Uttar Pradesh Quiz

Notes:
The Defence Minister recently inaugurated the BrahMos Aerospace Testing Facility in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on May 12, 2025. This facility is an important component of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor. The BrahMos missile is a long-range supersonic cruise missile system. It is an unmanned vehicle powered by jet engines. The missile reaches speeds of 2-3 Mach. BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and NPOM of Russia, developed it. The missile is named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently met World Bank President Ajay Banga in Lucknow to launch two major projects: Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening (UP AGREES) and Artificial Intelligence Pragya (AI Pragya). UP AGREES will promote technology-based farming and improve agricultural productivity across 28 districts in Bundelkhand and Purvanchal. AI Pragya will train 10 lakh youth in digital fields like artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and cybersecurity. The initiative will be supported by departments like Education, Health, Agriculture, and Rural Development. These efforts aim to create jobs, support startups, and help Uttar Pradesh become a $1 trillion economy.

Notes:
Recently, at least 20 red-crowned roofed turtles were re-introduced into the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh to boost their population. The red-crowned roofed turtle, also known as the Bengal roof turtle, is native to India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. In India, the National Chambal River Gharial Sanctuary is currently the only area with a good population of this species. It is a freshwater turtle that lives in deep flowing rivers and uses land areas for nesting. Its conservation status is Critically Endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and it is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Notes:
Statement 3 is incorrect – Uttar Pradesh has not hosted the National Games under the Khelo India initiative in recent years. However, over 1,000 Khelo India centres are currently indeed training athletes at grassroot level, and the Government of India is actually hoping to host the 2036 Olympic Games in Gujarat. Therefore, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Notes:
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the four-day Sansad Khel Mahakumbh at K.D. Singh Babu Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on 19 April 2025. The Sansad Khel Mahakumbh takes place from 19 to 22 April 2025. Traditional Indian sports like Kalaripayattu, Yoga, and Mallakhamba were showcased during the event. These efforts have enabled youth from small towns to showcase their talent in sports. More than 25,000 participants are expected to compete in eight events, including athletics, volleyball, kabaddi, basketball, football, hockey, boxing, and taekwondo.

Notes:
Gujarat does indeed have the highest number of ‘Front Runner’ panchayats and Uttar Pradesh is the second highest in the ‘Beginner’ category. However, there were no panchayats ranked in the ‘Achiever’ category; hence the pair involving Tripura is incorrect, making option A the correct answer.

Notes:
Prayagraj will become the site of Uttar Pradesh’s first Waste-to-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) plant, the second such plant in India after Indore. The plant will generate Bio-CNG using straw, poultry litter, cow dung, and wet waste as raw materials. It will produce 21.5 tonnes of Bio-CNG, 200 tonnes of organic manure, and 30 metric tonnes of briquettes daily. The project follows a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and will be supported by Adani Gas Limited, which will lay a pipeline to supply the fuel. The plant will use one-third of the city’s waste, saving about Rs 5 crore annually on waste disposal. The aim is to improve waste management, promote renewable energy, reduce pollution from stubble burning, and make city gas supply more affordable.

Notes:
Nikhil Singhal, Founder of Vigor Media Worldwide and President of the Noida High Rise Federation, received the Uttar Pradesh Anmol Ratan Award for his outstanding work in public relations and strategic communication. The award was presented by Shri Akhilesh Yadav, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, during a grand ceremony on March 31, 2025, at the Taj Lucknow, organized by the Tapasya Foundation Trust. The event gathered leading figures from media, corporate communications, and governance, recognizing Singhal’s role in transforming the public relations (PR) industry with innovative and impactful strategies.

Notes:
A three-day India-Nepal Literature Festival was organized in Vrindavan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. It was conducted by Geeta Shodh Sansthan, affiliated with Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, and Krantidhara Sahitya Academy, Meerut. More than 180 litterateurs, writers, journalists, and educationists from India and Nepal participated. The festival aimed to promote and enhance the literary and cultural heritage of both countries. It encouraged the exchange of literature and culture. Cooperation between Indian and Nepali litterateurs was strengthened. Traditional and contemporary literature gained new direction and recognition.

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Uttar Pradesh government has announced a dolphin safari in Varanasi to boost conservation and eco-tourism. The safari will be set up between Kaithi and Dhakhwa villages, home to the highest number of dolphins in the region. Dolphin Mitras have been appointed for Ganges River Dolphin conservation. The goals include increasing dolphin populations, protecting their habitat, promoting eco-tourism, and educating people on dolphin conservation.