperability and synergy among the three Services, to maximise combat potential.

QUAD NATIONS CONDUCT MALABAR EXERCISE The QUAD nations- India, United States, Japan and Australia conducted ‘Malabar’ Exercise in Bay of Bengal from November 3 to 6, their largest joint naval exercises in over a decade. Australia joined the exercise this year. The QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) grouping is

Three more French built multi role Rafale fighter jets an informal group of the four largest democracies in the landed in Jamnagar in Gujarat on Nov4, taking the total Indo-Pacific region. number of jets to arrive in India from France to eight. SIMBEX-20: Indian Navy hosted the 27th edition of India They will now fly to their home base at Ambala, - Singapore Bilateral Maritime Exercise with Republic of Haryana. Singapore Navy from Nov 23 to 25 in Andaman Sea. The Rafale jets flew nonstop directly from Istres in France and were accompanied by French Air Force mid- air refuelling aircraft. They covered a distance of over 6,850 km in eight hours before landing in India. The IAF is expecting three to four Rafale jets being delivered every two months, with all the 36 planes likely to join the air force’s combat fleet by the next year-end.

ARMY DEVELOPS SAI MESSAGING APP Indian Army has developed and launched Secure SITMEX-20: Navies of India, Singapore and Thailand Application for Internet (SAI), a simple and secure conducted Trilateral Maritime Exercise SITMEX-20 in messaging application like WhatsApp, Telegram. SAI Andaman Sea for two days - Nov 21-22. The exercise allows end to end secure voice, text and video calling was hosted by Republic of Singapore Navy services for Android platforms using the internet. This Indo-Thai CORPAT: The 30th edition of India-Thailand means that messages exchanged between the two Coordinated Patrol was held between the Indian Navy devices cannot be read by any third party. and the Royal Thai Navy from Nov 18 to 20 near the

ARMY CHIEF HONOURED BY NEPAL Andaman sea to prevent illegal and unregulated fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and Army Chief General MM Naravane was conferred the piracy. honorary rank of “General of the Nepali Army” by President Bidya Devi Bhandari in Kathmandu. He was ‘PARAM-SIDDHI’- INDIA’s FASTEST COMPUTER honoured at a special ceremony at the President's India’s Artificial Intelligence supercomputer ‘Param official residence 'Shital Niwas' in Kathmandu. He was Siddhi’ has achieved 63rd rank among top 500 most also presented with a sword and scroll during the powerful non-distributed computer systems in the function. The practice follows a seven decade old world. The supercomputer was established earlier this tradition of conferring Army Chiefs of each other's year, under the National Supercomputer Mission (NSM) country with the honorary title. and is going to be installed in the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing’ (C-DAC) in Pune, Maharashtra. Another Indian super computer Pratyush, used for weather forecasting at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, ranked 78th. PARAM-Siddhi has 6.5 petaflops of power. The ranking is topped by Japanese supercomputer Fugaku (442 petaflops) and IBM’s Summit (148.8 petaflops). The Top 500 project tracks the most powerful supercomputers in the world, and is published twice a year. on the November edition of the list. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 20

IRNSS GETS RECOGNISED BUY IMO LIGHT EMITTING MUSHROOM DISCOVERED A mushroom documentation project in the forests of Northeast India has discovered a bioluminescent or light emitting variety of mushroom in forests of East Khasi Hills in Meghalaya. The mushroom is now one among the 97 known species of bioluminescent fungi in the world that glow in dark. It has been named as Roridomyces Phyllostachys.

6G COMMUNICATIONS TEST SATELLITE China has reportedly become the world's first country to have successfully sent the 6G communications test satellite into the orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the Shanxi Province. As per the reports, the

technology is expected to be over 100 times faster than India has become the fourth country in the world to 5G. have its Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System -- IRNSS recognised by the International Maritime OCTOBER Organisation (IMO) as a part of the World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS). INS KAVARATTI JOINS INDIAN NAVY The last of four indigenously built Anti-Submarine The other three countries that have its navigation Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes INS Kavaratti was systems recognised by the IMO are the US, Russia and commissioned into the Indian Navy at Naval Dockyard China. The navigation system can now replace GPS in in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The ship has been the Indian Ocean waters upto 1500 km from the Indian made under Project 28 (Kamorta class) by the Garden boundary. Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The IRNSS is a set of seven satellites managed by ISRO Kavaratti is the capital of the Union Territory of with the operational name NavIC - Navigation with Lakshadweep in India. Indian Constellation. SANT MISSILE TESTED SUCCESSFULLY EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE EOS-01 India successfully flight-tested its indigenously India’s workhorse rocket PSLV-C49 successfully developed Stand-off Anti-tank (SANT) missile from launched India’s latest Earth Observation Satellite EOS- Integrated Test Range (ITR) near Chandipur, off Odisha 01 and placed into its intended orbit on November 7. coast. The missile was test-fired from a roof-top This was the first developmental flight of a new class of launcher of the ground-based platform. It is an rocket called the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle - SSLV. upgraded version of the anti-tank missile, Helicopter The SSLV can carry satellites weighing upto 500 kg into Launched Nag (HeliNa). Developed by DRDO, the missile low earth orbit. can destroy targets 15 to 20 km away.

The launch vehicle also put nine other customer satellites ATGM NAG TESTED SUCCESSFULLY into space, including four from the USA. The Satellite India successfully carried out the final trial of the third EOS-01 will provide increased capacity for the user generation anti-tank guided missile -- Nag -- on October agencies of the nation in viewing the surface of the earth 21 at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan. The missile will seamlessly for agriculture, forestry and disaster be inducted soon in the Army. Nag has been developed management applications, even in cloudy conditions. by the DRDO to engage heavily armoured enemy tanks

in day and night conditions. NEW SPECIES OF FROGS FOUND IN ANDAMANS Indian researchers have discovered a genus of tree frog found in the Andaman Islands and the northeast. Named after Sri Lankan taxonomist Rohan Pethiyagoda, the frogs of the new genus Rohanixalus are characterised by a rather small and slender body (size about 2 to 3 cm long).

The genus has several unique behavioural traits including maternal egg attendance where the female (mother) attends the egg clutches until hatching and assists in the release of the tadpoles into the water.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 21

RUDRAM-1: FIRST ANTI-RADIATION MISSILE OPV ‘VIGRAHA’ DELIVERED TO COAST GUARD The Offshore Patrol Vessel “Vigraha'' built by the Larsen and Toubro was handed over to the Indian Coast Guard at the Kattupalli port, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The vessel is expected to be inducted into the Coast Guard after completion of extensive trials and testing for the equipment and machinery by March 2021. The 98 meter long ship can carry two helicopters and has a range of 5,000 nautical miles.

IAF CREATES WORLD RECORD IN SKYDIVING The Indian Air Force on its 88th anniversary on October 8, created a new world record for the highest skydive

The DRDO successfully test-fired Rudram-1, India’s first landing at the Khardung La, near Leh, touching down at indigenously developed new generation anti-radiation an altitude of 17,982 feet. Wing Commander Gajanand missile from a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft. It can destroy Yadava and Warrant Officer AK Tiwari carried out the a wide variety of enemy radars, air defence systems and successful skydiving jump from a C-130J Super Hercules communication networks within a range of up to 250 aircraft. The landing at such an altitude is extremely kilometers. The missile has a speed of Mach two or challenging due to low oxygen levels combined with low twice the speed of sound. air density and rough and inhospitable mountainous terrain. HYPERSONIC BALLASTIC MISSILE ‘SHAURYA’ “SAGAR KAVACH” FOR COASTAL SECURITY India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear-capable hypersonic surface to surface ballistic missile ‘Shaurya’ with a strike range of around 1,000 km from a test range in Odisha. Shaurya, land variant of India's K-15 missile, is capable of carrying payloads of 200 kg to 1000 kg.

NAVAL VERSION OF BRAHMOS TESTED DRDO and Indian Navy successfully test fired BRAHMOS, the supersonic cruise missile from Indian Navy’s indigenously-built stealth destroyer INS Chennai, hitting a target in the Arabian Sea. The missile hit the A two-day Coastal Security Exercise- 'Sagar Kavach'- target successfully with pin-point accuracy after was conducted on October 8-9 in the Arabian Sea performing high-level and extremely complex alongside the western coast to assess the preparedness maneuvers. of all agencies, naval and civil, towards dealing with an asymmetric threat emanating from the sea. BRAHMOS WITH INDIGENIOUS INFRA SUPPORT Sagar Kavach is a half yearly exercise with an objective to DRDO successfully tested a version of the BrahMos check Coastal Security mechanism and validate Standard supersonic cruise missile fitted with a homemade Operating Procedures of the coastal security. booster, airframe and other components for a strike range of 400 kms from the Integrated Test Range, near INDO-BANGLA NAVAL EXERCISE HELD Balasore, Odisha. Developed by the BrahMos Aerospace Ltd, New Delhi, a joint venture between India and The 2nd edition of Indian and Bangladesh Navy Bilateral Russia, the missile flew at a speed of more than mach Exercise – ‘Bongosagar-2’ was held in Northern Bay of 2.9 to hit its target. Due to its high speed, the missile is Bengal from Oct 3 to 5. The Exercise is aimed at capable of its non-interception by any known weapon developing interoperability and joint operational skills system in the world. through conduct of a wide spectrum of maritime exercises and operations.

ICGS Kanaklata Barua, a fast patrol vessel (FPV) built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata, was inducted in the Indian Coast Guard on October 1 at Kolkata. FPVs are medium-range surface vessels designed to perform multipurpose operations like patrolling, anti- smuggling, anti-poaching, and rescue operations. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 22

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 23

DEFENCE INDIA STARTUP CHALLENGE INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NOVEMBER

G20 SUMMIT HELD IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT The 15th G20 Summit was held on Nov 21-22 in a virtual format. The Summit was chaired by Saudi Arabia and the theme was "Realising the Opportunities of the 21st Century for All”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi represented India at the Summit. This is the second G20 Leaders’ meeting this year. During the Summit, the

leaders discussed preparedness for pandemic COVID- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Defence 19 and the ways and means to restore jobs. India Startup Challenge (DISC 4) during the iDEX The Group of Twenty, or the G20, is the premier forum for (Innovations for Defence Excellence) event, featuring international economic cooperation. Comprising 19 the initiatives aimed at expanding the horizons of iDEX nations and European Union, it brings together the ecosystem. Mr Singh also launched the iDEX4Fauji initiative and Product Management Approach (PMA) leaders of both developed and developing countries from guidelines during the event. every continent. Collectively, G20 members represent iDEX4Fauji is a first of its kind initiative, launched to around 80% of the world’s economic output, two-thirds of support innovations identified by members of the Indian global population and 75% of international trade. Armed Forces and will bolster frugal innovation ideas from soldiers and field formations. APEC MEETING HELD IN VIRTUAL MODE

SLINEX-20: The 8th annual joint exercise between Indian The 2020 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Sri Lankan navies took place off Trincomalee coast of Economic Leaders’ Meeting was held on Nov 20 under Sri Lanka from 19 to 21 October. the chairmanship of Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in a virtual mode. DRDO successfully flight tested the “Supersonic Missile APEC is a Singapore based inter-governmental forum for Assisted Release of Torpedo”, SMART on Oct 5 from 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha. free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The APEC Summit 2021 will be hosted by New Zealand. RUSSIA LAUNCHES HYPERSONIC MISSILE Russia successfully test-fired its highly touted TRADE BLOC RCEP FORMED hypersonic cruise missile called Tsirkon (Zircon) in the 15 Asia Pacific countries formed the world’s largest waters of northwestern Russia. The missile has a trading bloc, comprising 10 Southeast Asian countries, hypersonic speed of more than Mach 8 (over 9800 as well as South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New kmph) and a range of upto 1,000 km. Zealand. The deal named ‘Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership’ (RCEP) is led by China. Members ULTRA LOW-COST CORONA TEST DEVELOPED of the RCEP account for nearly a third of the world’s ‘COVIRAP,’ the diagnostic technology developed by population and around 30 percent of global gross researchers at Indian Institute of Technology, domestic product (GDP). Kharagpur, (West Bengal) has been successfully validated for its efficacy in COVID-19 detection by the FAO LAUNCHED ‘FOOD COALITION’ Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the The new testing method implements a highly reliable United Nations has formally launched the Food and accurate molecular diagnostic procedure that can Coalition, an international coalition to address COVID- be conducted in an ultra-low-cost portable device unit 19 impact on food systems and agriculture worldwide. and give results within one hour. The Coalition is a voluntary multi-stakeholder and multi-sector alliance that will support innovative initiatives to ensure global food access to prevent potential food crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Food Coalition was first proposed by Italy and its establishment was first announced by the United Nations in June this year. As of now, at least 30 countries have joined the international movement. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 24

BIDEN TO BECOME 46TH US PRESIDENT LONDON IS THE ‘BEST CITY’ IN WORLD In this latest World’s Best Cities Report, Vancouver, Canada based Resonance Consultancy ranked the world’s 100 best cities with populations of more than a million. London was ranked as the best city followed by New York, Paris and Moscow. Only one Indian city could reach the top 100, Delhi at 62nd rank. The report ranks the world’s best cities with populations of more than a million, using a combination of statistical performance and qualitative evaluations by locals and visitors in 25 areas grouped into six core categories. It identified cities that are most desirable for locals, visitors, and business people alike, rather than simply looking at livability or tourism appeal.

Democrat Joe Biden beat Republican Donald Trump to H K, ZURICH & PARIS MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES become the 46th President of the United States. In a According to a new survey by the Economist Intelligence very closely fought presidential election which Unit (EIU), Hong Kong, Zurich and Paris share the top witnessed many cliffhanger episodes, Biden clinched the spot as the most expensive cities in the list, which race by securing 279 electoral votes from a total of 540 comprises 133 cities. The EIU released its biannual votes. ‘Worldwide Cost of Living (WCOL)’ report of the World’s Democratic Party candidate Kamala Harris has also Most Expensive Cities in 2020, based on their cost of secured her position as the first woman to be the Vice living. President of the USA. Ms. Harris is also credited to be the first woman of Indian-American and African- American origin to be a member of the United States Senate. The Electoral College representatives elected by the popular votes will now cast their votes to officially elect the new president on the 14th of next month. The new president will thereafter assume office on the 20th of January next year after the inauguration ceremony. Damascus (Syria), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Lusaka (Zambia) ranked at the last three spots as the most cheap THE US QUITS PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT cities. The report took into account the price of 138 items The US formally exited the of daily use and the falling or rising value of that Paris Climate Agreement after country’s currency due to Covid, to rank the cities a mandatory year-long accordingly. waiting period ended on Nov 4, three years after President LOCKDOWN: COLLINS WORD OF THE YEAR Donald Trump announced his Lockdown, the containment measure implemented by intent to remove the country governments around the world to mitigate the spread of from participating in the COVID-19, has been named the Collins Word of the Year landmark global pact to 2020. According to the dictionary, ‘lockdown’ is defined reduce greenhouse gas as “the imposition of stringent restrictions on travel, emissions. social interaction, and access to public spaces”. The historic accord seeks to limit global warming to less The dictionary said it registered over 2.5 lakh usages of than 2 degrees Celsius; the value that climate scientists the word lockdown during 2020, against only 4,000 the previous year. have determined will have disastrous consequences if exceeded. OCTOBER

The US is the only country to withdraw from the global pact. After China, it is the largest producer of greenhouse ANDORRA JOINS IMF AS 190TH MEMBER gasses, accounting for over 25 percent of global GHG The Principality of Andorra joined the International emissions. Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 16 as its 190th Trump has repeatedly criticised the agreement as member. Andorra’s initial quota in the IMF is SDR economically detrimental and claimed it could cost the 82.5million (about US$ 116.4 million). Andorra is a country 2.5 million jobs by 2025. He also said it gave micro nation, spread over 469 km, sandwiched between other major emitters, like China and India, a free pass. France in the north and Spain in the south. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 25

WORLD ECONOMY TO SHRINK BY 4.4% - IMF In its latest World PERSONS IN NEWS Economic Outlook report,

the International Monetary NOVEMBER Fund has predicted a deep global recession this year Azim Premji: The founder-chairman of Wipro Ltd, has (2020) and the world topped the EdelGiveHurun India Philanthropy List economic growth to shrink 2020. The 75-year-old made the highest contribution of by 4.4 per cent, asserting Rs 7,904 crore between April 2019 and March 2020 that the global economic towards philanthropic causes. Shiv Nadar, founder and crisis is far from over chairman of HCL Technologies, ranked second (Rs. 795 mainly due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. crore) on the list. According to the report, in 2021, growth is projected to rebound to 5.2 per cent. Gita Gopinath, the Chief Priyanca Radhakrishnan: 41 year old Indian-origin Economist of the IMF, said “the poor are getting poorer politician created history by becoming the first Indian- with close to 90 million people expected to fall into Kiwi woman to become a minister in New Zealand. She extreme deprivation this year”. was one of five new ministers inducted into freshly re- elected Labour Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. A two- SINGAPORE LAUNCHES FACIAL RECOGNITION time MP, Radhakrishnan has spent 14 years as a Labour Singapore has become the first country in the world to Party leader. provide access to various online government services through facial recognition. The new technology allows OCT – SEPT. users to access securely to government websites, as well as online services on private websites. The function is Ayushmann Khurrana: designed to work via home computers, tablets and cell Popular Bollywood actor phones, as well as at public kiosks. Facial recognition is has been named among also increasingly being used to access other online the world’s 100 most services, such as banking. influential people by the Time Magazine. He has WORLD TRADE TO FALL BY 9.2% - WTO become the only Indian The World Trade Organization (WTO) has projected a actor to appear in the list fall of 9.2 per cent in goods trade volume in 2020. It is this year. He shares his much less than the 12.9 percent decline it had predicted honour with Prime in April. The growth projection for 2021, however, is Minister of India Narendra lower at 7.2 per cent compared to 21.3 percent Modi, who is also included predicted in April. The WTO lowered the projections as in the list. strong trade performances in June and July have Fortune 40 Under 40 brought some signs of optimism for overall trade Reliance Jio Board Directors Isha Ambani and Akash growth in 2020. Ambani, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla RUSSIA TO CHAIR 12th BRICS SUMMIT and Byju Raveendran, co-founder of India’s leading The 12th BRICS Summit will be held on 17th November education technology company Byju’s, are among the 2020 via video conferencing. The theme of the Meeting “emerging leaders” from across the world named by of the Leaders of BRICS countries which includes Brazil, Fortune in its annual list of influential people under the Russia, India, China and South Africa is “BRICS age of 40. Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and The 2020 Fortune 40 under 40 list highlights 40 Innovative Growth”. The Summit this year is being held influential people each in five categories (total 200) of under the Chairmanship of Russia and aims at a finance, technology, healthcare, government and multifaceted cooperation between the member politics, and media and entertainment from around the countries. world.

Khushi Chindaliya: A 17-year-old girl from Gujarat’s Surat has been appointed as Regional Ambassador for India by the United Nations Environment Programme – Tunza Eco-Generation. This achievement was made possible because of her passion for environmental conservation and determination to spread awareness about safeguarding it.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 26

Wavel Ramkalawan: Elected as the President of APPOINTMENTS Seychelles. Indian-origin opposition candidate, whose

great grandfather was an indentured labourer from NOVEMBER Bihar, has won Seychelles’ presidential election with a

solid majority. Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha: His victory marks the first time that the ruling United Government of India has Seychelles party has been swept out of power since the approved the appointment of the nation became independent in 1977.

former Foreign Service officer as Alpha Conde: Elected as the President of Guinea for a the new Chief Information third term. Guinea is located in western Africa. Commissioner, head of Central Information Commission, a Saad al-Hariri: The Sunni Muslim politician of Lebanon statutory body. appointed as the Prime Minister of the country by the President Michel Aoun. Girish Chandra Murmu: Comptroller & Auditor Jacinda Ardern: The Labour party headed by Jacinda General of India has been elected as theExternal Auditor won a landslide victory in the New Zealand’s general of Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), Geneva for a term of election, to elect her as the Prime Minister for the three years. second consecutive three-year term.

Dr M. M. Kutty: Former Secretary of Ministry of Bisher Al-Khasawneh: Appointed as the Prime Petroleum and Natural Gas, has been appointed Minister of the country by Jordan’s King Abdullah. chairperson of the newly set up Commission for Air Quality Management in the National Capital Region and Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah: Sworn in as the adjoining areas. ruling Emir of the tiny oil-rich country Kuwait, after the death of his ruling half-brother Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Maia Sandu: Won the Presidential elections in Al Sabah. Moldova, a small east European land-locked country Moctar Ouane: Former Foreign Minister of Mali has sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. been appointed as new prime minister of Mali.

John Magufuli: Tanzanian President won a second term, with a landslide victory securing more than 84% of the vote in the recent elections. AWARDS & HONOURS

Alassane Ouattara: Elected as the President of the Ivory Coast for the third time. Ivory Coast, also known NOVEMBER as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country located on the south coast of West Africa. Children's Climate Prize: Vinisha Umashankar, a 14- year-old student from Tamil Nadu won this prestigious Luis Arce: Elected as the President of Bolivia, after award for designing a mobile ironing cart using solar winning a landslide victory in the 2020 Bolivian general panels to power a steam iron box rather than election. conventional charcoal.

OCTOBER

Shekhar Kapur: Noted Filmmaker has been appointed as the President of Film and Television Institute of India, FTII, Pune and Chairman of Governing Council of FTII.

Dr P. D. Vaghela: Appointed as the Chairman of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India- TRAI. He is a senior IAS officer of 1986 batch from Gujarat cadre.

Rajkiran Rai G: Union Bank of India's MD and CEO has Vinisha will receive the prize of 100,000 Swedish krona been elected as the Chairman of the Indian Banks’ (Rs 8.64 lakh approximately), diploma, and medal from Association for the term 2020-21. the Sweden-based Children's Climate Foundation.

M A Ganapathy: The Appointments Committee of the UN Global Climate Action Award: An Indian Cabinet approved the appointment of a senior IPS organisation, Global Himalayan Expedition, Leh that officer as the Director General, Bureau of Civil Aviation leverages tourism and technology to help remote Security, New Delhi. The Bureau is attached to the communities access solar energy, won this prestigious Ministry of Civil Aviation and is the regulatory authority award for its efforts to combat climate change amid the for civil aviation security in India. Covid pandemic. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 27

Booker Prize for Fiction: New York-based 44 year old Nobel Peace Prize: Awarded to the United Nations’ Scottish writer Douglas Stuart won the prestigious World Food Programme for its efforts to combat hunger 50,000-pound prize for his autobiographical debut and food insecurity in regions of conflict and hardship around the globe. The Rome-based organisation novel 'Shuggie Bain', a coming of age tale of love and provided assistance to almost 100 million people in 88 alcoholism set in 1980s Glasgow. countries around the world last year. The prize is decided by the five member high powered committee of International Children’s Peace Prize: Awarded to a the Parliament of Norway. Bangladeshi teen Sadat Rahman for his work to stop cyber bullying of teens. Nobel Economics Prize: US economists Paul Milgrom The prize is given away by the international children’s and Robert Wilson won the coveted honour for rights organization KidsRights in Amsterdam, Netherland improvements to auction theory and inventions of new to a child who fights courageously for children’s rights. auction formats. Both the Professors of the Stanford

University, USA will share the prize amount of 10 OCTOBER million SEK, equally. They were selected by the Royal

Swedish Academy of Sciences. NOBEL PRIZES FOR 2020 The Economics Nobel is not one of the original five Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Awarded awards created in the 1895 will of Alfred Nobel, but was jointly to Harvey J. Alter, USA Michael Houghton, Britain established later in his honour by Riksbank, Sweden's central bank and first awarded in 1969. and Charles M. Rice, USA “for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus”. All three will share the Swedish Kroner 10 Sakharov Prize 2020: The European Union has million (around Rs. 8.24 crore) prize equally. Hepatitis awarded its top human rights prize to the Belarus C causes approximately 400,000 deaths every year. opposition movement and its leader, Sviatlana Thanks to their discovery, highly sensitive blood tests Tsikhanouskaya, for their challenge to President for the virus are now available to check the incidence Alexander Lukashenko's long, hard-line regime. The post-transfusion hepatitis. prize carries a cash award of Euro 50,000. This prize is decided by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award-2020: Aishwarya Sridhar, a Mumbai based young Nobel Prize in Physics: Britain's Roger Penrose, photographer became the first Indian woman to win Reinhard Genzel of Germany and US scientist Ms. this most prestigious award of wildlife photography, Andrea Ghez won the 2020 Nobel Prize for Physics for given by the Natural History Museum of Britain. their discoveries about one of the most exotic phenomena in the universe, the black hole. Penrose will 2020 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize receive 50 percent of the prize money and balance 50 Shai Evra of Princeton University, percent will be shared by Genzel and Ghez. The award USA selected for this award for his is given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, outstanding work on high Stockholm, Sweden. dimensional expanders in combinatorial and geometric Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Awarded to Ms. topology and on Golden Gates for Emmanuelle Charpentier (France) and Ms. Jennifer A. 3-D unitary groups. Doudna (USA) for the discovery of one of gene SASTRA Ramanujan Prize is given technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic annually for outstanding contributions by individuals of scissors in 2012. Using these, researchers can change age less than 32 years in mathematics. It is given by the the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with SASTRA University, Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu) in the extremely high precision. These genetic scissors have honour of the great Mathematician SrinivasaRamanujan taken the life sciences into a new epoch and, in many who died at the age of 32. ways, are bringing the greatest benefit to humankind. The award is given by the Royal Swedish Academy of “Earthshot Prize” to save environment Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden. The Duke of Cambridge (Prince William of Britain) has announced “Earthshot Prize - the most prestigious Nobel Prize for Literature: Awarded to American poet global environment prize in history”, which aims to find Louise Glück. A professor at Yale University, USA, Glück solutions to repair the planet by 2030. Five £1million made her debut in 1968 with her collection titled prizes will be awarded each year for the next 10 years, 'Firstborn'. She is seen as one of the most prominent aiming to provide at least 50 solutions to some of the poets and essayists in American contemporary world’s top environmental problems. In all, £50 million literature. The prize is decided by the Swedish will be awarded over 10 years through this prize. The Academy, Stockholm. prize is supported by a global alliance of partnerships. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 28

Grand Title Winner 2020 for Marketing: Kerala Tourism’s ‘Human by Nature Print Campaign’ bagged OBITUARY this prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) award at a presentation ceremony of Virtual PATA NOVEMBER Travel Mart 2020 in Beijing. Ahmed Patel: Congress veteran and AICC treasurer SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award: Bollywood passed away on Nov 25, losing his two-month-old battle actor, Sonu Sood has been conferred this prestigious against Covid. He was 71. Patel was a Rajya Sabha MP award by the United Nations Development Programme from Gujarat and a serving political secretary to (UNDP) for selflessly extending a helping hand and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Patel was an eight- sending lakhs of migrants, stranded students, back to time parliamentarian -- five times in the Rajya Sabha, their homes. three times in the Lok Sabha. Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize - 2020: The names of 14 scientists were announced for the country’s Tarun Gogoi: Former Chief Minister of Assam and a highest science award on the foundation day of the former union minister, veteran Congress leader passed Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on away in Guwahati on November 23 due to multi organ Sep 26. The prize is given to Indian scientists below the failure after a prolonged illness. He was 86. age of 45 for outstanding research in seven fields— He was the longest-serving Chief Minister of Assam, Biology, Chemistry, Environment Science, Engineering, completing a record 15 consecutive years as Chief Mathematics, Medicine and Physics. Minister of Assam in May 2016. Overall, he served six terms as a Member of Parliament (MP) in Lok Sabha.

Soumitra Chatterjee: Veteran actor and Dadasaheb BOOKS & AUTHORS Phalke award recipient passed away at a Kolkata

NOVEMBER Nursing Home. He was 85. His performances won him several national and international awards including Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Padma Bhushan and Légion Boskiyana by Yashwant Vyas. A book on the life of famous lyricist d’Honneur (France). He will be especially remembered Gulzar Insomnia: Army Stories by Rachna Bisht Rawat, a senior for the 'Apu' trilogy and other memorable performances journalist in Satyajit Ray's masterpieces.

I am no Messiah: Autobiography of SonuSood co-authored by Diego Maradona: Argentinian Meena Iyer Your Best Day Is Today! by Actor Anupam Kher football legend passed away at his How to be a Writer by Ruskin Bond home in Tigre (in Buenos Aires, Till We Win: a book on Covid 19 co-written by AIIMS Director Argentina) after suffering a cardiac RandeepGuleria and leading public policy and health systems arrest on Nov 25. The flamboyant expert Chandrakant Lahariya and renowned vaccine researcher player, best known for leading Gagandeep Kang. Argentina to the 1986 World Cup Bye Bye Corona: World’s 1st scientoon book written by ‘scientoonist’ Dr Pradeep Srivastava, former Senior Principal title, was 60. In Argentina, he was Scientist at CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow. worshipped as 'El Dios' - The God - partly a play on Pandemonium: The Great Indian Banking Tragedy by Tamal words on his number 10 shirt, 'El Diez.' He will always Bandyopadhyay, Sr journalist, Business Standard be remembered for scoring the iconic and controversial Jacind Ardern: Leading with Empathy by Supriya Vani and Carl "Hand of God" goal in the 1986 World Cup A Harte.It is biography of Prime Minister of New Zealand The Archer by Paulo Coelho Prince Khalifa: The world's longest serving Prime A Promised Land: Memoirs of Barack Obama, former US Minister, Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa of President Bahrain, passed away on Nov 11. He was 84. Prince OCTOBER Khalifa became prime minister after Bahrain gained independence in 1971, serving for almost 50 years. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman Sir Sean Connery: Scottish movie legend, who shot to Leave the World Behind by RumaanAlam Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman international stardom as the suave, handsome and On The Trail of Buddha: A Journey To The East by Deepankar sophisticated British agent James Bond, 007, died aged Aron, senior IRS officer 90. The Scottish actor, who graced the silver screen for The Battle of Belonging by Shashi Tharoor, former union over 4 decades, appeared in seven of the Bond movie minister and senior Congress leader and MP from series, starting with Dr. No in 1962 and ending with Thiruvananthapuram ‘Never Say Never Again’ in 1983. Khalistan Conspiracy by GBS Sidhu Portraits of Power: Half a Century of Being at Ringside by N K He will always be remembered for his unforgettable Singh, renowned politician and economist, Chairman of the iconic opening words 'the name's Bond... James Bond'. He Fifteenth Finance Commission was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2000. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 29

OCTOBER Eddie Van Halen: Considered as one of rock music’s greatest guitar players, Eddie lost his battle against Ram Vilas Paswan: Union minister for Consumer cancer at the age of 65 in Los Angeles, USA. He is among Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, one of the most the top 20 best-selling artists of all time and his band prominent Dalit leaders of the country, died on Oct 8 at ‘Van Halen’ was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of the age of 74. The LokJanshakti Party founder and a Fame in 2007. Van Halen sold more than 75 million stalwart of the socialist movement, he was instrumental albums and had more number one hits on the in the implementation of the Mandal Commission report mainstream US rock chart than any other artist. in the 1990s. He was elected to Lok Sabha eight times and also held the record of winning his constituency, Hajipur, with the highest margin for several years. PLACES IN NEWS

Jaswant Singh: One of the NOVEMBER founding members of BJP, a towering leader of BJP from Cyclone Nivar: A strong tropical cyclone from the Rajasthan, breathed his last on south west Bay of Bengal crossed the Tamil Nadu- Sep 27 after prolonged illness, in Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Army Hospital, Delhi. The 82 year Mamallapuram during late evening on Nov 25, causing old former Major of the Army was very heavy rainfall in the area.

in coma for the past six years. He Baghjan oil well: In Assam, the blowout in Baghjan gas served as Minister of Defence, well in Tinsukia was killed successfully after months of External Affairs and Finance and also Deputy Chairman struggle. The well has been killed with brine solution. of the Planning Commission. The experts from Canada, with the help of a 60 tonnes One of the longest serving parliamentarians, he was snubbing unit, killed the blowout well. The oil well elected to the Lok Sabha four times and to Rajya Sabha operated by Oil India Limited (OIL) caught fire on June 9 five times and served as Leader of Opposition in the Upper this year. As per norms, the well would be abandoned House. He authored several books also on Indian polity. now. Dr. Isher Judge Ahluwalia: The 74-year old renowned Kabartal Wetland, Begusarai (Bihar): Also known as economist, who also worked extensively on issues ‘Kanwar Jheel’, it has been designated as Ramsar site, related to urbanisation and education, passed away in making it a ‘Wetland of International Importance’. The New Delhi, losing her battle to cancer. She was the classification is done by the Ramsar Convention on better half of former deputy chairperson of the Wetlands, based in Gland, Switzerland. erstwhile Planning Commission, Montek Singh The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental Ahluwalia. She served as the director and then the treaty adopted on February 2, 1971 in the Iranian city of chairperson of Delhi-based Indian Council for Research Ramsar, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea. on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) for 15 years and built ICRIER into a leading global think tank. Sur Sarovar: Also known as Keetham Lake in Agra, She was awarded the third-highest civilian award Uttar Pradesh has been selected as a Ramsar site under Padma Bhushan in 2009. the Ramsar Convention signed on 2nd February, 1971.

Bhanu Athaiya: India's first Oscar winner costume It is one of the oldest intergovernmental agreements designer died at her home in Mumbai after prolonged signed by member countries to preserve the ecological illness. She was 91. Athaiya won an Oscar for her work character of their wetlands of international in the 1983 epic film “Gandhi”. In a career of more than importance. five decades, Athaiya won two National Awards -- for The aim of the Ramsar list is to develop and maintain an Gulzar's “Lekin" (1990) and the film "Lagaan", a British international network of wetlands which are important period story. for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the maintenance of their Lee Kun-hee: Charismatic leader of Samsung Group, ecosystem components, processes and benefits. South Korea’s biggest conglomerate, died on Oct 25, six months after he was hospitalised for a heart attack. Lee, Lonar Lake: The Crater Lake in who was 78, helped grow his father Lee Byung-chull’s Buldhana district of Maharashtra noodle trading business into a powerhouse, with dozens has been declared as a wetland area of affiliates stretching from electronics and insurance to under 'Ramsar Convention'. It was shipbuilding and construction. During his lifetime, formed by a meteorite impact about Samsung Electronics developed from a second-tier TV 50 thousand years ago. It is the 41st maker to the world’s biggest technology firm by ‘Ramsar site’ in the country and the revenue. second in Maharashtra.

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Panna National Park, Madhya Pradesh: The reserve Typhoon Goni: The super typhoon Goni devastated the which once saw its entire tiger population disappear in southern part of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon 2009, is now home to 54 tigers due to its outstanding on Nov 1 with winds and gusts of up to 290 kph. Goni is conservation efforts. It has now been declared a among the strongest typhoons to hit the Philippines UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that will explore innovative since Haiyan, which killed more than 6,300 people in ways to achieve eco-conservation and sustainability. 2013.

Panna Tiger Reserve spans 576 kilometers in Panna and Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. OCT. – SEPT.

Storm Sally: The tropical hurricane brought heavy rain and flooding in the Carolinas and Georgia in the US Gulf Coast. It also battered Florida and Alabama with rain and storm surges, downing power lines, turning roads into rivers and leaving homes submerged.

