Current Affairs February Questions & Answers PDF 2018

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1. Which state hosted the 7th India Energy Congress focusing on the theme 'Energy 4.0: Energy Transition Towards 2030'? 1. Odisha 2. New Delhi 3. Maharashtra 4. Rajasthan 5. Madhya Pradesh Answer -2. New Delhi Explanation : 7th India Energy Congress focusing on the theme 'Energy 4.0: Energy Transition Towards 2030' begun in New Delhi on February 1, 2018. India Energy Congress is the flagship event of World Energy Council India (WEC India), which functions under the Union Power Ministry. 7th India Energy Congress has been jointly organised by Union Ministries of Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy, Petroleum & Natural Gas, External Affairs and Department of Atomic Energy. On February 1, 2018, Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister addressed the inaugural session of 7th India Energy Congress. Over the course of this two-day event, around 400 experts will deliberate on five sub-themes viz. Policy and Energy Environment 2030, Sustainable Mobility, Energy Investments in an Uncertain World, Variable Renewable Energy Integration and Reaching the Last Mile.

2. In which city of Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for the Universal Peace Retreat Center of 'Prajapita Brahmakumari Eswariya University'? 1. Vishakapatnam 2. Vijayavada 3. Kakinada 4. Tirupati 5. Amaravati Answer -5. Amaravati Explanation : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu laid the foundation stone for the Universal Peace Retreat Center of 'Prajapita Brahmakumari Eswariya University' in Amaravati. This Center will be built on 10 acres of land at Nekkollu village within the Amaravati Capital Region. The land has been allotted by Andhra Pradesh State Government. Raja yoga and Dhyana will be taught at the Center. Besides, the center will be involved in propagating youth development, women empowerment, child care, and moral values. Universal Peace Retreat Center will have capacity to provide shelter to 1500 people. Other amenities that will be set up at the Center include an auditorium with 2000 seating arrangement, meditation hall, a museum, laser show and a housing complex.

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3. How many crore fund was sanctioned by the Union Home Ministry to Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to strengthen border infrastructure along Indo-Pak and Indo-China border? 1. Rs. 300 crores 2. Rs. 350 crores 3. Rs. 370 crores 4. Rs. 4000 crores 5. Rs. 500 crores Answer -3. Rs. 370 crores Explanation : Union Home Ministry has sanctioned nearly Rs. 370 crore to Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indo- Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) to strengthen border infrastructure along Indo-Pak and Indo-China border. BSF will use the funds primarily for construction of bunkers and fortifying its border out posts along Indo-Pak border. ITBP will use the amount for construction of climate-controlled huts and procurement of snow scooter. It is to be noted that BSF is India’s first line of Defense along the 2526.86-km-long Indo-Pak border (including 237.2 km of the Line of Control) and 4096.7 km of the Indo-Bangladesh border. ITBP guards the 3488-km-long Sino-India border that runs through five Indian States viz. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

4. Which state government bans the sale of Endosulfan and 19 other insecticides, which are harmful for human beings as well as from the environmental sustainability and economic viability aspects? 1. Haryana 2. Punjab 3. Uttarakhand 4. Gujarat 5. Kerala Answer -2. Punjab Explanation : Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh approved a ban on the sale of Endosulfan and 19 other insecticides. These insecticides have been reported to be harmful for human beings as well as from the environmental sustainability and economic viability aspects. Recommendation to ban these insecticides was made by Registration Committee, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the Punjab State Farmers' Commission (PSFC). 19 other insecticides that have been banned include: Phosphamidon, Benfuracarb, Tricholorofon, Dicofol, Thiophanate Methyl, Methomyl, Bifenthrin, Chlorfenapyr, Dazomet, Diflubenzuron, Carbosulfan, Fenitrothion, Kasugamycin, Ethofenprox (Etofenprox), Metaldehyde, Phorate, Triazophos, Alachior and Monocrotophos. The ban will be effective from February 1, 2018.

5. Central Government has sanctioned Rs 1500 crore to promote organic farming in which state? 1. Punjab 2. Himachal Pradesh 3. Bihar 4. Jharkhand 5. Uttarakhand Answer -5. Uttarakhand Explanation : Central Government has sanctioned Rs 1500 crore to promote organic farming in Uttarakhand. The amount was sanctioned by Union Agriculture Minister, Radha Mohan Singh during his meeting with Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat in New Delhi on January 30, 2018. The amount of Rs. 1500 crore will be disbursed over a period of three years. This decision is to manifest Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to develop Uttarakhand as an organic state.

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6. Indian Railways' first high speed electric locomotive will be launched in March 2018 during French President Emmanuel Macron’s Indian visit. What is the speed of this locomotive? 1. Maximum speed of 120 kmph 2. Maximum speed of 125 kmph 3. Maximum speed of 130 kmph 4. Maximum speed of 135 kmph 5. Maximum speed of 140 kmph Answer -1. Maximum speed of 120 kmph Explanation : Indian Railways' first high speed electric locomotive which can run at a maximum speed of 120 kmph will be launched in March 2018 during French President Emmanuel Macron’s Indian visit. The high- speed electric locomotive has a capacity of 12,000 horsepower and can run at a maximum speed of 120 kmph. This high-speed electric locomotive has been produced in collaboration with Alstom. The first 12,000 horsepower locomotive has been assembled at Madhepura plant in Bihar. Trials are being conducted now. This increase in speed will improve line capacity in the rail network. 800 such electric locomotives will be produced in the upcoming 11 years by Indian Railways in collaboration with Alstom.

7. In which district of Maharashtra, the Indian Railways will set up a coach factory? 1. Mumbai 2. Thane 3. Nagpur 4. Pune 5. Latur Answer -5. Latur Explanation : Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said that, a coach factory will be set up by the Indian Railways in Latur district, Maharashtra. Decision regarding this was taken at a meeting between Piyush Goyal and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. This coach factory will produce Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) for suburbantrains and coaches for metro trains. Work regarding this project will be carried out with high priority and all approvals will be done in a fast track pace. The Maharashtra government has provided concessions in land, taxes, etc. for this project.

8. Which is the first low-income country in the world to provide universal eye care for its 12 million citizens? 1. Haiti 2. Rwanda 3. Nepal 4. Cambodia 5. Ethiopia Answer -2. Rwanda Explanation : Rwanda has become the first low-income country in the world to provide universal eye care for its 12 million citizens. Rwanda government has partnered with Vision for a Nation (VFAN), a UK-based charity organization, to train 3,000 eye care nurses in 502 local health centres. They would prescribe glasses to patients and direct them to national clinics in case of serious eye problems. The most common eye problem in Rwanda is short sightedness. Coffee bean sorting is one of the major means of income for Rwanda women. Their eye sight deteriorates as they reach 45 years, and hence their livelihood and means of income are affected.

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9. According to the CSO's revised estimates of national income released on January 31, 2018, gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate for 2016-17 is ______%? 1. 7.0% 2. 7.1% 3. 7.2% 4. 7.5% 5. 7.7% Answer -2. 7.1% Explanation : According to the CSO's revised estimates of national income released on January 31, 2018, gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate for 2015-16 stood at 8.2% from the earlier estimates of 8% while for 2016-17, revised GDP growth remained unchanged at 7.1%. For 2015-16, this is the second revised estimate, while for 2016-17, this is the first revised estimate. Revised estimates are arrived at by taking into consideration a wider range of numbers, including employment data. Second revised estimate for 2015-16 has been arrived at by incorporating latest available data on agricultural production, industrial production and Government expenditure. First revised estimates for 2016-17 have been arrived at by using industry-wise/institution-wise detailed information.

10. Who was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Bhasha Samman award 2018? 1. Guruprasada Rao 2. Acharya Munishwar Jha 3. Charu Chandra Pande 4. Shesh Anand Madhukar 5. Mathuradutt Mathpa Answer -4. Shesh Anand Madhukar Explanation : Magahi writer Shesh Anand Madhukar was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Bhasha Samman award. Shesh Anand Madhukar is the second Magahi writer to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi's Bhasha Samman award Sahitya Akademi President Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari presented this award to Shesh Anand Madhukar. The award consisted of a cheque for Rs 1 lakh and a memento. Bhasha Samman award recognizes the languages that are equally spoken in different parts of India. Shesh Anand Madhukar has created various remarkable literary works in both Magahi and Hindi. He started his literary creations in 1960. His books are present in the graduate and post-graduate syllabus of Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh.

11. Who was appointed the Director General (DG) of Sports Authority of India (SAI)? 1. Neelam Kapoor 2. Injeti Srinivas 3. Jiji Thomson 4. Sandeep Pradhan 5. Sai Krishna Answer -1. Neelam Kapoor Explanation : Neelam Kapoor was appointed as Director General (DG) of Sports Authority of India (SAI). Neelam Kapoor is an Indian Information Service officer (IIS) of 1982 batch. She is currently the Principal Director General of the Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP). She has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of Sports Authority of India (SAI) until her superannuation on 31 July 2019. In 2009, she became the Principal Director General of the Press Information Bureau. This is the first time an IIS officer has been appointed as DG of SAI. Usually this post is held by an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.

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12. Who was appointed the Vice Chairman of US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) Board? 1. John Kern 2. Ajay Singh 3. Nivedita Mehra 4. Shantanu Narayen 5. Mukesh Agh Answer - 4. Shantanu Narayen Explanation : Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe, has been named the Vice Chairman of US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) Board. Shantanu Narayen is an Indian-American. USISPF was formed to improve trade ties between India and the US. Now the USISPF Board has 31 board members. Other members who have joined the USISPF Board recently are: Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director of Spice Jet Limited and John Kern, senior vice president of Supply Chain Operations at Cisco.

13. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed whom as the Chef-de-Mission for Commonwealth Games (CWG) that will be held in Gold Coast, Australia from April 4 to 15, 2018? 1. Lalit Bhanot 2. Vikram Singh Sisodia 3. Abhay Singh 4. Narayana Ramachandran 5. Narinder Dhruv Batra Answer - 2. Vikram Singh Sisodia Explanation : Indian Olympic Association (IOA) named Vikram Singh Sisodia as the Chef-de-Mission for Commonwealth Games (CWG) that will be held in Gold Coast, Australia from April 4 to 15, 2018. Vikram Singh Sisodia is currently the joint secretary of Indian Olympic Association (IOA). He is also the president of Chhattisgarh State Tennis Association. IOA has also appointed three team managers: Namdev Shirgaonkar, Modern Pentathlon Federation of India General Secretary; Ajay Naarang, Asian Sailing Federation official and V A Shiyad, Andaman and Nicobar Olympic Association Secretary General.

14. Name the company which has announced its deal of USD 1.1 billion with HTC, and its acquisition of HTC talent? 1. Microsoft 2. Amazon 3. Apple 4. Reliance 5. Google Answer -5. Google Explanation : Google has announced its deal of USD 1.1 billion with HTC, and its acquisition of HTC talent. According to the deal, Google has acquired nearly 2,000 HTC engineers. The engineers are mostly from the smartphone R&D team. These engineers will shift to Google, and will work in Taiwan. This team of engineers has already worked closely with Google in the Pixel and Pixel 2 projects. This move has been made with the idea of expanding Google in the hardware sector and in the Asia Pacific region.

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15. Which company has launched "Bulletin" app that allows anyone to submit stories related to their local communities? 1. Facebook 2. Google 3. Tata Motors 4. TCS 5. Wipro Answer -2. Google Explanation : Google has launched "Bulletin" app that allows anyone to submit stories related to their local communities. Bulletin is a free app. It has been launched as a pilot project in Nashville, Tennessee and Oakland, California. Using this app users in the respective areas can sign up and contribute their stories with photos, videos and text. Users can do this easily with their phone and it will be published straight away in the web. Google has not mentioned how it will verify the authenticity of the content.

16. Name the India's first integrated mobility platform launched by a Health-tech startup ‘mCURA’, that reduces waiting time in counters and provides e-prescriptions? 1. Smart OP 2. Smart Service 3. Smart Card 4. Smart Cura 5. Smart OPD Answer -5. Smart OPD Explanation : On 31st January 2018, mCURA, a Health-tech startup, launched 'Smart OPD', India's first integrated mobility platform that reduces waiting time in counters and provides e-prescriptions. 'Smart OPD' helps patients to escape long queues at admission and billing counters, labs, pharmacies and hospitals. Labs, pharmacy, doctors and patients are integrated through the mobile platform. By carrying the 'Smart OPD' card, patients can experience fast and smooth movement in the hospitals. Patients can avail Near-field communication (NFC) based "Tap and Pay" card (registration plus cash card) at the registration counter. They will be instructed to download the patient app. This app contains medical records, medical bills, payment transactions, etc. Using "Tap and Pay" card patients can pay for all hospital services without waiting in queues.

17. Name the famous Ottanthullal artist, who died while performing at a temple in Irinjalakkuda, Kerala? 1. Sanal Kumar 2. Sreelakshi 3. Kalamandalam Geethanandan 4. Kummanam Rajasekharan 5. Rama Varma Answer -3. Kalamandalam Geethanandan Explanation : Kalamandalam Geethanandan, famous Ottanthullal artist, died while he was performing at a temple in Irinjalakkuda, Kerala. Geethanandan was 58 years old. As he collapsed during the performance, he was taken to hospital. But he was declared dead. He has performed in nearly 5,000 stages all over India. He was also a tutor of Ottanthulal at Kerala Kalamandalam. He has received Sangeet Nataka Academy Award, Kalamamdnal award etc. He has also acted in more than 30 malayalam films. He was the first

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artist to perform thullal at Paris.

18. On what date, did the Indian Coast Guard celebrated its 41st Foundation Day? 1. 29th January 2. 30th January 3. 31st January 4. 1st February 5. 2nd February Answer -4. 1st February Explanation : On 1st February 2018, the Indian Coast Guard celebrated its 41st Foundation Day. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was established in 1978. It was started with only 7 ships. It was formed to enforce National Laws in the Indian waters and safeguard life and property at sea. They help and protect Indian fishermen. They also investigate foreign fishermen entering Indian waters.

19. Name the Finance Minister who has presented the Union Budget for highest number of times. 1. K. Shanmukham Chetty 2. Morarji Desai 3. Yashwant Sinha 4. P Chidambaram 5. Manmohan Singh Answer - 2. Morarji Desai Explanation : On February 1, 2018, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Arun Jaitley presented Union Budget 2018-19 in Parliament. Union Budget of India is referred to as the Annual Financial Statement in the Article 112 of the Constitution of India. Till 2016, it was presented on the last working day of February. In 2017, it was presented on February 1, so that it could be materialized before the commencement of new financial year in April. Union Finance Minister presents the Budget by means of the Finance bill and the Appropriation bill which comes into effect from April 1 (the start of India's financial year), after being passed by both the Houses of Parliament. From 2017, Railway Budget was merged with General Budget. Till Date, Morarji Desai has presented Union Budget for highest number of times (10 times).

20. Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, in his Budget address on February 1, 2018, announced that government will build a tunnel through the Sela Pass. Where is this Sela Pass located? 1. Jammu & Kashmir 2. Uttarakhand 3. Himachal Pradesh 4. Arunachal Pradesh 5. Punjab Answer - 4. Arunachal Pradesh Explanation : Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, in his Budget address on February 1, 2018, announced that government will build a tunnel through the Sela Pass in Arunachal Pradesh. Sela pass is located at an elevation of 13700 ft between Tawang and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh. From Defence perspective, these districts hold strategic significance as they are located near to India-China Border. In recent times, Indian Defence officials have raised concerns over China's growing assertiveness along the nearly 4000 km-long India-China border. The tunnel will enable the movement of Indian troops in these sensitive areas and will check any unsolicited activities from Chinese side.

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21. In which state, the 32nd Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2018 was inaugurated? 1. Bihar 2. Jharkhand 3. Haryana 4. West Bengal 5. Rajasthan Answer - 3. Haryana Explanation : 32nd Surajkund International Crafts Mela began on February 2, 2018 in Surajkund, Haryana. It was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This event provides a platform for the artists and craftsmen from across the world to showcase their countries’ rich diversity, cuisine and traditions. It has been organised by the Surajkund Mela Authority in collaboration with Haryana tourism department, Haryana tourism corporation and Union Ministries of Tourism, Textile, Culture and External Affairs. For this year’s edition, Uttar Pradesh (UP) has been chosen as theme state and will showcase religious tourism circuit in UP, such as Ayodhya, Mathura, Kashi. It will also showcase UP’s art, culture, and heritage of UP. This 16-day event will be attended by participants from more than 20 countries and all States/UTs of India.

22. In which country, the world's longest zip line, measuring 2.83 kilometres in length was opened at? 1. United Arab Emirates 2. Iran 3. Iraq 4. China 5. Japan Answer - 1. United Arab Emirates Explanation : World's longest zip line, measuring 2.83 kilometres in length opened in Ras Al Khaimah, the smallest state of United Arab Emirates.This 2.83km zip line allows thrill seekers to jump from the peak of Jebel Jais, UAE's highest mountain. It created a Guinness World Record for world's longest zip line. Jebel Jais mountain in Ras Al Khaimah, is at an elevation of 1934 m. above sea level and is considered the highest point of the United Arab Emirates.

23. India recently joined Ashgabat Agreement, a Multimodal transport agreement for setting up of an international transport and transit (of goods) corridor, linking Central Asia with the Persian Gulf. Who are the founding members of this agreement? 1. Turkmenistan, Iran 2. Oman, Uzbekistan 3. Iraq, Afghanistan 4. All the above 5. 1&2 Answer - 5. 1&2 Explanation : India formally joined Ashgabat Agreement, a Multimodal transport agreement for setting up of an international transport and transit (of goods) corridor, linking Central Asia with the Persian Gulf. Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman and Uzbekistan (together referred to as founding members) had signed this agreement in April 2011. India had deposited the instrument of accession with Turkmenistan (depository state of this agreement) in April 2016. All the founding members have consented to India’s accession. Being a part of this agreement will positively influence India’s trade and commercial ties in the region as it will provide more connectivity options with Central Asia.

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24. Government has made certain amendments in the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) through Finance Act 2018 in order to enhance its effectiveness and widen its scope. In this amendment which section was included as scheduled offence under PMLA? 1. Section 247 of Companies Act dealing with ‘money-laundering’ 2. Section 347 of Companies Act dealing with ‘property’ 3. Section 447 of Companies Act dealing with ‘crime’ 4. Section 467 of Companies Act dealing with ‘offence’ 5. Section 447 of Companies Act dealing with ‘fraud’ Answer - 5. Section 447 of Companies Act dealing with ‘fraud’ Explanation : Government has made following amendments in the Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) through Finance Act 2018 in order to enhance its effectiveness and widen its scope. Definition of "proceeds of crime" has been amended to include "property equivalent held outside the country. Applicability of bail conditions has been made uniform to all the offences under PMLA. Section 447 of Companies Act dealing with ‘fraud’ is being included as scheduled offence under PMLA. 90 days more time has been given for investigation to Enforcement Directorate, before prosecution is filed. New sub- section is being introduced to provide clear guidelines to share the information relating to contraventions of other laws noticed during investigation. Special Court has been permitted to consider the claims of the claimants for the purposes of restoration of confiscated properties even during trial.

25. Name the Shipyard which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Russia to collaborate and engage in Design, Development and Execution of contemporary, State-of-Art vessels for Inland and Coastal Waterways? 1. ABG Shipyard Limited, Mumbai 2. West Coast Shipyard Limited, Goa 3. Cochin Shipyard Limited, Cochin 4. Mandovi Drydocks Limited, Goa 5. Bengal Shipyard Limited, Kolkata Answer - 3. Cochin Shipyard Limited Explanation : Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Russia to collaborate and engage in Design, Development and Execution of contemporary, State-of-Art vessels for Inland and Coastal Waterways. The MoU was signed by Madhu S Nair - Chairman & Managing Director, Cochin Shipyard Limited and Mr Alexey Rakhmanov - President, United Shipbuilding Corporation, in the presence of Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources – Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi. Under the MoU both entities will collaborate for development of High-Speed Vessels, Passenger Vessels, River-Sea Cargo Vessels, Dredgers and other watercrafts for inland waterways and coastal shipping. USC is the largest shipbuilding company in Russia incorporating about 40 enterprises including shipyards. It has 300 years of experience and has played an instrumental role in growth of inland waterways in Russia.

26. The Department of Telecom (DoT) in partnership with which educational institution will set up a development centre for 5G technologies? 1. IIT, Delhi 2. IIM, Bangalore 3. IIT, Chennai 4. IIM, Ahmadabad 5. SRM University Answer - 3. IIT, Chennai Explanation : Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, announced that, the Department of Telecom (DoT) in partnership with IIT, Chennai, will set up a development centre for 5G technologies. The development centre to be set up by Department of Telecom in collaboration with IIT, Chennai will work on the development of 5G

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technologies. 5G technology will help to provide applications like Internet of Things and Machine-to- Machine internet. A similar tie up had already been made between Ericsson and IIT Delhi. Under this tie up, a Center of Excellence for 5G will be established.

27. Who was awarded the ‘Times Power Woman 2017' award by the Minister of State for Social Justice and Special Assistance in the Government of Maharashtra, Dilip Kamble? 1. Shabnam Asthana 2. Therasa Mary 3. Abigail Johnson 4. Ana Patricia 5. Ginnie Rometty Answer - 1. Shabnam Asthana Explanation : Dilip Kamble, Minister of State for Social Justice and Special Assistance in the Government of Maharashtra, presented the ‘Times Power Woman 2017'- Pune for Global PR award to Shabnam Asthana. The Times Group celebrated the Times Power Woman 2017 (Pune) awards recently to honour the achievements of women who have also been sources of inspiration. These awards were presented to the women of Pune. 34 women with power, supremacy, command and control were awarded. The awardees have contributed for socio economic, art, health, education, fashion, scientific improvement, etc.

28. Which state inaugurated the 2nd edition of ‘Nobel Prize Series India 2018’? 1. Karnataka 2. Odisha 3. Maharashtra 4. Goa 5. New Delhi Answer - 4. Goa Explanation : Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar inaugurated the 2nd edition of ‘Nobel Prize Series India 2018’ in Panaji, Goa. ’Nobel Prize Series – India 2018’ consist of a month-long ‘Nobel Science Exhibition and the India Science Exhibition: Ideas Changes the world’. During the course of this event, Nobel laureates will interact with school children and teachers. This event has been jointly organised by Department of Bio-Technology under Union Ministry of Science and Technology, Goa State Government and Nobel Media, Sweden. Theme of Nobel Prize Series India 2018’ is ‘Science Impacts Life’. The first edition of ‘Nobel Prize Series in India’ was held in Gujarat in January 2017.

29. Who took charge as the 47thCorps Commander of the Chinar Corps of Indian Army on 1st February 2018? 1. Lt Gen Jaswinder Singh 2. Lt Gen A K Bhatt 3. Lt Gen JS Sandhu 4. Lt Gen Satish Dua 5. Lt Gen Bikram Singh Answer - 2. Lt Gen A K Bhatt Explanation : On 1st February 2018, Lt Gen A K Bhatt took charge as the 47thCorps Commander of the Chinar Corps of Indian Army. Lt Gen A K Bhatt replaces Lt Gen J S Sandhu. The Chinar Corps is also known as 15 Corps. It is based in Srinagar. Lt. Gen. Sandhu will take charge as Military Secretary (MS) in New Delhi. Lt. Gen. A K Bhatt was Director General Military Operations (DGMO) at Army Headquarters. Lt Gen A K Bhatt had worked with regiment of 9thGorkha Rifles. He had also represented India as deputy Force Provost Marshal in Lebanon.

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30. Who was appointed the new Chairman of Alphabet’s Board? 1. Eric Schmidt 2. Larry Page 3. Sergey Brin 4. John Hennessy 5. John Doerr Answer - 4. John Hennessy Explanation : John Hennessy was appointed as Chairman of Alphabet’s Board. John Hennessy succeeds Eric Schmidt. Eric Schmidt was Executive Chairman of Alphabet’s Board for a long time. John Hennessy is former president of Stanford University. He is 65 years old. He joined Google's board in 2004. John Hennessy has held the post of lead independent director at Google and Alphabet since 2007. Eric Schmidt still remains as a board member and adviser on technical and science issues.

31. Who took charge as the Director General (DG) of National Security Guard (NSG)? 1. Bipin Rawat 2. Dawaat Singer 3. Sudeep Lakhtakia 4. Suraender Singh 5. Suraj Kushwas Answer - 3. Sudeep Lakhtakia Explanation : Sudeep Lakhtakia took charge as the Director General (DG) of National Security Guard (NSG). Sudeep Lakhtakia has replaced S P Singh as the Director General (DG) of National Security Guard (NSG). S P Singh retired on 31st January 2018. Sudeep Lakhtakia was working as a Special DG in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) headquarters.

32. Who was appointed the new Indian Ambassador to Romania? 1. Manpreet Vohra 2. Thanglura Darlong 3. Kuldeep Singh Bhardwaj 4. Navdeep Suri 5. Sanjay Rana ExplanationAnswer - 2. Thanglura Darlong Explanation : Thanglura Darlong has been appointed as Indian Ambassador to Romania. Thanglura Darlong is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of 1988 batch. He is currently the CLO (Chief Liaison Officer) in the South Asian University in New Delhi. He has been appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to Romania. He will soon take charge as the Indian Ambassador to Romania.

33. Name the interceptor boat which was built for the Indian Coast Guard and was launched in Mangaluru, Karnataka by Bharati Defence and Infrastructure Limited (BDIL). 1. A-120 2. V-410 3. S-10 4. V-110 5. V-400 Answer - 2. V-410

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Explanation : On February 1, 2018, V-410, an interceptor boat, built for the Indian Coast Guard, was launched in Mangaluru, Karnataka by Bharati Defence and Infrastructure Limited (BDIL). V-410 is the sixth in the series of 15 interceptors for which BDIL had been given a contract. It will be commissioned into the Indian Coast Guard at its Kochi station and post commissioning, it would be christened ICG 162. V-410 is powered by two main engines, each of 1650kW capacity.

34. Which state hosted the SpiceJet India Open International Boxing tournament 2018? 1. West Bengal 2. Karnataka 3. New Delhi 4. Punjab 5. Kerala Answer Answer - 3. New Delhi Explanation : On 1st February 2018, M C Mary Kom won gold medal at the SpiceJet India Open International Boxing tournament at the Thyagraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. India’s M C Mary Kom defeated Filipino Josie Gabuco 4-1 in the finals of the women’s 48kg category and won the gold medal. India’s Pinki Rani defeated Jargalan Ochirbat in the finals of fly (48-51 kg) category and won gold medal. India’s Shiva Thapa won a bronze medal in the 60 kg category. India’s Pwilao Basumatary defeated Thailand's Sudaporn Seesondee 3-2 and won gold medal in the women’s 64 kg category. India’s Lovlina Borgohain defeated India’s Pooja and won gold in the women’s welterweight (69kg) category. India’s L Sarita Devi lost to Finland's Mira Potkenon in the women’s 60kg category and won a silver medal.

35. Who became the highest ranked Indian with rank number 14, in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) rankings released on 2nd February 2018? 1. Harinder Pal Sandhu 2. Vikram Malhotra 3. Saurav Ghosal 4. Dipika Pallikal 5. Sunayna Kuruvilla Answer - 3. Saurav Ghosal Explanation : India’s Saurav Ghosal with rank number 14 became the highest ranked Indian in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) rankings released on 2nd February 2018. Saurav Ghosal has moved 5 places up and obtained the 14th rank. He has surpassed Joshna Chinappa who is currently at 17th position. Dipika Pallikal is at rank 20. Harinder Pal Sandhu is at 49th position. Mahesh Mangaonkar ranks 64. Vikram Malhotra is ranked 68. Also, Sunayna Kuruvilla ranks 89 and Sachika Ingale at 96.

36. When is the World Wetlands Day observed all over the world? 1. February 1 2. February 2 3. February 3 4. February 4 5. February 5 Answer - 2. February 2 Explanation : On 2nd February 2018, World Wetlands Day was observed all over the world. The theme for World Wetlands Day 2018 is: "Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future". On 2nd February 2018 every year, the World Wetlands Day is celebrated. On the same day in 1971, the Convention on Wetlands was adopted in Ramsar, Iran. The Convention on Wetlands is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The World Wetlands Day is celebrated to increase public awareness on

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wetlands and to highlight the value of wetlands.

37. In which city of Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Global Investors Summit 2018 - 'Advantage Assam' on February 3, 2018? 1. Dispur 2. Sonitpur 3. Guwahati 4. Rangiya 5. Maibang Answer - 3. Guwahati Explanation : On February 3, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Global Investors Summit 2018 - 'Advantage Assam' in Guwahati. The two-day Global Investor Summit 2018, aims to showcase manufacturing opportunities in Assam and related geostrategic advantages to foreign and domestic investors. The Summit is expected to position Assam as India's Expressway to Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Besides, the Summit will also highlight Assam’s core competencies in different sectors viz. agriculture and food processing, bamboo, organic farming, handloom, textile and handicrafts. It has been organised by the Assam State Government in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).Over 4500 delegates including representatives from 16 countries will attend this two-day event.

38. Which State Government launched four schemes aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in agriculture and allied sectors among the economically backward segments of the state? 1. Madhya Pradesh 2. Bihar 3. Assam 4. Manipur 5. Maharashtra Answer 5. Maharashtra Answer - Explanation : Maharashtra State Government launched four schemes aimed at promoting entrepreneurship in agriculture and allied sectors among the economically backward segments of the state. One of the scheme is about extending loan along with interest subsidy while second scheme is for promoting group farming. Third scheme is for group projects related to agro-industries and small and medium scale entrepreneurs while fourth scheme relates to skill development training in agriculture under which, training will be imparted to 2.5 lakh youths across rural Maharashtra. Beneficiaries of all the above stated schemes would be in 18 - 41 years age group.

39. Government has announced how many crore for the Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme which is aimed at promoting use of solar energy for pumps and encourage use of barren land for setting up decentralised solar power plants? 1. Rs 170000 crore 2. Rs 160000 crore 3. Rs 150000 crore 4. Rs 140000 crore 5. Rs 145000 crore Answer - 4. Rs 140000 crore Explanation : On February 2, 2018, Power and Renewable Energy Minister, R K Singh stated that, government will implement a Rs 140000-crore Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan (KUSUM) scheme as announced in Union Budget 2018. KUSUM is aimed at promoting use of solar energy for pumps and encourage use of barren land for setting up decentralised solar power plants. This scheme will not only

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lead to increase in farmers’ income by giving them option to sell additional power to the grid but will also reduce their dependence on diesel pumps. The scheme envisages setting up 10000-mw solar plants on barren lands and incentivising discoms to buy the produced electricity, solarising existing pumps of 7250-mw and government tube wells of 8250-mw capacity and distributing 17.5 lakh solar pumps. A central financial assistance of Rs. 48000 crore (in phased manner) has been announced for this project in Union Budget 2018. The balance will be raised by the states.

40. Where is the India’s largest Floating Treatment Wetland (FTW) inaugurated? 1. Mumbai 2. Hyderabad 3. Bhubaneshwar 4. Kolkata 5. Patna Answer - 2. Hyderabad Explanation : On 2nd February 2018, the Floating Treatment Wetland (FTW) on Neknampur Lake was inaugurated in Hyderabad. The Floating Treatment Wetland (FTW) on Neknampur Lake was inaugurated on World Wetlands Day (February 2). The size of the FTW is 3,000 sq. ft. It has been formed by the joint efforts of Dhruvansh, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority, the Ranga Reddy district administration and other organisations. It has been named the largest FTW in India by the India Book of Records. It has been developed based on soil-less hydroponics technique. The FTW is planted with cleaning agents like vetivers, canna, cattalis, bulrush, citronella, hibiscus, fountain grass, flowering herbs, tulsi and ashvagandha.

41. Which State Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) for setting up a twin tower trade centre in the state? 1. Manipur 2. Assam 3. Arunachal Pradesh 4. Bihar 5. Karnataka Answer - 2. Assam Explanation : Assam State Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) for setting up a twin tower trade centre in Guwahati. Estimated cost of construction of Twin Tower Trade Centre is Rs. 1950 crore. Construction will commence in July 2018 and will be completed within a period of 60 months. Green technologies will be used in various phases of construction. The building design & structure would reflect rich natural heritage and culture of Assam.

42. In which State the first ever Butterfly Park was inaugurated? 1. Karnataka 2. Uttar Pradesh 3. Maharashtra 4. Punjab 5. Uttarakhand Answer - 2. Uttar Pradesh Explanation : Uttar Pradesh State Government inaugurated state's first ever butterfly park in Kanpur. Estimated cost for constructing this butterfly park is Rs. 1 crore. In order to attract butterflies, 100 species of flowers have been planted in the park. So far, more than 50 species of butterflies have already been spotted in this park. The Butterfly Park in Kanpur will open for public by March 2018. Butterfly parks are pollution-free spaces which do not have chemicals/pesticides and play an important role in conserving

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endangered butterfly species.

43. Which country has permitted doctors to create three-parent babies through mitochondrial donation, in a move to prevent passing of incurable genetic diseases from mothers to babies? 1. Russia 2. Sweden 3. Australia 4. UK 5. USA Answer - 4. UK Explanation : UK has permitted doctors to create three-parent babies through mitochondrial donation, in a move to prevent passing of incurable genetic diseases from mothers to babies. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has permitted to apply the procedures to two women in Newcastle, England. This will utilize mitochondrial donation therapy for those women, who are sure that their children would inherit a neurodegenerative disorder. Mitochondrial DNA will be obtained from a donor "mother". So that, the genetic conditions will not be passed on to the baby from the original mother. This will be the first three-parent baby in the UK. The procedures will be supervised by Mary Herbert, professor of reproductive biology.

44. With an aim at advancing trade, investment, science and innovation ties between India and Britain, New Manchester-India Partnership (MIP) was launched in which city on 1st Feb 2018? 1. Mumbai 2. London 3. Manchester 4. New Delhi 5. Pune Answer - 2. London Explanation : New Manchester-India Partnership (MIP) aimed at connecting Indian companies with Northern regions of England was launched in London, UK on February 1, 2018. Manchester is referred to as the Northern Powerhouse in Britain. This partnership is aimed at advancing trade, investment, science and innovation ties between India and Britain. MIP was launched by Jim O'Neill, the economist who coined the phrase BRICS. It is a public-private initiative between India and Manchester and is supported by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). In order to carry out work related with the partnership, teams comprising permanent full time members will be stationed in Manchester, Delhi and Bengaluru.

45. Government of China and Government of Pakistan along with which organisation have signed a USD 4 million agreement to provide assistance to help the people of Fata and Balochistan region in Pakistan? 1. UNICEF 2. UNESCO 3. United Nations Development Programme 4. World Health Organization 5. World Trade Organization Answer - 3. United Nations Development Programme Explanation : Government of China, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Government of Pakistan have signed a USD 4 million agreement to provide assistance to help the people of Fata and Balochistan region in Pakistan. In recent times, several reports have emerged highlighting growing atrocities of Pakistan Government on the indigenous people of Balochistan and deteriorating human rights situation as a result of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). $4 mn assistance procured through China- UNDP-Pakistan agreement will be used to support the people in these regions by restoring their

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livelihood and helping them in rebuilding their lives. The assistance will be provided over a period of four months.

46. Under the Union Budget 2018, India’s annual financial allocation to Nepal (through Union Ministry of External Affairs) for 2018-19 has nearly doubled to Rs. ______crore. 1. Rs. 750 crore 2. Rs. 725 crore 3. Rs. 700 crore 4. Rs. 650 crore 5. Rs. 600 crore Answer - 4. Rs. 650 crore Explanation : Under the Union Budget 2018, India’s annual financial allocation to Nepal (through Union Ministry of External Affairs) for 2018-19 has nearly doubled to Rs. 650 crore. Every year, Union Budget allocates a specific amount to Ministry of External Affairs for India’s ‘development and diplomatic engagement’. In Union Budget 2018, External Affairs Ministry has been allocated a total Rs. 15011 crore. This marks a marginal increase of Rs. 1321 crore as compared to previous year’s allocation. This year’s allocation to Nepal (Rs. 650 crore) is the third consecutive and the largest increase. In 2016-17, Nepal received Rs. 332.72 crore and for 2017-18 it received Rs. 375 crore. With Rs. 2650 crore, Bhutan continues to be largest recipient of External Affairs Ministry’s allocation.

47. Name India’s first sentiment index for micro and small enterprises (MSEs), launched by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley? 1. CriSidMSME 2. SidCriIndex 3. CriSidIndex 4. SidCriEx 5. CriSidEx Answer - 5. CriSidEx Explanation : On February 3, 2018, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Arun Jaitley launched CriSidEx , India’s first sentiment index for micro and small enterprises ( MSEs). This index has been developed jointly by CRISIL & Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). It is based on 8 parameters and measures MSE business sentiment on a scale of 0 to 200, wherein 0 is ‘extremely negative’ while 200 is ‘extremely positive’. By closely following the index readings, one can get a heads-up about potential challenges in future and changes in production cycle of the entire sector.

48. India’s first defence industrial corridor will link which two cities of India? 1. Chennai and Mumbai 2. Chennai and Ahmadabad 3. Chennai and Thiruvanandapuram 4. Chennai and Bengaluru 5. Chennai and Pune Answer - 4. Chennai and Bengaluru Explanation : Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that, out of the two defence industrial production corridors that was mentioned in the Union Budget 2018, the first defence industrial corridor will link Chennai and Bengaluru. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that, two defence industrial production

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corridors will be developed by the government, when he presented the Union Budget 2018. The first defence industrial corridor will link Chennai and Bengaluru and it will pass through Coimbatore and various other industrial regions. Nirmala Sitharaman said that, announcement regarding the second defence industrial corridor will be made soon. Arun Jaitley said that, an industry-friendly military production policy will be developed to promote the domestic defence industry.

49. Who won the 4th edition of International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) 2018 in Kolkata? 1. Henna Sung 2. Ban Kurla 3. Lai Jia Yi 4. Kunal Kapur 5. Abhijit Saha Answer - 3. Lai Jia Yi Explanation : Malaysia’s Lai Jia Yi won the 4th edition of International Young Chef Olympiad (YCO) in Kolkata. Indian student chef Surya Sekhar Roy Choudhury secured the second position. Lai Jia Yi was awarded the YCO 2018 Trophy along with a cash prize of USD 10,000. The trophy and cash prize were presented by Chefs Sanjeev Kapoor, David Foskett, and founder and chief mentor of IndiSmart Group and IIHM - Suborno Bose. Sanjeev Kapoor was the principal judge of the YCO 2018. Kevin McCafferty from Scotland and Henry Lee from Hong Kong both won the third position. This event was executed by the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM). It was held in Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune and Kolkata for 6 days. Chefs from 43 countries took part in the contest.

50. The Department of Defence Production formed a task force to study the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in national security perspective. Who will lead this force? 1. Shaun Kenworthy 2. Karen Anand 3. Johan Kurkela 4. Ranveer Brad 5. N Chandrasekaran Answer - 5. N Chandrasekaran Explanation : The Department of Defence Production formed a task force lead by N Chandrasekaran to study the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in national security perspective. N Chandarsekaran is the chairman of Tata Sons. The task force consists of 17 members. National Cyber Security Coordinator Gulshan Rai, representatives from Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Airforce, chairman and managing director of Bharat Electronics Ltd, representatives from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Atomic Energy Commission and defence ministry are a part of the task force. Also, it comprises of representatives from Indian Institute of Science-Bengaluru, and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai and IIT Chennai.

51. Who was appointed the vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) by the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry? 1. Jiajun Mathew 2. Suborno Bose 3. B A Chopade 4. Sanjeev Kapoor 5. Ankur Biston Answer - 3. B A Chopade Explanation : B A Chopade has been appointed as the vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) by the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry. B A Chopade is currently the vice-chancellor of Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University. BHU Registrar Neeraj Tripathi had been holding the

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additional charge of BHU vice-chancellor since October 2017. Previous BHU vice-chencellor Girish Chandra Tripathi left on leave two months before his term ended. This created chaos in BHU campus in September 2017.

52. Which country successfully launched ‘Zhangheng 1’, its first seismo-electromagnetic satellite to study seismic precursors? 1. China 2. Japan 3. Thailand 4. Vietnam 5. Russia Answer - 1. China Explanation : China successfully launched ‘Zhangheng 1’, its first seismo-electromagnetic satellite to study seismic precursors. A Long March-2D rocket was launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in Gobi Desert. It carried the China Seismo- Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES) of 730 kg into a sun-synchronous orbit at a height of 500 km. Zhangheng 1 will let scientists monitor the electromagnetic field, ionospheric plasma and high-energy particles for five years. It is named Zhang Heng after a scholar of the East Han Dynasty, who initiated earthquake studies and invented the first seismoscope. Zhangheng 1 will record electromagnetic data of earthquakes above 6 magnitude in China and earthquakes more than 7 magnitude throughout the world.

53. By defeating Australia, which country won the U-19 Cricket World Cup at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, in New Zealand? 1. New Zealand 2. South Africa 3. Argentina 4. India 5. Srilanka Answer - 4. India Explanation : On 3rd February 2018, India won the U-19 Cricket World Cup at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, in New Zealand. India defeated Australia in the final by eight wickets. The team was led by Prithvi Shaw. Man of the Match was conferred on Manjot Kalra. This is the fourth U-19 World Cup title for India. Earlier India had won the U19 World Cup in 2000, 2008 and 2012.

54. Louis Zorich passed away recently. Who was he? 1. Singer 2. Actor 3. Musician 4. Teacher 5. Doctor Answer - 2. Actor Explanation : On 30th January 2018, actor Louis Zorich passed away at his residence in New York City, US. Louis Zorich was 93 years old. He was well-known for the TV show show "Mad About You". He has acted in movies like Coogan's Bluff, Popi, Cold Turkey, Fiddler on the Roof, The Muppets Take Manhattan, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He was nominated for Tony award in 1969.

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55. Which State Government has approved Ghodazari as a new wildlife sanctuary in the state? 1. Madhya Pradesh 2. Odisha 3. Punjab 4. Bihar 5. Maharashtra Answer - 5.Maharashtra Explanation : Maharashtra State Government has approved Ghodazari in Chandrapur district as a new wildlife sanctuary in the state. This decision was taken at the 13th meeting of the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife, held on January 31, 2018. The meeting was chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.The new wildlife sanctuary will include 159 sq km of Brahmapuri forest. This decision will not only help in conserving the forest but will also benefit nearly 40 villages in the region on account of consequential increase of tourism related activities.

56. Which state government inaugurated the International Conference on 'Demetrios Galanos and His Legacy’ 2018 on February 3, 2018? 1. Manipur 2. New Delhi 3. Mizoram 4. Assam 5. Bihar Answer - 2.New Delhi Explanation : International Conference on 'Demetrios Galanos and His Legacy’ was inaugurated at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in New Delhi on February 3, 2018. Demetrios Galanos was a Greek scholar who came to India to study in the nineteenth century. He stayed in India for 47 years (for 40 years he lived in the city of Varanasi). During the course of his stay, Demetrios Galanos compiled a Sanskrit-English-Greek lexicon of about 9000 words. He also translated the Bhagvad Gita into Greek. 8-day International Conference on 'Demetrios Galanos and His Legacy' is being held in Delhi as well as Varanasi. It has been organised by IGNCA. IGNCA’s ‘Bharat Vidya Prayojana’ project, under which, attempts are being made to reconceive Indology from Bharat perspective is the principle host of this conference.

57. What is the campaign that has been launched by Environment Ministry to sensitise students about climate change and global warming? 1. Clean Environment 2. Clean and Green 3. No Global Warming 4. Go Green 5. Green Good Deeds Answer - 5.Green Good Deeds Explanation : On February 3, 2018, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan appealed to the teaching community to join the ‘Green Good Deeds’ campaign. This campaign has been launched by Environment Ministry to sensitise students about climate change and global warming. ’Green Good Deeds’ campaign is based on the premise that it is the moral responsibility of current generation to restore and return the clean and green environment to the next generation. A mobile application – ‘Dr Harsh Vardhan’ has also been launched to reach out to people across India and provide information about ‘Green Good Deeds’ campaign.

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58. In which Indian city, Kala Ghoda Arts festival 2018 was inaugurated? 1. Mumbai 2. Chennai 3. Bhubaneswar 4. Indore 5. Patna Answer - 1. Mumbai Explanation : Kala Ghoda Arts Festival is an annual multicultural festival held in the Kala Ghoda area of South Mumbai. Kala Ghoda Arts festival 2018, which is the 20th edition of this festival, began on February 3, 2018. This year’s theme is ‘Hara Ghoda’ (Green Horse) focusing on sustainability and environment- friendliness. Art enthusiasts can witness an amalgamation of contemporary art illustrations, dance, theatre, music, literature and food during the course of this 9-day art festival. This festival is organised by Kala Ghoda Association, which was formed in 1998 with an objective of maintaining and preserving the heritage and art district of South Mumbai.

59. In which Indian city, Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the First International Kala Mela (Art Festival)? 1. Pune 2. Kolkata 3. New Delhi 4. Bangalore 5. Mysore Answer - 3. New Delhi Explanation : On February 4, 2018, Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the First International Kala Mela (Art Festival) at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi. This festival has been organised by Lalit Kala Akademi, India’s premier institution for the promotion of Art and Culture. During the course of this festival (4th – 18th February, 2018), around 800 artists will showcase their art works. Main objective of this festival is to facilitate direct interaction between artists and the experts of the art forms and also to raise awareness about the art. National and International experts will conduct various art workshops and activities including Visual Art Film Festival, Best from waste workshop, Musical performances, Violin making workshop, live performance and Dance Dramas during the festival.

60. In which state, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has sanctioned a new project to control pollution in river Sal? 1. Odisha 2. Goa 3. Karnataka 4. Maharashtra 5. Madhya Pradesh Answer - 2. Goa Explanation : Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has sanctioned a new project to control pollution in River Sal at Navelim town in Goa. This project has been sanctioned under National River Conservation Plan. It envisages construction of 32 kms of sewers and sewage treatment plant of 3 million litres per day (MLD). Estimated cost for this project is Rs. 61.74 crore, which will be shared by Centre and State in 60:40 ratio. Post completion (by January 2021), this project will not only will help in reduction of pollution load in the river and improve its water quality, but will also improve environment and sanitation in the town.

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61. What is the additional amount contributed by India to UN Development Partnership Fund earmarked for South-South cooperation? 1. $1 billion 2. $2 billion 3. $1 million 4. $2 million 5. $1.5 million Answer - 3. $1 million Explanation : On February 1, 2018, India contributed an additional $1 million to the India-UN Development Partnership Fund earmarked for South-South cooperation. This latest contribution of India is aimed at intensifying its partnerships with other developing countries. India-UN Development Partnership Fund was launched in June 2017 for supporting sustainable development projects in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. India has pledged a multi-year contribution of $100 million to this fund, out of which, it has already provided $6 million so far.

62. As per Finance Bill 2018, ______would be used as the Unique Entity Number for non- individuals. 1. Passport Number 2. Passbook Number 3. Aadhar Number 4. PAN Number 5. Driving License Number Answer - 4. PAN Number Explanation : As announced in Union Budget 2018, providing Permanent Account Number (PAN) will be mandatory for any entity entering into a financial transaction of Rs 2.5 lakh or more with effect from April 1, 2018. As per Finance Bill 2018, through which the Budget is passed, Permanent Account Number (PAN) would be used as Unique Entity Number for non-individuals. Thus, every non-individual entity shall be required to apply to the Assessing Officer for allotment of PAN.It has also been proposed that managing director, director, CEO, partner , founder or any person competent to act on behalf of such entities shall also apply to the Assessing Officer for allotment of PAN. Objective behind bringing in this provision is to widen the tax base.

63. Who was appointed the Chief Justice of Bangladesh? 1. Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain 2. Justice Surendra Singh Mithra 3. Justice Dipak Misra 4. Justice Abdur Rahman 5. Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed Answer - 1. Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain Explanation : Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain has been appointed as Chief Justice of Bangladesh. Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid administered Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain’s oath as the 22nd chief justice of the Supreme Court in Dhaka. The previous Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha resigned in November 2017. Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah was appointed as the acting chief justice. Syed Mahmud Hossain was born on 31 December 1954. He started practicing as a lawyer in 1981.

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64. Who was awarded the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award of the Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Shorts & Animation Films - MIFF 2018 on 3rd February 2018? 1. Salma Masud Chowdhury 2. Abdul Wahhab 3. Johan Jaane 4. Soorya Prakash 5. Shyam Benegal Answer - 5. Shyam Benegal Explanation : On 3rd February 2018, film maker Shyam Benegal was awarded the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award of the Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Shorts & Animation Films - MIFF 2018. The V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Shyam Benegal by C Vidyasagar Rao, Governor of Maharashtra, at the MIFF 2018 Valedictory Function at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai. The award consisted of a Trophy, a shawl, citation and cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs. The award recognizes Shyam Benegal’s contribution to the documentary movements in India. He has made 28 feature films and 41 documentaries. 'Satyajit Ray' and 'Nehru' are some of his award winning films. He has also received Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

65. Which country successfully launched a mini-rocket that sent a microsatellite into orbit? 1. China 2. USA 3. England 4. Japan 5. Canada Answer - 4. Japan Explanation : Japan successfully launched a mini-rocket that sent a microsatellite into orbit. The No. 5 vehicle of the SS-520 series took off from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima prefecture, Japan. The rocket is 10 m long. It weighs 2.6 tons. It is claimed to be the smallest satellite-carrying rocket in the world. The rocket successfully put a microsatellite into its desired orbit. The microsatellite has a weight of 3 kg. This microsatellite was developed by the University of Tokyo. The microsatellite would collect images of the Earth's surface. This is the first time the SS-520 series rocket has successfully put a microsatellite into orbit.

