Important Current Affairs > Jan to March 2024 > Flashcards

Jan to March 2024 Flashcards

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1
Q

Union Ministers Parshottam Rupala and Sarabnanda Sonowal laid the foundation laid the foundation stone for the modernisation and development of which port in Jan with an estimated cost of ₹108.9 crore under the Sagarmala project?

A

Paradip port, Odisha

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2
Q

What is the name of India’s first food street launched by the Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in Jan and it was launched in which place?

What is the financial assistance provided under the “Food Street” initiative?

The “Food Street” initiative is implemented through which entities?

A

Ans-
* “Prasadam” was the first among 100 Food Streets launched in Maha Lok in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh under the “Food Streets” initiative which aims to establish 100 Food Streets in 100 districts to encourage safe and healthy food practices among food businesses and reduce foodborne illness and improve overall health outcomes.

  • A financial assistance of ₹1 crore per Food Street is provided under the National Health Mission (NHM) to states and UTs. The assistance will be provided will be shared between the Centre and State in the ratio of 60:40 or 90:10 with the condition that standard branding of these street foods will be done as per FSSAI guidelines.
  • It is implemented through the National Health Mission (NHM) in convergence with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and with technical support from the FSSAI
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3
Q

The approval of opening 2000 Jan Aushadi Kendras was given to which type of entity in Jan 2024?

A

PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies). Jan Aushadi Kendras were mostly located in urban areas, benefiting the urban poor. But Now through PACS affordable generic medicines will be available to rural poor as well.

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4
Q

The Ministry of Coal aims to produce approximately ___Mt (million tonne) coal exclusively through Captive/Commercial coal mines during FY2024-25?

A

186 Million Tonne

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5
Q

Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry inaugurated the “Indus Food 2024” exhibition in which place to showcase India’s diverse and vibrant food ecosystem?

At the “Indus Food” event Piyush Goyal highlighted the ___% growth in processed food export over the last 9 years?

Piyush Goyal highlighted that India’s agricultural food exports stood at an aggregate of about ____USD?

A

Ans-
* Noida, Delhi

  • 150% growth over the last 9 years
  • 53 billion USD
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6
Q

The ___edition of the “Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit” was held in Jan 2024 with 34 partner countries and 16 partner organisations?

What was the theme of the summit?

Which ministry used the summit to showcase investment opportunities?

A

Ans-
* 10th edition

  • “Gateway to the Future”
  • The Ministry of Development of Northeast Region (MDoNER) used the summit to showcase investment opportunities in the northeastern region
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7
Q

What was the theme of the Startup India Innovation Week 2024 held at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit?

A

“Startups Unlocking Infinite Potential”

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8
Q

Where was the regional conference on e-governance organised by the DARPG (Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances) held in Jan?

Valedictory sessions on day 2 included discussions on the National E-governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA), what is NeSDA?

A

Ans-
* Guwahati, Assam

  • The NeSDA (National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment) is an assessment framework developed by DARPG, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension to assess the e-governance services provided by states, UTs and selected central ministries based on several parameters. The survey is conducted every 2 years by DARPG
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9
Q

The phase 12 of the “Sagar Parikrama” was led in which place by Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, minister of fisheries, animal husbandry & Dairying?

Projects worth approximately ₹____were sanctioned under the PMMSY and approximately ______KCC (Kisan Credit Card) has been distributed to beneficiaries?

A

Ans-
* West Bengal

  • Projects worth approximately ₹450 crore worth sanctioned and 16000 KCC were distributed during the whole journey of “Sagar Parikrama”.

“Sagar Parikrama” is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying in March 2022 to boost the fisheries sector of India. In Sagar Parikrama, There is an interaction with delegates and farmers from the fisheries sector in the coastal belt of India to understand their challenges, share information about welfare schemes and address concerns related to fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying. The first phase of Sagar Parikrama was held in Gujarat.

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10
Q

Union Minister Sarabnanda Sonowal laid the foundation stone for the Regional Research Institute of Homeopathy and an Integrated Health & Wellness Centre in which place in Jan with an approximate cost of ₹54 crore?

A
  • Guwahati, Assam
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11
Q

“Indian of the Year Award” in the category of “Outstanding Achievement” for 2023 was given to which entity by Union Minister Jitendra Singh?

A

ISRO

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12
Q

India Post Payment Bank (IPPB) signed an MoU with which company under its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative to provide financial inclusion services in rural Rajasthan such as account opening, long-term savings and investment schemes and pension products?

A

Hindustan Zinc, a subsidiary of Vedanta Group

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13
Q

Defence Mantri Rajnath Singh approved an Insurance scheme for Casual Paid Labourers (CPLs) engaged by the BRO (Border Road Organisation) in difficult terrains and harsh weather conditions. The life insurance amount will be ₹______?

A

₹10 lakhs

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14
Q

The first ever “Beach Games 2024” was held in which place?

Which state topped the medal tally?

A

Ans-
* Diu island

  • Madhya Pradesh topped the medal tally with 18 medals, followed by Maharashtra with 14 medals
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15
Q

PM Modi inaugurated Atal Bridge, India’s longest sea bridge spanning ____km in 6 lanes from ____ to ____with a project cost of ₹17843 crore and capacity of 70000 vehicles per day?

A

21.8 Km from Sewri to Chirle. It will enhance connectivity from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai, Pune, Goa and South India

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16
Q

Who was appointed as the chairman of the 16th Finance Commission?

Who was appointed as the secretary of the 16th Finance Commission?

Finance Commission is constituted under which article of the Constitution of India and it makes recommendations on which matters?

A

An-
* Dr Arvind Panagariya

  • Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey
  • It is constituted under Article 280 of the Constitution of India and it makes recommendations on the following matters
  • Distribution of net tax proceeds between the Centre and the State
  • Grant-in-aid to be paid to states for their revenues under Article 275 of the Constitution
  • Suggests measures needed to augment the resources of Panchayats and Municipalities based on recommendations by the Finance Commissions of different states
  • To make recommendations related to funds allocated for Disaster Management under the Disaster Management Act, 2005
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17
Q

The FIH Hockey5s World Cup will be held in which place in Jan?

Who will lead India’s men’s and women’s Hockey Teams respectively?

A

Ans-
* Muscat, Oman

  • Men’s Team- Simranjeet Singh
    Women’s Team- Rajni Etimarpu
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18
Q

India’s first Steel Slag road was inaugurated by NITI Ayog in which national highway and Steel Slag technology was developed by which entity?

A

It was inaugurated at NH-66 of the Mumbai-Goa National Highway. The Steel Slag technology for road construction was developed by CSIR-CRRI (CSIR-Central Road Research Institute)

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19
Q

PM-JAY (PM-Jan Arogya Yojana) crossed the milestone of issuing more than 30 crore Ayushman Cards on 12 Jan 2024. Which were the top 3 states where most Ayushman cards were issued?

A

Rank 1-UP (4.8 crore), Rank 2-Madhya Pradesh (3.8 crore), Rank 3-Maharashtra (2.4 crore)

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20
Q

Union Minister Jitendra Singh launched an AI-based Telemedicine Mobile Clinic “Arogya Doctors on Wheels” in which place in Jan which provides AI-based consultation and provides doctor’s prescriptions within 40 minutes?

A

Udhampur district, J&K

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21
Q

India International Science Festival (IISF) organized a science literature festival “Vigyanika” in which place to showcase India’s scientific achievements and formulate effective strategies for science and technology communication?

What was the theme of the festival?

A

Ans-
* Haryana

  • “Science & Technology Public Outreach in India”
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22
Q

According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoCI) India’s overall exports (Merchandise+Services) were estimated to be ____billion USD and overall imports were estimated at _____billion USD in Dec 2023 which showed a negative growth of 4.25% and 7.18% respectively from the previous year, Same month?

A

Overall Exports- 66.33 billion USD

Overall Imports- 71.5 billion USD in Dec 2023

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23
Q

PM Modi in Jan released the first instalment to 1 lakh beneficiaries of PMAY-Gramin under the PM JANMAN, where PVTGs will receive ₹____for building pucca houses along with other benefits such as electricity, gas connection, water & sanitation etc?

A
  • PVTGs will receive ₹2.5 lakhs for building pucca houses and other benefits
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24
Q

Which company from India signed an agreement with Argentina for the exploration and development of lithium reserves in Argentina?

The exploration and development of lithium will be done in _____provice of Argentina, where 5 Lithium brine blocks will be explored covering an area of about 15703 hectares?

What is the approximate project cost of the project?

A

Ans-
* Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL). It is a joint venture company of NALCO (National Aluminium Company), HCL (Hindustan Copper Limited) and MECL (Mineral Exploration & Consultancy Limited) formed in 2019 to identify, explore and process minerals from overseas for use in India.