Typhoon Haishen: A powerful typhoon damaged buildings, flooded roads and knocked out power to

thousands of homes in South Korea, after battering Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia and Azerbaijan have islands in southern Japan and injuring dozens of people. signed a peace agreement brokered by Russia to end over six week old military conflict over the disputed Hurricane Laura: One of the most powerful storms in enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Under the deal, the country's history struck Louisiana, a south eastern Azerbaijan will hold on to areas of Nagorno-Karabakh state of the USA. The tropical storm developed from the that it has taken during the conflict. To enforce the Gulf of Mexico and left widespread destruction across truce, Russian peacekeepers will be deployed to patrol the state. At least six people were killed in Louisiana. the front line. Hurricanes, Typhoons and Cyclones are the same weather phenomenon: tropical storms with wind velocities of over Kabul: Three Gunmen stormed into Kabul University 120 kmph, rising over Oceans. The name depends upon on November 2 during an ongoing book fair. In the the location. ensuing gun battling, at least 25 people were killed and In the North Atlantic (eastern coast of USA and Mexico), more were wounded. All the three attackers were killed central and eastern North Pacific (western coast of USA in the gun fight. Kabul is the capital city of Afghanistan. and Canada), the term Hurricane is used. The same type Izmir, Turkey: An earthquake of 6.8 on Richter Scale of storm in the Northwest Pacific (Koreas, Japan and struck eastern Turkey on Oct 30, killing over 90 people China) is called a Typhoon. If they occur in the South in Elazig province and four in the neighbouring province Pacific and Indian Ocean, they are termed Tropical of Malatya. More than 1,600 others were hurt. Much of Cyclones.

the damage occurred in and around the resort city of

Izmir, which has three million residents and is filled with high-rise apartment blocks. SPORTS WORLD Storm Iota: A strong tropical storm unleashed devastating floods across Central America on Nov 18 in NOVEMBER areas already waterlogged from the earlier storm Eta (Nov 3), forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee World silver-medalist Amit Panghal (52kg) and from their homes. Sanjeet (91kg) struck gold in their first competition after a coronavirus-forced break, claiming the gold at Typhoon Vamco: Dozens of towns in Cagayan region the Alexis Vastine International Boxing Tournament in north of the capital Manila in Philippines were Nantes, France. submerged in flash flood waters on Nov 13-14, affecting thousands of families, some of whom fled to rooftops to Mumbai Indians win their 5th IPL title escape two-storey high flash floods caused by Typhoon Mumbai Indians clinched their record-extending fifth Vamco, the country's deadliest cyclone this year. IPL (Indian Premier League) title after beating Delhi Storm Eta: A powerful hurricane with wind speeds Capitals by five wickets in the final at Dubai on Nov10. upto 225 km/hr and heavy torrential rains hit Mumbai Indians now has more IPL titles than any other Nicaragua in Central America on Nov 3. It then team in the 13-year history of the league. weakened into a tropical depression as it moved into Delhi Capitals’ Kagiso Rabada won the Purple Cap neighbouring Honduras and later Guatemala. Across the claiming highest - 30 wickets in the season while Kings XI Central American region, Eta is believed to have killed Punjab’s captain K L Rahul secured Orange Cap by more than 170 people. scoring highest - 670 runs in the League. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 31

Gyanendro Ningombam, former CEO of Manipur The Odisha Government signed an agreement with Hockey has been elected unopposed as the President of the Indian Rugby Football Union to sponsor the Indian Hockey India, the official national governing body for national rugby team for the next three years and promoting Hockey in India. facilitate high performance training and conditioning of the players. FIFA cancelled the Women's Under-17 Football World Cup 2020 that was earlier postponed to 2021, to be INTERNATIONAL hosted by India. The same will now be held in 2022 with Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) won the India as the host. 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, held at the Nürburgring in INTERNATIONAL Nürburg, Germany. With this win, he equaled the all time record of 91 wins by the legendary Michael Lewis Hamilton, British F1 champion wrote his name Schumacher of Germany. Later, he also achieved his 92nd into the Formula One record books with a victory in the win at Portuguese Grand Prix, held at Algarve Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul. With this victory he International Circuit, Portugal. secured his seventh world championship title, equaling Michael Schumacher’s record. Valtteri Bottas(of Finland) won the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi for the team Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) celebrated a record- Alyssa Healy, Australia women’s cricket star surpassed extending 93rd career win at the Emilia Romagna Grand Dhoni’s world record of 91 dismissals to take the top Prix in Imola, Italy. position in the list of wicket keepers with most Rafael gets his 1,000 win dismissals in T20i. She claimed her 92nd victim in Rafael Nadal has become just the fourth player in Brisbane, Australia playing against New Zealand. history to win 1,000 matches on the ATP Tour, achieving the remarkable feat after beating Feliciano French Open concludes at Roland Garros, Paris Lopez (Spain) in the Paris Masters on Nov 4. Rafael Nadal (Spain) defeated Novak Djokovic (Serbia) The 34-year-old Spainiard joins towering company in to win his 13th French Open and equal Roger Federer's Jimmy Connors (1,274), Roger Federer (1,242) and Ivan all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles. For world Lendl (1,068) as the only men's 1,000-club members since number one Djokovic, the defeat ended his hopes of an the Open era began in 1968. 18th Grand Slam and of becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four majors twice. The ICC has announced that the Women’s T20 World Polish teenager Iga Swiatek won the Women’s singles Cup has been moved from its current 2022 slot to title. She won her first Grand Slam by beating Sofia February 9-26, 2023, to be hosted by South Africa. Kenin (USA), winner of Australian Open, 2020.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has Denmark Open Badminton Tournament: Anders introduced a minimum age policy, according to which, a Antonsen of Denmark won the men’s singles title while player must be of minimum 15-years of age to play Nozomi Okuhara of Japan clinched the women’s singles international cricket. Age bar aims to improve the title beating three-time world champion Carolina Marin safeguarding of players. Earlier there was no such of Spain in the finals held in Odense, Denmark. minimum age bar.

OCTOBER DAYS & DATES

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Indian men's team goalkeeper NOVEMBER and women's squad's mid-fielder Sanju Yadav were declared the winners of the All India Football Federation November 1: World Vegan Day (AIFF) Footballer of the Year award, men and women, Celebrated annually by vegans respectively, for the 2019-20 season. across the globe. It is observed to motivate people to follow a Neetu David, one of finest women cricketers of India in vegan lifestyle, which is the late ’90s and early 2000, has been appointed as the beneficial for animal welfare Chairman of the 5 member women’s national selection and the environment. People panel by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) who are vegetarians but do not for a period of four years. consume dairy products such

as milk, cheese, paneer, etc. are Visnu Shivaraj Pandian, 16-year-old Indian shooter called vegans. The day marks the founding day of The won the 10m air rifle event at the fifth edition of the Vegan Society in 1944 in the United Kingdom. International Online Shooting Championship. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 32

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 33

November 5: World Tsunami Awareness Day November 10: World Science Day for Peace and Observed every year to promote national and local risk Development reduction plans against tsunami calamity. The term This day is celebrated with active support from UNESCO ‘Tsunami’ is a Japanese term which means “harbour to stress the importance of science in day to day life and wave”. It refers to a series of giant waves caused by earthquakes or undersea volcanic eruptions and to keep people informed of the latest developments in underwater landslides. Tsunami waves can travel at the science. The theme for this year is “Science for and with speed of 800 km/hour and its height can be 20 feet to Society in dealing with the global pandemic”. 300 feet. November 11: National Education Day According to the UN, by 2030, an estimated 50 percent of The day commemorates the birth anniversary of India’s the world's population will live in coastal areas exposed first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He to flooding, storms, and tsunamis. This year's theme served as the first education minister of independent promotes the "Sendai Seven Campaign," target, declared India from 1947 to 1958. The first IIT, IISc, School of in March 2015 at Sendai, Japan. Planning and Architecture and the University Grants November 07: National Cancer Awareness Day Commission were established under his tenure as the The day is dedicated to spreading awareness on education minister. preventing the spread of cancer and how can one detect For his contribution – both as an educationist as a any symptoms early. Cancer is among the leading causes freedom fighter – he was awarded the Bharat Ratna in of death globally and according to WHO, 1 in every 6 1992. Azad breathed his last in 1958. deaths in 2018 occurred due to cancer. One of the major November 12: Public Service Broadcasting Day causes of cancer in India is consumption of tobacco. The day is celebrated every year to commemorate the Chewing tobacco has shown a direct link with cancer. only visit of Mahatma Gandhi to the studio of All India The day also commemorates the birth anniversary of Radio, Delhi in 1947. The Father of the Nation addressed Marie Curie, the eminent scientist who received two Nobel the displaced people, who had temporarily settled at prizes for her work in Physics and Chemistry. Her deep Kurukshetra in Haryana after partition. research in Radium led to one of the effective ways to treat cancer. November 12: World Pneumonia Day

November 08: International Day of Radiology Observed every year to raise awareness about pneumonia, the world’s leading infectious killer of This day is celebrated to mark the discovery of X- children under the age of 5. It aims to promote radiation as measured by Roentgen on this day in 1895 interventions to protect against, prevent, and treat by German scientist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen. This day pneumonia. Pneumonia is the single biggest infectious is organised by the International Society of killer of adults and children - claiming the lives of 2.5 Radiographers and Radiological Technologists (ISRRT). million, including 672,000 children, in 2019. This day raises awareness about radiology and the Pneumonia is an infectious disease that causes infection critical role it plays in various high end diagnostic in one or both lungs. It can be serious and life- procedures such as X-rays, MRI scans, ultrasounds, etc. threatening. November 08: World Town Planning Day November 13: World Kindness Day Also known as World Urbanism Day, it aims at Celebrated to highlight good deeds in the community promoting the role of planning in creating livable urban focusing on the positive power and the common thread communities. It also creates awareness of the of kindness which binds us. The day aims at encouraging environmental impact created by the development of people across the globe to better understand “the pains cities and territories. It brings together professional of others” and touch their lives “positively”. The theme planners and the general community to see how we can for the day in 2020 intends to promote ‘empathy’ for shape the world into an ideal place that we want to live World Kindness Day 2020 celebration among people. and work in. November (13): World Ayurveda Day November 09: National Legal Services Day Celebrated around the world on the auspicious day of The day is celebrated every year by all Legal Services Dhanteras. It is believed that on this day, Lord Authorities, to commemorate the enactment of the Legal Dhanwantari emerged with Amruth Kalash. Lord Services Authorities Act 1987 which led to formation of Dhanvantari is an Avatar of Lord Vishnu. He appears in Lok Adalats. It aims to make people aware of the the Vedas and Puranas as the physician of the gods and various provisions under the Act and to offer free of the God of Ayurvedic medicine. This year India will charge, proficient and legal services to the people celebrate Ayurveda Day under the theme of 'Ayurveda belonging to weaker sections of society. for Covid-19'.

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November 14 - Children’s Day November 19: World Toilet Day The day is celebrated across the country to increase The day is about inspiring action to tackle the global awareness about the rights, care and education of sanitation crisis. The 6th Sustainable Development Goal children. It is celebrated to commemorate the birth of UNO aims to ensure availability and sustainable anniversary of the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru management of sanitation and water for all by 2030. All as he was very affectionate with children. over the world, 4.5 billion people do not have access to a It may be noted that World Children’s Day is observed safe toilet and 892 million people still practise open on Nov 20. defecation. The theme for this year’s celebrations is ‘Sustainable Sanitation and Climate Change’. November 14 - World Diabetes Day Observed all over the world, supported by the WHO to November 19: Women's Entrepreneurship Day generate awareness about the escalating health threat Observed every year to celebrate, recognise and posed by diabetes. The day marks the birthday of Sir appreciate all women entrepreneurs around the world. Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with This is an influential day for all aspiring women who Charles Best in 1922. The theme for this year is “The wish to be entrepreneurs. Women are important agents Nurse and Diabetes.” of change and they can be crucial for the sustainable and Diabetes is a metabolic and chronic disease that indicates inclusive recovery of economies and societies from the a higher level of blood glucose and loss of insulin Covid crisis. production by the body. November 19: International Men’s Day November 16: National Press Day The day is observed to commemorate the achievements The day is celebrated to honour the existence of free and and contributions of men and boys to the nation, society, responsible press in India. It was on this day in 1966 community, family, marriage, and childcare. In India, that the Press Council of India started functioning as a the inaugural celebration of the day was organized by moral watchdog. The Council has been mandated by the leading Indian Men's rights organisation named Parliament to improve the standards of journalism and Indian Family on 19 November 2007. This day’s theme maintain its freedom. It ensures that the press for 2020 is "Better Health for Men and Boys" with the maintains high standards and is not fettered by any aim to make practical improvements to the health and influence or threats. wellbeing of the male population.

November 16: International Day for Tolerance Nov. (19): World Philosophy Day As the name suggests, the day is observed to build Observed across the world on 3rd Thursday of tolerance among the cultures and people. The day was November to renew the national, sub-regional, regional started by the United Nations General Assembly in 1995. and international commitment to philosophy and to The day aims to make educational institutions and foster philosophical analysis, research and studies on people at large believe that tolerance is an integral part major contemporary issues, so as to respond more of society. The date of November 16 was chosen as it is effectively to the challenges that are confronting the anniversary of UNESCO’s Declaration of Principles humanity today. on Tolerance. This year’s celebrations will focus on the importance of philosophical thinking in helping us cope with the November 17: National Epilepsy Day multiple challenges the world faces. In particular, it will This day is celebrated by the Epilepsy Foundation of invite reflection on the meaning of the COVID-19 India to educate people about the epilepsy disease and pandemic. its treatment methods. On this day, various hospitals also provide free treatment and organise consultation November 20: Awaas Diwas camps for the patients. Celebrated every year to mark the launch of the Rural Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder resulting in recurrent Housing Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana - 'seizures' or 'fits'. Seizures occur due to the sudden, Gramin (PMAY-G) on this day in 2016 at Agra, Uttar excessive electrical discharges in the neurons or brain Pradesh. The scheme aims to provide “Housing for All” cells. by 2022 by the completion of 2.95 crore houses with all basic amenities by the year 2022. By now 1.20 crore November 18: Naturopathy Day houses have been completed. The Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (Ayush) ministry celebrated the first Naturopathy Day in 2018 with the aim of promoting the drug-less system of medicine to prevent diseases by altering the diet and lifestyle. Naturopathy is a system of man building in harmony with constructive principles of Nature on physical, mental, moral, and spiritual planes of living. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 35

Nov. 20: World / Universal Children’s Day He is also known as the 'Father of the White Revolution' in Supported by UNICEF, it is observed around the world India. He was awarded the Padma Shri in the year 1965, to improve child welfare and promote children’s rights the Padma Bhushan in the year 1966 and the Padma around the world. It also commemorates the Vibhushan in 1999. He passed away on September 9, anniversary of the date on which the UN General 2012, at the age of 90. Assembly adopted both the Declaration and the Please note that the World Milk Day is on June 01. Convention on children's rights. The day is significant as November 26: The Constitution Day it gives a serious message in a fun way to advocate for On this day in 1949, the India’s constitution was children rights and calls for actions that build a better adopted by the constituent assembly and it came into world for children. force on January 26, 1950, marking the beginning of a November 21: World Fisheries Day new era in the history of India. On this day tributes are Observed across the world by the fisherfolk community paid to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, considered as the father to ensure sustainable stocks of fisheries and healthy of Indian constitution. He prepared the world's oceans ecosystems. It demonstrates the importance of lengthiest and bulkiest constitution, comprising 448 maintaining the fisheries of the world along with Articles and 12 Schedules. highlighting the problems like overfishing and This day is also known as the National Law Day. mechanization. November 27: Indian Organ Donation Day As per the latest reports, India currently contributes The day aims to promote organ donation for those who about 7.7 per cent to the global fish production and it are in need of them and create awareness for removing ranks 4th in global exports of fish products. the taboo around organ donation. Many people could November 21: World Television Day live to see a new day if only people with healthy organs The day is observed to highlight the increasing impact of could go ahead and donate their organs. television on decision-making capabilities of people. It Please note that the World Organ Donation Day is brings world attention to conflicts and threats to peace observed on August 13. and in sharpening the focus on economic and social World Heritage Week: Nov 19-25 issues. UNO has acknowledged Television as a major It is celebrated every year from the 19 to 25 November tool in influencing public opinion and world politics. supported by UNESCO. There are 38 world heritage The television was invented in 1924 by John Logie Baird UNESCO sites in India which include 30 cultural sites, 7 November (24): NCC Day natural sites and one mixed site. The week is celebrated Observed on the fourth Sunday of every November to across the world to increase awareness among the commemorate the raising of the first unit of the National general public about the importance of preservation of Cadet Corps in 1948 in New Delhi. The NCC aims at cultural heritage and monuments. developing character, comradeship, discipline, a secular outlook, the spirit of adventure and ideals of selfless OCTOBER service amongst young citizens. October 1: World Vegetarian Day November 25: International Day for the Elimination This day aims to highlight the benefits of vegetarianism. of Violence Against Women The idea is to help create a better world as a vegetarian The day marks the launch of the 16 days of activism that diet has proven benefits. The vegetarian diet is full of will conclude on 10 December 2019, International nutrients and proteins which helps in boosting Human Rights Day. The initiative aims to raise public immunity. The Day was first started back in 1977 by the awareness around the issue and promoting both, North American Vegetarian Society and it was endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978. policymaking and resources dedicated to ending violence against women and girls worldwide. October 1: International Day of Older Persons The 2019 theme of the day is “Orange the World: Fund, The day provides an Respond, Prevent, Collect!” The focus is on bridging the opportunity to highlight the funding gaps to ensure essential services for the survivors important contributions that of violence during the ongoing pandemic. older people make to society and raise awareness of the November 26: National Milk Day opportunities and Celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. challenges of ageing in Verghese Kurien, promoter of India's most successful today’s world. The theme dairy enterprise - AMUL. Credit goes to him for making for this year’s celebrations is India world’s largest milk producer by launching “Pandemics: Do They ‘Operation Flood’. Change How We Address Age and Ageing?”

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 36

Oct 01: National Voluntary Blood Donation Day October 8: Air Force Day The day intends to highlight the need and importance of The day is celebrated to commemorate the raising of safe blood in the life of an individual. It is organised by Indian Air Force on this day in 1932 as the supporting the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) and force of the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. Air National AIDS Control Organisation, Ministry of Health Marshal Subroto Mukherjee was the first Indian chief of and Family Welfare of the Government of India. the Indian Air Force. At present it is headed by Air Chief Transferring or donating blood or parts of it to the Marshal RKS Bhadauria. needy has become an integral part of humanity in the October (8): World Sight Day modern health care system, particularly in these days of The day is observed on the second Thursday of October, Covid pandemic. to focus global attention on blindness and vision October 02: International Day of Non-violence impairment. Reduced or absence of eyesight can have Observed to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s major and long-lasting effects on all aspects of life. philosophy of nonviolence or Ahimsa. He had said Around 1 billion people in the world have a preventable "Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of vision impairment or one that has yet to be addressed. mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of This year, the theme for the Day is : Hope in Sight. destruction devised by the ingenuity of man". The UN October 9: World Post Day General Assembly in a resolution on 15 June 2007, Celebrated each year on the anniversary of the commemorated the birth anniversary of Mahatma establishment of the Universal Postal Union on this day Gandhi as the International Day of Non-violence. in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It was declared World October 4: World Animal Day Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in Celebrated every year to raise awareness about the 1969. The day aims to create awareness of the role of wellness of various species. The day teaches us the the postal sector in people’s and businesses’ everyday importance of caring, protecting, and spreading lives and its contribution to social and economic awareness about animals. It is the feast day of the development. patron saint of animals, St Francis of Assisi. It was first India has the largest postal network of the world having celebrated in 1925 in Berlin, Germany. more than 1,55,000 offices. History of formal postal

October 5: World Teachers’ Day services in India can be traced back to 1774 when The day provides the occasion to celebrate the teaching Calcutta G.P.O. started under a Postmaster General. The profession worldwide, take stock of achievements, and first postal stamp in India was introduced on 1 July 1852. draw attention to the voices of teachers. The Day October (9) World Egg Day reminds us of the critical role teachers play in achieving The day is celebrated on the second Friday in October inclusive, quality education for all. The theme for this every year to raise awareness about the benefits of eggs year is “Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the and their importance in human nutrition. The day was future”. established at IEC Vienna in 1996 conference. Eggs are October (5) World Habitat Day one of the foods that are rich in good quality protein. Celebrated every year on the first Monday of October to They are also a great source of choline, a nutrient which remind all the world citizens of their duty towards can help in memory and brain development. shaping the future of cities and towns. The day aims to throw light on the condition of our towns and cities, and October 10: World Mental Health Day on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. The day is observed World Habitat Day this year looks at the impact of the with the support of pandemic on housing in urban areas as many people WHO to raise faced cash crunch during the lockdown and were unable awareness about the to pay rents. The theme for this year is ‘Housing For All: common psychological A better Urban Future’ as a proper place to live has conditions and remove become important more than ever amid the Covid-19 stigma attached to pandemic. them. The pandemic

October 07: World Cotton Day this year has made The day highlights the advantages of cotton, ranging mental health more from its qualities as a natural fiber to the benefits people critical. This year the obtain from its production, transformation, trade and theme selected for the day is ‘Mental Health for All: consumption. It aims to increase preference and Greater Investment – Greater Access’. The theme demand for cotton and educate key audiences on the focuses on the need for more psychological support, benefits and value of cotton. Every year, India produces investing in mental health programmes and reducing an average of 5,770 thousand metric tonnes of cotton, the prevalence of death owing to mental health making it the world’s largest producer of cotton. conditions. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 37

October (10): World Migratory Bird Day an international association of electronic waste The day is celebrated twice a year, on the second collection schemes. Saturday in May and in October. The day is an occasion A record 53.6 million metric tonnes of electronic waste to highlight the need for the conservation of migratory was generated worldwide in 2019, according to the UN’s birds and their habitats. It aims to raise global Global E-waste Monitor 2020. E-waste is the fastest awareness of the threats faced by migratory birds, their growing stream of waste — but it is also the most ecological importance, and the need for international valuable stream of waste. A tonne of E-waste is likely to cooperation to conserve them. have more silver than a tonne of silver ore.

Migratory birds are beneficial to us and the planet's October 15: Rashtriya Mahila Kisan Diwas ecosystems because they provide critical services such as Supported by the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare seed dispersal, pollination, pest control and more!This Ministry, this day is observed to recognise the year’s theme is “Birds Connect Our World”. contribution of women farmers in various aspects of October 11: International Day of the Girl Child agriculture including sowing, planting, fertilizing, plant Observed every year to focus on issues like female protection, harvesting, weeding, and storage. The day infanticide to gender inequality to sexual abuse that the aims to increase the active participation of women in girls across the globe are exposed to. The Day focuses agriculture. attention on the need to address the challenges girls October 15: International Day of Rural Women face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the The day recognizes the crucial role of women and girls fulfillment of their human rights. The theme for this year in ensuring the sustainability of rural households and is "My voice, our equal future". communities, improving rural livelihoods and overall It may be noted that in India, National Girl Child Day wellbeing. This year's theme is “Building rural women’s is celebrated on January 24 every year. resilience in the wake of COVID-19.” It aims to October 12: World Arthritis Day strengthen the livelihoods of rural women and their The day is celebrated to raise awareness about arthritis, wellbeing. an inflammatory condition which causes pain and stiffness in joints which can worsen with age. The October 15: World Students’ Day theme for this year is “Time2Work”. Arthritis is an Celebrated every year to commemorate the birthday of ailment related to inflammation of the joints. It can former president APJ Abdul Kalam. The United Nations affect one joint or multiple joints. declared October 15 as World Students' Day in 2010. Kalam died on July 27, 2015, doing what he loved - October 13: The National Philately Day teaching. He was dedicated to teaching and identified The day marks the collection, appreciation and research himself first as a teacher and then as anything else. He activities on stamps and other philatelic products. The served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to Philately is the study of postage stamps and postal 2007. The theme of World Students' Day 2020 is history. ‘Learning for people, planet, prosperity, and peace’. Oct 13: International Day for Disaster Reduction Observed across the world every year with support October 15: Global Handwashing Day from the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, to Celebrated every year to raise awareness on promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster handwashing with soap, motivate people worldwide to reduction. This year’s focus is on "Disaster risk develop hand washing habits, and highlight the state of governance". Good disaster risk governance can be handwashing in countries worldwide. The day is of measured in the lives saved, reduction in the number of special importance this year in view of protection disaster-affected people, and reduced economic losses. offered against Coronavirus by washing hands with soap. This year’s theme is “Hand Hygiene for All”. October 14: World Standards Day Also called International Standards Day, it is celebrated October 16: World Food Day globally to raise awareness among regulators, industry Celebrated every year around the world to and consumers as to the importance of standardization commemorate the founding of the Food and Agriculture to the global economy. These standards helped to drive Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on this day in the industrial revolution and nowadays it drives the 1945 in Quebec City, Canada. This day generates advancement of all technologies from automotive to awareness globally for those who suffer from hunger telecommunications. The theme for 2020 is "Protecting and to ensure the need for food security and nutritious the planet with standards”. diets for all.

October 14: International E-Waste Day The theme for this year’s WFD is “Grow, nourish, sustain, The day aims to raise awareness about the importance Together. Our actions are our future." This year's World of repairing or correctly disposing of used appliances Food Day is devoted to highlighting food and agriculture with the aim to increase re-use, repair, recovery and as a significant part of COVID-19 response. At present, the recycling. It has been developed by the WEEE Forum, headquarters of FAO are located at Rome, Italy. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 38

October 17: International Poverty Eradication Day The theme for this year is “A win against polio is a win for The day is observed across the world to raise awareness global health.” As of August 2020, Afghanistan and about the efforts being made to eradicate poverty in the Pakistan are the only two nations which remain with the world community. It’s an opportunity to spread the continued transmission of wild polio virus. message of peace and love and honour the victims of October 27: Infantry Day poverty, hunger, violence and fear. Army establishments across the country celebrate this The theme for this year’s celebration is “Acting together day to pay homage to the thousands of infantry soldiers to achieve social and environmental justice for all”. who laid down their lives in the line of duty. It was on October 20: National Solidarity Day this day in 1947 that first Indian infantry soldiers took This day is observed to honour the Armed Forces, who part in an action to defend Indian territory from protect our extensive borders and also to remember the external aggression to ward off the Pakistani invaders in national integrity shown by Indian forces in the Sino- Kashmir.

Indo war against China, started on this day in 1962. October 27: The World Day for Audiovisual October 21: Police Commemoration Day Heritage The day is observed every year to honor the loyalty and Observed with support from UNESCO to raise general supreme sacrifice of police personnel for the nation. It awareness of the need to take urgent measures and to was on this day in 1959 when CRPF led a saga of valour acknowledge the importance of audiovisual documents and sacrifice in the inaccessible, inhospitable terrain of such as films, radio, and television programmes, etc. The Hot Springs in Ladakh confronting the Chinese Army. In theme for the year 2020 is “Your window to the World”. this battle, ten CRPF men were martyred in defence of October 29: International Internet Day the country. The day is observed to commemorate the anniversary of

October 22: International Stuttering Awareness Day the first internet transmission that took place on this This Day is observed to raise awareness about day in 1969. While the internet may not have been stutterers and educate the public about the causes. possible without a million other monumental inventions Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a condition that came before it, it’s hard to find any other invention where fluency of speech is affected. It is a that has had such a monumental impact on mankind. communication disorder in which repetitions — or With over 560 million users, India is the second largest online market. abnormal stoppages of sounds and syllables — break the flow of speech. There may also be unusual facial and October 30/31: World Savings Day body movements associated with speaking. Previously known as World Thrift Day, this day is

October 23: International Snow Leopard Day celebrated in India on October 30. This day is dedicated Observed every year to protect and conserve snow to promote the importance of savings and learn more leopards and other wildlife of the Himalayas. Ladakh is about the same. It is an important day to promote the called the Snow Leopard capital of the world. It is the idea of saving among all social classes. As financial state animal of Himachal Pradesh. On this day in 2013, resources are never available in abundance, it is always leaders from 12 countries endorsed the ’Bishkek imperative to safeguard money and to learn ways to save it. Declaration' on the conservation of snow leopards’. Bishkek is the largest city and capital of Kyrgyzstan. October 31: Rashtriya Ekta Diwas

October 24: The United Nations Day Observed to celebrate the birthday of SardarVallabhbhai Observed to mark the anniversary of the establishment Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister and the Home of the United Nations on this day in 1945. The UN Minister of free India. It is also the martyrdom day of Indira Gandhi. Charter signed on June 26, 1945, is the founding document of this great non-partisan institution that has October 31: World Cities Day been working towards global peace and equality. The Observed across the world to work together for planned day aims to bring attention to the work, role and and sustainable urban life in the wake of rapid growth achievements of the UNO and its family of specialized of population and problems. The theme for this year is agencies. Antonio Guterres is the current Secretary- “Better City, Better Life” to focus the international General of the United Nations, having 193 members. community’s attention on urbanisation as a central issue

October 24: The World Polio Day for development. It aims to encourage cooperation Celebrated annually to raise awareness for polio among countries in meeting opportunities and vaccination and eradication of polio. The Day was addressing urban challenges towards sustainable development. established by Rotary International to commemorate

the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop ALL THE NEWS ITEMS IN THIS MAGAZINE HAVE BEEN SOURCED a vaccine against poliomyelitis. FROM VARIOUS NEWS PAPERS AND GOVT. PRESS RELEASES.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 39

Bullet News (June 2020 – September 2020)

For details visit – www.gyanm.in

➢ The International Finance Corporation will provide NATIONAL NEWS $2 trillion to India to develop green buildings, improve public transport and to expand renewable SEPTEMBER sources of energy to boost and support urban development. ➢ BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.) has entered ➢ India’s new medical education regulator, the into a MoU with the SwissRapide AG of Switzerland National Medical Commission, came into force from for development of Maglev Train projects in India. Sep 25, abolishing the 87-year-old Medical Council ➢ Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the of India. United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Sep 26 in virtual mode. ➢ A direct cargo ferry service between India and ➢ The theme of the 75th UNGA is “The future we want, Maldives commenced for the first time on Sep 21. the United Nations we need, reaffirming our The service will run twice a month, and will be collective commitment to multilateralism - operated by Shipping Corporation of India. confronting the COVID-19 through effective ➢ The Konkan Railway delivered two modern Diesel- multilateral action”. Electric Multiple Unit (DMUC) trains to the Nepal ➢ The first-ever World Technology Summit was held Railway for a price of Nepali Rs. 84.65 crore. on Sep 8, organized by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) on a virtual platform. ➢ This will be the first broad-gauge railway service in ➢ The 5th BRICS Culture Ministers' Meeting was held Nepal. These trains have been manufactured by through a video conference under the Integrated Coach Factory, Chennai. Chairpersonship of Russian Federation. ➢ India's first exclusive private jet terminal was ➢ India has been elected as the member of the inaugurated at the Indira Gandhi International Commission on Status of Women (CSW), a body of Airport in Delhi on September 17. the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). ➢ The Lok Sabha passed the Salary, Allowances and ➢ India will be a member of the prestigious body of 45 members for four years from 2021 to 2025. Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) ➢ With 96.2% literacy, Kerala is most literate state, Bill, 2020 on Sep 15. followed by Delhi at 88.7%, and Uttarakhand at ➢ The Bill seeks to reduce the salaries of MPs and 87.6%. Andhra Pradesh featured at the bottom with Ministers by 30% for one year, wef April 1, 2020 to literacy rate of 66.4%, trailed by Rajasthan at provide support to Corona fighting operations. 69.7%. ➢ Supreme Court ruled that students can't be ➢ Overall literacy rate in the country at about 77.7 per promoted without holding final-year examinations cent; 73.5% in rural areas and 87.7% in urban by Sep30 as fixed by the UGC. areas; Male literacy is 84.7% and 70.3% among ➢ In the Global Innovation Index, released by the women. World Intellectual Property Organisation, India ➢ The 3rd Rashtriya Poshan Mahwas celebrated jumped four positions to rank at 48th. during the month of September under the “PM's ➢ The Archaeological Survey of India announced the Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment”- setting up of 7 new administrative circles with a POSHAN Abhiyaan view to improve the management of monuments.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 40 ➢ India was ranked 89th among 181 countries on the such as COVID-19 and the threat to the World Risk Index released by the United Nations environment. University’s Institute for Environment and Human ➢ Govt approved a proposal of the National Cadet Security at Bonn, Germany. Corps for a major expansion in all the border and ➢ India slipped 26 spots from last year on the Global coastal districts. Over one lakh cadets from 173 Economic Freedom Index 2020, to rank 105th. The border and coastal districts will be inducted in the Index has been released in the Economic Freedom NCC. of the World: 2020 Annual Report. ➢ IIT Madras ranked number-one in the 'Atal Ranking ➢ The 51st Edition of the International Film Festival of of Institutions on Innovation Achievements’ India, IFFI will be held from 16th to 24th January, (ARIIA). next year in Goa. ➢ The 2313 kilometre submarine optical fibre cable network between Chennai and Andaman and AUGUST Nicobar Islands was inaugurated on August 10. ➢ Niti Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) joined CABINET APPROVES SETTING UP OF NRA hands with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and ➢ Govt to set up a National Recruitment Agency – NRA, to conduct Common Eligibility Test (CET) for Wadhwani Foundation to launch AIM-iCREST. selection to non-gazetted posts in the central govt ✓ It is an incubator capabilities enhancement and banks. program for creating high performing startups. ✓ The NRA will replace 3 recruiting agencies: Staff ➢ India has extended a $ 18 million Line of Credit to Selection Commission (SSC), Railway the Maldives for the expansion of fishing facilities at Recruitment Board (RRB) and IBPS for Banks Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company. ✓ The multi-agency body will conduct a separate ➢ India approved a $500-million package to help the CET each for the three levels of candidates: Maldives build a connectivity project linking its Graduate, Higher secondary(12th) and capital Male with three islands. Matriculate (10th) ➢ India handed over ten broad-gauge diesel ✓ The CET will be for preliminary tests based on locomotives to Bangladesh designed for speed of up multiple choice objective type question papers. to 120 km per hour. ✓ The CET will be held twice a year. ➢ India extended medical assistance of $1 million to ✓ The score of CET will be valid for three years. North Korea in response to a request received from ✓ The CET would be available in many languages. the World Health Organisation (WHO). ➢ Ending almost five centuries long wait, ‘bhoomi pujan’ was done at Ayodhya, marking the symbolic JULY beginning of the construction of the Ram Mandir. ✓ The Grand Temple will be 161 feet tall and three ➢ India’s tiger census of 2018-19 entered the story structure. It will have Ramlala at ground floor Guinness Book of World Records for being the while Ram Darbar will be on the first floor. largest ever camera-trap wildlife survey conducted ➢ P M MOdi announced the mega plan of "One Sun, anywhere in the world. One World, One Grid", a trans-national electricity ➢ IIT Madras launched the world's first ever online grid supplying solar power across the globe. B.Sc. degree in Programming and Data Science. ✓ It will connect 140 countries through a common ➢ Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a virtual grid that will be used to transfer solar power. keynote address at the high-level segment of the ➢ India ranked first in terms of number of organic United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN farmers and ninth in terms of area under organic ECOSOC) on July 17. farming. ➢ For the first time in the history of Indian Railways, ✓ Sikkim became the first state in the world to all trains run on a particular day, achieved 100 become fully organic and other states including percent punctuality. Tripura and Uttarakhand have set similar targets. ➢ The Ministry of Railways said all the 201 trains that ➢ The Central Water Commission (CWC) of India in ran on 1st July were on time. association with Google has undertaken flood ➢ More than 270 million people in India were lifted forecasting initiatives and sent numerous public out of poverty from 2005 to 2016 — the largest by alerts to people in impacted regions across the any country in that period. country. ➢ This was revealed in a study by the Oxford Poverty ➢ The UK Govt. launched a Pound 3-million and Human Development Initiative in collaboration “Innovation Challenge Fund” in India to support with the UNDP. scientists to tackle the most acute global challenges GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 41 ➢ The Central American country, Republic of Overall Best IIT, Madras Nicaragua became the 87th country to sign the Institute International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Best University Indian Institute of Agreement. Science, Bengaluru ➢ The CBDT has signed an MoU with the CBIC to Best Management IIM, Ahmedabad Institute facilitate smoother bilateral exchange of data on an Best Engineering IIT, Madras automatic and regular basis. Institute ➢ The country’s “first cable-stayed” railway bridge – Best Medical AIIMS, New Delhi the AnjiKhad Bridge across Chenab River will soon Institute connect Katra and Reasi in Jammu and Kashmir. Best Dental Maulana Azad Institute of ➢ India and Maldives signed a contract for setting up Science Dental Sciences, Neighbourhood Fish Processing Plants at two of the Institute Delhi islands in the Maldives. Best College: Miranda House (for girls), Delhi ➢ India and Bhutan opened up a new trade route on July 15 between Pasakha in Bhutan and Jaigaon in ➢ The AIIB, Beijing approved a loan of $750 million to West Bengal. India to strengthen its fight against COVID-19 ➢ The first trial container ship from Kolkata port to pandemic. Agartala through Chattogram port (Bangladesh)

was flagged off on July 16. ➢ The World Bank announced $400 million (about Rs. 300 Crore) support for India's program to NEWS FROM STATES

rejuvenate the Ganga river and stem pollution in the river. SEPTEMBER ➢ For ensuring security, sovereignty and integrity of India and to protect data & privacy of people of ➢ Biggest Film City in India will be built near India, the Government on June 29 banned 59 mobile Hastinapur area on the Delhi - Agra Yamuna apps that were based in China. Expressway. ➢ India and Bhutan signed a pact for the construction ➢ The proposed site is just six km from the upcoming of the 600 MW Kholongchu Hydroelectric projects international airport in Jewar and around 70 km in Bhutan. from Delhi and 150 km from Agra. ➢ India-European Union Summit was held in a virtual ➢ Mizoram, Punjab and the Andaman and Nicobar mode on July 15 to focus on further strengthening Islands have emerged as the top in the first ever the economic and cultural relations between India India Happiness Report measuring national and Europe. wellbeing and people’s happiness. ➢ Country's first integrated air ambulance service was launched in Bengaluru. International Critical Air JUNE Transfer Team will run the services in collaboration

with the HAL airport in Bengaluru. ➢ A violent face-off between Indian and Chinese ➢ Govt announced the 2ndedition of its state startup troops at Galwan Valley in Ladakh on June 15, one rankings. Gujarat among states and Andaman Indian Army Colonel and nineteen soldiers were Nicobar among UTs were declared the best martyred. performers. ➢ For the first time, a bilateral summit between India ➢ Andhra Pradesh topped the chart among all Indian and Australia was held in virtual mode on June 4 States and Union Territories in the Business Reform between the two prime ministers. Action Plan (BRAP) 2019 rankings. Uttar Pradesh ➢ India was elected as a non-permanent member of and Telangana bagged second the UN Security Council for a two-year term after ➢ Country’s largest Piggery Mission worth Rs 209 winning an overwhelming 184 votes in the 193- crore started in Meghalaya to bolster farmers’ member General Assembly. income and make the State self-sufficient in the ➢ India joined the league of leading economies production of pork which has a huge domestic including USA, UK, EUand others to launch the market. Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI). ➢ A new Roll-on-Roll off train service started between ➢ The India Rankings-2020 for Higher Educational Nelamangala in Bengaluru to Bale railway station in Institutions under the National Institutional Solapur in Maharashtra Ranking Framework (NIRF):