66. Name the Indian Golfer, who won the Maybank Championship, at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, in Malaysia? 1. Jeev Milkha Singh 2. Shubhankar Sharma 3. Anirban Lahiri 4. Arjun Atwal 5. Aditi Ashok Answer - 2. Shubhankar Sharma Explanation : Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma won the Maybank Championship, at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, in Malaysia. Shubhankar Sharma holed 10 birdies and finished 10-under-par 62 in the finals. He won the Maybank Championship. He was awarded USD 500,000. Jorge Campillo finished in the second position. Pablo Larrazabal and Ryan Fox finished in the third position.

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67. Hukum Singh passed away recently. Who was he? 1. Doctor 2. Musician 3. Teacher 4. Politician 5. Dietician Answer - 4. Politician Explanation : Hukum Singh, a BJP MP from Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, died at JP Hospital, in Noida. Hukum Singh was 79 years old. He was suffering from breathing difficulties. He is survived by five daughters. Hukum Singh started his law practice in 1969. He entered politics around 1974. His followers fondly called him ‘Babu Sahab’. He was member of the Uttar Pradesh state assembly for 7 times.

68. When is the World Cancer Day observed all over the world? 1. 1st February 2. 2nd February 3. 3rd February 4. 4th February 5. 5th February Answer - 4. 4th February Explanation : On 4th February 2018, World Cancer Day was observed all over the world. World Cancer Day is observed every year on 4th February. The World Cancer Day was founded by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in the idea of supporting the goals of World Cancer Declaration that was written in 2008. World Cancer Day aims to spread awareness about cancer, its prevention, detection, and treatment. Its main aim is to reduce illness and death due to cancer by 2020. The theme for World Cancer Day for 2016-2018 period is: ‘We Can. I can.’ On the World Cancer Day people are expected to contribute towards reducing the impact of cancer worldwide.

69. Who is the author of the book 'Exam Warriors'? 1. Sumitra Mahajan 2. Ram Nath Kovind 3. Arvind Kejriwal 4. Sushma Swaraj 5. Narendra Modi Answer - 5. Narendra Modi Explanation : On 3rd February 2018, 'Exam Warriors', a book written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was launched. The book 'Exam Warriors' was released by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present during the release. This book has been published by Penguin India. It consists of 208 pages. This book has been written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in order to inspire youth and help them face difficult situations like examinations, with fresh and new energy.

70. Which state Government will set up a Transgender Welfare Board for the first time? 1. Rajasthan 2. Gujarat 3. Madhya Pradesh 4. Odisha 5. Maharashtra Answer - 5. Maharashtra Explanation : Maharashtra Minister of state for Social Justice Dilip Kamble has stated that Maharashtra State Government will set up a Transgender Welfare Board in a month’s time. Board’s primary task will be to

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look after education, employment, housing, and health schemes for transgenders and also to protect their Constitutional and human rights. Maharashtra will thus become the first Indian state to have such a board. It is to be noted that Maharashtra State Government has made a provision of Rs 5 crore for welfare of the Transgender community. Responsibility of setting up of the board and implementing welfare schemes for transgender community has been entrusted on Maharashtra State Social Justice department.

71. Which is the world’s busiest single-runway airport? 1. Indira Gandhi International Airport - New Delhi. 2. Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport, Mumbai 3. Bengaluru International Airport - Bengaluru 4. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata 5. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport - Hyderabad Answer - 2. Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport, Mumbai Explanation : ChhatrapatiShivaji International airport, Mumbai created a new world record for single-runway operations by handling 980 arrivals and take-offs in 24 hours.By operating 980 flight on January 20, 2018, Mumbai Airport surpassed its own record of 974 flights in 24 hours reported on December 6, 2017. As per 2017 annual report of CAPA, the Sydney-based education network, Mumbai airport, which is currently operating at 94% of its maximum passenger handling capacity, will reach saturation point in 2018. ChhatrapatiShivaji International airport, Mumbai which has been facing a sever space crunch, currently handles 45.2 million passengers and on an average, operates around 930 flights per day.

72. According to the latest India research report by green energy market tracker Mercom Capital, India has achieved how many Giga wattcumulative solar power capacity? 1. 10 GW 2. 20 GW 3. 50 GW 4. 100 GW 5. 150 GW Answer - 2. 20 GW (Giga watt) Explanation : According to the latest India research report by green energy market tracker Mercom Capital, India has achieved 20 GW (Giga watt) cumulative solar power capacity. Out of 20 GW, utility-scale cumulative installations stand at approximately 18.4 GW, while rooftop solar accounts for another 1.6 GW. 20 GW capacity has been attained four years ahead of the 2022 target set under National Solar Mission. In addition to this, Solar Power was the top source of new power capacity additions in India during the calendar year 2017. During 2017, Solar power accounted for 45% of total capacity additions. This accomplishment can be attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push on renewable energy. After coming to power in 2014, Modi Government revised the target under National Solar Mission to 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022.

73. Which country has signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with United Nations World Food Programme by giving an aid of 370 million dollars to World Food Programme (WFP) for the next 4 years? 1.Norway 2.China 3. Japan 4.Sweden 5. USA Answer - 4. Sweden

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Explanation : On 2nd February 2018, Sweden signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement with United Nations World Food Programme, committing 370 million dollars to World Food Programme (WFP) for the next 4 years. Sweden’s contribution for the 2018-2021 period is the biggest contribution made by a donor within the WFP Strategic Partnership Agreement. The Swedish government has been the largest donor of flexible funds to WFP for nearly 10 years. This is the first time in a decade, the number of hungry people in the world is on the rise. Out of the total hungry people in the world, majority of them live in conflict affected countries.World Food Programme (WFP) has said that, ten out of thirteen largest food crises in the world are created by conflict.

74. Which State Government, in association with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched ‘DASTAK’, a door to door campaign to eradicate deadly Acute Encephalitis (AE) Syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis (JES) disease from the state? 1. Gujarat 2. Odisha 3. Maharashtra 4.Uttar Pradesh 5. Punjab Answer - 4. Uttar Pradesh Explanation : Uttar Pradesh State Government, in association with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched ‘DASTAK’, a door to door campaign to eradicate deadly Acute Encephalitis (AE) Syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis (JES) disease from the state. ’DASTAK’ campaign was launched by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on February 5, 2018. Tagline for the campaign is “Darwaja khatkhatao, AES aur JE kobhagao”. As a part of this campaign, many departments of UP State Govt., especially health, rural development, primary education, with the help of UNICEF, will go door to door in 38 JES and AE affected districts. These districts contribute to about 60 percent of the total AES cases all over India. 600 school students in the affected areas will also be part of this campaign.

75. Name the Indian Cricketer in Forbes India 30 Under 30 list. 1. Jasprit Bumrah 2. Hardik Pandya 3. Virat Kohli 4.K L Rahul 5. Cheteshwar Pujara Answer - 1. Jasprit Bumrah Explanation : Four Indian sportspersons – JaspritBumrah, Harmanpreet Kaur, Savita Punia and Heena Sidhu – have featured in this year’s Forbes India 30 Under 30 list.i. 24-year old, Indian fast bowler JaspritBumrah had a fantastic 2017. During 2017, he claimed 39 wickets in 23 ODIs. He was also named in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) One Day International (ODI) Team of The Year. In 2017, 28- year old India woman cricketer, Harmanpreet Kaur helped India win the Women’s World Cup semi- final match against Australia by scoring 171 runs. This match was the most watched women’s cricket match ever. In October 2017, former World No. 1 woman shooter, Heena Sidhu clinched gold at the Commonwealth shooting championships in Brisbane, Australia. Despite of suffering a finger injury last year, she did not give up and ensured a comeback. Indian women Hockey team goalkeeper, Savita Punia has proven to be an important part of the Indian hockey team on multiple occasions. She played an instrumental role in helping India qualify for Rio 2016 Olympics.

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76. Nicos Anastasiades won President re-election for second five-year term. He is the president of which country? 1. Yemen 2. Turkey 3. Cyprus 4. Kuwait 5. Jordan Answer - 3. Cyprus Explanation : On 4th February 2018, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades won re-election for second five-year term.Nicos Anastasiades secured 56 % of the votes and beat his opponent Stavros Malas who scored 44 % of votes. Nicos Anastasiades is 71 years old. He has been serving as President of Cyprus since 2013. Earlier, he was the leader of the political party Democratic Rally. Stavros Malas is 50 years old. He was Minister of Health in the government of Cyprus from 2011 to 2012.

77. Who was appointed the State Election Commissioner of Odisha? 1. Belatee Pertin 2. S.D.Sharma 3. Ramakanth Reddy 4. Naba Kumar Nayak 5. Rabi Narayan Senapati Answer - 4. Naba Kumar Nayak Explanation : Naba Kumar Nayak has been appointed as the State Election Commissioner in Odisha.Naba Kumar Nayak replaces Rabi Narayan Senapati. Naba Kumar Nayak is a retired IAS officer. He had been a member and the chairman in-charge of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC). He has also held positions like Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Collector of Puri and Mayurbhanj districts and Deputy Relief Commissioner.

78. Who was the first Chief of Staff of the US Air Force,flew a sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ at the Indian Air Force (IAF) station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan? 1.General AjitRaizada 2.General David L Goldfein 3.General M. Modassir 4.General H.C.Joshi 5.General C. Ropianga Answer - 2. General David L Goldfein Explanation : On February 3, 2018, General David L Goldfein, chief of staff of the US Air Force, flew a sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ at the Indian Air Force (IAF) station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. This is the first time that any Chief of Staff of the US Air Force flew LCA ‘Tejas’. For the sortie, General Goldfein was accompanied by Indian Air Force Air Vice Marshal AP Singh as a co- pilot. On February 1, 2018, General Goldfein along with other US officials arrived in India for an official visit. During the course of this visit, General Goldfein also met Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and held discussion with Indian Air Force Officials to further enhance cooperation between the two air forces.

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79. By defeating PV Sindhu, who won the women’s singles finals of India Open Super 500 at Siri Fort Complex in New Delhi on 4th February 2018? 1. Carolina Marin 2. Wang Yihan 3. Sung Ji-hyun 4.Beiwen Zhang 5. Gao Ling Answer - 4. Beiwen Zhang Explanation : On 4th February 2018, India’s PV Sindhu lost to America’s Beiwen Zhang in the women’s singles finals of India Open Super 500 at Siri Fort Complex in New Delhi. PV Sindhu was defeated 18-21, 21- 11, 20-22 by Beiwen Zhang in the women’s singles finals. Beiwen Zhang won the women’s singles title of India Open 2018. This Beiwen Zhang’s first major title. Beiwen Zhang won the gold medal and PV Sindhu secured the silver medal. PV Sindhu had won the women’s singles title of 2017 India Super Series.

80. Which team won the 8th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2018 (B Division)? 1.Bengaluru Hockey Association 2.Steel Plant Sports Board 3.Central Reserve Police Force 4.Kerala Hockey 5. Indian Railway Department Answer - 3. Central Reserve Police Force Explanation : Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) team has won 8th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2018 (B Division). In the final match played in Ranchi, Jharkhand on February 4, 2018, CRPF team defeated Kerala Hockey by a margin of 7-0. From the CRPF team, PriciliaTirkey scored 4 goals, while Pragya Mourya, Siddhi Singh and Bharti Thakur scored one goal each.The third-fourth classification match was played between Steel Plant Sports Board and Bengaluru Hockey Association. Steel Plant Sports Board won the match by 4-0 margin.

81. Lakshmi Devi passed away recently. Who was she? 1. Singer 2. Actor 3. Dancer 4. Doctor 5. Teacher Answer - 2. Actor Explanation : On 3rd February 2018, Telugu actor Lakshmi Devi died after suffering a cardiac arrest, at Manikonda, in Hyderabad, Telangana. Lakshmi Devi was 78 years old. She was a Telugu actor and a skilled acting teacher. Lakshmi Devi is survived by her husband Devadas, son Rajeev, daughter Sri Lakshmi, daughter-in-law Suma, son-in-law Ramarao and grandchildren. Lakshmi Devi started a film institute along with her husband Devadas. She has trained great actors like Telugu film star Chiranjeevi.

82. Who is the author of the book ‘Hisaab Kitaab’, a book on household budgeting? 1. Actress Yana Gupta 2. Actress Aarti Chhabria 3. Actress Amrita Arora 4. Actress Celina Jaitly 5. Actress Anjana Sukhani Answer - 5. Anjana Sukhani

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Explanation : Actress Anjana Sukhani is writing a book named ‘HisaabKitaab’, a book on household budgeting. Anjana Sukhani is writing ‘HisaabKitaab’ based on her experiences. The book is based on the dynamics of household budgeting. Anjana Sukhani has acted in films like “Salaam-e-Ishq”, “Golmaal Returns” and “Allah KeBanday”.

83. Which Military Regiment of Indian Army has completed 250 glorious years of raising? 1. Scinde Rifles Regiment 2.Maratha Light Infantry Regiment 3. Carnatic Infantry Regiment 4. Royal Sikh Pioneers Regiment 5. Rajputana Rifles Regiment Answer - 2. Maratha Light Infantry Regiment Explanation : Maratha Light Infantry Regiment (an infantry regiment of the Indian Army) has completed 250 glorious years of its raising. Currently, Maratha Light Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest and most decorated infantry regiment of the Indian Army. 2nd Battalion Bombay Sepoys (raised in 1768) was the first battalion of Maratha Light Infantry Regiment. In 1841, during First Afghan War, Maratha Light Infantry Regiment was the first regiment to be awarded with the title of ‘Light Infantry’. During the World War – I, it was honoured with 15 battle honours.

84. What are the tools launched by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry to rank the States and Union Territories (UTs) on startup ecosystem? 1. States and Union Territory Startup Ranking Framework 2. Compendium of Good Practices for Promoting Startups in India 3. Startup India Kit 4. All the above 5. 1&3 Answer - 4. All the above Explanation : Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Suresh Prabhu launched three tools – States and Union Territory Startup Ranking Framework, Compendium of Good Practices for Promoting Startups in India and the Startup India Kit – for ranking States and Union Territories (UTs) on startup ecosystem. • Main objective of States and Union Territory Startup Ranking Framework is to encourage States and UTs to take proactive steps for strengthening the Startup ecosystems at the local level. • The compendium focuses on enriching the Startup ecosystem through ethical behaviours. • The startup India kit will serve as a one-stop guide on all Startup India offerings.

85. Government has set up a mechanism in the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for regular interface with small-scale industry (SSI) for transfer of technologies from CSIR laboratories to industries. These small-scale industries contribute _____% of the gross industrial value? 1. 25% 2. 37% 3.40% 4. 45% 5. 50% Answer - 3.40% Explanation : Union Science and Technology Minister, Harsh Vardhan has stated that Government has set up a mechanism in the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for regular interface with small- scale industry (SSI)for transfer of technologies from CSIR laboratories to industries. A nodal officer has been appointed in CSIR, tasked with the responsibility to coordinate with the small-scale industry and

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the CSIR labs for appropriate technology required by them. This decision has been taken in response to concerns raised by leaders of Laghu Udyog Bharati that there was a "disconnect between CSIR and the small-scale industries and it should be addressed". SSI sector holds lot of significance within Indian economy, as it is the largest employment provider, next to agriculture and contributes almost 40% of the gross industrial value.

86. The first ever ‘Pelican Bird Festival’ was held at ______? 1. Atapaka Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh 2. Uppalapadu Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh 3. PulicatBird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh 4. Neelapattu Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh 5. Majira Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh Answer - 1. Atapaka Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh Explanation : On 4th February 2018, ‘Pelican Bird Festival-2018’ was held at the Atapaka Bird Sanctuary on Kolleru Lake, in Andhra Pradesh. The Pelican Bird Festival-2018 was jointly organised by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority (APTA) and Krishna district administration. Andhra Pradesh Tourism minister BhumaAkhilaPriya and Krishna District collector B Lakshmikantham inaugurated the Pelican Bird Festival-2018. A rally was organized from Kaikaluru town to Atapaka bird sanctuary during the festival. Thousands of artists, students and officials of the tourism department participated in the rally. A musical night was also arranged as a part of the Pelican Bird Festival. Various film stars took part in the musical night.

87. Ministry of Railways signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Ayush in New Delhi to scale up Ayush services in Railway’s Zonal hospitals. In which of the below given hospitals, the Ayush Services will be augmented? 1. B. R. Singh Hospital (Kolkata) in Eastern Railway 2. Perambur Railway Hospital (Chennai) in Southern Railway 3. Central Hospital (New Delhi) of Northern Railway 4. Central Hospital of Northeast Frontier Railway (Guwahati) 5. All the above Answer - 5. All the above Explanation : Ministry of Railways signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Ayush in New Delhi to scale up Ayush services in Railway’s Zonal hospitals. As per the MoU, Ayush Services will be augmented at B. R. Singh Hospital (Kolkata) in Eastern Railway, Perambur Railway Hospital (Chennai) in Southern Railway, Central Hospital (New Delhi) of Northern Railway, JR Hospital (Mumbai) in Western Railway and the Central Hospital of Northeast Frontier Railway (Guwahati). Logistics and infrastructure including land & building, equipments, furniture, AYUSH medicines and consumables as well as manpower will be provided by Ministry of Railways while Ministry of AYUSH will provide technical inputs for propagating Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) for wellness of Railway employees.

88. For the first time, which Government owned company has introduced new General Conditions of Contracts (GCC)for services, which defines terms & conditions for contractors engaged in service contracts for non-operational areas such as Facilities Management, Housekeeping, Consultancy etc. 1. Indian Railways 2. Air India 3. Hindustan Petroleum 4. ONGC 5. Indian Bank Answer - 1.Indian Railways

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Explanation : For the first time, Indian Railways has introduced new General Conditions of Contracts (GCC) for Services. GCC for services defines terms & conditions for contractors engaged in service contracts for non-operational areas such as Facilities Management, Housekeeping, Consultancy etc. Under the new policy of GCC for Services, concepts of Digital Labour Management System and stepped Performance Guarantee in place of Security Deposit, have been introduced for the first time. As per digital management labour system, a contractor has to compulsorily maintain a data base of all workers including their attendance data and salary details. The concept of stepped performance guarantee (which replaces Security Deposit) reduces the financial burden on the contractor. However it emphasises service delivery by having a provision of confiscation of part performance guarantee in case of unsatisfactory output.

89. Assam State Government, with which cab aggregator entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pilot an app-based river taxi service in Guwahati? 1. Uber 2. SheTaxi 3. Ola 4. Fastrack 5. ApnaCabs Answer - 3.Ola Explanation : Assam State Government and cab aggregator Ola entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pilot an app-based river taxi service in Guwahati. In context of this news, River Taxi refers to machine-operated boats. The machine operated boats are faster and are considered safer than conventional boats. As per the MoU, Ola will pilot rivers taxis from LachitGhat and Machkhowa in Guwahati to North Guwahati across the river. River taxis will reduce commuting time between these points to two to five minutes as compared to 45 minutes by road.

90. Name the Nepali beverage, which has finally received its own brand logo or trademark in the international market after 154-year long cultivation. 1. Nepalese Tea 2. Seabuckthorn juice 3. Arag 4. Tonga 5. Tibetan Tea Answer - 1.Nepalese Tea Explanation : Nepalese tea has finally received its own brand logo or trademark in the international market after 154- year long cultivation. The logo has been developed and registered by National Tea and Coffee Development Board under Nepal’s Ministry of Agricultural Development. The trademark has an image of mountains with "Nepal Tea: Quality from the Himalayas" written below it. It will be formally unveiled during the 3rd International Tea Festival in Nepal in March 2018. Nepali tea producers, who were so far using respective companies names or logos for exporting tea, would now sell the tea in international market with a common logo, representing their national identity. Tea cultivation is spread across 27688 hectares of land in 44 districts of Nepal. It has been exporting tea to various countries including India.

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91. Which company launched a public initiative "#SecurityCheckKiya" to create awareness around Internet safety and to protect young and first-time web users from account hijacking, safeguard Android devices from malicious mobile applications and secure their personal data? 1. CISCO 2. Apple 3. Facebook 4. Google 5. Verizon Answer - 4.Google Explanation : On February 5, 2018, Google launched a public initiative "#SecurityCheckKiya" to create awareness around Internet safety and to protect young and first-time web users from account hijacking, safeguard Android devices from malicious mobile applications and secure their personal data. On account of easy access to internet, large number of first time Internet users have now come online. These users typically lack technical alertness to safeguard them in online environment and are thus vulnerable to bad actors and abuse on the web. Google has made related information available on its homepage and is encouraging users to take the first step of Security Check on Safer Internet Day (February 6). Users have been advised to use "Google Security", “Google Play protect” and "Find My Device" app in order to ensure basic level security for their accounts and mobile devices.

92. Which company has been ranked the number one environment policy think tank in Indiaby the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania? 1. India Green Conservation 2. Centre for Science and Environment 3. Greenpeace India 4. WWF-India 5. SEDINDIA Answer - 2.Centre for Science and Environment Explanation : The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has been ranked the number one environment policy think tank in India. The ranking was done by The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. In the world level, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has obtained 16th position. It has improved 2 positions compared to last year. A research is conducted by TTCSP to study the role played by policy institutes in governments and civil societies. CSE has ranked 2nd in India and 38th in world-level in the 'Energy and Resource Policy Think Tanks' category. CSE has ranked 6th in India and 123rd in the world-level in the ‘Best Independent Think Tanks’ category.

93. Amitabh Kant was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog on 17th February 2016 for a two-year term. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet extended his tenure till ______? 1. 30th June 2019 2. 30th June 2019 3. 30th June 2019 4. 30th June 2019 5. 30th June 2019 Answer - 4.30th June 2019 31 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Explanation : On 5th February 2018, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant was given an extension till 30th June 2019. Amitabh Kant was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog on 17th February 2016 for a two-year term. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved extension of Amitabh Kant as CEO of NITI Aayog till 30th June 2019. Amitabh Kant is a 1980 batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre. Earlier, he was Secretary in Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

94. Who was appointed the new executive chairman of the Murugappa Group of Companies? 1. Sridharan Rangarajan 2. Shyam C Raman 3. M.M. Murugappan 4. Arunachalam Velayan 5. Ramesh K Menon Answer - 3. M.M. Murugappan Explanation : On 5th February 2018, Murugappa Group announced that, it has appointed M.M. Murugappan as its executive chairman. M M Murugappan replaces A Vellayan as Executive Chairman of Murugappa Group. A Vellayan was the executive chairman since November 2009. Earlier, M M Murugappan was the vice-chairman of Murugappa Group. He is also on the board of Mahindra & Mahindra, Cyient Ltd, IIT-Madras, etc. As Murugappa Group vice-chairman, M M Murugappan led technology, innovation and environment, health and safety (EHS) initiatives.

95. Who became the 16th Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in the United States? 1. Sumner Hamlin 2. Roy A Young 3. Hebert Hoover 4. William M Martin 5. Jerome H Powell Answer - 5. Jerome H Powell Explanation : On 5th February 2018, Jerome H. Powell became the 16th Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in the United States.Jerome H. Powell replaces Janet Yellen. Janet Yellen is the first woman chairman of Federal Reserve in its 100-year history. Jerome H. Powell has been a member of the Fed board since 2012. He was chosen for this position by US President Donald Trump. The Senate has approved his nomination as chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for a four-year term. His term as a Fed board member ends by January 31, 2028.

96. Which company announced that, it will acquire LiquidHub to enhance its digital-consulting capabilities in North America? 1. TCS 2. Mercedes Benz 3. HCL 4. Capgemini 5. Verizon Answer - 4. Capgemini Explanation : On 5th February 2018, Capgemini said that, it will acquire LiquidHub to enhance its digital-consulting capabilities in North America. The cost of acquisition is estimated to be nearly 400 million euros. This amount is said to be twice that of LiquidHub's 2017 revenue. Capgemini said that, the transaction would be closed in the next 2 months. LiquidHub is a digital technology services company.

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97. From which state’s coastline, India successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed Agni-I ballistic missile from a test range? 1. Kerala 2. Odisha 3. Gujarat 4. West Bengal 5. Andhra Pradesh Answer - 2. Odisha Explanation : India successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed Agni-I ballistic missile from a test range off the Odisha coast. The test involved 18th version of Agni-I and was conducted by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of Indian Army with logistic support from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for a range of about 900 km. The test was conducted from launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island in Balasore, Odisha and achieved all parameters within the stipulated time period. Agni-I which was inducted into service in 2004 is a single stage, surface-to-surface short range ballistic missile (SRBM), powered by solid propellants. It is 15-metres- long and weighs 12 tonnes. Initially, Agni-I had a strike range is 700 km. It is capable of carrying conventional as well as nuclear payload up to 1000 kg.

98. Who is the highest ranked Indian golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR)? 1. Anirban Lahiri 2. Jeev Milkha Singh 3. Shubhankar Sharma 4. Gaganjeet Milker 5. Arjun Atwal Answer - 3. Shubhankar Sharma Explanation : 21-year old Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma was elevated from 193 to 72, in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Standing at 72nd position in OWGR, Shubhankar is now the highest-ranked Indian in the world surpassing Olympian Anirban Lahiri, who is currently placed 76th. Shubhankar’s meteoric rise started in December 2017, with his first European Tour win at the Joburg Open. Joburg Open win catapulted him from 462 to 226. His ranking further improved on account of second European Tour triumph at the Maybank Championship in Malaysia on February 4, 2018. His last victory placed him in exclusive club of Indians who have achieved two wins in the same European Tour season. Jeev Milkha Singh accomplished this feat in 2006 while Anirban Lahiri did it in 2015.

99. Which city of England will host the new World Cup on 14th and 15th July 2018? 1. London 2. Manchester 3. Liverpool 4. Cambridge 5. Oxford Answer - 1. London Explanation : On 5th February 2018, British Athletics announced that, London will host a new World Cup at the London Stadium on 14th and 15thJuly 2018. The following 8 countries will participate in the new World Cup: Britain, the United States, Poland, China, Germany, France, Jamaica and South Africa. One male and one female athlete from each country will be selected for every field event and each track race up to 1500 metres. Total prize money for the event is fixed at $2 million. It will be conducted as a two day event.

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100. When is the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation observed all over the world? 1. 2th February 2. 3th February 3. 4th February 4. 5th February 5. 6th February Answer - 5. 6th February Explanation : On 6th February 2018, International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation was observed all over the world. Female genital mutilation (FGM) means removing or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons. This practice is considered as a violation of girls’ and women’s rights all over the world. UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) are organizing a world-level programme to eliminate FGM. Its main focus is on 17 African countries. Nearly 200 million girls and women living at present have undergone FGM. It is mainly practiced in 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East. It is also followed in certain countries of Asia and Latin America.

101. Laghu Udyog Bharati is an All India Organisation, related to which of the following? 1. Small scale industries 2. Telecommunication Company 3. Finance Company 4. Pharmaceutical Company 5. NBFC Answer - 1. Small scale industries Explanation : Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science & Technology, has formulated a mechanism in CSIR (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research) to facilitate regular interface with small-scale industry for transfer of technologies from CSIR laboratories. An announcement regarding this was made during a meeting with members of Laghu Udyog Bharati, an all-India organisation of small scale industries. Laghu Udyog Bharati has 450 branches and 25,000-member units in India. National Secretary of Laghu Udyog Bharati, Sampat Toshniwal said that, there is a disconnect between CSIR and small-scale industries. It was said that, a nodal officer in CSIR will coordinate with the small-scale industry and CSIR labs for required technology transfer.

102. The 25th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council was held in New Delhi on January 18, 2018. In this meeting, GST rate on services by way of admission to Amusement Parks may be reduced from 28% to _____? 1. 25% 2. 20% 3. 18% 4. 15% 5. 12% Answer - 3. 18% Explanation : At 25th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council held in New Delhi on January 18, 2018, it was recommended that GST rate on services by way of admission to Amusement Parks may be reduced from 28% to 18%. The recommendation to reduce GST rate on entry to amusement parks was in response to requests received from several quarters that amusement parks promote social wellness and are avenues to attain fun and learning for children and their families in a real active entertainment. On January 25, 2018, a notification was issued giving effect to this recommendation of GST Council. Thus, admission to amusement parks including water parks, theme parks, joy rides, go-carting, merry-

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go-rounds and ballet is now taxable at the lower rate of 18%.

103. In which state, the foundation stone for Rhodendron Park was laid at? 1. Sikkim 2. Himachal Pradesh 3. Manipur 4. Arunachal Pradesh 5. Meghalaya Answer - 4. Arunachal Pradesh Explanation : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu laid foundation stone for Rhodendron Park in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The Rhodendron Park will be built in an area of 1.15 hectares. It will be partly funded under Border Area Development Programme (BADP). Nearly 30 species of rhododendrons will be planted in the park and conserved. The park will also contain modern nursery, information center on rhododendron, resting sheds, vehicle parking facility, public toilet facility, signage and lightings and iron security gate. A plantation drive of various varieties of Rhodos was also initiated by Pema Khandu.

104. What is the sum allocated by the Government for the railway projects in Odisha? 1. Rs 5252 crore 2. Rs 5500 crore 3. Rs 5794 crore 4. Rs 6050 crore 5. Rs 6292 crore Answer - 1. Rs 5252 crore Explanation : Under Union Budget 2018, Central Government has allocated Rs 5252 crore for different railway projects in Odisha. This year’s allocation is the highest ever budgetary allocation for railway infra development in Odisha till date. In Union Budget 2017, budgetary allocation for railway infra development in Odisha was Rs. 5102 crore, while for 2016, it was Rs. 4682 crore. Despite of highest budgetary allocation this year, Odisha State Government is not pleased because it had demanded Rs 6500 crore for the development of railway sector in the state.

105. Which state Government launched ‘Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran', a farmers' welfare department which will be entrusted with the responsibility to make agriculture remunerative by enhancing productivity and thereby mitigate the distress of farm households and landless workers? 1. Punjab 2. Haryana 3. Bihar 4. Karnataka 5. Gujarat Answer - 2. Haryana Explanation : On February 6, 2018, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar stated that the State Government will establish 'Haryana Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran', a farmers' welfare department which will be entrusted with the responsibility to make agriculture remunerative by enhancing productivity and thereby mitigate the distress of farm households and landless workers. This announcement was made by Mr. Khattar while interacting with farmers during the 'Ek Aur Sudhar' programme in Chandigarh. Chief Minister of Haryana would be the ex-officio chairperson of the Haryana Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran, while State’s Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister would be the ex-officio vice- chairman. Besides handling its primary responsibility of making agriculture remunerative, Haryana Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran will also synergise with various departments for implementation and monitoring of schemes, programmes and projects thorough the Agriculture Advisory Council.

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106. Which state government hosted the 5th South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference 2018? 1. Odisha 2. West Bengal 3. Kerala 4. New Delhi 5. Andhra Pradesh Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : 5th South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference is being held in New Delhi from 5th – 7th February, 2018. The Conference was inaugurated by Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley. It is being hosted by government of India through the Public Procurement Division (PPD) of the Ministry of Finance and All India Management Association (AIMA). It is being held under the auspices of the South Asia Region Public Procurement Network (SARPPN). SARPPN is sponsored and facilitated by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank. Objective of this conference is to serve as a platform for Heads of Public Procurement and other key stakeholders in the eight South Asian countries to meet and learn from one another and interact with experts in the field of public procurement. Theme of 5th South Asia Region Public Procurement Conference is “Public Procurement and Service Delivery”.

107. RBI released sixth bi- monthly Monetary Policy on February 7, 2018. What is the projected Economic growth for 2017-18? 1.7% 2. 6.9% 3. 6.8% 4. 6.7% 5. 6.6% Answer - 5. 6.6% Explanation : On February 7, 2018, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced Sixth Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy Statement for financial year 2017-18. This time too, the Policy Repo Rate has been kept unchanged. Repo Rate has been kept unchanged at 6.00 per cent. Consequently, the Reverse Repo Rate at 5.75 per cent, marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.25 per cent too remains unchanged. The six-member RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 5:1 for the decision. Only Dr. Michael Debabrata Patra voted for a 0.25 percent increase in repo rate. Estimated inflation for fourth quarter (Q4) of financial year 2017-18 i.e. January – March 2018 period is 1 per cent. It is to be noted that, In December 2017, consumer inflation rose to a 17-month high of 5.21 per cent, which is much above RBI's medium-term target of 4 per cent. Economic growth for 2017-18 is projected at 6.6 per cent.

108. Which State cabinet approved FinTech Policy 2018 and thereby became the first State in India to adopt a comprehensive fintech (Financial Technology) policy for fostering an environment for fintech startups? 1. Odisha 2. Bihar 3. Maharashtra 4. Jharkhand 5. West Bengal

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Answer - 3. Maharashtra Explanation : Maharashtra State cabinet approved Maharashtra FinTech Policy 2018 and thereby became the first State in India to adopt a comprehensive fintech (Financial Technology) policy for fostering an environment for fintech startups. Vision of this policy is to position Maharashtra among the five best global fintech hubs in the coming years. Under this policy, Maharashtra State Government will provide the infrastructure and financial support to facilitate 300 startups over next three years. Maharashtra State Government has provided Rs 200 crore for this purpose. Along with Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune too would be turned into fintech hubs. Daily operations related to the implementation of this policy will be overseen by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself along with a dedicated fintech team.

109. Assam State Government would soon set up a new dedicated agency to look into all aspects of business and investment in the state. What is the name of the agency? 1. Assam means Business 2. Innovation Assam 3. Access Assam 4. Invest Assam 5. ASEAN Assam Answer - 4. Invest Assam Explanation : Assam State Government would soon set up ‘Invest Assam’ a new dedicated agency to look into all aspects of business and investment in the state. This decision was taken post conclusion of the two-day 'Global Investors Summit-Advantage Assam'. During the course of this summit, around 200 memorandum of understanding (MoUs) worth Rs one lakh crore were signed. Senior officials of Industries and Commerce Department of Assam State Government have been directed to work out the future course of action for speedy execution of these MoUs.

110. Which company signed an agreement with NCERT to integrate 'Digital Citizenship and Safety' course in information and communication technology curriculum? 1. Google 2. Apple 3. Amazon 4. Yahoo 5. Facebook Answer - 1. Google Explanation : On 6th February 2018, Google and NCERT signed an agreement to integrate 'Digital Citizenship and Safety' course in information and communication technology curriculum. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) contains a curriculum on IT and communication technologies in its teachers training programme. Students from class I to XII will be trained using the curriculum developed jointly by NCERT and Google. Students from nearly 1.4 million schools in India will be trained. This curriculum has four themes - being smart, being safe, being a digital citizen and being future ready. No fee is charged by Google for this training.

111. In which Indian state, Google India and Tata Trusts combinedly launched “Internet Saathi” programme? 1. Kerala 2. Telangana 3. Karnataka 4. Tamil Nadu 5. Andhra Pradesh Answer - 4. Tamil Nadu

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Explanation : On 7th February 2018, Google India and Tata Trusts extended their Internet Saathi programme to 4,000 villages in six districts of Tamil Nadu. Google India and Tamil Nadu government also announced that, they have planned to provide Google Cloud credits and access through its affiliate for eligible startups coming under the Tamil Nadu government’s startup initiative. Google India will also provide technical mentorship and support to various startups. The announcement was made by Tamil Nadu Information Technology Minister M Manikandan. It was also announced that Google and Tamil Nadu government will work together to make government sites mobile friendly, help local small and medium businesses to use online facilities, and Internet safety education for children. The ‘Internet Saathi’ programme was started as a pilot programme in Rajasthan in July 2015.

112. Which is the world’s busiest international airport in terms of passenger traffic? 1. Beijing Capital International Airport 2. Dubai International Airport 3. Los Angeles International Airport 4. Tokyo International Airport 5. Heathrow International Airport Answer - 2. Dubai International Airport Explanation : Dubai International Airport has retained its position as world’s busiest international airport in terms of passenger traffic. During 2017, Dubai International Airport served 88.2 million passengers, which marks 5.5% per cent increase as compared to 83.6 million passengers in 2016. In 2014, Dubai International Airport surpassed London Heathrow as the world's busiest airport for the first time. Thus, it has retained its No. 1 position for the fourth consecutive year. Increase in international passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport can be attributed to several factors including expansion of routes from Emirates and easing of visa regulations for Chinese and Russian visitors. Paul Griffiths, Chief Executive of Dubai Airports expects that passenger traffic will reach 90.3 million in 2018. Several process improvements by adopting new technology are underway to expand airport’s annual capacity to 118 million passengers.

113. What is 'Empzilla’? 1. Reptile 2. Submarine 3. Defence Mechanism 4. Mobile app 5. Island Answer - 4. Mobile app Explanation : 'Empzilla’, a chat-based job search mobile app, first of its kind in India has been launched. Using Empzilla, employers and job searchers can easily carry out a conversation. This also spares the Human Resource department’s strenuous job of going through so many mails. Empzilla has a geo location feature. This lets the users find out the exact distance between the hiring venue and the candidate’s location. At every stage, candidate gets notifications like 'application viewed', 'application in review', 'shortlisted', 'interview invite'. This is said to be a quick and cost-effective method.

114. Which state government introduced ‘Pollution Metre’, a mobile application to spread awareness against pollution? 1. New Delhi 2. Punjab 3. Madhya Pradesh 4. Maharashtra 5. Uttarkhand Answer - 3. Madhya Pradesh

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Explanation : On 6th February 2018, Madhya Pradesh government introduced ‘Pollution Metre’, a mobile application to spread awareness against pollution in the western part of Madhya Pradesh. The mobile application 'Pollution Metre' is available on Google Play Store. This app has been developed jointly by a private firm and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board. Using the 'Pollution Metre' app, users can check the status of air, water and noise pollution in their areas. Using this app people from 8 districts in western Madhya Pradesh can notify their concerns regarding pollution and environment. This would help the government to have a check on pollution.

115. Name the first indigenous RTOS developed from scratch in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)? 1. Hunk-w 2. Hawk-i 3. Shell-1 4. Shark-7 5. Aryan-s Answer - 2. Hawk-i Explanation : Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has developed the first flight of Hawk-i with indigenous Real Time Operating System (RTOS). Hawk-i is the first indigenous RTOS developed from scratch in India. It has been certified by Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC). RTOS is the system software that provides a standard run-time environment for safe and reliable real-time applications. This HAL-RTOS supports Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) architecture. Its important features are address, space and time partitioning, priority pre-emptive process scheduling and health monitoring. The HAL-RTOS can be made as standard Real Time Operating System for future avionics systems made in India.

116. India successfully test-fired Prithvi-II, an indigenously developed nuclear capable missile from a test range in Odisha. What type of missile is Prithvi-II? 1. Surface-to-Air Missile 2. Ballistic missiles 3. Air-to-air missile 4. Anti-submarine missile 5. Surface-to-surface missile Answer - 5. Surface-to-surface missile Explanation : On 7th February 2018, India successfully test-fired Prithvi-II, an indigenously developed nuclear capable missile from a test range in Odisha. Prithvi-11 is a surface-to-surface missile. It can strike through a range of 350 km. Its trial was carried out from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. All mission objectives were satisfied during the test launch and it was declared a successful launch. Prithvi-II has the capability to carry 500-1,000 kg of warheads. It has liquid propulsion twin engines. It uses advanced inertial guidance system. The launch was carried out by Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Army. It was monitored by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists. Prithvi-II was inducted by the Armed forces in 2003. It is the first missile developed by DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

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117. From which space center, SpaceX’s launched its ‘Falcon Heavy’ rocket towards Mars on 6th February 2018? 1. Langley Space Center, Virgina, USA 2. Johnson Space Center, Houston, USA 3. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, USA 4. Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA 5. Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, USA Answer - 4. Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, USA Explanation : SpaceX’s launched its ‘Falcon Heavy’ rocket towards Mars from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Falcon Heavy is said to be the world's most powerful rocket. It carried a Tesla roadster as a mock payload. Three minutes after the launch, the Falcon Heavy's two side boosters separated from the central rocket. The two boosters flew back to earth eight minutes after launch. This is the first time a privately financed rocket has attempted to send a payload out of Earth's orbit.

118. Name the Pioneer of Children’s Theatre, who passed away recently due to age related ailments, in Mumbai? 1. Sudha Karmarkar 2. Trisha Ravishankar 3. Ina Garten 4. Paula Mathew 5. Bobby Darwin Answer - 1. Sudha Karmarkar Explanation : On 5th February 2018, Sudha Karmarkar, Pioneer of Children’s Theatre, passed away due to age related ailments, in Mumbai. Sudha Karmarkar was 83 years old. She founded the children’s theatre in Mumbai named as ‘Bal Rangbhumi- Little Theatre’. She has directed several plays for children. She has also acted in those plays. She started the Little Theatre movement in 1959 with the first children’s drama ‘Madhu Manjiri’.

119. John Mahoney recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Athlete 2. Doctor 3. Singer 4. Actor 5. Dancer Answer - 4. Actor Explanation : On 4th February 2018, actor John Mahoney passed away after brief illness in Chicago. John Mahoney was 77 years old. He was well-known for playing the title character in the "Frasier" show. John Mahoney worked in films for nearly 35 years. His important works are “The American President,” “Moonstruck,” “In the Line of Fire,” and “Say Anything”.

120. On February 7, 2018, Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal for ratification of Minamata Convention. This convention is related to which of the following? 1. Global Warming 2. Pollution 3. Mercury 4. Hydrocarbon 5. All the above Answer - 3. Mercury

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Explanation : Union Cabinet has approved the proposal for ratification of Minamata Convention on Mercury and thereby enabling India to become a Party to the Convention. The convention urges enterprises to move to mercury-free alternatives in products and non-mercury technologies in manufacturing processes. Union Cabinet has approved ratification of this Convention along with flexibility for using mercury- based products and processes involving mercury compound up to 2025.The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty adopted to protect human health and environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds. It has been named after the Japanese city Minamata and was signed in October 2013.

121. To create international perspective among the Indian Youth, the government had signed an MoU with which country for next 5 years? 1. Morocco 2. Libya 3. Algeria 4. Egypt 5. Tunisia Answer - 5. Tunisia Explanation : Cabinet apprised of an MoU signed between India and Tunisia for cooperation on Youth matters. This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on October 30, 2017, in New Delhi. It shall be valid for a period of five years. Objective of this MoU is to create international perspective among the Indian Youth.Activities under this MoU would include organization of youth exchange programmes; invitations to international conferences, seminars, youth festivals and workshops.

122. Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has formed Raksha Mantri's Advisory Committee on Ministry of Defence (MoD) Capital Projects (RMCOMP) to monitor and expedite capital acquisition projects for modernisation of armed forces. How many members are there in this committee? 1. 11 2. 12 3. 13 4. 14 5. 15 Answer - 3. 13 Explanation : Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has formed Raksha Mantri's Advisory Committee on Ministry of Defence (MoD) Capital Projects (RMCOMP) to monitor and expedite capital acquisition projects for modernisation of armed forces. The Raksha Mantri's Advisory Committee on Ministry of Defence (MoD) Capital Projects (RMCOMP) is a 13-member advisory committee. It will carry out independent review and check the status of ongoing important projects worth over Rs 500 crore. It will also recommend methods to improve the capital acquisition process. The committee will review various categories of projects like "Buy" (Indian) and "Buy and Make" (Indian). This committee will be headed by Vinay Sheel Oberoi, former secretary in the government. Tenure of the committee is till end of August 2018.

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123. Which is the first railway zone in India to achieve 100 % LED lighting at every station under its jurisdiction? 1. East Coast Railway 2. East Central Railway 3. South Central Railway 4. North Eastern Railway 5. Metro Railway Answer - 3. South Central Railway Explanation : On 7th February 2018, South Central Railway (SCR) announced that, it has become the first railway zone in India to achieve 100 % LED lighting at every station under its jurisdiction. South Central Railway (SCR) chief public relations officer M Umashankar Kumar said that, SCR has become the first zone in Indian Railways to accomplish 100 % LED lighting in all 733 stations under its jurisdiction. He also said that, this LED lighting facility would save 32 lakh units of electrical energy amounting to Rs 2.7 crore per year.

124. Which state had appointed a committee that has analysed and submitted a report on separate flag for the state, suggesting an official three-coloured flag to replace an unofficial two-coloured flag currently in use? 1. Kerala 2. Gujarat 3. Goa 4. Odisha 5. Karnataka Answer - 5. Karnataka Explanation : Karnataka committee to analyse possibility of a separate flag for the state has submitted a report, suggesting an official three-coloured flag to replace an unofficial two-coloured flag currently in use. In June 2017, Karnataka’s Kannada and Culture department appointed a committee to study the possibility of having a separate flag for Karnataka. The committee was headed by G S Siddaramaya, chairman of Kannada Development Authority. This committee has recommended a flag in yellow and red colour, with white colour in the middle containing the state symbol. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that, this matter will be forwarded for consideration by Karnataka cabinet. Then it will be referred to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for clearance. If this flag is approved by MHA, Karnataka will be the second state to have an official flag after Jammu and Kashmir. Karnataka has an unofficial state flag since 1960s.

125. On which National Highway, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has planned to launch a pilot project, to analyse the feasibility of “Pay as you use” tolling system in India? 1. Delhi Mumbai National Highway (NH8) 2. Srinagar Kanniyakumari National Highway (NH44) 3. Delhi Chennai National Highway (NH48) 4. Assam Arunachal Pradesh National Highway (NH15) 5. Jaipur Agra National Highway (NH21) Answer - 1. Delhi Mumbai national highway (NH8) Explanation : National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is launching a pilot project on Delhi Mumbai national highway (NH8) to analyse the feasibility of “Pay as you use” tolling system in India. The pilot project includes developing a satellite based electronic toll collection system that works on GPS/GSM technology for nearly 500 commercial vehicles on the Delhi Mumbai national highway. This project will be carried out for 1 year. It will work using mobile telecommunications technology (GSM) and the satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS). This system will deduct money from a vehicle account and credit money to the concessionaire in 1 day and open the toll gate. In case of transaction failure, toll

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operator will be alerted, and money will be collected manually before opening the gate.

126. Which country launched a 10-million-dollar Development Impact Bond (DIB) with an objective to help improve education for over 200000 children in India? 1. Japan 2. Britain 3. Russia 4. Australia 5. Canada Answer - 2. Britain Explanation : Britain's Prince Charles has launched 10-million-dollar Development Impact Bond (DIB) with an objective to help improve education for over 200000 children in India. DIB is the latest fundraising initiative by the British Asian Trust (BAT) and is considered as the largest bond of its type in South Asia. BAT has launched this bond with the support of the United Kingdom Government's Department for International Development (DfID), Comic Relief, the Mittal Foundation and the UBS Optimus Foundation. Funds raised through DIB will be provided to selected local not-for-profit entities in India over four years period for delivering a range of operational models including direct school management, principal and teacher training and supplementary programmes. Primary school students from marginalised communities in India will be the direct beneficiaries of these activities.

127. What are the two Indian institutions to feature among Top 50 educational institutes of Asia in TIMES Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking’s? 1. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IIT Bombay 2. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IIT Delhi 3. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IIT Kharagpur 4. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IIT Kanpur 5. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IIT Madras Answer - 1. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IIT Bombay Explanation : Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay are the only two Indian institutions to feature among Top 50 educational institutes in Asia in TIMES Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking’s. Among Indian institutes, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) ranked highest at 29th. IISc is followed by IIT, Bombay at 44th. Total 17 institutes from India featured in the list this year. Interestingly, although number of Indian institutes featuring in the list has increased, rank of many institutes has dropped as compared to last year. National University of Singapore has been adjudged as Asia’s top university for the third consecutive year. With 89 universities featuring in the list, Japan is the most-represented nation.

128. Which is the first country in the world to legalise and then repeal same-sex marriage, as Legislation replacing same-sex marriage with domestic partnerships? 1. Cuba 2. Bermuda 3. Haiti 4. Jamaica 5. Grenada Answer - 2. Bermuda Explanation : On 7th February 2018, Bermuda has become the first country in the world to legalise and then repeal same-sex marriage, as Legislation replacing same-sex marriage with domestic partnerships was signed by Governor John Rankin. Now, couples in a registered domestic partnership will have equivalent rights as those in heterosexual marriage. This also includes the right to make medical decisions on behalf of their partner. The same-sex marriages that were done in Bermuda in the in-between period, when they

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were legalized by a court order in May 2017 and then repealed, are recognized by the new law.