  • Catamarca province
  • Approximately ₹200 crores
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25
According to the Ministry of Power's new rules for ease of doing business and facilitate energy transition for industries like Green Hydrogen manufacturers, companies with what load will be exempt from licensing in Inter-State and Intra-State transmission respectively?
Companies with a load of at least 25 MW for inter-state transmission and at least 10 MW for intra-state transmission will be exempt from taking a licence
26
According to the findings of the discussion paper on “Multidimensional Poverty in India since 2005-06” released by NITI Ayog in Jan, answer the following questions- a) _____people escaped Multidimensional Poverty in India in the last 9 years, a decrease from 29.17% in 2013-14 to ____% in 2022-23?? B) Which states registered the highest decline in Multidimensional Poverty in the last 9 years? C) The Multidimensional Poverty Index which is released by the UNDP and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), is based on ____dimensions and _____number of indicators? D) According to the index, a person is considered multidimensionally poor if he or she is deprived of at least ____fraction of the weighted indicators mentioned in the index?
Ans- a) 24.82 crore people, a decrease from 29.17% in 2013-14 to 11.28% in 2022-23 b) The highest decline in multidimensional poverty was in UP (5.94 crore) which was followed by Bihar (3.77 crore), Madhya Pradesh (2.3 crore) and Rajasthan C) The Multidimensional Poverty Index is based on 3 dimensions which are Health, Education and Standard of Living which includes 12 indicators aligned with the SDGs and reflecting the overall well-being of people. The index is used in contrast to the common poverty index which is based on the income of the people. It evaluates non-monetary indicators related to Health, Education and Standard of Living to assess the overall well-being of people. Thus, enabling a holistic approach to measure poverty. The index is based on the globally recognized Alkire and Foster model developed by Sabina Alkire and James Foster of the OPHI (Oxford Policy and Human Development Initiative). D) At least one-third fraction of the given weighted indicators
27
PM Modi inaugurated the new campus of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics (NACIN) in which place?
Palasamudram, Andhra Pradesh
28
REC Limited, a Maharatna central PSU under the ministry of power became the first Indian PSU to issue green bonds denominated in Japanese Yen in the International Bond Market. What was the total value of bonds and bonds were issued under which programme of REC Ltd? What are the three maturity periods and their yield rates respectively for which bonds are issued?
ns- * The total value of the bonds was 61 billion Japanese Yen and they were issued under the REC Limited’s Global Medium Term Notes Programme which allows the company to issue bonds in various currencies in the International Market. * They were issued at maturity rates of 5 years, 5.25 years and 10 years with a yield of 1.76%, 1.79% and 2.2% respectively These are the first Green bonds issuance by any Indian PSU, the largest ever Euro-Yen issuance in South and South East Asia and the largest Yen-denominated issuance from India.
29
What is the name of the mobile app launched by the Minister of State of the MoSPI, Rao Inderjit Singh for the MPLAD scheme that provides the member of parliaments with real-time access to recommend, track and check the status of the projects under the MPLAD scheme. It also allows them to monitor their expenditures?
e-Sakshi mobile app
30
India’s largest dry dock build at a cost of ₹1799 crores for shipbuilding, repair, maintenance and reducing dependence on foreign countries was inaugurated at which place?
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi
31
India’s first Graphene Centre of Excellence and Centre of Excellence in Intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) was launched in which place?
Kerala
32
The India International Science Festival 2023 (IISF 2023) was held in which place and with what theme?
It was held in Faridabad, Haryana with the theme “Science & Technology Public Outreach in Amrit Kaal”
33
Asia’s largest aviation expo- “Wings India 2024” was held in which place in Jan 2024? What was the theme of the “Wings India 2024”?
Ans- * It was held at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad * “Connecting India to Amrit Kaal: Setting the Stage for India Civil Aviation @2047”
34
Union minister of state for Panchayati Raj, Kapil Moreshwar Patil inaugurated a 3-day national workshop on “Healthy Village towards a Healthier Tomorrow” In which place?
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
35
The government approved an outlay of ₹____crore for the Revamped Scheme for Administrative Reforms for DARPG (Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances) to be implemented in the next two years in 2024-25 and 2025-26 of the 15th Finance Commission Cycle? What are the two verticals of the scheme?
Ans- * ₹235 crores * 1- Comprehensive System for Redressal of Public Grievances: It aims to improve grievances redressal and save time for the public by developing an AI-based comprehensive system for redressal of public grievances. The reforms will be made in the CPGRAMS (Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) platform which is designed to address and monitor public grievances and complaints related to government services. It has an allocation of ₹128 crores 2- Administrative Reforms: It aims to develop administrative reforms by utilizing ₹107 crores in various schemes that support the development of administration
36
PM inaugurated Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETC) in _____place at a cost of ₹1600 crores, which marked Boeing’s largest investment outside the USA? The PM also launched the Boeing Sukanya Programme, what is the programme about?
Ans- * Bengaluru, Karnataka * The Boeing Sukanya Programme aims to encourage the entry of girls and women into the aviation sector by supporting them in the STEM field and providing career counselling and development facilities in government schools. Scholarships will be provided to women training to be pilots under the programme.
37
CSIR-NIO (CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography) launched a month-long certification course on oceanography, addressing the impacts of climate change in the Indian Ocean and around the world for the member nations of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC). Which countries are the members of the CSC?
The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is a trilateral maritime security grouping of India, Sri Lanka and Maldives formed in 2011
38
Where was the foundation stone laid for the “Ayush Diksha” centre, a centre for the development of human resources for Ayurveda Professionals, which will be built at a cost of ₹30 crores?
Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI), Bhubneshwar
39
The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) completed the third capacity-building programme for 38 civil servants for which country in Jan?
Cambodia
40
What is the name of the mobile hospital tents deployed in Ayodhya for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Jan and they were built under which project?
The mobile hospital called the “Arogya Maitri Aid Cube” was designed under project BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri). It consists of 72 tent-based Cubes with each detachable mini-cube for emergency health response having a capacity of treating 200 people
41
“Siddha Wellness Rally & Awareness Campaign (SWRAC)”, a bikers rally was launched on which route to foster awareness about the Siddha System of medicine?
Delhi to Kanyakumari
42
The ACME Group from India and IHI Corporation from Japan signed an agreement to supply green ammonia from India to Japan. The green ammonia will be produced at which place and in what capacity?
It will be produced at the ACME’s plant in Gopalpur, Odisha at a capacity of 1.2 MMTPA (Million Metric Tonne Per Annum) at an estimated cost of USD 5 billion
43
President Draupadi Murmu conferred “Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puruskars” to ____children at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi under 7 categories which are Bravery, Innovation, Science & technology, Art & Culture, Social Service and Sports?
19
44
The government allowed direct listing of Public Indian companies at the India INX at the GIFT IFSC by amending the FEMA Rules,2019 which also provides an avenue for Indian companies to directly gain capital from the global market. The India INX is a subsidiary of which entity?
Bombay Stock Exchange
45
The Cabinet in Jan approved the scheme for “Promotion of Coal Gasification Projects of Government PSUs and Private Sector” to provide incentives to government PSUs and Private sector entities for coal gasification. What is the total outlay of the scheme and what are three categories of outlay in the scheme?
The total outlay of the scheme is ₹8500 crores and it is divided into 3 categories Category-1: ₹4050 crores of the total outlay will be provided to the government PSUs where up to 3 PSUs will be granted ₹1350 crore or 15% of the Capex, whichever is lower Category-2: ₹3850 crores of the total outlay will be provided to both government PSUs and the Private sector where ₹1000 crore or 15% of the Capex, whichever is lower will be granted to each project Category-3: ₹600 crore of the total outlay is earmarked for demonstration projects and small-scale product-based gasification plants where a lump-sum grant of ₹100 crore or 15% of the Capex will be given to entities who have a minimum Capex of ₹100 crore.
46
The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) partnered with which entity to empower young people for urban governance by enhancing their leadership and participation in urban governance?
YuWaah-UNICEF
47
The foundation stone for North India’s first All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) satellite centre was laid in which place by Dr Mansukh Mandavkya?
GSVM Medical College, Kanpur
48
Answer the following based on the Swacch Survekshan Survey 2023, the World’s largest survey on cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation hosted by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA)- a) What was the theme of the Swacch Survekshan Survey 2023? b)Which two cities were ranked 1 and which city was ranked 3 with a population of more than 1 lakh? c) Which were the top 3 cities in the population with less than 1 lakh? d) Which was the cleanest cantonment board? e) Best Safai Mitra Surakshit Sheher? f) Which were the cleanest Ganga towns in rank 1 and rank 2 respectively? g) Which were the top three states in terms of rankings?
Ans- * a) “Waste to Wealth” * b) Rank 1- Indore and Surat, Rank 3- Navi Mumbai. No city was given rank 2 * c) Rank 1- Sasvad (Maharashtra), Rank 2- Patan (Gujarat), Rank 3- Lonavala (Maharashtra) * d) Mhow Cantonment board, MP * e) Chandigarh * f) Rank 1- Varanasi, Rank 2-Prayagraj * g) Rank1 – Maharashtra, Rank 2-MP, Rank 3- Chattisgarh
49
NITI Ayog partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and which other organization to launch the “Investment Forum for Advancing Climate Resilient Agri-food Systems in India”, what is the aim of the forum?
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) of the UN. The MoU aims to formulate an investment and partnership strategy with governments, private sectors, farmers’ organizations and financial institutes to enhance the climate-resilient agri-food system in India.
50
Answer the following based on the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22 published by the Ministry of Education in Jan 2024- a) Total enrolment of students in Higher Education has increased from ___in 2020-21 to ____in 2021-22, and it has increased from ___ in 2014-15? b) Female enrolment in Higher education has increased from ___in 2020-21 to ___in 2021-22 and an increase of about 50 lakh from ___in 2014-15? c) About ___% of the total students are enrolled in undergraduate level courses and ___% are enrolled in Post Graduate courses? d) Among Undergraduate level courses, the enrolment is highest in which discipline? e) Among postgraduate streams, the Highest students are enrolled in?
Ans- * a) From 4.14 crore in 2020-21 to 4.33 crore in 2021-22 and it has increased from 3.42 crore in 2014-15 * b) From 2.1 crore in 2020-21 to 2.7 crore in 2021-22 and an increase of about 50 lakhs from 1.57 crore in 2014-15 * c) Undergraduate 78.9% and Post Graduate 12.1% * d) enrolment is highest in Arts, followed by Science, Commerce and Engineering & Technology * e) In Social Science, followed by Science
51
The National Conference on the Promotion of Seaweed Cultivation was organised in which place? The PMMSY (Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana) aims to develop the Seaweed sector in India It has a production target of 11.2 lakh tonnes and has earmarked ₹_____for 2020-2025 for this?
Ans- * Kutch, Gujarat * ₹640 crore
52
What is the name of the app launched in Jan to facilitate the implementation of DAY-NRLM’s Graduation Programme for the most vulnerable households? The app will be launched in how many states?
Ans- * The “Sarathi App” will facilitate the implementation of the Graduation programme of the DAY-NRLM by easing the cognitive load for field staff, and administrative load for the SRLM staff and ensuring transparency in programme implementation * It will be launched in 6 states, where a special project for the 24000 most vulnerable households is taking place
53
Which company inaugurated a biomass-based CBG plant in Budaun, UP with a capacity of 100 MTPD of rice straw and producing 14 metric tonnes of biogas per day?
HPCL
54
₹____ Crore was released for the Pre-matric Scholarship and ₹_____ Crore was released for the Post-Matric Scholarship to States/UTs under the PM YASASVI scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment? What is the full form of the scheme and the scholarship is provided to which categories?
Ans- * Pre-Matric- ₹32.44 crore, Post-Matric- ₹387.27 crore * The PM YASASVI (Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India) was launched by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) to promote education among the OBC (Others Backward Classes), EBC (Economically Backward Classes) and Denotified Nomadic Tribe (DNT) students. It aims to provide educational empowerment to the socio-economic backward students.
55
The foundation stone for the Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy (CRIYN) along with the 100-bed Yoga & Naturopathy hospital was laid down in which place in Jan 2024?
The foundation stone was laid in Dibrugarh, Assam, first in the northeast. It will be built at an approximate cost of ₹100 crores and will train Yoga and Naturopathy experts for capacity-building programs
56
A framework for the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) was launched for which sector in Jan to promote carbon credit in that sector?
It was launched for the Agriculture sector to promote carbon credit in the agriculture sector. Accreditation protocol of Agroforestry nurseries was also launched to ensure quality planting materials
57
A river diversion of the Chenab River was executed in Jan to expedite the construction activities of which hydroelectric project?
850 MW Ratle Hydro Electric project in J&K. It is being executed by the Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation Ltd (RHPCL), a joint venture between NHPC and the government of J&K
58
The Indian Railways witnessed the highest ever capex utilization which was ___% of the 2.62 lakh crores till now during the first 9 months of the FY2024 from April to December 2023?
75%
59
Which tableau clinched the first spot at the Republic Day parade in 2024?
The Ministry of Culture’s tableau “India: Mother of Democracy”
60
The National Conference on Strategic Trade Controls (NCSTC), particularly focusing on SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment and Technologies) was organised by which entities?
It was organised by the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). As a part of the Strategic Trade Control System, India regulates dual-use (Industrial and Military) goods, software and technologies under the SCOMET list
61
Union Minister Amit Shah launched the Computerization scheme for the computerization of offices of Regional Cooperative Societies (RCS) and Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) in New Delhi in Jan. The outlay for computerization of RCS is ₹____ and for ARDBs is ₹____?
RCS- ₹120 crores, ARDBs- ₹95 crores. The computerization project of ARDBs targets 1851 units in 13 states and UTs. Its overall aim is to enhance the efficiency, transparency and effectiveness of cooperatives in India. The project aligns with the initiative of “Sahakaar Se Sanriddhi (Prosperity through Cooperatives).
62
According to the Snow Leopards Population Assessment in India (SPAI) conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, a total of _____snow leopards including _____unique snow leopards were reported by covering 70% of the potential snow leopard range? Which states had the highest snow leopards?
Ans- * A total of 718 snow leopards including 241 unique snow leopards * Ladakh (477) had the highest number of snow leopards, followed by Uttarakhand (124) and Himachal Pradesh (51)
63
What is the name of the girls' hostel with 500 rooms, inaugurated by the Union Minister of Agriculture Arjun Munda on the premises of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi?
Phalguni
64
According to a notification in Jan, the government of India allocated a total of 101.5 LMT of Wheat and 25 LMT of rice through the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS-Domestic). The government allocate surplus foodgrains through which entity under the OMSS? Surplus foodgrains are allocated using e-auction on which platform?
Ans- * The government allocate surplus foodgrains through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to regulate the prices of foodgrains such as wheat and rice in the market * Foodgrains are allocated through e-auction under the commodity exchange platform NCDEX (National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Limited). The FCI conducts auctions weekly and foodgrains are sold to bulk consumers and Private traders
65
India increased the tally of Ramsar Sites from 75 to 80. Which were the 5 new designated Ramsar Sites? With the addition of these 5 wetlands to the Ramsar Sites, the total area covered under Ramsar Sites now is ___? Which state has the highest number of Ramsar sites?
Ans- * Ankasamudra Bird Conservationa Reserve- Karnataka Aghanashini Estuary- Karnataka Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve- Karnataka Karaivette Bird Sanctuary- Tamil Nadu Longwood Shola Reserve forest- Tamil Nadu * 1.33 million hectare * Tamil Nadu has the highest number of Ramsar sites with 16 sites, followed by UP with 10 sites
66
The NTPC Ltd signed an MoU with which entity for a proposed bamboo-based Bio-refinery at the NTPC Bongaigaon in Assam?
Numaligarh Refinery Ltd, a subsidiary of Oil India Ltd
67
The closing ceremony of the “Khelo India Youth Games 2023” was held in which place in Jan 2024? Which were the top 3 ranked states in the medal tally?
Ans- * Chennai * Rank 1- Maharashtra (158 medals), Rank 2-Tamil Nadu (98 medals) and Rank 3- Haryana (103 medals)
68
The government approved the extension of the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) for another 3 years till 2025-26 with an outlay of ₹29610 crore. What is the objective of the scheme? What is the interest subvention provided under the scheme and for up to what years? Credit guarantee up to what ___% is provided from the credit guarantee fund of ₹______ to MSMEs and Dairy Cooperatives?
Ans- * The objective of the scheme is to enhance the processing capacity of the milk and meat sector in India by incentivising investments of entrepreneurs, private companies, FPOs and MSMEs. It incentivizes investments in areas such as meat processing, milk processing, animal feed plants, breed farms, animal waste to wealth management and veterinary facilities. * The interest subvention of up to 3% from financial institutes is provided for 8 years with a moratorium period of 2 years for loans up to 90% of the project cost * Credit guarantee of up to 25% is provided from the credit guarantee fund of ₹750 crores to MSMEs and Dairy Cooperatives
69
The government approved the extension of the scheme of sugar subsidy given to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families through the Public Distribution System (PDS) for two years till March 2026. What is the subsidy provided to AAY families under this scheme?
₹18.5 per kg per month of sugar is provided to AYY families of the participating states
70
Under DRDO’s Technology Development Fund (TDF), a green propulsion system was designed for low-earth orbit space missions. The green propulsion system was developed by which startup?
Bengaluru-based Bellatrix Aerospace Ltd. The propulsion system was tested on the PSLV C-58 mission
71
What was the theme of the 20th Webinar of the National Good Governance held on 31 Jan 2024?
“Promoting Excellence in Sports and Wellness through Khelo India Scheme”
72
Which port achieved the highest ever monthly cargo throughput (Total volume of cargo handling) of 14.32 MMT in the history in Jan 2024?
Paradip Port, Odisha
73
What are the two new modules launched within the Sagar Setu platform in Jan 2024?
Maritime Single Window (MSW) module - It facilitates the online submission of documents related to the arrival, stay, and departure of ships, reducing waiting time in ports by up to 40%. It also facilitates communication among various stakeholders in the International Maritime Trade. Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) module- It facilitates the monitoring, inspection and release process of vessels The “Sagar Setu” platform is the app version of the NLP (National Logistics Portal) Marine platform which aims to improve the visibility of the operation of maritime vessels
74
“MY (Mera Yuva) Bharat” portal crossed ___crore registrations as of Jan 31 2024, within 3 months of its launch since Oct 2023?
1.45 crore registrations
75
Which was the partner nation and partner state at the 37th “Surajkund International Crafts Mela” organised at Surajkund, Haryana on 2 Feb 2024?
Partner Nation- Tanzania, Partner State- Gujarat
76
UPI was formally launched in which international place in Feb 2024?
Eiffel Tower, Paris, France. The UPI was also launched in Mauritius and Sri Lanka
77
“Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024”, India’s largest automotive exhibition was organised in New Delhi with over 800 exhibitors from more than 50 countries. What was the tagline of the expo? PM Modi stated that the number of passenger vehicles increased by ___% and the number of two-wheelers increased by ___% in the last 10 years?
Ans- * “Beyond Boundaries” * Passenger Vehicles increased by 60% and Two-Wheelers increased by 70%
78
The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) implements the National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Pulses in 28 States and 2 UTs. According to the union minister Arjun Munda, the pulses production in the last 5 years increased by ___% from 2018-19 to 2022-23? Which are the top 3 pulses producing states?
Ans- * 18% * Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan
79
Due to the several steps taken by the Indian government to boost the toy manufacturing ecosystem, the overall toy import has decreased by ___% from 332.55 million USD in FY2014-2015 to ____in FY2022-23? Similarly the overall toys export has increased by ___% from 96.17 million USD in FY2014-15 to ____in FY2022-23? Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on toys was increased from 20% to ___% in Feb 2020 and further increased to ___% in March 2023?
Ans- * It was decreased by 52% from 332.55 million USD in FY2015 to 158.7 million USD in FY2023 * Overall toy exports increased by 239% from 96.17 million USD in FY2015 to 325.72 million USD in FY2023 * BCD on toys was increased from 20% to 60% in Feb 2020 and further to 70% in March 2023
80
In an effort to check inflationary trends, the government has decided to sell rice under the “Bharat Rice” brand to general consumers. In the first phase ____LMT of rice will be sold through NAFED, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar at a retail price of ₹___/kg in 5kg and 10kg bags? The government also mandated all retailers, traders, wholesalers, processors and millers in all states and UTs to declare the stock position of Rice/Paddy. The stock position of rice should be declared within ___days of the order of the Department of Food and Public Distribution portal?
Ans- * In the first phase, 5 LMT of rice will be sold through NAFED, NCCF and Kendriya Bhandar at a retail price of ₹29/kg in 5kg and 10kg bags * Within 7 days
81
What was the theme of the “World Wetland Day 2024” organised at Sirpur Lake, Indore on 2 Feb? World Wetland Day is celebrated to commemorate the adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetland signed on 2 Feb 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. India has been a part of the convention since which year?
Ans- * “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing” * 1982
82
According to FADA (Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations), electric vehicle sales registered a growth of ___% in CY 2023?
49.25%
83
During FY2023, the CGTMSE (Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Mircro & Small Enterprises) crossed ₹____worth of guaranteed amount?
It crossed ₹1.50 lakh crore worth of guaranteed amount due to various strategic initiatives taken by CGTMSE, SIDBI and the Ministry of MSME to facilitate collateral-free lending to Micro and Small enterprises. The CGTMSE was launched in 2000 by the SIDBI and the Ministry of MSME to provide credit guarantees to financial institutions, thus facilitating collateral-free lending to micro and small enterprises.
84
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) in Feb released guidelines for the pilot projects to introduce Green Hydrogen in which two sectors and with what budget outlay under the National Green Hydrogen Mission? The “National Green Hydrogen Mission” was launched for a period of FY2023-24 to FY2029-30. What is the outlay of the mission? What are the two components of the National Green Hydrogen mission? What are the Objectives of the National Green Hydrogen Mission? What are the Expected outcomes of the mission by 2030?
Ans- ** The guidelines were issued for implementation projects to introduce Green Hydrogen in the Steel sector and Shipping sector. Following is the outlay for the same: Outlay: - Steel Sector- ₹455 crore until FY2029-30 - Shipping Sector- ₹115 crore until FY2025-26 - Total outlay of the National Green Hydrogen Mission is ₹19744 crores including ₹17490 crore for the SIGHT programme, ₹400 crore for R&D and ₹388 crore for other mission components ** The two components are: the SIGHT programme (Strategic Intervention for Green Hydrogen Transition)- This programme will provide 2 types of financial incentive mechanisms for the domestic production of electrolyzers and Green Hydrogen. The outlay of the SIGHT programme is ₹17490 crore SHIP programme (Strategic Hydrogen Innovation Partnership)- This programme will be involved in creating a PPP-based partnership for Research & Development (R&D) of Green Hydrogen. ** Decarbonize the energy sector, Create export opportunities for Green Hydrogen and its derivatives and Develop manufacturing capabilities for Green Hydrogen in India. ** The expected outcomes by 2030 are: a) Having a capacity of at least 5mmt (Million Metric Tonne) per annum of Green Hydrogen with an additional 125GW of Renewable Energy capacity. b) Fossil fuels imports worth more than ₹1 Lakh crore are expected to reduce and Annual GHG emission is expected to reduce by nearly 50 MMT c) The expected investment amount will be more than ₹8 Lakh crore and over 6 lakh jobs will be created by 2030.
85
Which entity signed an MoU with BRAC International, an international development organisation for the inclusion of “Poorest of the Poor” under the DAY-NRLM program? Where is the headquarters of BRAC International?
Ans- * The National Rural Livelihood Promotion Society (NRLPS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Rural Development * Bangladesh
86
The Ministry of Women and Child Development developed the “Track Child Portal” for tracking missing and found children, additionally a _______portal was developed for tracking restoration and repatriation of children? The portal for restoration and repatriation of children was developed under which act? What is the name of the initiative under the “Track Child Portal” where citizens can report for missing children?
Ans- * GHAR (Go Home And Reunite) was launched by the NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) * The GHAR (Go Home And Reunite) portal was developed under the “Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 * “Khoya Paya” initiative
87
For the first time, the “Khelo India Winter Games” were held in Ladakh. Which two sports were played in Ladakh? What is the official mascot of the “Khelo India Winter Games” 2024?
Ans- * Ice Skating and Ice Hockey. An MoU was also signed between the Sports Authority of India and Ladakh to set up the centre of excellence in boxing, archery and athletics * A Snow leopard named “Shaan” is the official mascot
88
The Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA)-Commonwealth Attorneys and Solicitors General Conference (CASGC) 2024 was held in Vigyan Bhawan New Delhi, to discuss crucial issues related to law and justice. What was the theme of the conference? What are the three “A”s focus in the justice delivery?
Ans- * “Cross Borders Challenges in Justice Delivery” * Affordable, Accessible and Accountable
89
The Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), an autonomous scientific society under the MeITY, inaugurated a first-of-a-kind Centre of Excellence on E-Waste management in which place?
Hyderabad
90
The 2nd edition of “The India Energy Week (IEW) 2024” event was held in which place in Feb and it was organised by which entity?
It was held in Goa and organised by the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
91
Under which programme the government of India has decided to map and document villages with information about life, history and ethos and provide the same information to visitors? The Ministry of Culture has approved ₹____ under the scheme of financial assistance for the promotion of art and culture consisting of 8 schemes for the Financial Year 2021-22 to 2025-26?
Ans- * Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar programme. The information is collected under 7 broad categories which are a) Arts and Crafts Village b) Ecologically Oriented Village c) Scholastic Village Linked with Textual and Scriptural Traditions of India d) Epic Village linked with Ramayana, Mahabharata and/or Puranic legends and oral epics e) Historical Village Linked with Local and National History f) Architectural Heritage Village g) Any other characteristic that may need highlighting such as fishing village, horticulture village, shepherding village etc. * ₹353.46 crores
92