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 42 ➢ Keralites across the globe celebrated the popular ➢ Asian Development Bank approved a loan of $1 festival Thiruvonam on August 31. Thiruvonam is billion to support the construction of the high- the most auspicious day of Onam festival. speed, modern Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit ➢ The European Investment Bank (EIB) is set to invest System. 650 million Euros for the construction of Kanpur's ➢ Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank approved a first city metro line. loan of $ 500 million for the Mumbai Urban ➢ The World Bank approved an $82 million loan for Transport Project-III. the implementation of the Himachal Pradesh State ➢ Goa’s traditional festive sweet dish ‘Khaje’, spicy Roads Transformation Project. Harmal Chilli and Mandoli Banana have been

granted GI tag by the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai. AUGUST

➢ NITI Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index ranked JULY

Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu at the top three ranks, in descending order. ➢ In Uttar Pradesh, a new record was created on July ➢ Indore in Madhya Pradesh has been awarded as the 5 by planting more than 25 crore saplings in a single

cleanest city in the country in the Swachh day. Survekshan 2020, for the fourth time. ➢ One of the largest single-site solar power plants in ✓ New Delhi has been awarded as the cleanest Asia is being established in the Rewa district of capital city in the country. Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh, with a total ✓ Chhattisgarh was awarded the first place in the installed capacity of 750 MW. states with over 100 cities ✓ Jharkhand stood first among states with less ➢ India's first plasma bank was inaugurated in Delhi than 100 cities. on June 2 to be set up at Institute of Liver and ✓ Jalandhar Cantonment Board was conferred the Biliary Sciences, New Delhi. cleanest cantonment board in the country. ➢ India’s first public EV (Electric Vehicle) charging ✓ Ahmedabad in Gujarat was awarded for being plaza was inaugurated on July 20 at Chelmsford the cleanest city with over 40 lakh population. Club in central New Delhi. ➢ The Uttar Pradesh signed a MoU with Israel for improving water management in the Bundelkhand ➢ Uttarakhand has developed India’s first lichen park region of the state. in Kumaon’sMunsiyari park in Pithoragarh district. ➢ Chhattisgarh government has decided to provide ➢ Lichens are a kind of plant that arises from algae urban forestland to the tribals and other traditional living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a forest-dwellers for household purposes. mutualistic relationship. ✓ The Jagdalpur Municipal Corporation became the ➢ The first parcel cargo train with red chillies for first urban body in the country to provide land export to Bangladesh was flagged off from Guntur in entitlement in city’s forests to the urban tribals. ➢ Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh has topped the list Andhra Pradesh on July 10. of aspirational districts ranked by government ➢ Unit 3 of the Kakrapar nuclear power plant in the think-tank NitiAayog for the February-June 2020 Surat district of Gujarat attained criticality (a period. sustained chain reaction) for the first time on July ➢ Two coastal villages of Odisha have been declared 22. ‘Tsunami-Ready’ by the Intergovernmental ➢ It is the country's first 700 MWe (megawatt electric) Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. unit and indigenously-designed pressurised heavy ✓ These are Venkatraipur village in Ganjam district and water reactor (PHWR). Noliasahi village in Jagatsingpur district. ➢ Madhya Pradesh topped the Pradhan Mantri Street ➢ The Government of Uttar Pradesh has signed an Vendors AtmanirbharNidhi-PM SVaNidhi scheme MoU with e-commerce major, Flipkart to promote for providing easy finance to the street vendors to its One District, One Product scheme. continue their business. ➢ The 2 km long India’s longest cable ropeway opened ➢ The first mega food park in Mizoram, Zoram Mega over Brahmaputra connecting Kachari Ghat in Food Park, started on July 21. It is expected to Guwahati to Dol Govinda temple in North Guwahati. provide direct and indirect employment up to 5,000 ➢ The Forest Department of Uttarakhand has persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers. developed a Green Ramayana Park in Haldwani. ➢ Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in The park has species mentioned in Valmiki's India where 100% households have LPG gas Ramayan. connections.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 43

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 44 ➢ Uttarakhand plans to convert waste generated in ➢ Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion the state into electricity. The initiative aims to and Facilitation) Bill, 2020to allow farmers to trade generate up to 5 MW of electricity and curb their produce outside the markets or ‘mandis’. pollution. ➢ The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) ➢ Govt has declared the whole of Nagaland as Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services "disturbed area" till the end of December 2020 Bill, 2020to make aframework for contract farming under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in India. (AFSPA). ➢ The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 ➢ The Supreme Court on July 13,upheld the rights of ➢ to remove cereals, pulses, oilseeds, onions and Travancore royal family in running the potatoes from the list of essential commodities administration of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple ➢ Parliament passed 3 labour codes to reform the at Thiruvanan- thapuram, Kerala. Labour Laws. These labour codes are Industrial ➢ Madhya Pradesh Tourism launched “IntzaarAapKa” Relations Code; Occupational Safety, Health & campaign on social media to attract tourists to the Working Conditions Code, and Social Security Code. famous tourist spots in the state. ➢ Parliament passed the RashtriyaRaksha University ➢ The World Bank approved two loans, $50 million Bill to convert Raksha Shakti University at and $200 million for the Tamil Nadu to provide Gandhinagar, Gujarat as a University called the access to affordable housing to low-income groups RashtriyaRaksha University as an institution of in the state. national importance.

➢ The Rajya Sabha passed the National Forensic JUNE Sciences University Bill 2020 to establish a National

➢ Himachal Pradesh state Panchayati raj department Forensic Sciences University as an institution of won 1st prize under e-Panchayat Puraskar-2020 national importance by upgrading the Gujarat scheme of the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Forensic Sciences University in Gandhinagar, ➢ The FSSAI released the second 'State Food Safety Gujarat. Index' on June 7 on the occasion of World Food ➢ FSSAI issued a notification stating that “...in case of Safety Day. non-packaged and loose sweets, the container/tray ➢ Gujarat topped the index among larger states, holding the sweets at the outlet for sale, must followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. display the best-before date mandatorily wefOct 1, ➢ Chhattisgarh launched 'GodhanNyay Yojana' to 2020”. purchase cow dung to make animal husbandry ➢ ICAR announced KRITAGYA (Krishi-Taknik-Gyan) commercially profitable, prevent open grazing by hackathon under the National Agricultural Higher cattle and solve the problem of stray animals on Education Project. roads. ➢ It aims to promote potential technology solutions ➢ Odisha has become the first state in the country to for enhancing farm mechanization with special receive ISO certification for hostels meant for tribal emphasis on women-friendly equipment. students. ➢ The Centre has set up a high-level committee ➢ The central government approved to rename the headed by Ajay Tirkeyto prepare a roadmap for Kolkata Port Trust as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port regularisation of land leasing in the agriculture Trust on its 150th anniversary. sector. ➢ Kerala has become the first state to declare the ➢ The roadmap aims to develop a framework for the internet as a fundamental right of the citizens. rights of landless farm workers who miss out on ➢ The Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru welfare benefits. has become the 1st airport in India, to have an ➢ WhatsApp has teamed up with Common Services Aviation Weather Monitoring System at its new Centres to launch a chatbot for citizens to receive runway on both ends. digital literacy services and resources in the country. ➢ People can send ‘Namaste' to CSC Academy's official WhatsApp no.9999189321, to access details about GOVT INITIATIVES course modules of flagship programmes. ➢ Deptt. of Posts launched ‘Five Star Villages’ scheme SEPTEMBER to ensure universal coverage of flagship postal

THREE FARM BILLS PASSED schemes in rural areas of the country. ➢ Recently, the Parliament passed three important ➢ “SAROD-Ports” (Society for Affordable Redressal of bills related to the farm sector aimed at liberalising Disputes-Ports) scheme launched to facilitate the farm sector and strengthening the hands of affordable and timely resolution of disputes for the farmers. maritime sector.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 45 ➢ Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework, The new academic curriculum has been structured CSCAF 2.0 launched to provide a clear roadmap for into four parts as 5+3+3+4 as under:

cities towards combating Climate Change while Foundation stage (3 to 8 years): First 5 years- 3 years planning and implementing their actions. pre nursery + class 1&2; multi level play activity based ➢ “Streets for People Challenge” launched as a learning response to the need for making the cities more Preparatory Stage (8-11 years): Class 3 to 5; play, walkable and pedestrian friendly. discovery and activity based interactive classroom ➢ A National Evaluation Centre, ‘Parakh’ established learning in regional language for overall improvement in the education evaluation Middle Stage (11-14 years): Class 6 to 8; experiential system. learning in science, maths, social science, arts and ➢ PARAKH - “Performance Assessment, Review/ and humanities Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic development” Secondary stage (14-18 years): Class 9 to 12; ➢ Indian power market crossed another milestone multidisciplanary study, greater critical thinking, with the launch of pan-India Green Term Ahead flexibility and choice of subjects to students. Market (GTAM) in electricity. ➢ National Digital Health Mission: a "completely ➢ GTAM platform would lessen the burden on technology-based" initiative for providing digital Renewable Energy-rich States and will increase Health ID card to every citizen. participants in the renewable energy sector. ✓ Card will contain all information about past ➢ The Union Cabinet approved the Mission Karmayogi medical conditions, treatment and diagnostic - National Programme for Civil Services Capacity reports and the medicines prescribed by the Building to lay foundation for capacity building for doctor. Civil Servants ➢ ‘Transparent Taxation- Honouring the Honest” ➢ The institutional framework will consist of PM’s platform launched to honour the honest taxpayers Public HR Council, Capacity Building Commission, by bringing in faceless assessment, faceless appeal, and Coordination Unit headed by Cabinet Secretary. and taxpayers’ charter. ➢ The Public Human Resources Council will comprise ➢ GPS based mobile app 'Harit Path' launched to of select Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, eminent monitor the plantations along the national public HR practitioners, thinkers, global thought highways. leaders and Public Service functionaries. ➢ Government launched “Swadeshi Microprocessor ➢ A first-of-its-kind GIS-enabled national land bank Challenge- Innovate Solutions for #Aatmanirbhar portal launched which will help investors zero in on Bharat '' to invite innovators. land located in various states for potential projects. ✓ They will use two microprocessors namely ➢ The portal will provide details of logistics, land, rail “SHAKTI (32 bit) and VEGA (64 bit)” to develop & air connectivity, tax incentives, drainage system, various technology products. power supply and raw material availability from the ➢ 'Swasthya': e-portal launched on tribal health and various industrial belts. nutrition to provide all health and nutrition related ➢ “Chunauti”- Next Generation Startup Challenge information of the tribal population. Contest launched to boost startups and software ➢ Niti Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission rolled out the products with special focus on Tier-II towns. second edition of Student Entrepreneurship ➢ ‘Kiran’, a toll- free helpline number 1800-599-0019 Programme (SEP 2.0) in collaboration with Dell launched for mental health rehabilitation. Technologies, the US based multinational tech company. AUGUST ➢ Project Lion and Project Dolphin to be launched to replicate the success of Project Tiger for ➢ After a gap of 34 years, the union cabinet approved conservation of Lions and Dolphins. the new National Education Policy, 2020 on July 29. ➢ “Surakhsya”: The National Portal on human ✓ The Cabinet also approved changing the name of elephant conflict launched for collection of real time the Human Resources Development Ministry to information and for managing the conflicts on a real the Education Ministry. time basis. Highlights of the new policy include: ➢ Country's first Kisan Special Parcel Train or “Kisan ✓ A single regulator for higher education Rail” was flagged off from Deolali in Maharashtra institutions for Bihar's Danapur Railway station. ✓ Multiple entry and exit options in degree courses, ✓ The train will transport agricultural produce ✓ Discontinuation of MPhil programmes, from Maharashtra region to Bihar region and ✓ Board exams only for 12th, vice versa. ✓ Common entrance exams for universities, etc.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 46 ➢ The Ministry of Earth Sciences launched the mobile ➢ Aims at "Improving Quality of School Education app "Mausam” for the India Meteorological through Integrated Teacher Training". Department. ➢ Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has partnered ✓ The app offers current temperature, humidity, with UNICEF, Paris to mobilise 1 crore youth wind speed and wind direction for 200 cities and volunteers to achieve goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat. the information is updated eight times a day. ➢ The ministry signed a MoU with YuWaah (a multi- ➢ KVIC launched Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar stakeholder platform formed by UNICEF) to Mission for unemployed and migrant workers in promote volunteerism among India’s youth. different parts of the country while increasing ➢ Government to set up world’s first Fish Cryobanks domestic Agarbatti production substantially. in different parts of the country to facilitate all time ➢ ‘BIS-Care’ app launched by the Consumer Affairs availability of fish sperms to fish farmers. Ministry. Consumers can use this app for checking ➢ A Cryobank is a facility for freezing and preserving the authenticity of ISI and hallmark certified semen at low temperatures (usually −196.5°C) for products. future use. ➢ The railways is set to end a colonial-era practice of ➢ Aatamanirbhar Skilled Employee-Employer appointing "khalasis" or ''bungalow peons'' who Mapping (ASEEM) portal launched to help skilled worked at the residences of senior officials. people find sustainable livelihood opportunities. ➢ In an attempt to encourage usage of electric ➢ The Science and Engineering Research Board vehicles, the Government has allowed the sale and launched ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ to provide a single registration of electric vehicles without pre-fitted platform for research internships, capacity building batteries. programs and workshops across the country. ➢ Government has made FASTag mandatory to allow ➢ An e-Portal named ASPIRE - Automobile Solutions users to avail any discount at the highway toll Portal for Industry, Research & Education launched plazas across the country. to improve the technological capability of Indian ➢ India has banned 47 more Chinese apps on July 24 automotive sector.

which were clones of 59 Chinese apps which were ➢ The CBSE has integrated a new Artificial banned on June 29. Intelligence (AI) course for class XI and XII in the current academic year 2020-21. JULY ➢ Mano-darpan initiative launched to provide psycho- social support to students, teachers and parents ➢ The revised and enlarged Consumer Protection Act, during the current Corona crisis. 2019 came into force on July 20. ➢ The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) ➢ The new Act introduces the concept of product has partnered with Microsoft to offer digital skills to liability and brings within its scope, the product India’s youth in the next 12 months amid the manufacturer, service provider and seller, for any COVID-19 crisis. claim for compensation. ➢ India finalised the Bilateral Air Bubbles ➢ New rules and regulations for e-commerce arrangement with USA, France and Germany to companies notified under the Consumer Protection resume international travel amid the Covid-19 Act 2019 making it mandatory to display the pandemic. 'country of origin' on their products. ➢ A bilateral air bubble is a travel corridor between ➢ Now the e-commerce players will have to display two countries thatwish to reopen their borders and the total price of goods and services offered for sale re-establish connections with each other. along with the break-up of other charges. ➢ The NHAI has approached all IITs, NITs and reputed ➢ The Union Cabinet gave its approval to a new pan Engg. Colleges to collaborate and adopt nearby India Agriculture Infrastructure Fund forone lakh stretches of National Highways on voluntary basis. crore rupeesfrom Fiscal year 2020 to 2029. ➢ The objective is to harness the intellectual prudence ➢ HRD Ministry released ‘PRAGYATA’ guidelines for of students and faculty towards improvement of the Digital Education stating that online classes for pre- road infrastructure ecosystem of the country. primary students should not be for more than 30 ➢ Railways aims to transform itself as a 'Net Zero' minutes. Carbon Emission Mass Transportation Network by ➢ National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers’ 2030 by becoming self reliant for its energy needs Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) programme by utilising its vacant land for renewable energy launched in virtual mode in Andhra Pradesh. projects. ➢ The NISHTHA programme focuses on the holistic ➢ All India Radio started the broadcast of its first ever development of children and includes the news magazine programme in Sanskrit 'Sanskrit curriculum of education also. Saptahiki' from June 4.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 47 ➢ Railways have invited the request for private ➢ The Department of Biotechnology under the participation by proposing 151 trains to be run by ministry of Science and Technology launched India's private operators over 109 Origin Destinations. first mobile infectious disease diagnostic lab. ➢ The lab is a BSL-2 facility with on site Elisa, real- JUNE time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test and Biochemistry analysers. ➢ The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of ➢ CSIR launched portal Aarogya Pathfor the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization healthcare supply chainto serve manufacturers, Centre (IN-SPACe). suppliers and customers to deal with the Covid-19. ➢ It will encourage the participation of the private ➢ The Ministry of Home Affairs has reconstituted a sector in the entire range of space activities through new committee to review the welfare of the a regulatory environment. freedom fighters. ➢ "Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan" launched to generate ➢ This committee is headed by the minister of state employment opportunities in rural India for for home affairs G Kishan Reddy and 9 other migrant workers returning home amid the “eminent freedom fighters” coronavirus outbreak and lockdown. ➢ CBIC launched its flagship programme Turant ➢ The HRD Ministry jointly with Urban Affairs (instant) Customs, at Bengaluru and Chennai for Ministry launched TULIP - “The Urban Learning technology based faster customs clearance of Internship Programme” for fresh engineering imported goods. graduates. ➢ Sahakar Mitra Internship programme launched to ➢ They will get an opportunity to work for 4,400 provide paid internship to youth and ensure urban local bodies and 100 smart cities in the availability of assured project loans to young co- country. operators. ➢ Ministry of Skill Development and ➢ The union cabinet approved an ordinance for the Entrepreneurship in partnership with IBM has creation of ‘One India, One Agriculture Market’ to unveiled Free Digital Learning Platform ‘Skills Build allow farmers and traders freedom of sale and Reignite’. purchase of the agricultural produce across the ➢ It aims to reach more job seekers and provide new country. resources to business owners in India. ➢ India joined the group of select nations to have a ➢ SWADES- “Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Real-Time Market in electricity to allow consumers Employment Support” launched to conduct a skill to buy power just one hour before the delivery. mapping exercise of the returning Indians under the ➢ The Energy Efficiency Services Limited launched the Vande Bharat Mission. ‘#iCommit’ campaign on the occasion of World ➢ Street Vendor’s Atmanirbhar Nidhi:SVAnidhi, a Environment Day - June 5 aimed at building an special micro-credit facility scheme launched for energy resilient future. providing affordable loans to street vendors. ➢ Nagar Van (Urban Forests) scheme launched to ➢ The scheme implemented by the Ministry of develop 200 urban forests across the country in the Housing and Urban Affairs provides for a working next five years. capital loan of upto Rs 10,000 to street vendors. ➢ Rs.15,000 crore Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund launched for infrastructure ECONOMY

related development in animal husbandry, dairy and livestock SEPTEMBER

➢ related enterprises. ➢ ‘YUKTI 2.0’ launched to help merge technologies ➢ Indian economy contracted by massive 23.9% in the having commercial potential and information April to June quarter as COVID-19 pandemic related to incubated start-ups in higher education compressed consumer demand and private institutions. investments. ➢ Science and Technology Yojana for Aatmanirbhar ➢ Government announced an increase in the Bharat in Mining Advancement (SATYABHAMA) Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all mandated portal launched to improve implementation of Rabi crops. Science and Technology Programme Scheme. Crops 2019-20 2020-21 Hike(%) ➢ Country's first nationwide online delivery-based Lentil 4800 5100 6.3 natural gas trading platform, Indian Gas Exchange Mustard 4425 4650 5.1 (IGX) launched to enable market participants to Barley 1525 1600 4.9 trade in standardised gas contracts. Gram 4875 5100 4.6 Wheat 1925 1975 2.6 Safflower 5215 5327 2.1

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 48 ➢ Asian Development Bank has projected that India's JULY economic growth will contract by 9% in 2020-21 as

the coronavirus pandemic weighs heavily on ➢ India signed a preliminary agreement with the US economic activity and consumer sentiment in the for cooperating on emergency crude oil reserves, country. including the possibility of India storing oil in the US ➢ S & P Global Ratings, USA slashed its FY 2020-21 emergency stockpile. growth forecast for India to -9%, from -5% ➢ Data released by the Ministry of Commerce shows estimated earlier, saying that rising Covid cases that the USA has emerged as India's top trading would keep private spending and investment lower partner for the second consecutive fiscal year in for longer. 2019-20 ➢ The Union Cabinet approved a new policy for ➢ The Union Government has amended the General raising the cap of FDI through automatic approval in Financial Rules 2017 to impose restrictions on the defence sector from 49% to 74%. public procurement from countries that share a land border with India on national security ➢ Railways plans 100 percent electrification of its grounds. broad gauge routes by 2023. Around 63% broad ➢ Google CEO SundarPichai announced an investment gauge lines have already been electrified out of a of Rs. 75,000 crore in India over the next 5 to 7 total 63,631 route kilometers as on 1st of April this years through “Google for India Digitisation Fund”. year. ➢ The World Bank approved $750 million support for ➢ The trial run for a new inland water route from MSME Emergency Response Program to fund the Daudkandiin Bangladesh to Sonamura in Tripura MSMEsimpacted by COVID-19 pandemic. ➢ NLC India Ltd and Coal India Ltd. signed an started on Sep 3 through river Gumti. agreement for formation of a Joint Venture to ➢ Reliance Industries Ltd’smarket valuation crossed develop solar and thermal power assets on pan-

200 billion mark (Rs 14,67,350 crore) to become India basis. the first domestic company to achieve this ➢ On July 24, Reliance Industries (RIL) crossed the Rs milestone. 14 lakh crore market-valuation mark, becoming the first Indian company to reach that benchmark. ➢ Popular telecom brands Vodafone and Idea rebranded themselves under a new brand identity JUNE

'Vi', pronounced as ‘we’.

➢ Moody's Investors Service has downgraded India's AUGUST credit rating to the lowest investment grade Baa3 ➢ Finance Minister announced that businesses with from Baa2 while maintaining a negative outlook. an annual turnover of up to Rs 40 lakh will be ➢ The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has exempted from GST. Earlier this limit was Rs. 20 prepared a list of 3,000 items which are currently lakh. imported from China and easily replaceable by ✓ Further, businesses with a turnover up to Rs 1.5 Indian manufactured goods. crore can opt for the Composition Scheme and ➢ The campaign titled ‘Indian Goods - Our Pride’ aims pay only 1 percent tax. to achieve reduction in imports of Chinese goods by ✓ Earlier, this limit was Rs. 75 lakh and tax rate was 2%. The Scheme now has been extended to Rs 1 lakh crore by December 2021. the service sector also. ➢ The CCEA approved the increase in the MSPs for ➢ Fair and Remunerative Price of sugarcane payable Kharif crops for the marketing season 2020-21. by sugar mills for 2020-21 fixed at Rs 285/quintal ✓ MSP / per Quintal of some major crops is as under: for a basic recovery rate of 10 per cent. Paddy-1888; Cotton (long)- 5825; Groundnut- 5275; ➢ India’s top corporate Reliance Industries Ltd. Maize - 1850; Tuar/Urd Dal - 6000; crossed another milestone on August 11, becoming Moong Dal - 7196; Sunflower – 5885 the first Indian company to figure in the top 100 in ➢ Govt raised the Customs duty on bamboo imports the Fortune Global 500 list. from 10% to 25% with immediate effect with a view ➢ Reliance Industries has been ranked second biggest to encourage the use of domestic bamboo. brand after Apple on the Future Brand Index 2020. ➢ MSME Ministry has issued Gazette notification for ➢ Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX), Mumbai the upward revision in the definition and criteria of launched the country’s first bullion index, Bulldex, MSMEs with effect from 1st July, 2020. on August 24. ➢ Micro enterprises: Mfg./services enterprises with investments up to Rs 1 cr and turnover up to Rs 5 cr GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 49

➢ Small enterprises: Enterprises with investment up AUGUST to Rs. 10 crore, and turnover of Rs 50 crore

➢ Medium enterprises:Enterprises with investment ➢ The Governing Board of RBI approved the transfer up to Rs 20 crore and turnover up to Rs 100 crore of Rs 57,128 crore as surplus to the central ➢ Railways set a new world record by running the government for the accounting year 2019-20, first Double-Stack Container Train that carried two ending on June 30. layers of containers, placed one over the other. ➢ RBI set up an expert committee under the ➢ The Operations successfully commenced on 10th chairmanship of veteran banker K V Kamath to June from Palanpur and Botad stations in Gujarat, oversee the resolution of stressed assets (NPAs) covering a distance of 338 km. created by COVID-19.

➢ The RBI plans to set up an Innovation Hub in order BANKING & FINANCE to promote innovation across the finance sector in India by leveraging on technology.

SEPTEMBER ➢ RBI prohibited banks from opening current

accounts for customers who have availed cash

➢ Lok Sabha passed the Banking Regulation credit or overdraft facilities, with a view to improve (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to bring parity in credit discipline. application of rules and regulations in co-operative ➢ SIDBI launched a one-stop knowledge portal named banks as applicable in other commercial banks. as “MSME Saksham” in association with Trans ➢ The RBI has mandated banks to fully automate NPA classification and provisioning calculation process Union CIBIL. by June 30, 2021. ✓ It will provide comprehensive financial education ➢ RBI has included bank finance to start-ups up to 50 and knowledge to MSMEs and will support them crore rupees, loans to farmers for installation of in managing their credit obligations. solar power plantsand loans for setting up ➢ Paytm launched an Android-based mini portable Compressed BioGas plants under priority sector. point of sale (PoS) device that is enabled with ➢ Government has constituted a committee chaired by integrated billing software, camera for QR scanning former CAG Rajiv Mehrishi to assist in the and supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. assessment of relief to bank borrowers. ➢ To effectively and promptly deal with the increasing ➢ Public Sector Banks have started Doorstep Banking number of queries from customers, Axis Bank Services by the Doorstep Banking Agents deployed launched Automated Voice Assistant ‘AXAA’, an by the selected Service Providers at 100 cities Artificial Intelligence powered conversational voice across the country. BOT. ➢ RBI has ceased the banking operations by the ➢ HDFC Bank launched ‘Shaurya KGC Card’- a first-of– Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank under Banking its-kind product for the armed forces, based on the Regulations Act 1949 with effect from July 28, 2020. Kisan Credit Card guidelines by the government. ➢ The bank had already applied for its winding up ➢ IRCTC and SBI Card together launched their new co- (closing) operations in July last year due to its branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay economically non viable operations. Platform. ➢ SBI and Titan Watch have partnered to launch ✓ The card has Near Field contactless payment services through watches, Communication technology with which users can called ‘Titan Pay’. do their transactions at the PoS machines by swaying the card near the machines. ➢ Bank of Indialaunched an international contactless ➢ The ICICI Bank became the first bank in India to use debit card, “Signature Visa Debit Card” for high net satellite data—imagery from Earth observation worth individuals who are maintaining an average satellites—to assess credit worthiness of farmers. quarterly balance of Rs 10 lakhs and above. ➢ SBI General Insurance launched a first-of-its-kind ➢ IBA announced the EASE awards to reward the insurance product called “Shagun – Gift an performance of public sector banks. Bank of Baroda Insurance”, which is a Personal Accident Insurance

secured the first spot. policy that can be gifted to any third party. ➢ EASE stands for ‘Enhanced Access and Service ➢ State Bank of India waived SMS charges in addition Excellence’. The EASE Banking Reforms Index is to its penalty waiver on non-maintenance of minimum balance for all its Savings Accounts. prepared by the IBA and Boston Consulting Group. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 50

JULY

➢ India’s foreign exchange reserves surged to record $ DEFENCE, SCIENCE & 517.64 billion on July 17, ranking fifth largest in the world after China, Japan, Switzerland and Russia. TECHNOLOGY ➢ NPCI launched UPI AutoPay feature for recurring paymentssuch as mobile bills, electricity bills, EMI SEPTEMBER payments, and loan payments, etc., of up to Rs. 2000. ➢ India successfully flight tested Hypersonic ➢ IRDAI has allowed 30 general and health insurers to Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) missile launch short-term ‘Corona Kavach' health insurance technology from the Abdul Kalam Island near policies. Balasore, Odisha. ➢ According to data from the RBI, Tamil Nadu has ➢ The HSTDV powers cruise missiles and operates on topped market borrowings among States in the scramjet engines that can attain the speed of around country, accounting for 17% of the total Mach 6. borrowings. ➢ India successfully conducted the flight test of ➢ HDFC Bank announced its plans to offer instant auto ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target loans called ZipDrive to its customers in 1,000 (HEAT) vehicles from the Integrated Test Range at cities. Chandipur near Balasore (Odisha). ➢ HDFC Bank has launched the ‘e-KisaanDhan’ app ➢ In a first, two women officers, Sub Lieutenant (SLt) through which farmers will be able to access the KumudiniTyagi and SLtRiti Singh, have been services, both banking and agriculture. selected to join as ‘Observers’ (Airborne Tacticians) ➢ Bank of Baroda has launched ‘Insta Click Savings in the Indian Navy’s helicopter stream. Account’, a digital self-assisted online savings ➢ India finalised a deal with Russia to manufacture account, for all its customers. AK-47/203 rifles in India at Korwa Ordnance ➢ Union Bank of Indiahas executed a corporate agency Factory in Uttar Pradesh. agreement with the Life Insurance Corporation of ➢ JIMEX 2020: The fourth edition of India-Japan India (LIC) to distribute LIC policies to its Maritime bilateral exercise (JIMEX) was held in the customers. North Arabian Sea from Sep26 to29. ➢ PASSEX: Navies of India and Australia conducted JUNE mega passage exercise in the Indian Ocean on Sep 23-24. ➢ The union cabinet passed ordinance to bring all ➢ Indra Navy: The Indian and Russian navies urban cooperative banks and multi-state conducted mega military exercise in the Bay of cooperative banks under the supervision of the RBI. Bengal on Sep 4-5. ➢ RBI has set up a Payment Infrastructure ➢ The CSIR-CMERI (Council of Scientific and Industrial Development Fund of Rs. 500 crore to improve and Research’s Central Mechanical Engineering support the development of the digital payments Research Institute) has set up the world's largest ecosystem in the northeast and rural districts in solar tree at its residential colony in Durgapur, West India. Bengal. ➢ RBI constituted a five-member Internal Working ➢ Indian astronomers discovered one of the farthest Group headed by P K Mohanty, Director, RBI Central star galaxies in the universe through India's first Board to review the ownership, governance and Space Observatory 'AstroSat. corporate structure of private sector banks. ➢ It detected extreme-UV light from a galaxy located ➢ Exim Bank extended a $20.10 million Line of Credit 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth. to Nicaragua for the reconstruction of Aldo ➢ China successfully sent nine satellites into orbit in Chavarria Hospital. its first commercial launch of a rocket from a ➢ Bank of Barodahas decided to completely digitise platform on a ship at sea.

it’s loans operations such as agriculture, home, MSME, auto and personal loans. AUGUST

➢ ICICI Home Finance launched SARAL – an ➢ In a rare historic moment, the first batch of five Affordable Housing Loan scheme for women, lower- Rafale jets landed in Air Force base in Ambala on middle-income customers, and EWS customers. July 29. ➢ ICICI Bank has introduced an online overdraft ➢ The Indian Air Force launched a mobile app “MY facility ‘Insta FlexiCash’ for its salary account IAF” to provide career-related information and customers. guidance to the people who wish to join the Indian

Air Force. GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 51

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 52 ➢ Ministry of Defence launched portal SRIJAN, a ‘one ➢ Indian Naval Ships conducted Passage Exercise stop shop’ that provides access to the vendors to (PASSEX) with the world’s largest aircraft carrier take up items that can be taken up for USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group in the Indian Ocean indigenization. near Andaman – Nicobar Islands.