129. What is India’s rank in the international Intellectual Property (IP) index released by the US Chambers of Commerce? 1. 30 2. 35 3. 38 4. 40 5. 44 Answer - 5. 44 Explanation : On 8th February 2018, India has ranked 44 out of 50 countries in the international Intellectual Property (IP) index released by the US Chambers of Commerce. As per the annual report of Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC) of the US Chambers of Commerce, India’s overall score has increased from (8.75 out of 35) last year to 30 per cent (12.03 out of 40) in the latest edition. India ranked 43rd out of 45 countries last year and this year it ranks 44 out of 50 countries. The Index is topped by the US with 37.98 points. Second position is occupied by United Kingdom with 37.97 points and third spot by Sweden with 37.03 points. This report studies the intellectual property (IP) climate in 50 countries based on 40 indicators like patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secrets protection.

130. From April 1, 2018, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will link the ______, for the loans given by banks to the Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rates (MCLR)? 1. Repo Rate 2. Base Rate 3. Call Rate 4. Marginal Standing Facility 5. Bank Rate Answer - 2. Base Rate Explanation : From April 1, 2018, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will link the base rate for loans given by banks to the Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rates (MCLR). MCLR system was introduced by RBI on April 1, 2016 to avoid the problems of the Base Rate regime. MCLR is the minimum interest rate of a bank, below which it cannot lend. It serves as an internal benchmark for the bank. Interest rate on corporate and retail loan products is fixed above this rate. As compared to base rate, MCLR is more sensitive to changes in key policy rates made by RBI. It increases or decreases in tandem with policy rates.Even after nearly two years since introduction of MCLR, large portion of corporate and retail loan portfolio of banks have still not migrated to MCLR regime.

131. Which Bank launched its new Sonic Identity - MOGO, a musical logo, as a part of branding initiatives taken by the bank? 1. Yes Bank 2. SBI Bank 3. Indian Bank 4. IndusInd Bank 5. Axis Bank Answer - 4. IndusInd Bank Explanation : IndusInd Bank launched its new Sonic Identity - MOGO, a musical logo, as a part of branding initiatives taken by the bank. The Sonic Identity has been introduced by IndusInd Bank to build its brand image through music and sound for brand experiences and audience connection. This music piece was developed by Rajeev Raja, Founder of brandmusiq. The musical logo is named MOGO™ (short for musical LOGO). MOGO™ is a short, 4 note piece of 2-3 seconds. Surrounding this there is a longer (90 second piece) called the MOGOSCAPE™. The sonic identity will be used in ATMs, net banking,

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mobile apps, TV, radio, social media etc. It has also introduced games and contests to attract users. It has also created a microsite to highlight the importance of sonic identity.

132. Who was appointed the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) at New Delhi? 1. Rear Admiral S K Grewel 2. Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana 3. Rear Admiral Monty Khanna 4. Rear Admiral Sandeep Beecha 5. Rear Admiral Amit Bose Answer - 2. Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana Explanation : Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana has been appointed as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air) at New Delhi. Mukul Asthana was commissioned in the Executive Branch of Indian Navy in 1986. He commanded INS Rajali from August 2009 to December 2010. He commanded the 21 Mine Counter Measure Squadron and the Guided Missile Destroyer INS Rana. He has held positions like Command Aviation Officer at Headquarters Eastern Naval Command Visakhapatnam, Chief Staff Officer (Air) at Headquarters Naval Aviation, Goa and Principal Director Naval Air Staff at the Naval Headquarters, New Delhi. He was elevated to Flag rank in January 2016. He is a recipient of the prestigious Nausena Medal, Tenzing Norgay National Award etc. He was involved in the commands of INS Nashak, INS Tarangini etc.

133. Who was re-elected as the Bangladesh President for another five-year term? 1. Mohammad Shafiul Alam 2. M. Morshed Khan 3. Aminul Haqu 4. Saifur Rahman 5. Abdul Hamid Answer - 5. Abdul Hamid Explanation : Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid was re-elected unopposed for another five-year term. Abdul Hamid has been re-elected as Bangladesh President for a second 5 year term as no one else contested for the President post. Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda made this announcement. The Awami League had nominated Abdul Hamid as Presidential candidate. Abdul Hamid is 74 years old. He was first elected as President of Bangladesh in 2013. He has 60 years of experience in politics.

134. Who was appointed the Managing Director and CEO of SBI Card? 1. Mustafa Jabbar 2. Hardayal Prasad 3. Sundar Prabhu 4. Kazi Keramat 5. Tajuddin Ahmad Answer - 2. Hardayal Prasad Explanation : On 5th February 2018, Hardayal Prasad was appointed as Managing Director and CEO of SBI Card. Hardayal Prasad replaces Vijay Jasuja. Vijay Jasuja retired on 31st January 2018. Hardayal Prasad’s appointment as MD and CEO came to effect from 1st February 2018. Hardayal Prasad joined State Bank of India in 1983 as a Probationary Officer. He has worked in various locations in different circles and countries. He has vast experience in many areas of banking.

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135. Who became the first Indian female cricketer to score 200 ODI (One Day International) wickets? 1. Runa Basu 2. Smriti Mandhana 3. Jhulan Goswami 4. Diana Edulji 5. Anjali Sharma Answer - 3. Jhulan Goswami Explanation : India's Jhulan Goswami became the first female cricketer to score 200 ODI (One Day International) wickets. Jhulan Goswami made this record at the second ODI against South Africa in the ICC Women's Championship at Kimberley, South Africa. She is 35 years old. She hails from Nadia district of West Bengal. She started her cricketing career in 2002. It was her 166th ODI. She dismissed opener Laura Wolvaardt and gained her 200th ODI wicket. She also became the highest wicket-taker in women's ODIs in May 2017. She has won ICC Women Cricketer of the Year in 2007. The first male cricketer to get 200 ODI wickets was India’s Kapil Dev.

136. Who is the former president of BJP Arunachal Pradesh unit, died after a long-time illness, at a hospital in Guwahati, Assam? 1. Kangir Jamoh 2. Dilip Kumar 3. Girish Pawan 4. Hitendra Nath Swami 5. Ajith Kumar Answer - 1. Kangir Jamoh Explanation : On 7th February 2018, Kangir Jamoh, former president of BJP Arunachal Pradesh unit, died after a long-time illness, at a hospital in Guwahati, Assam. Kangir Jamoh was also president of Adi Baane Kebang, a high-level body of the Adi tribe. He was president of BJP Arunachal Pradesh unit from 1998 to 2003. He was 67 years old. He is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.

137. Madavoor Vasudevan Nair recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Koodiyatam Artist 2. Oppana Artist 3. Kathakali Artist 4. Kummi Artist 5. Mohiniyattam Artist Answer - 3. Kathakali Artist Explanation : Kathakali maestro Madavoor Vasudevan Nair died while he was performing on stage, at Agasthyacodu Mahadeva Temple, Anchal, in Kerala. Madavoor Vasudevan Nair collapsed during a stage performance. He was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead. He was 89 years old. He was the principal of the Kalabharathi performing art institute. He had received various awards like Padma Bhushan, Sangeet Nataka akademi award and Kerala Kalamandalam award. He is a native of Madavoor in Thiruvananthapuram. He is survived by his wife Savithri Amma, son Madhu, and daughters Mini and Ganga.

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138. In which state, “PlastIndia 2018”, 10th edition of international plastics exhibition was inaugurated? 1. Telangana 2. Gujarat 3. Odisha 4. Maharashtra 5. Punjab Answer - 2. Gujarat Explanation : On 7th February 2018, PlastIndia, 10th edition of international plastics exhibition, started in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. PlastIndia 2018 is held for 6 days from 7th February 2018 to 12th February 2018. It was inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. It is organized by Plastindia Foundation. It has participation from buyers and sellers from nearly 28 countries. New products and technologies are displayed by national and international sellers. Plastindia 2018 hosts 3 special exhibitions: 1.Proplast - for processed plastics products 2.Plasticulture - display of plasticulture 3.Recycling Pavillion - for recycling products

139. Which city will host the National Meet on Grassroot Informatics-VIVID 2018 from 8th – 10th February 2018? 1. Mumbai 2. Chennai 3. Kolkata 4. New Delhi 5. Bangalore Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : National Meet on Grassroot Informatics- VIVID 2018 is being held from 8th – 10th February 2018 in New Delhi. It has been organised by National Informatics Centre (NIC). The event was inaugurated by Union Minister of Electronics & Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad. VIVID 2018 would serve as an extensive platform for knowledge sharing among 240 NIC District officials from across India. During the course of this event, NIC District officials would give presentations on their portals, will showcase their applications and contribution towards implementation of the Digital India initiative of Central Government. Theme for VIVID 2018 is “Cyber Security and Innovation”.

140. In which state the Union Minister of State for Finance & Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan inaugurated the two-day Third Global Procurement Summit 2018? 1. New Delhi 2. Karnataka 3. Bihar 4. Assam 5. West Bengal Answer - 1. New Delhi Explanation : On February 8, 2018, Union Minister of State for Finance & Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan inaugurated the two-day Third Global Procurement Summit in New Delhi. This Summit was organized by Government of India, All India Management Association (AIMA) and World Bank. Theme of Third Global Procurement Summit was ‘New Frontiers faced in the Transformation process of Procurement Today’. During the course of this two-day Summit, various sessions focusing on key facets of strategic sourcing, application of digital technologies in procurement, prevention of contractual disputes and project delays and the latest global innovations in public procurement were conducted.

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141. Central Government has constituted an Inter- ministerial Committee (IMC) under whose Chairpersonship to tackle the menace of trafficking? 1. Committee on the Status of Women in India 2. Indian Women and Child Welfare Trust 3. Child and Women Care Institution 4. Child Welfare Committee 5. Secretary, Women and Child Development Answer - 5. Secretary, Women and Child Development Explanation : Central Government has constituted an Inter- ministerial Committee (IMC) under the Chairpersonship of Secretary, Women and Child Development to tackle the menace of trafficking. The committee comprises representatives of concerned stake holders, Ministries/ departments of Central Government and State/UT Governments. As per National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report 2015, 6877 cases of Human trafficking were reported in 2015, which marks an alarming rise by 25.8% as compared to 5466 cases in 2014. Human trafficking (primarily done for sexual exploitation and forced labour) is one of the largest organized crime violating basic human rights.

142. In which state, President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav of Lord Gomateshwara? 1. Bihar 2. Maharashtra 3. Karnataka 4. Rajasthan 5. Goa Answer - 3. Karnataka Explanation : On 7th February 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav of Lord Gomateshwara at Shravanabelagola in Hassan district, Karnataka. President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav by unveiling an idol of Bahubali. He also lit a lamp to kick start the event. The Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav is held once in 12 years. It has been celebrated for nearly 1,000 years. Karnataka Governor Vajubha Vala, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Charukeerthi Bhattaraka Swami, Jain saint Acharya Vardhamana Sagar, and Veerendra Heggade of Dharmastala, were also present at the inauguration ceremony.

143. Which Union Minister met Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and inaugurated 'Janadriyah', the national heritage and cultural festival of Saudi Arabia at Riyadh? 1. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley 2. Home Minister Rajnath Singh 3. Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu 4. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman 5. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Answer - 5. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Explanation : On February 7, 2018, Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and inaugurated 'Janadriyah', the national heritage and cultural festival of Saudi Arabia at Riyadh. India was accorded the 'Guest of Honour' status at the Janadriyah Festival. The Indian Pavilion at the Janadriyah Festival was based on the theme "Saudi ka Dost Bharat". It showcased the core values and traditions of India and presented a kaleidoscope of India's vibrant culture through a colourful dance and music extravaganza. Ms. Sushma Swaraj was on a three-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, which concluded on February 8, 2018.

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144. Who topped the Forbes list richest person in terms of crypto currency ownership? 1. Rahul Naspreet 2. Sahil Bansal 3. Saurabh Agarwal 4. Jin Samuel 5. Chris Larsen Answer - 5. Chris Larsen Explanation : Forbes has released its first ever list of richest people in terms of cryptocurrency ownership. During 2017, cryptocurrency garnered lot of attention owing to meteoric price appreciation witnessed in popular cryptocurrencies viz. Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP. With an estimated crypto net worth of $7.5-8 billion, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen has topped this inaugural list. Forbes report has outlined that currently there are nearly 1500 cryptoassets in existence. Combined valuation of all the cryptoassets stands at $550 billion. Average age of individuals in Forbes cryptocurrency rich list is 42 years, while the threshold for featuring in the list is crypto net worth equivalent to USD 350 million.

145. Which country has become the top source market for Dubai, with 2.1 million visitors in 2017, as per data published by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism)? 1. China 2. Russia 3. India 4. Cuba 5. Chile Answer - 3. India Explanation : India has become the top source market for Dubai, with 2.1 million visitors in 2017, as per data published by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism). The data regarding this was published by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism). In 2017, Dubai had experienced 15 % growth in tourist arrivals from India. India has also become the first country to exceed 2 million visitors in a single year. This increase has been credited to Dubai Tourism's collaboration with actor Shah Rukh Khan in the 'BeMyGuest' campaign. On the whole, in 2017 Dubai faced 6.2 % year-on-year increase in international overnight visitation. Total tourists Dubai received in 2017 is 15.79 million. Saudi Arabia (KSA) secured the second place with 1.53 million tourists in 2017. UK secured third position with 1.27 million tourists.

146. Which country has temporarily banned imports of live birds, hatching eggs and chicken from India after a form of bird flu (that is highly lethal for poultry) was found? 1. Saudi Arabia 2. USA 3. Bhutan 4. Srilanka 5. Myanmar Answer - 1. Saudi Arabia Explanation : Saudi Arabia’s Agriculture Ministry announced that it has temporarily banned imports of live birds, hatching eggs and chicken from India after a form of bird flu (that is highly lethal for poultry) was found. This ban has been imposed on basis of World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) report, which stated that an outbreak of a highly contagious bird flu virus near Bengaluru in Karnataka was reported in December 2017. As per OIE report, H5N8 virus was detected in December 2017 among birds in the village of Dasarahalli, Bengaluru killing nine out of 951 birds.

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147. Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of Rs 136 crore on which search engine company for indulging in unfair business practices in the Indian market for online search? 1. Google 2. Yahoo 3. UC Browser 4. Bing 5. Opera Answer - 1. Google Explanation : Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a fine of Rs 136 crore on Google for indulging in unfair business practices in the Indian market for online search. The fine has been imposed after a detailed probe following complaints filed by Matrimony.com and Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) against Google LLC, Google India and Google Ireland in 2012. CCI’s probe found Google to be guilty of “infringing anti-trust conduct”. Rs 135.86 crore fine amount is 5 per cent of Google’s average total revenue generated from Indian operations for the financial years 2013, 2014 and 2015.

148. Who was appointed the non-executive chairman of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for the term of 2 years? 1. Chalu Pandey 2. Biswamohan Mahapatra 3. Kewal Handa 4. G. Padmanabhan 5. Atanu Kumar Das Answer - 2. Biswamohan Mahapatra Explanation : National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has appointed Biswamohan Mahapatra as non- executive chairman for two years. Biswamohan Mahapatra replaces B Sambamurthy. B Sambamurthy was the interim chairman of NPCI. Recently Dilip Asbe was appointed as Managing Director of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

149. Which Indian Cricketer was appointed the new brand ambassador of 'Power', Bata's sport wear brand? 1. M S Dhoni 2. Virat Kohli 3. Smriti Mandhana 4. Mithali Raj 5. Jhulan Goswami Answer - 3. Smriti Mandhana Explanation : Smriti Mandhana, Indian cricketer, was appointed the new brand ambassador of 'Power', Bata's sport wear brand. Smriti Mandhana is 21 years old. She is an Indian women’s cricket team opener. From February 2018, she will start with the promotion works for Power’s latest range of products. Her performance at the ICC (International Cricket Council) Women's World Cup 2017 earned her fame and reputation.

150. Who took charge as the Chief Justice of Manipur High Court on 9th February 2018? 1. Justice T S Thakur 2. Justice P Sathasivam 3. Justice Rajendra Lodha 4. Justice Ramesh Chandra 5. Justice Abhilasha Kumari Answer - 5. Justice Abhilasha Kumari

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Explanation : On 9th February 2018, Justice Abhilasha Kumari took charge as the Chief Justice of Manipur High Court. Justice Abhilasha Kumari’s oath ceremony was administered by Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla. She was transferred from the Gujarat High Court. She hails from Himachal Pradesh. Her father is former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh. She started her practice in the Himachal Pradesh High Court. She was appointed the additional advocate general for Himachal Pradesh. In December 2005, she was made the Gujarat High Court judge.

151. Who took charge as the Chief Justice of Kerala on 9th February 2018? 1. Justice Madan Mohan 2. Justice Patanjali Sastri 3. Justice Antony Dominic 4. Justice Gopal Ballav 5. Justice K Kapadia Answer - 3. Justice Antony Dominic Explanation : On 9th February 2018, Antony Dominic, Acting Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, took charge as the Chief Justice of Kerala. Justice Antony Dominic’s oath as Chief Justice of Kerala was administered by Kerala Governor P. Sadasivam. Justice Dominic hails from Kottayam district of Kerala. He obtained his law degree from SDM Law College, Mangalore. In 1981, He started his law practice in the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kanjirapally. In 2007, he became additional judge of the Kerala High Court. Later he was made the permanent judge of the Kerala High Court.

152. Who was appointed the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board’s first independent female director? 1. Mira Nair 2. Aparna Sen 3. Deepa Mehta 4. Indra Nooyi 5. Kiran Rao Answer - 4. Indra Nooyi Explanation : PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi has been appointed as the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board’s first independent female director. Indra Nooyi Nooyi will join ICC Board as Independent Director in June 2018. Appointment of a female Independent Director was approved by ICC Full Council in June 2017. Generally an Independent Director is appointed for a two-year term. But she can be re-appointed for two more terms not exceeding a consecutive period of 6 years. Indra Nooyi has made to the World's Most Powerful Women list of Fortune Magazine several times.

153. Who was appointed the next Ambassador of India to Timor-Leste? 1. Jaideep Sarkar 2. Pradeep Kumar Rawat 3. Navtej Sarna 4. Pankaj Saran 5. Debnath Shaw Answer - 2. Pradeep Kumar Rawat Explanation : On 8th February 2018, Pradeep Kumar Rawat was appointed the next Ambassador of India to Timor- Leste. Pradeep Kumar Rawat is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1990 batch. He is currently 51 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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the Ambassador of India to Jakarta. He has been concurrently appointed the next Ambassador of India to Timor-Leste. His residence is in Jakarta. He will soon take up this new assignment.

154. Name the Web based monitoring System and a Fly Ash mobile application recently launched by R.K Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy? 1. Fly Ash 2. Ash App 3. WebAsh App 4. WebAsh Track 5. Ash Track Answer - 5. Ash Track Explanation : R.K Singh, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, launched a Web based monitoring System and a Fly Ash mobile application called ASH TRACK. ASH TRACK has been introduced to improve ash management. It creates an interface between fly ash producers (Thermal Power Plants) and ash users (road contractors, cement plants etc). The ASH TRACK is available in Google Play Store and App Store. The ASH TRACK app has various features for consumers, power stations and also provides ash utilization data. It provides plant-wise, utility-wise and State-wise ash utilization data in India. It can manage 200 million tonnes of fly ash. It tracks coal based power plants located within 100 km and 300 km of the given location and provides ash availability details.

155. Jarrod Bannister recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Athlete 2. Dietician 3. Doctor 4. Actor 5. Teacher Answer - 1. Athlete Explanation : Athletics Australia announced that, Jarrod Bannister, champion javelin thrower of Australia died in the Netherlands. Jarrod Bannister was 33 years old. He had a sudden death. He had won gold medal at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. He had participated in the final of the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, and the Beijing Olympics. The record of 89.02m he created in Brisbane in 2008, is the current Australian record in javelin throw.

156. In which Indian city Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ms. Uma Bharti inaugurated Swachh Bharat Sanitation Park? 1. Mumbai 2. Kolkata 3. Pune 4. New Delhi 5. Patna Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : On February 9, 2018, Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ms. Uma Bharti inaugurated Swachh Bharat Sanitation Park in Delhi. This park has been developed by Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, in collaboration with the Environmental Sanitation Institute and Tata Trust. Objective behind developing this park is to create awareness on various safe technological options related to Sanitation. Various options pertaining to toilet technologies and solid and liquid waste management technologies are being demonstrated at this Sanitation Park. Information regarding various interventions undertaken under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) and its impact across India has also been displayed at the Park.

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157. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) scheme, how many total houses are approved by the Government for the urban poor people? 1. 40.25 lakhs 2. 39.25 lakhs 3. 38.25 lakhs 4. 37.75 lakhs 5. 36.50 lakhs Answer - 2. 39.25 lakhs Explanation : On February 8, 2018, Central Government announced that it has approved the construction of over 1.86 lakh more houses for urban poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) scheme. With this approval, total number of affordable houses sanctioned under this scheme has reached 39.25 lakhs. Construction of these 1.86 lakh affordable houses entails a total investment of Rs 11169 crore, in which, Rs 2797 crore will come as central assistance. In this latest round of approval, Haryana has been sanctioned the maximum number of houses (53290 houses). Haryana is followed by Tamil Nadu (40623 houses) and Karnataka (32656 houses).

158. In which state, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the two-day International conference on Unani Medicine on 10th February 2018? 1. Madhya Pradesh 2. Maharashtra 3. New Delhi 4. Punjab 5. West Bengal Answer - 3. New Delhi Explanation : On February 10, 2018, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the two-day International conference on Unani Medicine in New Delhi. This conference has been organised by Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), under the Ministry of AYUSH as part of celebration of Unani Day. Unani Day will be celebrated on 11th February, to mark the 150th Birth Anniversary of Hakim Ajmal Khan, an eminent Indian Unani physician/researcher. Theme of this two-day International conference on Unani Medicine is “Integration of Unani System of Medicine in main stream healthcare”. The conference will serve as a platform for academia, regulators, researchers, industry and students to develop visions, linkages and initiate projects aimed at promoting Unani system of medicine as one of the preferred systems of medicine across the globe.

159. India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) will enable Digital Payments in Post Offices by ______? 1. July 2018 2. June 2018 3. May 2018 4. April 2018 5. March 2018 Answer - 4. April 2018 Explanation : On February 10, 2018, Department of Posts stated that India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) will start pan- India roll out of its network from April 2018. Post completion of expansion plan, IPPB will have India’s largest financial inclusion network, covering both urban as well as rural areas. This will enable IPPB to provide digital payment services at the doorstep with the help of Postmen and Gramin Dak Sewaks (GDS). 17 crore existing account of Post Office Savings Bank will be made interoperable for conducting digital payments including National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and bill payment services. Besides, IPPB will enable acceptance of digital payments across 1.55 lakh post offices across India in line with the digital

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payments initiative of Central Government.

160. Paisabazaar.com, an online marketplace for loans and cards has entered into a partnership with which company to drive an 'industry first' technology innovation on its platform? 1. Microsoft 2. Google 3. Facebook 4. Apple 5. TCS Answer - 1. Microsoft Explanation : Paisabazaar.com, an online marketplace for loans and cards has entered into a partnership with Microsoft to drive an 'industry first' technology innovation on its platform. As per the terms of the tie- up, entire infrastructure of paisabazaar.com will be moved to Microsoft Azure. Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing service. It is used for creating, testing, deploying, and managing applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers. Through Microsoft Azure, paisabazaar.com will work extensively on futuristic technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to offer customized, tailor-made and secure solutions for each consumer coming to its platform.

161. Name the eight year old Indian-origin school girl who has entered into the UK’s Mathletics Hall of Fame? 1. Jessica Jude 2. Angeline Jerald 3. Simran Nia Roy 4. Suhaelina Suresh 5. Sohini Roy Chowdhury Answer - 5. Sohini Roy Chowdhury Explanation : Sohini Roy Chowdhury, an eight year old Indian-origin school girl has made it to the UK’s Mathletics Hall of Fame. UK’s Mathletics Hall of Fame is a mathematics-based competitive online platform. It engages primary school students. Sohini Roy Chowdhury solved mathematic puzzles with high speed and accuracy on the platform. She has outsmarted various kids from all over the world and has entered the top 100 World Hall of Fame. Her father is Mainak Roy Chowdhury, an accountant. Mathletics is an online learning platform that enables children to play live arithmetic games and compete with children from across the world.

162. Which company has been awarded the Golden Peacock Award 2017 for corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives? 1. Godrej Industries 2. Coal India 3. Reliance Industries 4. Maruti Suzuki 5. Asian Paints Answer - 3. Reliance Industries Explanation : Reliance Industries Ltd. announced that it has been awarded the Golden Peacock Award 2017 for corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Reliance Industries Ltd.’s CSR initiatives are undertaken through Reliance Foundation, which is headed by Nita Ambani. One of the several initiatives of Reliance Foundation, which has been recognised by the Golden Peacock jury was about creating positive impact on farmers' livelihoods through water and food security interventions. Golden Peacock Awards were instituted in 1991 by the Institute Of Directors (IOD) – an apex association of directors to improve their professional competence. These awards are regarded as a benchmark of

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Corporate Excellence worldwide.

163. Who was appointed the private banking head of HDFC Bank? 1. Ravindra Prabhakar Marathe 2. T C A Ranganathan 3. Mukesh Kumar Jain 4. Rajeev Rishi 5. Rakesh Singh Answer - 5. Rakesh Singh Explanation : Rakesh Singh has been appointed as private banking head of HDFC Bank. In this role, Rakesh Singh will head the HDFC Bank's investment banking, capital markets and financial institutions businesses. HDFC Bank’s private banking is a premium service catering to high net worth ('HNW') and ultra-HNW individuals, families and entities. Private banking service is geared towards successfully managing and growing wealth of such individuals/entities. It is to be noted that, as on December 31, 2017, HDFC Bank’s private banking service had assets under advice of over Rs 93000 crore which belonged to over 16000 families in India and abroad.

164. Who became the brand ambassador of All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB)? 1. Sunil Mehta 2. Vidit Gujrathi 3. Melwyn Rego 4. Ravi Krishan Takkar 5. Pawan Kumar Bajaj Answer - 2. Vidit Gujrathi Explanation : Grand Master Vidit Gujrathi has been named the brand ambassador of All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB). Vidit Gujrathi is 23 years old. His current rating is 2718. He said that, along with AICFB he aims to spread awareness about blind chess and give recognition to Indian players who perform well at global level. He had broken the 2700 rating mark and became the fourth Indian to achieve this feat. Other three Indians who reached this mark are Viswanathan Anand, Sasikiran and P Harikrishna. He had recently won the Tata Steel Chess Challengers 2018.

165. The Muthoot Group has appointed whom as its Brand Ambassador? 1. Ajith Kumar 2. Amitabh Bachchan 3. Kamal Hassan 4. Amir Khan 5. Salman Khan Answer - 2. Amitabh Bachchan Explanation : The Muthoot Group has appointed Amitabh Bachchan as its Brand Ambassador. Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan will represent Muthoot Group in its national campaigns. Amitabh Bachchan is a recipient of Padma Vibhushan award. He has acted in more than 190 Indian films. He has worked in films for nearly five decades.

166. Who took charge as the Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA)? 1. Rear Admiral Ravneet Singh 2. Rear Admiral Puneet Kumar Bahl 3. Rear Admiral Kishore Kumar Sasural 4. Rear Admiral G Narayanan 5. Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil Answer - 5. Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil

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Explanation : Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil took charge as Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA). Rear Admiral Philipose G Pynumootil is an alumnus of the Lawrence School, Lovedale and the National Defence Academy. He was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1986. He has commanded INAS 330 and Carrier borne ASW Sea King Squadron. He was the commissioning Commanding Officer of INS Shikra. He has commanded the 1241 RE corvette, INS Nashak, the Missile Corvette INS Kirpan and INS Brahmaputra. He had received the Nao Sena Medal for command of INS Brahmaputra.

167. Which state hosted the 1st Khelo India School Games from 31st January 2018 to 8th February 2018? 1. Punjab 2. New Delhi 3. Haryana 4. Maharashtra 5. Gujarat Answer - 2. New Delhi Explanation : 1st Khelo India School Games were held in New Delhi from 31st January 2018 to 8th February 2018.The inaugural Khelo India School Games were a part of revamped ‘Khelo India’ Programme, the National Programme for development of sports in India. Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports held Khelo India School Games in collaboration with the School Games Federation of India and National Sports Federation. This event served as an avenue for identification of budding sporting talents in 16 sports disciplines including athletics, boxing, badminton, football, judo, hockey, kabaddi, shooting, kho kho, swimming, weightlifting, volleyball and wrestling. Mascots of Khelo India School Games were ‘Vijay the tiger’ and ‘Jaya the black buck’. “Aur khelna chahte hain hum…...” was the official anthem of Khelo India School Games.

168. Which country hosted the 23rd Olympic Winter Games on 9th February 2018? 1. China 2. North Korea 3. South Korea 4. USA 5. Australia Answer - 3. South Korea Explanation : On 9th February 2018, the 23rd Olympic Winter Games started with a grand ceremony at Pyeongchang in South Korea. The opening ceremony of the 23rd Olympic Winter Games was directed by South Korea’s Song Seung-whan. The ceremony was named "Peace in Motion". A faux dove was released into the sky as a symbol of peace. South Korea’s flag was hoisted into the air. North and South Korean teams marched together with a "unification flag". The Olympic Winter Games 2018 Torch was white and gold in colour. The Olympic torch was designed by South Korea’s Kim Young-se. “Let Everyone Shine” was the song for the Pyeongchang Olympic Winter Games 2018 Torch Relay. Nearly 35,000 spectators were seen at the opening ceremony. They were provided with seat warmers, wind shields, hats and gloves due to the cold climate

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169. Bevan Congdon recently passed away. To which Sport he was associated with? 1. Hand ball 2. Basket ball 3. Wrestling 4. Cricket 5. Hockey Answer - 4. Cricket Explanation : Bevan Congdon, former New Zealand Test cricket captain passed away after a long term illness in Auckland, New Zealand. Bevan Congdon has died one day before his 80th birthday. He was born on 11th February 1938. He had played 61 Tests and earned 3448 runs with an average of 32.22. He was the captain of New Zealand in its first official limited-overs fixture against Pakistan. After his retirement he was on the New Zealand selection panel in the 1990s. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and grand-children.

170. Chandrasekhar Rath passed away recently after a long term illness in Odisha. Who was he? 1. Author 2. Doctor 3. Teacher 4. Politician 5. Dietician Answer - 1. Author Explanation : On 9th February 2018, Chandrasekhar Rath, Odia litterateur, died at a private hospital after a long term illness, in Odisha. Chandrasekhar Rath was 89 years old. He was a well-known Odia author and poet. He had received the Sahitya Akademi Award and Sarala Award. He was selected for the Padma Shri award this year. He was born on 17th October 1929, in Malpada in Balangir district of Odisha. He was an expert in both fiction and non-fiction. His important works are Yantrarudha, Asurya Upanivesh, Nav Jatak, etc.

171. John Gavin passed away at his residence in Beverly Hills, California, US. To which Profession he belonged to? 1. Engineer 2. Pharmacist 3. Lawyer 4. Actor 5. Mechanic Answer - 4. Actor Explanation : American actor John Gavin passed away at his residence in Beverly Hills, California, US. John Gavin was 86 years old. He had been suffering from pneumonia. He had combated with leukemia for a long time. His important works are “Psycho”, "Spartacus" and "Imitation of Life." He had received the Golden Globe award. He is survived by his wife, 4 children and 3 grandchildren.

172. Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali Tendulkar launched 'Even When There Is A Doctor', a book on child health care. Who is the author of the book? 1. Dr Yashwant Amdekar 2. Dr Rajesh Chokhani 3. Krishnan Sivaramakrishnan 4. All the above 5. 1&3 only Answer - 4. All the above

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Explanation : On 8th February 2018, Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali Tendulkar launched 'Even When There Is A Doctor', a book on child health care. 'Even When There Is A Doctor' was written by Dr Yashwant Amdekar, Dr Rajesh Chokhani and Krishnan Sivaramakrishnan. This book explains the role of individuals and parents in improving the health of children. It helps parents identify and solve simple problems.

173. On February 9, 2018, ‘Integrated Automatic Aviation Meteorological System (IAAMS)’ was inaugurated at INS Garuda, aiming at modernising the Meteorological infrastructure of the nine Naval Air Stations. Where is INS Garuda located at? 1. Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala 2. Bangalore, Karnataka 3. Kochi, Kerala 4. Mysore, Karnataka 5. Panaji, Goa Answer - 3. Kochi, Kerala Explanation : On February 9, 2018, ‘Integrated Automatic Aviation Meteorological System (IAAMS)’ was inaugurated at INS Garuda, a naval air station located in Kochi, Kerala. INS Garuda has become the fourth Naval Air Station to be the part of this integrated system. IAAMS is Indian Navy’s project aimed at modernising the Meteorological infrastructure of the nine Naval Air Stations. IAAMS comprises state of the art Meteorological Sensors viz., Transmissometer, Radar Vertical Wind Profiler, Ceilometer and Automatic Weather Observation System which automatically records relevant weather parameters (that are vital for accurate weather forecasting) on continuous basis. On detecting any abnormal change of weather parameters that may affect safe flying operations, the system raises an alarm to alert the duty staff about the same.

174. How many times in a year, the National Deworming Day is observed by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to treat intestinal worm infections in all children aged 1- 19 years? 1. 2 days (10th February and 10th August) 2. 3 days (10th February, 10th April and 10th August) 3. 4 days (10th &11th February and 10th &11th August) 4. 5 days (10th February, 10th April, 10th June, 10th July and 10th August) 5. 6 days (10th to 12th February and 10th to 12th August) Answer - 1. 2 days (10th February and 10th August) Explanation : On February 10, 2018, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda launched National Deworming Day. Since 2015, National Deworming Day is held on 10 February and 10 August to treat intestinal worm infections in all children aged 1- 19 years. This mass deworming programme is implemented by reaching out to children at schools and anganwadis and administering Albendazole tablets. NDD mobilizes health personnel, state governments and other stakeholders to focus on controlling Soil Transmitted Helminth (STH) infections, which is one of the most common infections. For National Deworming Day launched on February 10, 2018, Government is aiming to reach more than 32.2 crore children.

175. In which state, the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched Centre for Spoken Sanskrit, which will provide a spoken Sanskrit course? 1. Kerala 2. Gujarat 3. Karnataka 4. Maharashtra 5. Bihar Answer - 2. Gujarat

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Explanation : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched Gujarat University’s Centre for Spoken Sanskrit that will provide a spoken Sanskrit course. The Gujarat University has introduced a spoken Sanskrit course for six-month duration. This course will teach people how to speak Sanskrit. This course is said to be the first of its kind in India. This course has been introduced to familiarize Sanskrit in India. Co-ordinator of this course is Atul Unagar. The spoken Sanskrit classes will be held on Saturday and Sunday. The course fee is Rs.500. This course doesn’t require any prior knowledge of Sanskrit. Also an advanced course on sanskrit grammar will be launched for interested students helping them to read and understand ancient scriptures.

176. India Health Fund (launched by Tata Trusts in association with The Global Fund) will financially support innovations and technologies aimed at combating ______and ______diseases. 1. Tuberculosis & Diabetes 2. Tuberculosis & Cancer 3. Tuberculosis & Asthma 4. Tuberculosis & Malaria 5. Tuberculosis & HIV Answer - 4. Tuberculosis & Malaria Explanation : India Health Fund (launched by Tata Trusts in association with The Global Fund) will financially support innovations and technologies aimed at combating tuberculosis and malaria. Indian Health Fund (IHF) will be supporting individuals and organisation that are already involved in developing new products and strategies that impact the entire lifecycle (from prevention to post-cure recovery) of TB and Malaria. IHF’s role will be to make such solutions sustainable and scalable. In the context of this news, it is important to note that TB and Malaria, together account for over 4.23 lakh deaths and around 15 million cases every year.

177. What is the total amount allocated by the Central Government to the state of Andhra Pradesh for various projects? 1. Rs. 1009 crore 2. Rs. 1064 crore 3. Rs. 1160 crore 4. Rs. 1269 crore 5. Rs. 1365 crore Answer - 4. Rs. 1269 crore Explanation : In last few days, Central Government has released a sum of Rs. 1269 crore to Andhra Pradesh for various projects. Out of Rs. 1269 crore, Rs. 417.44 crore has been given as grant for the Polavaram multipurpose project across the Godavari River. Andhra Pradesh State Government has claimed that it has already spent over Rs. 7200 crore on the Polavaram multipurpose project. As this project has been accorded the status of National Project, it is eligible to receive grant from Central Government. However, Central Government has so far released grant of only Rs. 4329 crore. Amount of Rs. 417.44 crore which has been recently granted is a small portion towards filling up the gap. Out of Rs. 1269 crore released in last few days, Rs. 369.16 crore is post-devolution revenue deficit grant, as per the recommendation of 14th Finance Commission.

178. What is the total amount sanctioned by the Union Defence Ministry to the Indian Army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and several other sensitive places? 1. Rs 1427 crore 2. Rs 1487 crore 3. Rs 1500 crore 4. Rs 1589 crore

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5. Rs 1681 crore Answer - 2. Rs 1487 crore Explanation : Union Defence Ministry has sanctioned Rs 1487 crore to Indian Army to fortify its bases in Jammu and Kashmir, North East and several other sensitive places. The funds will be used to plug security gaps at the bases and thereby building protection against any terror attacks. This project for strengthening perimeter security at army bases was cleared by Union Defence Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman. A deadline of 10 months has been set to carry out this project and Army headquarters has been directed to monitor the implementation. In recent years, there have been several terrorist attacks targeting military installations. After the attack on the Pathankot air force base in 2016, committee headed by Lt Gen Philip Campose had recommended carrying out security audit of military bases.

179. According to a report by New World Wealth, which city of India holds a place in the top 15 wealthiest cities globally? 1. Pune 2. Agra 3. Kolkata 4. Bangalore 5. Mumbai Answer - 5. Mumbai Explanation : According to a report by New World Wealth, Mumbai has ranked 12th out of 15 wealthiest cities globally. New World Wealth is a global market research group, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. It specializes in ratings, surveys, country reports and wealth statistics. In context of this report, total wealth, refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each city. Government funds are not included in total wealth. Private Wealth includes assets (property, equities, cash, and business stakes) less any liabilities.

180. A consortium of the Indian oil companies and UAE-based Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a concessional agreement for the acquisition of ____% participating interest in the offshore Lower Zakum Concession? 1. 5% 2. 10% 3. 15% 4. 20% 5. 25% Answer - 2. 10% Explanation : On February 10, 2018, a consortium of the Indian oil companies and UAE-based Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a concessional agreement for the acquisition of 10% participating interest in the offshore Lower Zakum Concession. This is the first time ever that an Indian Consortium has received concession in the Gulf. The concessional agreement between Indian oil companies and ADNOC is for 40 years from 2018 to 2057 and the participation fees are valued at $600 million. For this agreement, the Indian consortium is led by Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), while Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petro Resources Ltd. are the other members.

181. Scientists have successfully accomplished growing of ______eggs in a laboratory environment for the first time. 1. Human 2. Mammal 3. Dinosaurs 4. Hippopotamus 5. Angel Shark

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Answer - 1. Human Explanation : Scientists have successfully accomplished growing of human eggs in a laboratory environment for the first time. Scientists have achieved successful growth of human egg from the earliest stage in ovarian tissue till maturity for the first time in laboratory. Earlier, this process had been achieved in mice. The results of this process were published in the journal Molecular Human Reproduction. Scientists from two research hospitals in Edinburgh and the Center for Human Reproduction in New York were involved in this research. Earlier, human eggs were grown in laboratory only from later stage of development. This process will help in regenerative medicine therapies and developing new infertility treatments.

182. Which country’s new generation J-20 stealth fighters have been commissioned into air force combat service? 1. Japan 2. USA 3. Canada 4. India 5. China Answer - 5. China Explanation : China's new generation J-20 stealth fighters have been commissioned into air force combat service. Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force has announced that the J-20 has been commissioned into combat units. J-20 is the fourth generation medium and long-range fighter jet of China. Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force said that, the J-20 will help to increase the air force’s combat capabilities and to defend the country. J-20 entered service in 2017. It was displayed to the public for the first time in 2016 at the Zhuhai airshow.

183. Which Government Entity launched the “Voluntary Safety Reporting” website for its employees to anonymously report internal safety issues and hazards? 1. SBI 2. Indian Airways 3. Indian Railways 4. ONGC 5. HAL Answer - 3. Indian Railways Explanation : Indian Railways launched the “Voluntary Safety Reporting” website for its employees to anonymously report internal safety issues and hazards. The Voluntary Safety Reporting system has two features. Using the first one, employees can report issues anonymously. Through the second one, employees can mention their contact details for confidential feedback. In this case also, the identity of employees will not be disclosed.

184. Who has become the first Indian golfer to qualify the China Ladies PGA Tour 2018? 1. Saaniya Sharma 2. Neha Tripathi 3. Smriti Mehra 4. Sharmila Nicollet 5. Tvesa Malik 61 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Answer - 4. Sharmila Nicollet Explanation : Sharmila Nicollet has become the first Indian golfer to qualify for the China Ladies PGA Tour. Sharmila Nicollet is 26 years old. She hails from Bengaluru. In the CLPGA Tour Qualifying School, she played three rounds in 77-73-72 and completed in tied 21st. She has qualified for the China Ladies PGA Tour. The performance in the China LPGA Tour will earn players the Women's World Golf Rankings points.

185. Who is the world’s youngest and first Asian swimmer to complete the Ocean Seven Challenge? 1. Sri Chand Bajaj 2. Bijoy Barman 3. Hakimuddin Habibulla 4. Rohan More 5. Virdhawal Khade Answer - 4. Rohan More Explanation : Rohan More, a Pune-based swimmer, has become the world’s youngest and first Asian swimmer to complete the Ocean Seven Challenge. The Ocean Seven Challenge is to cross seven of the world's toughest ocean channels comprising a distance of nearly 200 km. The Ocean Seven Challenge covers the North Channel, the Cook Strait, the Molokai Channel, the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, the Tsugaru Strait and the Strait of Gibraltar. Rohan More is 32 years old. He is the ninth swimmer on the whole to complete the Ocean 7 Challenge.

186. Asma Jehangir, the Iron lady of which country passed away recently? 1. China 2. Pakistan 3. Afghanistan 4. England 5. Switzerland Answer - 2. Pakistan Explanation : Asma Jehangir, Pakistan’s reputed lawyer and human rights activist, died following a cardiac arrest in Lahore, Pakistan. Asma Jehangir was known as Pakistan's Iron Lady. She was the head of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. She was also the chairperson of the Supreme Court Bar Association. She was a UN Rapporteur in the 1990s. In 1983, she was jailed for supporting the democrats during the rule of General Zia-ul Haq. She raised her voice against military dictators and law evaders.

187. Johann Johannsson recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Lawyer 2. Musician 3. Singer 4. Doctor 5. Teacher Answer - 2. Musician Explanation : Johann Johannsson, musician and producer from Iceland, passed away at his apartment, in Berlin, Germany. Johann Johannsson was 48 years old. The cause of his death is unknown and is being investigated. He had won Golden Globe award for his work in "The Theory of Everything". His work in the movie “Arrival,” which was screened in 2016, earned him Golden Globe, BAFTA and Grammy nominations.

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188. When is the “International Day of Women and Girls in Science” celebrated all over the world? 1. 9th February 2. 10th February 3. 11th February 4. 12th February 5. 13th February Answer - 3. 11th February Explanation : On 11th February 2018, International Day of Women and Girls in Science was celebrated all over the world. United Nations General Assembly declared 11th February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in order to gain access and participation for women and girls in science. This day also aims to work towards gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. On this day, celebrations are organized by UNESCO and UN-Women, jointly with institutions and organisations that promote women and girls' participation in science.

189. Which state Government will set up a "Dada-Dadi Park" for senior citizens? 1. Bihar 2. Karnataka 3. Maharashtra 4. Gujarat 5. Jharkhand Answer - 5. Jharkhand Explanation : Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das announced that "Dada-Dadi Park" for senior citizens will soon be set up in all cities of Jharkhand. Raghubar Das said that, the Dada-Dadi park will be set up to relieve people from the summer heat. He made this announcement, while laying the foundation for three projects worth Rs 300 crore at Jaiprakash Udyan, Adityapur. The three projects are: Adityapur Sewerage Yojna for Rs 255.15 crore, Urban Water Project for Rs 49.30 crore in Chakradharpur, West Singhbhum district and Multi-purpose Convention Hall for Rs 9.81 crore in Jamshedpur.

190. Which city hosted the 12th International Conference on corporate social responsibility (CSR) on 9th and 10th February, 2018? 1. Mumbai 2. Chennai 3. Bengaluru 4. Ahmadabad 5. Bhagalpur Answer - 3. Bengaluru, Karnataka Explanation : 12th International Conference on corporate social responsibility (CSR) was held on 9th and 10th February, 2018 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. This conference was organised by Institute Of Directors (IOD), an association of company directors, committed to improving the competitiveness of businesses through development of its leadership. The event was inaugurated by T. M. Vijay Bhaskar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, and Government of Karnataka. Several dignitaries comprising senior government officials and corporate heads addressed the conference. During the course of the event, prestigious Golden Peacock Award 2017 was presented to several Indian and International companies for their work towards the society and Human Resource (HR) Excellence.

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191. Which state government and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) together launched the ‘Clean Air Campaign 2018?’ 1. Maharashtra 2. Madhya Pradesh 3. Bihar 4. Delhi 5. Kerala Answer - 4. Delhi Explanation : Delhi government and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) together launched the ‘Clean Air Campaign’ for Delhi. The ‘Clean Air Campaign’ campaign will be carried out for two weeks till 23rd February 2018. This campaign will focus on improvement of air quality in Delhi. 70 teams have been formed as a part of the campaign. The teams consist of one senior officer from MoEF&CC and one official from Delhi government as co-leaders. Also, one member from CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board), one from Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and one from concerned Municipal Corporation will also be present in the teams. As a part of the campaign, interactions will be held with Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), civil society citizens, academic and R&D institutions.

192. Which is the first country to host the first International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit on March 11th 2018? 1. Nepal 2. Canada 3. India 4. Sweden 5. China Answer - 3. India Explanation : India is to host the first International Solar Alliance (ISA) Summit on 11th March 2018, in Delhi. French President Emanuel Macron will participate in the First International Solar Alliance Summit. Leaders of African countries, Presidents of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, leaders of South American countries and Pacific Islands are expected to attend the summit. Heads of World Bank, ADB (Asian Development Bank), BRICS Bank and European Investment Bank are also expected to participate in the summit. The International Solar Alliance is a treaty based inter-governmental alliance. It comprises of 121 solar energy abundant nations located between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. The aim of ISA is to make solar energy affordable, develop solar grids and solar credit mechanism.

193. Who was conferred the ‘Grand Collar of the State of Palestine’ by Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas? 1. APJ Abdul Kalam 2. Narendra Modi 3. Sushma Swaraj 4. Arun Jaitley 5. Barack Obama Answer - 2. Narendra Modi Explanation : On February 10, 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the ‘Grand Collar of the State of Palestine’ by Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas. Grand Collar is Palestine’s Highest order given to foreign dignitaries — Kings, Heads of State/Government and persons of similar rank. PM Modi was conferred Grand Collar in recognition for his key contribution to promote relations between India and Palestine. Heads of Government, who have been conferred Grand Collar in the past include King Salman of Saudi Arabia, King Hamad of Bahrain and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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194. As per a report published in Water Resources Research, Phosphorus levels in freshwater bodies across the world are escalating and this could pose a serious threat to the ecosystem. Which country ranks first in global phosphorus pollution by human activity? 1. USA 2. India 3. China 4. Japan 5. Canada Answer - 3. China Explanation : As per a report published in Water Resources Research, Phosphorus levels in freshwater bodies across the world are escalating and this could pose a serious threat to the ecosystem. The report outlined that globally, on account of human activities, about 1.5 teragrams of phosphorus (one teragram is equal to one billion kilograms) was dumped into the freshwater systems every year. Breaking it down by country, China contributed the most with 30%, followed by India (8%), the USA (7%) and Spain and Brazil (6% each). The researchers also assessed the phosphorus-related water pollution levels in 20 river basins across the world. In the assessment, Huang He river basin of China was found to be having highest phosphorus-related water pollution. Ganges basin (in India) ranked fourth in this list.

195. Which city of Nepal hosted the 4th Nepal Buildcon and Wood International Expo 2018 from 8th – 11th February, 2018? 1. Pokhara 2. Kathmandu 3. Lalitpur 4. Butwal 5. Bharatpur Answer - 2. Kathmandu Explanation : 4th Nepal Buildcon and Wood International Expo 2018 was held in Kathmandu from 8th – 11th February, 2018. The expo was inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal Kamal Thapa, while Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Sibgh Puri was the guest of honour for the event. This event served as a single platform for various stakeholders of construction industry viz. builders, architects, engineers, construction material suppliers, interior decorators, furniture suppliers and equipment manufacturers. More than 80 Indian companies participated in the expo through an Indian Pavilion. The Indian pavilion was jointly set up by Ministry of Commerce, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Commerce Wing of Indian Embassy.