The forest cover in India increased by 5516 square kilometres between 2017 and 2021. The assessment of forest cover is published in the India State of Forest Report (ISFR), the survey is conducted by which entity? Which state has the highest forest cover in India?
Ans- * Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun * Madhya Pradesh has the highest forest cover, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra
93
As per the Udyam Registration Portal (URP) of the Ministry of MSME, women-owned MSMEs constitute __% of the total MSMEs registered on the portal since its launch on 1 July 2020?
20.5%
94
The centre introduced the “Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024” to address exam leaks, malpractices, and organised malpractices and prevent organized groups and mafia from exploiting the public examination system. What are the proposals and features of the bill?
The features and proposals of the bill are - The bill is applicable to various recruitment examination conducting bodies and exams like SSC, UPSC, Railways, Banking, NEET and JEE examinations - The bill proposes minimum imprisonment from 3 years to 5 years to curb cheating and imprisonment of 5 to 10 years for those involved in the organised crimes of cheating. - A minimum fine of ₹1 crore for individuals engaged in the organized crime of cheating - The bill is not applicable to students appearing in the examinations. Students appearing in the examinations will be governed under the existing unfair means policy of the exam conducting authority
95
The Best Green Bond Corporate award was given to which company at the “Asset Triple A Awards for Sustainable Finance 2024”?
REC Ltd, a maharatna Central PSU under the Ministry of Power REC received the award for the issuance of $750 million USD Green Bonds in April 2023 which was also the first USD Green Bond issuance from India post-India’s assumption of G20 Presidency and the largest ever Senior Green Bond Tranche by a South or South-East Asian issuer
96
The 20th Webinar of the “National Good Governance Webinar Series 2023-24” was held on what theme in Feb 2024? Which state was given the PM award for the year 2021?
Ans- * Promoting Excellence in Sports & Wellness through the Khelo India Scheme * Manipur
97
Which river system was declared the “National Waterways 48” with a total length of 615 km under the National Waterways Act, 2016?
Jawai-Luni-Rann of the Kutch River System spanning across Rajasthan and Gujarat was declared the National Waterways-48
98
What is the budget allocated under the “E-Court Mission Mode Project: National E-Governance Project for ICT enablement of District/Subordinate Courts of the Country”?
₹7210 crore is the outlay of the project under its phase 3. The project aims to reduce the processing time of cases and faster disposal of cases by leveraging the ICT (Information & Communication Technology) infrastructure and providing a transparent flow of information on cases
99
What is the name of the first 25T Bollard Pull Tug delivered to the Indian Navy on 2 Feb?
"Mahabali"
100
The “MY (Mera Yuva) Bharat” portal crossed 1.45 crore registrations in three months since its launch on 31 Oct 2023. It caters to what age group of youth and what are its features?
It caters to the age group of 15 to 29 years, in line with the definition of “Youth” in the National Youth Policy. Its features are - It is a Phygital Platform (Physical + Digital) comprising physical activity with an opportunity to connect digitally. - It offers volunteering activities with police, ULBs and various ministries along with other opportunities
101
On Feb 1 2024, The union cabinet approved the bilateral investment treaty signed between India and ____?
UAE
102
Who was the former Prime Minister, who served from 1991 to 1996 and brought several economic measures and introduced liberal reforms in the Indian economy? He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna 2024?
P.V Narasimha Rao
103
Who was the Indian agronomist who received the Bharat Ratna in 2024? He has been called the main architect of the green revolution in India and he was also the first recipient of the “World Food Prize” in 1987?
M.S Swaminathan
104
The GeM (Government e-Marketplace) signed an MoU with which entity in Feb to enhance the market reach for conducting business?
Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS). Under this MoU, all the micro-enterprises and rural entrepreneurs associated with ORMAS will be onboarded on the GeM portal, facilitating them to conduct business with government buyers across the country. The GeM (Government e-Marketplace) portal is an online public procurement portal of the government launched in August 2016 as a part of the “Digital India” initiative. It facilitates sellers such as individual sellers, manufacturers, startups, MSEs, FPOs, SHGs to sell their products to government buyers such as government departments, agencies, PSUs, cooperative bodies and panchayats. The 3 core pillars of GeM are Efficiency, Transparency and Inclusivity.
105
Which bank in Feb 2024 partnered with the Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority (WDRA) to facilitate farmers in providing low-interest rate loans? Public Sector Banks (PSBs) provide low-interest rate and collateral-free loans against the e-NWRs (Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipt) in the agriculture sector for up to ₹____ and in other sectors up to ₹____?
Ans- * Punjab & Sindh Bank * Agriculture Sector- up to ₹75 lakhs Other sectors- up to ₹5 crore
106
A culture event “Vividdhta ka Amrit Mahotsav” held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was organised by ______entity in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture?
Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region (MDONER)
107
The government of India and ADB signed a ____million USD loan agreement to strengthen flood and riverbank erosion risk management along the Brahmaputra river in Assam?
200 million USD
108
On 7 Feb 2024, the Kilkari project was launched in two additional states, Maharashtra and Gujarat, marking the presence of the Kilkari Project in 20 States/UTs. What is the project about?
The “Kilkari program” is a mobile-based service launched under the “Digital India” initiative in Jan 2016 for mothers. Under the program, new and expectant mothers registered under the RCH portal are provided weekly 72 audio messages about pregnancy, childbirth and childcare until the child is 1 year old, to enable mothers to make better-informed decisions for their newborns.
109
The outlay of the FAME India scheme was increased to ₹_______? The government reduced the e-2Ws (Electric Two Wheelers) subsidy from ___% to ___% of the ex-factory price under the phase-2 of the FAME India scheme?
Ans- * From ₹10000 crore to ₹11500 crore * From 40% to 15% of the ex-factory price
110
The no pensioners engaging in the CPENGRAMS (Centralized Pension Grievances Redress and Monitoring System) for pension grievances was increased by __% from Jan 2023 to Jan 2024?
88%
111
As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey, the female labour force participation rate has significantly increased from 23.3% in 2017-18 to ___% in 2022-23?
To 37% in 2022-23
112
Where was the “centre of excellence for nutritional supplement testing” inaugurated by union minister Anurag Thakur?
National Forensic Science University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, Gujarat
113
“Aadi Mahotsav 2024” organised at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium in New Delhi showcasing culture, tradition, art, music and cuisine from different tribal communities across the country was organised by which entity?
TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Federation of India), Ministry of Tribal Affairs
114
What was the theme of the 52nd edition of the “New Delhi World Book Fair” organised by the Ministry of Education? Which country was invited as a guest in the New Delhi World Book Fair? “e-Jaduii Pitara” was unveiled at a book fair aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, featuring learning materials in 22 languages using AI. The Jaduii Pitara is an interactive learning material for children of what age group? The National e-library was also launched and announced in the budget 2023-24. The national e-library will contain reading materials for what age group?
Ans- * “Multilingual India: A living Tradition” * Saudi Arabia * 3 to 8 years * 3 to 18 years. It will contain books from all the 22 languages under the 8th Scheduled of the Constitution of India, apart from English.
115
A Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaign was launched in Feb for which disease and the disease is present in how many districts?
Lymphatic Filariasis, a disease caused by infected mosquitos, causing damage to the Lymph system and causing swelling in the legs, arms and genitals. It is present in 345 endemic districts across 20 States and UTs. India aims to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis by 2027, three years ahead of the global target.
116
The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) signed an MoU with which entity in Feb for fostering research and innovation in the renewable energy sector?
IIT Bhubneshwar
117
The TERI (The Energy and Resource Institute) partnered with the government of India to establish a CoE in which place for sustainable energy transition pathways in India? What per cent of India’s power generation capacity is from non-fossil fuel sources?
Ans- * Hyderabad * 44%
118
What is the name of the portal launched by the principal scientific advisor to the government of India, Ajay Kumar Sood that aims to represent women and girls in the STEMM field and promote gender inclusivity in science? The portal was developed by which entity?
Ans- * SWATI (Science for Women-A Technology & Innovation) portal * National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi
119
Under the Indo-Bangladesh protocol route, a trial movement of cargo vessel was launched from the ____port in India to ____port in Bangladesh by Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways? What is the riverline distance between both ports?
Ans- * From Maia port, West Bengal to Sultanganj port in Bangladesh. The new riverine route aims to enhance trade and connectivity between India and Bangladesh. * It is 16 kilometres, with 4.5 kilometres of waterways in India and the remaining 11.5 kilometres in Bangladesh
120
Three bills were passed in the parliament by union minister Arjun Munda to include several communities and ethnic groups in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST). The bills were passed for which states?
J&K- Pahari ethnic group, Paddari tribe, koli and Gadda Brahmin communities Andhra Pradesh- Bondo Porja, Khond Porja and Konsa Savaras Odisha- it proposes the inclusion of PVTGS, omission of several communities and including some communities
121
Within 11 months of the FY2023-24, The GeM (Government e-Marketplace) broke all previous records of the GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) by recording a value of ₹___ and significantly surpassing the previous fiscal year's GMV of ₹____? The services sector’s contribution to GeM’s Gross Merchandise Value crossing ___% from the last year?
Ans- * The total GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) was recorded at ₹3 lakh crore, exceeding the previous year’s total GMV recorded at ₹2 lakh crore at the end of the fiscal year * 98% The GeM (Government e-Marketplace) portal is an online public procurement portal of the government launched in August 2016 as a part of the “Digital India” initiative. It facilitates sellers such as individual sellers, manufacturers, startups, MSEs, FPOs, and SHGs to sell their products to government buyers such as government departments, agencies, PSUs, cooperative bodies and panchayats. The 3 core pillars of GeM are Efficiency, Transparency and Inclusivity. Gross Merchandise Value (GMV)- The GMV is the monetary value of the total sale of goods and services over a given period. It is calculated before the deduction of any fees, taxes and expenses and solely focuses on the value of goods and services sold. It is calculated by multiplying the Selling price of goods by the total number of goods.
122
Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated south India’s first regional centre of the “Sangeet Natak Akademi” named “Dakshin Bharat Sanskritik Kendra” in which place?
Hyderabad
123
What is the name of the initiative and portal launched by NITI Ayog to restore degraded land with agroforestry?
The Greening and Restoration of Wasteland With Agroforestry (GROW) initiative was launched to promote agroforestry as a means to restore degraded land in India. Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) will be used to assess the suitability of land for agroforestry in every district, by utilizing remote sensing and GIS technologies. The initiative aligns with the national commitments to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon diaoxide equivalent.
124
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0), how many districts were declared manual scavenging-free as of 31 Jan 2024 and this was achieved under which component of the SBM-U 2.0?
729 districts out of 766 districts were declared manual scavenging-free as of Jan 2024 and this was achieved under the Used Water Management (UWM) component of the SBM-U 2.0. The Used Water Management component aims to eradicate hazardous entry into sewers and septic tanks by cleaning them by leveraging mechanization. Funds are released to ULBs for the procurement of desludging equipment for septic tanks and sewers.
125
As of Jan 2024, 52.5 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) were created under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission which aims to create a national digital health ecosystem. The ABHA is a ___digit unique health identifier number?
14 digit
126
Under the 37th “Stop TB Partnership board meeting” organized by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), there was a global reduction of 8.7% of TB cases while in India TB cases were reduced by __%?
16%
127
Under the “Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme” of the Ministry of Education, 70 students were bestowed upon the scholarship amounting to ₹___ in Feb 2024?
₹5 crore
128
According to the Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households conducted by the NSSO, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the average income of farmers increased from ₹6426 in 2012-13 to ₹_____in 2018-19
₹10218 in 2018-19
129
The MeITY transferred the Smart Food Grain Storage System (SAFEETY) technology to which company in Feb? The technology was developed by which entity?
Ans- * Paras Defence and Space Technology * It was developed by SAMEER (Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research) under MeITY. The “SAFEETY” technology facilitates the loading and unloading of grain bags, RFID traceability, online weight and moisture measurement and radio frequency-based removal of moisture from grain. It can handle nearly one truckload of approximately 28 tons of grains in just 40 minutes.
130
The CCI (Competition Commission of India) approved the acquisition of a 70% stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank by which company?
Zurich Insurance Company
131
The first BIMSTEC aquatic championship was held in which place in the under 20 age category of swimming, water polo and diving? The BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) is an international organisation of how many nations?
Ans- * Shyama Prakash Mukherjee Swimming Pool in New Delhi * The BIMSTEC is an international organisation formed in 1997, comprising 7 South and Southeast Asian countries that are India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and Sri Lanka. These 7 countries focus on the cooperation in the Bay-Of-Bengal region. The BIMSTEC states have selected 14 priority sectors that are used for technological & Economic Cooperation along the Bay-of-Bengal namely, Trade & Investment, Transport & Communication, Energy, Tourism, Technologies, Fisheries, Agriculture, Public health, Poverty Alleviation, Counter-Terrorism, Environment & Disaster Management, People to People Contact, Cultural Cooperation and Climate Change.
132
What is the name of the national research foundation established by the Department of Science and Technology to promote R&D throughout India’s universities, and colleges, and act as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per the National Education Policy (NEP 2020)?
Anusandhan Research Foundation (ANRF). The Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) is subsumed under the ANRF.
133
The “Great Indian Board Reboot: Roadshow 2024” aimed at setting new benchmarks in discussions around corporate governance in India was organised in which place and hosted by which entity?
It was organised at the NSE headquarters in Mumbai and was hosted by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) in partnership with the NSE and the BSE
134
According to the UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG) 2020 report, India’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) declined by ___% during the 2000-2020 period on an annual average basis, whereas global MMR declined by ___%? MMR of India declined from _____in 2000 to _____in 2020?
Ans- * India- MMR declined by 6.36% World- MMR declined by 2.07% * It declined from 384 in 2000 to 103 in 2020
135
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) is implementing the Rooftop Solar Programme (RTS) phase 2, wherein Central Financial Assistance (CFA) is provided for the installation of rooftop solar capacity in the residential sector only. The programme aims to install _____Mw of RTS capacity in the residential sector by ______?
4000 Mw of RTS capacity by March 2026
136
At the national conference on “APAAR: One Nation One Student ID Card” held in New Delhi, it was revealed that ____APAAR IDs were created? What is the full form of the APAAR and what are its features?
Ans- * 25 crore * The Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) is a 12-digit digital ID given to students that provides them access to a digital repository of academic records, certificates and other educational information. It is linked with the Academic Bank of Credit (ABC), a digital storehouse containing information about the credit earned by students throughout their education. When a student completes a course, it’s digitally certified and stored in his account enabling students to get admission to different schools, colleges or universities by showing their ABC and eliminating the need for physical documents or transfer certificates.
137
The “LNG as a Transportation fuel in medium and heavy commercial vehicle” report addressing challenges and barriers for LNG adoption in India and providing recommendations, was jointly launched by?
It was jointly launched by NITI Ayog and the embassy of the Netherlands
138
The “World Sustainable Development Summit 2024” was organised by which entity in New Delhi?
The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI)
139
India’s first Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel test facility was established in which place? The development of the facility was supported by the Fund for Improvement in S&T Infrastructure (FIST) under the Department of Science & Technology with a sum of ₹____ in 2018?
Ans- * IIT Kanpur. The Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel test facility cultivates hypersonic speed through a high-pressured gas supply as a means to study aerodynamic phenomena which is crucial for developing advanced aerodynamics technologies. * ₹4.5 crore
140
For the first time, 11 Fair Price Shops were included on the ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) platform from which place?
Hamirpur and Una districts of Himachal Pradesh
141
The PM-MKSSY (PM-Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana) was launched under the PMMSY in Feb for the formalization of the fisheries sector and supporting micro and small enterprises in the fisheries sector. What is the outlay of the scheme and the period of implementation? What are the 4 components of the scheme?
Ans- * The outlay of the scheme is ₹6000 crore including ₹3000 crore from external financing such as World Bank and ₹3000 crore is expected as an investment from beneficiaries or private sector. Implementation Period: is 4 years from FY2023-24 to FY2026-27 * Component 1-A: The Fisheries sector will be formalised by connecting fisheries microenterprises with the government of India programs and facilitating them with working capital financing. For this, a National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) will be created, where all the stakeholders will registered and mobilized. Component 1-B: Facilitating the adoption of aquaculture insurance- Under this component, a “one-time incentive” will be provided for the purchase of one crop cycle. It aims to cover at least 1 lakh hectares of aquaculture farms. Benefits: - A “one-time incentive” at the rate of 40% of the insurance premium will be provided. It will be subject to a limit of ₹25000 per hectare of water spread area of the aquaculture farm up to ₹1 lakh. The maximum farm size available to incentive is 4 hectares of water spread area. - For more intensive forms of aquaculture such as cage farms, Re-circulatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), bio-floc, raceways etc the maximum unit size will be 1800 m^3, whereas the incentive will be the same as aforementioned. - SC, ST and Women beneficiaries will be provided with an additional 10% of the incentive. Component 2: Support to microenterprises to improve value chain efficiencies of the fishery sector. - A performance grant will be provided to microenterprises for up to 25% of their total investment or ₹35 lahks for the general category and up to 35% of the total investment or ₹45 lakh, whichever is lower for the SC, ST and Women-owned enterprises for improving the overall efficiency of the fishery sector. - A performance grant of up to 35% of the total investment or ₹200 lakh, whichever is lower will be provided to Village level organizations, SHGs, FFPOs and cooperatives Component 3: Adoption and Expansion of safety and quality assurance system for fish and fish products - Microenterprises: performance grants for up to 25% of their total investment or ₹35 lakh, whichever is lower for the general category and up to 35% of total investment or ₹45 lakh, whichever is lower for the SC, ST and Women-owned enterprises. - Small enterprises: performance grants for up to 35% of their total investment or ₹75 lakh, whichever is lower for the general category and up to 35% of total investment or ₹100 lakh, whichever is lower for the SC, ST and Women-owned enterprises. - A performance grant of up to 35% of the total investment or ₹200 lakh, whichever is lower will be provided to Village level organizations, SHGs, FFPOs and cooperatives Performance grant disbursement criteria for Components 2 and 3: - For each job created and maintained for a woman an amount of Rs.15,000 per year will be paid, similarly, for each job created and maintained for a man an amount of Rs.10,000 per year will be paid, subject to the limit of 50% of total eligible grant Component 4: A Project Management Unit (PMU) will be set up to manage, implement, monitor and evaluate project activities.
142
What is the name of the portal unveiled by the union agriculture minister that will provide insurance products, including PMFBY products tailored for farmers and rural populations? It was launched in collaboration with?
ns- * Sandbox for Agricultural and Rural Security, Technology and Insurance (SARTHI) * UNDP
143
The Ministry of Tourism has revamped the Swadesh Darshan Scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD 2.0) with the objective of developing sustainable and responsible tourism destinations. The government has notified ___destinations under the SD 2.0 and when was the scheme launched?
The Swadesh Darshan scheme was launched in 2014-15 and the government has notified 57 destinations under SD 2.0
144
A “DigiReady Certification (DRC)” portal for MSMEs was launched by which entities and why?
It was launched by the ONDC and the QCI (Quality Council of India) to assess the digital readiness of MSMEs which will be onboarded on the ONDC. The DIGIReady will provide an online self-assessment tool to the MSMEs to help them get onboarded on the ONDC.
145
The “Pure for Sure” initiative was launched by which company to revolutionize the LPG delivery experience by eliminating efficiencies in last-mile delivery and providing services like QR code scanning on LPG cylinders, OTP-based delivery and real-time tracking?
BPCL
146
Answer the following according to the NeSDA (National e-Governance Services Delivery Assessment) Way Forward report for 2023- Which state/UT has topped the list for the maximum number of e-services? States and UTs have achieved a saturation level of ___% in providing mandatory e-Services? Which states have achieved 100% e-services delivery through their respective portals?
Ans- * Jammu & Kashmir topped the list with 1117 e-services * 76% * Besides J&K, Kerala, Assam and Odisha are providing 100% e-services through their respective unified portals.
147
As of 31 Dec 2023, _____incubators were selected with a total approved funding of ₹____ under the Startup India Seed Fund scheme? When was the scheme launched? What are the eligibility criteria for startups?
Ans- * 198 incubators were selected with a total funding of ₹802.98 crore as of 31 Dec 2023 * The scheme was launched in 2021 under the “Startup India Initiative” to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market entry and commercialization. The financial assistance is provided by incubators selected under the scheme. * The eligibility criteria for startups are - It should be recognized by DPIIT and incorporated not more than 2 years ago at the time of the application. - Startup should not have received more than ₹10 lakh of monetary support under any other central or state government scheme. - Indian promoters should have a minimum 51% shareholding in the startup
148
The National Technology Centre for Ports, waterways and Coasts was established in collaboration with which entity under the Sagarmala programme of the Ministry of Ports, shipping & waterways?
It was established in collaboration with IIT Madras. It will provide innovative and research-based engineering solutions to various issues related to ports, shipping and coasts in the country.
149
Over 96.88 crore electors registered in the 2024 general elections, around an 8% increase in registered voters from 2019. How many new female voters registered? The gender ratio of the voters increased from ____in 2023 to ___in 2024?
Ans- * 1.41 crore * From 940 in 2023 to 948 in 2024
150
The government approved a proposal to provide health benefits to ESI workers who went out of the scheme due to wage ceiling. What are the criteria for getting the health benefits? A new policy of the “Ayush 2023” was adopted to be implemented in ESIC institutions. What new things will be established in the ESIC institutions?
Ans- * People who were in insurable employment for at least 5 years after April 1, 2012 and superannuated/voluntarily retired on or after April 1, 2017, with wages up to ₹30000 per month will be benefited. * Panchakarma, Kshara Sutra and AYUSH units
151
Union Minister Giriraj Singh inaugurated the pilot project “Smart Gram Panchayat: Revolution towards Digitization of Gram Panchayat” in Feb 2024. What is the aim of the project and it will be implemented in how many gram panchayats in Bihar? The project will be funded under which scheme? The project will be executed by which entities?
Ans- * The project aims to provide Wi-Fi internet services through the PM-WANI (PM-Wifi Access Network Interface) scheme in 455 Gram Panchayats across 37 blocks in the Begusarai and Rohtas districts of Bihar in the financial year 2023-24. The project will leverage digital technology to enhance access to online services in crucial sectors such as health, education and skilling, thereby elevating the quality of life in rural areas. * It will be funded under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) which is a flagship program to strengthen Panchayati raj institutions in rural India by empowering local self-governance and promoting inclusive governance at a grassroots level. Under the program, capacity building of newly elected representatives of panchayati raj institutions. * Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of Bihar and the BSNL
152
The “Udyan Utsav and Vivdhta Ka Amrit Mahotsav 2024”, an educational event for students and teachers was organised by which entity and the EMRS students from which three northeast states participated in the event?
It was organised by the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) in New Delhi and the EMRS students from Manipur, Sikkim and Tripura participated in the event
153
AIIMS New Delhi partnered with which bank for a Smart Card System?
SBI
154
India's Index of Industrial Production grew by ____% in Dec 2023 of the base year 2011-12 and value of 100?
18%
155
The Department of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution modernized the CONFONET software into the e-Jagriti portal. What is the full form of CONFONET? When was the e-Jagriti portal launched and why?
Ans- * Computerization and Computer Networking of Consumer Fora in Country (CONFONET) * The e-Jagriti portal was launched in Dec 2023 to integrate all the consumer grievances portals into a single platform, aiming to streamline and expedite the resolution process for consumer complaints. It offers features such as case filing and monitoring, virtual court facilities etc.
156
PM Modi announced the solar rooftop scheme “PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana” with what outlay and what are its objectives?
It was announced with an outlay of ₹75000 crore and it aims to light up 1 crore houses by providing 300 units of free electricity per month.
157
For the first time, which railway station was renamed after a martyred soldier?
Udhampur Railway Station in J&K was renamed after the martyred captain Tushar Mahajan
158
What is the name of the startup conclave for food processing entrepreneurs organised by the MoFPI and NIFTEM-K in Feb 2024?
SUFALAM (Startup Forum for Aspiring Leaders and Mentors)
159
Under a fintech collaboration between India and UAE, India’s UPI was interlinked with UAE’s _____to facilitate cross-border transactions between the two countries? India’s card payment network “Rupay” was also interlinked with UAE’s _____card to facilitate Indian UAE residents make transactions in India, eliminating the need for currency exchange?
Ans- * “AANI” * Jaywan card
160
The TRIFED signed an MoU with which company to empower tribal farmers and suppliers particularly engaging in turmeric cultivation under the “PM Janjatiya Vikas Mission” scheme?
ITC
161
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) released guidelines for the use of green hydrogen for pilot projects in the transport sector with an outlay of ₹____till FY2025-26 under the National Green Hydrogen Mission?
₹496 crore till FY2025-26
162
A special scheme for informal microenterprises by the CGTMSE was launched to support micro-enterprises and prompt lending institutions to lend to Informal microenterprises. Loans up to ₹____will be extended to informal microenterprises?
₹20 lakhs
163
Which fund was realigned and subsumed under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) scheme in Feb?
The Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund was subsumed under the AHIDF scheme, thus now enabling dairy cooperatives under the interest subvention of 3% and Credit guarantee of up to 25% of the project cost under the AHIDF fund scheme.
164
The 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad will be held in which place?
Budapest, Hungary
165
According to the report of the first National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India, which is the most psychoactive substance used by Indians?
Alchohol is the most psychoactive substance used by Indians, followed by cannabis and Opioids.
166
What was the theme of the “International Conference of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulators” held under the aegis of PNGRB? The government aims to increase the share of natural gas in the energy mix to ___%?
Ans- * Navigating Pathways for Natural Gas Development * To 15% by 2030
167
The National Campaign to achieve 100% farm registrations including aquaculture registrations was launched by which entity and the first campaign was launched in which place? Non-registration of coastal aquaculture units is a violation as per which section?
Ans- * It was launched by the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA), Chennai under the Department of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying. The first campaign was launched in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. * Section 13 of the CAA Act, 2005
168
The first-ever Digital India Future Skills Summit was organised in which place by MeITY through the National Institute of Electronics and IT?
Guhwati, Assam
169
The Wholesale Price in India for the month of January 2024 was ___%?
0.27%. It is primarily due to an increase in prices of food articles, machinery & equipment, minerals and other transport equipment. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) is released by the DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Its components are - Primary Articles (22.62%) - Fuel & Power (13.15%) - Manufactured Products (64.23%) Its base year is 2011-12 with a base value of 100
170
Which was the Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSE) that reclaimed the top position in Feb in government procurement on the GeM portal? Which ministry was the first to surpass ₹1 lakh crore of total order value or Gross merchandise value (GMV) since the inception of the GeM?
Ans- * Ministry of Coal reclaimed the first spot through GeM procurement with procurement soaring up to ₹63890 crore * Ministry of Defence The GeM (Government e-Marketplace) portal is an online public procurement portal of the government launched in August 2016 as a part of the “Digital India” initiative. It facilitates sellers such as individual sellers, manufacturers, startups, MSEs, FPOs, and SHGs to sell their products to government buyers such as government departments, agencies, PSUs, cooperative bodies and panchayats. The 3 core pillars of GeM are Efficiency, Transparency and Inclusivity.
171
Where was the “World Government Summit 2024” held and with what theme?
It was held in Dubai with the theme of “Shaping the Future Governments”
172
The foundation stone was laid for the “Bharat Mart” in which place and it will be built by which entity?
The foundation stone was laid at the Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone in Dubai and it will be built by “DP World”, a logistics company based in Dubai
173
The ONDC partnered with _______in Feb to provide a digital platform and empower all stakeholders?
Department of Fisheries
174
The Kiran Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline was merged with which program?
It was merged with the Tele-MANAS program of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country. Its nodal centre is NIMHANS, Bangalore and IIIT Banglore provides technical support.
175
According to new amendments, the shareholding limits under the Credit Enhancement Guarantee Scheme for Scheduled Castes (SCs), were increased from ___% to ___%?
From 51% to 75%
176
The “Compendium of Behavioural Best Practices and Integrated Communications Strategy for the Jal Jeevan Mission” was launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti in collaboration with which entity?
NITI Ayog
177
The financial assistance for the Rubber Sector was increased by __% for FY2024-25 and FY2025-26? The planting of rubber will now be done in 12000 ha with an outlay of ₹43.5 crore for this, the rate of assistance has been increased from ₹25000 per h.a to ₹____p.a? For the rubber research, the outlay of ₹____is provided for the next 2 years? Further assistance will also be provided for the establishment of _____new Rubber Producer Societies (RBSs)?
Ans- * It was increased by 23% from ₹576 crore to ₹708 crore * ₹40000 per h.a * ₹29 crore * 250
178
PM dedicated the 300 Mw Nokhra Solar project in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The solar project will be implemented by which company and the green power will be provided to which state?
It will be implemented by the NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) and solar power generated will be provided to Telangana
179
With a 5-star Garbage Free rating, New Delhi was ranked ___ among the cleanest cities in India with more than 1 lakh population under the Swachh SurvekshN Survey 2024?
New Delhi was ranked 7th in the Garbage-free rating. New Delhi was ranked 1st among UTs in the Swachh Survekshan Survey 2024.
180
Which state will set up its first-ever semiconductor packaging plant worth ₹25000 crores and in partnership with which company?
Assam will set up the plant in partnership with the Tata Group
181
Which entity launched the “Sangam: Digital Twin” initiative in Feb for creating digital replicas of physical assets for real-time monitoring, simulation and analysis for infrastructure planning and design? The first outreach program for Sangam Digital Twin initiative was launched at IIT Delhi with theme______?
* The DoT (Department of Telecommunication) launched the initiative and it aims to engage industry pioneers, startups, MSMEs, academia and innovators in this initiative. * Bridging the Gap between Innovation & Planning
182
The NITI Ayog organised the “National Workshop on Harnessing the Potential of Fisheries in Inland States” in which place?
Vishakhapatnam, Andra Pradesh
183
The first International Conference on Traditional Medicine and Phytopharmaceuticals and the 11th International Congress of the Society for Ethnopharmacology was held at which place?
CSIR, IIIM, Jammu
184
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA) operationalised the Centralized Processing Centre (CPC) in Feb. What is the purpose of CPC?
The Centralized Processing Centre (CPC) of the MoCA will process forms related to regulatory requirements, incorporation and closure under the Companies Act and Limited Liability Partnership Act (LLP Act), eliminating the need for physical interactions with stakeholders and expediting the process of various applications and forms. Initially, 12 forms/Applications will be processed at the CPC and once fully operational, the CPC is expected to process 2.5 lakh forms annually. The Centralised Registration Centre (CRC) and the Centralised Processing for Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) will complement CPC by facilitating speedy processing of applications related to regulatory compliance, incorporation and closure.
185
The MeITY signed an MoU with which nation in Feb to share successful digital solutions for digital transformation between both countries?
Colombia
186
The award function for the “16th National Youth Parliament Competition, 2019-20 for Universities/Colleges” was organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs in New Delhi. Which university won the first prize?
The Central University of Punjab, Bhatinda
187
Under which World Bank-led program, 100 women were given training and exposure in the energy sector from southeast nations including India to promote gender diversity in the power sector? Which southeast nations are included in this program?
Ans- * The “WePower SAR100” program * India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Maldives and Sri Lanka
188
The National Conference on Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) was organised in which place in Feb?
Lucknow, UP
189
The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) organised a “National Workshop on Urban Livelihood” in collaboration with which organisation and in which place in Feb 2024?
It was organised in collaboration with the UNDP in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
190
The Authorized Capital of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) was increased from ₹____ to ₹_____?
From ₹10000 crore to ₹21000 crore
191
What was the theme of the 5th National E-Governance Webinar organised by DARPG in Feb 2024?
“Excellence in Government Process Re-engineering Digital Transformation at State/UT level”
192
The 4th Khelo India University Games were held in which place and what was the mascot?
They were held in Guhwati, Assam and the Mascot for the games was “Ashtalakshmi” in the shape of a butterfly, representing northeast aspirations getting new wings.
193
The 3rd meeting of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) was held in which place? The AITIGA was signed in which year?
Ans- * It was held at the Vanijaya Bhavan, New Delhi * 2009
194
The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), MoCA signed an MoU with which bank in Feb to spread awareness on investment and fraudulent schemes?
DBS bank
195
The Ministry of Development of Northeast Region (MDONER) organised the Northeast Trade and Investment Roadshow at which place in Feb to boost investment in the Northeast region?
Kolkata
196
The “AAPDA Mitra” a disaster management scheme of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is implemented in how many districts and what is the outlay of the scheme?
It is implemented in 350 disaster-prone districts with an outlay of ₹369 crores. It aims to train 1 lakh youth volunteers in disaster management.
197
The IREDA signed an MoU with which bank in Feb to co-finance renewable energy projects across India?
Punjab National Bank
198
Which entity released the report “Senior Care Reforms in India: Reimagining the Senior Care Paradigm”?
It was released by the NITI Ayog to address the challenges and opportunities associated with elder care in India.
199
The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) extension centre was inaugurated in which place?
Bikaner, Rajasthan. It is an autonomous scientific society that will engage in capacity building and skill development of human resources in the area of Electronics and IT.
200
Japan committed to extend _____billion Japanese Yen loan amount to India for 9 projects in various sectors like northeast road network development, construction, Startup & innovation etc?
232 Billlion Japanes Yen
201
The 2nd India Europe Business and Sustainability Conclave was organised by which entity in New Delhi?
CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
202
The first “Gyankan- The Business Quiz” for its employees was organised by which entity?
NHPC
203
The first Skill India Centre of India was established in which place?
Sambalpur, Odisha
204
The government extended the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP) till ________ with _____outlay under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation? what are the two components of the scheme?
Ans- * It was extended for 5 years from FY2021-22 to FY2025-26 with an outlay of ₹4100 crores * The two components of the scheme are a) Flood Management Program (FMP)- The outlay of this is ₹2940 crore and it aims to provide funding for flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development etc. The funding pattern for general states is 60:40 whereas, for special states is 90:10 respectively b) River Management and Border Area (RMBA)- The outlay of this is ₹1160 crores and it aims to develop flood control, anti-erosion and pre-construction activities at the border area rivers. 100% financial assistance will be provided by the central government under this component.
205
The National Project for Screening and Health Management of Tribal Students through Ayurvedic Interventions was launched to cater to?
It will cater to the students of classes 6th to 12th in the age category of 10-18 years identified in the 55 EMRS students. The project will involve screening students for health issues such as anaemia, Hemoglobinopathies, malnutrition, tuberculosis etc.
206
The “Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana” was launched for the beneficiaries of which scheme and why? It will be implemented by which entities? It will be launched in how many cities? It aims to ensure ___% participation by women?
Ans- * It was launched for the beneficiaries of the PM SVANIDHI scheme to provide a 22-week entrepreneurship training to street vendors. The government has partnered with Flipkart to impart training to street vendors * It will be implemented by 20 centres of the National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and 10 centres of the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati * It will be launched in 10 cities namely Bhopal, Kanpur, Indore, Varanasi, Bharatpur, Shillong, Silchar, Dibrugarh, Guwahati and Sambalpur * 40%
207
The Centre approved the continuation of the Umbrella Scheme on “Safety of Women” till what period and what outlay? The scheme belongs to which ministry?
Ans- * Till FY2021-22 to FY2025-26 with an outlay of ₹1180 crore * Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Out of a total ₹1180 crore, ₹885 crore will be funded by the MHA and ₹294 crore will be funded from the Nirbhaya fund
208
Which entity signed a lease agreement with the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation to set up India’s largest Green Hydrogen Production facility of 1200 tons per day?
NGEL (NTPC Green Energy Ltd)
209
The “Impel-AI” program was launched by the MeITY in collaboration with which two entities to boost AI Startups in India?
Microsoft and iCreate (International Centre Entrepreneurship and Technology)
210
When was the Senior-care Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) portal and initiative launched and why? What is the financial assistance provided under the SAGE initiative? The initiative is implemented by which entity?
Ans- * The SAGE portal and initiative was launched in 2021 under the “Atal Vayo Abhuyday Yojana” to identify and support startups engaged in providing innovative solutions, products and services for the welfare of the elderly. * An equity support of up to ₹1 crore per project, for up to 49% government equity in startups. * IFCI Venture Capital Funds Ltd
211
Two two Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 700 Mw each were launched at which place at a cost of more than ₹22500 crore?
Kakrapur Atomic Power Stations (KAPS), Gujarat
212
India’s first Gati Shakti Research chair was established at which place in Feb to conduct academic research on multimodal logistics?
It was established at the IIM Shillong, Meghalaya
213
Answer the following according to the amendments in the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020- What are the changes in the technical feasibility conducted for the solar rooftop systems? The distribution system for solar PV systems up to ___kw capacity will be done by the distribution company at its own cost? The timeline for the distribution licensee to commission Rooftop Solar PV systems has been reduced to? The timeline for obtaining a new electricity connection has been reduced to what period for metropolitan, municipal and rural areas respectively?
Ans- * The technical feasibility for solar rooftops up to 10kw will not be required whereas, the timeline for conducting technical feasibility for more than 10kw is reduced from 20 days to 15 days * 5 kW * From 30 days to 15 days * Metropolitan areas- from 7 days to 3 days Municipality areas- from 15 days to 7 days Rural areas- from 30 days to 15 days
214
India’s largest tribal festival and second largest fair after Kumbh Mela “Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara” was organised at which place and by which tribal community? The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sanctioned ₹____for the promotion of Medaram tribal culture?
Ans- * It was organised at Medaram village, Mulugu district of Telangana. It is celebrated by the "Koya" tribe. * ₹2.3 crore
215
What are the names of the two hybrid electric catamaran vessels launched by PM Modi in Feb and they were built by which company?
MV Guh and MV Nishadraj were launched and built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd. The MV Guh will sail on the river Saryu in Ayodhya and MV Nishadraj will sail on the river Ganga in Varanasi.
216
The NTPC-REL commenced its first solar project of 70 Mw in which place in Feb?
Chhattargarh, Rajasthan
217
Which entity organised the “Akshar/Shabd/Bhasha” exhibition to bring forth the importance of mother languages and the need to preserve endangered languages?
It was organised by the IGNCA (Indra Gandhi National Centre for Arts) for the Kalanidhi division.
218
India cooperated with with which country in the field of Archives and handed over the list of 70 documents available in the National Archive of India?
Oman
219
What was the theme of the 18th National Convention of the “UN Global Compact Network India” where issues like climate change, gender equality, living wage, finance and water resilience were discussed?
“Advancing Sustainable India: Driving Change with Forward Faster 2030”
220
The government launched 11 PACS (Primary Agriculture Credit Societies) in 11 states under the “World’s Largest Foodgrain Storage Plan” scheme. What is the objective and outlay of the scheme? The project will be implemented by?
Ans- ** The scheme aims to create a storage capacity for storing 100% of India’s foodgrain production. It aims to achieve this by integrating PACS godowns with the foodgrain supply chain and converging various schemes such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure Scheme (AMIS), Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) etc. Thus, enabling farmers to avail various subsidies and interest subvention for their foodgrain stored at the PACS godowns. ** It will be implemented by the NCDC (National Cooperative Development Cooperation) with the support of NABARD, FCI, CWC (Central Warehousing Corporation) etc. Apart from this, Modi also laid the foundation stone for 500 PACS for the construction of godowns and agri-infrastructure and inaugurated a project for the computerization of 18000 PACS across the country.
221
The Union Minister RK Singh chaired a meeting to finalize the deployment of VGF for the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity. What are the targets of the scheme? What is the outlay of the scheme and what is the financial support provided?
Ans- * The scheme was announced in 2023 and it aims to install 4000 MWh of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity by 2030-31 and targets achieving a Levelized Cost of Storage (LcoS) of ₹5.5-₹6.6 per kWh. * The outlay of the scheme is ₹9400 crore and financial support for up to 40% of the Capital Cost will be provided as the VGF.
222
A) The ___edition of the WTO Ministerial Conference, aimed to address critical issues affecting global trade and food security was held in _____place? B) According to the G-33 Ministerial Statement on Agriculture Trade Negotiations, almost ______people will be chronically undernourished in 2030? C) Despite previous oppositions by South Africa and India, the WTO members agreed to further extend the moratorium on imposing import duties on ______type of trade for two more years? D) Which two new members were added in the WTO? E) What is the 3-Tier action plan proposed by India to revive WTO's Dispute Resolution Body? F) India’s proposal on reducing the cost of cross-border remittances garnered a significant support. The proposal highlighted the disparity between current global average remittance costs of ____% and the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of less than ___%?
Ans- A) The 13th edition of the WTO Ministerial Conference was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE B) 600 million people C) e-Commerce trade D) Comoros and Timor-Leste. This brings the total number of WTO member countries to 166 E) 1. To transition the discussions on dispute settlement reforms to formal WTO bodies, preferably under the guidance of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) chair; 2. To ensure that the transition is not just a mere formality but results in an effective multilateralisation of the process, which is member-driven, open, transparent and inclusive, taking into account the myriad capacity and technical challenges facing developing country members and LDCs; 3. To prioritise the restoration of the Appellate Body. F) 6.18%, 3%
223
India’s largest Solar Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) was commissioned at which place and by which company with an installed capacity of 152.325 Mwh?
It was commissioned at Rajnandgaon, Chattisgarh by the SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India), MeITY.
224
What were the two AYUSH projects that were inaugurated by PM Modi in Feb and they were inaugurated at which place? A Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Panchkarma was inaugurated at which place?
Ans- * The National Institute of Naturopathy called “Nisarg Gram” was inaugurated in Pune Central Research Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy (CRIYAN) was inaugurated in Jhajjar, Haryana * It was inaugurated at the State Ayurvedic College & Hospital in Guwahati
225
What is the name of the longest cable-stayed bridge built at a cost of around ₹980 crores that was inaugurated in Gujarat and it will connect which two places? What is the length of the bridge?
Ans- * The “Sudarshan Setu” will connect Oksha with Beyt Dwarka Island in Gujarat. * The length of the bridge is 2.32 km and it contains features like Bhagavad Gita verses, Lord Krishna images, Solar panels generating 1 Mw of electricity
226
The regional film certification facilitation office was announced to be set up in which place to promote ease of doing business for filmmakers in the region?
Chandigarh
227
What is the name of the project for which the Ministry of Women & Child Development and the Ministry of Ayush collaborated to control anaemia in adolescent girls through Ayurvedic interventions?
Under the project “Utkarsh”, adolescent girls will be tested for anaemia and provided ayurvedic interventions. In the first phase, adolescent girls in the age group of 14 to 18 years will screened to control anemia. The project will be implemented in 5 districts with approximately covering 95000 adolescent girls and 10000 Anganwadi centres in the anaemia-prone districts.
228
Which entity organised The “Purple Fest” at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi and why? India Neurodiversity Platform was launched by which entity?
Ans- * It was organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, MoSJE in partnership with the Pt. Deendayal Upadhya National Institute of Persons with Physical Disabilities. It was organised to raise awareness about different disabilities and their impact on people’s lives. * It was launched by the National Institute of Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) in partnership with the Tata Power Community Development Trust
229
The MeITY launched the “Investor Information and Analytics Platform” for startups to access venture capitalists, investor networks, government schemes and other components in collaboration with which entity?
IIT Madras
230
Which two entities signed an MoU to collaborate on evaluating optimal locations for developing greenfield industrial smart cities by leveraging the framework of PM Gatishakti?
NICDC (National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Ltd (NICDC) and IIT Delhi
231
The PM laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the _____railway stations at a cost of ₹______under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme?
553 railway stations at a cost of ₹19000 crore
232
“Bharat Tex 2024: India’s largest Global Textile Mega event” was organised at which place? What is the 5F vision of the textile industry? The government aims to achieve a domestic textile production target of _____and a textile export target of _______by 2030? A tripartite MoU was signed between the Textiles Committee, the Ministry of Textiles and which two other entities to promote upcycled products made from textile waste and scrap?
Ans- * Bharat Mandapam and Yashobhoomi convention centres in New Delhi * Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Industry, Industry to Fashion and Fashion to Foreign Market * Domestic Textile production target- USD 250 billion by 2030 Textile Export target- USD 100 billion by 2030 * GeM, Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE), Department of Public Enterprises
233
The “Garbhini-GA2” India-specific model developed to determine the age of the foetus in a pregnant woman was developed by which entities?
It was developed by BRIC-THSTI and IIT Madras. Currently, the formula used to determine the age of the foetus or GA (Gestational Age) is based on Western populations which is sometimes erroneous in the Indian population. The newly developed 2nd and 3rd trimester GA formula is more accurate for the Indian population.
234
What is the name of India’s first Septic Tank/Manhole cleaning robot launched in Feb and it was developed by which startup?
The “Homosep Atom” robot was developed by the startup “Solinas”.
235
After the Michaung Cyclone rain damaged the FCV Tobacco in Andhra Pradesh, the government has approved an interest-free loan of ₹______to the FCV Tobacco growers in Andhra Pradesh?
₹10000
236
Ahead of the General elections of 2024, the Election Commission of India (ECI) signed an MoU with which entities to amplify its voter outreach and awareness efforts?
Indian Banking Associations (IBA) and the Department of Posts (DoP). The ECI also signed an MoU with the Ministry of Education to formally integrate electoral literacy into the educational curriculum of schools & colleges.
237
In Feb, the NHA marked a significant milestone in facilitating _____ABHA-based scan and share services across India? When was this service launched under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission?
Ans- * 2 crore * The ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) scan and share service was launched in 2022 to facilitate OPD appointments by scanning QR codes in the OPD premises. Thus, immediately sharing the ABHA profile with the OPD department. The scan and share service is presently operational in 465 districts in 33 States and UTs.
238
Recently the SWAYAM Plus platform was launched, it is related to? When was the SWAYAM platform launched?
Ans- * It provides industry-relevant courses to higher education students and working professionals in 12 major Indian languages. The certification for courses is provided by IIT Madras. * It was launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Education in line with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
239
The workshop on “PPP Project Structuring Toolkit for Water & Sanitation” was organised by which entity in New Delhi?
The Infrastructure Finance Secretariat (IFS), Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance organised the workshop detailing its 5 integral tools namely - Suitability filter tool - Family Indicator tool - Mode validation tool - Financial Viability indicator tool - Value for money indicator tool
240
Which entities organised the workshop on “Bridging the Standardisation Gap on Effectiveness in Standardization”? Where was it organised?
Ans- * It was organised by the National Institute of Communication Finance (NICF) and the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) and aimed at deepening the knowledge of ITU’s work in the field of ICT Standardization. * It was organised at the ITU’s area office for South Asia in New Delhi.
241
The “Viksit Bharat@2047” conclave was organised by which entity in New Delhi?
FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry)
241
The Ministry of Ayush signed an MoU with which policy research institute in Feb for the continuation of academic cooperation and collaboration with that institute? The National Institute of Ayurveda (NIA), Jaipur also signed an MoU with a Traditional Medicine department of which country to establish academic collaboration between Ayurveda and Traditional Medicine of that country?
Ans- * Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), New Delhi * Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Thailand. The MoU was signed at the 10th India-Thailand joint commission meeting held in the Hyderabad House, New Delhi.
242
PM Modi participated in the program “Creating the Future- Digital Mobility for Automotive MSME Entrepreneurs”. Where was the program held? PM Modi launched which two initiatives to support MSMEs in the Indian Automotive industry?
Ans- * Madurai, Tamil Nadu * TVS Open Mobility platform and TVS Mobility-CII Centre of Excellence
243
The Website and Logo of the “Alliance for Global Good Gender Equity and Equality” was launched wherein, the parallel strokes represent collective actions by governments, industries and institutions. Tricolours symbolizing the values of the alliance such as saffron for strength and courage, white for truth and green for growth. The “Alliance for Global Good Gender Equity and Equality” was launched at which place?
The “Alliance for Global Good Gender Equity and Equality” was launched at the 54th annual World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland. It was launched to promote women empowerment and gender equality. It was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and anchored by the CII-Centre for Women Leadership.
244
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare released the 16th instalment of the PM-KISAN (PM-Kisaan Samman Nidhi Scheme) of about ₹______ in Feb?
₹21000 crore. With this release, an amount of more than ₹3 lakh crore has been transferred to more than 11 crore farmers’ families.
245
According to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2022-23 released by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), MoSPI, what was the average Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) of Rural and Urban India respectively on household consumption of goods and services in 2022-23? Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) of which state was the highest and lowest respectively? The MPCE of which UT was the highest?
Ans- * Rural India- ₹3773 (Food Items- ₹1750, Non-food items- ₹2023) Urban India- ₹6459 (Food items- ₹2530, Non-food items- ₹3929) * Highest- Sikkim for both Rural and Urban India, Lowest- Chattisgarh * Highest- Chandigarh, Lowest was for Ladakh and Lakshadweep for rural and urban areas respectively.
246
The 16th edition of the “ELECRAMA 2025”, the world’s largest electrical show was organised by which entity in Delhi and what was the theme of the event?
It was organised by The Indian Electricals and Electronics Manufacturing Association (IEEMA), an apex association of electric and industrial electronics equipment manufacturers. The theme of the event was “Reimagining Energy for Sustainable Future”
247
The “Centre of Excellence for Geopolitics and International Studies” was organised at which place by union minister Hardeep Singh Puri?