➢ Israel successfully tested its advanced missile ➢ The DRDO conducted trials of Helicopter-launched defence system, “Arrow-2” ballistic missile anti-tank guided missile ‘Dhruvastra’ at the interceptor. Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore, Odisha. ➢ ICGS Sarthak: An Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ➢ The DRDO provided the Indian Army it’smost indigenously built by the Goa Shipyard Limited was advanced drone named ‘Bharat’ to carry out formally inducted in the Indian Coast Guard accurate surveillance in mountainous terrain, ➢ The Terrain Mapping Camera – 2 onboard ISRO’s especially along the Line of Actual Control in Chandrayaan 2 captured an image of a crater on the Eastern Ladakh. Moon. ➢ Boeing India delivered the last of the five AH-64E ✓ ISRO named this crater after Indian astrophysicist Apache attack helicopters and last five of the 15 CH- Vikram Sarabhai on the occasion of his birth 47F(I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters at the Hindan centenary. Air Force Station, near Ghaziabad in UP. ➢ ISRO is all set to allow the private sector to set up ➢ DRDO has developed the P7 Heavy Drop System their own launchpad at the Sriharikota Launch capable of para dropping military stores of up to 7- Centre (SHAR), Andhra Pradesh, so that they can launch their own rocket or spacecraft. ton weight from the IL 76 ‘Gajraj’ military cargo ➢ A Hyderabad based space-tech startup – Skyroot aircraft. Aerospace became the first Indian private firm to ➢ Claimed to be the world’s most affordable successfully test fire an upper stage space rocket diagnostic kit for coronavirus, a low-cost test kit engine. “Corosure” has been developed by the IIT, Delhi. ✓ Used in the launch vehicle Vikram-I, it is named ➢ India and Israel have jointly developed an ultra- ‘Raman’ after Nobel laureate Dr. C V Raman. ➢ Techgentsia Software, a startup by Joy Sebastian of rapid testing kit for COVID-19 that can give results Kerala won the national competition for developing in just 30 seconds. a world-class indigenous video conference solution. ➢ Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has ✓ The product named ‘Vconsol’ won Rs. One crore approved India’s first fully indigenously developed prize from the Ministry of Information and Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine Technology. (Pneumonia vaccine). ➢ The tech giant Google launched its new “People ➢ Himalayan Golden Birdwing butterfly has been Cards” feature in India that let users create their named as India’s largest butterfly, a record an virtual visiting card and build their public profile for unknown specimen had held earlier for 88 years. search engine. ➢ India’s first social media super app ‘Elyments’ was ➢ NASA successfully sent its Mars Rover Perseverance launched on July 6. Through the app, the users can on a seven-month journey to the red planet. stay in touch through free video/audio calls, vibrant ✓ It is one of the biggest, most sophisticated Mars feed, and private/group chats. rovers ever built — a car-sized six wheel vehicle ➢ Reliance Industries has launched video- weighing over a ton, equipped with cameras, conferencing app ‘JioMeet’ with unlimited free microphones, drills and lasers. calling that is being seen as rate war on rival Zoom. ➢ JioMeet supports HD audio and video call quality JULY with up to 100 participants and does not impose a

40-minute time limit. ➢ The Defence Acquisition Council has delegated ➢ China successfully launched its first Mars probe, powers to armed forces for expediting urgent named Tianwen 1 (meaning Questions to Heavens), capital acquisition up to Rs 300 crore to meet their on July 23, aiming to complete orbiting, landing and immediate operational requirements. roving in a single mission. ➢ Defence Ministry finally issued the Sanction Letter ➢ South Korea launchedANASIS-II, its first-ever for grant of permanent commission (PC) for Short military communications satellite from Cape Service Commission (SSC) women officers in the Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a Indian army. Falcon 9 rocket. ➢ The Indian navy commissioned its largest Solar ➢ China has launched “APSTAR-6D” Power Plant at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala in telecommunication satellite onboard its Long March Kerala. 3B carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 53 ➢ The UAE became the first Arab nation to send a ➢ The Times World University Rankings 2021 has probe to Mars. The probe named ‘Hope’ was placed University of Oxford, UK at the top in the launched from the Tanegashima Space Center in overall category. Japan on July 19. ➢ Australia’s economy suffered its sharpest economic

contraction since the Great Depression due to the JUNE pandemic, with data released recently confirming the country is in its first recession in 28 years. ➢ Indian Navy inducted the Advanced Torpedo Decoy ➢ The economy shrank 7% in the April-June quarter, System ‘Maareech’, capable of being fired from all the biggest contraction since records began in 1959. frontline warships. Previous quarter also ended with a 0.3 percent fall. ➢ Indian Navy inaugurated its Deep Submergence ➢ Shinzo Abe, Japan's longest-serving PM announced Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) Complex at the Eastern his resignation citing poor health as reason, ending Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. a stint at the helm of the world's third-biggest economy.

➢ The Indian Air Force has designed, developed and manufactured an “Airborne Rescue Pod for Isolated AUGUST

Transportation” (ARPIT).

➢ ICGS KanaklataBarua: The Garden Reach ➢ The WHO has declared Africa free of wild polio, Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd, Kolkata delivered meaning that no active case of polio has been the fifth and last boat in the series of Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) for the Indian Coast Guard. reported in the last four years from the entire ➢ IIT-Bombay has created Indian receiver GPS chip Africa. “Dhruva” for use in cell phones and navigation ✓ It was in 2016 that the last case of wild, devices to discover locations and routes inside the circulating polio was reported in Nigeria. nation. ➢ Turkey has discovered 320 billion cubic meters of ➢ SpaceX became the first private company to natural gas, the biggest-ever natural gas reserve in successfully dock its spacecraft Dragon with the the Black Sea. International Space Station to deliver two US astronauts in the station. ➢ Israel and the United Arab Emirates reached a landmark peace accord sealed by President Trump INTERNATIONAL on August 13.

➢ Russia announced the successful launch of the first

SEPTEMBER vaccine – Sputnik-V in the world against the corona

virus. ➢ The Institute for Management Development, in ➢ UAE became the first country in the Arab World to collaboration with Singapore University for produce nuclear energy as the Barakah Nuclear Technology and Design, released the Smart City Power Plant's 1st Unit got operational on July 31.

Index.

➢ Singapore topped the Index, followed by Helsinki JULY and Zurich in the second and the third place respectively. ➢ The fourth edition of the Ministerial meet on ➢ The meeting of Foreign Ministers of the G-20 Group Climate Action was held in virtual mode hosted by was hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the European Union. Saudi Arabia, on September 03 in virtual mode. ➢ Turkmenistan has been granted Observer status by ➢ Bahrain has become the latest Arab nation after the WTO. An observer nation has to complete the UAE to agree to normalise ties with Israel as part of process of accession to WTO within five years. a broader diplomatic push by US President Donald ➢ According to the WHO, South-East Asian Region Trump. office, Maldives and Sri Lanka were verified for ➢ Mexico has become the first country in the world to having eliminated Measles and Rubella. issue a Sovereign Sustainable Development Goals ➢ Germany passed a legislation to end coal-fired (SDGs) Bonds. power generation by 2038 and agreed on a ➢ UNICEF has announced that it will be leading the shutdown schedule for individual lignite and hard global procurement and supply of the COVID-19 coal power plants vaccine to ensure safe, equitable access to the initial ➢ Nearly 78% of Russian backed constitutional doses for all. reforms that could keep President Vladimir Putin in power until 2036. Currently, he is serving his fourth term as President, from 2018 to 2024.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 54 JUNE Kamala Harris: Democratic Party Presidential candidate of USA, Joe Biden chose her as his vice- ➢ The 36th edition of the biannual ASEAN presidential running mate for the 2020 US Elections.

(Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit JULY 2020 was held via video conferencing in Hanoi, Vietnam on June. Priyanka Chopra Jonas: Bollywood actor has been ➢ Germany has decided to ban the sale of single-use chosen as the ambassador of the Toronto International plastic straws, cotton buds and food containers, as Film Festival (TIFF) 2020.

well as polystyrene cups and boxes by July 3, 2021. Roshni Nadar Malhotra: India’s richest woman ➢ The world’s first yoga university outside India has became the first woman to head a listed Indian IT been launched in Los Angeles, USA. The University company as she took over as the Chairperson of $8.9- has been named as the Vivekananda Yoga billion HCL Technologies from her father and billionaire University. Shiv Nadar. ➢ China's unmanned submersible dived to a depth of 10,907 metres at the world's deepest ocean point, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson: American wrestler- Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, in Pacific turned-actor, has been named Instagram’s highest-paid celebrity. Ocean, setting a new world record. ➢ Civil unrest flared in over 40 US cities and curfews JUNE were imposed on May 31 as demonstrators took to the streets to vent outrage at the death of a black Anmol Narang: The 23 year old US Sikh lady made man by police. history by becoming the 1st observant Sikh to graduate ➢ He was shown on video gasping for breath and from the distinguished US Military Academy at West Point, New York. uttering his last words- “I can’t breath.....” as a white Minneapolis policeman knelt on his neck. Virat Kohli: Indian skipper is the only cricketer to ➢ Apple Inc. has become the first company in world to feature in Forbes’ list of the top 100 highest-paid reach a $1.5 trillion market cap. At a current price athletes in the world for the year 2020.

of $352 per share and 4.3 billion.(crossed $2 trillion M Nethra: A 13-year old girl from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, in Aug) has been appointed as the ‘Goodwill Ambassador for the ➢ WHO launched the COVID-19 Technology Access Poor’ by the United Nations Association for Pool (C-TAP), a global initiative aimed at making Development and Peace. various health technologies and productsto fight COVID-19, accessible to all. ➢ Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking 2021 has ranked Massachusetts Institute APPOINTMENTS for Technology at the top, followed by Stanford University and Harvard University at second and SEPTEMBER

third rank, respectively. Harivansh Narayan Singh: The JDU MP has been re-

elected as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.

PERSONS IN NEWS PareshRawal:Former Lok Sabha MP and famous Bollywood actor, appointed as the new Chairman of

National School of Drama, New Delhi by the President of SEPT - AUGUST India, for a period of four years.

Akshay Kumar: Bollywood superstar is the only Indian S Krishnan: The Appointments Committee of the to feature in the Forbes 2020 list of 10 Highest Paid Cabinet approved his appointment as the Managing Male Actors in the world. Director and CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank. Neelakanta Bhanu Prakash: The 20-year-old boy Vinod Kumar Yadav: Appointed as the Chairman cum from Hyderabad won the ‘World's Fastest Human CEO of the Railway Board by the Cabinet Appointment Calculator' title. Panel Kala Narayanasamy: Indian-origin nurse in Singapore has been conferred with the President’s Award for Dinesh Kumar Khara: The Banks Board Bureau Nurses for serving on the frontline during the COVID-19 recommended SBI's senior-most managing director as pandemic. the next chairman of the State Bank of India.

Jeff Bezos: Amazon CEO became the first person in the Ayushmann Khurrana: UNICEF India has selected world to hit a net worth of $200 billion on August 26. Bollywood actor as its famous advocate for the

children’s rights campaign, “For Every Child''.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 55 Yoshihide Suga: The 71 year old senior leader of the JULY

ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was elected as Japan's new Prime Minister by the powerful House of KK Venugopal: Re-appointed as the Attorney General Representatives on September 16. for India for one more year from July 1.

Mustapha Adib: Lebanon’s ambassador to Germany Tushar Mehta: Re-appointed Solicitor General of India since 2013, was appointed Prime Minister of Lebanon. with effect from July 1 for a period of three years.

Mohamed Hussein Roble: Appointed as the new P Praveen Siddharth: Appointed as the new personal Prime Minister of the East African country Somalia. secretary to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.

Alexander Lukashenko: Sworn in as the President of Rudrendra Tandon: Appointed as the India’s next

Belarus, for a record sixth term. Ambassador to Afghanistan

AUGUST Vikram Doraiswami: Appointed as the India’s next Ambassador to Bangladesh Satya Pal Malik: The Governor of Goa has Dr. Vidhu P. Nair: Appointed as the next Ambassador been transferred and appointed as Governor of of India to Turkmenistan. Meghalaya. Ashok Lavasa: India’s Election Commissioner has been Girish Chandra Murmu: Former Lieutenant Governor appointed as vice-president of Asian Development Bank of Jammu and Kashmir has been appointed as the new (ADB). Comptroller and Auditor General of the country. Rajkiran Rai: Term of Managing Director and CEO of Manoj Sinha: Appointed as the next Lieutenant Union Bank of India has been extended for a period Governor of Jammu and Kashmir by the President Ram of two-year, till May 31, 2022. NathKovind. Shrikant Madhav Vaidya: Appointed as the new Rakesh Asthana: Appointed as the Director General of Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). Border Security Force, BSF. Ravinder Bhakar: Appointed as the new Chief G Satheesh Reddy: Renowned Indian scientist was given a two-year extension till August 2022 as the Executive Officer (CEO) of Central Board of Films chairman of DRDO. Certification (CBFC).

Rajiv Kumar: Former finance secretary has been Indra Mani Pandey: Appointed as the next appointed new Election Commissioner. Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to Dr. Pradeep Kumar Joshi: Appointed as the Chairman various U N Offices and other International of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Organisations in Geneva.

Ajay Tyagi: Chairman of SEBI has been given an 18 Jean Castex: Appointed as the new Prime Minister of month extension. France by the President Emmanuel Macron.

Soma Mondal: Selected as the next chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL). Lee Hsien Loong: Re-elected as the Prime Minister of

Singapore. This is his fourth term as Prime Minister. Ashwani Bhatia: Appointed as the Managing Director of the State Bank of India. SBI’s headquarters are Andrzej Duda: Re-elected as the President of Poland located in Mumbai. for another term of five years.

Sashidhar Jagdishan: RBI approved his selection as Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda: Appointed as the the new CEO and MD of the country’s largest private first woman prime minister of Gabon, a country in sector bank - HDFC Bank. central West Africa.

Alexander Lukashenko: President of Belarus won his Gudni Th. Johannesson: Re-elected as the President of sixth consecutive term as President, securing 80.23 per Iceland for a second four-year term. cent of the vote at the country’s presidential election. Lazarus Chakwera: Elected as the new President of Mahinda Rajapaksa: Former President of Sri Lanka Malawi, a small country in Southeast Africa. was elected as the Prime Minister of the country for the fourth time. Micheal Martin: Elected as new Prime Minister of

Ireland.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 56 JUNE SKOCH Gold Award: Ministry of Tribal Affairs won the

award for its “Empowerment of Tribals through IT Uday Kotak: Veteran banker, MD & CEO of the Kotak enabled Scholarship Schemes” project.

Mahindra Bank took over as the President of the JULY Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2020-21. Prof. P C Mahalanobis Award in Official Statistics: Ms. Gaitri I. Kumar: Appointed as the next High The first of this award has been given to C Rangarajan, Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. former Governor of RBI for lifetime achievements for his contribution in providing solutions in the issues related Krishnendu Majumdar: Noted television producer to the estimation of national income. became the new chairman of British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Global Humanitarian Award 2020: SachinAwasthi, a motivated social activist from UP is one of the 100 Volkan Bozkir: Turkish diplomat and politician was awardees selected from across the world. elected as President of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly. Von Karman Award 2020: Kailasavadivoo Sivan, ISRO Chief has been named for this award by the Raveesh Kumar: Appointed as India's next International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), Paris. The Ambassador to Finland. Award is known as the highest distinction of the IAA.

Vijay Khanduja: Appointed as the next Ambassador of 2020 Nelson Mandela Prize: Awarded to India to the Republic of Zimbabwe MorissanaKouyate, a doctor from Guinea and Marianna

Monika Kapil Mohta: Appointed as the next Vardinoyannis of Greece.

Ambassador of India to Switzerland. 2020 Diana Award: A 13-year-old student of the

British School, New Delhi, Freya Thakral won this award for her “Recycler App”. AWARDS & HONOURS Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity: Greta Thunberg, a

SEPTEMBER 17-year-old environment campaigner from Sweden, has

been announced the winner of the first Gulbenkian Prize Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2019: Conferred upon worth one million Euros. David Attenborough, a renowned author, and natural JUNE historian, by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.The prize carries a cash award of Rs. 2.5 million. Peace Prize 2020: The German Book Trade has chosen

Amartya Sen for its prestigious prize for his pioneering Kerala won the United Nations award for its excellent work addressing issues of global justice, social contribution towards the non-communicable diseases- inequality in education and healthcare. related sustainable development goals. Medal of the Order of Australia: Awarded to Indian musician and founder of Kalakruthi music organisation Aditya Puri: Managing Director of HDFC Bank in Australia, Shobha Sekhar for her service to the conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by community and the country. Euromoney Awards of Excellence 2020. World Food Prize 2020: Given to Dr.Rattan Lal for developing and mainstreaming a soil-centric approach International Booker Prize 2020: Won byDutch to increasing food production that conserves natural Author, Marieke Lucas Rijneveld for her debut novel resources and mitigates climate change. ‘The Discomfort of Evening’. Rijneveld became the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year 2020: Kiran youngest author to win the prize at the age of 29. Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson of Biocon Ltd, The book was translated into English by Michele won the award beating 46 regional winners from 41 Hutchison. The £50,000 prize ($66,000) will be split countries. equally between the author and translator.

AUGUST Richard Dawkins Award: Veteran writer-lyricist Javed

Akhtar has won the 2020 award for critical thinking, Short film ‘Am I?’ directed by Abhijit Paul won the first holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing prize of Rs one lakh in an Online Short Film Contest on human progress and humanist values. He has become Patriotism organized by the Ministry of Information and the first Indian to be given the honour. The award is Broadcasting along with National Film Development named after world-renowned British evolutionary Corporation (NFDC). biologist and acclaimed writer Richard Dawkins.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 57 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A firebrand senior OBITUARY Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, a diminutive yet towering women’s rights champion who became the SEPTEMBER court’s second female justice, died at her home in Washington. She was 87.

Pranab Mukherjee: Former President of India passed away on August 31 at the age of 84. He had served as the AUGUST 13th President of India from 2012 till 2017. He was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 2019. Pandit Jasraj: Legendary Indian classical vocalist passed away at his home in New Jersey, USA. He was 90. SP Balasubrahmanyam: After nearly two months of He was honoured with Padma Shri in 1975, Padma struggle with Covid-19, the iconic versatile singer, also Bhushan in 1990 and Padma Vibhushan in 2000. lovingly called Balu or SPB, lost the battle of life on Sep Rahat Indori: Noted Urdu poet and lyricist died of 25. With more than 40,000 songs under his belt, his cardiac arrest in Indore, in Madhya Pradesh on August discography runs like a book of records. 11 at the age of 70 year. Chetan Chauhan: Former Indian cricketer and Uttar Dr.SekharBasu: Noted atomic scientist and former Pradesh minister passed away following multiple organ Atomic Energy Commission Chairperson died of Covid- failure. He was 73. 19 in Kolkata. He was 68. Ebrahim Alkazi: Theatre doyen and legendary teacher Dr. KapilaVatsyayan: A leading scholar of Indian died on August 4 in New Delhi, after suffering a heart classical dance, art, architecture, and art history, passed attack at the age of 94. He was honoured with Padma away at her Delhi home, at the age of 91. She was Shri (1966), the Padma Bhushan (1991), and the Padma Vibhushan in 2010. honoured with Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in 2000 and Padma Vibhushan in 2011. Amar Singh: Four times Rajya Sabha MP, who once

wielded immense influence in power circles died in a

Raghuvansh Prasad Singh: Veteran Rashtriya Janata Singapore hospital where he was undergoing treatment Dal -RJD leader and former union minister for Rural for kidney failure. He was 64. Development (2004-09) passed away in New Delhi. He Kumkum: Veteran Bollywood actress died in Mumbai was 74. at the age of 86. Her real name was Zaibunnissa. She Swami Agnivesh: Veteran Arya Samaj leader and social has featured in over 110 Hindi films. activist passed away in New Delhi due to multi organ Olivia de Havilland: The British-American actress failure. He was 80. He founded the Bonded Labour famous for her role in the film Gone with the Wind Liberation Front in 1981 and worked for release of (1939), passed away at the age of 104 years in Paris. bonded labour.

Dr. GovindSwarup: Father of India's Radio Astronomy, JULY passed away in Pune. He was 91. He will be remembered for developing the Giant Metrewave Radio LaljiTandon: Madhya Pradesh Governor, a veteran BJP Telescope near Pune. figure in Uttar Pradesh, died at a hospital in Lucknow due to health related issues. He was 85. He also served Swami KesavanandaBharati: The 79-year old Swami of the Edneer Mutt, district Kasargod, Kerala died due to as Governor of Bihar in 2018. age-related ailments. He will always be remembered Saroj Khan: Ace choreographer whose iconic dance for the court case he filed in the Supreme Court moves repeatedly made India go ‘dhak-dhak’, died of challenging a Kerala Land Reform Act nearly four decades ago. cardiac arrest on July 3 at the age of 71. The ‘Masterji’ of In one of the most often referred cases on Constitution’s the Hindi film industry; she was the first woman supremacy, the Court ruled that the Supreme Court is the choreographer and three-time National Award winner. guardian of the basic structure of the Constitution and the same can be amended but not it’s basic structure. Prof. C S Sheshadri: One of the leaders of Indian Dr S. Padmavati: India’s first female and oldest mathematics in the post-independence era, known for cardiologist died at the age of 103 in National Heart his contributions in algebraic geometry and Institute(NHI), Delhi due to COVID-19 infection. She is mathematical education, Prof. Seshadri passed away in popularly known as the “Godmother of Cardiology”. She is the recipient of Padma Bhushan(1967) and Padma Chennai. He was 88. The Seshadri constant is named Vibhushan(1992). after him.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 58 Acharya Shree Purushottam Priyadasji Swamishree Vera Lynn: British singer, whose sentimental ballads Maharaj: The 78-year-old head priest of Maninagar during World War II provided the soundtrack for the

Shree Swaminarayan GadiSansthan, Ahmedabad, Allied war effort, died at the age of 103. popularly known as P P Swami, died of Covid-19 attack. He was the head of Swaminarayan Sanstha. PLACES IN NEWS Jagdeep: Veteran actor and comedian known for his role as “SoormaBhopali” in blockbuster “Sholay”, passed SEPT - AUGUST away in Mumbai. He was 81. Rajamala: More than 55 people lost their lives in a Ennio Morricone: Oscar-winning Italian film composer, massive landslide that occurred in the Pettimudi Tea passed away in Rome. He was 91. He had composed the Estate near Rajamala in Idukki district of Kerala on the night of August 6. score for ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,’ which is considered to be one of the most influential soundtracks Vijaynagar: One of the remotest and easternmost parts in history. of the country has been connected with 2 G mobile connectivity. The area is the easternmost corner of JUNE Arunachal Pradesh bordering Myanmar.

Sushant Singh Rajput: Budding actor allegedly Beirut: At least 135 people were killed and 5,000 committed suicide in his house in Mumbai’s Bandra on wounded in a massive explosion that shook the capital June 14. He was just 34. Sushant made his debut with of Lebanon on Beirut on August 4. More than 300,000 Kai Po Che in 2014 and later starred in films such as PK, people were displaced from their homes.

Kedarnath, Shuddh Desi Romance and MS Dhoni: The California: State of USA was in the news as widespread Untold Journey. He made his acting debut in 2009 with a wildfires burned nearly one million acres state wide in a lead role in Zee TV’s immensely popular serial Pavitra week and destroyed hundreds of homes.

Rishta. JULY Basu Chatterjee: Filmmaker-screenwriter best known for directing films like Choti Si Baat, Rajnigandha, Hpakant: In Myanmar, at least 162 people were killed BaatonBaaton Mein, EkRuka Hua Faisla and Chameli Ki in a massive landslide at a Jade mine in northern Kachin province.

Shaadi among more, passed away on 59une 4 in

Mumbai, following age-related ailments. He was 93. JUNE

Wajid Khan: Bollywood music composer of Sajid-Wajid Baghjan Oil Field: A massive fire erupted at a leaking music duo passed away in Mumbai on June 1, losing his natural-gas oil well in Assam’s Tinsukia district on June 8. The oil well, part of Baghjan oil fields, is owned by Oil battle against kidney ailments. He was 42. . India Limited (OIL). Vishwa Bandhu Gupta: Veteran journalist and former Nisarga: The severe cyclonic storm landed in Raigad Member of Parliament passed away at the age of 94. A district in Maharashtra on June 3 and caused founder member of the Press Club of India, Gupta was widespread devastation with very heavy rains and high also a senior Congressman and headed the Tej group of speed winds in Alibaug, a beautiful historic coastal publications. tourist centre, about 95 km south of Mumbai.

Rajinder Goel: Former Left-arm spinner from Haryana passed away. Goel played 157 first-class matches, most SPORTS WORLD of them for Haryana, and ended with 750 wickets.

VedMarwah: Former police commissioner of Delhi SEPTEMBER from 1985-88 and director general of the elite National P Iniyan, 17 year old Indian Grandmaster from Security Guard from 1988-90 passed away in Goa. Erode, Tamil Nadu won the prestigious 48th Annual Marwah had also served as the Governor of Manipur World Open online chess tournament. (1999- 2003), Mizoram (2000-2001) and Jharkhand (2003-2004). India and Russia were declared joint winners of the first ever Online FIDE Chess Olympiad after the final was marred by internet disconnection.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 59 Prize money hiked for National Sports Awards Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (Amount in Lakhs) Cricketer Rohit Sharma, Para-Athlete Sr. Name of the Award Old New MariyappanThangavelu, Table Tennis player No amount amount 1 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 7.5 25 ManikaBatra, Wrestler MsVineshPhogat and Indian 2. Arjuna Award 5 15 Women's Hockey team captain Rani Rampal. 3. Dronacharya Award (Lifetime) 5 15 Dronacharya award (Regular) 5 10 Arjuna Award 4. Dhyan Chand Award 5 10 Given for consistent outstanding performance for four years. This year 27 sportspersons have been selected for INTERNATIONAL this award. Tour de France: TadejPogacar of Slovenia won the Dronacharya Award most prestigious and most difficult cycle race in the world. 22 year old Tadej became the Tour's youngest Given to the coaches for producing medal winners at champion since 1904. prestigious international sports events.

US Open Tennis Grand Slam, New York Dhyan Chand Award Dominic Thiem of Austria won the men’s singles title, Given for lifetime contribution in development and beating Alexander Zverev of Germany.Women’s singles won by Japan's Naomi Osaka, defeating Victoria enrichment of sports. Named after wizard of Hockey - Azarenka of Belarus. Major Dhyan Chand.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award Italian Open Tennis Tournament, Rome, Italy The highest national recognition for outstanding Novak Djokovic (Serbia) won the men's singles title by achievements in the field of adventure on land, sea and beating Diego Schwartzman of Argentina. Women’s air. It carries cash award of Rs. 5.00 lakh singles title was won by Simon Halep of Romania. Rashtriya Khel ProtsahanPuruskar Armand Duplantis, 20 year old Swedish pole vaulter Lakshya Institute and Army Sports Institute: For broke Sergey Bubka's 26-year-old outdoor world record identification and nurturing of budding and young in pole vault jumping. Duplantis cleared 6.15 meter Talent besting Bubka's mark of 6.14 meter set in July 1994. ONGC: For encouragement to sports through Corporate Cristiano Ronaldo, the 35 year old striker from Social Responsibility Portugal became just the second footballer to reach a Air Force Sports Control Board, Delhi: For employment century of goals for a national team. He achieved the of sportspersons and sports welfare measures record playing against Sweden in the Nations League. International Institute of Sports Management, Mumbai: The only other footballer to have crossed 100 For overall development of sports international goals is former Iran striker Ali Daei, with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, MAKA Trophy: Panjab 109 goals. University, Chandigarh for overall top performing Dwayne Bravo: West Indies all-rounder became the university in inter-university tournaments. first bowler to pick up 500 wickets in T20 cricket. He achieved the feat on August 26 by claiming the wicket of Haryana will host the fourth edition of the Khelo India Rahkeem Cornwall during one of the Caribbean Premier Youth Games after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. League matches in Port of Spain. Mahendra Singh Dhoni: Former Indian Cricket Team Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan: The most successful men’s Skipper announced his retirement from International doubles pair in tennis history, 42 year old identical twin brothers of America announced their retirement. Cricket.

Suresh Raina: Following the footsteps of M S Dhoni, left AUGUST handed batsman also announced his retirement from international cricket. NATIONAL SPORTS AWARDS ANNOUNCED Based on recommendations of the selection committee INTERNATIONAL headed by a former Judge of Supreme Court, Justice (Retd.) Mukundakam Sharma, the government James Anderson, England pacer became the first fast bowler in history to take 600 Test wickets. announced the National Sports Awards 2020.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 60 Three entries in ICC Hall of Fame Lewis Hamilton (Britain) of Team Mercedes won the Legendary South African all-rounder JaquesKallis, Styrian Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria and Hungarian Pakistan batting great Zaheer Abbas and Pune-born Grand Prix 2020 at Hungaroring, Mogyoród, Hungary. former Australian captain Lisa Sthalekar, were inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame in a Lin Dan, former world number one badminton player virtual ceremony. and two-times Olympic (2008 and 2012) badminton champion from China, announced his retirement from Ronnie O’Sullivan of England won the World Snooker the sport, ending his 20 years old glorious career. Championship 2020 at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre, England. This is his 6th world title. JUNE

Jamie Vardy, Leicester City striker, bagged the Premier Government has decided to establish 1000 Khelo India Leagues Golden Boot football award for scoring 23 goals Centers (KIC) at the district level across the country. in the 2019-20 season. EdersonMoraes, Manchester These centers will be run either by a past champion or City’s goalkeeper won the Premier Leagues Golden have them as coaches. Glove award for achieving 16 shutouts India bagged the right to host the Women's Asian Cup UEFA Champions League 2019-20: German 2022. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) awarded professional sports club, Bayern Munich won the title by the hosting rights of the tournament to India. defeating Paris Saint-Germain in Lisbon, Portugal.

The International Cricket Council has confirmed that INTERNATIONAL the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 that was postponed due to Covid-19 will now be held in Australia in 2022. The 4th Asian Youth Para Games will be held in The 2021 edition will be hosted by India, as announced Bahrain (a tiny island country in Persian Gulf) in earlier. December 2021.

JULY Clare Connor, former captain of England’s women’s cricket team, will become the 1st female president of G Akashfrom Chennai became India’s 66th Chess Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in its 233-year history. Grandmaster. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) confirmed Akash’s GM title. FIFA announced the hosting rights for the Women's World Cup 2023 jointly to Australia and New Zealand. Lt Col Bharat Pannu, Indian Army officer secured the 3rd position on the leaderboard at the first edition of FIFA released its latest rankings of world football the Virtual Race Across America (VRAAM) 2020. teams placing Belgium at the top, followed by France in 2nd place and Brazil at 3rd spot. Indian team retained RavindraJadeja, Indian all-rounder was named as the its 108th spot. country’s ‘Most Valuable Player’ of the 21st century by Wisden.

Sports Minister KirenRijiju launched the National Anti-Doping Agency’s first mobile app named as “NADA App” which aims to bridge the gap between NADA and the athletes.

INTERNATIONAL

ValtteriBottas (Finland) won the Austrian Grand Prix 2020, driving for team Mercedes at Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. Held on July 5, this was the first race of the 2020 Formula One season.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 61

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 62

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Model Test For General / Economy / Banking Awareness

NOVEMBER GK TEST - 01 c. Commercial Bank only d. Central Government, State Government and

Public Sector Enterprises only 1. Immensely popular Chhath Puja is associated e. None of these with worship of which deity? 7. The Women’s T20 World Cup will now be held a. Indra b. Moon in Feb 2023. Which country will host it? c. Vishnu d. Sun a. Australia b. England e. Shiva c. India d. South Africa 2. The Asian Development Bank approved a $50 e. West Indies million loan to improve operational efficiencies 8. The 15th G20 Summit was held on Nov 21-22 in and resource planning and management in a virtual format. Which country hosted it? which state? a. Russia b. Britain a. Sikkim b. Arunachal c. Japan d. France c. West Bengal d. Haryana e. Saudi Arabia e. Nagaland 9. India has been placed at which rank in terms of 3. India has become the fourth country in the business bribery risk? world to have its IRNSS recognised by the a. 37th b. 43rd International Maritime Organisation. The first c. 57th d. 77th ‘S’ in IRNSS stands for what? e. 83rd a. Space b. Solar 10. The 30th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated c. Satellite d. Sensor Patrol was held at which place? e. System a. Gulf of Thailand b. Andaman Sea 4. ______has become the first Indian city to c. Palk Strait d. Arabian Sea have an urban plan with a gender-specific e. Malacca Strait focus: 11. Interest rate payable on Saving Bank account is a. Indore b. New Delhi regulated by c. Mumbai d. Bengaluru a. Reserve Bank of India b. State Government e. Chennai c. Central Government d. Respective bank board 5. India's first moss garden has been developed at e. Finance Ministry Khurpatal in which state? 12. Which state topped the Anemia Mukt Bharat a. Manipur b. Sikkim Index among 29 states in the country? c. Uttarakhand d. Himachal Pradesh a. Gujarat b. Karnataka e. Mizoram c. Sikkim d. Haryana 6. Reserve Bank of India is the banker to: e. Punjab a. Central Government, State Governments and 13. Which Bank announced the launch of banking Commercial Banks services on WhatsApp? b. Central Government only a. PNB b. BOB

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 67 c. IDBI d. ICICI a. BHEL b. GAIL e. HDFC c. NTPC d. ONGC 14. The Government hiked the poll campaign e. HPCL spending limit by 10 percent for candidates 22. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas is observed on October contesting Lok Sabha elections. What is the new 31. This day is -- limit? i) Martyrdom day of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel a. Rs. 50 lakh b. Rs. 60 lakh ii) Birthday of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel c. Rs. 66 lakh d. Rs. 77 lakh iii) Martyrdom day of Indira Gandhi e. Rs. 90 lakh iv) Birthday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee 15. What is the name of the Anti-Submarine Select the correct option: Warfare ship that joined Indian Navy at its a. Both i) and iv) are correct Visakhapatnam Dockyard? b. Only i) is correct a. INS Kavaratti b. INS Trikand c. Both ii) and iii) are correct c. INS Kamorta d. INS Deepak d. Only iv) is correct e. INS Godavari e. All are incorrect 16. Credit/Debit card payment made without 23. RBI’s open market operation transactions are actually swiping the credit/debit card but by carried out with a view to regulate using details on the card are known as ______a. Liquidity in the economy a. Over the counter payment b. Prices of essential commodities b. Physical Transaction c. Inflation c. ATM Transaction d. Borrowing power of the banks d. Card Not Present transaction e. All of the above. e. POS Transaction 24. Which city became the first city in India to have 17. Which of the following is the title of the the longest, 108 km BRTS network? memoirs of Barack Obama, former US a. Bengaluru b. Vadodara President? c. Ahmedabad d. Surat a. I can’t wait b. Tomorrow is Yours e. Chennai c. A Promised Land d. Dreaming for Stars 25. The new series of Consumer Price Index for e. Frame of a New America industrial workers (CPI-IW) has been released 18. When the growth of GDP turns negative, i.e. with ______as the new Base Year: figure goes in minus, continuously, for two a. 2011 b. 2013 quarters, the situation is called: c. 2016 d. 2019 a. Recession b. Depression e. 2021 c. Slump d. Regression 26. Which state received highest number of e. Downfall domestic tourists in 2019 as per the Indian Tourism Statistics, 2020, released by the 19. What is the title of the World’s 1st scientoon Ministry of Tourism? book written by ‘scientoonist’ Dr Pradeep a. Maharashtra b. Gujarat Srivastava? c. Rajasthan d. Tamil Nadu a. Trail to Corona b. Bye Bye Corona e. Uttar Pradesh c. A tale of Corona d. Story of COVID 19 27. Which micro nation joined the International e. Goodbye Corona Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 16 as its 20. India’s first sand dune park is expected soon to 190th member? come up in which state? a. Liechtenstein b. Malta a. Goa b. Maharashtra c. Andorra d. Monaco c. West Bengal d. Andhra Pradesh e. San Marino e. Kerala 28. India has been elected as the Chairperson of the 21. Which Maharatna company topped the list of Governing Body of which UN agency? Indian PSUs under 'World's Best Employer a. FAO b. IMF 2020', published by Forbes? c. ILO d. WHO e. WTO