196. Name the Indian-born engineer, who won the scientific and engineering award along with 3 others, at the Oscars 2018 Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, United States? 1. Thomas Kailath 2. Salim Ali 3. Ananda Theertha Suresh 4. Paul Baran 5. Vikas Sathaye Answer - 5. Vikas Sathaye Explanation : Vikas Sathaye, an Indian-born engineer, along with three other people won the scientific and engineering award, at the Oscars 2018 Scientific and Technical Awards in Beverly Hills, United States. The four-member team that included Vikas Sathaye was awarded for the concept, design, engineering and implementation of the Shotover K1 Camera system. Other members of the team are Brad Hurndell, John Coyle and Shane Buckham. It is a 6 axis stabilised aerial camera mount. The camera mount can be attached to the base of a helicopter. It eliminates vibration to provide a steady footage. The mount can move the camera head in required direction by the operator who is inside the helicopter.

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197. Which emirate of UAE launched the first tests of the world’s first autonomous pods? 1. Dubai 2. Sharjah 3. Abu Dhabi 4. Ajman 5. Fujairah Answer - 1. Dubai Explanation : Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched the first tests of the world’s first autonomous pods. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched these autonomous pods in collaboration with Next Future Transportation. Autonomous pods commute in dedicated lanes and are designed to travel short and medium distances. Depending on riders’ destination, the pods can be coupled together. Coupling takes about 15 seconds time while detaching the same takes five seconds. The pods can commute at an average speed of 20 kilometres per hour. It operates on a rechargeable battery that supports three hours of operation. Each pod measures 2.87 metres in length, 2.24 metres in width and 2.82 metres in height. It weighs about 1,500 kilograms. Each pod can carry 10 riders at a time.

198. As per India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017 released by Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on February 12, 2018, tree and forest cover in India increased by ______% in two years since 2015. 1. 0.5% 2. 1% 3. 1.5% 4. 2% 5. 2.5% Answer - 2. 1% Explanation : As per India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017 released by Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on February 12, 2018, tree and forest cover in India increased by 8021 sq km (by 1%) in two years since 2015. Forest and tree cover combined is 802088 sq km (24.39 per cent of the total geographical area). Increase in the forest cover has been observed as 6,778 sq km and that of tree cover as 1,243 sq km, compared to the previous assessment in 2015. Much of the increase in forest cover has been observed in very dense forest (VDF) category. From an environmental standpoint, this is a positive sign as VDF category absorbs maximum carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

199. As per India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017 released by Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on February 12, 2018, What is the total % of forest cover in India? 1. 18.4% 2. 19.5% 3. 20 % 4. 21.54% 5. 21.94% Answer - 4. 21.54% Explanation : As per ISFR 2017, total forest cover in India is 708273 sq km, which is 21.54 per cent of the total geographical area. In terms of area, Madhya Pradesh (77414 sq km) has the largest forest cover among all Indian states and Union Territories. In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, Lakshadweep has topped with 90.33 per cent geographical areas under forest cover. Mizoram (531 sq 66 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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km), Nagaland (450 sq km), Arunachal Pradesh (190 sq km), Tripura (164 sq km) and Meghalaya (116 sq km) are the five states where forest cover has decreased most. Shifting cultivation, diversion of forest lands for developmental activities and agriculture expansion have been identified as main reasons for decrease in forest cover in these states. It is to be noted that ISFR is released every two years. ISFR 2017 has been prepared by physically surveying 18000 points with the help of scientific tools.

200. Scientists have discovered three new species of namely Gymnothorax pseudotile, Gymnothorax visakhaensis and Enchelycore propinqua in the northern Bay of Bengal coast recently. These species belongs to which of the following Variety of fishes? 1. Catfish 2. Eel 3. Salmon 4. Unagi 5. Shark Answer - 2. Eel Explanation : Scientists have discovered three new species of eel namely: Gymnothorax pseudotile, Gymnothorax visakhaensis and Enchelycore propinqua, in the northern Bay of Bengal coast recently. Gymnothorax pseudotile was discovered at the Digha coast of the Bay of Bengal. It was dark brown in colour with white dots on it. It was 1 to 1.5 feet in length. Gymnothorax visakhaensis was discovered in the Visakhapatnam coast of the Bay of Bengal. It had a uniformly brown coloured body. It was 1 foot in length. Enchelycore propinqua was also discovered in the Visakhapatnam coast of the Bay of Bengal. It had a reddish brown body with irregular white spots. It was less than 1 foot in length. It is relatively rare compared to the other two species. David G. Smith, Subhrendu Sekhar Mishra, Swarup Ranjan Mohanty, Dipanjan Ray and Prasad C. Tudu were also part of these discoveries.

201. Which Australian Cricketer won the Allan Border Medal for the second time, in Melbourne, Australia? 1. Steve Smith 2. David Warner 3. Mitchell Starc 4. Glenn Maxwell 5. Shane Watson Answer - 1. Steve Smith Explanation : Steve Smith, Australia cricket captain, won his second Allan Border Medal in Melbourne, Australia. Stevan Smith won 246 votes, surpassing David Warner who obtained 162 votes and Nathan Lyon who scored 156 votes. He had already won the Australia Border Medal in 2015. Other Australian cricketers who had won Australia’s Border medal are: Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and David Warner. Ellyse Perry won the Belinda Clark Award for the second time that makes her the best female cricketer of Australia in the past 12 months. She had earlier won the award in 2016.

202. Who won the National 'A' Chess Championship for Blind for the 5th consecutive time, at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai, Maharashtra? 1. Subhendu Kumar Patra 2. Soundarya Kumar 3. Kishan Gangolli 4. Ashvin Makwana 5. Aryan Joshi Answer - 3. Kishan Gangolli Explanation : Kishan Gangolli of Karnataka won the National 'A' Chess Championship for Blind for the 5th consecutive time, at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The 13th edition of the

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National 'A' Chess Championship was organised by the All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB). In the 13th round, Kishan Gangolli finished in a draw against Odisha’s Prachurya Kumar Pradhan. Kishan Gangolli won the National 'A' Chess Championship for Blind. Ashvin Makwana of Gujarat finished second and Soundarya Kumar Pradhan of Odisha finished third in the championship.After the 13 rounds, Kishan Gangolli (Rating 1996) secured 10.5 points. Ashvin Makwana (Rating 1744) scored 9.5 points. Soundarya Kumar Pradhan (Rating 1753) secured 9 points.

203. Parbati Ghosh recently passed away. Who was she? 1. Lawyer 2. Actress 3. Politician 4. Teacher 5. Researcher Answer - 2. Actress Explanation : On 12th February 2018, Parbati Ghosh, Odia actress, producer and director, died following a long-term illness, in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Parbati Ghosh was 85 years old. She was born in Manasinghpatana in Cuttack, in 1933. She had received national film award for her performances in movies 'Laxmi', 'Kaa' and 'Stree'.

204. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh released “Mere Sapno Ka Bharat”, a book on best interviews of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Parliament premises. Who compiled this book? 1. Vikram Seth 2. Salman Rushdie 3. Jhumpa Lahiri 4. Tarun Vijay 5. Kiran Desai Answer - 4. Tarun Vijay Explanation : On 8th February 2018, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh released “Mere Sapno Ka Bharat”, a book on best interviews of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Parliament premises. The book was compiled by Tarun Vijay, former BJP MP and Editor of journal Panchjanya. The book contains some of the best interviews of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. BJD (Biju Janata Dal) leader Bhartruhari Mahtab, RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) Joint President of Delhi unit Alok Kumar, national vice-president of BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) Shyam Jaju and Rajya Sabha MP from Telangana, Anand Bhaskar Rapolu were present during the release. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was fondly rememberes as 'Ajaatshatru' (who has no enemies) by them.

205. When is the National Productivity Day observed all over India? 1. 10th February 2. 11th February 3. 12th February 4. 13th February 5. 14th February Answer - 3. 12th February Explanation : On 12th February 2018, National Productivity Day was observed in India by National Productivity Council. National Productivity Week is observed from 12th to 18th February 2018. National Productivity Day 2018 marks the 60th Anniversary of the National Productivity Council. This year is celebrated as Diamond Jubilee Year. The theme for the National Productivity Week 2018 is: Industry 4.0 Leapfrog Opportunity for India. Industry 4.0 includes improving digitization and interconnection of products, value chains and business models. Industry 4.0 will combine the real and virtual worlds. This

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will lead to the formation of "Smart Factory". Smart Factory will have increased versatility, resource efficiency, ergonomic design and direct integration with business partners.

206. Which city inaugurated the India-Russia Agriculture Business Summit 2018? 1. Moscow 2. Vladivostok 3. Mumbai 4. New Delhi 5. Kolkata Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : On 13th February 2018, India-Russia Agriculture Business Summit was held in New Delhi. India- Russia Agriculture Business Summit was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Gajender Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Sergey Beletskiy, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Russia, spoke at the summit. Heads of various business associations in agriculture sector of India and Russia attended the summit. This summit would strengthen business ties between India and Russia. Presentations were made by India and Russia highlighting agricultural trade opportunities.

207. Which state government issued a notification announcing ban on the sale of loose cigarettes in the state? 1. Jharkhand 2. Bihar 3. Punjab 4. West Bengal 5. Karnataka Answer - 2. Bihar Explanation : Bihar government issued a notification announcing ban on the sale of loose cigarettes in Bihar. The notification regarding this ban was issued by Bihar’s health department's special secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh. Lokesh Kumar Singh is also the executive director of Bihar Health Society. Bihar has become the 12th state in India to ban the sale of loose cigarettes. The notification specifies that as per Section 7 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, pictorial warnings of harmful effects of tobacco consumption should be made on the packets of tobacco products. Section 20 of COTPA, 2003, mentions that sale, purchase, distribution and promotion of tobacco products without these pictorial warnings is a punishable offence. Since, loose cigarettes don't contain these pictorial warnings, its sale is banned.

208. Which state government in collaboration with UNICEF launched “Dastak Campaign against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)?” 1. Uttar Pradesh 2. Gujarat 3. Odisha 4. Himachal Pradesh 5. Punjab Answer - 1. Uttar Pradesh Explanation : Uttar Pradesh government in collaboration with UNICEF launched “Dastak Campaign against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)”. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inauguratred the “Dastak Campaign against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)”. Also, he released a CD, sanitary kit and publicity material during the inauguration. Yogi Adityanath said that, the encephalitis affects children up to 15 years old. He said that 38 districts of Uttar Pradesh are affected with AES and JE. He said that, in order to control encephalitis,

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health department has been made the nodal agency. Departments such as urban development, Panchayati Raj, Women and Child Welfare, Rural Development, Medical Education, Animal Husbandry and basic education departments will work under the health department.

209. As per a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW), _____% of incumbent chief ministers in India have criminal cases against them and 81% of them are crorepatis. 1. 30% 2. 35% 3. 40% 4. 45% 5. 50% Answer - 2. 35% Explanation : As per a report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW), 35% of incumbent chief ministers in India have criminal cases against them and 81% of them are crorepatis. The report is based on analysis of self-sworn affidavits of current chief ministers (CMs), filed immediately before the latest elections of respective state assemblies and Union territories. 25 CMs (81%) , are crorepatis and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is the richest among all chief ministers. Mr. Naidu has declared assets worth over Rs 177 crore. Tripura CM Manik Sarkar has the lowest declared assets, worth Rs 27 lakh. The report outlined that there are only three (10 per cent) women Chief Ministers – Mamta Banerjee (West Bengal), Vasundhara Raje (Rajasthan), Mehbooba Mufti (J&K). Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu (age 35 years) is the youngest Chief Minister. In terms of educational qualification, 10% of 31 chief ministers are 12th pass, 39% are graduates, 32% are graduate professionals, 16% are post graduates and 3% have doctorates.

210. The Ultimate goal of 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna' is to provide all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages all over India. Earlier the target year was 2022 and now it has been advanced to ______? 1. 2018 2. 2019 3. 2020 4. 2021 5. None of the above Answer - 2. 2019 Explanation : Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Ram Kripal Yadav has stated that Central Government is working towards connecting all villages through a road network by next year as part of the 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna'. Mr. Yadav added that earlier target of linking all villages by roads by 2022 has been advanced to 2019. 'Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna' is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in December 2000. Ultimate goal of this scheme is to provide all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages all over India.

211. In which city, the Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New and Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh inaugurated the 'Indian Power Stations 2018', a three-day International Conference on Operations and Maintenance? 1. Kolkata 2. Dispur 3. Ahmadabad 4. New Delhi 5. Darjeeling Answer - 4. New Delhi

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Explanation : On February 13, 2018, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New and Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh inaugurated the 'Indian Power Stations 2018', a three-day International Conference on Operations and Maintenance. This conference is being held from 13th – 15th February 2018, in New Delhi. It is being hosted by NTPC Limited to commemorate synchronization of its first Thermal plant at Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station, on February 13, 1982. Theme of the Conference is "Technological Challenges: Risks and Challenges in Power Generation". The Conference will serve as a platform for sharing best practices for Operation and Maintenance of power plants. During the course of this conference, discussions will be held on safety measures, strategies for enhancing efficiency and reliability, environment management, renewable generation and other recent technological developments.

212. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari released India's first ever Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) which will guide road engineers and policy makers about road expansion. This manual is developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and is known as ______? 1. Indo-CSIR 2. Indo-CRRI 3. Indo-Guide 4. Indo-Policy 5. Indo-HCM Answer - 5. Indo-HCM Explanation Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari released India's first ever Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) which will guide road engineers and policy makers about road expansion. This manual is known as 'Indo-HCM' and has been developed by CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI). CRRI was established in 1952 and is a constituent laboratory of India's Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. The manual has been developed on the basis of an extensive, country-wide study of the traffic characteristics on different categories of roads like single lane, two-lane, multi-lane urban roads, inter- urban highways and expressways. 'Indo-HCM' contains guidelines as to when and how to expand or manag:e different types of roads and their intersections and which services should be put in place.

213. Indian Army announced that about 2300 Indian Army personnel are leaving to which country to join the UN peace keeping mission? 1. South Sudan 2. Angola 3. Syria 4. Somalia 5. Yemen Answer - 1. South Sudan Explanation : Indian Army announced that about 2300 Indian Army personnel are leaving for South Sudan to join the UN peace keeping mission. South Sudan is a war-torn African country. Indian Army personnel, joining this UN mission, are from Infantry battalion of Garhwal Rifles regiment. India is the largest cumulative troop contributor to UN Peacekeeping Operations. Over the past six decades, India has provided almost 200000 troops in nearly 50 of the 71 UN peacekeeping missions.

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214. Which Emirate city of UAE hosted the 6th edition of World Government Summit (WGS) 2018? 1. Abu Dhabi 2. Ajman 3. Sharjah 4. Ras al Khaimah 5. Dubai Answer - 5. Dubai Explanation : 6th edition of World Government Summit (WGS) 2018 was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 11th – 13th February, 2018. World Government Summit is a platform through which, prominent leaders from the public and private sectors, international thought leaders and pioneers engage in an inspirational, thought-provoking and future-focused dialogues, aimed to shape the future of governments and help improve the lives of citizens across the world. This summit was attended by over 4000 participants from 140 countries, including heads of governments and representatives of 16 international organisations. On February 11, 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a keynote address at the 6th World Government Summit on the theme: 'Technology for development'.

215. Which country announced that it will withdraw from the UN's comprehensive refugee response framework because of security issues and lack of funds? 1. Tanzania 2. Guatemala 3. Kenya 4. Zambia 5. Belize Answer - 1. Tanzania Explanation : Tanzanian President John Magufuli announced that Tanzania will withdraw from the UN's comprehensive refugee response framework. Reasons for the withdrawal of Tanzania from UN refugee programme has been stated as security issues and lack of funds. The UN refugee programme provides solutions for refugees and integration into host communities. In January 2018, Tanzania informed the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) that it was withdrawing the grant of citizenship to some Burundian refugees. Also, it said that, it would not encourage new asylum applications.

216. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) tightened norms for bad loan resolution by setting timelines for resolving large Non-performing assets (NPAs). Which of the following is/are the existing frameworks which has been removed with the immediate effect? 1. Corporate Debt Restructuring Scheme 2. Strategic Debt Restructuring Scheme 3. Flexible Structuring of Existing Long Term Project Loans 4. Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets 5. All the above Answer - 5. All the above Explanation : On February 12, 2018, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) tightened norms for bad loan resolution by setting timelines for resolving large Non-performing assets (NPAs). Along with setting new norms to be followed for identifying, reporting and resolving stressed assets, RBI has also withdrawn the existing resolution frameworks and the Joint Lenders' Forum (JLF). The existing resolution frameworks which have been withdrawn with immediate effect include Corporate Debt Restructuring Scheme, Strategic Debt Restructuring Scheme (SDR), Flexible Structuring of Existing Long Term Project Loans and Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A).

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217. Which of the below given ports has received ‘Good’ score in a new ‘Port Performance Index’ compiled by Dun & Bradstreet? 1. Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Maharashtra) 2. Kamarajar Port (Tamil Nadu) 3. Visakhapatnam Port (Andhra Pradesh) 4. All the above 5. 1&3 Answer - 4. All the above Explanation : Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Maharashtra), Kamarajar Port (Tamil Nadu) and Visakhapatnam Port (Andhra Pradesh) have received ‘Good’ score in a new ‘Port Performance Index’ compiled by Dun & Bradstreet. ‘Port Performance Index’ bench-marks performance of 13 Indian ports which handle around 67% of country’s maritime trade. It has been compiled on basis of a study conducted by Dun & Bradstreet and was handed over to Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu on February 12, 2018. The study looked into the issues and challenges pertaining to the ports sector in India by seeking feedback (on qualitative and quantitative aspects) from 700 respondents including government officials, trade associations, exporters/importers, cargo handling agents and freight forwarders.

218. Name the company which has been honoured the World’s Most Ethical Company for the year 2018 by Ethisphere Institute? 1. Tata Motors 2. Tata Chemicals 3. Tata Power 4. Tata Steel 5. Tata Consultancy Services Answer - 4. Tata Steel Explanation : Tata Steel has been honoured as the World’s Most Ethical Company for the year 2018 by Ethisphere Institute. Tata Steel has been conferred with the Most ethical Company award for the sixth time in the ‘Metals, Minerals and Mining’ category. The award will be presented to Tata Steel on 13th March 2018. The World’s Most Ethical Company assessment is done with reference to the Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Quotient (EQ) framework. This year about 135 entities from 23 countries are honoured.

219. Who will be awarded the first 'Raj Kapoor Award for Excellence in Cinema' 2018? 1. Ritwik Ghatak 2. Rituporno Ghosh 3. Ramesh Sippy 4. Mani Ratnam 5. Ram Gopal Varma Answer - 3. Ramesh Sippy Explanation : It was announced that filmmaker Ramesh Sippy will be awarded the first 'Raj Kapoor Award for Excellence in Cinema'. The 'Raj Kapoor Award for Excellence in Cinema' is instituted by the Asian Centre for Entertainment Education (ACEE) along with international organisations like World Bank, UNICEF, USC Annenberg Normal Lear Cenre, Hollywood Health and Society, Cinepolis Foundation and CMS. These awards are given in memory of film maker Raj Kapoor. Ramesh Sippy will be presented with the 'Raj Kapoor Award for Excellence in Cinema' at the 'Elevate 2K18' in Mumbai. 'Elevate 2K18' is a two-day conclave. It will be conducted bi-annually. Ramesh Sippi’s popular work is "Sholay". He is a recipient of Padma Shri award.

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220. Who was elected the president of Sahitya Akademi 2018? 1. Prathibha Ray 2. Bhalachandra Nemade 3. Kula Saikia 4. Chandrashekhara Kambar 5. Chandana Goswami Answer - 4. Chandrashekhara Kambar Explanation : Chandrashekhara Kambar was elected as the president of Sahitya Akademi. Chandrashekhar Kambar is a Kannada writer. He has also received the Jnanpith award. Madhav Koushik, a Hindi poet, has been elected as the vice-president of Sahitya Akademi. Chandrashekhar Kambar has become the third Kannada writer to be the President of Sahitya Akademi. He obtained 56 out of 89 votes and surpassed his competitors Odiya writer Prathibha Ray and Marathi writer Bhalachandra Nemade. Chandrashekhar Kambar was the former vice president of Sahitya Akademi. He was also the first vice-chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi.

221. Name the India’s first online radio station that was launched recently? 1. Radio Peace 2. Radio Station 3. Radio Web 4. Radio Happy 5. Radio Umang Answer - 5. Radio Umang Explanation : Radio Umang, claimed to be India’s first online radio station, was launched recently. Users can listen to Radio Umang through web streaming or by downloading the mobile app. Radio Umang app is available in Google Play Store. It will be soon made available for Appstore also. It provides programmes for 24 hours. It has gained a good reach in Hindi speaking states of India and in more than 60 countries. Theme of Radio Umang is love, peace and happiness. It features various talk shows apart from music. Vidhi Maheshwari has been made Creative Director of Radio Umang.

222. In which country, the world’s first robot ski competition “The Edge of Robot: Ski Robot Challenge” was held at? 1. China 2. South Africa 3. South Korea 4. North Korea 5. Canada Answer - 3. South Korea Explanation : World’s first robot ski competition “The Edge of Robot: Ski Robot Challenge” was held near PyeongChang at Welli Hilli ski resort in South Korea. Eight humanoid robots from universities and other organisations participated in this robot ski competition. The robots had sensors, batteries and deep learning algorithms to move and ski on their own. Prize money of the competition was said to be $10,000.

223. When is the World Radio Day celebrated all over the world? 1. 10th February 2. 11th February 3. 12th February 4. 13th February 5. 15th February Answer - 4. 13th February

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Explanation : On 13th February 2018, World Radio Day was celebrated all over the world. UNESCO proposed the observation of World Radio Day. Later, UN General Assembly, adopted a resolution to make 13 February as World Radio Day marking the day on which United Nations Radio was established in 1946. The World Radio Day is celebrated to spread awareness among public about the importance of radio and to promote the use of radio in various sectors. The theme for World Radio Day 2018 is: Radio and Sports. UNESCO has asked all radio stations to highlight the importance of sports as per this year’s theme.

224. In which Indian city, Darwin Week begun on 12th February 2018? 1. Baroda 2. Pune 3. Patna 4. Kolkata 5. Mumbai Answer - 4. Kolkata Explanation : On 12th February 2018, Darwin Week began in Kolkata. The Darwin Week is observed by the India March for Science Organising Committee, Kolkata and Breakthrough Science Society, West Bengal Chapter. The Darwin Week will spread awareness about Darwin’s contributions to the science of evolution. It will also work to clear confusions about his theories. Seminars and discussions will be held as part of this event. The Darwin week will be conducted till 18th February 2018.

225. Which is the first state to launch “Modicare”, a National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS)? 1. Assam 2. Bihar 3. Jharkhand 4. West Bengal 5. Gujarat Answer - 4. West Bengal Explanation : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that, West Bengal has opted out of National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) also known as 'Modicare'. The National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) also known as 'Modicare' was announced in the Union Budget 2018-19. The NHPS would cover 10 crore poor families. It provides insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh per annum. It is said to be the world’s largest government healthcare scheme. Mamata Banerjee said that, the NHPS is similar to West Bengal’s existing ‘Swasthya Sathi’ scheme. The ‘Swasthya Sathi’ scheme has already covered 45 lakh families amounting to 2.5 crore people of West Bengal. She said that, now contributing to NHPS would be a wastage of West Bengal’s resources and West Bengal opts out of NHPS. West Bengal has become the first state in India to opt out of NHPS.

226. Chinese army celebrated the Chinese spring festival with which country’s army on 13th February 2018? 1. Pakistan 2. India 3. USA 4. Afghanistan 5. Ira Answer -2. India Explanation : On 13th February 2018, on the occasion of Chinese spring festival, Indian and Chinese armies held a Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) in Chushul sector of Ladakh region. The Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) was held at Chinese BPM hut in Moldo garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in

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Chushul sector of eastern Ladakh. Indian delegation was led by Colonel Deependra Jasrotia and Chinese delegation was led by Senior Lieutenant Colonel Bu Hong Dong. The national flag of China was saluted by both the delegations. The Indian and Chinese delegation leaders presented their ceremonial addresses. Both the delegation leaders exchanged wishes and after a vote of thanks, cultural programmes were conducted. The cultural programmes exhibited Chinese culture and traditions.

227. Which State Government has issued notification to attach Super Straw Management System while using the combine harvester machines for harvesting the paddy (rice) crop? 1. Haryana 2. Rajasthan 3. Kerala 4. Punjab 5. Karnataka Answer - 4. Punjab Explanation : On February 12, 2018, Punjab State Government has issued notification to attach Super Straw Management System while using the combine harvester machines for harvesting the paddy (rice) crop. Super straw management system, attached to self propelled combine harvesters, cuts the paddy straw into small pieces and spreads the same. By following this method of harvesting, farmers are not required to burn the paddy straw, before sowing the next crop. Burning the paddy straw, before sowing the next crop (referred to as stubble burning), has been identified as a major cause of air pollution in North India during winter months. In context of this news, it is important to note that local harvesters are not keen on using super straw management system as it is priced at around Rs 1.20 lakh and attaching it to the combine harvester increases fuel consumption.

228. In which Indian state, India-Bangladesh ‘Friendship Gate’ was inaugurated? 1. Meghalaya 2. Assam 3. Mizoram 4. West Bengal 5. Manipu Answer - 1. Meghalaya Explanation : Meghalaya Governor Ganga Prasad inaugurated the ‘Friendship Gate’ for Indian and Bangladesh border guards. This "Friendship Gate" has beenconstructed with an aim to have a Wagah-like beating retreat ceremony for India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and Border Guards Bangladesh. At Wagah Border (Amritsar, Punjab on Indian side), India’s Border Security Force (BSF) and Pakistan Rangers, jointly conduct beating retreat ceremony (lowering of flags) on daily basis in a synchronised manner. This venue has become a popular tourist destination. ‘Friendship Gate’ has been constructed near an Integrated Check post, 90 km South of Meghalaya’s capital Shillong on border with Bangladesh. Mr. Ganga Prasad has assured that he will take up necessary steps to promote tourism in the area.

229. Which state recently issued the Right of Way (RoW) guidelines for telecom service providers, thereby became the 4th country to issue the same? 1. Tamil Nadu 2. Kerala 3. Karnataka 4. Assam 5. Telangana 76 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Answer - 4. Assam Explanation : Assam has become the fourth state in the country to issue the Right of Way (RoW) guidelines for telecom service providers. A legal right, established by usage or grant is referred to as Right of Way (RoW). Assam State Cabinet had approved these RoW guidelines on January 28, 2018, and State Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia held a meeting with telecom service providers and other stakeholders on February 12, 2018 to review the current mobile and internet connectivity status.These guidelines will regulate the establishment of underground and overground telecom infrastructure in Assam. The entire process of seeking Government approval and required rights will be made online within a period of one year and all operators will have to compulsorily register in the ease of doing business portal of the Assam government.

230. Punjab State Government has formed a revenue commission to revisit the existing land Acts to make them relevant with the changed land use situation. This commission has how many members? 1. 5 2. 6 3. 7 4. 8 5. 9 Answer - 2. 6 Explanation : Punjab State Government has formed a six-member revenue commission to revisit the existing land Acts to make them relevant with the changed land use situation. The commission will be headed by Justice (Retd) SS Saron of Punjab and Haryana high court. NS Sangha – Advisor in Punjab Land Records Society (PLRS) will be the member secretary of this commission, while NS Kang – Chairman of RERA, Dr. SS Gill - Former head of Economics department at Punjabi University, Jaswant Singh – Ex PCS Officer and GS Mangat - MD of State Co-operative Bank (Retd) are the other members of this commission. The commission will examine the need for new Acts or the amendment of the existing ones to legalize the land lease practices in the state. Besides, it will also review the existing policies with regard to disposal and utilization of government lands. Primary objective of this commission is to streamline the existing laws, procedures and processes relating to land administration by taking in to consideration the requirements of modern agricultural and non-agricultural uses. The commission will have a term of one-year.

231. South African Government declared ______as a "national disaster"? 1. Hurricanes 2. Floods 3. Drought 4. Tornadoes 5. Earthquakes Answer -3. Drought Explanation : South African Government declared the ongoing drought as a "national disaster". The drought has afflicted southern and western regions of South Africa including Cape Town. According to experts, this drought that began two years ago was triggered by El Nino (a complex phenomenon, developing in Pacific region, that causes global changes in temperature and rainfall). Declaring the ongoing drought as ‘national disaster’ implies that South African central government will now take responsibility for relief efforts. The drought is so severe that, April 12, 2018, was predicted as ‘Day Zero’ (date when its taps are expected to run dry) for Cape Town. However, due to water saving measures announced by the local authorities and duly adopted by the residents, "Day Zero" has now been pushed to June 4, 2018.

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232. Name the country which has secured access to the key Port of Duqm in Oman for military use and logistical support? 1. China 2. Pakistan 3. Japan 4. Russia 5. India Answer - 5. India Explanation : India has secured access to the key Port of Duqm in Oman for military use and logistical support. This development was the highlight of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Oman on 11th and 12th February, 2018. Port of Duqm is situated on the southeastern seaboard of Oman, overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean and is in close proximity to the Chabahar port in Iran. Access to Port of Duqm in Oman for military use will help India to expand its footprint in the Indian Ocean region and thereby counter Chinese influence and activities in the region.

233. To make implementation easier for the depositors, Government of India merged Government Savings Certificates Act, 1959 and Public Provident Fund Act, 1968 with the Government Savings Banks Act, 1873 under one umbrella act called ______? 1. Government Savings Certificates Act 2. Government Savings Promotion Act 3. Government Savings Bank Act 4. Government Provident Promotion Act 5. Government Savings Act, 2018 Answer - 2. Government Savings Promotion Act Explanation : In a bid to remove existing ambiguities due to multiple Acts and rules for Small Saving Schemes Government of India has proposed merger of Government Savings Certificates Act, 1959 and Public Provident Fund Act, 1968 with the Government Savings Banks Act, 1873. Consequentially, Government has proposed ‘Government Savings Promotion Act’, a new amended umbrella Act which subsumes the relevant provisions of above stated acts. The main objective of this proposed act is to make implementation easier for the depositors as they need not go through different rules and Acts for understanding the provision of various small saving schemes. The new act also seeks to introduce certain clarifications, flexibilities and benefits for the investors. It is to be noted that no change in interest rate or tax policy on small savings scheme is being made through this amendment.

234. NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited has won a tender to supply 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity to which country for 15 years? 1. Bhutan 2. Myanmar 3. Srilanka 4. South Africa 5. Bangladesh Answer - 5. Bangladesh Explanation : NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited has won a tender to supply 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity to Bangladesh for 15 years. Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) had invited tenders for supply of 500 MW power from India for short term (June 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019) and long term (January 1, 2020 to May 31, 2033). NVVN won the order for both, short term and long term for 300 MW power. Besides NVVN, Adani Group, PTC and Singapore- bases Sembcorp were also in the fray to bag the order.

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235. Who won the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement 2018 in African Leadership? 1. R. Satynarayana 2. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf 3. R.N. Tharanathan 4. Sierra Leone 5. Chidima Taylor Answer - 2. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Explanation : On 12th February 2018, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former Liberian president, won the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. The Ibrahim prize for African Leadership is awarded to a democratically-elected African leader who had proved to be an outstanding leader, served their stipulated term and finished their term within the last 3 years. The award consists of $5 million, which will be paid over 10 years, and $200,000 every year for the rest of the recipient’s life. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the first elected female head of state in Africa. She served as Liberian President for 12 years. She is the first female leader to receive this award. Her term ended in 22 January 2018.

236. Who was appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Federative Republic of Brazil? 1. Jaideep Sarkar 2. Mukta Tomar 3. Ashok Das 4. Pankaj Saran 5. Timur Bhagat Answer - 3. Ashok Das Explanation : Ashok Das was named the next Ambassador of India to the Federative Republic of Brazil. Ashok Das is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1987 batch. Currently he is Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. He has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Federative Republic of Brazil. He will soon take charge as the Ambassador of India to the Federative Republic of Brazil.

237. Who is the first female Hindu lawmaker in Pakistan since 1947 from Pakistan’s Hindu minority community? 1. Bhagya Lakshmi 2. Soundarya Rajan 3. Sharanya Mohan 4. Sathya Priya 5. Krishna Kumari Answer -5. Krishna Kumari Explanation : Krishna Kumari is to become the first female Hindu lawmaker in Pakistan since 1947. Krishna Kumari is a 38 year old woman from Pakistan’s Hindu minority community. She is a member of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). She has been nominated by the opposition Pakistan People’s Party for the upcoming Senate elections. The elections will be conducted on 3rdMarch 2018. She hails from a very poor family and was married at the age of sixteen. She is to become the first Hindu woman lawmaker in Pakistan since 1947.

238. Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved capital acquisition proposals of the defence services, valued at Rs ______crore? 1. Rs 13939 crore 2. Rs 14937 crore 3. Rs 15935 crore 4. Rs 16930 crore 5. Rs 17930 crore

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Answer - 3. Rs 15935 crore Explanation : Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved capital acquisition proposals of the defence services, valued at Rs 15935 crore. Light Machine Guns for the three services at an estimated cost of over Rs 1819 crore. Seven lakh forty thousand assault rifles for the three services at an estimated cost of Rs 12,280 crore. These rifles will be made by the Ordnance Factory Board and a private company. 5719 sniper rifles for the army and the air force at an estimated cost of Rs 982 crore. DAC has also approved the procurement of Advanced Torpedo Decoy Systems for enhancing the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the Indian naval ships.

239. Which country launched the unmanned cargo ship called ‘Progress’ which carried 2.7 metric tons of food, fuel and other supplies to the International Space Station? 1. Russia 2. USA 3. India 4. China 5. UK Answer - 1. Russia Explanation : On 13th February 2018, the ‘Progress’ unmanned cargo ship was launched from the Russian space complex in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The Progress capsule carries 2.7 metric tons of food, fuel and other supplies to the International Space Station. It reached the orbit eight minutes after it lifted off from the Russian space complex. The International Space Station houses six astronauts: three Americans, two Russians and one Japanese. The Russian Soyuz 2.1a rocket launched the Progress ship. The spacecraft will dock at the Zvezda Service Module on 15th February 2018. The spacecraft is referred to as Progress MS-08 or Progress 69.

240. Which country is working on developing a “soft power matrix” to foster better diplomatic traction with neighbouring countries and rest of the world? 1. India 2. USA 3. China 4. Germany 5. Japan Answer - 1. India Explanation : Indian Government is working on developing a “soft power matrix” to foster better diplomatic traction with neighbouring countries and rest of the world. Soft power is country’s ability to persuade other countries to do what it wants without resorting to force or coercion. Country’s unique culture, its political values and its foreign policies are the three resources that builds a country’s ‘Soft Power’. Currently, India’s Soft Power is articulated in foreign countries through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). ICCR works to promote India’s artistic and cultural traditions through a range of activities such as organising ‘Festivals of India’ abroad. Besides, Indian Government’s outreach efforts such as the propagation of Gandhian values and philosophy, extending educational scholarships to foreign students, showcasing the strength of the Mumbai film industry, extending humanitarian assistance to foreign countries affected by natural disasters and evenmementos offered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Heads of Government during his foreign visits are perceived as attempts to inform the world about Indian artistic and cultural heritage.

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241. Which country introduced a new technology to remove extremist material from social media? 1. Cuba 2. Pakistan 3. China 4. UK 5. South Sudan Answer - 4. UK Explanation : British government introduced a new technology to remove extremist material from social media. Home Secretary Amber Rudd made an announcement about this new technology to remove extremist material from social media. The software has been developed by ASI Data Science. It was funded by the UK government. This system is said to use advanced machine learning to study the sound and visual of videos for “subtle signals” to check if they are extremist content like Islamic State propaganda. This software will be provided to small companies that are not able to develop such technologies.

242. According to India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017, India holds which position in terms of land area under forest and tree cover? 1. 6th 2. 7th 3. 8th 4. 9th 5. 10th Answer - 5. 10th Explanation : At the time of releasing India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2017 on February 12, 2018, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated that in terms of land area under forest and tree cover, India has ranked 10th in the world. As per ISFR 2017, Forest and tree cover in India is 802088 sq km i.e. 24.39 per cent of the total geographical area. In terms of land area under forest and tree cover, India is a stand out case as none of the other 9 countries in the Top 10 has a population density of more than 150 persons per sq km, compared to India. Mr. Harsh Vardhan added that as per the latest Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report, India is placed 8th in the list of Top Ten nations reporting the greatest annual net gain in forest area. As per ISFR 2017, Andhra Pradesh, followed by Karnataka and Kerala have shown the maximum increase in forest cover since 2015.

243. Which country will host the 8th edition of ‘Theatre Olympics’ for the first time from 17th February 2018 – 8th April 2018? 1. China 2. Russia 3. India 4. Germany 5. Sweden Answer - 3. India Explanation : The 8th edition of ‘Theatre Olympics’ will be held in India for the first time. The 8th edition of Theatre Olympics will be inaugurated by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu at the Red Fort, Delhi, on 17th February 2018. It will end in Mumbai on 8th April 2018. Nearly 25,000 artistes from 30 countries will take part in the Theatre Olympics. The event will feature 450 shows, 600 ambient performances and 250 81 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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youth forum shows. Out of that, 65 shows will be done by international artistes. Culture minister Mahesh Sharma said that, the 65 foreign shows will be condcuted in 17 cities of India. India will display its theatre forms like: Swang, Rasleela, Nautanki, Bhand Pather, Jatra etc., under the theme of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’. National School of Drama (NSD) director Waman Kendre said that, the theme of Theatre Olympics is “Flag of Friendship”.

244. Which team won the 8th Senior National Women's Hockey Championship title, at the Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi? 1. Vidarbha Hockey Association 2. Railway Sports Promotion Board 3. Steel Plant Sports Control Board 4. Sports Authority of Gujarat 5. Association of Indian Universities Answer - 2. Railway Sports Promotion Board Explanation : Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) won the 8th Senior National Women's Hockey Championship title, at the Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi. Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) won over Madhya Pradesh 4-0 in the final and won the 8th Senior National Women's Hockey Championship title. Vandana Katariya and Priyanka Wankhede scored goals for the RSPB team. In the bronze medal match, Haryana defeated Jharkhand team 2-0.

245. Hafizbhai Dhature recently passed away. He was the former MLA of which state? 1. Karnataka 2. Goa 3. Odisha 4. Gujarat 5. Maharashtra Answer - 5. Maharashtra Explanation : Hafizbhai Dhature, former Maharashtra MLA, passed away due to heart failure in Miraj, Maharashtra. Hafizbhai Dhature was 77 years old. He is survived by his wife, a son and three daughters. He belonged to the Congress party. He represented Miraj in the Maharashtra Assembly for one term.

246. Muzaffar Hussain recently died. Who was he? 1. Doctor 2. Journalist 3. Lawyer 4. Teacher 5. Athlete Answer - 2. Journalist Explanation : Muzaffar Hussain, writer and journalist, passed away due to a long term illness, at Hiranandani Hospital in Vikhroli, Maharashtra. Muzaffar Hussain was 78 years old. He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son. He was born on 20th March 1940 in Madhya Pradesh. He was awarded Padmashree award in 2002 and Lokamanya Tilak Jeevan Gaurav award for journalism in 2014. He was proficient in many languages. He has written several books. He was also a columnist.

247. Bolla Bulliramaiah, who passed away recently belonged to which profession? 1. Dietician 2. Magician 3. Doctor 4. Politician 5. Designer

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Answer - 4. Politician Explanation : On 14th February 2018, Bolla Bulliramaiah, former Union minister, passed away due to age related ailments at Tanuku, in Andhra Pradesh. Bolla Bulliramaiah was 92 years old. In 1984, Bolla Bulliramaiah became an MP. He was then elected to the Lok Sabha from the Eluru constituency: in 1991, 1996 and 1999. He was the Union minister of state for commerce in the 1996-98 period. Earlier, he was chairman and managing director of Andhra Sugars. He belonged to the TDP (Telugu Desam Party).

248. KPIT technologies has made a two-year statement of intent with which Institution to promote innovative skills of students? 1. RBI 2. Planning Commission 3. Finance Commission 4. NITI Aayog 5. National Development Council Answer - 4. NITI Aayog Explanation : KPIT technologies has made a two-year statement of intent with NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog to promote innovative skills of students. This tie up between NITI Aayog and KPIT aims to improve the innovative skills of senior secondary students as part of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM). Through AIM, the Central government would conduct open-ended workshops at Atal Tinkering Laboratories(ATL) to enable students learn through 'do-it-yourself' mode. Through this the students would acquire important skills. This tie up will help students learn concepts of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) and 3D printing. KPIT will also provide two volumes of 'Chhote scientists' booklets to nearly 2500 schools to develop curriculum and teaching aids. Training programs for teachers will also be organized for Atal Tinkering Laboratories.

249. In which Indian city, the country’s biggest Pharma Conference “India Pharma & India Medical Device 2018: Affordable and Quality Healthcare”, is held at? 1. Mysore 2. Bengaluru 3. Ahmadabad 4. Pune 5. Mumbai Answer - 2. Bengaluru Explanation : On 15th – 17th February 2018, ‘India Pharma & India Medical Device 2018’: Affordable and Quality Healthcare is held in Bengaluru, Karnataka.The ‘India Pharma & India Medical Device 2018’ is organized by Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). The theme for ‘India Pharma & India Medical Device 2018’ is: ‘Driving NextGen Pharmaceuticals’. Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Ananthkumar inaugurated the conference. This is the 3rd International exhibition and conference on Pharmaceutical & Medical Device sector. World Health Organization is conducting a workshop on ‘Regulatory System Strengthening and Prequalification’. NASSCOM organizes a conference on ‘Digital Transformation through Innovation in Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices and Healthcare Industries’.

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250. In which Indian city the first Radio Festival was celebrated? 1. Mumbai 2. Kolkata 3. Udaipur 4. New Delhi 5. Banglore Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : On 15th February 2018, India's first Radio Festival was held in New Delhi, commemorating the World Radio Day which was celebrated on 13thFebruary. The Radio festival was organised by International Association of Women in Radio and Television along with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Anju Nigam, Director General of AIR Fayaz Sheheryar, Director General of Door Darshan Supriya Sahu and UNESCO representative to India Shigeru Aoyagi spoke at the occasion. Paralympian Deepa Malik spoke at the inaugural session of the event, on the role of radio in sports. The Radio Festival featured live performances, panel discussions and an exhibition. It stressed on the World Radio Day 2018 theme: radio and sports.

251. Central Government has extended the 'Assistance to States and UTs for Narcotics Control' scheme for how many years? 1. 1 2. 2 3. 3 4. 4 5. 5 Answer - 3. 3 Explanation : Central Government has extended the 'Assistance to States and UTs for Narcotics Control' scheme for three more years. Under this scheme, Union Home Ministry provides financial assistance to state governments and Union Territories which are contributing in controlling the inter-state and cross border drug trafficking. Funds procured under this scheme will be used for strengthening enforcement capabilities of anti-narcotics agencies and for all capacity building activities, including training of personnel. The scheme has been extended for a period of 3 years, from 2017-18 to 2019-20, with an estimated budget of Rs 21 crore. Narcotics Control Bureau is the nodal drug law enforcement and intelligence agency of India.'Assistance to States and UTs for Narcotics Control' scheme was first launched on October 24, 2004 for a period of five years. It was further extended twice in subsequent years.

252. Indian government recently cleared the proposal for granting long-term visa (LTV) to minorities from which country? 1. Srilanka 2. Afghanistan 3. Pakistan 4. Nepal 5. Bhutan Answer - 2. Afghanistan Explanation : Indian government recently cleared the proposal for granting long-term visa (LTV) to minorities from Afghanistan seeking refuge in India. Besides, visa and residential permit norms for other nationals from Afghanistan have also been liberalised by Union Home Ministry. So far, there was no clear policy for minorities from Afghanistan and they were dealt on a case-to-case basis. It is to be noted that there are more than 6000 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan who want to return to India. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, contained a provision that minorities from neighbouring countries could stay

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in India without any legal document. As the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 has not been cleared by Parliament till date, Government had to take a decision for granting long-term visa (LTV) to minorities from Afghanistan.

253. Hampi monuments, will be one among 10 tourist destinations across India to be developed as ‘Iconic Tourism Site’ by Central Government. In which state, these monuments are located? 1. Karnataka 2. Odisha 3. Goa 4. Uttar Pradesh 5. Telangana Answer - 1. Karnataka Explanation : Hampi monuments, regarded as Karnataka’s pride, will be one among 10 tourist destinations across India to be developed as ‘Iconic Tourism Site’ by Central Government. Announcement to develop 10 prominent tourist sites across India into iconic tourism destinations, through a holistic approach, was made by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Union Budget 2018 speech. The holistic approach involves infrastructure development, deploying technology, attracting private investment, branding and marketing. List of 10 tourist destinations to be developed as ‘Iconic Tourism Site’ was announced on February 13, 2018 and Hampi Group of Monuments is one of them.

254. Name the village of Chhattisgarh which got electricity connection for the first time after the district administration installed solar panels for every family? 1. Bhalupani 2. Jabbe 3. Andri 4. Chokanpal 5. Gampur Answer - 1. Bhalupani Explanation : Residents of Bhalupani village in Balrampur district of Chhattisgarh finally got electricity connection for the first time after the district administration installed solar panels for every family. Bhalupani village has a population of 150 people. It is located in the Naxal dominated region of Chhattisgarh. Owing to Naxal dominance, Government developmental initiatives failed to reach the village, and the residents had to spend their lives in darkness for a very long time. However, Naxal influence has vanished and the village is now getting benefits of Government schemes. District collector, Avinash Kumar Sharan has stated that apart from the electrification, the village will soon have a proper road facility and Anganwadi centre.

255. In which city, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the international conference ‘Agricon 2018’ and ‘Agriexpo 2018’? 1. Ranchi 2. Kanpur 3. Gandhinagar 4. Kolkata 5. Pune Answer - 2. Kanpur Explanation : On February 14, 2018, President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the international conference ‘Agricon 2018’ and ‘Agriexpo 2018’ atChandrashekhar Azad University of Agriculture & Technology (CSAUT), Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi were also present at the inauguration ceremony. The conference has been organised under the joint auspices of The Society of Agricultural Professionals, Kanpur and Chandra

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Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur. Organisations like National Institute of Agricultural Sciences (referred to as NAAS) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research are partnering in this conference. During this four-day event, discussions will be held on various themes including Sustainable Farming Systems, Conservation and Utilisation of Genetic Resources and Managing Change in Agriculture.

256. What is made mandatory for admission to all medical courses in India? 1. NEET Exam 2. Entrance Exam Mark of that particular Institution 3. Aadhar Card 4. 95% mark in 12th standard 5. All the above Answer - 1. NEET Exam Explanation : Union Health Ministry has made common National Entrance Exam viz. National Eligibility cum Entrance Test mandatory for admission to all medical courses in India. Besides, Union Ministry has approved the proposal of Medical Council of India (MCI) to amend the Screening Test Regulations, 2002, making it mandatory to qualify NEET to pursue foreign medical course. MCI proposed this norm as it was observed that medical institutions/Universities of foreign countries admit Indian students without proper assessment. Thus, from May 2018, Indian Citizens/Overseas Citizen of India intending to obtain primary medical qualification from any medical institution outside India, shall have to mandatorily qualify the NEET.

257. What is 'Paschim Lehar'? 1. Maritime Exercise 2. Indian Navy Warship 3. Defence Mechanism 4. Aircraft 5. International Conference Answer - 1. Maritime Exercise Explanation : 'Paschim Lehar', a tri-service maritime exercise was held off India’s Western Coast from February 12, 2018. Objective behind conducting this exercise was to build interoperability among Indian Navy, Air Force and Army. Around 40 ships, submarines and fighter aircrafts from the Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy participated in 'Paschim Lehar'. During the course of this exercise, number of weapons including missiles, guns and torpedo were fired. Besides, the exercise helped in validating and refining the operational plans of the Western Naval Command.

258. Where did the President Ram Nath Kovind hosted the LPG Panchayat, which was organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas? 1. Rashtrapati Bhavan 2. Lok Sabha 3. Rajya Sabha 4. Home Affairs Ministry 5. Cabinet Secretariat Answer - 1. Rashtrapati Bhavan Explanation : On February 13, 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind hosted the LPG Panchayat at Rashtrapati Bhavan, 86 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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New Delhi. LPG Panchayat was organised by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. LPG Panchayat serves as a platform for LPG consumers to interact with each other, share experiences and thereby promote mutual learning. Each LPG Panchayat is attended by about 100 LPG customers residing in area near to the venue. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas will be conducting at least 1 lakh LPG Panchayats across India before March 31, 2019.

259. Which city of china will host the summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) 2018? 1. Shanghai 2. Qingdao 3. Beijing 4. Tianjin 5. Chongqing Answer - 2. Qingdao Explanation : On February 14, 2018, China announced that this year's summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will be held in the city of Qingdao. China is the founding member of SCO and is currently holding the rotating presidency of the SCO. India and Pakistan were admitted as full members of SCO in June 2017. Exact date of the Summit has not been announced. It will tentatively be held in June 2018.