Reva University, Bangalore
248
The Ministry of Jal Shakti signed an agreement with 12 technical education institutions for basin management of which 6 rivers? The cGanga (Centre for Ganga Basin Management and Studies) works under the leadership of _______?
Ans- * Godavari, Narmada, Mahanadi, Krishna, Kaveri and Periyar rivers * IIT Kanpur
249
Where was the first National Symposium on Fodder Management organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying?
New Delhi
250
____artists in the field of performing arts were elected as the recipient of the Akademi Fellows (Akademi Ratna) and ______artists were selected for Akademi Awards for 2022-23? ______artists were selected for Ustaad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puruskar for 2022-23? What is the purse money given to Akademi Fellows and Akedemi Award recipients respectively?
Ans- * Akademi Fellowship- 6 artists Akademi awards- 92 artists * 80 * Akademi Fellowship- ₹3 Lakhs Akademi Awards- ₹1 lakhs
251
India’s first indigenous Green Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry was launched at which place and under which initiative? It was built by which entity?
Ans- * It was launched at Toothukudi, Tamil Nadu under the “Harit Nauka Initiative” * Cochin Shipyard Ltd
252
What is the name of India’s first Green Hydrogen Hub Port launched in Feb?
V.O Chidambaranar Port, Toothukudi Tamil Nadu
253
PM Modi unveiled a 41-foot statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in which place?
Maharashtra
254
The Cabinet approved the establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) in India with budgetary support of ₹_____for a time period of _____? The International Big Cat Alliance in an international coalition of ____member countries? Which are the 7 big cats?
Ans- * Budgetary Support- ₹150 crore Time – 2023-24 to 2027-28 * 96 member countries * Lion, Tiger, leopard, snow leopard, jaguar, cheetah and Puma. Out of these India has 5 Big cats and does not have Jaguar and Puma. The Director General of the MoEFCC is appointed as the interim head of the IBCA secretariat.
255
The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) will sanction ₹___ by _____? Explain something about NaBFID, when was it set up?
Ans- * ₹3 lakh crore by March 2026 * The NaBFID is an All India Financial Institute (AIFI) established in 2021 to provide long-term infrastructure finances, including the development of bonds and derivatives markets necessary for infrastructure financing. It has both developmental and financial objectives. It has an authorized shared capital of ₹1 lakh crore and the government of India has infused an initial capital of ₹20000 crore with a grant of ₹5000 crore.
256
Which country became the first to adopt the “Jan Aushadi Scheme”?
Mauritius
257
Answer the following according to economic data released by the MoSPI in Feb 2024 for the FY2023-24- The Real GDP or GDP at a constant price for FY2023-24 is estimated at ₹_____ showing a growth rate of ___%? Nominal GDP or GDP at the current price for FY2023-24 is estimated at ₹____showing a growth rate of ___%? GVA at constant price is __% in 2023-24 and GVA at current prices is ___% in the same period?
Ans- * ₹172.9 lakh crore, showing a growth rate of 7.6% * ₹293.9 lakh crore, showing a growth rate of 9.1% * GVA at a constant price- 6.9% GVA at current price- 8.2%
258
The “Poshan Utsav: Celebrating Nutrition” to promote good nutrition behaviour and highlight India’s efforts to combat malnutrition was organised by which ministry and at which place? A “Poshan Utsav Book” was launched at the event, curated by _____and supported by ______?
Ans- * It was organised by the Ministry of Women & Child Development in New Delhi * Curated by Deendayal Research Institute (DRI), New Delhi and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
259
The NSSO (FOD) under the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) signed an MoU with which entity to facilitate the Urban Frame Survey (UFS) in a digital mode? Which platform will be utilized to facilitate the digitization of the Urban Frame Survey (UFS)?
Ans- * National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) under the ISRO. the Urban Frame Survey (UFS) is conducted by NSSO to prepare and maintain a comprehensive frame of compact urban geographical units such as wards, municipalities, blocks and other geographic zones. This frame serves as a sampling frame for NSSO's large-scale socio-economic surveys conducted in urban areas, facilitating the collection of reliable data for policy-making and planning purposes. * The “Bhuvan” platform of the ISRO will be utilized. It allows users to explore a set of geographic data prepared by ISRO such as IRS imagery, maps, terrains and other geographic features.
260
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Industrial Workers in Jan 2024 increased by ___% and stood at _____? Year on Year inflation for the month of Jan 2024 stood at ___%?
Ans- * Increased by 0.1% and stood at 138.9 * 4.59% The base year of the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers is 2016 with a base value of 100.
261
Which company hosted its first Global partner roadshow “Confluence: Where Energy and Opportunity Converge”?
It was hosted by Oil India Ltd in Abu Dhabi
262
Which ministry in Feb organised the CPSE conclave on Public Procurement Policy to acknowledge the efforts taken by CPSEs in fulfilling the mandate under the Public Procurement Policy of the government?
Ministry of MSME
263
How many railway stations were accredited with the “Eat Right Station” certification from the FSSAI in Feb?
150 Railway Stations were accredited with the “Eat Right Station” certification by the FSSAI. The certification is received by railway stations for adhering to hygiene and sanitation protocols and raising awareness among individuals for making informed food choices.
264
Who launched the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) at remote Land Custom Stations (LCS) in northeast states and why?
It was launched by Nirmala Sitaraman as an Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) that will provide real-time data on the movement of goods at the Land Customs Stations. Thus, making tax system and customs procedures automated.
265
An Electronic Cash Ledger (ECL) was introduced for the payment of _______?
For the payment of import duties for goods imported through courier mode. With this introduction, Express industries can make payments through multiple banks using Internet Banking, NEFT and RTGS.
266
Answer the following based on the “Report on Status of Leopards in India” carried out by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India- The survey was conducted in _____states? The leopard population increased by ___% from ______in 2018 to ______in 2022? Which are the top 4 states with the highest leopard population?
Ans- * 20 states, including 18 tiger states * By 8% from 12852 in 2018 to 13874 in 2022 * Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
267
The World’s first Vedic Clock- “Vikramaditya Vedic Clock”, designed to display time according to the ancient Indian time calculation system was reestablished at which place?
Jantar Mantar, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
268
What was the theme of the Mobile World Congress 2024 organised by the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communication) in Barcelona, Spain?
“Future First”
269
The first-ever transoceanic voyage undertaken by Indian Women in a double-handed mode was conducted on which ship and on which route?
It was conducted on the INS Tarini from Goa to Port Luis in Mauritius
270
The first “Blue Talks” meeting on Ocean Health and Governance organised by the Ministry of Earth Science in New Delhi was co-partnered by which two embassies?
Embassies of France and Costa Rica
271
The Cabinet approved 3 more semiconductor units in which place?
Semiconductor Fabrication plant in Dholera, Gujarat Semiconductor ATMP (Advanced Technology Manufacturing Plant) unit for specialized chips in Sanand, Gujarat Semiconductor ATMP unit in Morigaon, Assam
272
Answer the following based on the State Energy Efficiency Survey 2023 released in March- It was the ____edition of the annual energy efficiency survey released by ______? ____state was ranked 1 in the survey with an overall score of 86.5, followed by _____state with a score of 83.25 out of 100? _____states and UTs were in the Front Runner category with a score of >=60? States were also classified into four groups based on their Total Final Energy Consumption (TFEC). Which were those states?
Ans- * 9th edition released by the BEE, Ministry of Power and Alliance for an Energy-Efficient Economy (AEEE) * Rank 1- Karnataka (86.5), Rank 2- Andhra Pradesh (83.25) * 7 states * Group 1 (>15 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE))- Karnataka Group 2 (5-15 MTOE)- Andhra Pradesh Group 3 (1-5 MTOE)- Assam Group 4 (<1 MTOE)- Chandigarh
273
The ____edition of the “Annual Shakti International Women Entrepreneurs Summit” was launched in New Delhi? It was hosted by? Which three initiatives were launched at the summit?
Ans- * 9th edition * Ministry of MSME, MSE Forum and Women Entrepreneurs Forum (WEF) * 1- Panjikaran Se Pragati- it is a campaign to encourage women entrepreneurs to register on the Udyam Portal 2- WEP Unnati Udyamita Se Pragati Tak- It will provide capacity-building support for women entrepreneurs through the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) 3- Mentorship platform for Women Entrepreneurs
274
A report for Sustainable Textile Hub in India was released by which entity at the “Bharat Tex 2024”?
UNEP (United Nations Environment Program)
275
Project “ODISERV” was launched by which entity and why?
It was launched by the NSDC (National Skill Development Corporation), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship in collaboration with Bajaj Finserv. The project ODISERV was launched to provide necessary skills to graduates of Odisha to prepare them for employment opportunities in the financial services sector.
276
NITI Ayog announced the launch of “National Birth Defect Awareness Month 2024” In which month and with what theme to address the childbirth defect issues? The month-long campaign will be launched under which program?
Ans- * It will be launched in August with the theme “Breaking Barriers: Inclusive Support for Children with birth defects” * Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram (RBSK), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
277
A 518-km Crude oil pipeline, the “Haldia-Baruani pipeline” was inaugurated at a cost of ₹2790 crore. It passes through which states and will supply crude oil to which oil refinery company?
It passes through Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand and will supply crude oil to Bongaingaon refinery, Barauni refinery and Guwahati refinery of the Indian Oil Corporation.
278
What was the theme of the 6th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) concluded on 1 March and where was the event held? Resolution on Promoting Sustainable Lifestyle was adopted, submitted by India and co-sponsored by _____and _____?
Ans- * Theme- “Effective, Inclusive and Sustainable Multilateral actions to tackle Climate Change, biodiversity loss and pollution”. The event was held at UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya * Sri Lanka and Bolivia
279
What is the name of the umbrella organisation launched for the Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) by Union Minister Amit Shah and why was it launched? The umbrella organisation aims to raise capital with a plan to reach a capital base of ₹______? There more than ____UCBs with more than ______branches? UCBs have reduced their net NPAs to ___% and there is a need for further improvement?
Ans- * National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC) was launched as the umbrella organisation for Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) in India. It will provide liquidity and capital support and ensure adherence to the Banking Regulations Act by the UCBs. The NUCFDC was launched as an NBFC and a Self Regulatory Organisation for the UCB sector. * ₹300 crore * There are more than 1500 UCBs with more than 11000 branches with a deposit size of more than ₹5 lakh crore and a total lending of more than ₹3 lakh crore * 2.10%
280
What is the name of the digital database for livestock animals created under the National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM)? It will provide a unique ___digit tag ID allocated to each livestock animal? What is Bharat Pashudhan livestock data stack?
Ans- * “Bharat Pashudhan” * It will provide a unique 12-digit Tag ID for each bovine which is tagged and will empower the farmer by providing a traceability system for bovines for disease control and monitoring. * It is app which will have information related to animal transactions like vaccinations, artificial inseminations, fresh animal registrations, change in ownership, even e-prescriptions, disease reports, milk recording, etc. - It will help in monitoring and tracking on real time basis using the unique ID number or Pashu Aadhaar assigned to every animal. - It will also help in traceability through National Digital Livestock Mission.
281
Indian banks were allowed to act as Trading members (TM)/Trading and Clearing Members (TCM) and were authorized to act as a Special Category Client (SCC) of the IIBX to import gold and silver. Which type of banks were not allowed as per this circular? What are the measures taken for risk management of such transactions? Where is the location of the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX)?
Ans- * Regional Rural Banks * A- All Client trades placed on the IIBX will be against a 110% advance buy order of the expected value of the bullion intended to be purchased B- A global sub-limit will be determined with reference to the Net open Overnight Position Limit (NOOPL) in Gold/Silver for banks for up to 1 tonne of gold equivalent. * The IIBX is located at GIFT, IFSC in Gujarat. It is India's first bullion exchange and 3rd of its kind in the world.
282
The ceiling of remuneration given to Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) of private banks was increased from ₹____ to ₹______?
₹20 lakh to ₹30 lakh per annum
283
Answer the following based on the Rupay Card and UPI connectivity launched with Mauritius- With this connectivity, an Indian traveller to Mauritius will be able to pay a merchant in Mauritius using UPI. Similarly, a Mauritian traveller will be able to do the same in India using the ________ app of Mauritius? Which scheme of Mauritius will allow banks in Mauritius to issue Rupay cards? Apart from this, UPI connectivity was also launched with which nation to enable UPI payments at merchant locations in both countries?
Ans- * Instant Payment System (IPS) app of Mauritius * MauCAS card scheme. With this, Mauritius has become the first non-Asian country to issue cards using the Rupay network. * Sri Lanka
284
Terms of Reference signed between the Reserve Bank of India and Nepal’s _______Bank on the Integration of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India with the National Payments Interface (NPI) of Nepal for cross-border remittances?
Rastra Bank of Nepal
285
The government extended the “Interest Equalization Scheme (IES) on Pre and Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit” till June 30 2024. What is the interest equalization provided under the scheme? According to some modifications, which banks will be restricted from participating in the scheme? The annual net subvention amount has been capped at ₹____per Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) in a financial year?
Ans- * 2% for the Manufacturers and Merchant exporters under 410 HS line 3% for MSMEs under any HS line. HS line here stands for Harmonized System Code which is assigned to each product traded internationally, the HS Code categorizes products based on their characteristics and composition. * With effect from FY2023-24, the banks which have priced their interests charged on loans greater than “4% + Repo Rate” prior to subvention would be restricted from participating under the scheme till they furnish an undertaking to the DGFT. * ₹10 crore per Financial Year
286
In Feb, _______was included as the Financial Information Provider under the Account Aggregator (AA) framework for aggregating financial information on government securities under the Retail Direct scheme of the RBI?
Clearing Corporation of India (CCI) The RBI Retail Direct Scheme (‘Scheme’) was launched on November 12, 2021 to facilitate retail investors to invest in Government Securities. The Scheme enables individuals to open Retail Direct Gilt Accounts with the Bank and access the Government Securities market - both primary and secondary. Account Aggregator is a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) engaged in the business of providing the service of retrieving financial information from one financial institution to another based on an individual's direction and consent. No financial information of the individual is retrieved, shared or transferred by AA without his / her explicit consent. Entities may enrol themselves on AA framework as Financial Information Provider (FIP) viz. banking company, non-banking financial company, asset management company, depository, depository participant, insurance company, insurance repository, pension fund etc. and as Financial Information User (FIU) which is an entity registered with and regulated by any financial sector regulator.
287
Which two entities collaborated to form a model EV Policy for nationwide adoption?
NITI Ayog and BEE
288
What is the name of the initiative launched by the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism to enhance sanitation practices in the tourism industry? _______received the first five Swachhata Green Leaf Rating Certification (SGLRC)?
Ans- * Swachhata Green Leaf Rating (SGLR) certification initiative. It is aligned with the Travel for LIFE program under mission LIFE. * Bison Resort in Madhya Pradesh
289
Which entity launched the “Social Defence Fellowship” program and what are its objectives? How many fellows were selected for the program?
Ans- * The programme was launched by the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in collaboration with the NGO, the Nudge Institute. The main objective of the “Social Defence Fellowship” program is to integrate private sector expertise with the civil servants’ vision for empowering marginalised communities. - It aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among marginalised communities - Enhance access to social welfare schemes for marginalised communities - Promote education empowerment initiatives for marginalised communities * 5 fellows were selected from more than 840 applications across the world. These fellows will work within the government system for an 18-month fellowship duration for the empowerment of marginalised communities.
290
The registrations of Informal Micro Enterprises (IMEs) on the Udyam Assist Platform (UAP) crossed _____in March 2024? When was the Udyam Assist Platform (UAP) launched and why?
Ans- * 1.5 crore * The Uyam Assisted Platform (UAP) was launched in January 2023 to register Informal Micro Enterprises (IMEs) on the platform. The IMEs registered on the platform are subject to receive a Udyam Registration Certificate for availing of the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) benefits. The UAP is managed by the SIDBI.
291
What is the full form of the ADITI scheme launched at the “DeF Connect 2024” event in New Delhi? What is the tenure and outlay of the scheme? The iDex was expanded to iDEX Prime with financial assistance for startup projects ₹___?
Ans- * Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with IDEX (ADITI). Under this scheme, startups are eligible to avail of grants-in-aid up to ₹25 crores for research, development and innovation in the defence technology sector. It aims to develop 30 deep tech technologies and create a Technology Watch tool to bridge the gap between the expectations and requirements of the armed forces * It has an outlay of ₹750 crore for a 2023-24 to 2025-26 period. * From ₹1.5 crore to up to ₹10 crore
292
What is the name of the digital portal launched by the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) to ease the warehousing logistics of farmers? The security deposit at the WDRA-registered warehouses will be reduced to? The government has set a target to register ______warehouses on the portal? Public Sector Banks (PSBs) provide low-interest rate and collateral-free loans against the e-NWRs (Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipt) in the agriculture sector for up to ₹____ and in other sectors up to ₹____?
Ans- * “e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi” * From 3% to 1% * 1 lakh * Agriculture Sector- up to ₹75 lakhs Other sectors- up to ₹5 crore
293
India’s first Green Hydrogen plant in the stainless steel sector was inaugurated at which place and by which company?
It was inaugurated by Jindal Stainless Ltd (JLS) in Hisar, Haryana
294
The first ever “Science Experience Centre” and an exclusive “Biofuel Centre” was inaugurated at which place?
CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad
295
The first PLI Automotive Certificate was given to which company by the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) in March? The certificate was given under the “PLI Scheme of the Ministry of Heavy Industries for Automobiles and Autocomponent” launched in 2021 with an outlay of ₹_____?
Ans- * OLA Electric * ₹25938 crore
296
India’s first 500 Mw Fast Breeder Reactor was developed by which company?
It was developed by the Bhartiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI), Department of Atomic Energy. Once commissioned, India will be the second country after Russia to have this technology.
297
The 2nd edition of the “PESA Regional Conference” was held in which place and attended by which 5 states?
It was organised in Rachi, Jharkhand by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for strengthening and effective implementation of the provisions of the PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996. Five participating states: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Telangana.
298
The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) signed an MoU with which company to provide livelihood opportunities to Women SHGs, under DAY-NRLM and support them to become “Lakhpati Didis”? What support will be provided to women SHGs? The Easytrip planners will ensure that the Women SHGs maintaining the ticket book enterprise post-training should earn a profit of at least ₹_______per month to become Lakhpati Didi?
Ans- * EasyTrip Planners Ltd * EasyTrip Planners Ltd will train women SHGs in searching, booking and printing travel services such as bus tickets, train tickets, hotel bookings and flights by providing internet and computer access. The women SHGs will be referred to as “Ticket Wali Didis”. The pilot project will be implemented in 10 blocks in districts identified by the MoRD for three months. * ₹10000 per month
299
The first “Pey Jal Survekshan Awards” was conferred by the President of India. The Pey Jal Survekshan survey was launched by which ministry and why? The first “Pey Jal Survekshan Awards” covers how many cities? Apart from this, the “Amrut Mitra” initiative was also launched, why was it launched?
Ans- * It was launched under the Amrut 2.0 mission of the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs in Sept 2022 and the survey was conducted from Dec 2022 to Nov 2023. The survey was conducted to assess the service level achievement in water supply, sewerage, septic management, wastewater management and conservation of water bodies in Urban areas. * It covers all 485 AMRUT cities * It was launched to engage SHG women in Urban Water Management by designating them as “Amrut Mitra”. They will be engaged in carrying out water quality testing, collection of water bills, supporting the public in grievance redressal and helping citizens in getting water connections.
300
India’s first small-scale LNG unit was established at which place and by which company at a cost of ₹150 crore?
It was established at Vijaipur, Madhya Pradesh by GAIL
301
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the Centre of Management Education in which place, which will help in meeting the skill demand required for the logistics sector?
It was inaugurated at the NALCO training institute in Angul, Odisha
302
The first of its kind Civil Aviation Research Organisation (CARO) was set up in which place by the AAI (Airport Authority of India) at a cost of more than ₹350 crore?
Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad
303
Answer the following based on the data of the PMFBY scheme released in March 2024- a) In the past 8 years, _______ farmer applications have been enrolled and over _____farmer applicants received claims? b) In the past 8 years, the farmers' share of the premium was near ₹_______ and they received the claimed amount of over ₹________for this? c) The number of farmers’ applications has grown ___% year-on-year during 2022-23? d) During 2023-24 there is an increase of __% in terms of farmers enrolled under the scheme, also ___% of the total farmers enrolled under the scheme in FY2023-24 are non-loanee farmers?
Ans- * A) 56.80 crore farmers’ applications have been enrolled and over 23.22 crore farmer applicants received claims. * B) Nearly ₹31139 crores and they received over ₹155977 crores for this claim. * C) 41% * D) 27%, 42%
304
The CBDT clarified provisions for income tax exemptions related to donations made by a Trust/Institution to another Trust/Institution. The provisions of income tax exemption are applied under which section? What are the conditions of income tax exemptions?
Ans- * The provisions are applicable to trusts/institutions, universities, hospitals and funds under section “10 of the Income Tax Act, 1961” or “Section 12AA/12AB of the Income Tax Act 1961” * At least 85% of the income of trusts/institutions etc should be used for charity or religious purposes wherein 85% of the eligible donations are tax exempted and the remaining 15% is subject to taxation.
305
A holistic Agriculture Development programme involving horticulture, agriculture and livestock husbandry was launched for which place in March? Under the programme, skill development will be provided to farmers through which portal? About ______Kisan Khidmat Ghars will be established and robust value chains will be put in place for the welfare of the farming community?
Ans- * J&K * Skill training will be provided to 2.5 lakh farmers through the Daksh Kishan portal of the J&K * About 2000 Kisan Khidmat Ghars will be established. They will be the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for providing a range of services related to agriculture and allied sectors
306
How many locations and under which categories were selected for the Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD) scheme?
42 locations were identified under 4 categories namely Culture & Heritage destination, Spiritual destination, Ecotourism and Amrit Dharohar destination and Vibrant Village destination.
307
PM Modi inaugurated India’s first underwater metro in Kolkata on which route and it will go through which river?
It was inaugurated for the Esplanade to Howrah Metro route in Kolkata. The metro has a 520-metre stretch under the river Hooghly.
308
The Coal Gasification Mission aims to gasify ______coal by 2030 through gasification projects of surface coal/Lignite?
100 million tonnes of coal
309
The Coal India Ltd (CIL) signed an MoU with _______to set up an ammonium nitrate plant through coal gasification in _______place?
With BHEL to set up the ammonium nitrate plant in the Lakhanpur area of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited in Odisha.
310
APEDA facilitated exposure visit of FPOs to which place in March 2024?
UAE
311
Workshop on Financial Management and Education Planning under the STARS programme was launched in Kerala. When was the STARS program launched and why? What is the outlay of the STARS programme? It is implemented in which 6 states?
Ans- * The STARS (Strengthening Teaching-Learning And Results for States) project was launched in June 2020 as part of the Atmanirbha Bharat Package to improve the overall school education policy in all the districts of the selected states. It focuses on foundational numeracy & literacy, national curricular and pedagogical frameworks for early childhood care and education and capacity building of teachers. It is implemented under the “Samagra Shiksha” Abhiyan by the Department of School Education and Literacy, MoE. * Its outlay is ₹5717 crore with a World Bank support of ₹3700 crore * Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Kerala
312
The 4th Semicon India Future Design Roadshow was held at which place? An MoU was signed between C-DAC and _____to boost India’s Processor Design and Manufacturing capabilities for high-performance computing? The “ChipIN Centre” was set up at C-DAC, why?
Ans- * Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Kerala * IBM * The ChipIN Centre will provide chip design and fabrication services to startups and academia. It plans to provide EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools to more than 85000 students of B.tech, M.Tech and Ph.D. levels to design semiconductor chips.
313
India’s Global Forum annual investment summit “NXT 10” was held in which place?
Mumbai, Maharashtra
314
The Ministry of Jal Shakti signed the MoA with which entity in March for the establishment of the International Centre of Excellence for Dams (ICED)? How will the ICED facilitate the Ministry of Jal Shakti? The Ministry of Jal Shakti will allocate ₹________for the construction and functioning of the ICED?
Ans- * Indian Institute of Science (IIS), Bangalore * The ICED will work as the technological arm of the Ministry of Jal Shakti and will focus on two key areas which are 1- Comprehensive risk assessment of dams 2- Advanced construction and rehabilitation materials testing for dams This will be the 2nd International Centre of Excellence for Dams (ICED) in the area of dam safety, the first was established at the IIT Roorkee in 2023. * ₹118 crore
315
The 17th Annual Biocuration Conference was held in which place for the first time in India?
Faridabad, Haryana
316
Who won the first prize at the National Youth Parliament 2024?
Yatin Bhaskar Duggal from Haryana studying in the LPU university
317
The RBI in Feb authorized banks and Non-banks Prepaid Payment Issuers (PPI) to issue PPIs for paying fares for ________? What are the net worth requirements for the NBFCs to issue PPIs? Cash loading to PPIs shall be limited to ₹_______ per month subject to the overall limit of the PPI? In co-lending arrangements between banks and Non-banks, the role of issuing PPIs will be mandated by? What are the PPI transaction limits for Cross-Border inward and Outward remittances respectively?