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 68 29. The government announced waiver of interest e. None of these on interest for loans up to Rs _____ crore 38. DBS Bank has been named as the ‘Best Bank in irrespective of whether moratorium was the World’ by New York-based trade availed or not. publication Global Finance. It is based in which a. 50 lakh b. 75 lakh country? c. One crore d. Two crore a. Hong Kong b. South Korea e. Five crore c. Japan d. Singapore 30. Where is SIDBI (Small Industries Development e. China Bank of India) headquarters located in India? 39. Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, a former Foreign a. New Delhi b. Mumbai Service officer has been appointed to head c. Kolkata d. Pune which apex statutory body? e. Lucknow a. Election Commission of India 31. Which Indian Sculptor designed the world’s b. Central Vigilance Commission ‘tallest statue ’Statue of Unity’? c. Central Information Commission a. Ram V. Sutar b. Vivan Sundaram d. University Grants Commission c. Jitish Kallat d. N. N. Rimzon e. National Human Rights Commission e. R.M Lalit 40. Kabartal Wetland, also known as ‘KanwarJheel’, 32. Which of the following is the global satellite has been designated as Ramsar site, making it a navigation system of European Union? ‘Wetland of International Importance’. It is a. BeiDou b. GPS located in which state of India? c. Galileo d. GLONASS e. IRNSS a. Kerala b. Bihar 33. Where are the headquarters of EBRD c. Goa d. Odisha (European Bank for Reconstruction and e. Andhra Pradesh Development) situated? 41. Panna National Park, Madhya Pradesh has now a. London b. Paris been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve c. Singapore d. Geneva due to its outstanding conservation efforts for e. None of these which animal? 34. Which of the following is largest brackish water a. Lion b. Rhino lake in India? c. Vulture d. Tiger a. Kolleru lake b. Dal lake e. Elephant c. Wular lake d. Chilika lake 42. Sir Sean Connery, movie legend, who shot to e. None of these international stardom as the suave, handsome 35. Which is the first state in the country to fix the and sophisticated British agent James Bond, minimum support price (MSP) for 16 varieties 007, died aged 90. He hailed from which of vegetables? country? a. Sikkim b. Goa a. Britain b. Ireland c. Haryana d. Kerala c. Scotland d. Holland e. Telangana e. Belgium 36. Railways has launched an initiative for focused 43. Amit Panghal and Sanjeet recently struck gold action on security of women passengers across in an international competition in which all zones. What is its name? sports? a. Sachhi Saheli b. Mahila Mitra a. Wrestling b. Boxing c. Meri Saheli d. Nari Shakti c. Shooting d. Weightlifting e. Rakshak e. Judo 37. IMPS, a term used in banking stands for which 44. What is full form of UNEP? of the following? a. United Nations Economic Programme a. Indian Model Payment Service b. United Nations Environment Programme b. International Metro Payment Service c. United Nations Education Programme c. Inter Market Payment Service d. United Nations Engineering Programme d. Immediate Payment Service e. None of these

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 69 45. The super typhoon Goni devastated the NOVEMBER GK TEST - 02 southern part of the ______main island of

Luzon with winds and gusts of up to 290 kph. 1. Who is chairman of ISRO (Indian Space a. Japan’s b. Vietnam’s Research Organisation) at present? c. Malaysia’s d. Philippine’s a. A.S Kiran Kumar b. K. Sivan e. Indonesia’s c. Nambi Narayanan d. Rajiv Kumar 46. Based on the recommendations of the 15th e. None of these Finance Commission, the central government 2. Which country has conferred the honorary released Rs. 2,200 crores as the first rank of “General” on our Army Chief General installment to 15 states for what purpose? MM Naravane? a. To improve rural roads a. Sri Lanka b. Myanmar b. To improve district link roads c. Nepal d. Thailand c. To improve air quality e. Afghanistan d. To improve urban infrastructure 3. Storm Eta, a powerful hurricane with wind e. To upgrade IT framework speeds upto 225 km/hr and heavy torrential 47. The Ministry of Finance has clarified that no rains, hit which part of the world? service charge is applicable on ______accounts: a. Philippines b. Japan a. Staff Savings Bank Accounts c. South West USA d. Central America b. Small Savings Bank Accounts e. North eastern USA c. Basic Savings Bank Deposit Accounts 4. The National Payments Corporation of India d. Personal Savings Bank Deposit Accounts has recently allowed which social media e. Non business Savings Bank Accounts platform to make online payments using UPI 48. The QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) platform? grouping is an informal group of the four a. Wire b. Twitter largest democracies in the Indo-Pacific region. c. WhatsApp d. WeChat Which one of the following is NOT one of them? e. Instagram a. China b. USA 5. The union government approved 210 MW Luhri c. Australia d. Japan Stage-I Hydro Electric Project in which state? e. India a. Arunachal Pradesh b. Himachal Pradesh 49. Priyanca Radhakrishnan, a 41-year-old Indian- c. Ladakh UT d. Sikkim origin politician created history by becoming e. Uttarakhand the first Indian woman to become a minister in 6. Which is the first country to exit from the Paris which country? Climate Agreement, 2015? a. Britain b. Australia a. Canada b. USA c. New Zealand d. Canada e. Malaysia c. Mexico d. Australia 50. India’s first-ever E-resource centre and virtual e. Nigeria court called “Nyay Kaushal” has been 7. The ICICI Bank launched the country's first full inaugurated in which city? banking stack for millennials. What is its a. Pune b. Bhopal name? c. Cochin d. Surat a. Mine b. Money e. Nagpur c. Mille d. Onio e. Yuvan 8. Gyanendro Ningombam, former CEO of ______Hockey has been elected unopposed as the President of Hockey India: a. Mizoram b. Tripura c. Manipur d. Assam e. West Bengal

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 70

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 71 9. The Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at Kottur is 17. Indian army gifted specially trained 20 horses set to become the largest care and cure centre and 10 dogs to the army of which country? for elephants in the world. It is in which state? a. Nepal b. Sri Lanka a. Karnataka b. Assam c. Afghanistan d. Bangladesh c. Kerala d. Tamil Nadu e. Bhutan e. West Bengal 18. The acronym CVV printed on the back of debit/ 10. What is the full form of the acronym UPI? credit card refers to a. Unified Payments Interface a. Customer Verification Value b. Universal Payments Interface b. Credibility Value Verification c. Unified Payments Interaction c. Card Value Verification d. Union of India Payments Interface d. Credit Validation Value e. Universal Payments Indicator e. Card Verification Value 11. Who has been appointed chairperson of the 19. Which team lifted the trophy in the latest edi newly set up Commission for Air Quality tion of Indian Premier League? Management in the National capital Region and a. Rajasthan Royals Adjoining areas? b. Delhi Capitals a. Rajiv Gauba b. Anant Kumar c. Mumbai Indians c. K C Pant d. M M Kutty d. Kings XI Punjab e. Gopal Sinha e. Sunrisers Hyderabad 12. Joe Biden, next President of the USA, is from 20. Which word has been selected as the “Collins which political party? Word of the Year 2020”? a. Republican b. Coservative a. Covid b. Corona c. Liberal d. Democratic c. Virus d. Lockdown e. Libertarian e. Migration 13. President of which country recently released a 21. Prime Minister Narendra Modi co-chaired the special anthology on Mahatma Gandhi- 'My 17th ASEAN-India Summit along with the Prime understanding about Gandhi’? Minister of which other country? a. Afghanistan b. Myanmar a. Vietnam b. Brunei c. Sri Lanka d. Nepal c. Singapore d. Indonesia e. Indonesia e. Malaysia 14. The Finance Commission recently submitted its 22. Which state topped the Second National Water report for the period of 2021-26 to the Awards announced on November 11? President. This is which Finance Commission a. Maharashtra b. Rajasthan in number? c. Tamil Nadu d. Odisha a. Thirteenth b. Fourteenth e. Haryana c. Fifteenth d. Sixteenth 23. The world's longest serving Prime Minister, e. Seventeenth Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa passed 15. India’s ‘first of its kind’ solar-based Integrated away on Nov 11. He served which country for Multi-Village Water Supply Project was almost 50 years? commissioned in which state? a. Kuwait b. Saudi Arabia a. Sikkim b. Arunachal c. Syria d. Bahrain c. Telangana d. Odisha e. Libya e. Kerala 24. Which country negotiated a peace deal between 16. The country’s longest single-lane motorable Armenia and Azerbaijan? suspension bridge has been inaugurated in a. Turkey b. Russia which state of India? c. Ukraine d. Saudi Arabia a. Sikkim b. Meghalaya e. Israel c. Uttarakhand d. Manipur 25. What is the name of Indian Navy’s fifth e. Mizoram Scorpene-class submarine that was launched recently at Mazagon Dock.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 72 a. INS Khanderi b. INS Vela a. Parikshit Sahney b. Uttam Kumar c. INS Vagir d. INS Karanj c. Satyajit Ray d. Soumitra Chatterjee e. INS Vagsheer e. None of these 26. The banks are required to report all cash 34. The instances of violations of the Prevention of transactions of above Rs. ______on a Money Laundering Act in banking are to be monthly basis by submitting Cash Transactions reported to the Report – CTR. a. FIU – IND (Financial Intelligence Unit – India) in a. Rs. 10 lac b. Rs. 1 lac the Ministry of Finance c. Rs. 20 lac d. Rs. 50 lac b. SFIO (Serious Frauds Investigation Office) in the e. Rs. 50, 000 Ministry of Finance 27. Which country has reportedly become the c. ED (Enforcement Directorate) world's first country to have successfully sent d. Vigilance Directorate of the Reserve Bank of the 6G communications test satellite? India a. Russia b. USA e. Banking Ombudsman c. Britain d. Japan 35. The blowout in Baghjan gas well in Tinsukia e. China was killed successfully after months of 28. Which country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund has struggle. It is located in which state? become the first foreign SWF that has been a. Tripura b. Meghalaya notified and granted 100% income-tax c. Mizoram d. Assam exemption in India? e. Manipur a. Dubai b. Sharjah 36. How many Asia Pacific countries have formed c. Oman d. Abu Dhabi the world’s largest trading bloc -- Regional e. Kuwait Comprehensive Economic Partnership? 29. Government has announced an “Aatmanirbhar a. 10 b. 15 Bharat Rozgar Yojana”. It will cover new c. 17 d. 19 employees whose monthly wages are less than e. 23 Rs. ______: 37. In which city a maiden tram library service has a. 10,000 b. 12,000 been started for children, including students c. 15,000 d. 17,000 preparing for competitive exams? e. 20,000 a. Bengaluru b. Hyderabad 30. Ayodhya created a new world record by c. Chennai d. Kolkata lighting over six lakh diyas at a time, on the e. New Delhi banks of which river? 38. Which F1 driver secured his seventh world a. Ganges b. Yamuna championship title, equaling Michael c. Saraswati d. Saryu Schumacher’s record of seven world titles? e. Gomti a. Sebastian Vettel b. Voltari Bottas 31. Typhoon Vamco submerged dozens of towns in c. Lewis Hamilton d. Max Verstappen the Cagayan region in which country? e. Charles Leclerc a. Malaysia b. Vietnam 39. India’s Artificial Intelligence supercomputer c. Philippines d. Laos ______has achieved 63rd rank among top e. Japan 500 most powerful non-distributed computer 32. World Diabetes Day is observed on Nov 14. systems in the world. Which of the following medicines is popularly a. Pratyush b. ParamArth used to treat diabetes? c. Param Siddhi d. Samvarg a. Penicillin b. Insulin e. Compurun c. Streptomycin d. Gliptins 40. RBI has announced the draft scheme of e. Glucosamine amalgamation of The Lakshmi Vilas Bank with 33. Name the veteran actor and Dadasaheb Phalke which bank? award recipient who passed away in Kolkata at a. Yes Bank b. DBS Bank the age of 85. c. Citi Bank d. Vysya Bank

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 73 e. Corporation Bank c. Telangana d. Manipur 41. Booker Prize for Fiction has been won by e. Mizoram ______based 44 year old Scottish writer, 49. The Reserve Bank of India has created a Douglas Stuart for his debut novel Shuggai Bain Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) for what a. Tokyo b. Venice purpose? c. Manila d. New York a. To promote innovation in Industrial sector e. Montreal b. To promote innovation among startups 42. Government launched ‘Safaimitra Suraksha c. To finance research in digital payments Challenge’ for the safety of which class of d. To promote innovation across the financial workers? sector a. Cleaners of metro trains e. To finance innovation in farm sector b. Sewer or septic tank cleaners 50. Wavel Ramkalawan has been elected as the c. Sanitary staff at airports President of Seychelles. His grandparents d. Cleaners in the hospitals hailed from which state of India? e. Sweeping staff at army border posts a. Jharkhand b. Bihar 43. Which of the following bodies work in field of c. Chhattisgarh d. Odisha nature conservation, sustainable use of natural e. Madhya Pradesh resources and also publishes Red List of ANSWER KEY | NOVEMBER GK TEST | 1 Threatened Species? a. United Nations Environment Programme Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. b. International Union for Conservation of Nature 1 D 2 C 3 C 4 C 5 C c. World Wide Fund for Nature 6 A 7 D 8 E 9 D 10 B d. Global Green Growth Institute 11 D 12 D 13 C 14 D 15 A e. None of these 16 D 17 C 18 A 19 B 20 A 44. In which of the following states is Narora 21 C 22 C 23 A 24 D 25 C Nuclear Power Plant situated? 26 E 27 C 28 C 29 D 30 E a. Tamil Nadu b. Uttar Pradesh 31 A 32 C 33 A 34 D 35 D c. Kerala d. Rajasthan 36 C 37 D 38 D 39 C 40 B e. Gujarat 41 D 42 C 43 B 44 A 45 D 45. Name the first engine-less semi-high speed 46 C 47 C 48 A 49 C 50 E train released by India, that was developed by ANSWER KEY | NOVEMBER GK TEST | 2 Integral Coach Factory, Chennai?

a. Train 15 b. Train 24 Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. c. Train 18 d. Train X 1 B 2 C 3 D 4 C 5 B e. None of these 6 B 7 A 8 C 9 C 10 A 46. McMohan Line is international boundary line 11 D 12 D 13 D 14 C 15 B between India and which country? 16 C 17 D 18 E 19 C 20 D a. Bangladesh b. Afghanistan 21 A 22 C 23 D 24 B 25 C c. China d. Pakistan 26 A 27 E 28 D 29 C 30 D e. None of these 31 C 32 B 33 D 34 A 35 D 47. How many members are there in the Monetary 36 B 37 D 38 C 39 C 40 B Policy Committee? 41 D 42 B 43 B 44 B 45 C a. 6 b. 5 46 C 47 A 48 A 49 D 50 B

c. 4 d. 3 e. 7 48. According to a 2018 report on the ‘Vital statistics on India based on the Civil Registration System’, which state recorded the best sex ratio in the country? a. Arunachal Pradesh b. Kerala

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 74 SBI PO - PRE EXAM (MODEL TEST PAPER)

QUANTITATIVE APTITUDE (a.) 1080 (b.) 1280 (c.) 1180 (d.) 1130

(e.) 1230 Directions (1-5): What will come in place of question mark (?) in the following questions? 9) 67.99% of 1401 – 13.99% of 1299 = ? 1) 92 x 576 ÷ (2 1 29 6 ) = (?)3 + 49 (a.) 700 (b.) 720 (a.) 3 (b.) (9)2 (c.) 770 (d.) 800 (c.) 9 (d.) 27 (e.) 740 (e.) None of these 2  24  399 41 1 10)     = ? 2) 1/6 of 92% of 1 of (650) = 85 + ?  9  39 899 23 (a.) 1600 (b.) 1650 (a.) 18 (b.) 21 (c.) 1700 (d.) 1550 (c.) 19 (d.) 28 (e.) 1750 (e.) None of these

Directions (11– 15): Find the number that will come 3) (15 x 0.40)4 ÷ (1080 ÷30)4 x (27x 8)4 = (3 x in place of question mark (?) in the following 2)?+5 number series: (a.) 8 (b.) 3

(c.) 12 (d.) 16 11) 3 7 15 27 63 127 255 (e.) None of these a) 7 b) 15

c) 27 d) 63 1 1 5 (?)2 5 4) 3 + 2 −1 = +1 e) 127 4 2 6 10 12 (a.) 25 (b.) 5 12) 19 26 33 46 59 74 91 (c.) 625 (d.) 15 a) 26 b) 33 (e.) 5 c) 46 d) 59 5) (8 X 8)1/2 +(9)1/2 = (?)3 + 8 – 340 e) 74 (a.) 7 (b.) 19 (c.) 18 (d.) 9 13) 445 221 109 46 25 11 4 (e.) None of these a) 221 b) 109 c) 46 d) 25 Directions (Q. 6- 10): What approximate value will e) 11 come in place of ? in the following questions? 14) 3 7 15 39 63 127 255 511 6) – (4.99)3 + (29.98)2 – (3.01)4 = ? a) 7 b) 15 (a.) 550 (b.) 590 c) 39 d) 63 (c.) 620 (d.) 650 e) 127 (e.) 690 15) 1 3 10 21 64 129 356 777 7) 466.97 – 3245.01 + 1122.99 = ? + 2309.99 a) 10 b) 21 (a.) –8965 (b.) –2965 c) 64 d) 129 (c.) –7965 (d.) –3965 e) 356 (e.) –965 Directions (16-20): In the following questions two equations numbered I and II are given. You have to 8) 5998 ÷ 9.98 + 670.99 – 139.99 = ? solve both the equation and GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 75 Give answer if Raman scored than the minimum passing a) x > y marks? b) x  y (a.) 184 (b.) 196 c) x < y (c.) 190 (d.) 180 d) x  y (e.) None of these e) x = y or the relationship can’t be determined 23) The cost of five chairs and three tables is Rs. 16) I. (x7/5 ÷ 9) = 169 ÷ x3/5 3,110/-. Cost of one chair is Rs. 210/- less II. y1/4 X y1/4 X 7 = 273 ÷ y1/2 than cost of one table. What is the cost of two tables and two chairs? (a.) x > y (b.) x  y (a.) Rs. 1,660/- (b.) Rs. 1860/- (c.) x < y (d.) x  y (c.) Rs. 2,600/- (e.) x = y or the relationship can’t be (d.) Cannot be determined (e.) None of these determined 24) The total area of a circle and a rectangle is (2)5 + (11)3 17) I. = x3 equal to 1166 sq. cm. The diameter of the 6 circle is 28 cm. What is the sum of the II. 4y3 = – (589 ÷ 4) + 5y3 circumference of the circle and the (a.) x > y (b.) x  y perimeter of the rectangle if the length of (c.) x < y (d.) x  y the rectangular is 25 cm? (e.) x = y or the relationship can’t be (a.) 186 cm (b.) 182 cm determined (c.) 184 cm (d.) Cannot be determined 18) I. 1225 x + 4900 = 0 (e.) None of these II. (81)1/4Y + (343) 1/3 = 0 (a.) x > y (b.) x  y 25) A 320 meter long train moving with an average speed of 120 km/hr crosses a (c.) x < y (d.) x  y platform in 24 seconds. A man crosses the (e.) x = y or the relationship can’t be same platform in 4 minutes. What is the determined speed of man in meter/second?

(a.) 2.4 (b.) 1.5 18 6 12 8 19) I. + − = X 2 X X 2 X 2 (c.) 1.6 (d.) 2.0 II. y2 + 9.68+ 5.64 = 16.95 (e.) None of these (a.) x > y (b.) x  y 26) Smallest angle of a triangle is equal to two- (c.) x < y (d.) x  y third the smallest angle of a quadrilateral. (e.) x = y or the relationship can’t be The ratio between the angles of the determined quadrilateral is 3 : 4 : 5 : 6. Largest angle of

the triangle is twice its smallest angle. What 20) I. 12x2 + 11x + 12 = 10x2 + 22x is the sum of second largest angle of the II. 13y2 – 18y + 3 = 9y2 – 10y triangle and largest angle of the (a.) x > y (b.) x  y quadrilateral? (c.) x < y (d.) x  y (a.) 160 (b.) 180 (e.) x = y or the relationship can’t be (c.) 190 (d.) 170 determined (e.) None of these

21) The respective ratio between the present 27) Seema purchased an item for Rs. 9,600/- ages of Ram, Rohan and Raj is 3 : 4 : 5. If the and sold it for loss of 5 percent. From that average of their present ages is 28 years money she purchased another item and sold then what would be the sum of the ages of it for gain of 5 percent. What is her overall Ram and Rohan together after 5 years? gain/loss? (a.) 45 years (b.) 55 years (c.) 52 years (d.) 59 years (a.) Loss of Rs. 36/- (b.) Profit of Rs. 24/- (e.) None of these (c.) Loss of Rs. 54/- (d.) Profit of Rs. 36/- 22) Raman scored 456 marks in an exam and (e.) None of these Sita got 54 percent marks in the same exam which is 24 marks less than Raman. If the 28) The sum of 8 consecutive odd numbers is minimum passing marks in the exam is 656. Also average of four consecutive even 34%, then how much more marks did number is 87. What is the sum of the GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 76 smallest odd number and second largest 34) What was the respective ratio between the even number? amount earned by person – B in the year (a.) 165 (b.) 175 2007 and person – D in the year 2010? (c.) 163 (a.) 32 : 107 (b.) 31 : 105 (d.) Cannot be determined (c.) 29 :107 (d.) 32 : 105 (e.) None of these (e.) None of these 35) What was the average of the earning of 29) The simple interest accrued on a sum of person-B in the year 2006, C in the year certain principal is Rs. 7,200/- in six years 2008 and E in the year 2005 together? at the rate of 12 p.c.p.a what would be the (a.) Rs. 3.62 lacs (b.) Rs. 2.64 lacs compound interest accrued on that (c.) Rs. 3.64 lacs (d.) Rs. 10.86 lacs principal at the rate of 5 p.c.p.a. in 2 years. (e.) None of these (a.) Rs. 1020/- (b.) Rs.1055/- (c.) Rs.1050/- (d.) Rs.1025/- REASONING ABILITY (e.) None of these

36) Statements: Some tasks are hurdles. All 30) Sum of square of first number and cube of hurdles are jobs. Some jobs are works. second number together is 568. Also square Conclusion I: All works being hurdles is a of the second number is 15 less than square possibility. of 8. What is the value of three-fifth of the Conclusion II: At least some works are tasks. first number? (Assuming both the numbers a) Either conclusion I or II is true are positive) b) Neither conclusion I nor II is true (a.) 18 (b.) 8 c) Both conclusion I and II are true (c.) 9 (d.) 16 d) Only conclusion I is true (e.)None of these e) Only conclusion II is true

Directions (31-35): Study the following table 37) Statements: Some tasks are hurdles. All carefully to answer the questions that follow. hurdles are jobs. Some jobs are works. AMOUNT EARNED (IN LACS) BY FIVE PERSONS IN Conclusion I: Some jobs are tasks. SIX DIFFERENT YEARS Conclusion II: All jobs are tasks. Person Year a) Either conclusion I or II is true A B C D E b) Neither conclusion I nor II is true 2005 2.24 4.33 5.64 3.73 1.69 c) Both conclusion I and II are true 2006 1.44 3.34 6.93 5.52 5.52 d) Only conclusion I is true 2007 4.63 2.79 7.52 5.68 4.28 e) Only conclusion II is true 2008 6.65 6.63 5.83 6.74 6.83 2009 5.34 4.50 5.94 8.42 5.53 38) Statements: Some problems are solutions. No 2010 7.38 5.36 7.84 9.45 9.94 solution is a trick. All rules are tricks. 31) Total amount earned by Person –A in the Conclusion I: No rule is a solution. year 2006 and person C in the year 2010 Conclusion II: Some problems are definitely together was approximately what percent of not tricks. the amount earned by Person – E in the year a) Either conclusion I or II is true 2009? b) Neither conclusion I nor II is true (a.) 151 (b.) 155 c) Both conclusion I and II are true (c.) 168 (d.)174 d) Only conclusion I is true (e.) 162 e) Only conclusion II is true 32) What is the approximate percent increase in the amount earned by Person-D in the year 39) Statements: All ministers are deans. Some 2010 as compared to the previous year? deans are heads. Some heads are principals. (a.) 7 (b.) 21 Conclusion I: No principal is a minister. (c.) 18 (d.) 15 Conclusion II: All heads being ministers is a (e.) 12 possibility. 33) Whose earning increased consistently from a) Either conclusion I or II is true the year 2005 to the year 2010? b) Neither conclusion I nor II is true (a.) A (b.) B c) Both conclusion I and II are true (c.) C (d.) D d) Only conclusion I is true (e.) E e) Only conclusion II is true

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 77 40) Statements: No queue is a line. Some queues 45) What is the position of U with respect to S? are rows. a) Third to the right b) Immediate left Conclusion I: No row is a line. c) Second to the left d) Second to the right Conclusion II: All rows are lines. e) Immediate right a) Either conclusion I or II is true b) Neither conclusion I nor II is true 46) Which of the following statements is true c) Both conclusion I and II are true regarding N? d) Only conclusion I is true a) Only two persons sit between N and M. e) Only conclusion II is true b) N sits at an extreme end of the row. c) N faces one of the immediate neighbours of Directions (Q. 41 - 42): Study the following R. information and answer the given question. d) None of the given statements is true. D is the father of A. D is married to P. P is the mother of e) L sits to the immediate right of N. J. P has only one daughter. J is married to U. U is the son of L. 47) Who amongst the following is facing T? 41) How is J related to L? a) N b) M a) Daughter c) K d) J b) Granddaughter e) L c) Cannot be determined d) Niece Directions (Qs. 48-52): In this question, relationship e) Daughter-in-law between different elements is shown in the statements. The statements are followed by 42) How is A related to U? conclusions. Study the conclusions based on the a) Cannot be determined given statement and select the appropriate answer b) Brother-in-law c) Brother 48) Statements C>O=M N a) Both conclusions I and II are true Directions (Qs. 43-47): Study the given information b) Only conclusion I is true carefully and answer the given question. c) Neither conclusion I nor II is true d) Either conclusion I or II is true Ten people are sitting in two parallel rows containing e) Only conclusions II is true five people each, in such a way that there is equal 49) Statements P > L = A > C = E distance between adjacent persons. In row 1-J, K, L, M Conclusions and N are seated (not necessarily in the same order) I. E < L Il. P >C and all of them are facing north. In row-2 R, S, T, U and V a) Either conclusion I or II is true are seated (not necessarily in the same order) and all of b) Only conclusion II is true them are facing south. Therefore in the given seating c) Both conclusions I and II are true arrangement each member seated in a row faces d) Only conclusion I is true another member of the other row. e) Neither conclusion I nor II is true V sit one of the extreme ends of the line. Only two 50) Statements S > T < A = I; L > A people sit between V and R. The one who faces R sits to Conclusions the immediate left of L. Only one person sits between L I. L > T Il. A > S and K. The one who faces K sits to the immediate left of a) Only conclusion II is true S. N sits second to the right of J. Neither K nor L face U. b) Neither conclusion I nor II is true c) Only conclusion I is true 43) Who amongst the following is facing M? d) Either Conclusion I or II is true a) U b) R e) Both conclusions I and II are true c) T d) V 51) Statements S > T < A = I; L > A e) S Conclusion I. S > L II. I < L 44) Four of the following five are alike in a a) Neither conclusion I nor II is true certain way based on the given arrangement b) Only conclusion I is true and hence form a group. c) Both Conclusions I and II are true a) NK b) JL d) Either Conclusion I or II is true c) ML d) RU e) Only conclusion II is true e) ST GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 78 52) Statements N < U < M = B > E > R other (but not necessarily in the same order). Each one Conclusions of them is also related to D in some way or the other. P I. N < R II. E < U sits third to the right of E. D sits to the immediate left of a) Either Conclusion I or II is true E. Only one person sits between P and D’s son. R sits to b) Both Conclusion I and II are true the immediate right of D’s son. Only three people sit c) Only conclusion II is true between D’s husband and R. Only one person sits d) Only conclusion I is true between D’s husband and C. e) Neither conclusion I nor II is true F sits to the immediate right of Q. D’s father sits second to the right of F. Only three people sit between D’s Directions (Qs. 53-57): Study the given information father and D’s brother. carefully to answer the given question. D’s daughter sits second to the right of S. D’s sister sits third to the right of D’s mother. In certain code language 58) Which of the following statements is TRUE ‘committee to review papers’ is written as ‘es fr re pt’ with respect to the given information? review meeting in morning’ is written as ‘ch ba mo fr’ a) S is the brother of R. ‘meeting to appoint members’ is written as ‘re dv ch gi’ b) Only three people sit between Q and S. ‘appoint chairman in review’ is written as ‘mo gi fr yu’ c) E sits third to the right of D’s daughter. (All the codes are two letter codes only) d) All the given options are true

e) R is an immediate neighbour of D. 53) What is the code for ‘morning’ in the given

code language? 59) Who among the following is the brother of a) mo b) yu D? c) ch a) Q b) E d) other than those given as options c) F d) C e) ba e) R

54) In the given code language, what does the 60) As per the given seating arrangement, Q : P code ‘pt’ stands for? in the same way as R: E. Then following the a) appoint same pattern D: ? b) either ‘papers’ or ‘committee’ a) R b) S c) morning d) review c) Q d) C e) either ‘for’ or ‘members’ e) F

55) What is the code for ‘review call’ in the given 61) Who sits to the immediate left of D’s son? code language? a) D’s father b) R a) dv lq b) lg gi c) Q d) S c) lq fr d) gi es e) D’s mother e) fr dv

62) How is Q related to P? 56) What is the code for ‘to’ in the given code a) Sister language? b) Sister-in-law a) mo b) fr c) Niece c) gi d) dv d) Brother-in-law e) re e) Aunt

57) If ‘appoint new members’ is coded as ‘dv wz Directions (Qs. 63-65): Read the given information gi’ in the given code language, then what is carefully and answer the given question. the code for ‘new chairman meeting’? a) wz ch es b) ch wz yu Each of the six buses R, S, T, U, V and W has different c) yu mo wz d) fr es wz number of occupants. T has more number of e) ch yu fr participants than R and S but less than V. U has less number of occupants than only W. S does not have the Directions (Qs. 58-62): Study the given information lowest number of occupants. The bus having second carefully to answer the given question. lowest number of occupants has 20 occupants and the C, D, E, F, P, Q, R and S are sitting around a circular table bus having second highest number of occupants has 64 facing the centre with equal distance between each occupants. T has 21 less number of occupants than U.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 79 63) Which of the following buses has third 68) As per the given arrangement, Lily is related lowest number of occupants? to April and Marigold is related to a) S b) T September following a certain pattern, c) R d) U which of the following is Orchid related to e) V following the same pattern? a) February b) June 64) If the number of occupants of bus R is more c) October d) November than 7 and is an odd number which is e) March divisible by 3 but not 5, how many 69) Which of the following represents the occupants are there in bus R? people who have an anniversary in April a) 9 b) 21 and November respectively? c) 15 d) 27 a) N, M b) Q, M e) 19 c) Q, O d) N, O

e) N, S 65) How many occupants does bus V possibly have? 70) How many people have an anniversary a) 43 b) 72 between the months in which Q and M have c) 20 d) 36 an anniversary? e) 56 a) None b) One c) Three d) Two Directions (Qs. 66-70): Study the following e) More than three information and answer the question. ENGLISH LANGUAGE Seven people namely M, N, O, P, Q, R and S have an anniversary but not necessarily in the same order, in DIRECTIONS (Qs. 71-78): Read the following seven different months (of the same year) namely passage and answer the questions given below it. February, March, April, June, September, October and Certain words/phrases are given in bold to help you November. Each of them also likes a different flower to locate them while answering some of the namely Rose, Jasmine, Lily, Marigold, Daffodil, questions. Sunflower and Orchid but not necessarily in the same order. We have inherited the tradition of secrecy about the

budget from Britain where also the system has been R has an anniversary in the month which has more than strongly attacked by eminent economists and political 30 days. Only one person has an anniversary between R scientists including Peter Jay. Sir Richard Clarke, who and the one who likes Rose. Both S and O have an was the originating genius of nearly every important anniversary in one of the months after the one likes development in the British budgeting techniques during Rose. S has an anniversary immediately before O. The the last two decades, has spoken out about the abuse of one who likes Lily has an anniversary in the month budget secrecy: “The problems of long-term tax policy which has less than 30 days. Only three people have an should surely be debated openly with the facts on the anniversary between the one who likes Lily and the one table. In my opinion, all governments should have just who likes Orchid. Only two people have an anniversary the same duty to publish their expenditure policy. between S and the one who likes Marigold. P has an Indeed, this obligation to publish taxation policy is anniversary immediately after the one who likes really essential for the control of public expenditure in Marigold. Only two people have an anniversary between order to get realistic taxation implications.” Realising P and Q. M has an anniversary immediately before the that democracy flourishes best on the principles of one who likes Jasmine. O does not like Sunflower. open government, more and more democracies are 66) Which of the following represents the having an open public debate on budget proposals month in which S has an anniversary? before introducing the appropriate Bill in the a) Cannot be determined legislature. In the United States the budget is conveyed b) October c) March in a message by the President to the Congress, which d) April e) September comes well in advance of the date when the Bill is introduced in the Congress. In Finland the Parliament 67) Which of the following does O like? and the people are already discussing in June the a) Rose b) Jasmine tentative budget proposals which are to be introduced c) Marigold d) Daffodil in the Finnish Parliament in September. Every budget e) Orchid contains a cartload of figures in black and white - but the dark figures represent the myriad lights and shades

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 80 of India’s life, the contrasting tones of poverty and (c) Consulting unjustifiable taxes with public wealth, and of bread so dear and flesh and blood so helps make them accept those taxes. cheap, the deep tints of adventure and enterprise and (d) There should be no control on public man’s ageless struggle for a brighter morning. The expenditure in democratic condition. Union budget should not be an annual scourge but a (e) None of these part of presentation of annual accounts of a partnership between the Government and the people. That 76. Sir Richard Clarke seems to deserve the partnership would work much better when the credit for nonsensical secrecy is replaced by openness and public (a) transformation in the British budgetary consultations, resulting in fair laws and the people’s techniques. acceptance of their moral duty to pay. (b) maintenance of secrecy of the British budget. 71. How do the British economists and political (c) detection of abuse of transparency in scientists react to budget secrecy? They are budget. (a) in favour of having a mix of secrecy and (d) bringing down the tax load on British openness. people. (b) indifferent to the budgeting techniques and (e) None of these taxation policies. (c) very critical about maintenance of budget 77. From the contents of the passage, it can be secrecy. inferred that the author is (d) advocates of not disclosing in advance the (a) authoritarian in his approach. budget contents. (b) a democratic person. (e) None of these (c) unaware of India’s recent economic developments. 72. The author thinks that openness in budget (d) a conservative person. is essential as it leads to (e) None of these (a) prevention of tax implications (b) people’s reluctance to accept their moral 78. For making the budget realistic, the duties Government should (c) exaggerated revelation of the strengths and (a) refrain from making public the proposed weaknesses of economy provisions before finalisation. (d) making our country on par with Finland (b) discuss it secretly within themselves. (e) None of these (c) encourage the public to send in their suggestions. 73. The author seems to be in favour of (d) consult the public, defend their own plans (a) maintaining secrecy of budget and accept public suggestions. (b) judicious blend of secrecy and openness (e) None of these (c) transparency in budget proposals (d) replacement of public constitution by DIRECTIONS (Qs. 79-80) : Choose the word which is secrecy most nearly the SAME in meaning to the word (e) None of these printed in bold as used in the passage. 79. SCOURGE 74. The secrecy of the budget is maintained by (a) ritual (b) presentation all of the following countries except (c) whip (d) compromise A. Finland B. India (e) remedy C. United States (a) Only A (b) Only B 80. MYRIAD (c) Only C (d) A and C (a) adequate (b) functional (e) B and C (c) incompatible (d) abundant (e) excellent 75. Which of the following statements is definitely TRUE in the context of the DIRECTIONS (Qs. 81-82) : Choose the word which is passage? most OPPOSITE in meaning to the word printed in (a) The British Government has been bold as used in the passage. religiously maintaining budget secrecy. 81. FLOURISHES (b) Budget secrecy is likely to lead to corrupt (a) disappears (b) degenerates practices. (c) vanishes (d) blooms (e) opens GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 81 82. DEBATED 87. Which of the following should be the FIFTH (a) questioned severely (LAST) sentence? (b) opposed strongly (a) A (b) B (c) accepted unconditionally (c) C (d) D (d) discussed frankly (e) E (e) implemented forcibly DIRECTIONS (Qs. 88-92) :In each of these questions, each sentence has four underlined words or phrases DIRECTIONS (Qs. 83-87): Rearrange the following marked (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e). Choose one word or six sentences (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E) in the proper phrase that must be changed for the sentence to be sequence to form a meaningful paragraph, then correct. answer the questions given below them. 88. It’s (a) imperative that a management student maintains (b) a grade point of (c) “B” in his (d) A. The British government plans to insist that spouses major field. No errors (e). should have to learn English before they are allowed 89. Regardless of (a) your teaching method, the into Britain to join their husbands or wives have run objective of any conversation class should be into a barrage of opposition and warnings that the idea (b) for the students to practice (c) speaking could breach human rights laws. words. (d). No errors (e) B. The responses to an official consultation on the proposal published on Thursday was more than two to 90. When they have been (a) frightened, (b) as for one against the proposal, with many warning it could example, by (c) an electrical storm, dairy cows may refuse giving (d) milk. No errors (e) break up marriages because many cannot afford or access English lessons. 91. If the ozone gases of the atmosphere did not C. Immigration lawyers have told ministers that spouses filter out (a) the ultraviolet rays of the sun, life and fiancés should not be barred from joining a partner as (b) we know it (c) would not have evolved in the U.K. for language reasons and that the plan could on earth (d). No errors (e) breach the human rights convention's guarantees to the 92. The pleura that cover (a) the exterior (b) of the right to marry and have a family life. lungs (c) and the inner walls of the chest cavity D. The anonymised responses were 68 to 31 against the is (d) a thin elastic membrane. No errors (e) preen try English test for spouses. E. Other immigration organizations said the measure DIRECTIONS (Qs. 93-100) : In the following passage would discriminate against those from rural areas in there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. South Asia, where the opportunities to learn English are These numbers are printed below the passage and limited. against each, five words are suggested, one of which fills the blank appropriately. Find out the 83. Which of the following should be the FIRST appropriate word in each case. sentence? Fourteen centuries ago when the world was much (a) A (b) B younger, the ruler of all India, Rajah Balhait, was (c) C (d) D .....(93).... about his people. A new game of dice, called (e) E hard, had ...(94).... the imagination of his subjects, teaching them that chance alone-a roll of the dice 84. Which of the following should be the guided the ....(95).... of men. All who played this game of SECOND sentence? fortune lost their ....(96).... in the virtues of courage, (a) A (b) B prudence, wisdom and hope. It bred a fatalism that was (c) C (d) D ....(97).... the spirit of the kingdom. Raja Balhait (e) E commissioned Sissa, an intelligent courtier at his court to find an answer to this ...(98).... After much ...(99).... the 85. Which of the following should be the THIRD clever Sissa invented another game. Chaturanga, the sentence? exact ...(100).... of hard, in which the four elements of (a) A (b) B the Indian army were the key pieces. In the game these (c) C (d) D pieces-chariots, horses, elephants and foot soldiers- (e) E joined with a royal counselor to defend their king and