260. Which country had the highest Defence budget during 2017? India was in which place? 1. USA, India-5th place 2. China, India-5th place 3. USA, India-4th place 4. UK, India-4th place 5. UK, India-7th place Answer - 1. USA, India-5th place Explanation : According to the 'Military Balance 2018' report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), India overtook the UK as the fifth-largest defence spender in the world in 2017. For the year 2017, India’s Defence Budget stood at $52.5 billion, up from $51.1 billion in 2016. UK's defence budget fell from $52.5 billion in 2016 to $50.7 billion in 2017. With $602.8 billion, US had the highest Defence budget during 2017. India’s neighbour China occupied the second position with $150.5 billion Defence budget – almost three times as compared to India. Third and fourth spots were occupied by Saudi Arabia and Russia respectively. International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a London- based global think tank.

261. Which Bank announced the listing of US $600 million bond issue under its maiden US $1 billion medium-term note (MTN) programme on IndiaINX? 1. SBI 2. Yes Bank 3. Canara Bank 4. Allahabad Bank 5. Dena Bank Answer - 2. Yes Bank Explanation : Yes Bank announced the listing of US $600 million bond issue under its maiden US $1 billion medium- term note (MTN) programme on IndiaINX.Medium Term Note (MTN) is a debt note that usually matures or has a payback period of 5 years.Yes Bank’s debut MTN bonds received an overwhelming response from international investors as it was oversubscribed by more than 1.83 times from over 90 accounts.Yes Bank had established a Medium Term Note (MTN) programme in December 2017 to raise USD 1 billion post approval from its board’s Capital Raising Committee. BSE’s IndiaINX is India’s first international exchange located at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City

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in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

262. Name the Small Finance Bank that has rolled out ‘selfeSavings’, an interactive digital savings account? 1. Fincare Small Finance Bank 2. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank 3. AU Small Finance Bank 4. Equitas Small Finance Bank 5. Suryoday Small Finance Bank Answer - 4. Equitas Small Finance Bank Explanation : Equitas Small Finance Bank has rolled out ‘selfeSavings’, an interactive digital savings account. This account can be opened with the web-based interactive video form hosted on Equitas’s website by using Aadhaar number, PAN and other basic details. It allows customers to set up a mobile banking PIN, through which they can start using their account instantly.There is no minimum balance requirement for selfeSavings account. Balance below Rs. 10 lakh fetches interest at 6 per cent per annum while for Rs. 10 lakh and above, customer gets 6.5 per cent interest. ’selfeSavings’ account comes with a virtual Visa debit card that can be used to shop online. This account also allows customers to make online money transfers for free.

263. ______won the best emerging technology award, at the World Government Summit 2018, in Dubai? 1. Aadhar 2. Solar Panel 3. MUDRA Application 4. MNREGA 5. National Mission for clean Ganga Answer - 1. Aadhar Explanation : India’s Umang App won the Best M-Government Service award in the Accessible Government category and Aadhar won the best emerging technology award, at the World Government Summit 2018, in Dubai. India had the ‘Guest of Honour’ country status in the World Government Summit. Umang App won the Best M-Government Service award in the Accessible Government category. The Umang App is a unified platform for government departments and services, easing transactions for citizens. Aadhar won the best emerging technology award. Aadhaar was named the world’s largest biometric enabled identification programme. Aadhar covers 1.2 billion Indian citizens with unique identification card with fingerprint, eye-print and other necessary data.

264. Who will be the next Prime Minister of Nepal? 1. Abdul Hamid Sheikh 2. KP Sharma Oli 3. Rodney Williams 4. Gaston Browne 5. Joko Widodo Answer - 2. KP Sharma Oli Explanation : KP Sharma Oli was named the next Prime Minister of Nepal. Two months after the parliamentary elections, the CPN-UML party has named its head KP Sharma Oli as the next Prime Minister of Nepal. In December 2017, the Left Alliance of CPN-UML party and CPN-Maoist Centre obtained 174 seats in the 275-member Parliament. It also obtained majority in the upper house of Parliament with 39 seats. This qualified the Left Alliance to form the next government. KP Sharma Oli is 65 years old. He served as Nepal's prime minister from 11th October 2015 to 3rd August 2016.

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265. Which country’s president was Jacob Zuma, who resigned recently? 1. Somalia 2. South Sudan 3. Libya 4. South Africa 5. Angola Answer - 4. South Africa Explanation : Jacob Zuma resigned from his position as South Africa’s President. Jacob Zuma announced his resignation as South Africa’s President in a televised address. He said that he is resigning from his position due to pressure from his own party (African National Congress) to step down. Jacob Zuma is a former anti-apartheid activist. He became President of South Africa in 2009. His term was supposed to end in 2019. On 15th February 2018, Cyril Ramaphosa was elected as South Africa’s President by a majority in the parliament.

266. Zippserv has launched - 'PricePoint', a platform for transparent pricing in ______? 1. Parliament 2. Educational Institutions 3. Stock Exchanges 4. Banks 5. Real Estate Answer - 5. Real Estate Explanation : Zippserv has launched - 'PricePoint', a platform for transparent pricing in real estate. PricePoint enables users in Bengaluru to access the latest registered sale transactions on nearly 1600 highly searched for apartment projects. PricePoint is said to be India’s first transparent platform for pricing in real estate. PricePoint uses Google map service. This enables users to look properties within 1 to 2 km radius. It provides details like super built up area, floor, number of car parks, terrace area, etc. PricePoint benefits people trying to buy a new property and sellers trying to sell used properties. It also features inbuilt analytics engine that processes guidance value, amenities, similar properties etc.

267. Which state team won the 23rd Senior Women's National Football Championship title, at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha? 1. Punjab 2. Gujarat 3. Tamil Nadu 4. Karnataka 5. Goa Answer - 3. Tamil Nadu Explanation : Tamil Nadu won the 23rd Senior Women's National Football Championship title, at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha. Tamil Nadu defeated Manipur 2-1 in the finals of the 23rd edition of the Senior Women's National Football Championship. Tamil Nadu women’s team won its first senior national football championship title. Tamil Nadu team’s Indumathi was named the Player of the Final and also the Tournament. AIFF vice-president, Subrata Dutta was the chief guest at the finals.

268. Which state government will sponsor the Indian National Hockey teams for the next 5 years? 1. Tamil Nadu 2. Odisha 3. Maharashtra 4. Madhya Pradesh 5. Keral Answer - 2. Odisha

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Explanation : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that Odisha government will sponsor the Indian National Hockey teams for the next 5 years. Naveen Patnaik made this announcement while launching new jersey for the teams for the upcoming Hockey World Cup in Odisha. Odisha hosted the Hockey World League in November 2017. It is also the sponsor for the upcoming Men's Hockey World Cup in 28 November to 16 December 2018.

269. Who become the first player in history to score 100 Champions League goals for the same club? 1. Paul Pogba 2. Eden Hazard 3. Neymar 4. Cristiano Ronaldo 5. Lionel Messi Answer - 4. Cristiano Ronaldo Explanation : Cristiano Ronaldo become the first player in history to score 100 Champions League goals for the same club. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th and 101st Champions League goals for Real Madrid against PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Spain. It was his 116th goal in total. He is followed by Lionel Messi who has scored 97 goals for Barcelona club and Raul who has scored 66 goals for Real Madrid club.

270. The longest-serving prime minister Ruud Lubbers was from which country? 1. Mongolia 2. Argentina 3. Netherlands 4. Sweden 5. Palestine Answer - 3. Netherlands Explanation : On 14th February 2018, Ruud Lubbers, the longest-serving prime minister of Netherlands passed away in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Ruud Lubbers was 78 years old. He had been ill for some time. He was born on 7th May 1939 in Rotterdam. He served as economics minister from 1973 to 1977. He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 1982 to 1994. He also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 2001 to 2005.

271. Who initiated India's largest 'train the trainers' programme by inducting 1500 Physical Education (PE) teachers from across Gujarat for advanced training? 1. Sania Mirza 2. Saina Nehwa 3. P V Sindhu 4. Pullela Gopichand 5. M S Dhoni Answer - 4. Pullela Gopichand Explanation : On February 15, 2018, former Indian Badminton player Pullela Gopichand initiated India's largest 'train the trainers' programme by inducting 1500 Physical Education (PE) teachers from across Gujarat for advanced training. This programme has been envisioned by the ELMS Sports Foundation. Aim of this programme is to develop the skills of PE teachers so that they can impart the right techniques to children aspiring to make a career in sports. Under this programme, Gopichand along with a team of experts will first select 150 PE teachers (out of 1500 inducted PE teachers) to become master trainers. The selected 150 PE teachers will attend a week-long workshop in which they will be familiarised with modern sports techniques. Thereafter, these teachers will impart the same to the other teachers across the state. It will impact over 45000 children every year.

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272. In which city, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, inaugurated the 2018 edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS 2018)? 1. Mumbai 2. Kolkata 3. New Delhi 4. Pune 5. Patna Answer - 3. New Delhi Explanation : Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, inaugurated the 2018 edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS 2018) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. This Summit has been organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). The three-day Summit will serve as a common platform for global leaders and thinkers in the fields of sustainable development, energy and environment sectors to come together and deliberate on contemporary issues. Theme of World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS 2018) is ‘Partnerships for a Resilient Planet’. ‘Greenovation Exhibition’, showcasing the latest technological advancements to meet Sustainable Development Goals is also a part of WSDS 2018. Over 2000 delegates including policy makers, think tanks, researchers, diplomats and corporates from 41 countries will be participating in this event.

273. Which state government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Government of Dubai, global ports operator DP World to explore opportunities to develop trade infrastructure in the state? 1. Gujarat 2. Telangana 3. Andhra Pradesh 4. Odisha 5. Jammu and Kashmir Answer - 5. Jammu and Kashmir Explanation : Government of Dubai, global ports operator DP World and the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities to develop trade infrastructure in the state. Under this agreement, scope for setting up a multi-modal logistics park and hub in Jammu will be explored. This park would have warehouses and specialised storage solutions that will encourage inter-modal transfer of containers and bulk cargo. In 2016, 15 per cent of India's total non-oil imports and exports took place through DP Worlds operations in India.

274. Which State government will be setting up India’s first institute for artificial intelligence (AI)? 1. Maharashtra 2. Mizoram 3. Assam 4. Bihar 5. Karnataka Answer - 1. Maharashtra Explanation : Maharashtra State government will be setting up India’s first institute for artificial intelligence (AI) in Mumbai. Plan for this institute of artificial intelligence (AI) will be unveiled by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the Magnetic Maharashtra Summit, beginning on February 18,

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2018. Setting up the AI institute will not only play a crucial role in ushering the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ but will also promote Mumbai as an investment destination in innovations and data analysis. Maharashtra State Government has already been experimenting with AI in the health sector. Besides, it has also set up a joint working group for AI cooperation with the government of Canada on February 13, 2018.

275. In which state the first butterfly park was opened for public on February 15, 2018? 1. Maharashtra 2. Kerala 3. Madhya Pradesh 4. Karnataka 5. Tamil Nadu Answer - 3. Madhya Pradesh Explanation : Madhya Pradesh's first butterfly park, at Gopalpur in Raisen district opened for public on February 15, 2018. The park is spread over three hectares of land. It houses 65 species of butterflies and nearly 137 plant varieties. Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister Gaurishankar Shejwar expressed hope that this park will give a new identity to the state in the field of eco tourism. Butterfly parks are pollution-free spaces which do not have chemicals/pesticides and play an important role in conserving and breeding of butterfly species

276. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suspended which country’s drug-testing laboratory for 6 months, quoting that the laboratory was not up to the required standards? 1. Romania 2. Algeria 3. Norway 4. Tunisia 5. Libya Answer - 1. Romania Explanation : The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suspended Romania's drug-testing laboratory for 6 months, quoting that the laboratory was not up to the required standards. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has said that, it has suspended the Romanian drug-testing laboratory in Bucharest for 6 months due to a lot of non-conformities. But it did not mention the problems in detail. The laboratory is now banned from testing samples. The laboratory has been urged to hand over its possessions to another laboratory. The ban on this laboratory is backdated to 29 November 2017. WADA has tightened laboratory check-ups after finding violations at the Moscow laboratory.

277. Which two countries have been suspended from voting in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly because of millions of dollars in unpaid dues? 1. Venezuela and Somalia 2. Venezuela and Libya 3. Venezuela and North Korea 4. Venezuela and South Africa 5. Venezuela and Algeria Answer - 2. Venezuela and Libya Explanation : On February 13, 2018, United Nations (UN) General Assembly spokesman Brenden Varma stated that Venezuela and Libya have been suspended from voting in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly because of millions of dollars in unpaid dues. This is for the third time in three years that Venezuela and Libya have been suspended from voting in the UN General Assembly. In order to restore their voting rights, Venezuela and Libya must pay at least $25200296 and $6594842 respectively. Central African Republic, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Surinam, Marshall Islands, Yemen and Equatorial Guinea are

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the other countries that have lost voting rights for the same reason.

278. Union Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Sadananda Gowda has stated that during 2018-19, his ministry is proposing to initiate steps to revise the base years of gross domestic product (GDP), Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI). What is the revised base year of GDP, IIP and CPI? 1. GDP-2016-17, IIP-2016-17, CPI-2017 2. GDP-2016-17, IIP-2017-18, CPI-2018 3. GDP-2016-17, IIP-2017-18, CPI-2017 4. GDP-2017-18, IIP-2017-18, CPI-2018 5. GDP-2017-18, IIP-2017-18, CPI-2017 Answer - 4. GDP-2017-18, IIP-2017-18, CPI-2018 Explanation : Union Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Sadananda Gowda has stated that during 2018-19, his ministry is proposing to initiate steps to revise the base years of gross domestic product (GDP), Index of Industrial Production (IIP) and Consumer Price Index (CPI). For the calculation of GDP and IIP numbers base year will be changed to 2017-18 while for CPI (retail inflation) it will be 2018. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has proposed these changes to accommodate and factor the changes that take place in Indian economy. Under Union Budget 2018 -19, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) has been allocated Rs 4859 crore.

279. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced that is has prepared area development plans worth Rs 1918 crore for farmers of which state? 1. Bihar 2. Jharkhand 3. Gujarat 4. Karnataka 5. Punjab Answer - 5. Punjab Explanation : National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced that is has prepared area development plans worth Rs 1918 crore for farmers of Punjab. Announcement in this regard was made by NABARD Chief General Manager (Punjab), Deepak Kumar at the State Level Bankers' Committee (SLBC) meeting in Chandigarh. The plan envisages to promote activities like dairy, vegetable cultivation, mushroom growing and bee keeping to provide income to farmers on sustainable basis. Mr. Kumar has raised concerns over the shortage of investment credit in Punjab, and has urged banks to focus on the area.

280. What are the two Indian firms that have featured in the list of 135 most ethical companies of the world for 2018? 1. Tata Motors & TCS 2. TCS & CTS 3. Tata Steel & Infosys 4. Tata Steel & Wipro 5. Infosys & HCL Answer - 4. Tata Steel & Wipro Explanation : Tata Steel and IT services provider, Wipro Ltd. are the two Indian firms that have featured in the list of 135 most ethical companies of the world for 2018. The list has been compiled by the US-based think tank Ethisphere Institute. It features 135 companies from 23 countries, across 57 industries. Companies are assessed as per Ethisphere Institute’s Ethics Quotient (EQ) framework and are assigned scores in five key categories viz. ethics and compliance program (35% weightage), corporate citizenship and responsibility (20% weightage), culture of ethics (20% weightage), governance (15% weightage)

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andleadership, innovation and reputation (10% weightage). Global tech giants including Microsoft, Dell, Salesforce and Adobe have also featured in this list. Ethisphere Institute will organise an event in New York, US on March 13, 2018 to felicitate these 135 companies.

281. Which Payments platform has entered into a partnership with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to deploy its Point of Sale (POS) device at IOCL retail outlets? 1. Paytm 2. PhonePe 3. Freecharge 4. MobiKwik 5. Jio Answer - 2. PhonePe Explanation : Payments platform PhonePe has entered into a partnership with Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to deploy its Point of Sale (POS) device at IOCL retail outlets. Under this partnership, Phone Pe has installed POS devices at 30 IOCL outlets in Bengaluru on pilot basis. It will be rolled out across India in a phased manner during 2018. Phone Pe had launched its Point of Sale (POS) device in October 2017. Since then, over 10000 POS units have been installed in Bengaluru. Phone Pe is following a twin strategy of deploying its own point-of-sales (PoS) payment terminals at small merchant locations as well as partnering with major merchant chains at the national level.

282. Who was awarded the ‘EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017’ award at a function in Mumbai? 1. Nithin Kamath 2. Puneet Dalmia 3. Ajay Singh 4. Sanjiv Bajaj 5. Rashesh Shah Answer - 4. Sanjiv Bajaj Explanation : On 15th February 2018, Sanjiv Bajaj was awarded the ‘EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017’ award at a function in Mumbai. Sanjiv Bajaj is the Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv. Nearly 400 business leaders and special guests were present at the event. EY presented awards in nine other categories also for the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year Programme’. Bajaj will represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Award (WEOY) from 13th to 17th June 2018 in Monte Carlo. The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to E Sreedharan. He played a key role in the Kolkata Metro, Delhi Metro, Kochi Metro and Lucknow Metro projects.

283. Who will be awarded for his contribution to science and for transforming the Science City in Kapurthala, Punjab, to an international-level centre, on 28th February 2018? 1. Sunder Genomal 2. Glenn Saldanha 3. Akhil Gupta 4. Sumant Sinha 5. Raghbir Singh Khandpur Answer - 5. Raghbir Singh Khandpur Explanation : Raghbir Singh Khandpur will be awarded for his contribution to science and for transforming the Science City in Kapurthala, Punjab, to an international-level centre, on 28th February 2018. Raghbir Singh Khandpur is a former Director General of the Centre for Electronics Design and Technology and the Pushpa Gujral Science City in Kapurthala. Also, he is the founder director of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) in Mohali. He has been selected by Department of Science and Technology for this award for his contribution to science, technology and communication. He will be presented with this award on 28th February 2018 on the National Science Day, in New

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Delhi. He had worked at the CSIO (Central Scientific Instruments Organisation) as head of Medical Instruments Division and head of Electronics Division.

284. Name the company that has been honoured with the 'Startup of the Year' 2017 award at the 7th Small Business Awards, in New Delhi? 1. Milkbasket 2. Zerodha 3. Altizon 4. Microsoft Accelerator 5. Siliconindia Answer - 1. Milkbasket Explanation : Milkbasket has been honoured with the 'Startup of the Year' 2017 award at the 7th Small Business Awards, in New Delhi. The Small Business Awards 2018 was organised by Franchise India Group. It honours the best enterprises among SMEs (Small or Medium Enterprise), SMB (Small and Medium Business) and emerging small-scale ventures. The startup of the year award is presented to SMEs that are 7 years or lesser than 7 years old with potential to develop into a larger entity in local and international markets.

285. Who was reappointed the Governor of Bank of Japan for a second term by Japan government? 1. D. Subbarao 2. Eric J. Gleacher 3. Haruhiko Kuroda 4. Chintaman D Deshmukh 5. Osborne Smith Answer - 3. Haruhiko Kuroda Explanation : Haruhiko Kuroda was reappointed the Governor of Bank of Japan for a second term by Japan government. Haruhiko Kuroda’s current term as Bank of Japan Governor ends in April 2018. He is the first person to get a second term as governor of Bank of Japan since 1961. The Japan government has also nominated Masazumi Wakatabe, professor at Waseda University, as deputy governor of Bank of Japan. Another deputy governor position went to Bank of Japan Executive Director Masayoshi Amamiya.

286. Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned from his position unexpectedly. He was the Prime Minister of which country? 1. Somalia 2. Japan 3. Libya 4. Ethiopia 5. Sweden Answer - 4. Ethiopia Explanation : Ethiopia Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned from his position unexpectedly. Hailemariam Desalegn has stated that, he has resigned in a move to end the unrest and political crisis prevailing in Ethiopia. It is not yet known who will succeed Hailemariam Desalegn. Hailemariam Desalegn has said that, he will remain as prime minister in a caretaker position, until the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and the parliament accept his resignation and appoint a new prime minister. Hailemariam Desalegn became the Prime Minister of Ethiopia in 2012. He has also submitted his resignation from the chairman post of EPRDF.

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287. Who was appointed the next Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)? 1. Rajaneesh Kumar Shukla 2. Arvind P. Jamkhedkar 3. Anand Shanker 4. S Singh 5. Akhila Bharatiya Answer - 2. Arvind P. Jamkhedkar Explanation : Arvind P. Jamkhedkar has been named the next Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR). Arvind P. Jamkhedkar is an archaeologist and historian. He will succeed Prof. K. Sudershan Rao. Prof. Arvind Jamkhedkar is currently the Chancellor of Deccan College in Pune. In 1960, he obtained master’s degree in Sanskrit from the University of Pune. In 1966, he finished doctorate in Ancient Indian Culture from Deccan College. He served as vice-president of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai during the 2007 to 2013 period. He also works as editor of the Journal of Asiatic Society of Mumbai.

288. Who was elected the new President of South Africa? 1. José Eduardo 2. Fernando Veludo 3. Cyril Ramaphosa 4. Mohamed Yusuf 5. Ali Zeidan Answer - 3. Cyril Ramaphosa Explanation : Cyril Ramaphosa was elected the new President of South Africa. Cyril Ramaphosa was elected the President of South Africa by a majority in the Parliament. He has been elected the President of South Africa following Jacob Zuma’s resignation from the position of South African President on 14th February 2018. Cyril Ramaphosa is 65 years old. He is the President of ANC (African National Congress).

289. Khwaja Haleem, former Minister of which state died recently at a hospital in Delhi? 1. Uttar Pradesh 2. Gujarat 3. Punjab 4. Haryana 5. Goa Answer - 1. Uttar Pradesh Explanation : Khwaja Haleem, former Uttar Pradesh minister died following a cardiac arrest, at a hospital in New Delhi. Khwaja Haleem was 75 years old. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. He joined the Youth Congress in 1970s. Later, he joined the Lok Dal. In 1980, he was elected to the Vidhan Sabha from Aligarh Assembly constituency. In 1990, he became the chairman of Uttar Pradesh Minority Commission. He was a member of the Samajwadi Party Central Committee for nearly twenty years. He became advisor in tourism department in 2014.

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290. How many more Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS) will be constructed by the government in tribal areas across India? 1. 550 2. 562 3. 599 4. 612 5. 624 Answer - 2. 562 Explanation : Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram stated that Central Government will set up 562 more Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS) in tribal areas across India. Setting up EMRSs is a part of Government’s commitment to provide best quality education to the tribal children in their own environment. EMRSs, to be set up by Central Government will be on par with the Navodaya Vidyalayas. Besides, these schools have special facilities for preserving local art and culture and also provide training in sports and skill development. Currently, 190 EMRSs are operational, where about 56000 tribal students have been enrolled at the rate of Rs 42000 per student per annum. During 2017-18, an amount of Rs 241.60 crore was provided for meeting recurring cost of these 190 functional EMRSs.

291. National Conference under the title of “Agriculture 2022 – Doubling Farmers’ Income” will be organised by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in which Indian city? 1. Mumbai 2. Pune 3. Patna 4. New Delhi 5. Dispur Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is organizing a National Conference under the title of “Agriculture 2022 – Doubling Farmers’ Income” in New Delhi on 19th and 20th February, 2018. The main objective of this conference is to build a consensus and arrive at actionable points on measures to be taken for shaping and sharpening Central Government’s vision on Doubling Farmers’ Income by 2022. Seven broad themes have been identified for this conference. Some of these themes also have sub-themes. Discussions/deliberations on every theme will be held by a group of participants comprising farmers, farmers’ associations, economists, scientists, academics, professional associations, NGOs and policy makers.

292. As per a report released by the NITI Aayog, sex ratio at birth (SRB) declined in _____ out of 21 large states of India? 1. 11 2. 14 3. 16 4. 17 5. 19 Answer - 4. 17 Explanation : As per a report released by the NITI Aayog, sex ratio at birth (SRB) declined in 17 out of 21 large states of India. In context of this news, number of female live births vis-a-vis number of male live births is referred to as Sex Ratio at Birth. Among 17 states where SRB has dropped; highest decline has been recorded from Gujarat. For the reference year, i.e. 2013-15, SRB in Gujarat fell to 854 females per 1000 males, marking a 53 points drop from 907 females per 1000 males in 2012-14 (base year). Gujarat is followed by Haryana (35 points drop) and Rajasthan (32 points drop). Large Indian states which have witnessed improvement in SRB are Punjab ( rise of 19 points) followed by Uttar Pradesh (rise of 10 points) and Bihar (rise of 9 points). NITI Aayog has recommended that states should effectively

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implement the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 in order to check sex-selective abortion.

293. Which Indian Organisation and Natural History Museum (NHM), United Kingdom (UK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of genetic/taxonomic studies, research and training, conservation in India, including species and habitat conservation assessments? 1. National Green Tribunal 2. Delhi Greens 3. Central Pollution Control Board 4. Botanical Survey of India 5. Environmentalist Foundation of India Answer - 4. Botanical Survey of India Explanation : Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Natural History Museum (NHM), United Kingdom (UK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of genetic/taxonomic studies, research and training, conservation in India, including species and habitat conservation assessments. The MoU was signed in New Delhi by Dr Paramjit Singh – Director of BSI and Dr Sandra Knapp – Head of the Algae, Fungi and Plants Division, NHM, in presence of Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan. As per the terms of this MoU, BSI staff will work in Natural History Museum, London and vice-versa. Staffs of both these entities will equitably share the benefits that may arise from the combined collection, joint study and conservation efforts. Besides, NHM will help BSI in capacity building in areas of systematic botany and long-term conservation of plant genetic resources in India.

294. West Bengal State Government notified sale of West Bengal Stock (Securities) for an aggregate amount of Rs ______crore. 1. 1500 crore 2. 1750 crore 3. 2000 crore 4. 2500 crore 5. 3000 crore Answer - 3. 2000 crore Explanation : West Bengal State Government notified sale of West Bengal Stock (Securities) for an aggregate amount of Rs 2000 crore. Sale proceeds would be utilised on developmental projects of West Bengal state government. West Bengal State Government has already got consent of the central government for floating this stock sale. As per Article 293 (3) of the Constitution of India, Central Government’s consent is required for this purpose. The sale will take place through an auction conducted by the Reserve Bank of India on February 20, 2018. Stocks sold will be of a 10-year tenure, commencing on February 21, 2018

295. In terms of maternal mortality rate (MMR), which state is at the bottom of the list among all Indian States? 1. Meghalaya 2. Bihar 3. Jharkhand 4. Rajasthan 5. Assam Answer - 5. Assam Explanation : In terms of maternal mortality rate (MMR), Assam is at the bottom of the list among all Indian States. Annual number of female deaths per 100000 live births from any cause related to pregnancy is referred

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to as Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR). MMR figure in Assam is 300 against the national average of 167. However, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey has stated that MMR in Assam has been declining. It was 383 fours ago and was 447 in 2002. In Assam, infant mortality rate (number of deaths per 1000 live births of children under one year of age) is also on higher side at 44 against the national figure of 37. In context of this news, it is important to note that fund spending under National Health Mission (NHM) in Assam is just 13.58 per cent for 2017-18.

296. In which state, the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan inaugurated the 6th Conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) of India Region? 1. Assam 2. Bihar 3. Manipur 4. Gujarat 5. Maharashtra Answer - 2. Bihar Explanation : Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan inaugurated the 6th Conference of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) of India Region in Patna, Bihar. The conference of CPA of India Region is conducted for 2 days. Main subjects for discussion in the conference are 'Parliament's role in the development agenda' and 'Legislature and Judiciary'. Nearly 100 delegates from India and countries like Australia, Britain and Uganda are taking part in this conference. Also, Speakers of State Assemblies and Chairpersons of Legislative Councils are also participating. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi will present key note address. Emilia Lifaka, Chairperson of CPA Executive Committee, said that, we should work towards increasing women representatives in Parliament and Legislature.

297. Name the tropical cyclone that devastated Tonga, a small South Pacific island country, with Category 4 intensity? 1. Aruna 2. Mira 3. Sita 4. Gita 5. Ockhi Answer - 4. Gita Explanation : On 12th February 2018, tropical cyclone Gita devastated Tonga, a small South Pacific island country, with Category 4 intensity. Cyclone Gita hit the Tongatapu group of islands in southern Tonga. The speed of sustained winds was 145 mph. A state of emergency was declared in Tonga due to cyclone Gita. Authorities of Tonga had insisted every family to have an emergency kit and to stay indoors. They had urged people living in flood-prone areas to take shelter in evacuation centers. People had nailed wood over the windows, and had fitted iron roofing to their homes in an effort to minimize the damage that was anticipated to be caused by Cyclone Gita. As on 13th February 2018, three major injuries and 30 minor injuries were reported in Tongatapu.

298. The 54th edition of the Munich Security Conference started off in Munich, Germany. What are the important topics discussed in this session? 1. North Korea's nuclear and missile programs 2. The North Korean nuclear weapons development program issue 3. The Syrian civil war 4. All the above 5. 1 & 3 only Answer - 4. All the above

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Explanation : On 16th February 2018, the annual Munich Security Conference started off in Munich, Germany. This is the 54th edition of the Munich Security Conference. It will be conducted till 18th February 2018. Nearly 30 heads of state and government and more than 100 cabinet ministers from all over the world are participating in this conference. Discussions are held on important international security issues like North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and the Syrian civil war. The North Korean nuclear weapons development program issue is the most important topic to be discussed. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Al- Thani, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen and French Defence Minister Florence Parly presented their statements on the first day of the conference.

299. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation for all retail payments in India has given its consent to ______launch with limited user base of 1 million and low per transaction limit? 1. Facebook’s payment service 2. Twitter’s payment service 3. WhatsApp’s payment service 4. Hike’s payment service 5. Line’s payment service Answer - 3. WhatsApp’s payment service Explanation : National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation for all retail payments in India has given its consent to WhatsApp BHIM UPI beta launch with limited user base of 1 million and low per transaction limit. WhatsApp’s payment service with full-fledged features will be launched in India after the beta test of the service is successful. Whatsapp had received approval to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI), after a meeting between WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton and Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad in February 2017. UPI (launched by Indian Government) is a single-window mobile payment system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application. Whatsapp has been working with top Indian Banks such as State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank to integrate UPI into its payments solution.

300. Name the technology, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is planning to introduce in its Gandhar field to recover an extra 20 million barrels of crude oil? 1. Gas flow rate 2. Flame temperature 3. Cloud diffusion 4. Carbon dioxide injection 5. Methane injection Answer - 4. Carbon dioxide injection Explanation : Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is planning to introduce carbon dioxide injection in its Gandhar field to recover an extra 20 million barrels of crude oil. Injected gas reduces viscosity of residual oil, making it easier to displace the oil from the rock pores. Besides, injecting CO2 swells oil, thereby pushing it towards the producing well for extraction. ONGC will be using this technology to recover an extra 15 per cent of residual oil currently valued at $1.36 billion. This technology has been successfully deployed in US and Canada. ONGC’s CO2 injection project would be first such large scale project in Asia. This project would be executed under enhanced oil recovery (EOR) programme, which is aimed at recovering up to 20 percent of residual oil from such ageing fields. Depending on the results from Gandhar field, it would be replicated at other mature fields.

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301. Who was made the brand ambassador of the upcoming T20 Mumbai League? 1. Sachin Tendulkar 2. Rohit Sharma 3. Hardik Pandya 4. Kieron Pollard 5. Jasprit Bumrah Answer - 1. Sachin Tendulkar Explanation : Sachin Tendulkar was named the brand ambassador of the upcoming T20 Mumbai League. The T20 Mumbai League will start on 11th March 2018. It is organised by Probability Sports India Private Limited as Lead Member and Wizcraft. It has been approved and sanctioned by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). Teams have been invited to participate in the league. Six teams would participate in the league. The teams would be from Mumbai North, Mumbai North-West, Mumbai North-East, Mumbai North- Central, Mumbai South-Central and Mumbai South.

302. While investigating thousands of soil samples, a team of Scientists from which country have discovered ‘malacidin’, a new class of antibiotics capable of killing drug-resistant bacteria? 1. China 2. USA 3. India 4. UK 5. Germany Answer - 2. USA Explanation : While investigating thousands of soil samples, a team of US Scientists have discovered ‘malacidin’, a new class of antibiotics capable of killing drug-resistant bacteria. The ability of diseases to evolve and become immune to known treatments is referred to as antimicrobial resistance, which is one of the greatest threats to humanity. The newly discovered malacidin works by interfering with a major building block that the bacteria use to build and repair their outer membrane, and thereby restricts its growth. However, malacidin has been found to be effective only against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body.

303. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch Chandrayan-2 Mission around April 2018. This is India’s ______mission to the moon. 1. First 2. Second 3. Third 4. Fourth 5. Fifth Answer - 2. Second Explanation : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch Chandrayan-2 Mission around April 2018. Chandrayaan-2 is India’s second mission to the moon. Chandrayaan-2’s payloads will be 6 on Orbiter; 3 on Lander and 2 on Rover. ISRO Chairman K Sivan said that the total cost of Chandrayaan-2 mission will be nearly Rs 8 billion. He said that, if Chandrayaan-2’s launch gets cancelled in April 2018 due to unsuitable weather, it will be rescheduled for launch in October 2018. He said that, Chandrayaan- 2 Mission consists of: • Orbiter - orbit the Moon from 100 km lunar polar orbit • Lander - soft lands on a pre-determined site on lunar surface 101 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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• Rover - rolls out of the land after landing

304. How many newly discovered exoplanets were confirmed based on data from the second mission of NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Kepler Space Telescope or K2 released in 2014? 1. Nearly 50 2. Nearly 75 3. Nearly 100 4. Nearly 125 5. Nearly 150 Answer - 3. Nearly 100 Explanation : The discovery of nearly 100 new exoplanets (planets outside solar system) has been confirmed based on data from the second mission of NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Kepler Space Telescope or K2 released in 2014. The discovery of nearly 100 new exoplanets has been confirmed by an international team of scientists. K2 finds exoplanets by studying reduction in light due to shadow of an exoplanet when it crosses its host star. The team of scientists have analysed 275 entities. Out of this 149 were confirmed as real exoplanets. 95 of these planets are new discoveries. This study has been published in the Astronomical Journal. Now, the total number of exoplanets discovered by K2 mission has increased to almost 300.

305. Name the cricketer who has created a world record by becoming the first batsman ever to score 500 runs in a bilateral ODI series. 1. M S Dhoni 2. Hardik Pandya 3. David Warner 4. Joe Root 5. Virat Kohli Answer - 5. Virat Kohli Explanation : Virat Kohli has created a world record by becoming the first batsman ever to score 500 runs in a bilateral ODI series. Virat Kohli made this achievement at the sixth and final ODI of the series against South Africa at Centurion on 16th February 2018. He has scored 558 runs in total in this series. He has beat Rohit Sharma's record of 491 runs against Australia in 2013-14 in bilateral ODI series. He scored 129 runs in the sixth ODI of the series and India won the series 5-1. He has also become the fastest batsman to score 17000 international runs.

306. Who has become the oldest Tennis player in the world to hold number 1 rank in the ATP world rankings? 1. Simona Halep 2. Caroline Wozniacki 3. Roger Federer 4. Andre Agassi 5. John McEnroe Answer - 3. Roger Federer Explanation : Roger Federer has become the oldest player in the world to hold number 1 rank in the ATP world rankings. Roger Federer achieved this feat by defeating Robin Haase 4-6 6-1 6-1 to reach semi-finals of the ABN AMRO tournament in Rotterdam on 16th February 2018. Roger Federer is 36 years old. He has returned to number 1 position in the world rankings for the first time since 2012. He reached number one position for the first time in 2004. He has surpassed America’s Andre Agassi, who was the previous oldest player to be world number one at 33 years in 2003.

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307. Hassan Rouhani, recently visited India, is the President of which country? 1. Iraq 2. Egypt 3. Australia 4. Iran 5. Indonesia Answer - 4. Iran Explanation : President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani was on a three-day visit to India from 15th – 17th February, 2018. On February 15, 2018, Mr. Rouhani arrived in Hyderabad. He chose to begin his India tour from Hyderabad as the city has a long history of cultural and religious ties with Iran. It is to be noted that, currently, around 40000 Iranians live in Hyderabad. On February 15, 2018, Mr. Rouhani addressed Muslim intellectuals, religious scholars and students at a hotel in Hyderabad. On February 17, 2018, Mr. Rouhani held a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Mr. Rouhani also gifted an animated version of Kalila Wa Demna (Farsi translation of the Panchatantra) and a copy of the Mahabharat in Farsi to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

308. On February 18, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of Navi Mumbai International Airport. Unlike Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, this airport will have how many parallel runways? 1. 2 2. 3 3. 4 4. 5 5. 6 Answer - 1. 2 Explanation : On February 18, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of Navi Mumbai International Airport. On completion, Navi Mumbai International Airport is expected to ease flight operations in Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Estimated cost for constructing this airport is Rs 16700 crore. It will have two parallel runways unlike Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, which has only one runway. On February 18, 2018, Prime Minister Modi also dedicated to the nation the fourth container terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Mumbai.

309. Which State Government has decided to geotag the houses and farms of over 10 lakh livestock and poultry farmers in the state? 1. Bihar 2. Karnataka 3. Jharkhand 4. West Bengal 5. Kerala Answer - 5. Kerala Explanation : Kerala State Government has decided to geotag the houses and farms of over 10 lakh livestock and poultry farmers in the state. Objective behind this activity is to compile a comprehensive digital repository of the information of animal husbandry and dairying in Kerala and integrate the data using the Geographical Information System (GIS). This repository will not only help State Government at the time of financial planning but will also be useful during the time of the outbreak of any diseases among domestic animals and birds. Data collection and uploading will be done by veterinarians and livestock inspectors with the help of digital gadgets.

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310. Which State Government will be setting up 3 Terminal Mart for agricultural products in the state in order to give a boost to agricultural market in the state? 1. Manipur 2. Assam 3. Meghalaya 4. Mizoram 5. Sikkim Answer - 2. Assam Explanation : Assam State Government will be setting up 3 Terminal Mart for agricultural products in the state in order to give a boost to agricultural market in the state. Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board is working towards setting up such marts at Silchar, Jorhat and Guwahati. Chairman of State Agricultural Marketing Board, Palit Kumar Bora has stated that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed to develop Asia’s largest banana market at Darangiri in Goalpara district of Assam. Besides, 6 new Krishi Vigyan Kendras are being set up in Assam to help the farmers in various agro-based sectors

311. Name the Island nation of South Pacific Ocean which signed a declaration of partnership with India's The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for assistance in tackling climate change effects and achieving environmental sustainability? 1. Vancouver 2. Philippines 3. Fiji 4. Taiwan 5. Cockatoo Answer - 3. Fiji Explanation : On February 17, 2018, Fiji (an island nation in South Pacific Ocean) signed a declaration of partnership with India's The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for assistance in tackling climate change effects and achieving environmental sustainability. The declaration of partnership was signed on sidelines of the World Sustainable Development Conference (WSDS 2018) in New Delhi. As per the terms of this declaration, TERI will provide technical assistance to Fiji in a variety of areas including waste and pollution management, remote monitoring and reporting of environmental impact assessments, developing 'green' energy efficient buildings and aligning Fiji’s national policies with environmental aims. In context of this news, it is important to note that South Pacific region is prone to extreme weather conditions like cyclones and floods. Besides, these conditions likely to worsen due to climate change.

312. Which state celebrated the National Banana Festival 2018 from 17th to 21st February 2018? 1. Kerala 2. Karnataka 3. Tamil Nadu 4. Andhra Pradesh 5. Madhya Pradesh Answer - 1. Kerala Explanation : On 17th to 21st February 2018, National Banana Festival 2018, is held at the Vellayani Devi Temple grounds at Kalliyoor, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh inaugurated the National Banana Festival. This festival is organised by the Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA) jointly with Kalliyoor panchayat, National Centre for Banana, Trichy, and several other government institutions associated with banana research and promotion. Chairman of the organising committee is Suresh Gopi, MP. Nearly 150 varieties of banana from the north-eastern States, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu are displayed at the exhibition. Also, value-added products and processed goods made from banana are displayed.

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313. In terms of market capitalisation, which is the most valuable company with $849.2 billion market cap? 1. Apple 2. Google 3. Amazon 4. Microsoft 5. Facebook Answer - 1. Apple Explanation : Amazon’s market capitalisation touched $702.5 billion. On account of this surge, Amazon became the third most valuable company in the world. Market value of a company's outstanding shares is referred to as market capitalisation (m-cap). It is calculated by multiplying the current market price of company’s share with total number of outstanding shares. En route to grabbing third spot, Amazon surpassed Microsoft’s market cap of $699.2 billion. In terms of market capitalisation, Apple is the most valuable company with $849.2 billion market cap, followed by Google’s parent company Alphabet at $745.1 billion. Surge in Amazon’s stock prices has made its CEO, Jeff Bezos the richest man in the world. Bezos holds 78.9 million shares of Amazon. Bezos is not just the richest man in world at present, but he has become the world’s richest man ever. This record was held by Microsoft founder Bill Gates with $100 billion in 1999.

314. Who has been made the advisor to the chairman on cricket affairs and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) brand ambassador? 1. Fakhar Zaman 2. Haris Sohail 3. Imam-ul-Haq 4. Shoaib Akhtar 5. Sarfraz Ahmed Answer - 4. Shoaib Akhtar Explanation : Shoaib Akhtar has been named the advisor to the chairman on cricket affairs and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) brand ambassador. Shoaib Akhtar is 42 years old. He is a former Pakistan fast bowler. He made his cricket debut in 1997. He has played 46 Tests, 163 ODIs and 15 T20 Internationals. He has taken 444 wickets throughout his career. He was the first bowler to cross the 100 mph mark. He retired from international cricket after the 2011 World Cup.

315. Who was appointed the new Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University? 1. Ashish Mehta 2. Vignesh Ram 3. Vinod Kumar 4. Joseph Vijay 5. Sinolin Verma Answer - 3. Vinod Kumar Explanation : Vinod Kumar Jain has been appointed as the new Vice Chancellor of Tezpur University. President of India has appointed Vinod Kumar Jain as the Visitor of the Tezpur University. Vinod Kumar Jain will work as vice-chancellor of Tezpur University for 5 years from the date on which he assumes office or till he reaches 70 years, whichever is earlier. He worked as a Scientist, Class I, in the Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi. He is a former Professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He joined JNU’s School of Environmental Sciences as an Associate Professor in 1985. He has been part of the panel of experts of University Grants Commission (UGC), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Public Service Commission of Himachal Pradesh and Public Service Commission of Uttar Pradesh etc.

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316. Which Indian IT Company has been recognized as one of world’s best employers by the Top Employer Institute for the third consecutive year? 1. IBM 2. Verizon 3. HCL 4. CTS 5. TCS Answer - 5. TCS Explanation : Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been recognized as one of world’s best employers by the Top Employer Institute for the third consecutive year. TCS has been selected among 1,300 companies in 113 countries all over the world. It has been recognized by Top Employer Institute for its excellent employee offerings. TCS has received the Top Employers Global certification. It has received the latest Top Employer endorsement for 27 of its individual country teams in Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America and the Middle East. The Top Employer rankings are done based on nine factors: talent strategy, workforce planning, on-boarding, learning & development, performance management, leadership development, career & succession management, compensation & benefits and company culture.

317. Who won Chennai Open ATP Challenger tennis championship 2018? 1. Dhakshineswar Suresh 2. Jordan Thompson 3. Sidharth Rawat 4. Abhinav Sanjeev 5. Yuki Bhambri Answer - 2. Jordan Thompson Explanation : On February 17, 2018, Australian tennis player Jordan Thompson won Chennai Open ATP Challenger tennis championship. In the finals, Jordan Thompson beat India’s Yuki Bhambri by 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. In men’s singles ATP world rankings, Jordan Thompson currently ranks 101st. Victory at Chennai Open was Jordan Thompson’s fifth Challenger title. Jordan Thompson got Rs. 4.6 lakhs prize money, while Bhambri got Rs. 2.7 lakhs.

318. Name the Tropical Cyclone that hit the north coast of Western Australia on 18th February 2018. 1. Pascal 2. Weirdo 3. Wool 4. Kelvin 5. Kevin Answer - 4. Kelvin Explanation : On 18th February 2018, Tropical Cyclone Kelvin hit the north coast of Western Australia. Cyclone Kelvin caused strong winds and floods. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said that, the storm crossed the north coast with winds up to a speed of 150 km per hour. Cyclone Kelvin has been classified as a category two system. Some regions were warned with red alert and others with yellow alert. The winds are expected to get weaker as it moves inland. The Great Northern Highway, which connects Port Hedland and Kimberley region and Perth, has been cut. It would be closed for up to two weeks.

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319. Ram Swarup Sharma recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Athlete 2. Doctor 3. Teacher 4. Singer 5. Politician Answer - 5. Politician Explanation : Ram Swarup Sharma, former MLA and Padma Shri awardee died following a short term illness, in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Ram Swarup Sharma was 92 years old. He is survived by two sons and a daughter. He was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly two times from the Mathura- Vrindavan constituency. He was skilled in 'Rasa Lila', a form of folk theatre. He received the Padma Shri award for this. He was also given the title of 'Raasacharya'.

320. In which city the 22nd edition of World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) and 26th edition of Nasscom India Leadership Forum (ILF) was inaugurated concurrently? 1. Patna 2. Pune 3. Kolkata 4. Mumbai 5. Hyderabad Answer - 5. Hyderabad Explanation : On 19th to 21st February 2018, 22nd edition of World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) and 26th edition of Nasscom India Leadership Forum (ILF) are held concurrently, at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, in Hyderabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit through a video conference. The WCIT is held for the first time in India. Telangana is the partner state for both WCIT and ILF. Nasscom is the host of WCIT. The 26th edition of India Leadership Forum (ILF) is a limited edition. The WCIT has participation from nearly 2,500 visionaries, heads of industry, government leaders and academicians from over 80 countries. NASSCOM Global Leadership Awards and Social Innovation Awards by NASSCOM will be announced as part of these events.Theme of the conference is “Amplify Digital – Disrupt The Core”. Sophia, the humanoid robot from Saudi Arabia, will also participate in the conference.

321. Which of the below given languages are considered as Endangered by UNESCO? 1. Naiki 2. Pengo 3. Kuruba 4. Parji 5. All the above Answer - 5. All the above Explanation : A Home Ministry official has stated that 42 languages or dialects in India, spoken by less than 10000 people are considered endangered and may be heading towards extinction. As per a report of the census directorate, there are 22 scheduled languages and 100 non-scheduled languages in India that are spoken by a large number of people - one lakh or more. However, a list prepared by UNESCO has mentioned that out of these, about the 42 Indian languages, dialects may be heading towards extinction. Languages or dialects which were considered endangered, include 11 from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, seven from Manipur and four from Himachal Pradesh. Some of the other languages in the endangered category are Manda, Parji and Pengo (Odisha), Koraga and Kuruba (Karnataka), Gadaba and Naiki (Andhra Pradesh).

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322. Which American Company signed the framework agreement with Maharashtra State Government to build a hyperloop between Pune and Mumbai? 1. Caltex 2. Twitter 3. Caterpillar 4. Hyperloop One 5. Amway Answer - 4. Hyperloop One Explanation : Virgin Hyperloop One signed the framework agreement with Maharashtra State Government to build a hyperloop between Pune and Mumbai.Announcement about the framework agreement was made by Virgin Group Founder and Virgin Hyperloop One chairman Sir Richard Branson at Magnetic Maharashtra event in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. A hyperloop comprises a sealed tube/system of tubes through which a pod may travel free of air resistance or friction conveying people or objects at high speed. As per a study, a person can travel from Mumbai to Pune (approximate distance - 150 km) in 14-25 minutes through Hybperloop. Besides, it will be an affordable transport solution as its price would be same as airfare or a cab transport. Mr. Branson has stated that test run on this route will be completed in next three years, it will be commercially opened within next six to seven year.

323. Which State Government launched four canteens which will serve subsidised and healthy food to the poor? 1. Bihar 2. Kerala 3. Karnataka 4. Haryana 5. Himachal Pradesh Answer - 4. Haryana Explanation : Haryana State Government launched four canteens which will serve subsidised and healthy food to the poor. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched these canteens at Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar, and Yamunanagar. These canteens have been set up under the 'Antyodaya Aahaar Yojana' aimed at providing healthy, nutritious and hygienic food to poor and needy people of the state. All poor and needy people in the state can buy a food packet from these canteens at just Rs. 10/-. The food packet weighs 730 gm and offers 1150 calories. Actual cost of each packet is Rs. 20/-, out of which, Rs 10 would be contributed by the Labour Department.

324. Which State Government is implementing a special micro irrigation project in 36 over exploited and critical blocks in 13 districts of the state? 1. Haryana 2. Jharkhand 3. Manipur 4. Assam 5. Kerala Answer - 1. Haryana Explanation : Haryana State Government is implementing a special micro irrigation project in 36 over exploited and critical blocks in 13 districts of the state. Micro irrigation (also referred to as Drip irrigation) is a method under which, water is directly placed at the root zone. This is done by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either from above the soil surface or buried below the surface. This method helps in saving lot of water. Under this project, Haryana State Government has raised subsidies for mirco irrigation in these districts to 85 per cent and has also removed the cap of five hectares of land. Besides, a special campaign would be initiated to reach out small and marginal farmers in uncovered

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villages of these 36 blocks. This project is being implemented at a cost of Rs 435.23 crore.

