41. What is the prompt repayment incentive (PRI) rate per annum provided to farmers, for short term loans up to Rs. 3 lakh?
[A] 2 per cent
[B] 3 per cent
[C] 4 per cent
[D] 5 per cent
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [3 per cent]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India recently directed all banks to extend the benefit of interest subvention and prompt repayment incentive to short term crop loans, to the accounts which have become due or will become due between March and May 2020.
The government offers an interest subvention of two percent per annum to banks and an additional 3 per cent interest subvention to farmers who pay their loans promptly. Hence the effective rate of interest is 4 per cent.
42. In context with the recent approval of fixation of Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates, which fertilizer has been added under the NBS scheme?
[A] Ammonium Phosphate
[B] Ammonium Nitrate
[C] Ammonium Chloride
[D] Ammonium Sulphate
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ammonium Phosphate]
Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister has recently approved the fixation of Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers for the year 2020-21.
Inclusion of the new complex fertilizer, Ammonium Phosphate has also been approved by the CCEA. Rs. 22,186.55 crore would be spent for releasing subsidy on P&K Fertilizers during 2020-21. Through the Nutrient based Subsidy scheme, Government provides subsidy to the fertiliser company, enabling them to sell to farmers at subsidised rate.
43. What is the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act passed by the Parliament on April 24 1992 related to?
[A] Right to Education
[B] Constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions
[C] Providing legislative assembly and council of ministers for NCT of Delhi
[D] Implement Tenth Finance Commission recommendation
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions]
Notes:
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act passed by the Parliament in April 24 1992 provided constitutional status to the Panchayati Raj Institutions of the country.
The status was given through inserting Article 243 to Part IX of the Indian Constitution. To commemorate the occasion, 24 April is celebrated as the Panchayati Raj Day, across the country. The act added certain provisions in constitution including forming Gram Sabha in a village or group of villages; constitution of Panchayats at village levels and direct elections to all seats in Panchayats.
44. An e-office application called ‘e-karyalay’ has been launched by which Central Armed Police Force, which enables digital movement of files in offices, amid Covid-19 pandemic?
[A] Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
[B] Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
[C] Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
[D] Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)]
Notes:
An e-office application called ‘e-karyalay’ has been launched by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to prevent coronavirus infection.
The e-office application enables digital movement of files in offices, which is similar to the physical and traditional file movement in CISF offices. The application has been developed by the in-house technical team and they have also created the data recovery site.
45. Which is the first academic institute to get ICMR approval for a real-time diagnostic test?
[A] Indian Institute of Science
[B] IIT Delhi
[C] All India Institute of Medical Science
[D] IIT Ropar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [IIT Delhi]
Notes:
The Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS) of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has developed a COVID-19 test kit and it has been approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), thereby becoming the first institute to be approved for a real-time kit.
The test kit, which tests the swab of the suspected patient is also claimed to be more affordable than the other kits available. Commercial production can be easily done as the kit does not require fluorescent probes, as per the researchers.
46. What is the objective of the ‘covid19.odisha.gov.in’ portal launched by Odisha in tackling the crisis faced due to Covid-19?
[A] Provide official data on positive cases
[B] Registration of migrant workers
[C] Registration for Public Distribution System
[D] Provide tele-medicine facility
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Registration of migrant workers]
Notes:
The state of Odisha has launched a portal for registration of migrant workers to contain the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, as over five lakh migrant workers are expected to return to the state after lifting the lock-down.
Forms are available in the portal covid19.odisha.gov.in and in every gram panchayat for registration of names and address of the workers who want to return to Odisha.
47. Who has been appointed as the Central Vigilance Commissioner of India?
[A] Nripendra Mishra
[B] Sanjay Kothari
[C] P K Mishra
[D] Y V Reddy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sanjay Kothari]
Notes:
Retired IAS officer and the secretary to the President since 2017 has been appointed as the Central Vigilance Commissioner of India.
The post of the chief of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has remained vacant since June 2019 after the tenure of K V Chowdary was over. The name of Kothari was recommended by a high-level selection panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The process was claimed as unconstitutional by opposition parties as Sanjay Kothari was not an applicant not been shortlisted.
48. ‘From the Great Lockdown to the Great Meltdown’ is the report released by which global organisation?
[A] World Bank
[B] International Monetary Fund
[C] World Economic Forum
[D] United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]
Notes:
The UN body for Trade and Development, UNCTAD recently released a report titled ‘From the Great Lockdown to the Great Meltdown’.
In the report, the agency highlights that the repayment of the developing countries towards their public debt will amount to between $2.6 trillion and $3.4 trillion in 2020 and 2021. It also proposed a global debt deal to prevent Covid-19 pandemic from aggravating economic disaster.
49. What is the name of the former Governor of Bihar and Tripura and veteran Congress leader, who passed away recently?
[A] Devanand Konwar
[B] Bijay Mishra
[C] Uttam Bandu Tupe
[D] Ravi Vallathol
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Devanand Konwar]
Notes:
Veteran Congress leader and former Governor of Bihar and Tripura, Devanand Konwar passed away recently at the age of 86. He served as the governor of Bihar from 2009 to 2013 and the Governor of Tripura from 2013 to 2014.
He had also served as governor (additional charge) of West Bengal from 2009 to 2010. He was the Cabinet Minister in the state of Assam. Prior to that, he was an advocate in the Supreme Court of India and a Government Advocate for many North-Eastern states in the Guwahati High Court.
50. Pitch Black is a multilateral air combat training exercise is hosted by the Air Force of which country?
[A] Japan
[B] Australia
[C] United States
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Australia]
Notes:
Pitch Black is a biennial multilateral air combat training exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
The exercise was recently in news as Australia has informed India recently that the training exercise Pitch Black 2020, which was scheduled from July 27 to August 14 has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next edition of the exercise is scheduled in the year 2022.