86. Which of the following should be the defeat the enemy. FOURTH sentence? 93. (a) concerned (b) confident (a) A (b) B (c) ignorant (d) indifferent (c) C (d) D (e) partisan (e) E 94. (a) propelled (b) enshrined (c) captured (d) activated (e) enhanced

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 82

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 83 95. (a) communities (b) ways 2 1 x 5 x 2 (c) abnormalities (d) destiny 3 − = = (e) groups 2 10 2 10 x2 = 25 96. (a) bravado (b) interest So x = 5 (c) peace (d) wealth (e) faith 5) a) 8 +3 = x3 + 8 −340 97. (a) appalling (b) crushing 3 (c) moistening (d) promoting x = 343 So x = 7 6) e) - 53 + 302 - 34 (e) overwhelming = - 125 + 900 – 81 = 694 98. (a) apprehension (b) risk 7) d) 467 – 3245 + 1123 – 2310 = x (c) problem (d) game 5998 (e) destiny 8) d) + 670 −140 10 99. (a) deliberation (b) absorption 600 + 670 – 140 = 1130 (c) insight (d) hesitation 9) c) 68% of 1400 – 14% of 1300 (e) reluctance = 952 – 182 = 770 5 7 6 3 9 9 8 9 9 100. (a) nature (b) equivalent 10) a)   81 39 41 (c) picture (d) opposite = 7.1 x 10.2 x 21.9 (e) replica So, 1600 (approx) ANSWER KEY (11- 15): 11) c) 3  2 + 1 = 7, 7  2 = 1 + 15, 15  2 + 1 = 31, 31  2 + Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. Q. A. 1 = 63 (c) 27 1 C 2 C 3 B 4 E 5 A 12) b) 19 + 7 = 26, 26 + 9 = 35, 35 + 11 = 46, 46 + 13 = 59 6 E 7 D 8 D 9 C 10 A (b) 33 11 C 12 B 13 C 14 B 15 E 16 D 17 A 18 A 19 E 20 B 13) c) 445 – 3  2 = 221, 221 – 3  2 = 109, 109 – 3 ÷ 2 = 53 21 D 22 A 23 A 24 B 25 D (c) 46 26 B 27 B 28 C 29 D 30 C 14) c) 3  2 + 1 = 7, 7  2 + 1 = 15, 15  2 + 1 = 31 31 C 32 E 33 D 34 B 35 A (c) 39 36 D 37 D 38 C 39 E 40 B 41 E 42 B 43 A 44 C 45 A 15) e) 1  2 + 1 = 3, 3  3 + 1 = 10, 10  2 + 1 = 21, 21  3 + 46 A 47 E 48 B 49 C 50 C 1 = 64, 64  2 + 1 = 129, 51 E 52 E 53 E 54 B 55 C 129  3 + 1 = 388 (e) 356 56 E 57 B 58 B 59 C 60 C 7 3 273 61 A 62 E 63 B 64 A 65 E 16) d) x 5  x 5 = 1699 y = = 39 66 B 67 D 68 D 69 D 70 C 7 71 C 72 E 73 B 74 D 75 E x =  13 x 3 76 A 77 B 78 D 79 C 80 D 81 B 82 C 83 A 84 B 85 D x y 86 C 87 E 88 C 89 C 90 D 39 39 91 A 92 A 93 A 94 C 95 D - 39 96 B 97 B 98 C 99 A 100 D So, x  y

SOLUTIONS 3 1363 17) a) x = 1) c) 92 x 576 ÷ 2 x 36 = x3 + 7 6 736 – 7 = x3 2 589 X3 = 729 So, x = 9 y = 1 92 24 4 2) c)    650 − 85 x > y 6 100 23 18) a) 35x = - 70 = 104 – 85 = 19 X = - 2 4 3y = - 7 15 0.430 278  x+5 3) b)   = 6 7  1080  y = − 3 364 = 6x+5 x = 3 x > y 2 2 6 1 1 5 5 x 19) e) = 4) e) 3+ 2 −1−1+ + − − = 2 4 2 6 12 10 x x 2 2 3x = x 3+ 6 − 5 −10 x x = 3, 0 3+ = 12 10 y2 = 16.95 – 9.68 – 5.64

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 84 y2 = 1.63 = 1.69 (approx) 28) c) So, y =  1.3 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 x y 84 86 88 90 0 1.3 So, 75 + 88 = 163 3 -1.3 29) d) 72%  7200 C.B.D 1%  100 20) b): 2x2 – 11x + 12 = 0 4y2 – 8y + 3 = 0 100% 10,000 So, C.I = 2(500) + 1(25) - 8 - 3 - 6 - 2 = 1025 8 3 6 2 30) c) x2 + y3 = 568 y2 = 64 – 15 2 2 4 4 y2 = 49 So, y = 7 x y 4 1.5 So, x = 568 −343 1.5 0.5 x = 2 2 5 x = 15 x  y A(2006) + C(2010) 21) d) 3 : 4 : 5 → 28 x 3 = 84 31) c) 100 21, 28, 35 E(2009) After 5 years, 26 + 33 = 59 yrs 1.44 + 7.84 22) a) Rama = 456 = 100 Sita = 54% 5.53 = 165% approx. 54%  432 32) e) D (2010) → 9.45 432 1%  D (2009) → 8.42 54 So, percentage increase = 432 1.03 100%  100 = 800 100 = 12%approx 54 8.42 Pass %age = 34% of 800 = 272 33) Observation from Graph Raman = 184 marks more than pass marks B(2007) 2.79 23) a) 5C + 3T = 3110 34) b) = IC = T – 210 D(2010) 9.45 So, 2T + 2CH = 1660 B(2006) + C(2008) + E(2005) 24) b) r2 + L x B = 1166 35) a) 196  + L x B = 1166 3 196  + 25 x B = 1166 3.34 + 5.83 +1.69 25 B = 550 = = 3.62 B = 22 3 22 36) (d) (i)  (ii) x Now, 2 14 + 2(25 + 22) 7 = 88 + 94 = 182 320 + P 5 25) d) =120 37) (d) (i)  (ii) x 24 18 P = 480m 38) (c) (i)  (ii)  480 Speed of man = = 2m / s 240 26) b) Sum 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 → 360 60, 80, 100, 120

39) (e) (i) x (ii) 

So, 60 + 120 = 180 27) b) C.P = 9600 S.P = 9600 – 480 = 9120 C.P = 9120 + 456 = 9576 So, Loss = 9600 – 9576 = 24 GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 85 40) (b)

(i) x (ii) x (63-65): (41-42)

(43-47): (66-70): Person Flower Month Q Lily February R Sunflower March

(48-52): N Marigold April 48) (b): C ≥ O = M < U ≤ N < D P Rose June O < D  M Orchid September C > N X S Jasmine October 49) (c): P > L = A ≥ C = E O Daffodil November

E ≤ L  71. (c) Eminent British economists and political scientists P > C  have strongly attacked the tradition of budget 50) (c): S > T ≤ I = A ≤ L secrecy. L ≥ T  72. (e) It leads to the control of public expenditure in order A > S X to set realistic taxation implications. 51) (e): S > T ≤ I = A ≤ L 73. (b) He has presented the example of both the open S > L X budget system and the secret budget system, I ≤ L  practised by various countries and has looked into 52) (e): N ≤ U < M = B ≥ E > R all their aspects. N ≤ R X 76. (a) Sir Richard Clarke was the originating genius of E ≤ U X nearly every important development in the British (53-57): budgeting techniques during the last two decades. Committee to Review papers es fr re pt 78. (d) An open public debate on budget proposals should Review meeting in morning ch ba mo fr be held before introducing the appropriate bill. Meeting to appoint members re dv ch gi Appoint chairman in review mo gi fr yu (Q.83-87): The required arrangement is ABDCE. Review – fr A is the opening sentence as is clear from the given options. Meeting – ch A is followed by B as ‘the proposal’ mentioned in B is referring Appoint – gi to whatever has been talked in A. B is followed by D as D Members – dv continues to talk about the response mentioned in B. Chairman - yu Also note that B mentions a 2 : 1 response against the in – mo proposal which is also clear by the 68 : 31 mentioned in D. D is morning – ba followed by C and C is followed by E. The ‘other immigration to – re organizations’ mentioned in E clearly states that the previous papers/committee – pt/es sentence must have a statement from some other 53) (e): Morning = ba organization, which is the immigration lawyers as mentioned 54) (b): pt = either papers or committee in C.

55) (c): Review call = fr lq 88. (c) ‘Of’ is unnecessary. The right use is grade point ‘B’. 56) (e): to = re 89. (c) There are two usage of practice-practice which is a 57) (b): new chairman meeting = ch wz yu noun and practise, which is verb. to + verb is the correct use so the right answer should be ‘to (58-62): Family Tree practise’. 90. (d) Replace "refuse giving" by "refuse to give" 91. (a) The last part of the sentence refers to the work completed in the past. In the format of, if and then, the tenses of two verbs in both parts should be same so it should have been ‘had not filtered out’. 92. (a) For singular subject the verb in the simple present tense is plural so ‘covers’ not ‘cover’.

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 86

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NOVEMBER 2020 Madhya Pradesh 1) Which Indian organization has won the UN Global 18) Panna National Park is associated with conservation Climate Action Award? Global Himalayan of which animal? Tiger Expedition, Leh 19) An earthquake of 6.8 on Richter Scale struck eastern 2) Luis Arce has been elected as the President of which ______on Oct 30, killing over 50 people: Turkey country? Bolivia 20) Name the Scottish movie legend, who shot to 3) The President signed an ordinance for setting up a international stardom playing British agent James commission to manage air quality in which region? Bond, 007: Sir Sean Connery NCR – National Capital Region 21) Lewis Hamilton celebrated a record-extending 93rd 4) As per the Action Plan for Vulture Conservation career win at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in 2020-25, how many vulture conservation and which country? Italy breeding centres will be established? Five 22) Which two Indians won the gold at the Alexis 5) Which state is implementing the Smart Black Board Vastine International Boxing Tournament in Nantes, scheme in 80,000 government schools to ensure a France? Amit Panghal and Sanjeet better teaching environment? Tamil Nadu 23) World Savings Day is observed on which day in 6) ______has become the first state in the India? October 30 country to fix the minimum support price (MSP) for 24) The super typhoon Goni devastated the southern 16 varieties of vegetables. Kerala part of which country with winds and gusts of up to 7) Railways has launched which initiative for focused 290 kph? Philippines action on security of women passengers across all 25) A new scheme ‘SERB – POWER’ has been launched zones? ‘Meri Saheli’ to encourage and support emerging as well as 8) Indian Army has developed a simple and secure eminent ______: Women researchers messaging app like Whatsapp, Telegram. What is its 26) The SERB POWER scheme will cover women name? Secure Application for Internet (SAI) researchers in the age group of ______years: 35-55 9) Why October 29 has been selected as the 27) World Vegan Day is observed on which date? International Internet Day? First internet November 01 transmission took place on this day in 1969 28) In which country gunmen stormed a book fair being 10) Which bank has been named the 'Safest Bank in held in a university, killing over 25 persons? Asia' for the 12th consecutive year by New York- Afghanistan based trade publication Global Finance? DBS Bank, 29) The central government released Rs. 2,200 crores as Singapore the first installment to 15 states for what purpose? 11) Which bank has been ranked as the “Best Bank in Improvement of air quality measures The World” by the Global Finance? DBS Bank, 30) The Ministry of Finance has clarified that no service Singapore charge is applicable on ______accounts: Basic 12) Who has been appointed as the new Chief Savings Bank Deposit Information Commissioner of India? Yashvardhan 31) A solar energy-driven miniature train, billed as the Kumar Sinha country’s first of its kind, was inaugurated at the 13) Kabartaal Wetland, also known as ‘Kanwar Jheel’, Veli Tourist Village in which state? Kerala has been designated as Ramsar site. It is in which 32) The QUAD nations- India, United States, Japan and state? Bihar Australia conducted their largest joint naval 14) Which agency grants the ‘Ramsar site’ status? exercises in over a decade, by which name? Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, based in Malabar Exercise Gland, Switzerland 33) The Malabar Exercise was conducted in which area? 15) The Indian Navy successfully test fired an anti-ship Bay of Bengal missile from which war ship on October 30? INS 34) Priyanca Radhakrishnan, 41 year old politician Kora created history by becoming the first Indian-origin 16) Which national park has now been declared a woman minister in which country? New Zealand UNESCO Biosphere Reserve? Panna National Park 35) Which Indian bank has been voted ‘Most 17) Panna National Park is located in which state? Outstanding Company – Financial Sector’ in India by

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 87 Asiamoney? HDFC Bank 57) The Elephant Rehabilitation Centre at Kottur is set 36) Alassane Ouattara has been elected as the ______to become the largest care and cure centre for of the Ivory Coast for the third time: President elephants in the world. It is in which state? Kerala 37) Which tennis star recently became fourth player in 58) Which district of Uttar Pradesh topped the rankings the history to win 1,000 ATP matches? Rafael of aspirational districts by government think-tank Nadal Niti Aayog for September? Chandauli 38) India’s first-ever E-resource centre and virtual court 59) Who has been appointed chairperson of the newly called “Nyay Kaushal” was inaugurated in which set up Commission for Air Quality Management in city? Nagpur the National Capital Region and adjoining areas? Dr 39) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a M. M. Kutty $132.8 loan to ______for upgrading the power 60) ISRO successfully launched India’s latest Earth distribution network: Meghalaya Observation Satellite named ______: EOS-01 40) In which country John Magufuli secured 84% votes 61) Democrat Joe Biden beat Republican Donald Trump to become the President for the second term? to become the ______President of the United States: Tanzania 46th 41) Which company built the ship ICGS C-452, recently 62) Who has been elected as the new Vice President of inducted in the Indian Coast Guard? L&T USA? Kamala Harris Shipbuilding, Surat 63) International Day of Radiology is associated with 42) Which nation conferred the honorary rank of which great scientist? Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen “General” upon our Army Chief General M M 64) The X-radiation is measured in which unit? Naravane? Nepal Roentgen 43) Name the powerful hurricane with wind speeds 65) President of which country released a special upto 225 km/hr and heavy torrential rains that hit anthology on Mahatma Gandhi- ‘Maile Bujheko Nicaragua in Central America: Storm Eta Gandhi’ (My understanding about Gandhi)? Nepal 44) Which Social media platform has recently been 66) The 15th Finance Commission led by its Chairman allowed to use India’s UPI platform to make bank N.K. Singh submitted its report for which period? payments? WhatsApp 2021-26 45) The union government approved 210 MW Luhri 67) A finance commission is set up every five years by Stage-I Hydro Electric Project in which state? the President under Article ____ of the Constitution: Himachal Pradesh 280 46) The Luhri Stage-I Hydro Electric Project is being 68) India’s ‘first of its kind’ solar-based Integrated built on which river? Satluj Multi-Village Water Supply Project has been 47) ______is the first country to announce it exit from commissioned in which state? Arunachal Pradesh the Paris Climate Agreement – 2015: USA 69) National Legal Services Day observed on Nov 9 is 48) Which country is the largest producer of the Green associated with enactment of which Act? Legal House Gasses in the world? China Services Authorities Act, 1987 49) World Tsunami Awareness Day is observed on 70) World Town Planning Day or World Urbanism Day which day of November? 5th is celebrated on which day? Nov 08 50) The Sendai Framework-2015 is associated with 71) Government has decided to rename the Ministry of what? Disaster Risk Reduction Shipping as what? Ministry of Ports, Shipping and 51) The Sendai Framework-2015 was adopted in which Waterways city? Sendai, Japan 72) Which UN organization supports the celebration of 52) The ICICI Bank launched ‘Mine’, the country’s first World Science Day for Peace and Development on full banking stack for category of its customers? Nov 10? UNESCO Milleniala 73) The country’s longest single-lane motorable 53) The second batch of three Rafale jets landed in India suspension bridge was inaugurated in which state? at which airbase? Jamnagar, Gujarat Uttarakhand 54) Gyanendro Ningombam has been elected 74) Indian army gifted 20 trained horses and 10 sniffer unopposed as the President of Hockey India. He is dogs to the army of which country? Bangladesh former Hockey chief of which state? Manipur 75) ______clinched their record-extending fifth IPL 55) National Cancer Awareness Day is observed on Nov (Indian Premier League) title after beating Delhi 7. It commemorates the birthday of which great Capitals: Mumbai Indians scientist whose research helped in finding cure for 76) Which word has been named the Collins Word of the cancer? Marie Curie Year 2020? Lockdown 56) What was the name of the military exercise 77) Which UN agency launched the Food Coalition, an involving Special Forces of Army, Navy and Air international coalition to address COVID-19 impact force, held in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands? on food systems? FAO - Food and Agriculture Bull Strike Organisation

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 88 78) National Education Day is associated with the birth 99) Typhoon Vamco devastated dozens of towns in day of which great leader? Maulana Abul Kalam Cagayan region of which country? Philippines Azad 100) World Kindness Day is observed on which date? 79) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad held which portfolio in November 13 the first cabinet of free India? Education Ministry 101) What is the theme for this year’s World Diabetes 80) World Pneumonia Day is observed on which date? Day? The Nurse and Diabetes Nov 12 102) National Press Day is observed on Nov 16 to mark 81) Pneumonia affects which part of human body? the founding of which organization? Press Council Lungs of India 82) Public Service Broadcasting Day is associated with 103) International Day for Tolerance is observed on the sole visit of which great leader to radio station, November 16 with the support of which UN agency? Delhi? Mahatma Gandhi UNICEF 83) Prime Minister Narendra Modi co-chaired the 17th 104) Sur Sarovar, also known as Keetham Lake in Agra, ASEAN-India Summit along with Prime Minister of Uttar Pradesh was in news for what reasons? It has which other country? Vietnam been declared ‘Ramsar wet land’ 84) Which state topped the Second National Water 105) Soumitra Chatterjee, a Dadasaheb Phalke award Awards announced on November 11? Tamil Nadu recipient, passed away at Kolkata Nursing Home at 85) The world's longest serving Prime Minister, who the age of 85. He was associated with which field? died recently, was from which country? Bahrain Acting 86) Armenia and Azerbaijan engaged in a fierce military 106) Indian researchers have discovered a genus of tree battle over which disputed territory? Nagorno- frog named Rhaniaxalus. It is found in which Karabakh area? Andaman Islands and the northeast 87) What is the name of the Indian Navy’s fifth 107) World Ayurveda Day is associated with which great Scorpene-class submarine that was launched ancient sage? Dhanwantari recently? INS Vagir 108) What is the theme for this year’s World Ayurveda 88) A recession is defined as _____ successive quarters of Day? Ayurveda for Covid decline in the growth of GDP: Two 109) National Epilepsy Day is observed on which day of 89) Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has November? 17th brought OTT digital/online media under its 110) Epilepsy is associated with which organ of human purview. What is OTT? Over The Top body? Brain 90) ______has reportedly become the world's first 111) Which country hosted the 12th BRICS summit on country to have successfully launched the 6G Nov 17 in virtual mode? Russia communications test satellite: China 112) Which country has been given the hosting of 13th 91) Which corporate leader has topped the EdelGive BRICS Summit? India Hurun India Philanthropy List 2020? Azim Premji 113) Who has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of 92) Which country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund has become Bihar for the seventh time? Nitish Kumar the first foreign SWF to get 100% income-tax 114) The blowout in Baghjan gas well in Tinsukia was exemption in India? Abu Dhabi killed successfully after months of struggle. It is in 93) The Finance Ministry has extended the ECLGS for which state? Assam small businesses, individual loans for business 115) The Baghjan oil well is owned by which oil purposes till March 31, 2021. What is expansion of company? OIL - Oil India Ltd. ECLGS? Emergency Credit Line Guarantee 116) Department of Investment and Public Asset Scheme Management, DIPAM signed an agreement with 94) Which new scheme has been launched to give which global body to receive advisory services for Employees contribution and employer’s asset monetization? World Bank contribution to EPF-registered organizations on 117) 15 Asia Pacific countries formed the world’s largest recruiting new people? Aatmanirbhar Bharat trading bloc. What is its name? Regional Rozgar Yojana Comprehensive Economic Partnership’ (RCEP) 95) Sadat Rahman who won the International Children’s 118) World’s first of its kind tram car library has been Peace Prize, hails from which country? Bangladesh started in which Indian city? Kolkata 96) Lonar Lake, the Crater Lake in Buldhana, has been 119) Which F1 champion equaled the Michael declared as a wetland area under 'Ramsar Schumacher’s record of seven world titles? Lewis Convention'. It is in which state? Maharashtra Hamilton, Britain 97) Which city created a world record for lighting 120) Lewis Hamilton drives for which F1 team? largest number of diyas (over 6 lakh) at one time? Mercedes Ayodhya 121) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ______98) Over 6 lakh diyas were lighted on the banks of counterpart Xavier Bettel held a virtual summit on which river? Saryu Nov 19: Luxembourg

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 89 122) India’s Artificial Intelligence supercomputer______146) Women's Entrepreneurship Day is observed on has achieved 63rd rank among top 500 most ______November: 19th powerful non-distributed computer systems in the 147) What is the theme of this year’s International Men’s world: ‘Param Siddhi’ Day observed on Nov 19? Better Health for Men 123) RBI placed which bank under moratorium from Nov and Boys 17 for a period of thirty days? Lakshmi Vilas Bank, 148) ______has become the first Indian city to have an Chennai urban plan with a gender-specific focus: Mumbai 124) Which country will now host FIFA Women's Under- 149) World Fisheries Day is observed on which day? Nov 17 Football World Cup? India 21 125) Storm Iota, a strong tropical storm unleashed 150) World Television Day is observed on Nov 21. Who devastating floods across which area? Central invented TV? John Logie Baird America 151) India's first moss garden has been developed at 126) RBI launched Reserve Bank Innovation Hub to Khurpatal in which state? Uttarakhand promote innovation in which field? Financial 152) As per new rule by ICC, a player must be of sector minimum ______years of age to play international 127) Who will be the first chairperson of the RBIH? Kris cricket: 15 Gopalakrishnan 153) The Women’s T20 World Cup will now be hosted in 128) The Naturopathy Day is celebrated on which date? Feb 2023 by which country? South Africa Nov 18 154) Who has been elected as the External Auditor of 129) In the acronym AYUSH, what the letter ‘S’ stands Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), Geneva? G C for? Siddha Murmu 130) Siddha refers to which line of treatment? Ayurveda 155) India celebrates NCC Day every year on ______as it is practiced in Kerala Sunday of November: Fourth 131) World celebrates World Toilet Day on which day of 156) Which national day is celebrated every year on Nov November? 19th 20 to mark the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas 132) What is the name of the surveillance plane recently Yojana – Gramin? Awaas Diwas inducted in the Indian Navy? Boeing P-81 157) What was the name of the Trilateral Maritime 133) World Philosophy Day is observed on which Exercise conducted by the Navies of India, Thursday of November? Third Singapore and Thailand in Andaman Sea? SITMEX- 134) Which UN agency supports the celebration of World 20 Children’s Day on Nov 20? UNICEF 158) Which country hosted the 15th G20 Summit on Nov 135) Which bank approved a $500 million loan for 21-22 in a virtual format? Saudi Arabia funding the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut regional rapid 159) The 30th edition of India-Thailand Coordinated transit project? New Development Bank Patrol was held from Nov 18 to 20 at which place? 136) Where are the headquarters of the New Andaman Sea Development Bank? Shanghai 160) India observed the National Newborn Week from ___ 137) The World Bank granted a $120 million loan to to ___ November: 15 to 21 improve and modernise the transport sector of 161) India has been placed at which rank in a global list which state? Meghalaya of 194 countries that measured business bribery 138) Booker Prize for Fiction has been won by which risks in 2020? 77th noted author? Douglas Stuart 162) What is the title of the latest novel by Paulo Coelho? 139) Douglas Stuart won the Booker Prize for which The Archer novel? Shuggie Bain 163) ‘Boskiyana’ is a book written by Yashwant Vyas. It is 140) What is the amount of cash award in the Booker the story of the life of which famous lyricist? Gulzar Prize? Pound 50,000 164) What is the title of the book that is memoirs of 141) Government launched ‘Safaimitra Suraksha Barack Obama, former US President? A Promised Challenge’ for the safety of which segment of Land workers? Sewer or septic tank cleaners 165) “I am no Messiah” is the title of the autobiography of 142) According to a 2018 report on the ‘Vital statistics on which popular Bollywood star? Sonu Sood India based on the Civil Registration System’, which 166) Indian Navy hosted the 27th edition of India - state has best sex ratio? Arunachal Pradesh Singapore Bilateral Maritime Exercise from Nov 23 143) What is the sex ratio at birth in Arunachal Pradesh to 25. What was its name? SIMBEX-20 as per a recent report? 1085 girls per 1000 boys 167) The immensely popular Chhath Puja concluded on 144) World Economic Forum (WEF) selected how many Nov 21. It is associated with worship of which deity? Indian cities to pioneer a new global policy roadmap Sun for smart cities? Four 168) The Asian Development Bank approved a $50 145) In this latest World’s Best Cities Report, which city million loan to improve operational efficiencies and has been ranked at the top? London resource planning and management in which state?

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 90 West Bengal Madhya Pradesh? Asian Development Bank 169) What is the operational name of Indian GPS 190) Gurpreet Singh Sandhu won the AIFF Footballer of (IRNSS)? NavIC the Year award. Who is he? Goalkeeper of Indian 170) Name the Indian girl who won the Children's men's team Climate Prize of Norway: Vinisha Umashankar 191) Dr P. D. Vaghela has been appointed as the 171) Vinisha Umashankar won the Children's Climate Chairman of which apex national body? Telecom Prize for which invention? A mobile ironing cart Regulatory Authority of India using solar panels to power a steam iron box 192) The Reserve Bank has introduced which system for 172) According to a new survey by the Economist safer cheque payments of above 50,000 rupees to Intelligence Unit, which three cities share the top prevent cases of fraud? Positive Pay System spot as the most expensive cities in the world? Hong 193) Neetu David, one of finest women cricketers of Kong, Zurich and Paris India in the late ’90s and early 2000, has been 173) Name the longest-serving Chief Minister of Assam appointed to which important position? Chairman who passed away recently? Tarun Gogoi of the women’s national selection panel 174) Bharat Dynamics Ltd. Hyderabad handed over its 194) Name the 74-year old renowned economist, who first HeavyWeight Torpedo to the Indian Navy. passed away in New Delhi: Dr Isher Judge What is its name? Varunastra Ahluwalia 175) What is the strike range of Varunastra? 40 kms 195) Who has been appointed as the President of Film 176) Recently, a bioluminescent or light emitting variety and Television Institute of India, FTII, of mushroom has been discovered in forests of Pune? Shekhar Kapur which state? Meghalaya 196) The Reserve Bank of India has roped in which OCTOBER 2020 Bollywood megastar for its customer awareness 177) India and the US signed which agreement at the end campaign? Amitabh Bachchan of the third Indo-US 2+2 summit? Basic Exchange 197) Moctar Ouane has been appointed as new prime and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) minister of Mali. Where is this country? Western 178) 201. Which national day is observed on October 31 Africa to celebrate the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai 198) The Ambedkar Social Innovation and Incubation Patel? Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Mission (ASIIM) under Venture Capital Fund has 179) Which International day is observed across the been launched for which segment of people? SC world on October 31 to work together for planned students studying in higher educational and sustainable urban life? World Cities Day institutions 180) “The Battle of Belonging” is a book written by 199) Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been sworn in which former Congress union minister? Shashi as the ruling Emir of which oil-rich Tharoor country? Kuwait 181) What is the title of the latest book by V E 200) Grand Title Winner 2020 for Marketing award has Schwab? The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue been won by Tourism department of which 182) Who is the author of the recently released book state? Kerala titled “Portraits of Power: Half a Century of Being at 201) Which Bollywood actor has been conferred with Ringside”? N K Singh, renowned politician and SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award? Sonu economist Sood 183) The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is observed 202) Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize is given to the on which day of October? 27th outstanding scientists below the age of _____ 184) Which company topped the list of Indian PSUs years: 45 under 'World's Best Employer 2020', published by 203) Dr. Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize is given to the Forbes? NTPC Ltd. outstanding Scientists in how many fields: Seven 185) Which F1 driver broke the record of 91 wins set by 204) Alyssa Healy surpassed Dhoni’s world record of 91 German great Michael Schumacher? Lewis dismissals by a wicket keeper in T20i. She plays for Hamilton which country? Australia 186) India has secured which rank in the Global Teacher 205) RBI has deferred implementation of which Status Index? 6th provisions made under Basel III capital 187) Army celebrates Infantry Day on October 27 to norms? Capital Conservation Buffer and Net commemorate the sacrifice of its soldiers in which Stable Funding Ratio battle? Indo Pak battle of 1947 206) India has announced USD 15 million grant 188) One of the founding members of BJP, a towering assistance to which country for the promotion of leader of BJP from Rajasthan, breathed his last on Buddhist ties between the two countries? Sri Sep 27. Who was he? Jaswant Singh Lanka 189) Which Bank approved two loans totalling $570 207) Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the million for urban sector projects in Rajasthan and Vaishvik Bhartiya Vaigyanik Summit on October 2. What is its short name? VAIBHAV

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 91 208) International Day of Older Persons is observed on 17th November 2020 via video which date? October 01 conferencing? Russia 209) Which global human rights organisation freezed its 229) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2020 has operations in India? Amnesty International been awarded jointly to Harvey J. Alter, USA Michael 210) Where are the headquarters of Amnesty Houghton, Britain and Charles M. Rice, USA for International? London which discovery? For the discovery of Hepatitis C 211) The RBI has excluded how many public sector virus banks that were merged with other banks, from the 230) What is the amount of cash award for the 2020 Second Schedule of the RBI Act, 1934? Six Nobel Prize? Swedish Kroner 10 million 212) ICGS Kanaklata Barua, a fast patrol vessel (FPV) was 231) Which apex body decides the winner of Nobel Prize inducted in to Indian Coast Guard at which in Physiology or Medicine 2020? Nobel Assembly place? Kolkata at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden 213) Which International day aims to highlight the 232) Britain's Roger Penrose, Reinhard Genzel of benefits of vegetarianism? World Vegetarian Day, Germany and US scientist Ms. Andrea Ghez won the Oct 01 2020 Nobel Prize in which field? Physics 214) National Voluntary Blood Donation Day is observed 233) Which apex body decides the winner of Nobel Prize in India on which date? October 01 in Physics? Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, 215) Which international day is observed to Stockholm, Sweden commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of 234) Name the 16-year-old Indian shooter who won the nonviolence? International Day of Non-violence 10m air rifle event at the fifth edition of the 216) At which place Prime Minister Narendra Modi International Online Shooting inaugurated on Oct 3 the world’s longest highway Championship: Vishnu Shivaraj Pandian tunnel, Atal Tunnel? At Rohtang in Himachal 235) World Teachers’ Day is celebrated on which day of Pradesh October? 5th 217) The Atal Tunnel has been built across which 236) Dalle Khursani, the famous red hot cherry pepper of mountain range? Pir Panjal ______got a GI tag recently: Sikkim 218) The Atal Tunnel connects Manali with the area of 237) GI tag registry is located at which place? Chennai which valley? Lahaul Spiti Valley 238) World Animal Day is celebrated on which day of 219) What is the name of the 2nd edition of Indian and October? 4th Bangladesh Navy Bilateral Exercise held in 239) M A Ganapathy has been appointed as the Director Northern Bay of Bengal from Oct 3 to General of which national body? Bureau of Civil 5? Bongosagar-2 Aviation Security 220) Which country has committed $1.9 million to 240) Which department of central government declared support Indian workers whose livelihoods were winners of the first National Start-Up Awards- disrupted due to COVID-19? USA 2020? Department for Promotion of Industry 221) What is the name of indigenously developed and Internal Trade nuclear-capable hypersonic surface to surface 241) One of rock music’s greatest guitar players, ______ballistic missile, with a strike range of around 1,000 lost his battle against cancer at the age of 65 in Los km? Shaurya Angeles, USA: Eddie Van Halen 222) A Mega Virtual Summit on Artificial Intelligence: 242) The 2nd QUAD Ministerial Meeting was held on “Summit RAISE 2020” was held from 5 to 9 of October 6 in which city? Tokyo October. What is full form of RAISE? Responsible 243) QUAD - Quadrilateral Security Dialogue is a AI for Social Empowerment strategic grouping of four nations - India, Australia, 223) Which state launched ‘Gram Darshan’ portal to Japan and ______: USA bring data of all the 6,197 Gram Panchayats of the 244) Ms. Emmanuelle Charpentier (France) and Ms. state online? Haryana Jennifer A. Doudna (USA) won the Nobel Prize in 224) The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has which field? Chemistry signed a MoU with which food delivery platform to 245) Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded for the onboard street food vendors on its e-commerce discovery of one of gene technology’s sharpest platform? Swiggy tools. What is its name? CRISPR/Cas9 genetic 225) DRDO successfully flight tested the “Supersonic scissors Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo” on Oct 5 from 246) India’s first-of-its-kind organic spices seed park will Wheeler Island. What is its short name? SMART come up at two places in which state? Gujarat 226) The World Habitat Day is observed on which 247) India celebrates October 5 every year as the ‘______Monday of October? First River Dolphin Day’: Ganga 227) What is the theme for this year’s World Habitat 248) ‘My Ganga My Dolphin’ campaign has been launched Day? Housing For All: A better Urban Future to conduct Dolphin census in 250 km stretch from 228) Which country will host the 12th BRICS Summit on Bijnor to Narora in which state? Uttar Pradesh