325. On March 8, 2018 (International Women’s Day), which State Government will launch “Asmita Yojana” aimed at providing subsidised sanitary pads to girl student and women in rural areas? 1. Kerala 2. Karnataka 3. Bihar 4. Rajasthan 5. Maharashtra Answer - 5. Maharashtra Explanation : On March 8, 2018 (International Women’s Day), Maharashtra State Government will launch “Asmita Yojana” aimed at providing subsidised sanitary pads to girl student and women in rural areas. Under this yojana, girls in Zilla Parishad schools will get a sanitary napkin packet at Rs 5 while rural women can avail it at a subsidised rate of Rs 24 and Rs 29. “Umed’- the Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission will be the nodal agency for implementation of this scheme. Task of procurement and sale of sanitary pads and counselling the girls and women has been entrusted to Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) while beneficiary girls will be given “Asmita Cards”, for availing subsidised sanitary pads.

326. In which state the international educational institution for minorities will be built? 1. Gujarat 2. Assam 3. Rajasthan 4. Manipur 5. West Bengal Answer - 3. Rajasthan Explanation : Union Minister of Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has stated that an international educational institution for minorities will be built in Rajasthan's Alwar city. The institute in Alwar, will be one of the five such institutes, which the Central Government is planning to set up across India. The plan for building international educational institution for minorities was initially prepared in 2016 and an 11- member committee was formed under former bureaucrat Afzal Amanullah to oversee it. The institute in Alwar will be setup on 100 acres of land. Government is also considering having 40 per cent reservation for girls at these institutes.

327. Which country hosted the Global Digital Health Partnership Summit 2018, in which Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda addressed on the topic “Making Digital Health Services a Priority in Healthcare Reform”? 1. Austria 2. China 3. Argentina 4. Australia 5. India Answer - 2. Australia Explanation : On February 19, 2018, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda addressed Global Digital Health Partnership Summit at Australia. The summit was attended by Mr. Greg Hunt - Minister of Health, Australia and delegates from World Health Organisation (WHO) and delegates from several countries including Canada, Italy, Singapore, South Korea, United Kingdom and United States of America. At the Summit, Mr. Nadda spoke on the topic: Making Digital Health Services a Priority in Healthcare Reform. During his address at the Summit, Mr. Nadda informed that Indian Government has implemented Digital Technology in healthcare in four major areas viz. improving health service delivery, improving compliance of people towards healthcare, improving governance and engaging

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citizens in partnering with government for planning and management of health services delivery.

328. Which Country permitted the country’s women to start their own businesses without their guardian’s consent (generally the guardian is a male relative)? 1. Iran 2. Saudi Arabia 3. Iraq 4. Palestine 5. Egypt Answer - 2. Saudi Arabia Explanation : Saudi Arabia government announced that, Saudi Arabian women can start their own businesses without their guardian’s consent; generally the guardian is a male relative. This policy change by Saudi Arabia government is seen as a move towards expansion of private sector and women employment. The ministry of commerce and investment has stated that, women can start their own businesses and benefit from (governmental) e-services without getting consent from a guardian. Generally, the guardian is a male relative - husband, father or brother of the woman. This move is a great deviation from the guardianship system of Saudi Arabia.

329. Singapore Government announced that it would impose a tax on ______from 2019 to cut its greenhouse gas emissions? 1. Plastic 2. Helium 3. Carbon 4. Mobile parts 5. Pesticides Answer - 3. Carbon Explanation : Singapore Government announced that it would impose a carbon tax from 2019 to cut its greenhouse gas emissions. All facilities in all business sectors producing 25000 tonnes or more of greenhouse gas emissions a year will be subjected to Carbon Tax. For the period 2019 – 2023, Carbon Tax will be levied at the rate of 5 Singapore Dollar per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions. Post 2023, the tax is likely to be raised and will possibly be in the range of 10 - 15 Singapore Dollar per tonne by 2030. Levy of Carbon Tax would primarily affect about 30-40 companies, mainly from the petroleum refining, chemicals and semiconductor sectors.

330. Which is the first foreign ecommerce company to start its own food retailing business in India with a pilot in Pune? 1. Asos 2. Ebay 3. Walmart 4. Tesco 5. Amazon Answer - 5. Amazon Explanation : Amazon has started its own food retailing business in India with a pilot in Pune and has thus become the first foreign ecommerce company to stock and sell food items directly to consumers. Amazon’s food retail business in India will be carried out under the name Amazon Retail India Pvt. Ltd. From June 2016, Indian Government allowed 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in food retailing, permitting foreign firms to sell locally sourced and packaged food items directly to consumers. Post this decision, Amazon secured government’s permission to invest $500 million in this business. However, Amazon has been asked to maintain separate management and offices for food retailing business and keep them distinct from its marketplace business.

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331. Who took charge as the Commandant of Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala in Kannur district, Kerala? 1. Vice Admiral John Prakash 2. Vice Admiral R B Pandit 3. Vice Admiral Jin Joseph 4. Vice Admiral Ajith Kumar 5. Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba Answer - 2. Vice Admiral R B Pandit Explanation : Vice Admiral R B Pandit, Flag-Officer-Commanding, Western Fleet at Mumbai, took charge as the Commandant of Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala in Kannur district, Kerala. Vice Admiral R B Pandit succeeds Vice Admiral S V Bhokare. Vice-Admiral Pandit is the sixth Commandant of INA. He has specialised in Anti Submarine Warfare. He has commanded INS Nirghat, INS Vindhyagiri, INS Jalashwa and the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron at Mumbai. Earlier he was the Naval Adviser at the High Commission of India at Islamabad, Pakistan. He has held positions like ACNS (Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence) at IHQ MoD (Navy) - Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy) and Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command.

332. Which state government will soon employ robots to clean sewer holes, instead of involving humans? 1. Karnataka 2. Punjab 3. Tamil Nadu 4. New Delhi 5. Kerala Answer - 5. Kerala Explanation : Kerala government will soon employ robots to clean sewer holes, instead of involving humans. This robot has been developed by Genrobotics, a startup. The trial runs of this robot were recently conducted in Thiruvananthapuram and it ended up successfully. Kerala Water Authority (KWA) Managing Director, A Shainamol said that, these robots will be launched next week. This robot has Wi-Fi, Blue Tooth and control panels. It consists of four limbs and a bucket system connected with an extension that looks like a spider web. This extension scoops out waste from the sewers. This project is supported by Kerala Water Authority (KWA). This robot service is named 'Bandicoot'. This service will be launched first in Thiruvananthapuram, which has more than 5,000 manholes. The robot is powered by pneumatics (gas or pressurised air). Commands in the user interface are in English currently. This can be translated to local languages for the scavengers to understand.

333. In a bid to further the study of astronomy (the study of celestial bodies) and astrophysics, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch India's second space observatory, called ______. 1. Planet-2 2. Inorbit-2 3. AstroSat-2 4. Aryabhata-2 5. Chandrayaan-2 Answer - 3. AstroSat-2

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Explanation : In a bid to further the study of astronomy (the study of celestial bodies) and astrophysics, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to launch India's second space observatory, AstroSat-2. India’s first space observatory, AstroSat-1 was launched on September 28, 2015. It has been placed at an orbit of 650 km altitude and has a life span of five years. Having such observatory in outer space helps to observe distant planets, galaxies and other astronomical objects more clearly than from the Earth. Space observatories are not affected by problems of light pollution and distortion of electromagnetic radiation which affects ground-based observatories. Currently, only US, Japan, Russia, Europe and India have their own space observatories. ISRO has already invited proposals from specialised institutions for the development of scientific instruments for astronomy payload and mission, so that AstroSat-2 is ready by the time the life span of AstroSat-1 comes to an end.

334. Who won his third Rotterdam Open tennis title by defeating Grigor Dimitrov, in Rotterdam, Netherlands? 1. Roger Federer 2. Jimmy Connors 3. Rafael Nadal 4. Marin Cilic 5. David Goffin Answer - 1. Roger Federer Explanation : Roger Federer won his third Rotterdam Open title by defeating Grigor Dimitrov, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Switzerland’s Rogerer Federer defeated Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-2 in the finals of the ABN AMRO tournament in Rotterdam and won the Rotterdam Open title for the third time. This is the 97th title in his overall career. In this count, he is only behind America’s Jimmy Connors who has won 109 titles.

335. Who is the first Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in all three formats in international cricket? 1. Shikhar Dhawan 2. Jasprit Bumrah 3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4. Zaheer Khan 5. Kuldeep Yadav Answer - 3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar Explanation: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a fast bowler, has become the first Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in all three formats in international cricket. Bhuvneshwar Kumar made this record by taking his first T20I five-wicket haul at the first T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on 18th February 2018. India won the match by 28 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was awarded the man-of-the- match award. He has also become the second Indian to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is after Yuzvendra Chahal.

336. Didier Lockwood recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Dancer 2. Singer 3. Doctor 4. Violinist 5. Journalist Answer - 4. Violinist Explanation : On 18th February 2018, Didier Lockwood, a jazz violinist from France, died due to heart attack, in Paris, France. Didier Lockwood was 62 years old. He was a disciple of the late Stephane Grappelli. He

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joined a famous French rock band called Magma when he was 17 years old. Later he did a lot of collaborations and experimentations with jazz style. He was very interested in music education. He founded the Didier Lockwood Music Centre in Paris in 2001, to teach improvisation as per a jazz violin method he had developed.

337. Jayant Sasane, former MLA of which state, passed away recently? 1. Rajasthan 2. Maharashtra 3. Bihar 4. Assam 5. Punjab Answer - 2. Maharashtra Explanation : On 19th February 2018, Jayant Sasane, former MLA, passed away following an illness, in Shrirampur, Maharashtra. Jayant Sasane was 60 years old. He was former chairman of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST). He has served as president of the Shrirampur Municipal Council. He was also the sitting president of the Ahmednagar district Congress. He had represented Shrirampur in Maharashtra Assembly on behalf of Congress Party.

338. Gundu Hanumantha Rao passed away after suffering from kidney ailments at his residence, in Hyderabad. He belonged to which profession? 1. Teacher 2. Lawyer 3. Politician 4. Actor 5. Singer Answer - 4. Actor Explanation : On 19th February 2018, Telugu actor Gundu Hanumantha Rao passed away after suffering from kidney ailments at his residence, in Hyderabad. Gundu Hanumantha Rao was 61 years old. He is survived by his son. He was born on 10th October 1956 in Vijayawada. He has acted in over 400 films. He started his career with a theatre play called Ravana Brahma. He gained fame through the TV series Amrutam. He has won three Nandi awards. His important works are Pellaniki Premalekha Priyuraliki Subhalekha, Rajendradu Gajendradu, Mayaloodu, Nenu Seetamahalakshmi, Kedi No 1, Apparao Driving School, Kalyanam and Original.

339. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for construction of 4.531 km long 2-Lane Bi-Directional Silkyara Bend - Barkot Tunnel in which state? 1. Punjab 2. Haryana 3. Assam 4. Uttarakhand 5. Meghalaya Answer - 4. Uttarakhand Explanation : Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for construction of 4.531 km long 2- Lane Bi-Directional Silkyara Bend - Barkot Tunnel in Uttarakhand. Total cost of this project is estimated at Rs. 1383.78 crore. It will be funded by Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and forms part of ambitious Chardham Mahamarg Pariyojana. This tunnel falls along NH-134 (old NH- 94) in the State of Uttarakhand. It will be built under Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Mode and will be completed in four years.

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340. Which state Government constituted a task force on urban mobility to study the feasibility of the monorail model and other modes of transport for the IT corridor? 1. Andhra Pradesh 2. Mizoram 3. Kerala 4. Karnataka 5. Telangana Answer - 5. Telangana Explanation : Telangana State Government constituted a task force on urban mobility to study the feasibility of the monorail model and other modes of transport for the IT corridor in Hyderabad. Arvind Kumar, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration is the Member Convenor of this task force. Other members of the task force include senior government officials and representatives from the corporate sector. The task force will suggest the corridors for phase II and phase III of the metro-rail project. It will suggest best and most economical ways of transport viz. monorail, tram and e-vehicles on various routes. Besides, the task force will recommend various options for funding such projects. The options may include public-private partnership (PPP), joint ventures and annuity funding.

341. Which state government has planned to implement ‘Mission Buniyaad’ to improve learning levels of students attending primary classes in the state government and municipal schools? 1. Delhi 2. Uttarkhand 3. Maharashtra 4. Madhya Pradesh 5. Manipur Answer - 1. Delhi Explanation : Delhi government will implement ‘Mission Buniyaad’ to improve learning levels of students attending primary classes in the state government and municipal schools. Announcement in this regard was made by Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia. ’Mission Buniyaad’, which is to be implemented from next academic session will focus on students of Class 3 to Class 8. This programme has been planned in wake of results of National Achievement Survey (NAS) conducted by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), to find out the learning standards of schoolchildren. As per findings of NAS, majority of Class 3 to 5 students in government and aided schools of Delhi, performed poorly in science, mathematics and languages. ’Mission Buniyaad’ will run for three months from April to June, during which, students will be assessed on reading abilities and basic mathematics.

342. As per ‘Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017’ a healthy workplace diversity needs to be maintained. This enforces the provision of ______facility for women employees? 1. Crèche 2. Medical 3. Care Taker 4. Insurance 5. All the above Answer - 1. Crèche Explanation : The parliament house will launch a crèche facility soon for women employees who prefer to bring their kids to the day care facility. In March 2017, Minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi had notified Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan about the absence of crèche facility in the parliament house premises. In response, Sumitra Mahajan has stated that a crèche facility will be soon launched in the parliament house premises. As per ‘Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017’ a healthy workplace diversity needs to be maintained. This enforces the provision of crèche facility for women employees. The crèche facility will be launched in the 1500 square feet premises. It will be run by professionals. It

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will have separate feeding room for lactating mothers and will take care of the all-round development of children.

343. “Bed and Breakfast” scheme was launched by which state? 1. Karnataka 2. Uttar Pradesh 3. Gujarat 4. Punjab 5. Kerala Answer - 2. Uttar Pradesh Explanation : On 19th February 2018, Uttar Pradesh government announced a new tourism policy aimed to raise tourist count and investment in Uttar Pradesh. The Department of Tourism aims for 10 % annual increase in the number of foreign tourists and 15 % annual increase in the number of domestic tourists. The 10 tourist circuits are the Ramayana circuit, the Braj circuit, the Buddhist circuit, wildlife and eco- tourism circuit, Bundelkhand circuit, Mahabharata circuit, Shakti Peeth circuit, Adhyatmik circuit, Sufi circuit and the Jain circuit. Under the new tourism policy, a “Bed and Breakfast” scheme has been launched. This scheme includes Ashrams also. Uttar Pradesh government offers 10 % subsidy on sports and cruise, 20 % on tentage facilities, 20 % on small budget hotels, 15 % on new resorts and 15 % on wellness centres and 25 % on light and sound and laser shows.

344. In which Indian city, the Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh inaugurated the ‘International R&D Conclave’? 1. Mumbai 2. Kolkata 3. New Delhi 4. Ahmadabad 5. Pune Answer - 3. New Delhi Explanation : On 20th February 2018, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh inaugurated the ‘International R&D Conclave’ in New Delhi. The International R&D Conclave is a two day conference. It is organised by Central Electricity Authority (CEA). It focuses on Emerging Opportunities and Challenges of R&D in Indian Power Sector. Sessions of the conference will be mainly related to R&D activities in Thermal Generation, Hydro Generation, Renewable Energy, Transmission, Grid Operation, Distribution, Trading, Marketing and Tariff. Nearly 100 entries for paper presentation were received. Out of this 45 papers have been selected to be presented in the Conference. Papers from Germany and Japan are also included in this list.

345. The Central Government has formed a committee, to study the Brahmaputra and flood control measures in Assam and nearby states. Who will lead this committee? 1. P. C. Meena 2. Amalorpavanathan 3. N. M. Kulkarni 4. Rajiv Kumar 5. C. Parthasarathi Answer - 4. Rajiv Kumar Explanation : The Central Government has formed a committee lead by Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, to study the Brahmaputra and flood control measures in Assam and nearby states. Announcement regarding this was made by Assam Water Resource Minister Keshab Mahanta. He said that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced 100 crore rupees to figure out permanent solution for flood, during his visit to Guwahati in 2017. He said that the Assam government has submitted report on flood

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control measures to the committee. He added that, work to repair the damaged river embankment due to flood is done by the Water Resource department.

346. According to a report by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), India has ranked _____ among 52 lower middle-income countries in terms of neonatal mortality rate. 1. 12th 2. 14th 3. 16th 4. 18th 5. 20th Answer - 1. 12th Explanation : According to a report by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), India has ranked 12th among 52 lower middle-income countries in terms of neonatal mortality rate. Deaths per 1000 live births (during first 28 days) is referred to as Neonatal Mortality Rate. First 28 days of life (the neonatal period) are the most critical for a child's survival. It is during this period that the newborns are vulnerable and face the highest risk of dying. As per UNICEF, the Global Neonatal Mortality Rate is 19 deaths per 1000 live births.

347. ‘Garuda Shakti’ military drill is the joint exercise between which two countries? 1. Indian and Srilanka 2. Indian and Norway 3. Indian and Pakistan 4. Indian and Indonesian 5. Indian and Myanmar Answer - 4. Indian and Indonesian Explanation : On February 19, 2018, Indian and Indonesian armies began the sixth edition of ‘Garuda Shakti’ military drill in Bandung, the capital of West Java province of Indonesia. This joint exercise between Indian and Indonesian Special Forces will continue till March 4, 2018. Objective of Garuda Shakti exercise is to strengthen relations between the two Armies of India and Indonesia and to enhance their ability to undertake joint tactical level operations. During the course of this exercise, Indian and Indonesian Special Forces will engage in counter-terrorism operations, close quarter combat, experience sharing and other areas of special operations.

348. India with country launched the joint research projects on ‘Water Quality Research’ and ‘Energy Demand Reduction in Built Environment’? 1. Canada 2. UK 3. Australia 4. Iran 5. Egypt Answer - 2. UK Explanation : UK-India joint research projects on ‘Water Quality Research’ and ‘Energy Demand Reduction in Built Environment’ were launched. The projects were launched by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Saraswat, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Ashutosh Sharma and Research Councils UK- India Director Daniel Shah. The Water Quality Research programme consists of 8 projects and Energy 116 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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Demand Reduction in Built Environment programme consists of 4 projects. The total joint investment for these projects is up to £15 million. These projects provide benefits and research solutions to both UK and India. They also work towards shared global sustainable development goals of clean water and clean energy. Also, dossier stating India’s efforts in Building Energy Efficiency with details on 30 projects was released.

349. US India Business Council (USIBC), a business advocacy organisation has announced the formation of an India Advisory Council to enhance bilateral strategic and economic partnership between India and US. This India Advisory Council has how many members? 1. 9 2. 10 3. 11 4. 12 5. 13 Answer - 3. 11 Explanation : US India Business Council (USIBC), a business advocacy organisation has announced the formation of an India Advisory Council to enhance bilateral strategic and economic partnership between India and US. India Advisory Council has 11 members including Arun Kumar - Chairman and CEO of KPMG India, Pramath Raj Sinha - Founder and Managing Director of 9.9 media, Krish Iyer from Walmart India, Manoj Adlakha from American Express banking Corporation, Vanitha Narayan from IBM India, Nishith Desai from Nishith Desai and Associates and Prabal Chakraborty from Boston Scientific. Udayant Malhotra from Dynamatic Technologies Limited, Rekha Menon from Accenture and Nivruti Rai – Head of Intel India are other members of the India Advisory Council.

350. In which country, Cobra Gold 2018, an international military exercise was held at? 1. Egypt 2. Iraq 3. South Africa 4. Thailand 5. Afghanistan Answer - 4. Thailand Explanation : On 13th to 23rd February 2018, Cobra Gold 2018 an international military exercise, is held in Thailand. The opening ceremony of the “Cobra Gold 2018” was presided over by Royal Thai Armed Forces, Gen. Thanchaiyan Srisuwan, Mr. Glyn T. Davies, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, and Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commander, III Marine Expeditionary Force, at the Royal Thai Naval Aviation Division, U- Tapao International Airport, in Chonburi province. This is the 37th edition of the Cobra Gold exercise. It is co-sponsored by the Royal Thai Armed Forces and the U.S. Armed Forces. Its objective is to improve regional security, maritime security and interoperability between participating countries.

351. Which country declared Mandarin as one of the official languages of that country? 1. Pakistan 2. China 3. USA 4. Canada 5. Sweden Answer - 1. Pakistan Explanation : On 19th February 2018, the Pakistani Senate declared Mandarin as one of the official languages of Pakistan. This move has been made to improve ties between Pakistan and China. It is said that, the people related to the China Pakistan Economic Corridor could communicate easily by making Mandarin as one of the official languages of Pakistan. In recent times, Pakistanis are showing more interest in

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learning Mandarin, expecting to grab job opportunities easily in Pakistan and China.

352. Which country successfully tested Arrow-3 advanced missile defence system? 1. USA 2. India 3. China 4. Japan 5. Israel Answer - 5. Israel Explanation : Israel announced that is has successfully tested Arrow-3 advanced missile defence system. Arrow-3 is an advanced missile defence system having the ability to defend against ballistic missile threats outside the atmosphere. Arrow-3 is a part of Israel’s multi-layered system that is being developed to defend against short and mid-range rockets fired from Gaza Strip, Lebanon and long-range missiles from Iran. Iron Dome, David's Sling, and the Arrow-2 systems are a part of it. It has been developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing. It started operations in January 2017.

353. India successfully test-fired medium range nuclear capable Agni-II Missile from Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. This missile has a strike range of ______km? 1. 5000km 2. 4000km 3. 3000km 4. 2,000km 5. 1000km Answer - 4. 2,000km Explanation : India successfully test-fired medium range nuclear capable Agni-II Missile from Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. Agni-II missile has a strike range of 2,000km. It is an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM). Trial of Agni-II missile was conducted from a mobile launcher at the launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR). The tests were conducted by Army's strategic forces command (SFC). Logistic support was provided by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Agni-II missile is 20 metre long. It has a launch weight of 17 tonnes. It is capable of carrying a payload of 1,000kg up to a distance of 2,000km. Agni-II has already been inducted into the services. It was launched as a training exercise.

354. Who broke the 20 year old world record in 60 metre sprint with 6.34 seconds timing, at the US Indoor National Championships in Albuquerque? 1. Nathan Chen 2. Adam Rippon 3. Christian Coleman 4. Shaun White 5. Mia Ronaldo Answer - 3. Christian Coleman Explanation : Christian Coleman of US broke the 20 year old world record in 60 metre sprint with 6.34 seconds timing, at the US Indoor National Championships in Albuquerque. Christian Coleman has broken American Maurice Greene’s record of 6.39 seconds, made in Madrid in 1998. Christian Coleman is 21 years old. Now, Christian Coleman will lead the American team to IAAF world indoor championships in Birmingham, England, that will be conducted next month.

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355. Which country will host the World Environment Day 2018 celebrations with 'Beat Plastic Pollution' theme? 1. China 2. Bangladesh 3. Japan 4. India 5. Australia Answer - 4. India Explanation : On February 19, 2018, Union Minister of Environment, Dr. Harsh Vardhan announced that this year’s World Environment Day celebrations (on June 5, 2018) will be hosted by India. On February 19, 2018, Union Environment Secretary C K Mishra signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ to host the WED in India in presence of Erik Solheim, the head of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This year’s theme of WED will be ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ aimed at discouraging use of hazardous plastic. As a run up to the event, environmental awareness campaign and pollution mitigation activities are being planned in Delhi and other parts of India from 1st – 5th June 2018. Every year, a different country hosts the global celebration of the WED. India previously hosted WED global celebration in 2011.

356. When is World Day of Social Justice observed all over the world? 1. 17th February 2. 18th February 3. 19th February 4. 20th February 5. 16th February Answer - 4. 20th February Explanation : On 20th February 2018, World Day of Social Justice was observed all over the world. On 26th November 2007, the UN General Assembly declared 20 February as the World Day of Social Justice. The World Day of Social Justice is an annual observance. This day is celebrated to improve efforts to manage issues like poverty, exclusion and unemployment. The theme for World Day of Social Justice 2018 is: Workers on the Move: the Quest for Social Justice.

357. To tackle the menace of illicit deposit taking activities across India, Central Government has approved a new bill called ______? 1. Fraudulent default Deposit Schemes Bill, 2017 2. Fraudulent default Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018 3. Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2017 4. Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018 5. None of the above Answer - 4. Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018 Explanation : In a bid to protect the savings of the investors, Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to introduce Banning of Unregulated Deposit Schemes Bill, 2018 and Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2018 in Parliament. Main objective to introduce this bill is to tackle the menace of illicit deposit taking activities across India by plugging the existing regulatory gaps and implement strict administrative measures. The bill contains a banning clause which bans Deposit Takers from promoting, issuing advertisements, operating and accepting deposits in any Unregulated Deposit Scheme. Running of Unregulated Deposit Schemes, fraudulent default in Regulated Deposit Schemes, and wrongful inducement in relation to Unregulated Deposit Schemes have been categorised as punishable offences.

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358. Union Cabinet approved six rail projects in 4 states for new lines as well as doubling and electrification of tracks. Esitamted cost for executing all these projects is ______? 1. Rs 11661 2. Rs 12661 3. Rs 13661 4. Rs 14661 5. Rs 15661 Answer - 1. Rs 11661 Explanation : Union Cabinet approved six rail projects in 4 states for new lines as well as doubling and electrification of tracks. Esitamted cost for executing all these projects is Rs 11661. As per Indian Railways, these projects would generate more than 200 lakh person days of employment in Uttar Pradesh and three other states. Projects that have been approved include doubling and electrification projects of 425 km- long Jhansi-Manikpur and Bhimsen-Khairar lines covering districts of Jhansi, Mahoba, Banda, Chitrakut Dham in Uttar Pradesh and Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh. Doubling with electrification of the 116.95 km-long Bhatni-Aurnihar line covering the districts of Deoria, Ballia, Mau and Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh has also been approved. Approval has also been granted for doubling and electrification projects on the 100.6 km-long Muzaffarpur-Sagauli and 109.7 km-long Sagauli-Valmiki Nagar lines in Bihar.

359. In which city of Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Uttar Pradesh Investors’ Summit 2018’? 1. Agra 2. Lucknow 3. Kanpur 4. Varanasi 5. Allahabad Answer - 2. Lucknow Explanation : On February 20, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Uttar Pradesh Investors’ Summit 2018’ in Lucknow. This is the first of its kind event in UP, aimed at showcasing business and investment potential across the state. This two-day Summit will be attended by Union ministers, leaders from the corporate world, senior policymakers, academicians and heads of international institutions. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath has stated that 1045 agreements worth Rs. 4.28 lakh crore have been signed on the very first day of this summit.

360. In which Indian state, Union Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Uma Bharati launched the Gangotri Swachh Iconic Place project and Swajal, a community owned drinking water programme 2018? 1. Kerala 2. Karnataka 3. Bihar 4. Uttarakhand 5. Jharkhand Answer - 4. Uttarakhand Explanation : Union Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Uma Bharati launched the Gangotri Swachh Iconic Place project and Swajal, a community owned drinking water programme, in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. On February 20, 2018, Ms. Uma Bharti also announced ‘Bagori Ganga Gram’ project for Uttarakhand’s Bagori village, which has been declared open defecation free (ODF). At Bagori, Ms. Bharti also inaugurated a solid and liquid waste management system, set up at cost of Rs 11.88 lakh. These projects are not only aimed at maintaining cleanliness and providing basic amenities to the people of villages on the banks of the Ganga but would also generate employment.

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361. Which state hosted the “Regional Conference of Southern States on Water Resources” on February 20, 2018? 1. Odisha 2. Maharashtra 3. Goa 4. Kerala 5. Telangana Answer - 5. Telangana Explanation : A “Regional Conference of Southern States on Water Resources” was held at Hyderabad, Telangana on February 20, 2018. This conference was organised by Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. It was chaired by Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Arjun Ram Meghwal. Ministers, Principal Secretaies and Engineer-in-Chiefs of Water Resources of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry attended this conference. Issues discussed at the conference: Implementation of the latest orders of the Supreme Court on sharing of Cauvery waters, Mullai Periyar Dam, notification of jurisdiction of Krishna and Godavari Management Boards interlinking of rivers like Godavari-Cauvery, Parambikulam Aliyar projects, Pollavaram project and other interstate issues.

362. Union Ministry of Railways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which Indian state Government, to set up a rail coach factory at that state? 1. Madhya Pradesh 2. Punjab 3. Odisha 4. Gujarat 5. Maharashtra Answer - 5. Maharashtra Explanation : Union Ministry of Railways and Maharashtra State Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a rail coach factory at Latur, Maharashtra. The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the Magnetic Maharashtra event in Mumbai. The coach factory will be set up over a land area of 150 hectares and will entail investment of Rs. 500 crore in the first phase. This project is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities in Marathwada, which is one of the most backward regions of Maharashtra. Besides, it will also create an industrial ecosystem of ancillary units in the region.

363. Which state government has made vaccination cards mandatory for children to obtain first standard admission in schools as per its new health policy? 1. Karnataka 2. Punjab 3. Odisha 4. Gujarat 5. Kerala Answer - 5. Kerala Explanation : Kerala government has made vaccination cards mandatory for children to obtain first standard admission in schools as per its new health policy. On 20th February 2018, Kerala State Cabinet 121 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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approved the draft health policy presented by Health Minister KK Shylaja. Vaccination cards have been made mandatory for school admission after problems were faced in carrying out vaccination programmes due to resistance shown by people towards vaccines in several regions of Kerala. The new health policy also declares strict legal action for people trying to discourage parents about vaccinating their children.

364. On 19th February 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Palace Queen Humsafar Express train at the Mysuru railway station, Karnataka. This train will run from Mysuru in Karnataka to ______in Rajasthan? 1. Ajmer 2. Jodhpur 3. Jaipur 4. Udaipur 5. Dholpur Answer - 4. Udaipur Explanation : On 19th February 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Palace Queen Humsafar Express train at the Mysuru railway station, Karnataka. Palace Queen Hamsafar Express train will run from Mysuru in Karnataka to Udaipur in Rajasthan. This train will link the following western states: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. It covers 30 parliamentary constituencies on its way. It covers a total distance of 2000 km. Narendra Modi also dedicated a fully electrified railway line of length 140 km from Mysuru to KSR Bengaluru to improve energy efficiency of Indian Railways. The electrification of Mysuru to KSR Bengaluru railway line will cover 4 Karnataka districts: Bengaluru, Ramanagaram, Mandya and Mysuru. This project costs Rs 220 crore. It will benefit nearly 25,000 passengers daily.

365. The University Grants Commission (UGC) formed an Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) to perform appraisal of applications in order to shortlist 20 Institutions of Eminence (IoE). How many members are there in the committee? 1. 3 2. 4 3. 5 4. 6 5. 7 Answer - 2. 4 Explanation : On 20th February 2018, the University Grants Commission (UGC) formed a 4 member Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) to perform appraisal of applications in order to shortlist 20 Institutions of Eminence (IoE). Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, N Gopalaswami is the chairperson of the Empowered Expert Committee (EEC). The EEC has been formed by UGC after obtaining approval from the central government, according to the UGC (Institutions of Eminence Deemed to be Universities) Regulation, 2017, and UGC (Declaration of Government Educational Institutions as Institutions of Eminence) Guidelines, 2017. The EEC will perform its appraisal and recommend institutions to UGC. The UGC will forward it to MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development) within 15 days. MHRD will place orders on selection of institutions.

366. As per the report from content delivery network services Akamai Technologies, India has ranked ______on the list of targeted countries for Web Application Attacks (WAA)? 1. 5th 2. 6th 3. 7th 4. 8th 5. 9th

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Answer - 3. 7th Explanation : As per a report from content delivery network services Akamai Technologies, India has ranked 7th on the list of targeted countries for Web Application Attacks (WAA). The report has been titled “Akamai State of the Internet Security Q4 2017”. It outlined that during 2017, nearly 40 per cent of over 53000 cyber attacks in India occurred in Banking, Financial services and Insurance (BFSI) sector. The attacks were in the form of phishing attempts, website intrusions, defacements, virus and ransomware. A sharp increase in the threat of credential abuse has also been found. Based on analysis of 7.3 trillion bot requests per month, it was found that more than 40 per cent of login attempts were malicious.

367. The National Housing Bank (NHB) has approved the merger of Capital First with which Bank? 1. IDBI bank 2. Postal Payments Bank 3. Yes bank 4. IDFC bank 5. Axis bank Answer - 4. IDFC bank Explanation : On February 20, 2018, Capital First announced that regulator National Housing Bank (NHB) has approved its merger with IDFC Bank. IDFC Bank – Capital First Merger was announced in January 2018. As per the terms of the merger deal, IDFC Bank will issue 139 shares for every 10 shares of Capital First. Capital Home Finance and Capital First Securities Limited, the subsidiaries of Capital First are also a part of the merger deal. Post merger, IDFC Bank-Capital First combined entity will have Asset Under Management (AUM) of Rs 88000 crore.

368. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs allowed private companies to mine coal for commercial use, thereby ending the monopoly of state-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL). How many % of the revenue generated from the auction of coal mines, for sale of coal would go to the coal bearing States? 1. 100% 2. 90% 3. 85% 4. 80% 5. 75% Answer - 1. 100% Explanation : Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs allowed private companies to mine coal for commercial use, thereby ending the monopoly of state-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL). This decision is being termed as a major reform in the coal sector since its nationalisation in 1973. Post nationalisation, only Coal India Ltd. was allowed to sell coal, while private entities were allowed to mine coal for captive use only. Coal mining would open for all entities through an auction process, wherein the highest bidder will have to pay rupees per tonne on the actual production of coal. The revenue generated from the auction of coal mines for sale of coal would go to the coal bearing States.

369. Uttar Pradesh's Khadi and Village Industries Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with which company for online selling of Khadi products? 1. Shopclues 2. Flipkart 3. Jabong 4. Myntra 5. Amazon Answer - 5. Amazon

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Explanation : Uttar Pradesh's Khadi and Village Industries Board signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Amazon India for online selling of Khadi products. On behalf of Uttar Pradesh Government, the MoU was signed by Avinash Krishna Singh, the CEO of Khadi and Village Industries Board while Gopal Pillai, the Seller Services Director and GM signed on behalf of Amazon India. As per the terms of the MoU, Amazon India will educate and train UP’s rural khadi artisans to directly sell their products to Amazon.in customers across India under the brand of UP Khadi. Items that would be sold on Amazon.in would include khadi shirts, kurtas, dhotis, towels. There is high demand of these items in urban areas.

370. Which company announced that, it will work together with Andhra Pradesh government, to carry out innovative pilot projects in Andhra Pradesh? 1. Facebook 2. Twitter 3. Paytm 4. Apple 5. Google Answer - 1. Facebook Explanation : Facebook India announced that, it will work together with Andhra Pradesh government, to carry out innovative pilot projects in Andhra Pradesh. Facebook (India) Connectivity Policy Head Aswani Rana and Andhra Pradesh Information and Technology Minister Nara Lokesh decided to work on services like internet facility to every house by means of fiber grid, internet and WiFi. This also includes TV services at a nominal cost of Rs 149. Nara Lokesh asked the Facebook team to carry out innovative pilot projects in Andhra Pradesh and got a positive response from the Facebook team. Facebook team said that, they would offer training to women, small scale and cottage industries to help them sell products online.

371. Who was appointed the Executive Director of Canara Bank? 1. Rana Kapoor 2. Debashish Mukherjee 3. Shikha Sharma 4. Suresh Sethi 5. Murali Ramaswami Answer - 2. Debashish Mukherjee Explanation : Debashish Mukherjee and Murali Ramaswami were appointed Executive Directors of Canara Bank and Vijaya Bank respectively. Debashish Mukherjee is currently the general manager of United Bank of India and Murali Ramaswami is the general manager of Vijaya Bank. As per personnel ministry’s order, Debashish Mukherjee's appointment is for 3 years initially. It can be extended by 2 years after reviewing his performance. Murali Ramaswami’s tenure is till 31st December 2020 i.e. the date of his superannuation.

372. To improve the user friendliness of e-NAM, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh, launched how many new features in National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) Platform? 1. 5 2. 6 3. 7 4. 8 5. 9 Answer - 2. 6

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Explanation : Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh, launched 6 new features of National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) Platform, aimed to improve its user friendliness. 6 new features of e-NAM platform: 1. e-NAM Mobile App 2. BHIM payment facility 3. New and improved Website with eLearning Module: 4. MIS Dashboard 5. Grievance Redressal Management System for Mandi Secretaries 6. Integration with Farmer Database

373. What is SARAS? 1. Aircraft 2. Submarine 3. Testing Machine 4. Cyclone 5. Vaccine Answer - 1. Aircraft Explanation : On 21st February 2018, SARAS, indigenous light transport aircraft of India, successfully finished its second test flight. Wing Commander U.P. Singh, Group Captain R.V. Panicker and Group Captain K.P. Bhat of Indian Air Force- Aircraft and System Testing Establishment, commanded the test flight. This was the second out of the 20 test flights that was planned for SARAS PT1N before freezing the production version. SARAS was designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL). NAL has said that, the production model design would be ready by June-July 2018. CSIR-NAL is planning to get military and civil certification for SARAS-Mk 2. The improved version of CSIR-NAL would be a 19-seater aircraft. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is decided as the production agency for military version of SARAS. Production of civil version of SARAS will be handed to private industries.

374. Who is the first Indian cricketer to cross 900 points in the ICC ODI player rankings with 909 points? 1. Ajinkya Rahane 2. Ravichandra Ashwin 3. Hardik Pandya 4. Virat Kohli 5. MS Dhoni Answer - 4. Virat Kohli Explanation : On 20th February 2018, ICC (International Cricket Council) announced that, Virat Kohli has become the first Indian to cross 900 points in the ICC ODI player rankings with 909 points. Virat Kohli with a rating of 909 points has become the seventh player in the world to cross 900 points in the ICC ODI player rankings. Virat Kohli is only behind Sir Vivian Richards - 935 points (1985), Zaheer Abbas - 931 points (1983), Greg Chappell - 921 points (1981), David Gower – 919 points (1983), Dean Jones - 918 points (1991) and Javed Miandad - 910 points (1987). Virat Kohli is the second batsman after South Africa's AB de Villiers to cross the 900 point mark in both Tests and ODIs.

375. Lokendra Singh recently passed away. Who is he? 1. Lawyer 2. Magician 3. Politician 4. Doctor 5. Teacher

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Answer - 3. Politician Explanation : On 21st February 2018, Lokendra Singh, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) MLA, passed away in a road accident, in Uttar Pradesh. Lokendra Singh was an MLA from Bijnor's Noorpur in Uttar Pradesh. His car collided with a truck in Sitapur, while he was travelling to attend the 'Investors Meet' in Lucknow. Lokendra Singh was 45 years old. His gun men Brijesh Mishra and Deepak Kumar and the truck driver also died in the accident.

376. BK Goyal recently passed away. Who is he? 1. Teacher 2. Physician 3. Cardiologist 4. Sportsman 5. Engineer Answer - 3. Cardiologist Explanation : On 20th February 2018, Dr BK Goyal, a reputed cardiologist, died after suffering from cardiac arrest, at the Breach Candy Hospital, in Mumbai. Dr B K Goyal served patients at the Bombay Hospital since 1966. He was the head of cardiology. In 1980, he was made the Sheriff of Bombay. He received Padma Shri in 1984, Padma Bhushan in 1989 and Padma Vibhushan in 2005. He was one among the youngest doctors to become the president of Cardiological Society of India. He also served at the JJ Hospital in an honorary position.

377. Kunhiraman Panoor recently passed away. Who is he? 1. Singer 2. Author 3. Journalist 4. Magician 5. Athlete Answer - 2. Author Explanation : On 20th February 2018, Kunhiraman Panoor, author and civic rights activist, passed away due to age related ailments, in Kerala. Kunhiraman Panoor was 91 years old. He started his career as an official in the revenue department. His popular book is ‘Keralathile Africa’. He had received Kerala Sahithya Akademi honour in 2006. He retirement as deputy collector, and later served as the registrar of Malayala Kalagramam, in New Mahe. He had fought for various human right causes.

378. When is the International Mother Language Day celebrated all over the world? 1. 21 February 2. 22 February 3. 23 February 4. 24 February 5. 25 February Answer - 1. 21 February Explanation : On 21st February 2018, International Mother Language Day was celebrated all over the world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) first announced about International Mother Language Day in 1999. It was welcomed by the UN General Assembly later. 126 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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International Mother Language Day has been celebrated annually since February 2000. It aims to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. The theme for International Mother Language Day 2018 is: Linguistic diversity and multilingualism count for sustainable development.

379. Which is the first state in India where business and investment projects can now be cleared digitally, without any human interface? 1. Gujarat 2. Maharashtra 3. Kerala 4. Uttar Pradesh 5. Karnataka Answer - 4. Uttar Pradesh Explanation : Uttar Pradesh (UP) has become the first state in India where business and investment projects can now be cleared digitally, without any human interface. This has become possible with launch of ‘Nivesh Mitra’, a digital platform which will serve as a single-window clearance system. ’Nivesh Mitra’ was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration session of the UP Investors' Summit in Lucknow. UP State Government has brought 20 departments under the ambit of ‘Nivesh Mitra’ and application for 70 clearances can be made through this platform. Any interested investor, sitting anywhere in the world, would only require to submit details of the project, along with required documentation, on the Nivesh Mitra website. Post satisfactory assessment of documents, the respective departments would clear the project file digitally.

380. Which state government launched ‘Parivartan’, a scheme designed to address 10 issues in 46 developmental blocks of the state? 1. Punjab 2. Bihar 3. Jharkhand 4. Goa 5. Haryana Answer - 5. Haryana Explanation : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched ‘Parivartan’, a scheme designed to address 10 issues in 46 developmental blocks of the state. 10 Issues to be addresses under ‘Partivartan’ Scheme: facilitation of financing, improving health services, making agriculture profitable and sustainable, implementing Swachh Bharat, engaging the youth, decongesting market areas, checking air pollution, effective policing, ensuring availability of identity-related services and ensuring road order and conduct.46 top officials of the state, including those from the IAS, IFS and IPS cadres, have been allotted one block each, wherein they will undertake work related to the above stated 10 issues. Performance of officials will be based on 38 parameters placed under these 10 issues. This scheme will not only help in achieving developmental objectives of Haryana State Government but will also provide practical training to employees

381. In which Indian state, “Centre for Agriculture”, with collaboration of Israeli expertise, is going to be inaugurated on March 7, 2018? 1. Assam 2. Mizoram 3. Gujarat 4. Odisha 5. Bihar Answer - 2. Mizoram Explanation : Israeli Ambassador to India, Mr Daniel Carmon has stated that a Centre for Agriculture, with

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collaboration of Israeli expertise, is going to be inaugurated in Mizoram on March 7, 2018. This will be the first such centre in the North East region (NER) of India that is being established with Israeli collaboration. It has been set up at a cost of Rs 8-10 crore. This Centre has been set up with the tripartite collaboration of India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of Israel and State Government of Mizoram and is exclusively for processing of citrus fruits. Although the Centre is located in Mizoram, it will cater to the whole North East Region (NER) of India.

382. Which State Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taoyuan City of Taiwan for better technology partnership in the state? 1. Andhra Pradesh 2. Gujarat 3. Telangana 4. Uttarkhand 5. Punjab Answer - 3. Telangana Explanation : Telangana State Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taoyuan City of Taiwan for better technology partnership in the state. This MoU was signed during World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2018, in Hyderabad. The MoU was signed by Telangana's Information Technology Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan and Taoyuan City Director of the Board, Robert Huang in presence of Telangana's Minister for Information Technology and Industries, K.T. Rama Rao. Taoyuan City is home to many firms specialising in emerging technology viz. Internet of Things and robotics. As per the terms of the MoU, Taoyuan City and Telangana Sate Government will engage in an economic exchange of technology companies.

383. Which is the India’s first major railway station to be completely managed by women personnel? 1. Egmore railway station, Chennai 2. Thiruvananthapuram Central railway station, Thiruvananthapuram 3. KSR Bengaluru City railway station, Bengaluru 4. Gandhi Nagar railway station, Jaipur 5. Victoria Terminus railway station, Mumbai Answer - 4. Gandhi Nagar railway station, Jaipur Explanation : Jaipur’s Gandhi Nagar railway station became India’s first major railway station to be completely managed by women personnel. The all-women railway station was inaugurated by North Western Railway Zone general manager TP Singh. Gandhi Nagar station is located on the Jaipur-Delhi rail route. It has over 50 trains passing through and 25 trains halting there. It handles 7,000 passengers on a daily basis. Women staff have been appointed in various posts like point women (who change the tracks), station manager, chief reservation supervisor, assistant reservation supervisor, inquiry counter and reservation clerk, ticket checker etc. Sanitary napkin vending machine has been installed at the station. Women employees have been trained to function independently. CCTV cameras have been installed for security purposes and real time monitoring.

384. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that a defence industrial production corridor worth Rs 200 billion will be established in ______? 1. Bundelkhand 2. Jhansi 3. Dispur 4. Darjeeling 5. Mahoba Answer - 1. Bundelkhand Explanation : Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that a defence industrial production corridor worth Rs 200

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billion will be established in Bundelkhand. Bundelkhand is a region located between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Narendra Modi said that, out of the two defence industrial production corridors announced in the union budget, one will be built in Bundelkhand. He made this announcement in the 'Investors Meet' at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow. He said that, this project will bring an investment of Rs 200 billion. It will generate employment opportunities for 2,50,000 people. This corridor will connect Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi and Chitrakoot. The first out of the two defence industrial production corridors is built between Chennai and Bengaluru. It will link Kattupalli port, Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Coimbatore and Hosur.

385. To strengthen which 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, the Central Government has sanctioned a special package? 1. Tirap, Itanagar and Ziro 2. Ziro, Pasighat and Longding 3. Tirap, Tawang and Pasighat 4. Tawang, Ziro and Itanagar 5. Tirap, Changlang and Longding Answer - 5. Tirap, Changlang and Longding Explanation : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced that, the Central Government has sanctioned a special package to strengthen security in 3 eastern districts of Arunachal Pradesh: Tirap, Changlang and Longding. The special package for strengthening security has been sanctioned to handle the prevailing insurgency problem in Arunachal Pradesh. This special package also includes creation of new posts, purchasing of vehicles and equipment for police. Rajnath Singh made this announcement at the 31st Arunachal Pradesh statehood day programme. He ensured that funds from the government will be dispensed at the earliest for the construction of 20 police stations in the three districts. He also ensured that a forensic science laboratory will be sanctioned for Arunachal Pradesh

386. India has ranked ______out of 180 countries in the global Corruption Perceptions Index 2017, released by Transparency International? 1. 75th 2. 78th 3. 80th 4. 81st 5. 83rd Answer - 4. 81st Explanation : India has ranked 81st out of 180 countries in the global Corruption Perceptions Index 2017, released by Transparency International. This index ranks countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 indicates no corruption. Data from Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also been incorporated in the analysis. The index is compiled annually by Transparency International; an international non-governmental organization based in Berlin, Germany. Transparency International was founded in 1993 with a purpose to combat global corruption and prevent criminal activities arising from corruption.

387. What is the contribution of India, for the rehabilitation works in Tonga, after the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Gita? 1. USD 1 billion 2. USD 1 million 3. USD 2 million 4. USD 3 million 5. USD 4 million Answer - 2. USD 1 million

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Explanation : India has contributed USD 1 million for the rehabilitation works in Tonga, after the devastation caused by Tropical Cyclone Gita. United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation has stated that, the Tonga Government will identify the rehabilitation projects to be supported by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund. India has allocated USD 500,000 in the India-UN Development Partnership Fund for rehabilitation purpose and USD 500,000 will be given for immediate relief assistance. The India-UN Development Partnership Fund is led and supported by Indian Government. It is managed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation.

388. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of ______to look into a range of issues relating to classification of bad loans, rising incidents of frauds and effectiveness of audits? 1. Gary Oldman 2. YH Malegam 3. James Ivory 4. Alex Gibson 5. Richard King Answer - 2. YH Malegam Explanation : Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of YH Malegam to look into a range of issues relating to classification of bad loans, rising incidents of frauds and effectiveness of audits. Y H Malegam is a former member of the Central Board of Directors of RBI.Other member of the Committee: Bharat Doshi – Member of Central Board of RBI, S Raman - Former Chairman and MD of Canara Bank and Nandkumar Saravade - Chief Executive Officer of Reserve Bank Information Technology Pvt Ltd (ReBIT). A K Misra - Executive Director of RBI will be the Member-Secretary of the committee.