Ans- * For paying fares for the Public Transport System * There should be a positive net worth of a minimum ₹5 crore as per the latest balance sheet at the time of submitting the application and a minimum positive net worth of ₹15 crore after receiving authorization. * ₹50000 per month subject to the overall limit of the PPI * PPIs will be issued by banks in such cases while Non-banks will work in the marketing, distribution and provision of services to the PPI holder. * Cross-Border Outward Remittances: - The cross-border outward transaction limit is up to ₹10000 per transaction and up to ₹50000 per month. - Full KYC PPIs issued by banks having AD-1 (Authorized Dealers Category 1) licenses are allowed in cross-border transactions. - Cross-border PPIs cannot be used for making payments under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). Cross-Border inward Remittances: - Under cross-border inward remittances, amounts up to ₹50000 can be credited into the full KYC PPIs under the MTSS (Money Transfer Service Scheme) of the RBI. If the amount exceeds ₹50000, the entire amount will be credited to the bank account. - Bank and non-bank PPI issuers, appointed as Indian agents of authorised overseas principals, shall be permitted to issue full-KYC PPIs.
318
Explain Section 27 (2), section 35A and section 56 under the Banking Regulations Act, 1949 of the RBI?
- Section 27(2): The RBI can instruct a banking company to provide statements and information about its business or affairs within a specified timeframe. - Section 35A: The Reserve Bank can issue directions to banking companies if it deems necessary for public interest, banking policy, or to safeguard depositors' interests, prevent misconduct, or ensure proper management. Section 56: Act applicable to Cooperative Banks
319
The ARCs have to take prior approval from the RBI from at least ____days prior to the proposed appointment date for appointing Director, MD and CEO in the ARCs? Under which act, the RBI can instruct an asset reconstruction company to provide statements and information about its business or affairs within a specified timeframe?
Ans- * 90 days prior * Section 12 A of the SARFAESI Act, 2002
320
The “National Conference to Accelerate Sustainable Development Goals” was inaugurated at which place and by which entities?
It was inaugurated by the NITI Ayog in Rajasthan, with technical partners such as UNDP and Un in India.
321
The Atal Tinkering Labs, NITI Ayog partnered with which entity in March to establish “Frontier Technology Labs” in schools?
Partnered with Meta. The “Frontier Technology Labs” are the advanced version of the Atal Tinkering Labs equipped with technologies such as AI, Augmented & Virtual Reality, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Robotics, 3-D printing and IoT.
322
Why was the “Niti for States” platform was launched by the Union minister Ashwani Vaishnav and what are its features? What is the “Viksit Bharat Strategy Room” on the “Niti for States” platform?
Ans- * The “NITI for States” platform is a comprehensive knowledge platform launched for States and UTs to support and enhance cooperative federalism. It includes various datasets and documents required for the government’s “Viksit Bharat” action plan. Its features are: - It has Knowledge base products across 10 sectors such as agriculture, education, energy, health, tourism etc - It has capacity-building initiatives such as iGOT Karamyogi - It integrates data from the National Data & Analytics Platform (NDAP) for comprehensive insights. * The “Viksit Bharat Strategy Room” provides an interactive space for users to analyze different datasets
323
Answer the following based on the “Uttar Purva Transformative Industrialization Scheme (UNNATI-2024)” approved by the union cabinet- a) Why was the scheme launched and what is the outlay b) What is the tenure of the scheme? c) The scheme will be implemented by which entity? d) Districts will be categorized based on which two zones? e) All eligible industrial units have to commence their operation within ____years from the grant of registration? f) The maximum eligible benefit to one industrial unit from all components of the scheme is ₹_____? g) What are the incentives provided under the scheme for investors for setting up new units or expansion of the existing industrial units?
Ans- * A) It is a Central Sector scheme launched for the development of industries and employment generation in the Northeastern region of India and to create productive economic activity in the manufacturing and service sectors of the northeast. The outlay of the scheme is ₹10037 crore which is divided into two parts which are: Part A- It will provide incentives to the industrial units. The total outlay for this part is ₹9737 crores Part B- It is related to the implementation and institutionalization arrangements of the scheme. The outlay for this is ₹300 crore 60% of the outlay of Part A is earmarked for 8 northeastern states and 40% of the outlay is for the First-in-first-out basis. * B) Tenure of the scheme is 10 years till 31 March 2034 * C) It will be implemented by the DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce & Industry in partnership with state governments * D) Zone A (Industrial advanced districts) and Zone B (Industrial Backward Districts) * E) 4 years * F) ₹250 crore * G) Investment-based incentives: Where GST is applicable- Zone A- 30% of the value of investment in Plant & Machinery/Construction of building & durable physical assets up to ₹5 crore Zone B- 50% of the value of investment in P&M/Construction of building & durable physical assets up to ₹7.5 crore Where GST is not applicable- Zone A- 30% of the value of investment in Plant & Machinery/Construction of building & durable physical assets up to ₹10 crore Zone B- 50% of the value of investment in P&M/Construction of building & durable physical assets up to ₹10 crore Interest Subvention: Zone A- 3% interest subvention for 7 years Zone B- 5% interest subvention for 7 years Manufacturing & Services Linked Incentive for New units only (Where GST is applicable): Zone A- 75% of the value of investment in P&M Zone B- 100% of the value of investment in P&M
324
The cabinet approved the “IndiaAI Mission” for what outlay and what are its objectives? What are the components of the “IndiaAI Mission”? Under the “IndiaAI Compute Capacity” component, ______Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) will be deployed?
Ans- * The “IndiaAI Mission” was approved with an outlay of ₹10300 crore for 5 years to nurture India’s overall AI Innovation Ecosystem through Public-Private Partnerships. The key objectives of the mission are - Bolster India’s global leadership in AI - Foster technological self-reliance - Democratize AI benefits across all societal strata - Ensure ethical and responsible AI deployment * Components of the India AI Mission are: - IndiaAI Compute Capacity - IndiaAI Innovation Centre (IAIC) - IndiaAI Datasets Platform - IndiaAI Future Skills - IndiaAI Application Development Initiative - IndiaAI Startup Financing - Safety & Trusted AI * 10000 GPUs
325
The cabinet approved the continuation of the targeted subsidy under the PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) for FY2024-25. What is the subsidy provided under the scheme? What is the budget allocation for the PMUY for FY2024-25? As of Jan 1 2024, there are over ______PMUY beneficiaries? The average LPG consumption of the PMUY consumers increased by ___% from 3.01 refills to 3.87 refills?
Ans- * A subsidy of ₹300 per 12.5 kg cylinder for up to 12 refills per year is provided under the scheme * ₹12000 crore * 10.25 crore * 29%
326
The Soil Health programme was launched in New Delhi in collaboration with which two entities and why? In the pilot phase, _____soil labs were set up in Kendra Vidyalaya and Navodaya Vidyalayas? The programme will be implemented in which schools?
Ans- * It was launched in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and the Department of School Education and Literacy. Under the programme, Soil Health labs will be set up in schools and students will collect soil samples, test them in the soil labs and generate soil health cards. Students then will go to the farmers and educate them about the soil health card. Soil labs are set up Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and NABARD. * 20 * It will be implemented in Kendra Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya and Eklavya Modal residential schools. The projects will be implemented in 1000 of these schools.
327
The “Krishi Sakhi Training“ programme is the joint initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and __________? The programme will certify ______Krishi Sakhis as “Para-Extension Workers” and so far ______have already been trained and the programme is being simultaneously implemented in _______states?
Ans- * Ministry of Rural Development. * 70000, 3500, 13
328
The financial assistance under the “Tea Development and Promotion Scheme” was increased by ___% from ₹_____to ₹______ for FY2024-25 and FY2025-26? Under the scheme, ______FPO and _____SHGs will be set up in the next 2 years with increased assistance of ₹105.5 crores? Which three sub-components were added under the scheme?
Ans- * It was increased by 82% from ₹290 crore to ₹528 crore for FY2024-25 and FY2025-26 * 330 FPOs and 800 SHGs will be set up * - “Sub Component for research on blends and value-added products in international markets” for enhancing research and diversifying exports - “Sub Component for Quality Assurance” with an outlay of ₹39.9 crore out of which ₹20 crore will be used to set up and upgradation of tea testing labs. - “Sub Component of Technological Intervention for Tea Plantation” for carrying out activities such as precision farming, drone surveys, traceability, blockchain etc.
329
What was the theme of the “Republic Summit 2024” held in New Delhi?
“Bharat: The Next Decade”
330
The cabinet approved setting up the MSP for raw jute for 2024-25 at ₹______ per quintal? The MSP for raw jute registered ____% growth in the last 10 years?
Ans- * ₹5335 per quintal. It is in line with fixing the MSP at a level of at least 1.5 times India's weighted average cost of production. * It registered a growth of 122% in the last 10 years
331
The coal production crossed an unprecedented milestone of ______as on 6 March 2024?
900 million tonnes
332
Amit Shah inaugurated the “National Cooperative Database” for the expansion of the cooperative sector and providing an invaluable resource for policymakers, researchers and stakeholders. It has mapped information about _____cooperatives with a collective membership of ____spread across various sectors in the country? How was the mapping of cooperatives done in different phases?
Ans- * 8 lakh, 29 crore * Phase 1- 2.64 lakh primary cooperative societies from the three sectors of PACS, Dairy and Fisheries were mapped. Phase 2- mapping of National Federations, State Federations, State Cooperative Banks (StCB), District Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs), SCARDBs, PCARDBs etc was done Phase 3- the remaining 5.3 lakh primary cooperative societies were mapped.
333
Workshop on “Promoting Women Financial Literacy for Viksit Bharat through an effective Investor Education Protection Regime in the Digital Era” was hosted by the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) and which other organisation and at which place?
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)
334
The PFRDA inaugurated which app in March to widen financial inclusion through fintechs and to boost the NPS?
Zerodha Broking Ltd NPS web-app
335
“Phenome India” A Unique Health Check-up camp was organised by which entity in New Delhi?
CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR)
336
52 Tourism sector projects worth more than ₹1400 crore were launched under which two schemes in March 2024?
Swadesh Darshan Scheme and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASAD)
337
The Agriculture Integrated Command and Control Centre was inaugurated at which place to provide real-time access and analysis of data and resolve the problems of farmers?
Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi
338
The RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products) scheme was extended to which additional sectors till 30 Sept 2024? When was the RoDTEP scheme launched and what is the budget of the scheme for the current financial year? The RoDTEP Scheme has already provided support amounting to ₹______ to more than 10,500 export items at the 8-digit ITC HS Code level?
Ans- * Specialized Economic Zones (SEZ), Advance Authorization Holders (AA) and Export Oriented Units (EOU). This decision comes in recognition of the significant contribution these sectors make to India’s Exports, constituting approximately 25% of our exports * It was launched in 2021 and the outlay for the FY2023-24 is ₹15070 crore with an additional increase of 10% in the FY2024-25 * ₹42000 crore The RoDTEP scheme provides reimbursement on embedded taxes and duties paid by the exporters on the export of goods. It aims to enhance India’s export competitiveness in the international market. The scheme is implemented by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
339
The NHAI collaborate with which entity to provide immediate assistance to accident victims and strengthen the Incident Management System (IMS) on the National Highways?
HLL Life Care Ltd, a PSU under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
340
Among Central Paramilitary Forces, ________has the largest share of women personnel which is 9% in India?
Railway Protection Force (RPF)
341
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs changed the threshold limit for not notifying Mergers & Acquisition to the CCI (Competition Commission of India). What are the new threshold limits?
The threshold limit was increased by 150% wherein, the companies with total asset size less than ₹450 crores and turnover below ₹1250 crore do not need to notify the CCI for mergers & acquisitions.
342
The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the ___edition of the “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2024” campaign from 9 March to 30 Nov 2024? What is the theme of this year's campaign?
Ans- * 5th edition * Nari Shakti se Jal ki Shakti
343
The “Humara Samvidhan Humara Samman Campaign” event was launched at which place in March to empower citizens by spreading awareness about the constitution and their legal rights and duties? Which programme was launched at the campaign?
Ans- * Bikaner, Rajasthan * The “Nyaya Sahayak” programme was launched at the event which will provide door-to-door legal services awareness, facilitate case registrations and conduct legal literacy at a block level called “Vidhi Bethak”. The programme will be launched in 500 aspirational districts.
344
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) established ____ National Centre of Excellence (CoE) to impart specialized training, necessary sports infrastructure, diet prescriptions, coaches etc?
23 National Centre of Excellence
345
The DIET of Excellence programme was launched by which ministry and why? What is the financial outlay of the programme?
Ans- ** The District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) of Excellence programme was launched by the Ministry of Education for the infrastructure development of schools in 613 districts. ** The total outlay of the scheme is ₹9000 crore which will be provided to States and UTs for the physical upgradation of all 613 DIET and ₹15 crore per DIET will be provided under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
346
India signed a Free Trade Agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in March. The trade agreement was signed for what amount and which countries are included in the EFTA? EFTA will provide ____% of its tariff lines and India will provide ___% of its tariff lines?
Ans- * It was signed for 1 billion USD and EFTA is a regional trade organisation set up in 1960 for its 4 members namely, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. * EFTA will provide 92.2% of its tariff lines which will cover 96.6% of India’s exports whereas India will offer 82.7% of its tariff lines which will cover 95.3% of EFTA exports.
347
The “Aadi Vyakhyan Series- National Conclave on Tribal Women Achievers” was organised by the National Tribal Research Institute in New Delhi. What was the theme of the event?
Empowering Tribal Excellence
348
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities signed an MoU with which entity to provide necessary skills to the PwDs for various job roles in the electronic sector?
Electronics Sector Skill Council of India (ESSCI)
349
The foundation stone for the 2,880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project, India’s largest dam structure project was laid down in which place and it will constructed by which entity at a cost of more than ₹31876 crore?
The project will be constructed in Arunachal Pradesh by the NHPC. The Dam is planned to be constructed with Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) technique and it will be the highest RCC Dam in the World.
350
The North India’s first Government Homeopathic college was established at which place at a cost of ₹80 crore?
Kathua, J&K
351
The foundation stone for an MSME-Technology centre was laid in which place in March at an estimated cost of ₹182 crore?
Sindhudurg, Maharashtra
352
The Minister of Minority Affairs laid the foundation stone of 38 projects with a total estimated cost of Rs. 225 crore approved under the Buddhist Development Plan. The Buddhist Development plan will be implemented in which states?
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh
353
The Department of Pharmaceuticals announced the Revamped Pharmaceuticals Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (RPTUAS) to upgrade the technological capabilities of the pharmaceutical industries. Under the scheme, incentives will be provided to MSMEs and Pharmaceutical units with a turnover of less than ₹_____for technology and quality upgradation? What is the incentive structure of the scheme?
Ans- * ₹500 crore * 1- Turnover of less than ₹50 crore- the incentive of 20% of the investment will be provided 2- Turnover between ₹50 crore to ₹250 crore- the incentive of 15% of the investment will be provided 3- Turnover between ₹250 crore to ₹500 crore- the incentive of 10% of the investment will be provided The total incentive amount per unit is subject to up to ₹1 crore. The scheme aims to support the pharmaceutical industry's up-gradation to the Revised Schedule-M & WHO-GMP standards, enhancing the quality and safety of pharmaceutical products manufactured in our country.
354
The First of its kind ‘National Speed Breeding Crop Facility, DBT SPEEDY SEEDS” was launched at which place?
It is launched at the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI) in Mohali.
355
The Ministry of Women & Child Development is launching the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education for Children (ECCE) and the National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation for Children. The curriculum and framework will be for the children of what age group respectively? What are the features of the National Curriculum for Early Childhood Care and Education for Children (ECCE)? What are the roles of the National Framework for Early Childhood Stimulation for Children? Both the curriculum and framework are designed by which entity?
Ans- * Curriculum- age group of 3 to 6 years Framework- birth to 3 years * The Curriculum is structured to provide: - A weekly calendar comprising 36 weeks of active learning - 8 weeks of reinforcement - 4 weeks of initiation - Together with 5+1 days of play-based learning in one week - Three blocks of activities in one day * The framework is designed to provide the Anganwadi Worker with a basic understanding of how children grow and develop, the importance of brain development and the need for nurturing care. It focuses on the principles of serve and return, the caregiver’s three acts: love, talk, play, and positive guidance. * the National Institute for Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD)
356
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYAS) launched the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) programme in Chandigarh. It is aimed at the age group of? KIRTI aims to conduct______ assessments across the country throughout the year to identify talent through notified Talent Assessment Centres?
Ans- * 9 to 18 years * 20 lakh assessments. In the first phase, 10 Khelo India disciplines -- archery, athletics, boxing, football, hockey, kabaddi, kho-kho, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling have been identified.
357
The Bureau of Indian Standards launched a scheme for the upgradation of labs in higher education and R&D institutions with a total outlay of more than ₹____ . It will give a boost to the quality infrastructure of India by enhancing testing facilities across critical sectors including Textiles, Food, Legal Metrology, and Power Transmission?
More than ₹340 crore
358
The 24th Centre of Entrepreneurship FinGlobe was launched by which entity and at which place to foster innovation and growth in the financial technology sector?
It was launched by the STPI (Software Technology Parks of India) an autonomous body under the MeITY and established in association with the Department of Science & Technology in the Gift City, Gandhinagar.
359
In the 12th Edition of the Integrated Rating of Discoms, ____out of 55 DiSCOMs received A+ rating? The top position was received to which discom? Aggregate Technical & Commercial losses (AT&C) improved to _____% in FY23
Ans- * 14 * Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd of Maharashtra received the first position * 15.4%
360
A fishing harbour was constructed at which place under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries at a cost of ₹288 crore?
Juvvaladinne village in Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh.
361
Who assumed charge as the Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) in March?
Kishore Makwana
362
The PM-SURAJ national portal and scheme was launched in March, what is the full form of the PM-SURAJ scheme and why was it launched? Financial assistance amounting to ₹_____has been directly transferred to the bank accounts of 1 lakh beneficiaries present in more than 500 districts?
Ans- * The PM-Samajik Utthan Evan Rojgar Adharit Jankalyan (PM-SURAJ) scheme was launched to provide credit support to 1 lakh entrepreneurs hailing from marginalised communities through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The credit support is provided through banks, MFIs, NBFCs and other organizations. * ₹720 crore
363
_______and Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) signed MoU to launch the Credit Assistance Program for Jan Aushadi Kendras? It covers how many Jan Aushadi Kendras? Credit up to ₹____will be provided as a Working Capital Loan? What credit support will be provided for setting up Jan Aushadi Kendras? PM dedicated _____Jan Aushadi Kendras for setting up in Railway Stations?
Ans- * SIDBI * It covers 11000 existing Jan Aushadi Kendras and proposes to cover an additional 15000 Jan Aushadi Kendras. * ₹2 lakh * SIDBI will fund 80% of the project cost up to ₹4 lacks for setting up Jan Aushadi Kendras, which will facilitate expenses on Furniture & Fixtures, Computer, AC, Refrigerator etc. SIDBI will use the “GST Sahay” technology platform to provide credit support under this program. * 50
364
The Ministry of Rural Development signed an MoU with which entity to launch the project “BhuPrahari” and why?
The MoRD signed the MoU with IIT Delhi to launch the project "BhuPRAHARI," an ambitious initiative aimed at leveraging ground and space-based geospatial technologies along with Artificial Intelligence to monitor and manage assets under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The project will harness the power of technology for the betterment of rural development.
365
the University of Mauritius conferred Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor of Civil Law to?
President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu
366
The Light and Sound Show ‘The Kohinoor Story’ was launched by which entities and at which place?
It was launched by the Minister of Tourism and DoNER at Hussain Sagar, Sanjeevaiah Park, Hyderabad. The Light and Sound Show depicts the story of the world's most coveted diamond, the 'Kohinoor', which was mined from the rich soils of Telangana.
367
A Common Fellowship Portal was launched by which entity in March and why?
It was launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology and developed by the Department of Biotechnology. It is a single interface between applicants and various fellowship schemes and a centralized portal for all research applicants. Eligibility Calculator is a unique feature of the portal that will allow applicants to check their eligibility for various fellowship schemes by providing specific details and also act as a data repository.
368
The USOF (Universal Service Obligation Fund), DoT signed a tripartie MoU with which two other entities to bundle broadband services with OTT and an e-commerce platform for rural India riding on BharatNet infrastructure under the USOF?
It was signed with the ONDC and Prasar Bharti wherein, Prasar Bharati will source and produce content that will run on its OTT platform and the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will provide the technical expertise and necessary framework in enabling digital commerce in products & services. The USOF will ensure efficient and high-speed broadband services in rural and remote areas.
369
The National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) signed an MoU with which entity in March to promote collaboration for improving workforce skills, promoting employment opportunities, addressing skills gaps, and fostering international cooperation?
ITI Egypt
370
India’s 1st FutureLABS centre: Centre for Semiconductor Chips & Systems for Strategic Electronics was launched at which place?
C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram
371
The Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS) 2024 was launched to provide further impetus to the green mobility and development of electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing eco-system in the country. What is the outlay and tenure of the scheme?
The outlay of the scheme is ₹500 crore for 4 months from 1 April to 31 July 2024. The scheme will cover e-2w, e-3w, e-rikshaw and e-kart.
372
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power signed an MoU with which county to enhance energy efficiency in the household sector by promoting a star labelling programme in the respective country developed by the BEE?
Bhutan
373
India signed an Inter-Governmental Framework Agreement with which country in March and why?
It was signed between India and UAE to further the objectives of the “India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)”. The IMEC consists of railroads, ship-to-rail networks, road transport routes, an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline and a high-speed data cable extending across: Eastern Corridor- connecting India with the Arabian Gulf Northern Corridor- connecting Gulf with Europe
374
The “Vocal for Local “ initiative was launched by which entity and why? What is “Akanksha” under this initiative?
It was launched by NITI Ayog to foster Grassroots Entrepreneurship and Self-reliance among the populace of Aspirational Blocks, propelling them towards sustainable growth and prosperity. As a part of this initiative, indigenous local products from 500 Aspirational Blocks have been mapped and consolidated under Aakanksha, which is a dedicated window for the Aspirational Blocks Programme under the brand name on the GeM portal.
375
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) collaborated with which entity to promote inclusivity and accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in public spaces and buildings?
Council of Architecture (COA)
376
Shri Narayan Rane approves setting up of Export Acceleration and Experience Centre (EAEC) and Centre of Excellence for MSME Enablement of Technology(COMET) ______ place?
National Institute for MSME (ni-msme), Hyderabad
377
The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) signed an MoU with which entity to encourage innovation and advance the automotive and electric vehicle (EV) sector under the Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector Phase II?
IIT Roorkee. The total project cost is ₹24.66 crore
378
The 54th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) was held at which place and hosted by which country?
It was held in Nairobi, Kenya and hosted by the USA
379
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a _____USD loan agreement to build quality infrastructure and services toward improving urban livability and mobility in the peri-urban areas of the Ahmedabad city in Gujarat?
181 million USD. It will construct 166 km of water distribution network, 126 km of climate-resilient stormwater drainage, 300 km of sewerage systems, and four sewage treatment plants. The project is also supporting 10 junction improvements along the existing Sardar Patel Ring Road to improve the connectivity of peri-urban areas to Ahmedabad city.
380
India signs protocol for the establishment of its first bilateral institutional mechanism on trade and commerce with which country?
Dominicon Republic It will establish a Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) between India and the Dominican Republic. The protocol envisages strengthening and developing cooperation on trade, services, industrial technologies and various other sectors by means of technical assistance, training programmes and capacity building.
381
The PM Gati Shakti- National Master Plan was released in which sector in March?
Coal sector
382
What was India’s rank and score in the Gender Inequality Index (GII) 2022 released by the United Nations Development Programme in their Human Development Report 2023/2024?
India’s rank was 108 out of 193 countries with a score of 0.437 in 2022. India’s rank was 122 in 2021, a jump of 14 ranks.
383
Under which section the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) launched the pilot program to provide cashless treatment to the victims of road accidents caused by the use of motor vehicles? It was launched in which place and will be implemented by which entity? Cashless treatment of what amount will be provided?
Ans- ** Section 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 ** It was launched in Chandigarh and the project will be implemented by the National Health Authority in coordination with police, hospitals, State Health Agencies etc. ** Features of the program: - Victims are entitled to cashless treatment up to a maximum of Rs. 1.5 lakhs per accident per person for a maximum period of 7 days from the date of the accident. - Applicable to all road accidents caused by the use of motor vehicles on any category of road. - Ayushman Bharat PM-Jan Aarogya Yojana packages for trauma and polytrauma cases being co-opted. - Claims raised by hospitals for providing treatment to be reimbursed from the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. The program will be implemented through an IT platform combining the functionalities of the eDAR application of MoRTH and the Transaction Management System (TMS) of NHA.
384
The IPEF Supply Chain agreement was signed by its member nations. How many members are there in the IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework) and when was the IPEF signed? What are the 4 pillars of IPEF and India has signed which pillars?
Ans- * The IPEF is an economic initiative launched in 2022 by the USA in Tokyo that aims to enhance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. It has 14 regional partners – Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam. The 14 IPEF partners represent 40% of the global GDP and 28% of the global goods and services trade. * The four main Pillars are: - Supply Chain Resilience - Clean Energy, Decarbonization and Infrastructure - Taxation and Anti-Corruption - Fair and Resilient Trade India agreed to three out of four pillars, which are Supply Chain Resilience, Taxation & Anti-Corruption and Clean Energy