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 92 249) The Indian Air Force celebrates its raising day on Development Bank which date? October 8 271) Where are the headquarters of the New 250) Who was the first Indian chief of the Indian Air Development Bank? Shanghai Force? Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee 272) A two-day Coastal Security Exercise- 'Sagar 251) The World Cotton Day is observed on which Kavach'- was conducted on October 8-9 in which day? October 7 area? In the Arabian Sea alongside the western 252) Which country is the largest producer of cotton in coast the world? India 273) Headquarters of the World Trade Organisation are 253) Who has been appointed as the Deputy Governor of in which country? Switzerland the RBI? M Rajeshwar Rao 274) Which UN agency supports the celebration of the 254) The Offshore Patrol Vessel “Vigraha'' recently World Mental Health Day on October 10? WHO – handed over to the Indian Coast Guard, has been World Health Organisation built by which company? Larsen and Toubro 275) Which global day is observed every year on October 255) Which country successfully test-fired its highly 11 to focus on issues like female infanticide to touted hypersonic cruise missile called Tsirkon gender inequality to sexual abuse? International (Zircon)? Russia Day of the Girl Child 256) Who has been selected for the Nobel Prize for 276) The Indian Air Force created a new world record for Literature 2020? Ms. Louise Glück the highest skydive landing at which 257) Ms. Louise Glück is a famous poet of which place? Khardung La, near Leh country? America 277) How many beaches from India have secured the 258) Name the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, coveted International Blue Flag Certification? Eight Food and Public Distribution, one of the most 278) Railways has decided to upgrade all its trains prominent Dalit leaders of the country, who died on capable of running at a maximum speed of 130 km Oct 8: Ram Vilas Paswan per hour and beyond, with which type of 259) Which state entered into partnership with Israel for coaches? Air conditioned coaches the establishment of a Centre of Excellence to 279) A commemorative 100 rupee coin was released in promote high value vegetables in the the honour of ______Scindia on her 100th birth state? Meghalaya anniversary: Vijaya Raje 260) Which day is observed on the second Thursday of 280) What is the popular name for the French Open October, to focus global attention on blindness and Grand Slam held in Paris? Roland Garros vision impairment? World Sight Day 281) Who lifted the men’s singles title in the French Open 261) Bisher Al-Khasawneh has been appointed as the Grand Slam? Rafael Nadal Prime Minister of which country? Jordan 282) ______won the women’s singles title in the French 262) Which e-commerce major has collaborated with Open in Paris: Iga Swiatek IRCTC to let users book train tickets via the e- 283) Iga Swiatek hails from which country? Poland commerce site? Amazon India 284) Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson won the 263) World Egg Day is celebrated on the ______Friday coveted Nobel Prize in which field? Economics in October every year to raise awareness about the 285) Government launched which two schemes for its benefits of eggs: Second employees to boost the consumer spending? LTC 264) World Post Day is observed to mark the anniversary Cash Voucher scheme and Special Festival of establishment of which organization in Advance Scheme 1874? Universal Postal Union 286) Which scheme has been launched on Oct 11 for 265) World Migratory Bird Day is celebrated on second physical distribution of house property cards in Saturday of which two months? May and October rural areas? ‘SVAMITVA’ 266) ______has become the first state in the country to 287) The SVAMITVA scheme has been launched by which provide tap water connection to every rural central ministry? Panchayati Raj Ministry household: Goa 288) World Arthritis Day is observed on which 267) What is the name of India’s first new generation date? October 12 anti-radiation missile successfully test-fired by 289) Arthritis is an ailment related to which part of DRDO? Rudram body? Inflammation of joints 268) Which UN agency has been selected for the 290) Which national day marks the collection, prestigious Nobel Prize 2020? World Food appreciation and research activities on postal Programme stamps? National Philately Day 269) Which official body decides the winner of Nobel 291) Which apex body has started a nation-wide Peace Prize? The five member committee of the campaign to celebrate Kamdhenu Deepawali Parliament of Norway Abhiyan for promoting extensive use of cow-dung 270) Which Bank approved funds worth $741 million for products during this Diwali Festival? Rashtriya infrastructure projects in India? New Kamdhenu Aayog

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 93 292) Which country is the largest producer of milk in the Ramanujan Prize? Shai Evra of Princeton world? India University, USA 293) ADB approved a $ 300 million loan to finance water 312) What is the theme for this year’s Global supply and sanitation infrastructure in 14 Handwashing Day? Hand Hygiene for All secondary towns of which state? Rajasthan 313) With a view to promote domestic manufacturing 294) Who has equaled the all time record of 91 F1 wins and cut imports of non essential items, Government by the legendary Michael Schumacher of has banned imports of ______with Germany? Lewis Hamilton refrigerants: Air conditioners 295) ______has become the first state in the country to 314) Name the India's first Oscar winner costume have high-tech classrooms in all its public designer who died at her home in Mumbai after schools: Kerala prolonged illness: Bhanu Athaiya 296) Which global organization has projected 4.4 percent 315) Bhanu Athaiya won the Oscar for costume designing shrinkage in growth of world economy? IMF - of which film? Gandhi International Monetary Fund 316) Vedanta Group firm Hindustan Zinc Ltd is going to 297) International Day for Disaster Reduction is set up India’s largest greenfield zinc smelter in observed on which day of October? 13th which state? Gujarat 298) Which international day is observed on Oct 14 to 317) World Food Day commemorates the setting up of raise awareness about importance of which special agency of UNO? FAO - Food and standardization in the global economy? World Agriculture Organization Standards Day 318) Establishment of FAO was done in which city in 299) What is the name of the most prestigious global Canada? Quebec environment prize announced in 319) Headquarters of FAO is situated in which history? Earthshot Prize city? Rome, Italy 300) ______has become the first state in India to set up 320) Which University has emerged as the top varsity in Farmers Welfare Fund Board for the welfare of India by filing the highest number -- 336 of patents farmers: Kerala in a year? Chandigarh University 301) Which international day is observed on Oct 15 to 321) Chandigarh University is located at which highlight role of women and girls in ensuring the place? Gharuan near Mohali in Punjab sustainability of rural communities? International 322) India ranked at which number among 107 nations Day of Rural Women in the Global Hunger Index 2020? 94th 302) World Students’ Day is observed on Oct 15 to 323) Which country scored the lowest rank in the Global commemorate the birthday of which great Hunger Index 2020? Chad leader? APJ Abdul Kalam 324) The Supreme Court appointed which former 303) Which union ministry sponsors the celebration of Supreme Court judge, as a one-man committee to RashtriyaMahilaKisanDiwas? Agriculture and monitor and prevent instances of stubble-burning Farmers Welfare Ministry by farmers in the three States? Justice Madan B. 304) The Union Cabinet approved the “Strengthening Lokur Teaching-Learning and Results for States” -STARS 325) International Poverty Eradication Day is observed project with the support of which global on which date? October 17 organization? World Bank 326) Government launched a campaign named ‘KAPILA’ 305) A commemorative coin of 75 rupees denomination in the honour of which great leader? Dr APJ Abdul was released to mark the 75th Anniversary of which Kalam UN agency? FAO - Food and Agriculture 327) What is the objective of KAPILA campaign? To Organization promote patenting of inventions 306) Where are the headquarters of the FAO? Rome, 328) What is the expansion of the acronym Italy KAPILA? Kalam Program for Intellectual 307) Which country has been re-elected as the President Property Literacy and Awareness of the International Solar Alliance (ISA)? India 329) What is the name of the 8th annual joint exercise 308) Which state signed an agreement with the Indian held between Indian and Sri Lankan Rugby Football Union to sponsor the Indian navies? SLINEX – 20 national rugby team for the next three 330) Joint naval exercise SLINEX – 20 was held at which years? Odisha place? Off the Trincomalee coast of Sri Lanka 309) International E-Waste Day is observed on which 331) Which city of Denmark hosted the Denmark Open day of October? 14th Badminton Tournament? Odense 310) SASTRA Ramanujan Prize is sponsored by which 332) Who won the men’s singles title in the Denmark institution? SASTRA University, Kumbakonam Open? Anders Antonsen of Denmark (Tamil Nadu) 333) Women’s singles title of Denmark Open was won by 311) Who has been selected for this year’s SASTRA which player? Nozomi Okuhara of Japan

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 94 334) Who has been elected as the Chairman of the Indian technology for COVID-19 developed by researchers Banks’ Association for the term 2020-21? Rajkiran at IIT, Kharagpur? Covirap Rai G 356) Name the Anti-Submarine Warfare stealth corvette 335) Rajkiran Rai G is the MD & CEO of which that was recently commissioned into Indian bank? Union Bank of India Navy: INS Kavaratti 336) Asian Development Bank, Manila approved a $177- 357) India successfully flight-tested its indigenously million loan to upgrade 450 kilometres of state developed SANT missile. What is the full form of highways and major district roads in which SANT? Stand-off Anti-tank state? Maharashtra 358) DRDO successfully carried out the final trial of the 337) Who has been reelected as the prime minister of third generation ATGM Nag on October 21. Expand New Zealand? Jacinda Ardern the abbreviation ATGM: Anti-tank guided missile 338) Which global institution awards the Wildlife 359) Which Indian city recently inaugurated India’s Photographer of the Year Award? Natural History longest – 108 km long BRTS corridor? Surat, Museum of Britain Gujarat 339) Name the young photographer who won this year’s 360) What is the full form of the abbreviation BRTS? Bus Wildlife Photographer of the Year Rapid Transit System Award: Aishwarya Sridhar 361) In the new series of Consumer Price Index for 340) World Statistics Day is observed after an interval of industrial workers (CPI-IW), what is the new Base how many years? Five Year? 2016 341) World Osteoporosis Day is observed on which 362) Which government agency compiles the CPI- date? October 20 IW? Labour Bureau under Ministry of Labour 342) Osteoporosis is an ailment related to which part of and Employment human body? Bones 363) Which government agency releases the regular 343) A person suffering from Osteoporosis is more prone Consumer Price index? Central Statistics Office to have ______: Fractures 364) The CBSE has introduced a state of the art Facial 344) Ayushman Sahakar scheme, developed by National Recognition technology for what purpose? To Cooperative Development Corporation aims to help enable students to securely download their cooperatives play an important role in which digital academic documents of class X and XII field? Creation of healthcare infrastructure 365) Saad al-Hariri, the Sunni Muslim politician, has been 345) For the first time in India, cultivation of Heeng appointed as the Prime Minister of which (Ferulaassafoetida) has been started in which country? Lebanon area? Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh 366) Which state attracted the highest number of 346) National Solidarity Day is observed on October 20 domestic tourists in 2019 as per the Indian Tourism to salute the valour of our soldiers in which Statistics, 2020? Uttar Pradesh battle? 1962 Indo-China war 367) Which state was visited by the largest number of 347) ______has become the first country in the world foreign tourists in 2019? Tamil Nadu to provide access to various online government 368) Which micro nation joined the International services through facial recognition: Singapore Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 16 as its 190th 348) Which special day is observed on October 21 to member? Andorra honour the sacrifice of ten CRPF men in 1959 in an 369) Micro nation Andorra is located in which ambush with Chinese army? Police region? Europe, between France in the north Commemoration Day and Spain in the south 349) Which state topped the AnemiaMukt Bharat Index 370) International Stuttering Awareness Day is observed among 29 states in the country? Haryana on which date? October 22 350) Which public sector bank announced the launch of 371) Stuttering is associated with deformity of which banking services on WhatsApp? IDBI Bank human skill? Speech 351) Which country was ranked as the most powerful in 372) Which e-portal has been launched to integrate influencing Asia Pacific region by the Asia Power legacy drawings such as maps and lease plans in the Index 2020? USA management information system? e-Dharti Geo 352) What was India’s rank in the recently released Asia Portal Power Index 2020? 4th 373) India has been elected as the Chairperson of the 353) What is the maximum expenditure a candidate can Governing Body of which special UN agency? ILO - incur for campaigning in Lok Sabha polls? Rs. 77 International Labour Organization lakh 374) International Snow Leopard Day is observed on 354) A candidate contesting state legislature elections which day of October? 23rd cannot spend more than Rs. ______for campaign 375) Snow Leopard is the state animal of which expenditure: 30.80 lakh state? Himachal Pradesh 355) What is the name of the low cost rapid diagnostic 376) FX reserves crossed all time high of $ 555 billion on

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 95 week ended October 16. This data is issued by packaged and loose sweets which agency? RBI – Reserve Bank of India 398) An iconic personality from film music world lost his 377) Sakharov Prize for Peace is given by which battle to Corona on Sep 25. Identify him: SP organization? European Union Balasubrahmanyam 378) Alpha Conde has been elected as the President of 399) The 51st Edition of the International Film Festival ______for a third term: Guinea of India, IFFI will be held next year in Goa in which 379) The United Nations Day is observed on Oct 24. Who month? January is the current Secretary General of UNO? Antonio 400) Which institution has replaced Medical Council of Guterres India wef Sep 25? National Medical Commission 380) Currently, how many countries are member of 401) Who has been named as the Chairman of the UNO? 193 National Medical Commission? Suresh Chandra 381) Which international day is observed on Oct 24 to Sharma raise awareness for polio vaccination and 402) Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed which eradication of polio? World Polio Day number session of the United Nations General 382) Which are the only two countries where wild polio Assembly? 75th virus cases are still there? Afghanistan and 403) The fourth edition of India-Japan Maritime bilateral Pakistan exercise (JIMEX) was held in which area? North 383) The government announced waiver of interest on Arabian Sea interest for loans up to Rs. _____ crore irrespective of 404) Which celebrity chef has authored the book whether moratorium was availed or not: Two Kitchens of Gratitude? Vikas Khanna 384) WavelRamkalawan has been elected as the 405) Which famous film celebrity has authored the book- President of Seychelles. He has linkages with which “The Big Thoughts of Little Luv”? Karan Johar Indian state? Bihar 406) What is the title of the latest book by noted 385) Lee Kun-hee, charismatic leader of South Korea’s authoress Arundhati Roy? Azadi: Freedom- biggest conglomerate, died on Oct 25. He headed Fascism-Fiction which corporate group? Samsung 407) One by One is a famous novel of which noted 386) World’s longest passenger ropeway service was novelist?Ruth Ware started at Girnar Mountain in Junagadh district 408) Mohamed Hussein Roble has been appointed as the of which state? Gujarat new Prime Minister of which East African country? 387) India’s first sand dune park is expected soon to Somalia come up in which state? Goa 409) In a historic move, the Parliament passed how many SEPTEMBER 2020 labour codes on September 23 to reform the Labour 388) International Translation Day is celebrated on Laws? Three which day of September? 30th 410) ICAR announced a hackathon to promote potential 389) What is the theme for this year’s World Heart Day? technology solutions for enhancing farm Use Heart to beat CVD (cardiovascular diseases) mechanization. What is its name? KRITAGYA 390) World Rabies Day is observed on Sep 28 to mark 411) World Tourism Day is celebrated on which date? the death anniversary of which noted September 27 microbiologist?Louis Pasteur 412) World Maritime Day is celebrated on which 391) India was ranked _____among 181 countries on the Thursday of September? Last World Risk Index (WRI) 2020 released by the 413) Name the noted atomic scientist and former Atomic United Nations University: 89th Energy Commission Chairperson who died of Covid- 392) Which country was placed on top of World Risk 19: Dr. Sekhar Basu Index, being the riskiest country? Vanuatu 414) Which recently passed bill aims to remove cereals, 393) Which country was ranked as the safest country on pulses, oilseeds, onions and potatoes from the list of the World Risk Index? Qatar essential commodities? The Essential 394) Which state won theUnited Nations award for its Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 excellent contribution towards the non- 415) Which bill passed recently by the Parliament allows communicable diseases-related sustainable farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the development goals? Kerala country? Farmer’s Produce Trade and 395) The Antyodaya Diwas is celebrated to mark the Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, birth anniversary of which great philosopher, 2020 historian and political activist? Pandit Deendayal 416) A virtual bilateral summit was held between Prime Upadhyaya Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of 396) What is the theme for this year’s World Pharmacist which other country on 26 September? Sri Lanka Day? Transforming Global Health 417) Name the 17-year-old girl from Gujarat’s Surat who 397) FSSAI has made it mandatory to display “best has been appointed as Regional Ambassador for before date” wef Oct 1 on which products? Non- India by the United Nations Environment

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 96 Programme – Tunza Eco-Generation: 439) ______won the women's singles title in the KushiChindaliya Italian Open Tennis Tournament: Simona Halep 418) Alexander Lukashenko was sworn in as the 440) The Union Government announced an increase in President of which country for a record sixth term? the MSP of Wheat. What is the new MSP? Rs. Belarus 1975/qtl 419) Railways have planned for 100 percent 441) In a first, two women officers have been selected to electrification of its broad gauge routes by which join as ‘Observers’ in which stream of the Indian year? 2023 Navy? Fighter helicopters 420) Which day is observed on Sep 23 to raise awareness 442) The RBI has mandated banks to fully automate about the importance of sign language? classification and provisioning calculation process International Day of Sign Languages of which product? NPAs – Bad loans 421) Navies of India and ______conducted a two-day 443) Name the former union minister for Rural mega passage exercise in the Indian Ocean on Sep Development (2004-09) who passed away in New 23-24: Australia Delhi: Raghuvansh Prasad Singh 422) Which popular Bollywood actor has been named 444) Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is known as Father of among the world's 100 most influential people by which national flagship scheme? MNREGA the Time Magazine? Ayushman Khurana 445) World Ozone Day commemorates the signing of 423) Who won the Tour de France - the most prestigious ______Protocol on Substances that Deplete the and most difficult cycle race in the world? Ozone Layer, in 1987: Montreal TadejPogacar 446) The Ozone molecules are formed by how many 424) TadejPogacar hails from which country? Slovenia atoms of Oxygen?Three 425) Chief Minister of which state announced that the 447) The Ozone layer helps in protecting our ecosystem 'biggest' Film City in India will be built in his state? from which rays from Sun? Ultraviolet rays Uttar Pradesh 448) The Ozone layer is found in which layer of the 426) Which country accounts for the largest number of atmosphere? Stratosphere one horned Rhinos? India 449) The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of 427) Which Indian state is home to largest number of one Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 proposes how horned Rhinos? Assam much cut in salaries and allowncesfo MPs? 30 428) The National Forensic Sciences University Bill 2020 percent proposes to establish National Forensic Sciences 450) Managing Director of which bank has been University in which city? Gandhinagar conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by 429) Which university in Gujarat is to be upgraded as the Euromoney Awards of Excellence 2020? HDFC new Rashtriya Raksha University? Raksha Shakti Bank University 451) Who is the Managing Director of the HDFC Bank? 430) India successfully conducted the flight test of High- Aditya Puri speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) vehicle. 452) Name the 71 year old senior leader of the ruling What is its name? ABHYAS Liberal Democratic Party who has been elected as 431) The Konkan Railway delivered two modern Diesel- Japan's new Prime Minister: Yoshihide Suga Electric Multiple Unit (DMUC) trains to which 453) Lok Sabha passed the Banking Regulation country? Nepal (Amendment) Bill, 2020 on Sep 16 for what 432) A direct cargo ferry service between India and purpose? To bring Cooperative Banks’ ______commenced for the first time on Sep 21: regulation at par with other banks Maldives 454) Name the noted scholar of Indian classical dance, 433) Which UN Day has been observed for the first time art, architecture, and art history who passed away to highlight the importance of ending sexual recently? Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan discrimination in relation to gender pay gap? 455) Which public sector power engineering has entered International Equal Pay Day, Sep 18 into a MoU with the SwissRapide AG of Switzerland 434) The World Rose Day observed on Sep 18 is for development of Maglev Train projects in India? associated with which disease? Cancer BHEL - Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd 435) What is the theme of this year’s World Alzheimer’s 456) Which bank has tied up with Titan Watch Company Day? Let’s talk about dementia to launch contactless payment services through 436) Which International Day encourages people to rid watches, called ‘Titan Pay’? State Bank of India beaches of the garbage? The International 457) The latest edition of the World Bank’s annual Coastal Cleanup Day Human Capital Index, India has been placed at 437) The International Coastal Cleanup Day is observed which rank? 116th on which Saturday of September? Third 458) Which country secured the first rank in the World 438) Who won the men's singles title in the Italian Open Bank’s annual Human Capital Index? Singapore Tennis Tournament? Novak Djokovic 459) The World Patient Safety Day is observed on which

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 97 date to create a global awareness for patient safety? by ______to assist in the assessment of relief to September 17 bank borrowers: Rajiv Mehrishi 460) India's first exclusive private jet terminal was 479) Which country will host the meeting of Council of inaugurated at which international airport? Indira Heads of Government of Shanghai Cooperation Gandhi International Airport, Delhi Organisation, SCO on 29-30 November 2020: India 461) ______has become the first country in the world 480) Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, SCO is a to issue a Sovereign Sustainable Development Goals permanent inter-governmental international (SDGs) Bonds: Mexico organisation of how many countries? Eight 462) Which social media platform has teamed up with 481) Reliance Industries Ltd.’s market cap crossed which Common Services Centers (CSC) to launch a chatbot milestone on Sep 10? $ 200 billion for citizens to receive digital literacy services? 482) Who has been appointed as the Chairman of the Whatsapp National School of Drama, New Delhi? Paresh 463) Which global finance agency has assured two Rawal trillion dollars to India to develop green buildings, 483) National School of Drama is a premier national improve public transport and to expand renewable institute set up by which union ministry? Ministry sources of energy? International Finance of Culture Corporation 484) Which programme has been launchedfor making 464) World Bamboo Day is observed on September 18 the cities more walkable and pedestrian friendly? with the support of which organisation? World Streets for People Challenge Bamboo Organization 485) A National Evaluation Centre, ‘Parakh’ has been set 465) Which country is the largest producer of Bamboos up for overall improvement in the evaluation in the world? China system. What is full form of PARAKH? 466) Which state topped the first ever annual India Performance Assessment, Review/ and Analysis Happiness Report measuring national wellbeing of Knowledge for Holistic development and people’s happiness? Mizoram 486) What is the expansion of the acronym PISA, a 467) Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a diminutive yet programme associated with educational evaluation? towering women’s rights champion, passed away Programme for International Student recently. She was a senior justice in the Supreme Assessment Court of which country? USA 487) Name the veteran Arya Samaj leader and social 468) Armand Duplantis broke Sergey Bubka's 26-year- activist who passed away in New Delhi due to multi old outdoor world record in pole vault jumping. He organ failure: Swami Agnivesh is from which country? Sweden 488) Which is the second country, first being UAE, to 469) In the recently released Smart City Index 2020, normalise diplomatic ties with Israel? Bahrain which city secured the first rank? Singapore 489) Which country played the crucial role in bringing 470) The Centre has set up a high-level committee together Israel and Bahrain? USA headed by Ajay Tirkey to prepare a roadmap for 490) Which state topped the second edition of State regularisation of land leasing in which sector? Startup Rankings announced recently by the Agriculture government? Gujarat 471) What is the theme of this year’s International Day of 491) In the context of startups, what is a ‘unicorn’? A Peace? Shaping Peace Together privately held startup company with a current 472) International Day of Peace is celebrated on which valuation of $1 billion or more date? September 21 492) What is the name of the new dispute redressal 473) Name the 35 year old striker from Portugal who mechanism launched for the maritime sector? became just the second footballer to reach a century “SAROD-Ports” of goals for a national team: Christiano Ronaldo 493) In the name “SAROD-Ports”, what is the full form of 474) Which bank launched an international contactless SAROD? Society for Affordable Redressal of debit card, “Signature Visa Debit Card” for high net Disputes worth individuals? Bank of India 494) Which Bank launched a programme for startups 475) RBI has ceased the banking operations by which that takes care of their banking as well as beyond- Payments Bank? Aditya Birla Idea Payments banking needs? ICICI Bank Bank 495) To enforce uniform compliance practices across 476) Which state launched India’s first integrated air banks, RBI has asked banks to create which new ambulance service? Karnataka post? Chief Compliance Officer 477) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs 496) Which government department has launched a approved asset monetisation of subsidiaries of scheme called ‘Five Star Villages’? Department of which poer company? Power Grid Corporation of Posts India Ltd 497) What is the objective of the scheme called ‘Five Star 478) Government has constituted a committee chaired Villages’? To ensure universal coverage of

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 98 flagship postal schemes in rural areas 518) Loans up to Rs. ____ crore to the startups have now 498) The Union Cabinet approved a new policy for been covered under the Priority Sector Lending: 50 raising the cap of FDI in which sector from 49 per 519) All scheduled commercial banks in India are cent to 74 per cent? Defence required to allocate ______percent of their total 499) Country’s largest Piggery Mission worth Rs 209 lending to priority sector: 40 crore was rolled out on Sep 10 in which state? 520) Regional Rural Banks and Small Finance Banks are Meghalaya required to lend ______percent of their total lendings 500) India slipped 26 spots from last year on the Global to the priority sector: 70 Economic Freedom Index 2020, to be ranked at 521) Name the Indian Grandmaster who won the ______spot. 105th prestigious 48th Annual World Open online chess 501) Which country topped the Global Economic tournament: P Iniyan Freedom Index 2020? Hong Kong 522) What was the name of a two-day mega naval 502) UNICEF India has selected which Bollywood actor exercise conducted by the Indian and Russian as its advocate for the children’s rights campaign, navies in the Bay of Bengal on Sep 4-5: Indra Navy “For Every Child''? Ayushmann Khurrana 523) Which state topped the chart among all Indian 503) The World First Aid Day is celebrated on which States and Union Territories in the Business Reform Saturday of September? Second Action Plan (BRAP) 2019 rankings? Andhra 504) In the US Open Tennis Grand Slam in New York, Pradesh who won the men’s singles title? Dominic Thiem 524) Which organisation conducts the Business Reform of Austria Action Plan rankings? Department for Promotion 505) Who won the women’s singles title in the US Open of Industry and Internal Trade Tennis Grand Slam in New York? Japan's Naomi 525) The 5th BRICS Culture Ministers' Meeting was held Osaka through a video conference under the 506) Which national day is observed every year to Chairpersonship of which country? Russia remember the martyrs who laid their lives to 526) The first International Day of Clean Air for Blue protect forest resources? The National Forest Skies was celebrated in which year? 2020 Martyrs Day 527) India observes which month as the ‘PoshanMah’? 507) The National Forest Martyrs Day is observed on September which date? September 11 528) The often quoted court case on constitutional law, 508) In which year Hindi was adopted as another official was filed by the Swami Kesavananda Bharti against language of India? 1949 which state? Kerala 509) Which international day aims to promote the 529) SpaceX successfully sent 60 Starlink satellites into government's role in maintaining open democracy orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket for what purpose? among all the countries? International Day of To provide low cost internet services in remote Democracy areas 510) Engineer’s Day is observed to mark the birth 530) Which two telecom companies rebranded anniversary of which acclaimed civil themselves under a new brand identity 'Vi', read as engineer?Bharat RatanM Visvesvaraya ‘we’? Vodafone and Idea 511) Name the JDU MP who has been re-elected as the 531) India successfully flight tested HSTDV missile Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha: Harivansh technology on Sep 7. What is full form of HSTDV? Narayan Singh Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle 512) India has been elected as the member of which body 532) Which powerful typhoon damaged buildings, of the UN Economic and Social Council? flooded roads and knocked out power to thousands Commission on Status of Women of homes in South Korea? Haishen 513) The Times World University Rankings 2021 has 533) International Literacy Day is celebrated on which placed which university at the top rank? day? Sep 8 University of Oxford, UK 534) Dr. Govind Swarup, a noted scientist passed away in 514) With which country India finalised a deal to Pune. He worked in which field? Radio manufacture AK-47/203 rifles in India? Russia Astronomy 515) India will manufacture the AK-47/203 rifles in 535) Pierre Gaslyfrom the team Scuderia AlphaTauri, which of its ordnance factory? Korwa Ordnance won Italian Grand Prix 2020. He hails from which Factory, U P country? France 516) Teachers’ Day marks the birth anniversary of Dr 536) Which UN agency has announced that it will be Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He was the first leading the global procurement and supply of the ______of independent India: Vice President COVID-19 vaccine? UNICEF 517) International Day of Charity is celebrated to 537) The first-ever World Technology Summit was commemorate the birthday of which great scheduled on September 8 by which global personality? Mother Teressa organisation? International Solar Alliance

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 99 538) Which day is dedicated to raising awareness of the 562) S Krishnan has been appointed MD & CEO Of which risks of suicide and the challenges faced in trying to bank? Punjab & Sind Bank prevent suicide? World Suicide Prevention Day 563) What was the name of the one of the most 539) Which organisation confers the Indira Gandhi Peace powerful storms that struck a south eastern state of Prize? Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust the USA? Hurricane Laura 540) Who won the Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for 2019? 564) Hurricane Laura devastated which state of USA? David Attenborough Louosiana 541) David Attenborough is a noted personality from 565) Assam government signed an agreement with which field? Natural History which e-commerce platform to promote the state’s 542) What is the cash award of the Indira Gandhi Peace local artefacts and handloom products on its digital Prize? Rs. 25 lakh marketplace? Flipkart 543) The global under-five mortality rate declined by 59 566) The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) announced per cent, from 93 deaths per 1,000 live births in the setting up of ______new administrative circles: 1990 to ______in 2019. 38 Seven 544) The Levels & Trends in Child Mortality’ Report 2020 567) Which West Indies all-rounder became the first has been compiled by which UN agency? UNICEF bowler to pick up 500 wickets in T20 cricket? 545) As per a recent report from the National Sample Dwayne Bravo Survey, India’s overall literacy rate has improved to 568) What is the name of the toll- free helpline number ______percent: 77.7 1800-599-0019 launched for mental health 546) Which state has the lowest literacy rate as per a rehabilitation on August 27.Kiran recent report from the National Sample Survey? 569) What is the name of the Next Generation Startup Andhra Pradesh Challenge Contest launched to further boost 547) The World Bank approved a $82 million loan for the startups and software products? Chunauti implementation of the ______State Roads 570) What is the new enhanced amount of cash prize for Transformation Project: Himachal Pradesh Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award? Rs.25 lakh 548) Which state started the celebration of Himalayan 571) What is the new enhanced amount of cash prize for Day on Sep 9 in 2010? Uttarakhand Arjuna Award? Rs. 15 lakh 549) What is the theme for this year’s Himalayan Day? 572) Government has revised the cash award for the Himalayas and Nature Dhyan 550) Which organisation announced the EASE awards to Chand Award to what amount? Rs. 10 lakh reward the performance of public sector banks? 573) Prime Minister of which major economy resigned IBA – Indian Banks Associattion on health grounds? Japan 551) Which bank secured the first spot in the EASE 574) Name the SBI's senior-most managing director who Banking Reforms Index? Bank of Baroda has been appointed as the next chairman of the 552) The public sector banks recently launched Doorstep State Bank of India: Dinesh Kumar Khara Banking Services in how many cities?100 575) Government has launched a first-of-its-kind GIS- 553) Where are the headquarters of the World enabled national land bank portal for what Intellectual Property Organisation? Geneva, purpose? To help investors zero in on land Switzerland located in various states for potential projects 554) World Coconut Day is observed on which day of 576) International Booker Prize 2020 has been won by September? 2nd which Dutch author? Marieke Lucas Rijneveld 555) Which state is the largest producer of coconut in 577) Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan, the most successful India? Kerala men’s doubles pair in tennis history, 42 year old 556) Which major economy slipped into recession after identical twin brothers hail from which country? registering negative growth successively in two USA quarters? Australia 578) Reliance Industries Ltd announced the acquisition 557) Which country appointed Mustapha Adib as its of which retail chain for Rs 24,713 crore? Future Prime Minister? Lebanon Group (owner of Big Bazaar) 558) Who has been appointed as the first ever CEO of 579) International Day against Nuclear Tests is observed the Railway Board? Vinod Kumar Yadav on which date? August 29 559) Which country hosted the meeting of Foreign 580) A new Roll-on-Roll-off train service between Ministers of the G-20 Group in virtual mode? Saudi Nelamangala in Bengaluru to Bale railway station in Arabia Solapur in which state? Maharashtra 560) The trial run for a new inland water route from 581) Onam is apopular cultural festival of which state? Daudkandiin Bangladesh to Sonamura in ______Kerala started recently: Tripura 582) India was declared joint winner of the first ever 561) The new water way Dadukandi and Sonamura has Online FIDE Chess Olympiad, with which other been started through which river? Gumti country? Russia

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 100 583) The Indian economy contracted by massive ______601) Name the German professional sports club that won per cent in the April to June quarter (Q1 FY21) as the UEFA Champions League 2019-20: Bayern COVID-19 pandemic compressed consumer demand Munich and private investments: 23.9 602) Name the renowned Indian scientist, was given a 584) Pranab Mukherjee, former President of India passed two-year extension till August 2022 as the chairman away on August 31. He was ___ the President of of DRDO: G Satheesh Reddy India: 13th 603) Which state extended the Armed Forces (Special 585) The CSIR-CMERI has set up the world's largest solar Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in the state for six more tree at its residential colony in which city? months with effect from August 28? Assam Durgapur, West Bengal 604) Which England pacer became the first fast bowler in 586) Dr S. Padmavati, India’s first female and oldest history to take 600 Test wickets? James Anderson ______died at the age of 103. Cardiologist 605) Overall which bowler holds the world record for 587) What is the name of India's first Multi-Wavelength taking highest number of wickets? Muttiah Space Observatory which detected extreme-UV light Muralitharan from a galaxy located 9.3 billion light-years away 606) WHO has declared entire Africa free from wild from Earth? 'AstroSat' polio. Which was the last African country to get rid of Polio? Nigeria 588) The European Investment Bank is set to invest 607) Which are the only two countries in the world EUR650 million for the construction of first city where polio cases still occur? Pakistan and metro line of which city? Kanpur Afghanistan 589) The Union Cabinet approved the Mission Karmayogi 608) In its annual report released on August 25, the to lay the foundation for capacity building for Civil Reserve Bank has projected India's growth rate Servants. What is its formal name? National at ______for 2020-21: -4.5% Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building 609) Government has made ______mandatory to allow 590) Which organisation released the Global Innovation users to avail any discount at the highway toll Index? World Intellectual Property Organisation plazas across the country: FASTag AUGUST 2020 610) National Sports Day is celebrated every year on 591) SBI General Insurance launched a first-of-its-kind ______to mark the birthday of Major Dhyan insurance product. What is its name? Shagun – Chand: August 29 Gift an Insurance 611) Which day is observed every year to celebrate the 592) Amazon CEO became the first person in the world passage of the 19th Amendment in USA in 1878 that to hit a net worth of $200 million on August 26. provided voting rights to women? Women's Who is he? Jeff Bezos Equality Day, August 26 593) ______became the first bank in India to use 612) Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX), Mumbai satellite data—imagery from Earth observation launched the country’s first bullion index. What is satellites—to assess credit worthiness of its name? Bulldex farmers. ICICI Bank 613) Who has been appointed as the Managing Director 594) Sanjiv Singh, former Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) of the State Bank of India? Ashwani Bhatia chairman has joined Reliance Industries in what 614) Name the legendary South African all-rounder who capacity? President for the firm's oil-to- has been inducted into the International Cricket chemicals business Council’s Hall of Fame: JaqueKallis 595) NITI Aayog released the Export Preparedness Index 615) Lisa Sthalekar is the first player to achieve the (EPI) 2020. Which state topped the Index? Gujarat double of 2000 runs and 100 wickets in 596) Neelakanta Bhanu Prakash, the 20-year-old boy Women's ODIs. She plays for which from ______won the ‘World's Fastest Human country? Australia Calculator' title: Hyderabad 616) What is the name of the GPS based mobile app 597) The Indian Air Force launched a mobile app to launched to monitor the plantation along the provide career-related information and guidance to national highways? 'Harit Path' the people who wish to join the Indian Air Force. 617) Which international Bank approved a loan of $ 500 What is its name? My IAF million for the Mumbai Urban Transport Project- 598) What is the title of the latest novel by Chetan III? Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Bhagat? One Arranged Murder 618) Where are the headquarters of the Asian 599) Name the former Deputy Governor of RBI who has Infrastructure Investment Bank? Beijing authored the book titled “Quest for Restoring 619) Who is the President of the Asian Infrastructure Financial Stability in India”: Viral V. Acharya Investment Bank? JinLiqun 600) Which union minister has authored the book titled 620) The Reserve Bank of India has extended a _____ “The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World”? million dollar currency swap facility to the Central Union Minister for External Affairs, Dr. S Bank of ______till November 2022: 400; Sri Lanka Jaishankar