389. Which State Cabinet approved long-term bauxite linkage policy that would help Vedanta’s Lanjigarh alumina refinery to source bauxite from government-owned Mining Corporation? 1. Madhya Pradesh 2. Maharashtra 3. Goa 4. Odisha 5. Karnataka Answer - 4. Odisha Explanation : On February 21, 2018, Odisha State Cabinet approved long-term bauxite linkage policy that would help Vedanta’s Lanjigarh alumina refinery to source bauxite from government-owned Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC). Vedanta, which has invested more than Rs 50000 crore in two smelters, refinery and power plants in Odisha has been facing constraints in ore supply as it has no captive blocks in Odisha. Due to raw material crunch, Vedanta had set a target to produce only 1.25 million tonnes in 2017-18. As per Odisha State Cabinet’s decision, 70 per cent of the total production by OMC will now be available for long-term linkage.

390. Indian government notified the revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and which other country? 1. Libya 2. Sudan 3. Kenya 4. Chile 5. Sweden Answer - 3. Kenya

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Explanation : Indian government notified the revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Kenya. It has been stated that, the revised DTAA will enhance transparency in tax matters, control tax evasion, and eliminate double taxation. It will also improve the flow of investment, technology and services between India and Kenya. The revised DTAA offers reduction in withholding tax rate on dividend and interest to 10 % from 15 %. The withholding tax rate on royalties, and fees for management, professional, technical services has been decreased to 10 % from 20 % and 17.5 % respectively. The revised DTAA issues a new Article on Limitation of Benefits to provide treaty benefits to bona-fide residents of India and Kenya. It will also prevent treaty abuse by third country residents. It will enable domestic law to prevent tax evasion. The revised DTAA has been upgraded to the latest international standard to make available exchange of information to the maximum extent. Also a new Article on Assistance in Collection of Taxes has been issued to provide assistance in collection of tax revenue claims between India and Kenya.

391. In which city of UK, the 71st British Academy Film Awards ceremony, popularly referred to as BAFTA Awards 2018 was held at? 1. Birmingham 2. Cambridge 3. Manchester 4. London 5. Nottingham Answer - 4. UK Explanation : 71st British Academy Film Awards ceremony, popularly referred to as BAFTA Awards 2018 was held on February 18, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. The ceremony was hosted by English actress Joanna Lumley. Drama film, ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri’ got the most awards (in 5 categories), while ‘The Shape of Water’ was credited with most nominations (in 12 categories). English Actor, Gary Oldman won the Leading Actor Award for playing British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the film “Darkest Hour.”

392. Who is the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo? 1. Avani Chaturvedi 2. Bhawana Kanth 3. Mohana Singh 4. Chitra Devi 5. Radhikha Kishore Answer - 1. Avani Chaturvedi Explanation : Flying Officer Avani Chaturvedi became the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo. Avani Chaturvedi achieved this feat by flying a MiG-21 "Bison". She took off the MiG-21 "Bison" from the Jamnagar base of Indian Air Force (IAF). She already has the credit of being one of the first three women to undergo fighter pilot training in the Indian Air Force. The other two women are Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh. Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh were commissioned as flying officers into the fighter stream after finishing basic training in June 2016, on experimental basis for 5 years initially.

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393. India successfully conducted a night trial of Prithvi-II, an indigenously developed nuclear capable missile, from a test range in Odisha. What is the strike range of this missile? 1. 300 km 2. 350 km 3. 370 km 4. 400 km 5. 425 km Answer - 2. 350 km Explanation : India successfully conducted a night trial of Prithvi-II, an indigenously developed nuclear capable missile, from a test range in Odisha. Prithvi-II was test-fired from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, as part of a user trial by the Indian Army. Prithvi- II is a surface-to-surface missile with a strike range of 350 km. It has the ability to carry 500 to 1,000 kg of warheads. It uses liquid propulsion twin engines. The launch activities were carried out by the specially formed Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Army. It was monitored by the scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of training exercise.

394. What species is Hexanchus vitulus, which was recently discovered in the Atlantic Ocean? 1. Medicinal Plant 2. Turtle 3. Shark 4. Fish 5. Coral Answer - 3. Shark Explanation : A new shark species named "Atlantic sixgill shark" was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean. Through genetic testing it has been proved that, the new shark species named "Atlantic sixgill shark" is different from the similar ones found in Indian and Pacific Oceans. Hence they have not been associated with the existing species Hexanchus nakamurai. This new species is named Hexanchus vitulus. The findings have been published in the journal Marine Biodiversity. The "Atlantic sixgill shark" is up to 6 feet long. They feature unique, saw-like lower teeth and six gill slits. They date back to nearly 250 million years ago and are one of the oldest creatures on Earth.

395. Which country hosted the 5th Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championship 2018? 1. China 2. India 3. Argentina 4. Australia 5. USA Answer - 4. Australia Explanation : Indian "A" team won gold at the 5th Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championship held in Gold Coast, Australia, between 14 and 18 February 2018. The Indian "A" team was headed by Kiran Nadar. The team members were Keyzad Anklesari, B. Satyanarayana, Rajeshwar Tewari, Jaggy Shivdasani and Sunit Chokshi. The Indian “A” team defeated the Australian team with a score of 103-65. Indian “A” team won gold in the 5th Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championship.

396. Kalyan Singh Chouhan recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Teacher 2. Magician 3. Lawyer 4. Singer 5. Politician

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Answer - 5. Politician Explanation : Kalyan Singh Chouhan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Nathdwara, died after fighting cancer for a long time, in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Kalyan Singh Chouhan entered politics in 1988. He joined the Congress Party and became sarpanch from Kotharia gram panchayat in Rajsamand district. He was Khamnor Pradhan from 1998 to 2000 and Up-Zila Pramukh in the 2000 to 2005 period. Later Kalyan Singh Chouhan joined BJP. He became MLA twice.

397. M S Anantharaman, who passed away recently belonged to which profession? 1. Guitarist 2. Violinist 3. Teacher 4. Singer 5. Athlete Answer - 2. Violinist Explanation : On 19th February 2018, M S Anantharaman, a popular violinist, passed away due to age-related ailments, at his residence in Mylapore, Chennai. MS Anantharaman was 94 years old. He was born in Parur, Kerala. He was taught to play violin when he was just six years old. He was associated with the Parur School of Music. His father was Sundaram Iyer, a great violinist. His brother M S Gopalakrishnan was also a violinist. He familiarised the Parur bani along with his brother.

398. Which state organised 'Aadi Mahotsava', a tribal festival at Gandhi Mandir Indoor stadium on 23rd February? 1. Sikkim 2. Manipur 3. Meghalaya 4. Karnataka 5. Assam Answer - 5. Assam Explanation : On 23rd February 2018, 'Aadi Mahotsava', a tribal festival organized by Assam, began at Gandhi Mandir Indoor stadium, in Guwahati, Assam. The ‘Aadi Mahotsava’ is held for 10 days. It was inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. It is conducted by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India jointly with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. ‘Aadi Mahotsava’ celebrates the art and culture of tribal communities. Local artisans from 20 cities like Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Manipur, Assam, etc. participate in this festival. The artisans display handcrafted artifacts and products. Ethnic tribal cuisines, handcrafted shawls and handlooms like Mekhelas, chador and Naga waistcoats are also displayed in the festival.

399. India signed MoU with which country for “Implementation Agreement in Sustainable Urban Development and Smart Cities in India”? 1. Canada 2. Germany 3. USA 4. Russia 5. Australia Answer - 2. Germany Explanation : On 23rd February 2018, an Indo-German MoU was signed for “Implementation Agreement in Sustainable Urban Development and Smart Cities in India”. The MoU was signed between Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), India and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale

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Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, India on behalf of Germany Government. The agreement was signed by Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Ms. Annette Röckel, Deputy Country Director and Ms. Tanja Feldmann, Cluster Coordinator, Sustainable Urban and Industrial Development GIZ GmbH India. The ‘Sustainable Urban Development Programme - Smart Cities in India’ project is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

400. Which Indian state is considered as the vaccine hub of India and the world? 1. Assam 2. Maharashtra 3. Telangana 4. Gujarat 5. Andhra Pradesh Answer - 3. Telangana Explanation : Telangana Industry Minister K. T. Rama Rao said that, the Telangana government aims to double the valuation of its life sciences ecosystem to $100 billion in 10 years. K. T. Rama Rao made this announcement after he inaugurated the 15th BioAsia Summit. He said that 4 lakh jobs will be created in the life sciences industry in the next 10 years. Current value of life sciences ecosystem in Telangana is $50 billion. It has more than 800 companies. K. T. Rama Rao also said that, Telangana contributes more than 35% to the national pharmaceutical production of India. Telangana is also considered the vaccine hub of India and the world. It produces nearly 33 % of global vaccines dosages. He said that, the Genome Valley cluster is to be expanded. He said that, Genome Valley 2.0 will be initiated soon.

401. In which state, the Khajuraho dance festival was inaugurated? 1. Madhya Pradesh 2. Maharashtra 3. Rajasthan 4. Himachal Pradesh 5. Goa Answer - 1. Madhya Pradesh Explanation : On 20th February 2018, the Khajuraho dance festival started off in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel lit the traditional lamp and inaugurated the 44th Khajuraho dance festival. This festival will be held till 26th February 2018. This festival is organised by the culture department of the Madhya Pradesh government. It will fetaure classical dances like Kathak, Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Mohiniattam. The Art Mart will display paintings of international artists from Germany, France and China at the festival. Dance performances are conducted in an open-air auditorium, mostly in front of the Chitragupta Temple and the Vishwanatha Temple.

402. Central Government has set up an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) on medicinal and aromatic plants for the north-east (NE) to suggest actionable measures to generate more livelihood opportunities in the region. First meeting of this committee is scheduled to be held on ______? 1. May 10, 2018 2. May 12, 2018 3. April 10, 2018 4. March 12, 2018 5. March 10, 2018 Answer -4. March 12, 2018 Explanation : Central Government has set up an inter-ministerial committee (IMC) on medicinal and aromatic plants for the north-east (NE) to suggest actionable measures to generate more livelihood opportunities in the

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region. Representatives from various ministries, Government departments and several organisations related to medicinal and aromatic plants will be the members of this committee. Mandate of the committee is to identify gaps in the existing mechanism/institutional arrangements and suggest a policy intervention for optimally harnessing the medicinal and aromatic plants of the north-eastern region. First meeting of this committee is scheduled to be held on March 12, 2018. This meeting will be co-chaired by the secretaries of the Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

403. Central Government has cancelled plan to produce 114 Single-engine Fighters with foreign collaboration under the “Make in India” framework. What is the reason for the cancellation? 1. We are not in need of it at present 2. Political conflict between the parties 3. Fund allocated was not enough 4. We have planned for twin-engine fighters 5. All the above Answer -2. Political conflict between the parties Explanation : Central Government has cancelled plan to produce 114 Single-engine Fighters with foreign collaboration under the “Make in India” framework. The plan has been cancelled in wake of political conflict between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress over 36 French-manufactured Rafale fighter jets. The point of contention in the original plan was the restriction on only single-engine fighters, which limited the competition to just two jets (American F-16 and Swedish Gripen-E). Thus, Union Defence Ministry has directed Indian Air Force to come up with a new proposal that will take both, single and twin-engine fighters into account. Defence Ministry believes that taking both, single and twin-engine fighters into account in the new plan will increase the contenders and avoid needless allegations.

404. In which bank, the first sale of electoral bonds will be started from March 1, 2018? 1. SBI 2. Allahabad Bank 3. Central Bank 4. RBI 5. Postal Payments Bank Answer - 1. SBI Explanation : On February 22, 2018, Union Finance Ministry announced that the first sale of electoral bonds will start from March 1, 2018 for a period of 10 days at select branches of State Bank of India (SBI). The electoral bonds scheme was announced during the 2017-18 Union Budget speech of Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley. Broad contours of this scheme were notified in January 2018. This scheme will serve as an alternative to cash donations and is thereby an attempt to make political funding more transparent. The bonds will be available in multiples of Rs.1000, Rs. 10000, Rs. 10 lakh, Rs. 1 crore. These bonds would be valid for 15 days from the date of issue. Any citizen of India or an entity incorporated or established in India can purchase these bonds. The bonds will not carry his/her/entity’s name. Thus it will be a bearer instrument. Besides, it will be an interest-free banking instrument.

405. What are the two insurance entities of Paytm? 1. Paytm Life Insurance Corporation Ltd 2. Paytm Insurance Corporation Ltd 3. Paytm General Insurance Corporation Ltd 4. 1&2 5. 1&3 Answer - 5. 1&3

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Explanation : One 97 communications, the parent company of Paytm, created Paytm Life Insurance Corporation Ltd. and Paytm General Insurance Corporation Ltd. Paytm Life Insurance Corporation Ltd and Paytm General Insurance Corporation Ltd, both have a share capital Rs 1000000 each. Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma and One 97 Communications are holding majority shares in both the entities. In context of this news, it is important to note that Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India had granted a corporate agency license to One 97 Communications in September 2017.

406. Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Limited commenced operations as a payments bank with effect from ______? 1. December 22, 2017 2. January 22, 2018 3. February 22, 2018 4. March 22, 2018 5. April 22, 2018 Answer - 3. February 22, 2018 Explanation : Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Limited commenced operations as a payments bank with effect from February 22, 2018. Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd. is a 51:49 joint venture (JV) between Aditya Birla Nuvo Ltd. (ABNL) and telecom operator Idea Cellular. In April 2017, it had received a final licence from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for carrying out the business of payments bank in India. In November 2016, Airtel Payments Bank Ltd became the first entity to start operations as Payments Bank. Paytm and Fino Payments Bank are the other two entities that have already launched their operations. India Post Payments Bank is expected to start nationwide operations from April 2018.

407. Indian Government along with which country have inked an agreement for cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry? 1. Afghanistan 2. Uzbekistan 3. China 4. Japan 5. Pakistan Answer - 2. Uzbekistan Explanation : Andijan Region of Uzbekistan and Indian Government have inked an agreement for cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry This pact envisages cooperation in the implementation of a program for the production of pharmaceutical, bio-pharmaceutical products and medical equipment in the Andijan region of Uzbekistan. India and Uzbekistan will work together for attracting direct investments of Indian companies and Uzbek investors to create modern production facilities for the production of pharmaceutical products and medicines with high value. These efforts will be geared towards creating an Uzbek-Indian free pharmaceutical zone in the Andijan region.

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408. Which Indian company and Canada’s Viking Air have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to form a strategic alliance for making smaller aircraft to support regional air connectivity in India? 1. Gipps Aerospace 2. Honeywell Aerospace 3. Bell Helicopter 4. HAL 5. Mahindra Aerospace Answer - 5. Mahindra Aerospace Explanation : Mahindra Aerospace and Canada’s Viking Air have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to form a strategic alliance for making smaller aircraft to support regional air connectivity in India. This MoU was signed during the ongoing India visit of Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, to India. As per the terms of this MoU, both the companies will work together to boost market penetration in identified territories and provide multiple options to prospective customers based on specific operational requirements. Viking Air produces the a 19-passenger, the Twin Otter Series 400 turboprop aircraft that is capable of operating from multiple surfaces (including water). Mahindra Aerospace currently produces Mahindra Airvan 8, the 8-seat utility piston aircraft and Mahindra Airvan 10, the 10-seat turboprop utility aircraft.

409. Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce announced that, he will resign as leader of the National party and Deputy Prime Minister. He belongs to which country? 1. Japan 2. South Africa 3. Australia 4. Kenya 5. Somalia Answer - 3. Australia Explanation : Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce announced that, he will resign as leader of the National party and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. Barnaby Joyce has announced his resignation after facing weeks of pressure due to an allegation of extra-marital affair with his former media secretary Vikki Campion. On 26th February 2018, Barnaby Joyce will step down as leader of the National party and deputy Prime Minister of Australia. He will remain in the parliament, helping to maintain the one-seat majority of the ruling government. Barnaby Joyce has been married for 24 years. He has been alleged over an affair with his former media secretary, who is carrying his child. The National Party will elect a new leader, who will also be made the deputy prime minister of Australia.

410. On February 23, 2018, Indian Navy successfully test-fired nuclear-capable ballistic missile ‘Dhanush’ from a naval warship positioned in the Bay of Bengal. What type of missile is this? 1. Surface-to-Air missile 2. Surface-to-Surface missile 3. Air-to-Air missile 4. Anti tank missile 5. None of these Answer - 2. Surface-to-surface missile Explanation : On February 23, 2018, Indian Navy successfully test-fired nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile ‘Dhanush’ from a naval warship positioned in the Bay of Bengal. Dhanush is an indigenously developed naval version of the ‘Prithvi’ short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). It has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under its ambitious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Dhanush Missile has strike range of up to 350 km and can hit land-based as well as sea-based targets. It can carry conventional or nuclear warhead up to 500 kg.

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Dhanush Missile is about 8.53 metres in length and 0.9 metre in diameter. Its launch weight about 4.4 tonnes. Test conducted on February 23, 2018, met all the parameters as expected.

411. In which institute, the supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle test loop facility was inaugurated? 1. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru 2. IIT, Mumbai 3. IIT, Delhi 4. IIT, Chennai 5. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Delhi Answer - 1. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru Explanation : On 22nd February 2018, a supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle test loop facility was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. The facility was inaugurated by Union Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan. It is claimed to be India’s first supercritical-CO2 Brayton cycle test bed and also the first ever to be coupled with a solar heat source. Supercritical carbon dioxide- based power generation provides an efficient alternative to the existing steam-based power plants. This laboratory scale test loop was developed by a group of researchers at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Energy Research, IISc. This project is a part of Solar Energy Research Institute for India and the United States. It was funded by the Department of Science and Technology, India.

412. Canada’s own first franchise-based Twenty20 league “Global T20 Canada”, was announced in ______? 1. Calgary 2. Vancouver 3. Toronto 4. New Delhi 5. Mumbai Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : Canada’s own first franchise-based Twenty20 league “Global T20 Canada”, was announced in New Delhi. The Global T20 Canada League will begin functioning from July 2018 at three venues in Toronto. Global T20 Canada League is conceptualised, designed, developed and managed by Mercuri Group with Cricket Canada. Cricket Canada is the official governing body for cricket in Canada. Global T20 Canada League has received official sanction of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Cricket Canada has become the first Associate member of the ICC to start a Twenty20 franchise league in the North America market.

413. Suresh Seth recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Actor 2. Lawyer 3. Politician 4. Doctor 5. Teacher Answer - 3. Politician Explanation : On 22nd February 2018, Suresh Seth, senior Congress leader and former Indore Mayor, died after suffering from age-related health issues, at a hospital in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Suresh Seth was 87 years old. He was also called as the ‘Lion of Indore’ or 'Sher-e-Indore'. He fought for people’s issues aggressively and worked for the benefits of common man. He had also served as minister for urban administration in Madhya Pradesh. When he was mayor of Indore, he played a key role in changing street lanterns to tube lights. He had to face a lot of quarrels with his party to implement this.

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414. Kunwar Bai recently passed away after suffering from a long time illness. He was the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan mascot of which state? 1. Punjab 2. Assam 3. Karnataka 4. Maharashtra 5. Chattisgarh Answer - 5. Chattisgarh Explanation : On 23rd February 2018, Kunwar Bai, Chattisgarh's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan mascot, passed away after suffering from a long time illness, at Ambedkar Hospital, Raipur. Kunwar Bai was 106 years old. She was felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for her work to make her village open defecation free in 2016. Kunwarbai had sold her goats for Rs 22,000 and built a toilet at her home with that money, after she was inspired by Swachch Bharat mission. Kunwarbai was made Swachhta Doot by Chattisgarh state government. She had been spreading awareness on the importance of toilet among the village people.

415. Which day will be celebrated as "Rhino Day" in Assam, to create awareness on protection of the one-horned rhinoceros of Assam? 1. 20 September 2. 22 September 3. 25 September 4. 29 September 5. 30 September Answer - 2. 22 September Explanation : Assam government has announced that 22 September will be celebrated as "Rhino Day" to create awareness on protection of the one-horned rhinoceros of Assam. This announcement was made by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the 10th meeting of State Board for Wildlife on 22ndFebruary 2018. The Rhino Day will be a tribute to nearly 2500 rhinoceros in Assam. Also, a State Rhino Project in line with the National Rhino Project will be introduced soon in Assam. The State Rhino Project’s aim is to safeguard the rhinoceros from poaching. Sarbananda Sonowal also asked the wildlife board to form a quick response team to reach the sites where animals have died unnaturally. It was also decided to set up a Special Battalion to safeguard wild animals in Manas National Park.

416. Which Indian city will host the International Conference on Sustainable Biofuels, ICSB 2018? 1. Mumbai 2. Pune 3. Ahmadabad 4. New Delhi 5. Patna Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : International Conference on Sustainable Biofuels, ICSB 2018 will be held in New Delhi on 26th and 27th February, 2018. This conference is being jointly organised by Mission Innovation – India Unit and Biofuture Platform and will be hosted by Department of Biotechnology under Union Ministry of Science and Technology. Mission Innovation (MI) is a global initiative of 22 countries and the European Union to accelerate global clean energy innovation, while Biofuture Platform is a multi- stakeholder mechanism for policy dialogue and collaboration among leading countries to increase the use of low carbon sources as the feedstock for the production of energy, chemicals and materials. The Conference will be inaugurated by Union Minister for Science and technology, Earth Sciences and Environment Forest & Climate Change, Dr. Harsh Vardhan.

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417. On February 23, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at the 4th Global Business Summit in New Delhi. What was the Theme of this Global Business Summit? 1. New Laws, New Initiatives 2. New Rules, New Regulations 3. New Economy, New Rules 4. New Economy, New India 5. New India, New Initiatives Answer - 3. New Economy, New Rules Explanation : On February 23, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at the 4th Global Business Summit in New Delhi. During the address, PM Modi outlined that Indian government is taking stringent action against financial irregularities and will not accept unlawful acquisition of public money. Global Business Summit, is a flagship initiative of the Times Group. The first edition was held in January 2015. It brings together, visionaries, heads of state, thought leaders, policy makers, academicians and corporate heads for discussing current macroeconomic issues and share their views on the same. Theme for Global Business Summit 2018 was ‘New Economy, New Rules’. This year’s Summit was presented by Yes Bank and Economic Times.

418. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched development schemes worth ______for Daman and Diu? 1. Rs 500 crore 2. Rs 900 crore 3. Rs 1000 crore 4. Rs 1200 crore 5. Rs 1000 crore Answer - 3. Rs 1000 crore Explanation : Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched development schemes worth Rs 1000 crore for Daman and Diu. On February 24, 2018, PM Modi launched the Pawan Hans helicopter service between Diu and Daman. Diu and Daman are separated by Gulf of Khambhat and it takes 16 hours to commute between these two places by road. The chopper service will reduce the commute time to an hour. PM Modi also launched Ahmedabad-Diu flight service under UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik–let the common citizen of the country fly), Regional Air Connectivity scheme. In Daman, PM Modi laid foundation stones for several projects, including a water treatment plant, an electric sub-station, a gas pipeline, a municipal market and a foot-bridge. He also inaugurated anganwadis (child care centres) and schools constructed under corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

419. In which city, the annual three-day partnership summit of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) was held at? 1. Ahmadabad 2. Patna 3. Darjeeling 4. Visakahpatnam 5. Chennai Answer - 4. Visakahpatnam Explanation : The annual three-day partnership summit of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) began in Visakahpatnam on February 24, 2018. This summit is being jointly organised by the Andhra Pradesh State Government, the CII, and the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It was inaugurated by Vice-President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu. The inaugural session of this summit was attended by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, noted industrialists Gautam Adani and Adi Godrej along with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The key highlight of the first day was a memorandum of understanding (MoU)

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signed between Andhra Pradesh State Government and Adani group for the construction of the port with an estimated investment of Rs 8000 crore.

420. Which State Government constituted the State Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (SCPUL)? 1. Jammu & Kashmir 2. Arunachal Pradesh 3. Assam 4. Manipur 5. Bihar Answer - 1. Jammu & Kashmir Explanation : Jammu & Kashmir State Government constituted the State Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (SCPUL). Objective behind setting up this council is to promote J&K’s official language (Urdu). SCPUL would be headed by the Education Minister of Jammu & Kashmir State Cabinet, while vice- chancellors of all central and state universities in J&K, administrative secretaries of finance, school education, culture and law departments; secretary of the J&K academy of art, culture and languages would be the official members. J&K State Finance Minister, Haseeb Drabu has stated that Rs. 2 crore has been set aside for this Council.

421. Which state hosted the 7th edition of Youth Festival 2018? 1. Maharashtra 2. Madhya Pradesh 3. Karnataka 4. New Delhi 5. Bihar Answer - 4. New Delhi Explanation : On 22nd February 2018, the 7th edition of Youth Festival began at Central Park, New Delhi. The 7th edition of Youth Festival is themed: 'Let Love Live'. This year’s Youth Festival celebrates the freedom to love. It will be conducted till 27th February 2018. The Youth Festival is organised by Sahitya Kala Parishad and the Department of Art, Culture and Languages, Delhi Government. The festival features dance, music and special acts conveying a message of love and harmony. Both renowned and upcoming artistes perform in the festival. The focus is however on young artistes. Groups like Salaam Baalak Trust, Khirkee 17, Tanva Creative Dance Ensemble, Sursagar Society of Delhi Gharana, Sifar, and Bal Ashram perform in this festival.

422. Who will assist the government in developing IT infrastructure for National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS)? 1. Navtej Sarna 2. Nandan Nilekani 3. Rahul Srivasta 4. Kumar Sinha 5. T P Seetharam Answer - 2. Nandan Nilekani Explanation : A NITI Aayog official has announced that, Nandan Nilekani will assist the government in developing IT infrastructure for National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS). The National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) aims to offer medical cover for up to Rs 5 lakh to more than 10 crore poor 141 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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families.This will cover up to 40 % of India's population. In 2018-2019 union budget, an initial corpus of Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated for NHPS. Nandan Nilekani is the former Chairman of UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India). He is also a member of the GST return simplification committee. The premium on insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh under NHPS has been decided at Rs 900- 1,000 per family annually.

423. Where did the 15th edition of Vodafone Odeon Theatre Festival started off? 1. Mumbai, Maharashtra 2. Chennai, TamilNadu 3. Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh 4. Darjeeling, Sikkim 5. Kolkata, West Bengal Answer - 5. Kolkata, West Bengal Explanation : On 22nd February 2018, the 15th edition of Vodafone Odeon Theatre Festival started off in Kolkata, West Bengal. The festival will be conducted till 25th February 2018. Leading dramatists from all over India are taking part in this theatre festival. On the first day of the festival, winners of a contest that was conducted for college groups and upcoming theatre associations, made their performance. Actor Soumitra Chatterjee and theatre performers Bratya Basu, Debshankar Haldar, Goutam Haldar, Meghnad Bhattacharya mentored the participants. The festival also featured actor Sharman Joshi’s and Tejashri Pradhan, a Marathi theatre and TV performer’s performances. This festival is conducted to provide a platform for theatre artists to display their talent.

424. In which state the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav celebrations began at? 1. Rajasthan 2. Assam 3. Madhya Pradesh 4. Manipur 5. Bihar Answer - 3. Madhya Pradesh Explanation : Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav celebrations began in Madhya Pradesh. The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav is organized by the Ministry of Culture under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat matrix. This event is held in several locations of Madhya Pradesh like Bhopal, Gwalior etc. Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav is being celebrated to highlight the idea of unity in diversity. It is conducted for 7 days. Nagaland and Manipur are the states paired with Madhya Pradesh. The event will feature a variety of art forms such as classical music, folk music, dance, theatre, literature, visual arts, etc. A literary meet named ‘Samvaad’, will be held with participation from writers and poets from Manipur, Nagaland and other North Eastern States.

425. What is the status given to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for the fourth consecutive term of five years? 1. ‘A’ 2. ‘B’ 3. ‘C’ 4. ‘D’ 5. None of these Answer - 1. ‘A’ Explanation : National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has retained its 'A' status of accreditation with Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) for the fourth consecutive term of five years. GANHRI, is a global network of national human rights institutions (NHRIs), the administrative bodies set up to promote, protect and monitor human rights in a particular country. GANHRI was formerly known as the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights

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Institutions. GANHRI accreditation confers international recognition and protection to the NHRI of a particular country. 'A' status accreditation is given to those NHRIs, which are found fully compliant with the UN mandated Paris Principles. Any NHRI getting 'A' status accreditation can participate in the work and decision-making of the GANHRI. As per Paris Principles, one of the key responsibilities of NHRIs is to protect human rights by receiving, investigating and resolving complaints and mediating conflicts.

426. In which city, the 3-day India International Textiles Expo (IITExpo) was organised from 21st to 23rd February, 2018? 1. Beijing 2. Colombo 3. Mumbai 4. Tokyo 5. Newyork Answer - 2. Colombo Explanation : A three –day India International Textiles Expo (IITExpo) was organised in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 21st to 23rd February, 2018. This Expo was organised by Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL) with the support of Union Ministry of Textiles & Ministry of Commerce & Industry. The expo was inaugurated by Sri Lankan Minister of Special Assignments, Dr. Sarath Amunugama. At the Expo, 45 exhibitors from various textile clusters of India displayed variety of fabrics, home textiles and traditional items suitable for apparel, industrial and general consumers.

427. 'Lamitye' is the joint counter insurgency/counter terrorism exercise between India and which country? 1. Libya 2. Srilanka 3. Singapore 4. Malaysia 5. Seychelles Answer - 5. Seychelles Explanation : 8th edition of Indo-Seychelles joint counter insurgency/counter terrorism exercise, named 'Lamitye' began on February 24, 2018 in Seychelles. ’Lamiye’ means friendship in Creole (local dialect). ‘Exercise Lamitye’ is conducted biennially with an aim of enhancing cooperation and interoperability between Indian Army and Seychelles People's Defence Forces. Indian contingent to 8th edition of ‘Exercie Lamitye' comprises four officers, five Junior Commissioned Officers and 36 army personnel from other Ranks.

428. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has instructed all banks to integrate SWIFT (Society for World Interbank Financial Telecommunication System platform) with its core banking solutions (CBS) by ______. 1. March 1, 2018 2. March 30, 2018 3. April 1, 2018 4. April 30, 2018 5. May 30, 2018 Answer - 4. April 30, 2018 Explanation : Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has instructed all banks to integrate SWIFT (Society for World Interbank Financial Telecommunication System platform) with itscore banking solutions (CBS) by April 30, 2018. This instruction by RBI is aimed at tightening internal controls in banks in wake of Rs 11400 crore fraud that has been unearthed at Punjab National Bank (PNB). The modus operandi of PNB fraud

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revolved around the misuse of SWIFT system by two officials of PNB in a Mumbai Branch. SWIFT system is used by banks across the world to transmit messages relating to cross border financial transactions.Through SWIFT, the two accused officials of PNB, issued unauthorised letters of undertaking (a kind of Bank guarantees) to diamond and jewellery importer Nirav Modi-linked companies. The officials did not make these entries in the CBS. This fraudulent activity was going on since 2011. As SWIFT was not integrated with CBS in PNB, these transactions went undetected for over seven years.

429. Bharti Airtel and information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider Huawei have successfully conducted India’s first 5G network trial under a test setup at Airtel’s network experience centre in Manesar, Gurgaon. What is the speed limit achieved during this trial? 1. 1 gigabit per second 2. 2 gigabit per second 3. 3 gigabit per second 4. 4 gigabit per second 5. 5 gigabit per second Answer - 3. 3 gigabit per second Explanation : Bharti Airtel and information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider Huawei have successfully conducted India’s first 5G network trial under a test setup at Airtel’s network experience centre in Manesar, Gurgaon. Airtel and Huawei have claimed that 3 gigabit per second data speed was achieved during this trial. 5G mobile networks could offer data speed up to 100 times faster than current 4G networks. It is to be noted that India is planning to roll out 5G services for consumers by 2020 and Department of Telecommunication under Union Ministry of Communications is expected to finalise a roadmap for 5G services by June 2018.

430. Union Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha launched India's first locally developed 4G/LTE telecom system. LTE is a standard for high-speed wireless communication for ______? 1. Mobile devices 2. Data terminals 3. Laptops & Desktops 4. All the above 5. 1 & 2 Answer - 5. 1 & 2 Explanation : On February 23, 2018, Union Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha launched India's first locally developed 4G/LTE telecom system. Mr. Sinha launched this system during an international buyers-sellers meet of telecom industry organised under the aegis of Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council. This system has been designed and developed by India's leading telecom equipment manufacturer VNL Ltd. VNL Ltd. has designed and developed this 4G/LTE system by taking into consideration, the requirement for high speed connectivity, particularly in rural areas of India. It not only ensures seamless connectivity at most affordable prices but also reduces import dependence for such equipments. Abbreviation LTE stand for Long-Term Evolution. In context of telecommunication technology, LTE is a standard for high-speed wireless communication for mobile devices and data terminals.

431. Who was appointed the next Ambassador of India to Plurinational State of Bolivia? 1. Mukta Tomar 2. Ajay Bisaria 3. M. Subbarayudu 4. Vani Sarraju 5. Jaideep Sarkar Answer - 3. M. Subbarayudu

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Explanation : M. Subbarayudu was appointed the next Ambassador of India to Plurinational State of Bolivia. M. Subbarayudu is an Indian Foreign Service Officer (IFS) of the 1994 batch. He is currently the Ambassador of India to Lima. His residence is in Lima. He has been concurrently appointed the next Ambassador of India to Plurinational State of Bolivia. He will soon take up this new assignment.

432. Which company has commissioned a first-of-its-kind Medium-Voltage (MV) training lab at INS Valsura, Gujarat, for the Indian Navy? 1. Tata Power 2. Siemens India 3. Adani 4. HAL 5. Kotak Answer - 2. Siemens India Explanation : Siemens India has commissioned a first-of-its-kind Medium-Voltage (MV) training lab at INS Valsura, Gujarat, for the Indian Navy. The MV training lab was inaugurated by Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chief of the Naval Staff, on 24th January 2018. This MV lab facilitates Indian Navy officials to train, manage and operate modern equipment of Indian Navy without going to the field. This lab will be utilized for first stage training of naval personnel on Medium Voltage Power Generation, Protection & Distribution and MV Drives & Motors. Siemens supplied Motors & Converters, Medium Voltage and Low Voltage Switchboards and automation systems for the facility. This lab consists of equipment manufactured in India and is in line with the Make in India initiative.

433. Neelabh Mishra recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Politician 2. Lawyer 3. Teacher 4. Singer 5. Journalist Answer - 5. Journalist Explanation : On 24th February 2018, Neelabh Mishra, a senior journalist, died after suffering multiple organ failure, at Apollo Hospital, in Chennai. Neelabh Mishra was 57 years old. He was the editor-in-chief of National Herald newspaper. Mishra was instrumental in the launch of National Herald’s digital news website in 2016. He also re-launched the National Herald as Sunday newspaper in 2017. He also made National Herald’s sister publications Navjivan and Qaumi Awaz as news websites.

434. Billy Graham died after suffering from cancer. He counselled presidents and preached to millions of people from various parts of the world. He was from which country? 1. Germany 2. Russia 3. Japan 4. USA 5. China Answer - 4. USA Explanation : On 21st February 2018, Billy Graham, died after suffering from cancer, pneumonia and other ailments, at his residence in Montreat, North Carolina, US. Billy Graham was 99 years old. He was an evangelist. He counselled presidents and preached to millions of people from various parts of the world. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour, from president Ronald Reagan in 1983.

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435. Nanette Fabray passed away recently. Who was she? 1. Singer 2. Teacher 3. Doctor 4. Politician 5. Actress Answer - 5. Actress Explanation : On 22nd February 2018, Nanette Fabray, an award-winning actress, passed away due to natural causes, at her residence in Palos Verdes, California, US. Nanette Fabray was 97 years old. She started her acting career at the age of three. She has worked in several movies and TV shows. She had won three Emmy awards. She had also received the SAG Life Achievement Award in 1987. She had overcome hearing loss and later became an advocate for the rights of the deaf. She was awarded with the President’s Distinguished Service Award and the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award for this.

436. How many institutes are set up by Union Commerce and Industry Ministry to interact with stakeholders and suggest measures to push up India’s ranking in ease of doing business index? 1. Three 2. Four 3. Five 4. Six 5. Seven Answer - 2. Four Explanation : Union Commerce and Industry Ministry has appointed four institutes, to interact with stakeholders and suggest measures to push up India’s ranking in ease of doing business index. Four institutes that have been roped in for this purpose are Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), National Institute of Construction Management and Research (NICMAR) and Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). These four institutes will ascertain views of stakeholders on the parameters which determine the ranking on the ease of doing business index and will share the same with concerned ministries. ICAI would ascertain views on ‘taxes’ parameter. ICSI and IIFT would look into ‘starting a business’ and ‘trading across borders’ parameters respectively, while NICMAR would get feedback on ‘dealing with construction permits’. In context of this news, it is important to note that in Budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced that Government has identified 372 action points to improve ease of doing business.

437. On February 24, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Launched ‘Amma’, subsidised 2 Wheeler Scheme in Tamil Nadu. This Scheme will benefit whom? 1. Working Women 2. School Students 3. Working Men 4. Unemployed Youths 5. All the above Answer - 1. Working Women Explanation : On February 24, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Launched ‘Amma’, subsidised 2 Wheeler Scheme for working women in Tamil Nadu. This scheme was launched to mark 70th birth anniversary of Jayalalithaa , the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Under ‘Amma’ 2 Wheeler Scheme, every year, one lakh working women in Tamil Nadu will be given 50% of the cost of a two- wheeler or a grant 146 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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of Rs. 25000. PM Modi launched this scheme in presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami. On February 24, 2018, PM Modi also launched a drive to plant 70 lakh tree saplings in Tamil Nadu.

438. In which Indian state, the 15th edition of BioAsia 2018 was inaugurated? 1. Assam 2. Manipur 3. Punjab 4. Maharashtra 5. Telangana Answer - 5. Telangana Explanation : 15th edition of BioAsia, the annual flagship event of the Government of Telangana, was held from 22nd – 24th February, 2018 in Hyderabad. BioAsia is a preeminent technology and bio-business convention in Asia for Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and healthcare which brings together all the national as well as international stakeholders of Pharma and Life Sciences sector. Theme of BioAsia 2018 was “RIGHT TIME, RIGHT NOW” focusing on strategies to keep up with pace of change and innovative ways to develop new models for distribution & healthcare delivery. The event was attended by 1500 delegates from over 55 countries. Ireland, Netherlands and South Africa were the International Partners while Gujarat, Assam and Rajasthan were the partner states for this event.

439. On 22nd to 24th February 2018, which country conducted the Groovz Jazz Festival, its first ever jazz festival? 1. Dubai 2. Australia 3. Saudi Arabia 4. South Africa 5. Antartica Answer - 3. Saudi Arabia Explanation : On 22nd to 24th February 2018, Saudi Arabia conducted the Groovz Jazz Festival, its first ever jazz festival, at the Riyadh Intercontinental Hotel, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Groovz Jazz Festival was conducted for 3 days. Nearly, 2,000 people attended this festival. The concert was organized by Time Entertainment. A divided seating arrangement was provided separately for men and women. Family areas were also provided. Both local and international artistes performed at the festival. Bands from Riyadh, Beirut and New Orleans performed at the festival. Apart from musical performances, food trucks, a vintage car display etc. were also featured in the Groovz Jazz Festival.

440. Which bank will be undertaking a major restructuring of its business in the United Kingdom (UK) from April 2018? 1. Yes Bank 2. Axis Bank 3. Corporation Bank 4. State Bank of India 5. Allahabad Bank Answer - 4. State Bank of India Explanation : State Bank of India (SBI) will be undertaking a major restructuring of its business in the United Kingdom (UK) from April 2018. From April 1, 2018, SBI's UK operations will operate as SBI’s subsidiary under the name of State Bank of India UK Limited. This transformation has been planned in order to comply with specific capital requirement norms of Bank of England (the Central Bank of UK). Post transformation, all retail branches of SBI in the UK will function under a new UK-incorporated banking entity. Currently, the status of SBI branches in UK is that of overseas branches of the Indian

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entity. SBI has 12 retail branches in UK, out of which, 7 are located in London.

441. In a bid to protect domestic producers, India has imposed anti dumping duty on import of ceramic tableware and kitchenware from which country? 1. USA 2. South Africa 3. Japan 4. China 5. Srilanka Answer - 4. China Explanation : In a bid to protect domestic producers, India has imposed anti-dumping duty on import of ceramic tableware and kitchenware from China. The anti-dumping duty has been imposed by Revenue Department in the Union Finance Ministry based on a probe by Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD), in response to allegations by All India Pottery Manufacturers Association (AIPMA) and the Indian Ceramic Society. Ceramic tableware and kitchenware shipped in from China will attract anti-dumping duty of USD 1.04 per kg for a period of five years starting from June 2017. A protectionist tariff imposed by domestic government on below-cost foreign imports, to protect domestic producers is referred to as anti-dumping duty.

442. Government-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) signed memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with which Indian State Government to invest Rs 3730 crore in the state? 1. Telangana 2. Andhra Pradesh 3. Gujarat 4. Kerala 5. Karnataka Answer - 2. Andhra Pradesh Explanation : On February 24, 2018, government-run Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) signed memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with Andhra Pradesh State Government to invest Rs 3730 crore in the state. The MoUs envisage supply of 10000 electric cars and 4000 chargers to various departments of Andhra Pradesh through Non-conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Limited (NREDCAP). Other MoUs were related to supply of approximately 17 lakh smart energy meters to two power distribution companies in Andhra Pradesh viz. – Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Ltd. (APEPDCL), and Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL). MoU for establishment of small solar PV-based power projects in phases was also signed. These MoUs were signed in presence of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and EESL Managing Director Saurabh Kumar during the course of CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam.

443. Tamil Nadu State Government announced an agreement with which company to improve the integration of technology in teaching and learning across the state? 1. Google 2. Microsoft 3. Facebook 4. Apple 5. Amazon Answer - 2. Microsoft Explanation : Tamil Nadu State Government announced an agreement with Microsoft to improve the integration of technology in teaching and learning across the state. The agreement aims at reforming education, build tech capacity and enhance digital literacy across all levels. As per the terms of the agreement, Microsoft

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will adopt seven schools identified by Tamil Nadu State Government and will train their teachers and students in inculcating skills such as critical thinking, app development, creative coding & gaming, robotics and entrepreneurship. All educators in primary, secondary, vocational and tertiary education across Tamil Nadu will be offered Microsoft Innovative Educator Program. Besides, Microsoft will also train and provide a digital literacy certification to District Education Officers (DEOs) in Tamil Nadu.

444. What is Rustom 2, recently developed by DRDO? 1. Flight 2. Helicopter 3. Submarine 4. Satellite 5. Drone Answer - 5. Drone Explanation : Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flew its Rustom 2, a medium- altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, at its Aeronautical Test Range at Chalakere in Chitradurga district of Karnataka. Rustom 2 or TAPAS-BH-201 has been developed by India on the lines of the American Predator drones, which are used by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) not just for aerial reconnaissance but also for offensive operations. Rustom 2 is a combat aerial vehicle as it can not only conduct sustained surveillance but can also carry weapons. It can fly for 24 hours at stretch.

445. In which Indian state, the scientists have named a newly discovered plant species after former President Dr.Abdul Kalam as “Drypetes kalamii”? 1. Bihar 2. Jharkhand 3. West Bengal 4. Assam 5. Haryana Answer - 3. West Bengal Explanation : Indian scientists have discovered a new plant species named “Drypetes kalamii” in Jaldapara and Buxa National Parks in West Bengal. Drypetes kalamii was discovered by the scientists of Botanical Survey of India. It is a small shrub. It grows up to a length of 1 metre. This new plant has been named after former President of India Abdul Kalam. This finding has been published in the journal Phytotaxa. This new species is seen in wet, shaded areas of subtropical moist semi-evergreen forests, at an altitude of 50-100 m. It bears pale yellow flowers in clusters and produces bright orange to red fruits. Scientists have declared this plant species as “Critically Endangered”.

446. Who is the first Indian gymnast to win an individual medal at the Gymnastics World Cup by bagging a bronze medal in the women's vault event, in Melbourne, Australia? 1. Aruna Budda Reddy 2. Trilok Singh 3. Bandu Bhosle 4. Khushi Ram 5. Darshan Mondal Answer - 1. Aruna Budda Reddy Explanation : On 24th February 2018, Aruna Budda Reddy became the first Indian gymnast to win an individual medal at the Gymnastics World Cup by bagging a bronze medal in the women's vault event, in Melbourne, Australia. Aruna Budda Reddy scored 13.649 in the women's vault event and finished in the third position. She won the bronze medal in the women's vault event. Slovania’s Tjasa Kysslef won gold medal and Australia’s Emily Whitehead won silver medal. Another Indian woman Pranati Nayak scored

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13.416 and finished in the sixth position. Aruna Budda Reddy will also participate in the final round of the floor event on 25th February 2018. India’s Rakesh Patra finished in the fourth position in the men's rings event.

447. Who won the men's singles title of the Austrian Open International Challenge, in Vienna, Austria? 1. Wiener Stadthalle 2. Marie Louise 3. Stan Wawrinka 4. Parupalli Kashyap 5. Chandella Ramj Answer - 4. Parupalli Kashyap Explanation : India’s Parupalli Kashyap won the men's singles title of the Austrian Open International Challenge, in Vienna, Austria. Parupalli Kashyap defeated Malaysia's June Wei Cheam 23-21 21-14 in the men's singles final and won the Austrian Open International Challenge. This is Parupalli Kashyap’s first international title in more than three years. He is a former National badminton champion.

448. Bhanu Kumar Shashtri recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Lawyer 2. Politician 3. Teacher 4. Scientist 5. Actor Answer - 2. Politician Explanation : On 24th February 2018, Bhanu Kumar Shashtri, founder member of Bharatiya Jana Sangh and former MP, passed away after a long term illness in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Bhanu Kumar Shashtri was 93 years old. He was chairman of the Khadi Board. He also became an MP from Udaipur. Bharatiya Jana Sangh was the political arm of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

449. (i) She started her career as a child artist in a Tamil movie in 1969 (ii) She was awarded Padma Shri award in 2013 (iii) She died due to cardiac arrest in Dubai What is her name? 1. Madhuri Dixit 2. Sridevi 3. Amrita Singh 4. Jaya Prada 5. Rati Agnihotri Answer - 2. Sridevi Explanation : On 24th February 2018, Bollywood star Sridevi died due to cardiac arrest in Dubai. Sridevi was 54 years old. She had been to Dubai with her family to attend her nephew’s wedding. Her family and fellow actors are in shock due to her sudden death. She was a versatile and renowned actress. She started her career as a child artiste in a Tamil movie in 1969. Later, she acted in several Tamil movies. She had also acted in other South Indian languages like Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada. She made her Bollywood debut in 1978 and had acted in numerous films afterwards. She was awarded Padma Shri award in 2013.

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450. When is Central Excise Day observed all over India? 1. 22th February 2. 23th February 3. 24th February 4. 25th February 5. 26th February Answer - 3. 24th February Explanation : On 24th February 2018, Central Excise Day was observed all over India. The Central Excise Day is celebrated every year on 24th February to mark the enactment of the Central Excise and Salt Act, 1944. This day is celebrated by conducting seminars, workshops, trade interactions, cultural events etc. organized by Central Excise officers across India. This day is celebrated to encourage the excise department employees to perform their duties in a better manner and honour their contributions.

451. Indian Government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with which country’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for research collaboration in various fields? 1. Australia 2. Canada 3. USA 4. China 5. Germany Answer - 2. Canada Explanation : On February 22, 2018, Indian Government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC)for research collaboration in various fields. This MoU envisages 'programme based research support' in handling current and future global and local developmental challenges. It is to be noted that, since 1972, IDRC has funded 551 research activities worth 159 million Canadian Dollars in India.

452. What is the fund allocated in Union Budget 2018 for the 23 IIT’s under RISE scheme? 1. Rs 300000 crore 2. Rs 250000 crore 3. Rs 200000 crore 4. Rs 150000 crore 5. Rs 100000 crore Answer - 5. Rs 100000 crore Explanation : 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will be getting the largest portion of loans on offer under Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) scheme. During Union Budget 2018 speech, Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley had announced RISE scheme with a corpus of Rs 100000 crore. Under this scheme, all centrally-funded institutes (CFIs), including central universities, IITs, Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and IISERs, can borrow funds from the corpus over the next four years to expand and build new infrastructure. Rs 25000 crore, out of above stated Rs. 100000 crore corpus will be set aside exclusively for the 23 IITs. Central Universities will be getting second largest share of Rs 20000 crore. National Institutes of Technology (NITs) can borrow up to Rs 11300 crore, new IIMs will get Rs 4500 crore while five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) can borrow Rs 5000 crore. Under RISE, all financing will be

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done through the Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA).

453. Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), introduced a ‘Baal Aadhaar’ card for children below the age of ______years? 1. 5 2. 7 3. 9 4. 10 5. 12 Answer - 1. 5 Explanation : On February 26, 2018, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), introduced a ‘Baal Aadhaar’ card for children below the age of five years.’Baal Aadhaar’ Card will be of Blue Colour. No biometric details will be needed for ‘Baal Aadhaar’. However, when the child turns five, a mandatory biometric update will be required, which is to be done by taking the child to any nearby Aadhaar centre. In context of this news, it is important to note that Aadhhar Card is not mandatory for children in this age group. However, it is required if the child is attending educational programmes overseas and if he/she wants to avail government scholarships.