385
a) The first Oil Palm processing mill commenced operations in which place under the National Mission on Edible Oil? b) What is the aim of the National Mission on Edible Oil, and it is currently operational in how many states? c) What is the outlay of the National Mission on Edible Oil and what is the outlay allocated for the northeast region? d) What are the financial incentives provided under the National Mission on Edible Oil? e) What are the financial incentives provided for the northeast states under this mission?
Ans- * A) Arunachal Pradesh * B) The mission aims to escalate oil palm cultivation and elevate Crude Palm Oil production to 11.20 lakh tonnes by 2025-26. It is currently operational in 15 states nationwide, covering a potential area of 21.75 lakh hectares. * C) The total outlay is ₹11040 crore and ₹5870 crore for North East Region * D) - For purchase of planting material and management: ₹70000 per hectare - For purchase of harvesting tools: ₹290000 - For establishing custom hiring Centers (CHC): ₹25 lakhs * E) - A special assistance of Rs 100000 per hectare for the purchase of planting material and management - The Government of India will pay a differential payment of 2% on the Crude Palm Oil (CPO) price to farmers. The Differential Payment is financial support provided to bridge the gap between the market price of a commodity (in this case, CPO) and a predetermined benchmark or support price. - Special assistance of Rs 5 crore is allocated for oil palm processing mills in the NER.
386
Which entity launched the report "A Decade of Science - Technology Panorama for Aatmanirbhar Bharat", Capturing Key Technological Advancements in Last Decade?
It was launched by the Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India (OPSA) under the leadership of Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood (PSA) in collaboration with the Foundation of Advancing Science and Technology (FAST) India
387
A comprehensive Skill Development, leadership and entrepreneurship promotion and education program for the Sikh community was launched under which scheme? What is the outlay of the scheme?
Ans- * It is launched under the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, through the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), which is a Statutory Body established for the welfare of the Sikh community. This program will target 10,000 youth and women and seeks to provide modern skills training in employment-oriented job roles, promote Sikh artisans such as Sikligars and other groups who are practising traditional arts & crafts forms, foster women leadership and entrepreneurship, and education for school dropouts. * ₹100 crore
388
The Centre for Advanced Studies in Buddhist Studies was approved to set up by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in which place at a cost of ₹35 crore?
It will be set up at the University of Delhi under PM-Jan Vikas Karyakram (PM-JVK) and the Buddhist Development Plan at a cost of ₹35 crore.
389
What is the name of the app launched by Amit Shah which is a compendium of New Criminal Laws by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and serves as a bridge between old and new criminal laws, providing comprehensive guidance to stakeholders? A Criminal Case Management System (CCMS) was also launched, which was designed and developed by which entity?
Ans- * “Sankalan” app Purpose: - Aims to standardize investigations and compile terror-related data efficiently. - Addresses increasing threats from terrorist organizations and new challenges such as cyber threats, dark web usage, drones, crowdfunding to cryptocurrencies, and encrypted communication platforms ** It was designed and developed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). It will enable the NIA personnel to better coordinate in terrorism and organized crime cases, thereby improving justice delivery. This will help the State forces organise, integrate and digitalise the data generated during investigations, such as case documents, extracted data, collected evidence, and the charge sheets presented to the court.
390
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank signed a _____USD loan agreement to enhance access to quality fintech education, research, and innovation at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT-City)?
USD 23 million This project will establish an International Fintech Institute (IFI) to strengthen fintech education, boost start-up success rates, and drive fintech research and innovation.
391
a) The Ministry of Heavy Industries approved the “E-Vehicle Policy” To promote India as a manufacturing destination for Electric Vehicles (EVs). What are the minimum investment criteria and timeline of the manufacturing? b) What are the custom duty charges under the E-Vehicle Policy? c) What is the number of EVs allowed under the scheme? d) What are the minimum global group revenue criteria for a company?
Ans- a) The minimum Investment required is ₹4150 Cr (USD 500 Mn) and the timeline for manufacturing is 3 years for setting up manufacturing facilities in India, and to start commercial production of e-vehicles. - Domestic value addition (DVA) requirement during manufacturing is a localization level of 25% by the 3rd year and 50% by the 5th year will have to be achieved. The Bank guarantee will be invoked in case of non-achievement of DVA and minimum investment criteria defined under the scheme guidelines. The Bank guarantee will be returned only when 50% DVA is attained and the investment of at least Rs 4,150 crore has been made, or to the extent of duty foregone in 5 years, whichever is higher. b) The customs duty of 15% (as applicable to Completely Knocked Down (CKD) units) would be applicable on vehicles of minimum Cost Insurance Freight (CIF) value of USD 35,000 and above for a total period of 5 years subject to the manufacturer setting up manufacturing facilities in India within a 3-year period. c) - The total number of EVs allowed for import would be determined by the total duty foregone or investment made, whichever is lower, subject to a maximum of ₹6,484 Cr (equal to incentive under the PLI scheme). - A maximum of 40,000 EVs imported at the rate of not more than 8,000 per year would be permissible if the investment is USD 800 Mn or more d) - Global group Revenue (from automotive manufacturing) should be a minimum of ₹10000 crore - Global Investment of the Company or its Group Companies in fixed assets should be ₹3,000 crore
392
Which scheme was integrated into the JanSamarth Portal to facilitate seamless access to institutional credit facilities and promote inclusive growth of fisheries? When was the JanSamarth Portal launched and loans under which categories are provided to the citizens under this portal?
Ans- * Kisan Credit Card Fisheries scheme ** It was Launched in 2022 and is a first-of-its-kind online platform for directly connecting lenders with beneficiaries. Citizens can avail of loans under various Central government schemes under 4 loan categories - Education - Agri Infrastructure - Business Activity - Livelihood
393
“Ethanol 100” an alternative gasoline fuel that was launched with 100% ethanol and a high-octane rating, can be used in flex-fuel vehicles. The Ethanol100 was launched by which company and in which states?
It is launched at 183 outlets of IndianOil across five states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, and Tamil Nadu. It will help in achieving the target of 20% ethanol blending by 2025-26. ETHANOL 100 stands as a cleaner, greener alternative to gasoline, boasting lower emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants, thus aiding in combating climate change and enhancing air quality in our communities.
394
The Ministry of Rural Development signs an MoU with which entity and why to support the livelihood intervention of DAY-NRLM by syncing their activities in livestock and fisheries development?
Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd (BFIL), an NBFC owned by Indusland Bank. As part of the MoU, in the initial phase, Project Monitoring Units (PMU) will be established to support DAY-NRLM at national and State levels. The PMUs will comprise specialists from livestock (as per the need in the respective state), Market Linkage etc. BFIL will also strengthen the Pashu Sakhis (last mile extension workers at the village) developed under DAY-NRLM to provide basic healthcare support to animals.
395
India’s merchandise exports during FY2023-24 was recorded as the highest in February 2024 standing at ______USD? India’s overall exports (Merchandise and Services combined) in February 2024 are estimated to be USD______, exhibiting a positive growth of 14.20% over February 2023? Overall trade deficit improves by ____ % from USD 116.13 Billion in April-February 2022-23 to USD 72.24 Billion in April-February 2023-24?
Ans- * 41.40 billion USD, an increase of 11.86% over USD 37.01 Billion in February 2023. The main drivers of merchandise export growth in February 2024 include Engineering Goods, Electronic Goods, Organic & Inorganic Chemicals, Drugs & Pharmaceuticals and Petroleum Products. * 73.55 billion USD * 37.80%
396
The Ministry of Communications launched the Financial Upgradation Scheme 2024 To improve service conditions and remove stagnation in service of more than 2.56 lakhs Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDSs) working in the Department of Posts. What will be the financial upgrades provided under the scheme?
Every Gramin Dak Sevak will get three financial upgradations on completion of 12, 24 and 36 years of service amounting to Rs 4,320/-, Rs. 5,520/-, and Rs 7,200/- per annum respectively.
397
To transform Fair Price Shops (FPS) into a nutrition hub and smart hub, the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DoF&PD) signed MoUs with which two entities?
The first MoU was signed with the National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, NIESBUD under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) To develop entrepreneurship skills among Fair Price Shop (FPS) owners. - The second MoU was signed with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to offer a simple-to-use digital solution for providing working capital assistance to the FPSs through the GST Sahay application of SIDBI. An Integrated Price Monitoring Dashboard was also launched by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) that provides data visualization and analytics along with monitoring the daily retail and wholesale prices of 22 essential food commodities through 550 price monitoring centres set up in 34 states/UT.
398
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) became one of the 14 OIML issuing authorities and can issue OIML certificates which are accepted all over the world. The RRSL, Ahmedabad issued the first OIML certificate to which company?
Tokheim India Pvt Ltd An OIML certificate typically signifies that a measuring instrument or device, such as scales, weights, meters, or other measuring tools, complies with the international standards set by the OIML. The OIML is an intergovernmental organization that develops and publishes international standards for legal metrology, which is the science of measurement applied to laws and regulations.
399
The Indian Navy establishes its first independent headquarters at which place?
Nausena Bhawan, at Delhi Cantt. New Delhi.
400
A) The Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) will be Conducted Nationwide Under “ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram”. It will be conducted in how many states? B) The Union of India has approved the New India Literacy Programme (NILP) to support the States and Union Territories in promoting literacy among non-literates. The scheme covers what age group and how many learners? C) What are the objectives of the NILP? D) What is the outlay and tenure of the NILP?
Ans- * A) It will be conducted across 23 states and approximately Approximately 37 lakh learners will appear for this important nationwide assessment. The FLNAT will be held in the District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) and Government/aided schools serving as test centres. - The assessment comprises three subjects - Reading, Writing, and Numeracy - each carrying 50 marks, totalling 150 marks. This test is developed to evaluate the foundational literacy and numeracy skills of registered non-literate learners - Qualifying learners will receive a certificate issued by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), recognising their achievement in acquiring foundational literacy and numeracy skills * B) It covers the age group of 15 and above and 5 crore learners with 1.00 crore per year by using “Online Teaching, Learning and Assessment System (OTLAS)” in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre, NCERT and NIOS. * C) The 5 objectives of the scheme are (i) Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, (ii) Critical Life Skills, (iii) Vocational Skills Development, (iv) Basic Education and (v) Continuing Education - Priority will be given to the Girls and women, SC/ST/OBC/Minorities, Persons with Special Needs (Divyangjans), Marginalized/ Nomadic/ construction workers/ laborers/etc. - Focus shall be on all Aspirational districts of NITI Aayog, districts with literacy rates less than the National/State average, districts with female literacy rates less than 60% as per the 2011 Census * D) The outlay of the scheme is ₹1037.90 crore including a Central share of Rs.700.00 crore and a State share of Rs.337.90 crore. The tenure of the scheme is 2022-27. - The Central and State shares are in the ratio of 60:40 for general states and for North Eastern Region (NER) and the Himalayan States the funding ratio is 90:10 - For UTs with legislature, the ratio is 60:40, except in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir where the ratio is 90:10, and for all other UTs without legislature, the Central share is 100%.
401
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs laid the foundation stone for the Centre for Preservation and Promotion of Tribal Culture & Heritage in which place at a cost of ₹10 crore?
Padampur village in Kharswan district of Jharkhand
402
According to Patents Rules 2024, The time limit to furnish foreign application filing details in Form 8 has been changed from _____ months from the date of filing of the application to _____months from the date of issuance of the first examination report?
From 6 months to 3 months
403
The Workshop on “Cultivating tomorrow: Advancing digital agriculture through IoT and AI” was organised by which entities in New Delhi?
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
404
The NHAI raised funds worth ₹______through the National Highway Infrastructure Trust (NHIT) for National Highway stretches of the aggregate length of 889 KMs, recording the highest fund raised by the NHAI through the NHIT and one of the largest transactions in the Indian Road Sector?
₹16000 crore
405
The 41st Steering Committee Meeting of International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (IPHF) in the Economy was held in which place? The IPHF has how many members? The 42nd International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (IPHF) in the Economy will be hosted by which entity in Nov 2024?
Ans- * IIT Delhi * The IPHF was established in 2003. It comprises 23 member countries and the European Commission. It is dedicated to advancing hydrogen and fuel cell technologies globally. The biannual IPHF Steering Committee Meetings serve as a crucial platform for fostering international collaboration and coordination among member countries, stakeholders, and decision-makers. * European Commission
406
India's largest and first-of-its-kind startup event “Startup Mahakumbh” held in Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. What was the theme of the event? It was organised and supported by which entities? Which was the partner state?
Ans- * “Bharat Innovates” * Organizer: - ASSOCHAM - NASSCOM - Bootstrap Incubation & Advisory Foundation - TiE - Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA). It is supported by: - Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) - Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and MeITY Startup Hub (MSH) - Invest India. * UP
407
The “BhashaNet Portal” was unveiled by which entities and why during the Universal Acceptance Day event, themed “BhashaNet: Impetus Towards Universal Acceptance”?
National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY). The BhashaNet portal is designed to support the cause of Universal Acceptance by providing resources, tools, and information to help developers, businesses, and organizations make their applications and systems UA-compliant. It will provide resources and information in multiple Indian languages, making it accessible to a wider audience.
408
Which company received the “Mini Ratna Category-1 CPSE” status in March 2024? What are the eligibility criteria for the “Mini Ratna Category-1 CPSE” status?
Ans- * Grid-India * Pre-tax profit of Rs.30 crores or more in at least one of the last three years and having a positive net worth are eligible to be considered for grant of Miniratna-I status.
409
The International Telecommunication Union elects India as co-chair of its Digital Innovation Board. Who was unanimously elected as co-chair of the Digital Innovation Board?
Dr.Neeraj Mittal
410
India collaborated with which the country on the ICT sector in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, 5G use cases, Cybersecurity and developing Data Embassy in March?
Bahrain
411
The 4th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Startup Forum was organized in which place? The SCO's Special Working Group for Startups and Innovation (SWG) was proposed by India in which year?
Ans- * New Delhi * India had proposed this initiative in 2020. - All Member States agreed to create a Special Working Group for Startups and Innovation (SWG) at the Summit of SCO Heads of State in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on 16th September 2022. - SWG to be permanently chaired by India in SCO. - The 1st Meeting of the SWG was organised on the theme ‘Growing from Roots’ in 2023.
412
The Seminal report titled ‘India’s Blue Economy: Pathways for resource-efficient, inclusive and resilient growth in India’ was prepared by which entities?
- The Ministry of Earth Sciences has engaged with the World Bank as a knowledge partner to undertake a technical study and prepare this report. - The report outputs are expected to cover the areas related to global best practices in Blue Economy implementation, ocean accounting framework, institutional strengthening and innovative finance mechanisms towards implementing the Blue Economy Policy framework.
413
The share of coal imports declined to ___% during April 2023 to January 2024? There has been a reduction of ___ % in the volume of coal imported for blending by thermal power plants from April 2023 to January 2024?
Ans- * 21% * 36.69% , amounting to 19.36 million tons (MT)
414
The Order of the Druk Gyalpo, the highest civilian decoration was given by which nation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, making him the first foreign leader to be given this prestigious award?
Bhutan
415
Answer the following based on the RBI’s Annual Report on the “Integrated Ombudsman Scheme 2021, April 2022- 31 March 2023”- A) 7,03,544 complaints were received at ORBIOs (Offices of RBI Ombudsman) and CRPC from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023, a ____ % increase over the previous year? B) Out of All complaints received, 2,34,690 complaints handled by ____ ORBIOs (Offices of RBI Ombudsman) and CRPC (Centralized Receipt and Processing Centres) closed 4,68,270 complaints as non-complaints / non-maintainable complaints? C) Around ____ % of complaints are received through digital modes including online CMS portal, email, and CPGRAMS? D) Overall disposal rate at ORBIOs is _____ %? E) The Average Turn Around Time (TAT) for disposal of complaints has improved continuously from ___days to ___days? F) Majority of maintainable complaints (______%) disposed of by ORBIOs resolved through mutual settlement/conciliation/mediation? G) ____ Appeals received against RBI Ombudsmen decisions during the year, ____Appeals received under RB-IOS, 2021 and ___ Appeals received under previous Ombudsman Schemes? H) Which are the top 5 offices in terms of the number of complaints received and which office received the least volume of complaints? I) Which are the top 5 states/UTs in terms of the most number of complaints received? J) Which are the top 5 states/UTs in terms of the least number of complaints received? K) What is the percentage distribution of different modes of receipt of complaints? L) What is the percentage distribution of the different types of settlements receiving complaints at the Offices of RBI Ombudsman (ORBIOs)? M) There was a drop in the absolute number of complaints from individuals compared to the previous year, from 2,43,244 (in 2021-22) to 2,01,646 (in 2022-23)] . Individuals' complaints constituted ____% of total complaints received at ORBIOs? N) Complaints lodged by senior citizens declined to ____% of total complaints? O) Complaints against Public Sector Banks account for the highest at ____% of all complaints lodged, amounting to 1,02,144 complaints. and Complaints against Private Sector Banks account for the second-highest ____% of all complaints lodged? P) What are the top 3 categories of complaints against banks? Q) Average cost of handling complaints at the ORBIOs reduced from ₹______from 2021-22 to ₹_____ in 2022-23?
Ans- A) 68.24% increase B) 22 C) 85.64% D) 97.99%. There was a significant decline in number of complaints pending beyond 30 days. From 0.26% as on March 31, 2022, to 0.04% as on March 31, 2023. Number of Complaints brought forward from previous year – 6447 E) From 95 days in 2019-20 to 33 days in 2022-23 F) 57.48% G) 122, 119 and 3 H) 1. Mumbai (II) – 12313 Complaints – 5.25% share in total complaints 2. Mumbai (I) – 5.05% 3. Chennai – 4.95% 4. Ahmedabad – 4.89% 5. Kolkata – 4.88% The office which received the least volume of complaints was New Delhi (III) – 8474 Complaints – 3.61% I) 1. Chandigarh 2. NCT of Delhi 3. Haryana 4. Rajasthan 5. Gujarat J) 1. Mizoram 2. Nagaland 3. Meghalaya 4. Manipur 5. Arunachal Pradesh K) Complaint Portal/Online – 56.1% Email – 29.6% Physical Letter – 14.4% L) Metropolitan Centres (45.77%) Urban (24%) Semi Urban Centres (18.46%). M) 85.92% of the total complaints N) Declined to 2.16% of total complaints in 2022-23 from 3.04% in the previous year. O) Public sector banks- 43.52% Private sector banks- 31.43% Complaints against banks formed the largest portion (1,96,635 complaints), accounting for 83.78% of complaints received by the ORBIOs. P) 1. Mobile electronic Banking – 39,855 – 20.27% 2. Loans and Advances – 39,579 – 20.13% 3. Deposit Accounts Related – 33,612 – 17.09% Q) From ₹2895 per complaint to ₹2041 per complaint. The reduction was attributed to the increased receipt of complaints due to simplified procedures for lodging complaints.
416
Answer the following based on the Human Development Index (HDI) 2023-24- A) Which were the top 5 countries with very high HDI scores and what was the rank of the top 1st? B) Which were the bottom 3 countries in the HDI rankings? C) India’s HDI value has increased to____ in 2022, placing the country _____ out of 193 countries and territories? D) What was the title of the report? E) What are the dimensions and indicators of the index? F) Life expectancy rose from ____ to ____ years? G) Expected years of schooling reached ____years and Mean years of schooling increased to ____? H) GNI per capita saw an increase from $___to $_______? I) India has also shown progress in reducing gender inequality and ranks ____ out of 166 countries in the GII (Gender Inequality Index) 2022? J) The country's GII value of ___ is better than the global average of ____ and the South Asian average of ____? k) India's adolescent birth rate in 2022 was ___ (births per 1,000 women ages 1519)? L) India also has one of the largest gender gaps in the labour force participation rate at ____%? M) India's loss in HDI due to inequality is ___%? N) India’s Gender Development Index value for 2022 stands at ____? O) India’s Planetary Pressures-adjusted Human Development Index (PHDI) value stands at ____?
Ans- A) 1- Switzerland, the HDI score of Switzerland was 0.967 2- Norway 3- Iceland 4- Hong Kong, China (SAR) 5- Denmark B) 193- Somalia 192- South Sudan 191- Central African Republic C) 0.644, 134. - With an HDI value of 0.644, the latest HDR places India in the medium human development category. - Between 1990 and 2022, the country saw its HDI value increase by 48.4%, from 0.434 in 1990 to 0.644 in 2022. D) Breaking the Gridlock | Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World E) There are 3 dimensions and 4 indicators of the HDI: 1- Life Expectancy Index: Life Expectancy at birth indicator 2- Education Index: Expected years of schooling indicator, Mean years of schooling indicator 3- Gross National Income (GNI) Index: GNI per capita indicator - The health component is measured by the life expectancy at birth component of the HDI and is calculated using a minimum value of 20 years and a maximum value of 83.57 years. - The UNDP ranked the economies in accordance with their achievements on the above-given three parameters on a scale of 0 to 1 (i.e., 0.000–1.000). As per their achievements, the countries were broadly classified into three categories with a range of points on the index: 1. Very High Human Development Countries: 0.800–1.000 points on the index. 2. High Human Development Countries: 0.700–0.799 points on the index. 3. Medium Human Development Countries: 0.550–0.699 points on the index. 4. Low Human Development Countries: 0.000–0.550 points on the index. F) 67.2 to 67.7 years G) 12.6 years and 6.57 years respectively H) from $6,542 to $6,951 I) 108. The GII measures gender inequalities in three key dimensions – reproductive health, empowerment, and labour market. - The reproductive health indicators are the maternal mortality ratio and adolescent birth rate. - The empowerment indicators are the percentage of parliamentary seats held by women and the percentage of the population with at least some secondary education by gender. - The labour market indicator is participation in the labour force by gender. J) India- 0.437, Global avg- 0.462, South Asain avg- 0.478 K) Was 16.3, an improvement from 17.1 in 2021 L) 47.8%, difference between women (28.3%) and men (76.1%). M) 31.1%, previously it was 25%. - The IHDI (Inequality Adjusted Human Development Index) value can be interpreted as the level of human development when inequality is accounted for. The IHDI “looks beyond the average achievements of a country in longevity, education and income to show how these achievements are distributed among its residents”. - The relative difference between IHDI and HDI values is the loss due to inequality in the distribution of the HDI within the country. N) 0.852 - The GDI essentially estimates HDI values for women and men and then looks at the ratio. The closer this ratio is to 1, the smaller the gender gap between women and men in HDI terms. - From India’s perspective, the key HDI metric where women seem to lag behind men the most is the income per capita. O) 0.625 - The PHDI value can be interpreted as the level of human development adjusted by carbon dioxide emissions per person (production-based) and material footprint per person to account for excessive human pressure on the planet. - Planetary pressures-adjusted Human Development Index, adjusts the HDI for planetary pressures in the Anthropocene to reflect a concern for intergenerational inequality — similar to the Inequality-adjusted HDI adjustment — which is motivated by a concern for intragenerational inequality.
417
The combined Index of 8 Core Industries increased by ___% in Feb 2024 as compared to the previous year, same month? Which industries are included in the Eight Core Industries? What is the base year set for the index?
Ans- * 6.7% * Refinery Products (28.04%) Electricity (19.85%) Steel (17.92%) Coal (10.33%) Crude Oil (8.98%) Natural Gas (6.88%) Cement (5.37%) Fertilizers (2.63%) These 8 core industries constitute 40.27% of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) * 2011-12
418
What are the government’s borrowing plans for the first half of FY2024-25? A new dated security of ___year tenure will be introduced? The Government will continue to reserve the right to exercise the greenshoe option to retain an additional subscription of up to ₹______against each of the securities indicated in the auction notifications? To take care of temporary mismatches in Government accounts, the Reserve Bank of India has fixed the Ways and Mean Advances (WMA) limit for H1 of FY 2024-25 at ₹____?
Ans- * Out of Gross Market borrowing of ₹14.13 lakh crore projected for FY 2024-25 in the Union budget, ₹7.50 lakh crore (53.08%) is planned to be borrowed in the first half (H1) through dated securities, including ₹12,000 crore through issuance of Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs). * 15-year tenor * ₹2000 crore * ₹1.5 lakh crore
419
The first “Nuclear Energy Summit 2024” was hosted by which country?
It was hosted by Belgium in Brussels
420
The 2nd G20 Employment Working Group Meeting was hosted by which nation and which nations co-chaired the meeting? What was the theme of the event?
Ans- * It was held in Brasilia under the presidency of Brazil and was co-chaired by India, Brazil and South Africa. * “Promotion of gender equality and promoting diversity in the workplace”
421
What are the objectives of the “Swachhata Green Leaf Rating” certification for the Hospitality sector launched by the Ministry of Tourism and the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti? What are the three phases of the proposed rating system? The participation entities need to score at least ____% of the marks in each theme to become entitled to Swachhata Green Leaf Certification?
Ans- * - It is envisaged to achieve the ODF Plus Model status in the country and will also build a positive image and branding of the tourist entity as a promoter for achieving sustainable development goals - It emphasizes providing world-class hygiene and sanitation facilities for tourists, marking a crucial step towards cleaner and more sustainable tourism practices. The SGLR initiative forms a part of the Travel for Life (TFL) commitment of the Ministry of Tourism under Mission LiFE of Niti Aayog, fostering awareness about sustainable tourism. *1. Orientation Phase - State teams of Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) (SBM-G) and the Department of Tourism will list and map the hospitality entities. 2. Voluntary Declaration Phase - Based on the guidelines, the listed entities will carry out internal audits and take necessary steps to become ‘safety managed sanitation’. - After evaluating their sanitation status, the entities will communicate the rating in the Current Certification Status (CCS) to the district committee with supporting evidence. 3. Verification Phase - After doing the assessment, The District Committee will issue a rating certification to the tourist entity. * The hospitality entities participating in the self-rating sanitation protocol are expected to adopt and adhere to the SBM (G) parameters/themes related to 1. Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) 2. Solid Waste Management (SWM) 3. Grey Water Management (GWM). The participation entities need to score at least 50% of the marks in each theme to become entitled to Swachhata Green Leaf Certification (1 leaf, 3 leaf or 5 leaf).