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 101 621) Which state will host the fourth edition of the Khelo headed by ______: K Kasturirangan, former India Youth Games, 2021? Haryana ISRO chief 622) India handed over ten broad-gauge diesel 643) Which PG programme has been discontinued as per locomotives to which country in July last week? the new NEP? M Phil Bangladesh 644) The new NEP has decided to do away with board 623) Which Ministry launched the mobile app "Mausam” exam for which class? 10th for the India Meteorological Department? Ministry 645) The new NEP has divided total schooling structure, of Earth Sciences from pre-nursery to class 12 in to how many 624) Archana Sorengfrom India has been named by UN stages? Four Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to his new 646) The ‘Foundation Stage’ will cover students of which advisory group comprising young leaders. She age group? 3 to 8 years works in which field? Climate conservation 647) Students of class 3 to 5 have been classified in 625) Which country has honoured Kala Narayanasamy which stage? Preparatory Stage with the President’s Award for Nurses for serving 648) The ‘Middle Stage’ will comprise of students of on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic? which age group? 11 to 14 years Singapore 649) What is the name given to the stage comprising of 626) India has extended medical assistance worth about students of 9 to 12 class? Secondary Stage $1 million to which country in response to a request 650) The first batch of five Rafale jets landed on July 29 received from the WHO? North Korea in which Air Force base? Ambala, Haryana 627) Which city is the capital of North Korea? Pyongyang 651) What is the name of the 17 squadron of Indian Air 628) This year is the ______anniversary of Kargil Vijay Force that will host Rafale jets? Golden Arrows Diwas. 21st 652) What is the name of the French firm that supplied 629) Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on which date? Rafale jets to India? Dassault 26th July 653) What is the name of India’s first solar-powered 630) World ______Day is observed on July 28 to raise ferry that won the prestigious Gustave Trouve awareness about which disease? Hepatitis Award for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating? 631) Who invented the diagnostic test and vaccine for Aditya the Hepatitis? Dr Baruch Blumberg, USA 654) What is the name of the Mars rover launched 632) Which International Day is observed to increase recently by NASA? Perseverance awareness about the best practices to protect our 655) Niti Aayog’s AIM joined hands with Gates natural resources? World Nature Conservation Foundation to launch AIM-iCREST for what Day purpose? For enhancement of incubator 633) World Nature Conservation Day is celebrated across capabilities the world on which day? 28thJuly 656) What is the full form of AIM? Atal Innovation 634) The world celebrated Global / International Tiger Mission Day on which date? July 29 657) ISRO is allowing the private players to set up their 635) The India Report on Digital Education, 2020 was own launch pad at SHAR. What is the full form of released on July 29. Name any two prominent SHAR? Sriharikota Launch Centre digital initiatives in education: DIKSHA platform, 658) The Sriharikota Launch Centre is located in which Swayam Prabha TV Channel state? Andhra Pradesh 636) IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism 659) Hardik Satishchandra Shah has been appointed as Corporation) has launched its new co-branded the Private Secretary (PS) to which apex authority? Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform with Prime Minister which card company? SBI Cards 660) Which district in Chhattisgarh has topped the list of 637) HichemMechichi has been appointed as the new aspirational districts ranked by Niti Aayog? Bijapur Prime Minister of Tunisia. Where is this country? In 661) How many districts are there in the Transformation North Africa of Aspirational Districts programme? 115 638) Which union ministry launched a mobile app named 662) Which union ministry won the SKOCH award for its ‘BIS-Care’? Ministry of Consumer Affairs “Empowerment of Tribals through IT enabled 639) Which quality certification mark is used in India for Scholarship Schemes” project? Ministry of Tribal gold jewellery? Hallmark affairs 640) The ISI mark is a standards-compliance mark for 663) Which apex Financial Institution has launched a ______products in India since 1955: Industrial one-stop knowledge portal named as 641) The Cabinet has approved changing the name of the “MSMESaksham” in association with TransUnion Human Resources Development Ministry to CIBIL? SIDBI ______: Education Ministry 664) ______became the first country in the Arab World 642) The new National Education Policy has been to produce nuclear energy as its Barakah Nuclear developed on the recommendations of the panel Power Plant became operational? UAE – United

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 102 Arab Emirates 683) Which apex body plans to set up an Innovation Hub 665) The Government clarified that any FDI in in order to promote innovation across the finance commercial coal mining from an entity of a country sector in India by leveraging on technology? RBI ______will have to go through the government 684) Dr. Pradeep Kumar Joshi has been appointed as the route: That shares land border with India Chairman of which apex organisation of India? 666) The Union Defence Ministry has formed which Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) policy to provide a significant thrust to India’s 685) Which Indian company has tied up with US based defence production capabilities? Defence Novavax for the development and Production and Export Promotion Policy, 2020 commercialization of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine 667) Mohamed Irfaan Ali has been elected as the candidates in India: Serum Institute of India, President of Guyana. Where is this country? On the Pune northern edge of the South American continent 686) The Forest Department of ______has developed 668) Name the new scheme launched by KVIC to make a Green Ramayana Park in Haldwani: Uttarakhand India Aatmanirbhar in Agarbatti (incense sticks) 687) For the first in India as well as the Indian ocean production: Khadi AgarbattiAatmanirbhar region, two coastal villages of ______have been Mission declared ‘Tsunami-Ready’ by the Intergovernmental 669) Ajay Tyagi, Chairman of markets regulator SEBI was Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO: in news recently for what reasons? He was given Odisha 18 month extension 688) International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 670) Who has been appointed as the new Lt Governor of is celebrated on August 9. What is its popular short Jammu & Kashmir? Manoj Sinha name? World Tribal Day 671) Which Indian brand has been ranked second biggest 689) Name the India’s biggest public sector power brand after Apple on the FutureBrand Index 2020? producer which achieved over 100 billion units of Reliance Industries Ltd. cumulative generation in the current financial year: 672) There are total how many IIMs in India? 20 NTPC 673) Which bank launched Automated Voice Assistant 690) Which state has become the first state in the ‘AXAA’, an Artificial Intelligence powered country to tie up with Google to provide online conversational voice BOT? Axis Bank education to all the school students in the state? 674) What is the name of the country's first Kisan Special Maharashtra Parcel Train, flagged off from Deolali in 691) The International Cricket Council has confirmed Maharashtra? Kisan Rail that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 that was 675) Who has been appointed as the new Comptroller postponed due to Covid-19 will now be held in and Auditor General of the country? Girish ______in 2022: Australia Chandra Murmu 692) The 2021 edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 676) Hiroshima Day is celebrated to mark the dropping will be hosted by which country? India of nuclear bomb on the city. This incident occurred 693) RBI has set up an expert committee under the in which year? 1945 chairmanship of ______to oversee the 677) Celebration of National Handloom Day on August 7 resolution of NPAs created by COVID-19: K V coincides with the launch of which national Kamath movement? Swadeshi Movement in 1905 694) A 2313 kilometer submarine opticalfibre cable 678) Swadeshi Movement was launched in 1905 to network has been laid between______and protest against which decision of British Viceroy? Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Chennai Partition of Bengal 695) World Bio-fuel Day is celebrated on which date? 679) RBI has prohibited banks from opening ______August 10 accounts for customers who have availed cash 696) Name the three most popular bio-fuels: Ethanol, credit or overdraft facilities, with a view to improve Biodiesel and Biogas credit discipline: Current 697) What is the theme for the World Bio-fuel Day this 680) The railways has decided to end a colonial-era year in India? Biofuels Towards Atmanirbhar practice of appointing ______who worked at the Bharat residences of senior officials: Khalasis or 698) Nation Deworming Day is observed twice every bungalow peons year, on August ____ and on February ____. 10 and 681) India has contributed $15.46 million to the India- 10 UN ______Fund for supporting developing nations 699) Which leading digital payment service provider in their developmental priorities: Development recently launched an Android-based, pocket-sized Partnership portable point of sale (PoS) device? Paytm 682) Which institute won the first prize in the Smart 700) Which state has signed an MoU with e-commerce India Hackathon (SIH) 2020? Defence Institute of major, Flipkart to promote its One District, One Advanced Technology, Pune Product scheme? Uttar Pradesh 701) Which state has decided to provide urban

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 103 forestland to the tribals and other traditional forest- 722) Atal Innovation Mission rolled out the second dwellers for household purposes? Chhattisgarh edition of Student Entrepreneurship Programme 702) Which Municipal Corporation became the first (SEP 2.0) in collaboration with which IT giant? Dell urban body in the country to provide land Technologies entitlement in city’s forests to the urban tribals? 723) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched which Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh project to promote indigenisation initiatives with 703) Name the Indonesia’s major volcano that erupted focus on innovation in Indian Navy? Naval once again on August 10, spewing a massive tower Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation of smoke and ash into the sky: Mount Sinabung 724) India approved a $500-million package to help the 704) World Elephant Day is celebrated on which date? ______build a connectivity project: Maldives August 12 725) Ministry of Defence launched which portal as a ‘one 705) What is the name of the COVID-19 vaccine launched stop online shop’ that provides access to the by Russia? Sputnik V vendors to take up items that can be taken up for 706) Reliance Industries Ltd. became the first Indian indigenization? SRIJAN company to figure in the top 100 in the Fortune 726) Which organisation approved the transfer of 57,128 Global 500 list. What is its rank? 96th crore rupees as surplus to the central government 707) The Fortune Global 500 list of top corporate is for the accounting year 2019-20? RBI topped by which company? Walmart Group 727) Which country successfully tested its advanced 708) What is the name of the National Portal on human missile defence system, “Arrow-2”? Israel elephant conflict (HEC) launched recently? 728) Three products - sweet dish ‘Khaje’, spicy Surakhsya HarmalChilli and Mandoli Banana, of which state 709) Walter Roger Martos Ruiz has been appointed as have been granted GI tag? Goa the new Prime Minister of a South American 729) Which day strives to motivate people to donate Country. Can you name it? Peru their healthy and precious organs after death to 710) Mohamed Ould Bilal has been appointed as the new save lives? World Organ Donation Day ______of Mauritania, a country in Western Africa: 730) Prime Minister announced the launching of which Prime Minister completely technology-based health initiative on 711) Who has been chosen as Vice Presidential candidate Independence Day? National Digital Health by the Democratic Party Presidential candidate of Mission USA, Joe Biden? Kamala Harris 731) ISRO in collaboration with which institute has 712) ______launched its new "People Cards" feature developed a sustainable process to make space in India that let users create their virtual visiting bricks on the lunar surface? IISc, Bengaluru card: Google 732) M S Dhoni will be remembered always for his 713) What is the name of the new income tax reform ______ICC World Cup victory. 2011 package launched recently by the Prime Minister? 733) Following the footsteps of Dhoni, which other Transparent Taxation - Honouring The Honest leading cricketer announced his retirement? 714) Who is the only Indian to figure in the top 10 Suresh Raina highest paid male actors in recent Forbes list? 734) Government approved a proposal of the National Akshay Kumar Cadet Corps to expand in to ______coastal and 715) Name the first Indian private firm to successfully border districts. 173 test fire an upper stage space rocket engine: 735) The NCC was raised in which year? 1948 SkyrootAerspace, Hyderabad 736) Where are the headquarters of NCC? New Delhi 716) What is the name of the India’s first rocket engine 737) Name the former Indian cricketer and Uttar launched by a private firm? Raman Pradesh minister who passed away recently. 717) Government has allowed the sale and registration of Chetan Chauhan electric vehicles without ______: Pre-fitted 738) ISRO has decided to name a crater on Moon after batteries which great scientist? Vikram Sarabhai 718) What is the name of the indigenously built Offshore 739) The Central Government is planning to launch Patrol Vessel (OPV) hat was formally inducted in Project ______and Project ______to replicate the the Indian Coast Guard at the Goa Shipyard? ICGS success of Project Tiger. Lion; Dolphin Sarthak 740) Who has been appointed as the Director General of 719) Israel recently revived its diplomatic relations with Border Security Force? Rakesh Asthana which country? UAE 741) Name the legendary Indian classical vocalist who 720) RBI has decided to introduce a mechanism of passed away at his home in New Jersey, USA. ‘Positive Pay’ for all cheques of value Rs ______Pandit Jasraj and above. 50,000 742) Who has been appointed as the new Governor of 721) Which Indian bank has already been following Meghalaya? Satya Pal Malik ‘Positive Pay’ system? ICICI Bank 743) What is the name of the e-portal launched for

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 104 promoting health of tribals? Swasthya Photography Day 744) Prime Minister Modi announced launch of mega 765) Which day is celebrated to commemorate the programme OSOWOG for what purpose? birthday (August 20) of Rajiv Gandhi who served as Promoting solar energy Prime Minister from 1984 -89? SadbhavnaDiwas 745) What is the full form of OSOWOG? One Sun, One 766) World Senior Citizens Day is observed across the World, One Grid world on which day of August? 21st 746) Which Bank launched a first-of–its-kind product for 767) Techgentsia Software, a startup won the national the armed forces called ‘Shaurya KGC Card’? HDFC competition to develop Indian video conferencing Bank solution. What is its name? Vconsole 747) Which institute has retained its number-one 768) Which film won the first prize in an Online Short position in the list of top innovative educational Film Contest on Patriotism organized by the institutes in India? IIT Madras Ministry of Information and Broadcasting? Am I? 748) Which bank has waived SMS charges in addition to 769) Name the former finance secretary who has been its penalty waiver on non-maintenance of minimum appointed as the new Election Commissioner. Rajiv balance? State Bank of India Kumar 749) RBI has unveiled the framework for setting up pan- 770) Who headed the Selection Committee for the India Umbrella Entity for which financial segment? National Sports Awards 2020? Justice (Retd.) Retail Payments Mukundakam Sharma 750) Keith Rowley has been re-elected as the Prime 771) How many sportspersons have been awarded Rajiv Minister of which island nation? Trinidad & Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for 2020? Five Tobago 772) Name the para athlete who has been selected for 751) The Central Water Commission (CWC) of India has this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: tied up with which global IT company to undertake Mariyappan flood forecasting initiatives? Google 773) Which national sports award is given for 752) Which country has launched a Pound 3-million outstanding performance by coaches? “Innovation Challenge Fund” in India? Britain Dronacharya Award 753) Which bank has approved a loan of $1 billion for 774) Which corporate entity has been selected for the construction of Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Rashtriya Khel ProtsahanPuruskar for Transit System? Asian Development Bank encouragement to sports through Corporate Social 754) What is the name of the new body to be set up for Responsibility? Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, conducting CET for recruitment to Grade B & C ONGC posts? National Recruitment Agency - NRA 775) Which university won the Maulana Abul Kalam 755) The NRA will initially replace 3 recruiting agencies. Azad Trophy for overall top performing university Which are these agencies? Staff Selection in inter-university tournaments? Panjab Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Board University, Chandigarh (RRB) and IBPS 776) Which IT company launched its job search app 756) The score of the CET will be valid for how much named ‘Kormo Jobs’ in India? Google period? Three years 777) Government launched “Swadeshi Microprocessor 757) Which city has been awarded as the cleanest city in Challenge- Innovate Solutions for #Aatmanirbhar the country in the Swachh Survekshan 2020 Bharat '' for developing products based on which awards? Indore two microprocessors? SHAKTI (32 bit) and VEGA 758) ______has been awarded as the cleanest capital city (64 bit) in the country: New Delhi 778) Where in USA widespread wildfires burned nearly 759) Which city was awarded for being the cleanest city one million acres statewide in a week and among the cities with over 40 lakh population? destroyed hundreds of homes? California Ahmedabad 779) Ronnie O’Sullivanof England is a six time world 760) Which country has ranked first in the world in champion in which sports? Snooker terms of number of organic farmers? India 780) The Uttar Pradesh government signed a MoU with 761) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) ______for improving water management in the approved Fair and Remunerative Price of sugarcane Bundelkhand region of the state: Israel at Rs. ____ per quintal? 285 781) Which country has discovered 320 billion cubic 762) Which one of the remotest and easternmost parts of meters of natural gas, the biggest-ever natural gas the country, has recently been connected with 2 G reserve in the Black Sea? Turkey mobile connectivity? Vijaynagar 782) As per the new announcement made by the Finance 763) World Humanitarian Day is observed on which Ministry, businesses with annual turnover up to Rs. date? August 19 ______lakh will be exempted from GST: 40 764) Which global day is observed on August 19 to pay 783) India’s longest cable ropeway running for nearly 2 tribute to art and science of photography? World km over Brahmaputra River has been started in

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 105 which city? Guwahati outstanding contribution in which field? Official JULY 2020 Statistics 784) India celebrates National Statistics Day on which 806) Who has been selected for the first Prof. P C date? June 29 Mahalanobis Award? C. Rangarajan 785) National Statistics Day is celebrated to pay respects 807) Which union ministry has instituted Prof. P C to which great Indian statistician? Dr P C Mahalanobis Award? Ministry of Statistics and Mahalanobis Programme Implementation (MoSPI) 786) Govt of India recently banned how many China 808) Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju launched the mobile based mobile apps? 59 app named “NADA App”. What is the full form of 787) The 59 apps have been banned under the NADA? National Anti-Doping Agency provisions of which Indian law? Information and 809) On July 1 Indian Railways achieved which milestone Technology Act, 2000 for the first time in its history? Running all trains 788) Which union ministry launched “PM Formalization on time of Micro Food Processing Enterprises” (PM FME) 810) Which apex body has launched a new scheme called scheme on 29th June? Ministry for Food ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ to provide a single platform for Processing Industries research internships? The Science and 789) Who is the present Attorney General for India? K K Engineering Research Board Venugopal 811) Name the senior diplomat who has been appointed 790) Why K K Venugopal was in news recently? His term as the next Ambassador and Permanent has been extended by one year Representative of India to various UN Offices and 791) Who is the current Solicitor General of other International Organisations in Geneva? Indra India? Tushar Mehta Mani Pandey 792) Government has extended the term of Tushar 812) Who is India’s Ambassador and Permanent Mehta by how many years? Three Representative to UNO headquarters? T S 793) The World Bank approved two loans, $50 million Tirumurti and $200 million for the Tamil Nadu Government 813) People of which country voted in majority to for what purpose? To provide access to approve constitutional reforms that could keep affordable housing to low-income groups their President in power until 2036? Russia 794) Forest department of which state has developed 814) Who is the current President of Russia? Vladimir India’s first lichen park in Kumaon’sMunsiyari Putin Park? Uttarakhand 815) Indian government has extended AFSPA for another 795) India and ______signed a pact for the construction six months till December, 2020 in which of the 600 MW Kholongchu Hydroelectric state? Nagaland project: Bhutan 816) What is the full form of AFSPA? Armed Forces 796) The 600 MW Kholongchu Hydroelectric project is (Special Powers) Act, 1958 being built on which river? Kholongchu 817) Which international institution announced $400 797) Lazarus Chakwera has been elected as the new million support for India's program to rejuvenate President of Malawi. It is in which continent? the Ganga river and stem pollution in the Africa river? World Bank 798) Micheal Martin has been elected as new Prime 818) Shrikant Madhav Vaidya has been appointed as the Minister of which country? Ireland new chairman of which apex Maharatna 799) On which date India celebrates National Doctor's company? Indian Oil Corporation Day? July 01 819) Who has been appointed as the new CEO of Central 800) National Doctor's Day commemorates the birthday Board of Films Certification (CBFC)? Ravinder of which great Indian physician? Dr. Bidhan Bhakar Chandra Roy 820) Who has been named as the India’s ‘Most Valuable 801) National Postal Worker Day is observed on which Player’ of the 21st century by Wisden? Ravindra day of July? First Jadeja 802) Which apex Indian institute has launched the 821) Which bank launched an all-in-one app ‘e- world's first ever online B.Sc. degree in KisaanDhan’ to meet all banking and farming Programming and Data Science? IIT, Madras requirements of farmers? HDFC Bank 803) Which global FI has announced a $750 million 822) In which country, at least 162 people were killed in MSME Emergency Response Program to increase a massive landslide at a Jade mine in the flow of funds to MSMEs in India? World Bank Hpakant? Myanmar 804) Gudni Th. Johannesson has been re-elected as the 823) India's first plasma bank was inaugurated in which ______of Iceland for a second four-year city? New Delhi term: President 824) Jean Castex has been appointed as the new Prime 805) Prof. P C Mahalanobis Award is given for the Minister of which country? France

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 106 825) The RBI issued operational guidelines for the Rs purpose? For funding renewable energy projects 30,000-crore special liquidity facility for ______in India companies: Non-banking finance 845) What is the name butterfly that has been named as 826) In keeping with its spirit to give a fillip to Indian India’s largest butterfly? Himalayan Golden languages, All India Radio started the broadcast of Birdwing its first ever news magazine programme in ______846) If you want to see the Himalayan Golden Birdwing language from June 4: Sanskrit butterfly, which place you will have to 827) Which country has passed a legislation to end coal- visit? Didihat town in district Pithoragarh, fired power generation by 2038? Germany Uttarakhand 828) The government plans to launch TOPS for the junior 847) The Paris Agreement on climate control was athletes also. What ois the full form of entered in which year? 2015. TOPS? Target Olympic Podium Scheme 848) The Paris Agreement 2015 was entered into under 829) Name the former world number one badminton the aegis of UNFCCC. Write full form of player, two-times Olympic (2008 and 2012) UNFCCC: United Nations Framework Convention champion from China, who announced his on Climate Change retirement from the sport: Lin Dan 849) The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has 830) NLC India Ltd and ______have joined hands signed an agreement with which apex body for data to develop solar and thermal power assets to the exchange and sharing of information between the tune of 5000 MW in India: Coal India Ltd. two organisations? Securities and Exchange 831) Which state created a new record on July 5 by Board of India (SEBI) planting more than 25 crore saplings in a single 850) WHO has declared which two South East Asian day? Uttar Pradesh nations free from Measles and Rubella? Sri Lanka 832) What is the name of the India’s first social media and Maldives super app which has been created by more than 851) What is the name of the special insurance policy 1000 IT professionals? Elyments approved by IRDAI for covering Corona 833) Ennio Morricone, Oscar-winning film composer, cases? CoranaKavach who composed music for over 500 films, passed 852) India celebrates National Fish Farmers’ Day on away recently. He hailed from which country? Italy which date? July 10 834) Which Bank announced its plans to offer instant 853) In which country world’s first Fish Cryobank is auto loans called ZipDrive to its customers in 1,000 being established? India cities? HDFC Bank 854) Which ministry launched Aatamanirbhar Skilled 835) ______has become the first state in India where Employee-Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal to 100% households have LPG gas help skilled people find sustainable livelihood connections: Himachal Pradesh opportunities. Ministry of Skill Development and 836) Valtteri Bottas, winner of the season’s first F1 race, Entrepreneurship the Austrian Grand Prix 2020, hails from which 855) Which is the first Arab country that has sent a country? Finland probe to Mars? UAE 837) ______Tourism launched “IntzaarAap Ka” 856) As per the Global Real Estate Transparency Index, campaign on social media platforms to attract India has been placed at which rank? 34th tourists in the state. Madhya Pradesh 857) Which country secured the top spot in the Global 838) Name the veteran actor and comedian known for Real Estate Transparency Index? United Kingdom his role as “SoormaBhopali” in blockbuster “Sholay”, 858) The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has who passed away in Mumbai: Jagdeep entered into a partnership with which global 839) G Akash from ______became India’s 66th Chess organisation for clean energy development? The Grandmaster: Chennai U.S. Agency for International Development 840) Name the American wrestler-turned-actor, who has (USAID) been named Instagram’s highest-paid celebrity 859) Which UN special agency supports the celebrations recently: Dwayne Johnson of the World Population Day on July 11? United 841) The National Skill Development Corporation Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) (NSDC) has partnered with ______to offer 860) The 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook is what type of digital skills to India’s youth in the next 12 months helicopter? Heavy lift cargo helicopter amid the COVID-19 crisis: Microsoft 861) What is the name of the most advanced multirole 842) One of the largest single-site solar power plants in attack helicopter acquired by India from Boeing? Asia is being established in Rewa in which AH-64E Apache state? Madhya Pradesh 862) Lee Hsien Loong has been re-elected as the Prime 843) The Indian Railways has decided to run how many Minister of which country? Singapore tarins by private operators? 151 863) ______has become the first nation to 844) AIIB has given $50 million loan to L&T for what successfully complete the human trials of COVID

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 107 vaccine. Russia capital acquisition up to Rs _____ crore: 300 864) Which apex body has approached all IITs, NITs to 884) ______has successfully launched “APSTAR-6D” collaborate and adopt nearby stretches of National telecommunication satellite onboard its Long March Highways on voluntary basis as part of Institutional 3B carrier rocket: China Social Responsibility? National Highway 885) Name the NGO that gives away the Global Authority of India Humanitarian Award: World Humanitarian Drive, 865) Who is the Chairman of the National Highway London Authority of India? Sukhbir Singh Sandhu 886) Which country has allowed India access to its 866) Dr. Vidhu P. Nair has been appointed as the next Mongla and Chattogram ports for trade Ambassador of India to which purposes? Bangladesh country? Turkmenistan 887) Which three India states will benefit from the 867) Which IIT has developed an Ultraviolet (UV) opening of the Mongla and Chattogram sanitizing product named SHUDH? IIT Kanpur ports? Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura 868) Which state has emerged on top in implementing 888) In which state the NISHTHA programme of central the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar government was launched for the first time in Nidhi-PM Swa Nidhi scheme for providing easy virtual mode? Andhra Pradesh finance to the street vendors? Madhya Pradesh 889) What is the full form of the acronym 869) Maximum how much loan can be given to a street NISHTHA? National Initiative for School Heads vendor under the PM SwaNidhi? 10, 000/- and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement 870) Which global IT giant has announced to invest $10 890) The NISHTHA project is the part of which major billion for promotion of digital India? Google educational programme? Samagra Shiksha 871) Andrzej Duda has been re-elected as the ______of Abhiyan Poland for another term of five years. President 891) India has entered into the Bilateral Air Bubbles 872) Which Maharatna energy corporate has been arrangement with USA, France and Germany. It is awarded with the prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability for what purpose? To facilitate mutual Award 2019? NTPC Ltd international flights 873) The Supreme Court has upheld the rights of which 892) The Rail Coach Factory, ______launched a new family in running the administration of Sree state-of-the-art, ‘Post COVID Coach’ in an effort to Padmanabhaswamy Temple? Travancore royal prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus family infection: Kapurthala, Punjab 874) Sree-Padmanabhaswamy Temple, reportedly the 893) Union HRD Ministry released ‘PRAGYATA’ richest temple of world, is located at which guidelines for what purpose? To set the place? Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala guidelines for digital education by schools 875) Shark Awareness Day is observed on which day of 894) The country’s “first cable-stayed” railway bridge – July? July 14th the magnificent Anji Khad Bridge is being built 876) Which UN special agency supports the celebration across which river? Chenab of World Youth Skills Day on July 15? UNESCO - 895) Which Sub-Division Office of South Central Railway United Nations Educational, Scientific and has bagged the Water Heroes Award? Ongole Cultural Organization 896) Name India’s richest woman who became the first 877) Which Indian bureaucrat has been appointed as the woman to head a listed Indian IT company: Roshni vice president of the Asian Development Nadar Bank? Ashok Lavasa 897) Roshni Nadar has become chairperson of which 878) Where is the head office of the Asian Development major IT company? HCL Technologies, Gurugram Bank? Manila, Philippines 898) Which International Day is observed on July 17 to 879) Who is the President of ADB? Masatsugu Asakawa highlight the work of the International Criminal 880) K Sivan has been honoured with the Von Karman Court? World Day for International Justice Award 2020. He heads which organisation? ISRO 899) The International Criminal Court is located at which 881) Latest data released by the Union Ministry of place? The Hague, Netherlands Commerce shows that the ______has emerged 900) In which year Nelson Mandela dethroned white as India's top trading partner for the second Europeans from South Africa and became first Black consecutive fiscal year in 2019-20: United States of President of South Africa? 1994 America 901) DRDO has developed the P7 Heavy Drop System 882) Low-cost test kit “Corosure”, claimed to be the capable of para dropping military stores of up to 7- world’s most affordable diagnostic kit for ton weight from which military cargo aircraft? IL coronavirus, has been developed by which IIT of 76 ‘Gajraj’ India? Delhi 902) India opened a new Land Customs Station at Ahllay, 883) The Defence Acquisition Council has delegated Pasakha to promote trade with which powers to armed forces for expediting urgent country? Bhutan

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 108 903) Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a virtual 921) NITI Aayog launched which project on June 24 to keynote address on July 17 at which high-level develop a low-carbon transport system in the segment of the United Nations? Economic and country? Decarbonising Transport in India Social Council 922) The government introduced a Rs. _____ crore Animal 904) Which Bollywood actor has been chosen as the Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund for ambassador of the Toronto International Film infrastructure related development in animal Festival (TIFF) 2020? Priyanka Chopra Jonas husbandry, dairy and livestock related enterprises: 905) India ranks ______in the list of most-suitable 15,000/- locations for global manufacturing among 48 923) The IMF has predicted that the global economy will countries in terms of cost competitiveness and shrink by _____ per cent this year: 4.9 operating conditions: Third 924) Which major European country has decided to ban 906) Which country topped the Global Manufacturing the sale of single-use plastic straws, cotton buds Risk Index, 2020? China and food containers, as well as polystyrene cups 907) CBSE has integrated a new Artificial Intelligence and boxes by July 3, 2021? Germany (AI) course for class XI and XII in the current 925) The union cabinet approved the move to bring all academic year 2020-21 in collaboration with which urban cooperative banks and multi-state IT major? IBM, New York cooperative banks under the supervision of 908) Which state government plans to convert waste ______? Reserve Bank of India generated in the state into electricity through 926) Which state has launched a scheme to procure cow ‘Waste to Energy’ initiative? Uttarakhand dung from livestock owners at a fixed procurement JUNE 2020 rate? Chhattisgarh 909) World Asteroid Day is observed on June 30 to 927) Which state won the first prize under e-Panchayat commemorate the crashing of a huge asteroid in Puraskar-2020 scheme of the Union Ministry of ______in Siberia on this day in 1908? Panchayati Raj? Himachal Pradesh Tunguska 928) The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of 910) What is the name of the Advanced Torpedo Decoy Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization System inducted in the Indian Navy? Maareech Centre (IN-SPACe) for what purpose? To 911) FIFA announced the hosting rights for the Women's encourage the participation of the private sector World Cup 2023 jointly to which country? in the entire range of space activities Australia and New Zealand 929) Which international day is observed on June 25 to 912) The world’s first yoga university outside India has pay respect to sailors around the world for the been launched in which city? Los Angeles, USA valuable services rendered by them? Day of the 913) What is the name of the behaviour change campaign Seafarer launched by the NITI Aayog recently in partnership 930) Who was Wajid Khan, a noted Bollywood with several other agencies? Navigating the New personality, who passed away recently at a young Normal age of 42 years? Popular music composer, with 914) Which multi governmental organisation supports brother Sajid Khan the celebration of Micro, Small and Medium-sized 931) On which date UNO supports the celebration of Enterprises Day on June 27? United Nations Global Day of Parents? June01 Organisation - UNO 932) To highlight the importance of milk in our diet, we 915) International Widows Day is observed on which day celebrate World Milk Day on which day of June? of June? 23rd First 916) Why June 23 has been selected to be celebrated as 933) What is the theme of this year’s Global Day of World Olympic Day?The day marks the birth of Parents? “Honour Your Parents” the Modern Olympic Movement in 1894 934) Ms. Gaitri I. Kumar has been appointed as the next 917) The German Book Trade has chosen which Indian High Commissioner of India to which country? Nobel laureate for its Peace Prize 2020? Amartya United Kingdom Sen 935) Government launched PM SVANidhi, a special 918) Moody’s Investors Service in its Global Macro micro-credit facility scheme for providing Outlook (2020-21) has projected the Indian affordable loans to which category of people? economy to shrink by _____ in the fiscal year 2020: Street Vendors 3.1% 936) What is the full form of the newly launched micro 919) Which institution has created Indian GPS credit scheme PM SVANidhi? Pradhan Mantri beneficiary chip "Dhruva"? IIT Bombay Street Vendor’s Atmanirbhar Nidhi 920) Name the veteran journalist, former Member of 937) What is the maximum amount of loan available Parliament and founder member of the Press Club under PM SVANidhi scheme? Rs. 10,000/- of India, who passed away at the age of 94. Vishwa 938) What is the name of the disinfection unit developed Bandhu Gupta by the DRDO especially for disinfecting Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), electronics items,

GYANM GENERAL AWARENESS – JANUARY 2021 109 fabrics and others? Ultra Swachh ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION FORM 939) Which private company became the first space company to send two astronauts from the Earth to FOR SOFT COPY ONLY the International Space Station? SpaceX (Only Online Mode) 940) Which country recently faced nationwide street TO SUBSCRIBE THE MAGAZINE protests over the death of a non white person by a WhatsApp or SMS TO 09646888377 white police man? USA SUBSCRIPTION PERIOD: ONLY 12 MONTHS 941) What is the name of the black man whose death in FROM (MONTH) …………………..TO……………. (MONTH) police action generated nationwide protests? George Floyd AMOUNT: Rs. 700/- For Hard Copy 942) Who is the only Indian sportsperson to figure in the Rs. 400/- For Soft Copy Forbes’ list of the top 100 highest-paid athletes in Name: Mr./Ms……………………………………………….……… the world for the year 2020? Virat Kohli, 66 943) Who has been ranked at number one in the Forbes’ Address:……………………………………………………………. list of the top 100 highest-paid athletes in the world …………………………………………………………………… for the year 2020? Swiss tennis star Roger City:……………………………District:……………………. Federer State: ………………..…………………..PIN: 944) What were the last words uttered by George Floyd just before his death that became a war cry for Email: ………………………………………………………………….. protesters around the world? “I can’t breathe” 945) Which global organisation launched the COVID-19 Ph./Mob…………………………………………………..………… Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) to share with all the latest scientific and technological advancements The subscription amount can be to fight COVID-19? World Health Organization remitted to our following account: (WHO)

946) Union Government has launched a new initiative named ‘ ‘SWADES’ for what purpose? To conduct a skill mapping exercise of the Indians returning from abroad

947) What is the full form of SWADES? “Skilled …………………………………………………………………………………………… Workers Arrival Database for Employment PARTICULARS OF REMITTANCE: Support” Amount remitted: Rs………… Date:…./…./…… 948) SWADES is a joint initiative of three ministries -- Bank………………………………..Branch…………… Ministry of Skill Development and Transaction no………………………….. Entrepreneurship, ______Ministry and External Affairs Ministry: Civil Aviation DATE:______Signature 949) Under the new definition of MSMEs, manufacturing (Magazine will be sent through Online Mode only) and services enterprises with investments up to Rs GYANM: SCO 13-15, 2nd FLOOR, SEC 34-A, CHANDIGARH 10 crore and turnover up to Rs 50 crore will be PH: 0172-4052124, 9117-34 34 34 classified as ______enterprises: Small

950) As per the new definition of MSMEs, Enterprises with investment up to Rs ____ crore and turnover up to Rs ____ crore will be termed as ‘medium’ enterprises. 20; 100 951) Name the severe cyclonic storm that landed in Raigad district in Maharashtra on June 3 and caused widespread devastation: Nisarga 952) Name the veteran filmmaker-screenwriter best known for directing films like ChotisiBaat, Rajnigandha, BaatonBaaton Mein, and many others, who died recently: Basu Chatterjee 953) The HRD Ministry jointly with Urban Affairs Ministry launched a joint initiative, TULIP for which target group? Fresh engineering graduates 954) What is the full form of the recently launched program ‘TULIP’? “The Urban Learning Internship Programme”

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