454. Indian Navy’s ______Command will be hosting a multinational mega event ‘MILAN 2018’ from 6th – 13th March, 2018? 1. Goa 2. Andaman & Nicobar 3. Odisha 4. Gujarat 5. Daman & Diu Answer - 2. Andaman & Nicobar Explanation : Indian Navy’s Andaman & Nicobar Command will be hosting a multinational mega event ‘MILAN 2018’ from 6th – 13th March, 2018 at Port Blair. Conducted biennially since 1995, MILAN is a congregation of navies of several countries, organised by Indian Navy at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar Command. Objective behind this event is to foster co-operation through naval exercises and professional interactions.Theme of ‘MILAN 2018’ will be 'Friendship Across the Seas'. Inaugural address at this event will be delivered by Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, Admiral Sunil Lanba. Professional exercises, seminars, social events and sporting fixtures will be conducted during the course of this event.

455. In which state, Minister Narednra Modi flagged off the 'Run for New India' marathon 2018? 1. Odisha 2. Goa 3. Madhya Pradesh 4. Maharashtra 5. Gujarat Answer - 5. Gujarat Explanation : Prime Minister Narednra Modi flagged off the 'Run for New India' marathon in Surat, Gujarat. Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani was also present on the occasion. Objective behind this Marathon is to create awareness about social causes and call upon youth to resolve to build a New India. 'Run for New India' marathon was organized by the Surat Nagrik Samiti. It is divided into 4 categories which included 41 KM full marathon. Around 1.50 lakh runners, across all age groups, participated in this marathon.

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456. Which Indian city hosted the the 21st National Conference on e-Governance 2018? 1. Dehradun 2. Allahabad 3. Itanagar 4. Hyderabad 5. Amaravati Answer - 4. Hyderabad Explanation : On 26th and 27th February 2018, the 21st National Conference on e-Governance is held in Hyderabad, Telangana. The 21st National Conference on e-Governance is organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), jointly with the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology along with Telangana Government. Y.S. Chowdary, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, presided over the inaugural session. The theme for this year’s Conference is: ‘Technology for accelerating Development’. The conference features plenary sessions based on the following themes: Building User Experience, Universalization and Replication and Governing e-Governance, e-Governance Good/ Best Practices, Emerging Technologies.

457. Which country has been elected as the Vice President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)? 1. Japan 2. China 3. India 4. Pakistan 5. Malaysia Answer - 2. China Explanation : China has been elected as the Vice President of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). India has congratulated China over its election as the Vice President of Financial Action Task Force (FATF). On 23rd February 2018, the FATF plenary meeting was held in Paris, France. Measures to fight terror financing and money-laundering were discussed. Pakistan was not put on FATF’s international terror- financing watch list. Islamabad has been provided time till June 2018 to develop an action plan against terrorist groups operating from Pakistan. Pakistan was put on FATF's ‘grey list’ from 2012 - 2015.

458. What is TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India)? 1. Crude Oil pipeline project 2. Methane gas pipeline project 3. Natural gas pipeline project 4. Volatile Liquids pipeline project 5. Sewage pipeline project Answer - 3. Natural gas pipeline project Explanation : Turkmenistan announced the start of construction work on the Afghan section of $8 billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline that will link energy-rich Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India. Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI), is a natural gas pipeline project to transport Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan, through Afghanistan into Pakistan and then to India. It was proposed in 1990s by Turkmenistan. However, starting work on the pipeline has been delayed because of the problem of crossing Afghanistan. With the work starting on Afghanistan section, India’s hopes for getting natural gas from Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh Gas Field (world's second-biggest gas field) have brightened. TAPI is supported by United States and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

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459. Which country hosted the 20th Conference of the Commonwealth Education Ministers (20CCEM) from 19th – 23rd February 2018? 1. Fiji 2. Chile 3. Netherlands 4. Portugal 5. Italy Answer - 1. Fiji Explanation : 20th Conference of the Commonwealth Education Ministers (20CCEM) was held in Nadi, Fiji from 19th – 23rd February 2018. The Conference was held for Education Ministers of Commonwealth nations to meet and discuss solutions to contemporary issues and challenges in education sector viz. low enrolment rates in preschool, primary and secondary schools, gender disparities in education and low adult literacy. Theme of 20CCEM was “Sustainability and Resilience: Can Education Deliver?”. Indian delegation to this conference was led by Dr. Satya Pal Singh, Minister of State, Ministry of Human Resource Development. First Commonwealth education conference was held in Oxford, UK in 1959. It has been taking place every three years since then.

460. Which company has received a Rs 3500-crore advance purchase order to design, build and manage communications network of the Indian Navy? 1. Kavveri Techologies 2. Huawei Techologies 3. Samsung Techologies 4. Sterlite Techologies 5. Ericsson Techologies Answer - 4. Sterlite Techologies Explanation : Sterlite Techologies announced that it has received a Rs 3500-crore advance purchase order to design, build and manage communications network of the Indian Navy. This system integration project will provide an advanced digital communications network to the Indian Navy. Sterlite Technologies will design, build and manage the communications network for over 10 years. A high-capacity IP-MPLS (Internet Protocol – Multi Protocol Label Switching) network will be developed as part of the project. Once the project is completed, it will link multiple Indian naval sites and India-administered islands.

461. Which Telecommunication company has joined 'Seamless Alliance', a new global collaboration to bring high-speed and uninterrupted in-flight data connectivity to mobile customers? 1. BSNL 2. Idea 3. Jio 4. Vodafone 5. Bharti Airtel Answer - 5. Bharti Airtel Explanation : Bharti Airtel announced that it has joined 'Seamless Alliance', a new global collaboration to bring high- speed and uninterrupted in-flight data connectivity to mobile customers. Objective of this alliance is to work towards leveraging satellite technology to offer high-speed data connectivity to mobile users even when they are up in the air. Along with Bharti Airtel, OneWeb, Airbus, Delta and Sprint are the other founding members of this alliance. The founding members will jointly work to minimise cost and eliminate hurdles associated with acquisition, installation and operation of data access infrastructure by streamlining system integration and certification. Once the platform will go Live, Airtel’s 370 million mobile customers will be able to enjoy uninterrupted access to high-speed data services even while they are in-flight.

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462. Who was appointed the new Editor-in-Chief of Rajya Sabha Television? 1. B. V. C. Balakrishna Panicker 2. Shobhana Bhartia 3. Rahul Mahajan 4. Vishweshwar Bhat 5. Ajit Bhattacharjea Answer - 3. Rahul Mahajan Explanation : Rahul Mahajan has been named the new Editor-in-Chief of Rajya Sabha Television. The Rajya Sabha Television channel is run and operated by Rajya Sabha. Rahul Mahajan was selected as Editor-in-Chief of Rajya Sabha Television from 57 applicants. Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu approved his appointment. Rahul Mahajan is 46 years old. At present, he is Consultant Editor in Prasar Bharti. He has worked for Jansatta, Zee News, AjTak, Star News, News 24 and Bhaskar News. He has over 26 years of media experience and 12 years of experience covering the Parliament.

463. Who was elected the Australia's new deputy prime minister? 1. Barnaby Joyce 2. Nick Greiner 3. Atanu Bhuyan 4. Michael McCormack 5. Anubha Bhonsle Answer - 4. Michael McCormack Explanation : Michael McCormack was elected as Australia's deputy prime minister. On 23rd February 2018, former Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce resigned as leader of the National party and Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, following an allegation of extra-marital affair. Now, Michael McCormack has been elected Australia's new deputy prime minister and also the leader of the National Party. Michael McCormack defeated George Christensen in the voting. Michael McCormack has become deputy Prime Minister of Australia under a coalition agreement between the National Party and the Liberal Party.

464. Who was appointed the Additional Director on the Board of Dhanlaxmi Bank? 1. Sanjay Datt 2. Ravinder Singh 3. Sajeev Krishnan 4. Jack Milan 5. Kiran Patel Answer - 3. Sajeev Krishnan Explanation : Sajeev Krishnan was appointed Additional Director on the Board of Dhanlaxmi Bank. The Board of Dhanlaxmi Bank named Sajeev Krishnan as Additional Director, at a meeting held on 8th February 2018.

465. Which country hosted the XXIII Olympic Winter Games 2018? 1. South Africa 2. Greece 3. China 4. Japan 5. South Korea Answer - 5. South Korea Explanation : PyeongChang Winter Olympics 2018, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games was held in Pyeongchang, South Korea from 9th – 23rd February, 2018. In this edition of Winter Olympics,

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competitions were held for 102 events across fifteen sports. More than 2900 athletes from 92 countries took part in PyeongChang Winter Olympics 2018. Motto of PyeongChang Winter Olympics 2018 was “Passion.Connected”. Soohorang, a white tiger, and Bandabi, an Asiatic black bear were the official mascots for this event.

466. Who has won a gold medal the best boxer of the tournament honour at the 69th Strandja Memorial boxing tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria? 1. Troy Isley 2. Vikas Krishan 3. Amit Panghal 4. Saweety Boora 5. Satish Kumar Answer - 2. Vikas Krishan Explanation : India’s Vikas Krishan has won a gold medal the best boxer of the tournament honour at the 69th Strandja Memorial boxing tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. Vikas Krishan defeated USA’s Troy Isley in the middle-weight (75kg) finals and won the gold medal. He was also named the best boxer of the tournament. Indian boxers won a total of 11 medals in the tournament. Amit Panghal (49kg) also won a gold medal in the tournament. M C Mary Kom (48kg), Seema Poonia (+81kg) and Gaurav Solanki (52kg) won silver medals. Meena Kumari Devi (54kg), L Sarita Devi (60kg), Saweety Boora (75kg) and Bhagyabati Kachari (81kg) are the women who won bronze medals. Mohammed Hussamuddin (56kg) and Satish Kumar (+91kg) won bronze medals among men.

467. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has partnered with which company as sponsor of the Indian team for 2018 Commonwealth Games, the 2018 Asian Games and the 2020 Olympic Games and National Games 2018 and 2019? 1. NABARD Financial Services Limited 2. Edelweiss Financial Services Limited 3. Polaris Financial Services Limited 4. Future Financial Services Limited 5. Wallfort Financial Services Limited Answer - 2. Edelweiss Financial Services Limited Explanation : Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced that it has partnered with Edelweiss Financial Services Limited as sponsor of the Indian team for 2018 Commonwealth Games, the 2018 Asian Games and the 2020 Olympic Games and National Games 2018 and 2019. IOA has also declared Raymond as its official styling partner and Shiv Naresh Sports as its official sports apparel partner for the Commonwealth Games that is to be conducted in Gold Coast, Australia, from 4-15 April 2018. Minster of Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, President IOA Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra and Secretary General IOA Mr. Rajeev Mehta launched the official ceremonial outfit and sports apparel of athletes. Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance, provides a Rs 50 lakh life Insurance cover for Indian athletes participating in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

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468. TRS Subramanian recently passed away. Who was he? 1. Lawyer 2. Teacher 3. Politician 4. Athlete 5. Doctor Answer - 3. Politician Explanation : On 26th February 2018, TRS Subramanian, former cabinet secretary, passed away. TSR Subramanian was 79 years old. The cause of his death and other details are not yet known. He was an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1961 batch from the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He was the cabinet secretary from 1996 to 1998. He was also the founder member and former Chancellor of the Shiv Nadar University. He had written a few books: “India at Turning Point: The Road to Good Governance”, “GovernMint In India: An Inside View” and “Journeys Through Babudom and Netaland: Governance in India”.

469. Manganlal Shah passed away after suffering from liver disease. Who was he? 1. Former MP 2. Former MLA 3. Former Chief Minister 4. Former Governor 5. Former Speaker Answer - 2. Former MLA Explanation : On 25th February 2018, Manganlal Shah, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, died after suffering from liver disease, at the Jolly Grant Medical College, in Dehradun. Manganlal Shah was a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Tharali. He had been getting treatment for liver disease at the Jolly Grant Medical College.

470. Who is the author of the book ‘Hari Singh Nalwa: Champion of the Khalsaji (1791-1837)’? 1. Dr Vanitha Nalwa 2. Dr Vanit Nalwa 3. Dr Lalit Nalwa 4. Dr Lalitha Nalwa 5. Dr Karan Nalwa Answer - 2. Dr Vanit Nalwa Explanation : Dr Vanit Nalwa presented her book ‘Hari Singh Nalwa: Champion of the Khalsaji (1791-1837)’ at National Archives of India, in Delhi. During the presentation of her book, Dr Vanit Nalwa, said that, Hari Singh Nalwa, a Sikh warrior who lived in the 19th century, got his surname after Maharaja Ranjit Singh said “wah mere Raja Nal, wah”. Maharaja Ranjit Singh said those words, as he compared Hari Singh’s bravery as a child with that of King Nal of Mahabharat. Other information related to Hari Singh Nalwa were also shared at the presentation. Dr Vanit Nalwa is a seventh generation descendant of Hari Singh. Hari Singh was born in 1791. He became a leader when he was 13 years. He led an army of 800 men. Dr Vanit Nalwa has written this book after 7 years of research.

471. In which state, Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti, launched the Swajal pilot project? 1. West Bengal 2. Odisha 3. Karnataka 4. Rajasthan 5. Maharashtra

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Answer - 4. Rajasthan Explanation : Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti, launched the Swajal pilot project at Village Bhikampura, in Rajasthan. Swajal is a community owned drinking water programme for sustained drinking water supply. 90% of the project cost will be provided by Central Government while remaining 10% of the project cost will be contributed by the local community. Budget of Rs. 54.17 lakh has been allocated for Swajal Project at Bhikampura. Bhikhampura village faces scarcity of drinking water and villagers have to walk at least 3 km to collect it. Under the Swajal Project, four reservoirs will be constructed in the village and common tap connection will be given to all the households. This project will not only ensure round the year availability of clean drinking water to every household in Bhikampura, but will also generate employment.

472. Which Indian city hosted the 2nd India-Korea Business Summit 2018? 1. Mumbai 2. Hyderabad 3. Dehradun 4. Pune 5. New Delhi Answer - 5. New Delhi Explanation : Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 2nd India-Korea Business Summit in New Delhi. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu and Minister of Electronics and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad, also addressed the summit. Theme of India-Korea Business Summit 2018 was "India-Korea: Scaling up the Special Strategic Relationship through Trade and Investments". The summit brought together top business leaders and the government officials from India and Korea to create the framework for an open and action-oriented dialogue. Discussions at the Summit focused on exploring opportunities in Infrastructure, Information Communication Technology, Power, Smart Cities and Manufacturing sectors. Over 200 business delegates, including representatives of leading Korean business conglomerates and Government officials participated in this Summit.

473. Where did the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) planned to setup “Indian Corners”, which will provide authentic reference material for students who wish to know more about our country? 1. At educational institutes abroad 2. At all IIM’s of India 3. At all IIT’s of India 4. All the above 5. None of the above Answer - 1. At educational institutes abroad Explanation : Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is planning to set up "India corners" at educational institutes abroad, which will provide authentic reference material for students who wish to know more about India. Union Ministry of External Affairs is in the process of identifying libraries in the institutes abroad where ‘India Corner’ can be set up. India corner will comprise a set of books carrying information on different aspects of India. Such books will be provided to the selected library by Ministry of External Affairs. Above stated information was provided by Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar while responding to questions under #Askthespokesperson series.

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474. Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, laid the foundation stone for National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC), at ______? 1. IIT Trichy 2. IIT Kharagpur 3. IIT Delhi 4. IIT Chennai 5. IIT Mumbai Answer - 4. IIT Chennai Explanation : Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, laid the foundation stone for National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC), at IIT Chennai. An MoU was signed between the Ministry of Shipping and IIT Chennai at the occasion. NTCPWC is set up under the Sagarmala programme of Ministry of Shipping. It will function as a technology arm of the Ministry of Shipping. NTCPWC will offer engineering and technological inputs and support for Ports, Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and other institutions. The cost for setting up NTCPWC is Rs 70.53 crore. This amount is shared by Ministry of Shipping, IWAI and the Major Ports. Ministry of Shipping will fund for development of facilities like Field Research Facility (FRF), Sedimentation and Erosion Management Test Basin and Ship/Tow Simulator.

475. Which state announced five lakh rupees health-cum-life insurance scheme for farmers in the state? 1. Andhra Pradesh 2. Kerala 3. Bihar 4. Punjab 5. Telangana Answer - 5. Telangana Explanation : Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced five lakh rupees health-cum-life insurance scheme for farmers in the state. Announcement in this regard was made by K Chandrasekhar Rao while addressing the regional conference of Farmers’ Coordination Committees in Karimnagar, Telanagana. Over 70 lakh farmers across Telangana will be covered under this scheme. In case of death of farmer, amount will be paid to families of farmers. Health insurance will be provided in case of hospitalisation. Entire premium for the insurance will be borne by the Telangana State Government. Rs. 500 crore has been allocated for implementation of this scheme.

476. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the exposure limit under exchange traded currency derivatives (ETCD) for residents and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to ______, across all currency pairs? 1. USD 50 million 2. USD 75 million 3. USD 100 million 4. USD 150 million 5. USD 200 million Answer - 3. USD 100 million Explanation : Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the exposure limit under exchange traded currency derivatives (ETCD) for residents and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to USD 100 million across all currency pairs. As of now, four currency pairs, viz. USD/INR, EUR/INR (Euro), GBP/INR (Great British Pound) and JPY/INR (Japanese Yen) are traded on Indian exchanges. This instrument is primarily used by Indian exporters and importers and foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to hedge their risk against currency

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price fluctuations. Earlier exposure limit set by RBI was USD 15 million for USD-INR contracts and USD 5 million for other currency pairs. Increasing exposure limit will help the participants to better manage their risk and will also improve the liquidity in the instrument.

477. Which bank has recently partnered with Celebrus Capital Ltd (Celebrus), to offer online equity trading and demat services to its customers? 1. Catholic Syrian Bank 2. Postal Payments Bank 3. Paytm Bank 4. Airtel Bank 5. None of these Answer - 1. Catholic Syrian Bank Ltd Explanation : Catholic Syrian Bank Ltd (CSB) has partnered with Celebrus Capital Ltd (Celebrus), to offer online equity trading and demat services to its customers.As per the terms of the tie-up, CSB’s customers will be able to open a Celebrus trading account free of cost. Besides, customers opening trading accounts will enjoy preferred rates on brokerage charges and Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC) on the demat account. The customers will be able to execute their trades through Celebrus’ mobile trading and investment platform – LEAP, which has been created in association with Thomson Reuters. Catholic Syrian Bank - Celebrus Capital tie-up envisages a seamless integration between deposits, demat and trading accounts.

478. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Ocean Rim Association's Regional Center for Science and Technology Transfer (IORA-RCSTT) has signed an MoU for designating Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) in which Indian city? 1. Lucknow 2. Allahabad 3. Ahmadabad 4. Chennai 5. Bangalore Answer - 1. Lucknow Explanation : Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Ocean Rim Association's Regional Center for Science and Technology Transfer (IORA-RCSTT) for designating Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) in Lucknow as the coordinating centre on medicinal plants. This MoU was signed by Anil Kumar Tripathi, the Director of CIMAP and A Sedrpousan Director of IORA-RCSTT, in Iran. As per the terms of the MoU, a database on the important medicinal plants, their value added products, related experts and industries of the IORA member states will be established at CIMAP. IORA is an association of 21 countries and 7 dialogue partners. ‘Medicinal plants’ is one of the 6 areas of cooperation identified by IORA.

479. Who was appointed the National Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan by the United Nations Development Programme? 1. Luis Figo 2. Samina Baig 3. Pedro Couch 4. Andrea Marin 5. Hagi Smiley Answer - 2. Samina Baig Explanation : On 26th February 2018, mountaineer Samina Baig was appointed the National Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Samina Baig is the first

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Pakistani woman who had climbed Mount Everest. As UNDP National Goodwill Ambassador for Pakistan, she will work towards creating awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the ones related to climate change, environmental protection, youth and women’s empowerment. Ambassador of Austria, Her Excellency Dr Brigitta Blaha, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Neil Buhne, and UNDP Pakistan Country Director, Ignacio Artaza attended the signing ceremony. Samina Baig was born in Gilgit-Baltistan. She became the first Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest at the age of 22 years.

480. Who was appointed the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Bihar? 1. S A Mariza 2. Kamila Milani 3. Jelena George 4. K S Dwivedi 5. Gavin Rajah Answer - 4. KS Dwivedi Explanation : KS Dwivedi has been named the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Bihar. KS Dwivedi will take charge as Director General of Police (DGP) of Bihar on 1st March 2018. He will replace PK Thakur. PK Thakur will retire from his post on 28th February 2018. KS Dwivedi is an Indian Police Service (IPS) Officer of 1984 batch. His current position is Director General (training) in Bihar. His appointment as DGP of Bihar was made by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

481. Which Space Organisation has started work on building igloos (referred to as lunar habitats) on the Moon? 1. NASA 2. CNES 3. ISRO 4. Roscosmos 5. JAXA Answer - 3. ISRO Explanation : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has started work on building igloos (referred to as lunar habitats) on the Moon. These lunar habitats will be built by sending robots and 3D printers to the Moon. It will be built from lunar soil and other material. Scientists, have already designed five prototypes of the lunar habitat. These lunar habitats will serve as outpost on the Moon just like the ones that have been built in Antarctica. Objective behind building lunar habitats is to help the astronauts to spend more time on the moon.

482. In which river basin, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Goa has discovered the methane gas flares and active cold seeps from the seabed? 1. Krishna Godavari basin 2. Bakra Beas basin 3. Mahanadi Godavari basin 4. Brahmani Baitarni basin 5. Pennar Cauvery basin Answer - 1. Krishna Godavari basin Explanation : CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Goa has announced the discovery of methane gas flares and active cold seeps from the seabed in the Krishna Godavari basin in the Bay of Bengal. The seep sites 161 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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discovered by CSIR-NIO are distributed over a water depth of 900 metres to 1,900 metres. High concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, calcium carbonate, unique faunal groups and shallow presence of methane hydrates has been found at these sites. Gas hydrates are a potential source of alternate energy. Research is being conducted to establish the economic feasibility of commercial gas extraction from cold seeps.

483. Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced new facilities to link Universal Account Number (UAN) with Aadhaar through ______app? 1. Aadhaar Mobile App 2. UIDAI Mobile App 3. UMANG Mobile App 4. UAN Mobile App 5. EPFO Mobile App Answer - 3. UMANG Mobile App Explanation : Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced new facilities to link Universal Account Number (UAN) with Aadhaar. Now UAN can be linked with Aadhaar through EPFO Link in UMANG Mobile App. This has been introduced in addition to the existing facility available at EPFO’s website: www.epfindia.gov.in >> Online Services >> e-KYC Portal>> LINK UAN AADHAAR. A new feature to link UAN with Aadhaar online, using biometric credentials has been added to the facility in the e-KYC Portal. EPFO has also introduced e-Nomination facility for filing nomination form by members. This facility is offered at Member Interface of EPFO Unified Portal (https://unifiedportal- mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/). Members who have activated and Aadhaar seeded UAN, can utilise this facility. This facility is independent from employer. This will soon be made available on UMANG app also.

484. Name the lake that has become the single largest habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world? 1. Pulicat 2. Loktak Lake 3. Wular Lake 4. Chilika Lake 5. Dal Lake Answer - 4. Chilika Lake Explanation : Chilika Lake in Odisha has become the single largest habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world. A Chilika Development Authority (CDA) official said that, 155 Irrawaddy dolphins have been identified in the Chilika Lake. This information has been provided based on the preliminary report of the first 'Annual Monitoring' of the Chilika Lake conducted recently. The 'Annual Monitoring' was performed to count the number of marine mammals and to analyse the hydrological impacts of removal of pen culture.

485. Who won the IDBI Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon 2018 title in the women’s category and thereby retained the title she won last year? 1. Nitendra Rawat 2. Monika Athare 3. Jyoti Gawte 4. Monica Raut 5. Bipasha Jain Answer - 2. Monika Athare Explanation : Gopi Thonakal and Monika Athare won titles in the men’s and women’s category respectively, at the IDBI Federal Life Insurance New Delhi Marathon and retained the titles they won last year. Gopi Thonakal finished in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 16 seconds and won the title in men’s category. But he

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missed qualification for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, for which the Athletics Federation of India has set a 2:12:50 qualification standard. Nitendra Singh Rawat finished second in 2:24:55 and Bahadur Singh Dhoni finished third in 2:24:56 among men. In the women's category, Monika Athare won the title with a timing of 2:43:46. She was followed by Jyoti Gawte in second position with 2:50:12 and Monica Raut in the third position with 2:55:02. The marathon was flagged off at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium by Sachin Tendulkar. Nearly 65 elite Indian athletes participated in the full marathon of 42.195 km.

486. Kanakalata Mohanty recently passed away. Who was she? 1. Writer 2. Singer 3. Dancer 4. Actor 5. Athlete Answer - 1. Writer Explanation : Odia writer Kanakalata Mohanty passed away after suffering from old age related ailments at a private hospital in Odisha. Kanakalata Mohanty was 82 years old. She has authored 12 novels and over 100 short stories. Her important novels are Ete Andhara, Kete Jwala and Anuradha. She was associated with the All India Radio as a lyricist. She sang devotional songs and was also a popular speaker on Odia language.

487. Prabodh Panda died recently due to heart attack at his residence. He was the former MP and State Secretary of which state? 1. Rajasthan 2. Bihar 3. Haryana 4. West Bengal 5. Gujarat Answer - 4. West Bengal Explanation : Prabodh Panda, former MP and State Secretary of West Bengal for Communist Party of India (CPI), died due to heart attack, at his residence in Kolkata. Prabodh Panda was 72 years old. He served as national President of the All India Kisan Sabha. He was a three-time MP from Midnapore. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2001. Then he was re-elected in 2004 and 2009

488. What is the sum allocated by a high level committee chaired by Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, for nine states which suffered from natural calamities during 2017-18? 1. Rs 4000 crore 2. Rs 4500 crore 3. Rs 5000 crore 4. Rs 5500 crore 5. Rs 6000 crore Answer - 5. Rs 6000 crore Explanation : On February 26, 2018, a high level committee chaired by Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh approved a central assistance of around Rs 6000 crore for nine states which suffered from natural calamities during 2017-18. Central assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) amounting to Rs 1055.05 crore for Gujarat, Rs 420.69 crore for Uttar Pradesh, Rs 420.57 crore for Rajasthan and Rs 838.85 crore for West Bengal has been approved by the committee. All these states were affected by floods during 2017-18. The committee has approved assistance of Rs 1711.66 crore for Bihar, which too was affected by floods during 2017-18. Assistance of Rs 169.63 crore has been approved for Kerala, which was affected by cyclone Ockhi while Rs 133.05 crore has been approved for

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Tamil Nadu which too was affected by cyclone Ockhi and North East Monsoon. Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, which were affected by kharif drought, will receive central assistance of Rs 395.91 crore and Rs 836.09 crore respectively.

489. How many Champion Services Sectors were approved by the Union Cabinet to give focused attention for promoting their development and realising their potential? 1. 10 2. 12 3. 14 4. 16 5. 18 Answer - 2. 12 Explanation : Union Cabinet approved the Commerce Ministry’s proposal to give focused attention to 12 identified Champion Services Sectors for promoting their development and realising their potential. Focused attention on select Service Sector is necessary as services sector as a whole contributes significantly to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), exports and job creation. For this purpose, a dedicated fund of Rs 5000-crore has been set up to support initiatives for sectoral Action Plans of the Champion Sectors. By deploying this fund for various initiatives, productivity and competitiveness of the Champion Service Sectors will increase which will eventually boost exports from these sectors.

490. In which Indian city, the Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre was launched recently? 1. Mumbai 2. Chandigarh 3. Allahabad 4. Gandhinagar 5. Baroda Answer - 2. Chandigarh Explanation : Union Civil Aviation Minister, P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurated a one-of-its-kind aviation multi skill development centre in Chandigarh. This aviation multi skill development centre in Chandigarh is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of Airports Authority of India (AAI) and has been set up by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and the Aerospace and Aviation Sector Skill Council of India. It is equipped with modern training infrastructure to supplement an industry- relevant course curriculum. Over the next three years, the centre will train (free of cost) nearly 2300 students in eight aviation job roles.

491. India's first defence industrial ‘Quad’ (quadrilateral corridor) will link chennai with how many other cities of Tamil Nadu, to promote industries manufacturing weapons and military equipments? 1. 4 2. 5 3. 6 4. 7 5. 8 Answer - 1. 4 Explanation : Union Defence Ministry has started the process to set up India's first defence industrial ‘Quad’ (quadrilateral corridor) linking Chennai with four other cities of Tamil Nadu to promote industries manufacturing weapons and military equipments. 'Quad' project in Tamil Nadu will connect Chennai with Hosur, Coimbatore, Salem and Tiruchirappalli. Officials from Defence Ministry along with representatives from defence PSUs - Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Bharat Electronics Ltd. and Bharat Earth Movers - will soon start interactions with defence manufacturers in Coimbatore, Salem, Chennai

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and Tiruchirappalli to take their views on the proposed Quad in Tamil Nadu. As announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the other defence industrial corridor will come up in the Bundelkhand region which shall bring an investment of Rs 20000 crore.

492. Which State Cabinet approved a proposal to bring in legislation for awarding death penalty to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 years or less? 1. Punjab 2. Maharashtra 3. Haryana 4. Karnataka 5. Kerala Answer - 3. Haryana Explanation : Haryana State Cabinet approved a proposal to bring in legislation for awarding death penalty to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 years or less. This decision was taken at Haryana State Cabinet Meeting chaired by Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar. As per the new legislation, individual/s found guilty of rape or gang rape of a girl up to 12 years of age, will be punished with death sentence or rigorous imprisonment of not less than 14 years which may extend to imprisonment for life, that is for remainder period of person’s natural life. The proposal that has been approved, also contains several amendments in existing criminal laws related to sexual offences. The amendments seek harsher punishments for sexual offences.

493. ‘SRIJAN’ is related to which of the following? 1. Indian Airways 2. ISRO 3. Indian National Congress 4. Indian Railways 5. Indian Army Answer - 4. Indian Railways Explanation : On 26th January 2018, ‘SRIJAN’ (Station Rejuvenation through Joint Action), an idea competition, in a move to redevelop nearly 600 major railway stations in India, was announced at MyGov portal. SRIJAN (Station Rejuvenation through Joint Action) was launched by Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Limited (IRSDC). All classes of people from railway passengers to architects, urban planners, engineers can submit their ideas. Last date for submission is 26 March 2018. Railway Ministry has announced that, the winners will be awarded certificates and good ideas will be considered for implementation in the redevelopment plans for stations. IRSDC has also launched competitions for logo and tagline at the MyGov portal. Winners of logo and tagline competitions will be awarded Rs 75,000 each. Last date of submission for logo and tagline competitions is also March 26, 2018.

494. What is the position of India on Inclusive Internet Index 2018? 1. 45th 2. 47th 3. 50th 4. 55th 5. 70th Answer - 2. 47th Explanation : India has ranked 47th out of 86 countries on Inclusive Internet Index 2018. This year’s ranking marks a drop of 11 spots as compared 36th rank in 2017. Inclusive Internet Index is commissioned by Facebook and is conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Inclusive Internet Index 2018 assesses the performance of countries in four categories of inclusion viz. Accessibility, Affordability, Relevance and

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Readiness. It covers 91% of world population residing in 86 countries.

495. Which city hosted the seventh meeting of Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal-India relations 2018? 1. Pokhara 2. Kathmandu 3. Mumbai 4. Kolkata 5. Banaglore Answer - 2. Kathmandu Explanation : On 24th and 25th February 2018, the seventh meeting of Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal-India relations was held in Kathmandu, Nepal. Issues like the 1950 Peace and Friendship treaty, trade, environment, border and hydropower were discussed in the meeting. Nepal coordinator of EPG Dr Bhekh Bahadur Thapa said that, a positive report on the issues discussed in the meeting will be submitted in a few months. EPG’s next meeting will be conducted in New Delhi. After the meeting, Dr Bhekh Bahadur Thapa and India coordinator of EPG Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said that, a report is being prepared to take bilateral relations to the next level.

496. Moody’s Investors Service has stated that India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to grow at _____% in the calendar year 2018? 1. 6.4% 2. 6.9% 3. 7.2% 4. 7.6% 5. 7.9% Answer - 4. 7.6% Explanation : Moody’s Investors Service has stated that India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to grow at 7.6% in the calendar year 2018. Moody’s has outlined that Indian economy has started to recover from the negative impact of demonetisation in November 2016 and disruption caused by Goods and Services tax (GST) roll out in July 2017. Moody’s expects that sentiment in Indian economy will improve on account of measures to stabilise rural economy (announced in Union Budget 2018) and public sector bank recapitalisation plan. For calendar year 2019, Moody’s has estimated that Indian economy will grow at 7.5%. In 2018, G20 economies will collectively grow at 3.4 %, up from prior forecasts of 3.2 %.

497. In a bid to become a paperless organisation, Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has made it mandatory to file online claims for provident fund (PF) withdrawals above Rs ______. 1. 25 lakh 2. 20 lakh 3. 15 lakh 4. 10 lakh 5. 5 lakh Answer - 4. 10 lakh Explanation : In a bid to become a paperless organisation, Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has made it mandatory to file online claims for provident fund (PF) withdrawals above Rs 10 lakh. Online claims for withdrawals of above Rs 5 lakh under the Employees Pension Scheme 1995 has also been made 166 | Page Follow Us - FB.com/AffairsCloudOfficialPage Copyright 2018 @ AffairsCloud.Com

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mandatory. Claims of only those subscribers will be processed, who have an active universal account number (UAN). Besides, bank account of the subscriber has to be linked and verified in the system before claim settlement. EPFO currently has more than 5 crore subscribers and manages a corpus of over Rs 10 lakh crore.

498. Who won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and Comeback of the Year awards at the 2018 Laureus World Sports Awards, in Monaco? 1. Francesco Totti 2. J. J. Watt 3. Armel Le Cleac'h 4. Marcel Hug 5. Roger Federer Answer - 5. Roger Federer Explanation : Swiss tennis star Roger Federer won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year and Comeback of the Year awards at the 2018 Laureus World Sports Awards, in Monaco. Roger Federer had won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles in 2017. Serena Williams bagged the World Sportswoman of the Year award. She had won her 23rd grand slam in 2017.

499. Who was appointed the Group Chief Risk Officer of Punjab National Bank (PNB)? 1. A K Pradhan 2. R K Narayanan 3. Jeevi Prakash 4. Gladston Nicho 5. Albert Rajhu Answer - 1. A K Pradhan Explanation : A K Pradhan has been appointed as the Group Chief Risk Officer of Punjab National Bank (PNB). Mr. Pradhan was earlier holding the post of a General Manager. Although the functions and responsibilities of the Group Chief Risk Officer have not been disclosed by PNB, the decision for this appointment seems to be in wake of Rs 12700 crore fraud unearthed at one its branches. In response to the PNB fraud, Union Finance Ministry has asked all the state-owned banks to scrutinise all their non-performing accounts (NPAs) of over Rs 50 crore for possible fraud and report it Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Besides, state-owned banks have also been asked to come up with a pre-emptive risk mitigation action plan within 15 days to check recurrence of frauds.

500. Additional Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathi has been appointed as the new chief secretary of which state? 1. Bihar 2. Assam 3. Jharkhand 4. Punjab 5. GOA Answer - 3. Jharkhand Explanation : Additional Chief Secretary Sudhir Tripathi has been made the new chief secretary of Jharkhand. Sudhir Tripathy replaces Rajbala Verma as Jharkhand Chief Secretary. Rajbala Verma retired from his position on 28th February 2018. Sudhir Tripathy is a 1985 batch IAS (Indian Administrative Service) Officer. He was the Additional Chief Secretary in the state health department.

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501. Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has developed a multivendor e-commerce website and mobile app named ______to help fishermen sell their products and marine catch directly to the customers. 1. Fishcatch 2. Fishsales 3. Marinefisheries 4. Marinefishsales 5. Marinefishcatch Answer - 4. Marinefishsales Explanation : Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has developed a multivendor e-commerce website and mobile app named ‘marinefishsales’ to help fishermen sell their products and marine catch directly to the customers. The website and mobile app were developed under the National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project of CMFRI. This has been done in a move to increase the income of coastal community. CMFRI acts as an administrator for the multi-vendors and consumers interacting through the portal. Fishermen and fish farmers who are willing to sell their products online can form Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and register on the platform. The vendor profiles, order status and sales will be monitored by CMFRI. The SHGs can update their stock availability and this will be displayed on both the website and the app.

502. J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, launched the ‘‘Viral Load testing for all People Living with ______disease?” 1. Cancer 2. HIV/AIDS 3. Sclerosis 4. Asthma 5. Arthritis Answer - 2. HIV/AIDS Explanation : J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, launched the ‘‘Viral Load testing for all People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV),” initiative. This initiative will offer free of cost viral load testing for 12 lakh people living with HIV/AIDS on treatment in India at least once a year. J P Nadda said that, regular viral load testing will improve utilization of 1st line regimens. This in turn will prevent drug resistance and increase the life time of people living with HIV. He also launched the National Guidelines for HIV-1 Viral Load Laboratory Testing, National Operational Guidelines for Viral Load Testing, Standard Operating Procedure for HIV-1 Quant Assay with CBNAAT and Guidelines on Quality Monitoring System for Outsourced Viral Load Tests.

503. Penny Vincenzi recently passed away. Who was she? 1. Journalist 2. Novelist 3. Guitarist 4. Violinist 5. Golfer Answer - 2. Novelist Explanation : Penny Vincenzi, a popular British novelist, passed away. Penny Vincenzi was 78 years old. Cause of her death and other details were not revealed. She started her career as a journalist. In 1989, she published her first novel "Old Sins". She has published nearly 17 novels and two story collections. In 2017, she published her last book "A Question of Trust".

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504. Kanchi acharya Sri Jayendra Saraswathi died after suffering from breathing problems, at a hospital in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. Who was she? 1. Lawyer 2. Dietician 3. Golfer 4. Spinner 5. Spiritual Leader Answer - 5. Spiritual Leader Explanation : Kanchi acharya Sri Jayendra Saraswathi died after suffering from breathing problems, at a hospital in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. Jayendra Saraswathi was 82 years old. He was the 69th head of the Kanchi mutt. He was considered one of the most influential spiritual leaders of his time. He was born in Irulneeki village of Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu in 1935. He became the head of the Kanchi mutt in 1994.

505. On 28th February 2018, S Ratnavel Pandian, former Supreme Court judge, died following a short term illness in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He served as the acting Chief Justice of which court? 1. Delhi High Court 2. Madras High Court 3. Bombay High Court 4. Calcutta High Court 5. Gujarat High Court Answer - 2. Madras High Court Explanation : On 28th February 2018, S Ratnavel Pandian, former Supreme Court judge, died following a short term illness in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. S Ratnavel Pandian was 89 years old. He was Supreme Court judge in the 1988 to 1994 period. After his retirement from Supreme Court, he served as chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes. He hailed from Thirupadaimarudur village in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. He was born on 13 February 1929. He was an advocate for 17 years. In 1971, he was appointed State Public Prosecutor in the High Court of Madras. In 1974, he was promoted as a judge. He served as the acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court twice.

506. When is the National Science Day celebrated all over India? 1. 25th February 2. 26th February 3. 27th February 4. 28th February 5. 29th February Answer - 4. 28th February Explanation : On 28th February 2018, National Science Day was celebrated all over India. National Science Day is celebrated all over India every year, to mark the discovery of the Raman effect by Indian physicist Sir CV Raman on 28th February 1928. Sir CV Raman was honoured with the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930. Raman effect denotes the inelastic scattering of a photon by molecules which are excited to higher vibrational or rotational energy levels. National Science Day was first celebrated on 28 February 1987. National Science Day is celebrated to highlight the importance of science in daily life. On this day, students and research institutes display their science and research projects. The theme for National Science Day 2018 is"Science and Technology for a sustainable future."

Current Affairs Q & A PDF

STATIC GK based on Current Affairs

1. What is the capital of Punjab? Chandigarh

2. Jim Corbett National Park is in which state? Uttarakhand

3. Which is the capital city of Rwanda? Kigali; Currency – Rwandan franc

4. Central Statistics Office (CSO) functions under which Ministry? Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation

5. Who is the Director General of Indian Coastal Guard? Rajendra Singh

6. What is the capital of UAE? Abu Dhabi; Currency – UAE dirham

7. When was National Security Guard (NSG) formed? 1984

8. What is the capital of Romania? Bucharest

9. When and by whom, the First Union budget of independent India was presented? November 26, 1947 by K. Shanmukham Chetty

10. Who is the present chief minister of Uttar Pradesh? Yogi Adityanath

11. Who is the Current Governor of Maharashtra? C. Vidyasagar Rao

12. Which is the capital city of Assam? Dispur

13. Who is the present Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh? Yogi Adityanath

14. Which city is referred as the Northern Powerhouse of Britain? Manchester

15. Where is the head office of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) located? Noida, Uttar Pradesh

16. In which year NABARD was established? 1982

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17. Where is the headquarters of Atomic Energy Commission of India located? Mumbai

18. River Sal is in which state? Goa

19. In year PAN Card was first issued? 1964

20. Who is the chief justice of India? Justice Dipak Misra

21. What is the currency of Japan? Japanese Yen

22. Where is the headquarters of International Golf Federation located at? Lausanne, Switzerland

23. Who is the present chief minister of Maharashtra? Devendra Fadnavis

24. Where is Agatti Airport located? Lakshadweep Islands

25. In which year National Solar Mission was launched? 2010

26. Which is the capital city of Sweden? Stockholm

27. What is the currency of Cyprus? Euro; Capital-Nicosia

28. Where is the headquarters of Capgemini located? Paris, France

29. Which is the Parent Organisation of Google? Alphabet Inc

30. Which is the Capital of Nepal? Kathmandu

31. Where is Atapaka Bird Sanctuary located? Kolleru Lake, Andhra Pradesh

32. Where is the Headquarters of Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System located? Washington, D.C

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33. Who is the Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)? Dr S Christopher

34. When was Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) formed? 1974

35. Kaziranga National Park is in which state? Assam

36. Who is the Governor of Maharashtra? Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao

37. What is the current Repo and Reverse Repo rate? Repo 6%; Reverse Repo rate 5.75%

38. When was Startup India Initiative launched? January 2016

39. Which is the capital city of Tunisia? Tunis

40. Hilltop Kamakhya Temple is in which state? Assam

41. Who is the chairman of Paytm? Vijay Shekhar Sharma

42. In which state, Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary is located? Kerala

43. Who is the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS)? Admiral Sunil Lanba

44. Who is the CEO of IndusInd Bank? Romesh Sobti

45. Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) was established by? Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

46. Silent Valley National Park is in which state? Kerala

47. Who is the chairman of Indian Banks' Association (IBA)? Usha Ananthasubramanian

48. What are the Neighbouring Countries of Saudi Arabia? Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen

49. Gokarnanatheshwara Temple is in which state? Karnataka

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50. When is Unani Day celebrated in India? 11th February

51. Who is the Current MD & CEO of Punjab National Bank? Sunil Mehta

52. What is the Tagline of HDFC Bank? ‘We Undertand Your World’

53. Where is the headquarters of International Cricket Council (ICC) located at? Dubai

54. SBI was renamed in the year? 1955

55. Who is the Union Minister of Railways? Piyush Goyal

56. Which is the wealthiest city in the world? New York

57. Papikonda National Park is in which state? Andhra Pradesh

58. Which is the smallest country in the world? Vatican City (Holy See)

59. When is National Youth day celebrated? January 12

60. What are the Top five states where maximum forest cover has increased since 2015? Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Telanagana

61. What is the capital of Oman? Muscat

62. What is the currency of UAE? UAE dirham

63. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a project for the construction of the first Hindu temple in ______? Abu Dhabi

64. In which year the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) was established? 1974

65. Who is the youngest Chief Minister in India? Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu (age 35 years)

66. Mundra Port is in which state? Gujarat

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67. Who is the Current MD & CEO of Bank of Baroda? P. S. Jayakumar

68. What are the currencies of Russia? Russian ruble, Ruble sign

69. Who is the Minister of Agriculture? Radha Mohan Singh

70. Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary is in which state? Maharashtra

71. Indian National Congress was formed in the year? 1885

72. Which state has shown the maximum increase in forest cover since 2015? Andhra Pradesh

73. Roscosmos is which country’s space station? Russia

74. Who is the current chairman & MD of NTPC? Gurdeep Singh

75. Who is the Current President of New Development Bank (NDB)? K V Kamath

76. Kalinga Stadium is in which state? Odisha

77. Who is the President of African National Congress (ANC)? Cyril Ramaphosa

78. Which is the capital city of Chhattisgarh? Naya Raipur

79. What is the currency of Afghanistan? Afghani; Capital – Kabul

80. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) was established in the year? 1974

81. What is the capital of Madhya Pradesh? Bhopal

82. Who is the Current Chairman of NABARD? Dr. Harsh Kumar Bhanwala

83. What is the capital of Ethiopia? Addis Ababa

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84. What is the Tagline of Indian Overseas Bank? “Good People to Grow With”

85. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was formed in the year? 1969

86. Where is the headquarters of ONGC located? Dehradun, Uttarakhand

87. Who is the Current MD & CEO of City Union Bank? Dr. N. Kamakodi

88. How many island are in Tongo? 169 islands. 36 inhabited.

89. Kaziranga National Park is in which state? Assam

90. Who is the Director General of India Meteorological Department (IMD)? Dr. K.J. Ramesh

91. Amazon was founded in the year? 1994

92. What is the Capital of Fuji? Suva; Currency – Fijian dollar

93. Who is the Governor of Assam? Jagdish Mukhi

94. Silent Valley National Park is in which state? Kerala

95. Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park is in which state? Telangana

96. Gangapur Dam is built in which river? Godavari River

97. Who is the Current Chairman of ISRO? K. Siva

98. “Badhti ka naam zindagi” is the tagline of which bank? Axis Bank

99. Which is the Capital city of Singapore? Singapore (city-state)

100. Who is the president of Pakistan? Mamnoon Hussain

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101. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) was formed in the year? 1965

102. Which is the Capital city of Indonesia? Jakarta

103. Mahavir Swami Sanctuary is in which state? Uttar Pradesh

104. Who is the speaker of Lok Sabha? Sumitra Mahajan

105. Headquarters of UNESCO is in? Paris, France

106. Solaiyar Dam is in which state? Kerala

107. Dhurwara Dam is built across which river? Betwa River

108. Who is the chairman of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)? Prime Minister

109. Who is the MD & CEO of Canara Bank? Rakesh Sharma

110. Anamalai Tiger Reserve is in which state? Tamil Nadu

111. Where is Asutosh Museum of Indian Art located at? Kolkata

112. Who is the Current Governor of Odisha? S.C. Jamir

113. What are the top5 Least Corrupt Countries in the world? New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland

114. Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is in which state? Arunachal Pradesh

115. Which is the capital city of Taiwan? Taipei

116. Where is the headquarters of Asian Development Bank located? Manila, Philippines

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117. Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is in which state? Assam

118. ‘Your Perfect Banking Partner’ is the Tagline of which bank? Federal Bank

119. What is the capital of Uzbekistan? Tashkent; Currency – Uzbekistani so’m

120. Electoral Bonds can be purchased from which four main branches of State Bank of India, starting from March 1, 2018 for a period of 10 days? Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi

121. Which is the capital city of Seychelles? Victoria; Currency – Seychellois rupee

122. Where is the headquarters of UIDAI located? New Delhi

123. Dachigam National Park is in which state? Jammu Kashmir

124. Who is the Managing Director & CEO of Vodafone? Sunil Sood

125. Who is the Current Chairman of NHRC? H. L. Dattu

126. Who is the chairman of Central Board of Excise and Customs? Mrs. Vanaja N. Sarna

127. Where is the headquarters of IUCN located? Gland VD, Switzerland

128. DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) was formed in the year? 1958

129. Who is the Current CEO of Microsoft? Satya Nadella

130. Mudumalai National Park is in which state? Tamil Nadu

131. Name the airport in Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Veer Savarkar International Airport

132. What is the capital of Mongolia? Ulan Bator

133. Feroz Shah Kotla Ground is in which state? Delhi

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134. Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary is in which state? Uttarakhand

135. Headquarters of Dhanlaxmi Bank is located at? Thrissur, Kerala

136. Google Tez Mobile App is available in which all languages? English, Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi and Tamil

137. Headquarters of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is located at? Beijing, China

138. Who is the General Secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI)? S. Sudhakar Reddy

139. Hirakud Dam is built in which river? Mahanadi River

140. Who is the present MD & CEO of IDBI Bank? Mr. Mahesh Kumar Jain

141. Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (GSWS) in Tamil Nadu is also known as? Srivilliputhur Wildlife Sanctuary

142. Where is the headquarters of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) located? Kochi, Kerala

143. “The name you can bank upon” is the tagline of which bank? Punjab National Bank

144. Name the top5 countries in Inclusive Internet Index 2018? Sweden, Singapore, US, Denmark, South Korea

145. Who is the Current Chief Minister of Haryana? Manohar Lal Khattar