422
The American Bar Association (ABA) India Conference 2024- The Global Lawyers' Summit was held in which place, addressed by the President of India?
Taj Mansigh, New Delhi
423
The Government e-marketplace crosses ₹_____in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) at the end of the FY 2023-24, doubling business in a year? Nearly ___% of this GMV has been attributed to the procurement of Services, displaying a remarkable surge of 205% in terms of Services procured on GeM last FY? In the FY2023-24, the top 3 highest procurement states were? In the FY2023-24, the top 3 highest procurement entities at the central level were?
Ans- * ₹4 lakh crore. Government organizations have contributed to nearly 85% of this ₹ 4 lakh crore milestone. * Nearly 50% * Gujarat, UP and Delhi * Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Power and Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
424
Which two entities in March partnered to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Research & Development in the Energy Domain, with a focus on promoting sustainable development goals?
National Power Training Institute (NPTI) and PTC India Ltd
425
Answer the following based on the RBI’s master direction on Commercial Paper and Non-Convertible Debentures released in Jan 2024- a) Who are the eligible issuers of Commercial Papers and Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs)? b) Who are the eligible investors of Commercial Papers and NCDs? c) CPs and NCDs shall be issued in a minimum denomination of ₹____and in multiples of ₹___thereafter? d) What is the tenure of CP and NCDs respectively? e) What are some other rules for the primary issuance of CPs and NCDs? f) How is the Discount/Coupon rate offered for CPs and NCDs? g) What is the minimum rating requirement for CPs and NCDs? H) What are the buyback options for CPs and NCDs?
Ans- A) - Companies - NBFCs including Housing Finance Companies - InvITs and REITs - All India Financial Institutions - Any other body corporate with a minimum net worth of Rs.100 crore, provided it is eligible to raise debt. - Co-operative societies and limited liability partnerships with a minimum net worth of ₹100 crore, may also issue CPs under these Directions, subject to the condition specified from time to time B) - All residents of India. - Non-residents are eligible subject to the conditions as per FEMA Act 1999 C) ₹5 lakh and in the denomination of ₹5 lakhs thereafter D) Commercial Papers (CP) - 7 days to 1 year Non-Convertible Debentures (NCD)- 90 days to 1 year The settlement cycle for OTC trades in CPs and NCDs shall be either T+0 or T+1. E) - CPs and NCDs shall be issued in dematerialised form and held with a depository registered with SEBI. - Issuance of a CP/NCD with options (call/put) is not permitted. - Issuance of a CP/NCD is not permitted to be underwritten or co-accepted. - The primary issuances of CPs and NCDs, including both payment of funds to the issuer and issue of CPs and NCDs to the investors, shall be settled within a period not exceeding T+4 working days. - Total subscription by all individuals, including Hindu Undivided Families, in any primary issuance of CPs or NCDs shall not exceed 25% of the total amount issued F) - CPs shall be issued at a discount to the face value. - NCDs shall be issued at a discount to the face value or with a fixed or floating rate coupon. - The coupon on the floating rate of NCDs shall be linked to a benchmark published by a Financial Benchmark Administrator or approved by the Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association of India (FIMMDA) for this purpose. - The coupon on the floating rate of NCDs can also be linked to policy rates published by the Reserve Bank. G) The minimum credit rating, assigned by a Credit Rating Agency (CRA), for the issuance of CPs and NCDs shall be ‘A3’ as per rating symbol and definition prescribed by SEBI. H) Issuers of CPs and NCDs are permitted to buy back the CPs and NCDs before maturity. Such buybacks shall be subject to the following conditions: - The buyback of CPs can be made only after 7 days from the date of issue. The buyback of NCDs can be made only after 90 days from the date of issue. - The investors shall have the option to accept or reject the buyback offer. - Buyback of CPs and NCDs shall be at the prevailing market price. - CPs and NCDs bought back, partially or in full, shall be extinguished on the date of buyback. Buyback means when a company buys back its own shares from their shareholders.
426
Answer the following based on the revised instructions released by the RBI for Inoperative Accounts and Unclaimed deposits under the exercise of its powers conferred by Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949- A) What are inoperative accounts? B) What are unclaimed deposits? C) What are the revised instructions for Inoperative accounts and Unclaimed deposits?
Ans- A) A savings or current account in which there are no customer-induced transactions for a period of over 2 years is called an inoperative account. - The banks shall not allow any debit transaction in an inoperative account unless there is a customer-induced activation. - Banks-induced transactions will not be considered for the purpose of classifying an account as inoperative. B) Balances in savings/current accounts which are not operated for 10 years, or term deposits not claimed within 10 years from the date of maturity are classified as ‘unclaimed deposits’. C) - Banks should undertake at least an annual review in respect of accounts, where there are no customer-induced transactions for more than a year. - Banks should communicate to the account holders through email, SMS or letters that there has been no operations over a period of one year. The message should clearly mention if the customer will not do any transactions in the next one year the account will become inoperative. - The banks shall make available the facility of updation of KYC for activation of inoperative accounts/ unclaimed deposits at all branches (including non-home branches) and through the Video-Customer Identification Process (V-CIP) if requested by the account holder. - Interest on savings accounts shall be credited on a regular basis irrespective of the fact that the account is in operation or not. - The banks are not permitted to levy penal charges for non-maintenance of minimum balances in any account that is classified as an inoperative account. - No charges shall be levied for activation of inoperative accounts
427
How are the interest rates applicable to domestic savings deposits as per RBI guidelines in Jan 2024? What are the provisions for domestic term deposits as per the RBI guidelines? Co-operative banks shall, at their discretion, allow the additional interest of __% per annum, over and above the rate of interest on savings or term deposits?
Ans- * Uniform interest rate: It will be applicable till the balance in the account is up to ₹1 lakh. Differential interest rate: It will be applicable when the balance in the account exceeds ₹1 lakh. No interest shall be paid on deposits held in domestic current accounts. * - The minimum tenor of the term deposit should be 7 days. In the case of an NRE (Non-Resident External) term deposit, the minimum deposit should be 1 year. - Differential interest rates shall be offered only on bulk deposits. - Cooperative banks can provide term deposits without premature withdrawal option only on term deposits above Rs.1 crore. * 1% per annum
428
As per the draft circular of RBI, What are the requirements for banks to declare dividends or remit profits?
Ans * - Banks shall have met the applicable regulatory capital requirement for each of the last three financial years including the financial year for which the dividend is proposed. - The net NPA ratio, for the financial year for which the dividend is proposed, shall be less than 6%. * Maximum dividend Payout ratio to shareholders is 50%, if there is 0 Net NPA ratio. The dividend Payout Ratio is the ratio between the amount of the dividend payable in a year and the net profit for the financial year for which the dividend is payable.
429
The RBI convened the 2nd Conference of Internal Ombudsmen of select Regulated Entities in Mumbai in Jan. What was the theme of the event?
“Orchestrating Customer Delight through an Empowered Internal Ombudsman”.
430
Answer the following based on the Master Direction by the Reserve Bank of India (Internal Ombudsman for Regulated Entities) 2023- What are the appointment criteria for an Internal Ombudsman? What are the appointment criteria for a Deputy Internal Ombudsman? What is the tenure of the Internal Ombudsman/Deputy Internal Ombudsman? Which type of complaints do not fall under the purview of the Internal Ombudsman?
Ans- * a. The Internal Ombudsman shall either be a retired or serving officer, in the rank equivalent to a General Manager of another bank / Financial Sector Regulatory Body / NBSP / NBFC / CIC, having necessary skills and experience of a minimum 7 years of working in areas such as banking. b. The Internal Ombudsman shall previously not have been employed, nor presently be employed, by the regulated entity or the regulated entity’s related parties. c. The Internal Ombudsman shall not be over 70 years of age before the completion of the tenure. * a. The Deputy Internal Ombudsman shall either be a retired or serving officer, not below the rank of Deputy General Manager of another bank / Financial Sector Regulatory Body / NBSP / NBFC / CIC, having necessary skills and experience of minimum 5 years of working in the field of banking. b. The Deputy Internal Ombudsman shall not be over 70 years of age before the completion of the tenure. In the temporary absence of the Internal Ombudsman, exceeding a period of 15 working days, the Deputy Internal Ombudsman may function as the Internal Ombudsman for the limited purpose of reviewing the rejected complaints. * a. The tenure of the Internal Ombudsman / Deputy Internal Ombudsman in the regulated entity shall be a fixed term of not less than 3 years, but not exceeding 5 years. b. The Internal Ombudsman / Deputy Internal Ombudsman shall not be eligible for reappointment or for extension of term in the same regulated entity. c. The Internal Ombudsman / Deputy Internal Ombudsman cannot be removed before the completion of his / her contracted term without the explicit approval of the Reserve Bank of India. * a. Complaints related to corporate frauds, misappropriation etc., except those resulting from deficiency in service, if any, on the part of the regulated entity; b. References in the nature of suggestions and commercial decisions of regulated entities. However, service deficiencies in cases falling under ‘commercial decisions’ will be valid complaints for the Internal Ombudsman; c. Complaints/references relating to (i) internal administration, (ii) human resources, or (iii) pay and emoluments of staff in the regulated entity; d. Complaints which have been decided by or are already pending in other fora such as the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, courts, etc.; e. Disputes for which remedy has been provided under Section 18 of the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.
431
What are the 4 layers of NBFCs based on their size, activity and risk as per the Scale Based Regulation (SBR): A Revised Regulatory Framework for NBFCs? NBFCs whose asset size is of ₹_____ or more are considered systemically important NBFCs? Regulatory minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) for NBFC-Investment and Credit Companies (ICC), NBFC-Microfinance Institutions (MFI) and NBFC-Factors shall be increased to ₹_____?
** 1. Base Layer comprises of: a. Non-deposit-taking NBFCs below the asset size of ₹1000 crore. b. NBFCs undertaking the following activities- - NBFC-Peer to Peer Lending Platform (NBFC-P2P), - NBFC-Account Aggregator (NBFC-AA), - Non-Operative Financial Holding Company (NOFHC) - NBFCs not availing public funds and do not have any customer interface. 2. Middle Layer comprises of: a. all deposit-taking NBFCs (NBFC-Ds), irrespective of asset size, b. non-deposit taking NBFCs with asset size of ₹1000 crore and above c. NBFCs undertaking the following activities. - Standalone Primary Dealers (SPDs), - Infrastructure Debt Fund - Non-Banking Financial Companies (IDF-NBFCs) - Core Investment Companies (CICs) - Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) - Infrastructure Finance Companies (NBFC-IFCs) 3. Upper-Layer comprises of: a. The top ten eligible NBFCs in terms of their asset size shall always reside in the upper layer, irrespective of any other factor. b. NBFCs which are specifically identified by the Reserve Bank of India. 4. Top Layer comprises of: a. If the Reserve Bank is of the opinion that there is a substantial increase in the potential systemic risk from specific NBFCs in the Upper Layer. Such NBFCs shall move to the Top Layer from the Upper Layer. b. Ideally it remains empty ** NBFCs whose asset size is of ₹ 500 cr or more are considered as systemically important NBFCs. ** ₹10 crore. However, for NBFC-P2P, NBFC-AA, and NBFCs with no public funds and no customer interface, the NOF shall continue to be ₹2 crore.
432
What are the general requirements for Self-Regulatory Organisations (SRO) in the Fintech sector, as per the draft framework released by the RBI? At least_____ members of the Board, including the chairperson, should be independent, and without any active association with a FinTech entity?
Ans- ** - SROs should be set up as a not-for-profit company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. - To ensure transparency and clarity regarding the organisation's purpose and activities, the Memorandum of Association (MoA) of the applicant company should explicitly state the operation as an SRO-FT as one of its primary objectives. - The SRO-FT should put in place systems for managing ‘user harm’ instances that come to its notice or are referred to it by the Reserve Bank or any other stakeholder. - The SRO-FT should not set up entities/offices overseas without the prior approval of the Reserve Bank. ** One third
433
Answer the following based on the RBI’s Master Circular on Exposure Norms and Statutory / Other Restrictions for UCBs released in Jan 2024- A) What is the exposure ceiling for Individual and Group borrowers? B) What is the threshold for the value of loans? C) What is the exposure limit set for Housing, Real Estate and Commercial Real Estate (HRC) loans? D) What is the maximum limit of Individual Housing Loans provided to individual borrowers by UCBs? E) What is the inter-bank gross exposure limit for UCBs? F) What are the acceptance or placement criteria for deposits for UCBs and what will be the phase-out plan if they do not meet the criteria? G) What is the aggregate ceiling on Unsecured loans/Advances granted by UCBs? H) What are the Statutory Restrictions for UCBs? I) What are the Regulatory Restrictions for UCBs?
Ans- A) - the exposure to an individual borrower does not exceed 15% of Tier-I capital; and, - the exposure to a group of connected borrowers/parties does not exceed 25% of Tier-I capital. - Exposure limits applicability: All types of fresh exposures taken by UCBs after March 13, 2020. UCBs had to reduce their exposures exceeding the new limits by March 31, 2023 B) UCBs shall have at least 50% of their aggregate loans and advances comprising loans of not more than ₹25 lakh or 0.2% of their Tier-I capital, whichever is higher, subject to a maximum of ₹1 crore, per borrower/party. C) - The exposure of UCBs to HRC loans would be limited to 10% of their total assets. The limit can be exceeded by an additional 5% for granting housing loans to individuals within priority sector eligibility limits. D) Tier 1 UCBs- up to ₹60 lakh Tier 2, 3 & 4 UCBs- up to ₹140 lakh E) - The total amount of deposits placed by a UCB with other banks (inter-bank) shall not exceed 20% of its total deposits as of March 31 of the previous year. - And deposits placed by a UCB with any single bank shall not exceed 5 per cent of its total deposits as of March 31 of the previous year. F) Placement/Acceptance criteria for UCBs for accepting deposits from other UCBs: i. Applicable minimum CRAR plus 1%. ii. Gross NPAs of less than 7% and Net NPAs of not more than 3%. iii. Net profit for at least 3 out of the preceding 4 years subject to it not having incurred a net loss in the immediately preceding year. iv. No default in the maintenance of CRR / SLR during the preceding financial year. v. Sound internal control system with at least two professional directors on the Board. vi. Core Banking Solution (CBS) fully implemented. Phase-out plan if the UCBs do not meet the criteria: i. UCBs have to phase out 10% of deposits by March 31 of the financial year in which the UCB became ineligible to accept such deposits, and 40%, 70% and 100% by the end of the following financial years. ii. During the phase-out period, such UCBs shall not accept further deposits from UCBs and shall not open new deposit accounts of UCBs. The renewal of existing deposits is allowed subject to compliance with the phase-out plan mentioned above. iii. in case the concerned UCB again attains the criteria prescribed in paragraph (a), it shall be eligible to accept deposits from UCBs and will not be required to implement the phase-out plan. G) The total unsecured loans and advances (with surety or without surety or for cheque purchase) granted by a UCB to its members should not exceed 10% of its total assets as per the audited balance sheet as of 31 March of the preceding financial year. UCBs can grant loans/Advances for up to 35% of their total assets as per the audited balance sheet at the end of the preceding financial year, subject to the following conditions: - The priority sector loan portfolio should not be less than 90% of the gross loans - It shall comprise priority sector loans and the exposure to any individual borrower shall not exceed ₹40,000/- - CRAR of not less than 9% as per the latest Inspection Report and audited financial statements. - Gross NPAs of not more than 7% as per the latest Inspection Report and audited financial statements. H) - In terms of Section 20(1)(a) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, a primary (urban) cooperative bank cannot grant loans and advances on the security of its own shares. Section 20A (1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (As applicable to Co-operative Societies) stipulates that a UCB shall not, except with the prior approval of the Reserve Bank, remit in whole or in part any debt due to it by - 1. any of its past or present directors, or 2. any firm or company in which any of its directors is interested as director, partner, managing agent or guarantor, or 3. any individual, if any of its directors is his partner or guarantor. In terms of Section 20A (2) of the said Act, any remission made in contravention of the provisions of sub-section (1) above shall be void and of no effect. I) UCBs shall not make, provide or renew any loans and advances or extend any other financial accommodation to or on behalf of their directors or their relatives, or to the firms/companies/concerns in which the directors or their relatives are interested (collectively called as “director related loans”). Further, the directors or their relatives or the firms/companies/concerns in which the directors or their relatives are interested shall also not stand as surety/guarantor to the loans and advances or any other financial accommodation sanctioned by UCBs. The following categories of Director related loans are exempted from the purview of the above instructions: 1. Regular employee-related loans to staff Directors, if any, on the Boards of UCBs; 2. Normal loans, as applicable to members, to the Directors on the Boards of Salary Earners' UCBs; 3. Normal employee-related loans to Managing Directors/ Chief Executive Officers of UCBs; 4. Loans to Directors and their relatives against Government Securities, Fixed Deposits and Life Insurance policies standing in their own name.
434
What are the revised eligibility criteria released by the RBI for the inclusion of UCBs in the Second Schedule of the RBI Act, 1934? What are the criteria for Financially Sound and Well Managed (FSWM) UCBs?
Ans- ** - Licensed Tier 3 and Tier 4 Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks will be eligible for inclusion in the Second Schedule of the RBI Act, 1934 - CRAR of at least 3% more than the minimum CRAR requirement applicable to the UCB - And no major regulatory and supervisory concerns. ** a. The CRAR shall be at least 1% point above the minimum CRAR applicable to a UCB as of the reference date; b. Net NPA of not more than 3%; c. Net profit for at least three out of the preceding four years subject to it not having incurred a net loss in the immediate preceding year; d. No default in the maintenance of CRR / SLR during the preceding financial year; e. Sound internal control system with at least two professional directors on the Board; f. Core Banking Solution (CBS) fully implemented; and g. No monetary penalty should have been imposed on the bank on account of violation of RBI directives/guidelines during the last two financial years. The Basel-3 norms have prescribed a minimum CRAR of 8% but in India, RBI has prescribed a CRAR of 9% for Scheduled Commercial Banks and 12% for Public Sector Banks.
435
What are the guidelines on the import of gold by Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) holders under the India-UAE CEPA? The guidelines were issued under which sections?
Ans- ** - AD Category-I banks are permitted to remit advance payment on behalf of Qualified Jewellers as notified by International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) for 11 days for import of gold through India International Bullion Exchange IFSC Ltd (IIBX). - Valid Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) holders under the India-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) as notified by the IFSCA have been permitted to import gold under specific Indian Trade Classification (ITC)(HS) codes through IIBX against the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ). - AD Category-I banks may allow valid TRQ holders under the India-UAE CEPA to remit advance payment for 11 days for the import of gold through IIBX against the TRQ ** The directions contained in this Circular have been issued under Section 10(4) and Section 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 (42 of 1999).
436
What was the RBI’s Digital Payment Index for September 2023? What is the base year of the RBI’s Digital Payment Index? What are the parameters of the RBI’s Digital Payment Index and what are their respective weightage?
Ans- ** The index for September 2023 stands at 418.77 as against 395.57 for March 2023, which was announced on July 27, 2023 ** Base Year- 2018, Base value- 100 ** The RBI-DPI comprises 5 broad parameters that enable measurement of the deepening and penetration of digital payments in the country over different time periods. These parameters are – (i) Payment Performance (45%), (ii) Payment Enablers (weight 25%) (iii) Payment Infrastructure – Supply-side factors (15%), (iv) Payment Infrastructure – Demand-side factors (10%), (v) Consumer Centricity (5%). Each of these parameters has sub-parameters which, in turn, consist of various measurable indicators
437
RBI launched the ____round of the quarterly Industrial Outlook Survey (IOS) of the Indian manufacturing sector and ____round of the Quarterly Services and Infrastructure Outlook Survey (SIOS) for the reference period January-March 2024? Which entity is being authorized to conduct the IOS and SIOS surveys for the Jan-March 2024 period on behalf of the RBI?
Ans- ** IOS survey- 105th Round. The survey assesses business sentiment based on qualitative responses on a set of indicators pertaining to demand conditions, financial conditions, employment conditions and the price situation. SIOS survey- 40th Round. The survey assesses the business situation for the current quarter (Q4:2023-24) from selected companies in the services and infrastructure sectors in India and their expectations for the ensuing quarter (Q1:2024-25) based on qualitative responses on a set of indicators pertaining to demand conditions, financial conditions, employment conditions and the price situation. The outlook on key parameters for the two subsequent quarters (Q2:2024-25 and Q3:2024-25) is also covered. ** M/s Genesis Management & Market Research Pvt. Ltd
438
What directions were released by the RBI in March for the issuing of credit cards under various card networks? These directions were released under which section?
Ans- * - Card issuers shall not enter into any arrangement or agreement with card networks that restrain them from availing the services of other card networks. - Card issuers shall provide an option to their eligible customers to choose from multiple card networks at the time of issue. [CHOICE DIRECTIVE]. The CHOICE directive shall not be applicable to credit card issuers with the number of active cards issued by them being 10 lacks or less in number. * Section 10 (2) and 18 of the Payment and Settlement System Act, 2007 Card networks, also known as payment networks or payment processing networks, are organizations that facilitate the transfer of funds between merchants, card issuers (such as banks or financial institutions), and cardholders during electronic transactions. These networks provide the infrastructure and technology necessary to process payments made with credit, debit, prepaid, and other types of payment cards. Examples of prominent card networks include Rupay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, UnionPay, and JCB (Japan Credit Bureau).
439
An omnibus framework was established for recognizing Self-Regulatory Organisations (SRO). What are the eligibility criteria for SROs? What fraction of the board, including the chairperson, should be independent and unaffiliated with the sector the SRO serves?
Ans- * Legal Structure: The applicant must be a not-for-profit company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. It should have adequate net worth and infrastructure to fulfil SRO responsibilities continually. Shareholding should be sufficiently diversified, with no entity holding 10% or more of its paid-up share capital. Sector Representation: The applicant must represent the sector and have specified membership or submit a roadmap to attain it within a reasonable timeframe. Professional Competence and Integrity: The applicant and its directors must demonstrate professional competence, fairness, and integrity to the satisfaction of the Reserve Bank. They should not be involved in any legal proceedings detrimental to sector interests, nor have convictions for offences, including moral turpitude/economic offences. Fit and Proper Criteria: The applicant must be fit and proper for SRO recognition in all aspects, agreeing to function according to the prescribed objectives and responsibilities. * 1/3rd of the board
440
The limit for Ways and Means Advance (WMA) for the first half of the FY2024-25 (April to Sept) is set at? The interest rate and Overdraft under the WMA will be? The WMAs are short-term by nature. They have to be repaid within ___ months from the date they are availed?
Ans- ** ₹150000 crore. The Reserve Bank of India may trigger fresh floatation of market loans when the Government of India utilises 75% of the WMA limit. ** Interest rate: Repo Rate, Overdraft: 2% above the Repo Rate ** Within 3 months Ways & Means Advance (WMA) is a short-term credit facility provided by the RBI to state and central governments for their mismatch in receipts and expenditures. They are provided for short-term and have to be repaid within 3 months from the date of receiving. - WMAs are meant for temporary mismatches, not to finance long-term government spending. - They can be helpful for unforeseen situations where the government's income falls short or there are delays in tax collection. The Two Types of WMAs are: a- Normal WMA: These are clean loans provided against the government's creditworthiness. There's no collateral involved. b- Special WMA (SWMA): These are secured loans provided against the government securities held by the state. They come with a slightly lower interest rate compared to normal WMAs.
441
What is the UDGAM portal and what is the use of the UDGAM portal? As of March 4, 2024, there are ___ banks, which are part of the UDGAM portal, and they cover around ___% of unclaimed deposits (in value terms) in the Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund of RBI? What inputs are required to search unclaimed deposits?
Ans- ** UDGAM refers to Unclaimed Deposits-Gateway to Access Information, which is an online portal developed by RBI. It facilitates the registered users to search unclaimed deposits/accounts across multiple banks in one place in a centralised manner. Users cannot claim unclaimed deposits from the UDGAM portal or the RBI. It facilitates only a) the search of unclaimed deposits/accounts across multiple banks in one place and b) provides information on the claim/settlement process of each bank (which will be available in the search result). ** There are 30 banks part of the UDGAM portal and they cover 90% of unclaimed deposits ** a. Individuals: For searching unclaimed deposits in the individual category, a user has to provide inputs such as the name of the account holder, the name of the bank (one or more banks can be selected) and any one or more of the five inputs viz., Permanent Account Number (PAN), Driving License Number, Voter ID Number, Passport Number and Date of Birth of the account holder. b. Non-Individuals: For searching unclaimed deposits in the non-individual category, a user has to provide inputs such as name of the entity, name of the bank (one or more banks can be selected) and any one or more of the four inputs viz., Name of the authorised signatory, PAN, Corporate Identification Number (CIN) and Date of Incorporation. Even if none of the above mentioned information is available, the user can type the address of the account holder or the entity (as the case may be), in place of these inputs mentioned above for undertaking the search.
442
What is the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme (DEA), 2014, it was launched under which section?
- "The Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (DEA Fund) Scheme, 2014" was created by the Reserve Bank of India under Section 26A of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act, 1949 to promote financial literacy by raising awareness among depositors for their rights, responsibilities and options related to banking and financial services. - This scheme establishes the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (Fund), which is funded by unclaimed deposits and unclaimed amounts in deposit accounts of banks that have remained inactive or dormant for 10 years or more by the depositor. - The funds accumulated under the DEAF Scheme are utilized for various activities and initiatives aimed at promoting depositor education and awareness.
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