11. Which state/UT has recently renamed its Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control Department as the ‘Jal Shakti Department’?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Puducherry
[C] Jammu and Kashmir
[D] Chandigarh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Jammu and Kashmir]
Notes:
The Administrative Council under the chairmanship of Lt Governor G C Murmu recently approved the renaming of the state’s Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control Department as the ‘Jal Shakti Department’.
The council also approved the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission and the strategy to achieve 100 per cent coverage of piped water supply across the UT, by December 2021. It was also proposed to set up a Mission Directorate of Jal Jeevan Mission for implementation of the scheme. Seven districts of the UT would be covered for 100 per cent piped water supply by June 2020, in the initial phase.
12. Pardeep Singh, who was seen in news recently, is associated with which sports?
[A] Boxing
[B] Archery
[C] Weight-lifting
[D] Tennis
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Weight-lifting]
Notes:
Indian weight-lifter Pardeep Singh was seen in news recently, as he won the men’s 102kg gold medal in the National weightlifting championships, recently held in Kolkata.
He improved his performance than what he did in the Asian championships in China, last year. Another leading lifter Vikas Thakur won gold medal in the men’s 96kg category. Both the lifters are in the promising list for the upcoming Asian championships in Kazakhstan. Mirabai Chanu and Jeremy Lalrinnunga were named as ‘Best Lifters’ of the championships.
13. Which sports coach / guru of India has received an honorable mention in the male category of the prestigious 2019 International Olympic Committee’s Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award?
[A] P. Gopichand
[B] Ramakant Achrekar
[C] Mahavir Singh Phogat
[D] Michael Ferreira
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [P. Gopichand]
Notes:
Chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand has received an honourable mention in the male category of the prestigious 2019 International Olympic Committee’s Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of the role he played in the development of the game in the country.
14. Which American astronaut has recently set the record for the longest stay in space by a woman?
[A] Jessica Meir
[B] Anne McClain
[C] Nicole Aunapu Mann
[D] Christina Koch
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Christina Koch]
Notes:
Christina Koch has set the record for the longest stay in space by a woman. The U.S. astronaut landed in Kazakhstan on February 6 after 328 days on the International Space Station (ISS).
15. What is the profession of Anoop Mishra, who has been in news recently?
[A] Politician
[B] Army Major
[C] Sportsperson
[D] Musician
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Army Major]
Notes:
Anoop Mishra, an Indian Army Major from the College of Military Engineering was known for having developed a bulletproof jacket which protects against sniper bullets. He was seen in news recently as he has now developed a helmet, which is also the world’s first, that can stop an AK-47 bullet round from 10 meters.
Indian Army’s College of Military Engineering in collaboration with a private firm has developed India’s first and world’s cheapest gunshot locator called ‘Parth’, which can locate the bullet from a distance of 400 meters.
16. The headquarters of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is located in which city?
[A] Vishakhapatnam
[B] Goa
[C] Kochi
[D] Mumbai
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Kochi]
Notes:
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) was established in 1972, by an act of Parliament, to act as the nodal agency for the development of Indian seafood industry. It is head-quartered at Kochi.
Recently, MPEDA announced that it is to start the upgradation and modernisation 25 fishing harbours in the country. The project is to be undertaken with the assistance from the Centre
at a proposed outlay of Rs 2500 crore.
17. The National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) is set to be renamed after which former Union Minister?
[A] Jaswant Singh
[B] Yashwant Sinha
[C] Arun Jaitley
[D] Sushma Swaraj
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Arun Jaitley]
Notes:
The Indian government has recently announced that it has decided to rename the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), Faridabad, as ‘Arun Jaitley National Institute of Financial Management’ (AJNIFM).
NIFM, Faridabad was established in 1993 under the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. The Union Finance Minister serves as the President of NIFM. It trains officers of finance and accounts services recruited by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Indian Cost Accounts Service (ICoAS) officers.
18. Which state government recently launched toll-free helpline numbers for students to resolve their queries by experts?
[A] Odisha
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] West Bengal
[D] Haryana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
The state government of Uttar Pradesh has recently launched toll-free helpline numbers for students. This initiative is aimed at solving queries of students ahead of the Board Examinations.
A senior officer of Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad is designated as Nodal Officer of the initiative. Several academicians and experts of different subjects will be made available on call, to resolve the doubts of students.
19. ‘We Think Digital’ is a digital literacy program of which global technological company?
[A] Google
[B] Facebook
[C] Apple
[D] Amazon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Facebook]
Notes:
We Think Digital is a global digital literacy program of the technology major Facebook. The program was launched in 2019 with an aim to overcome gender imbalance on the internet space.
Recently, Facebook launched ‘We Think Digital’ program in Uttar Pradesh, in association with National Commission for Women (NCW) and Cyber Peace Foundation. The program aims to provide digital literacy to nearly 1,00,000 women across seven Indian states.
20. The Cauvery delta region, which is set to be declared a Protected Special Agriculture Zone, is located in which state?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Kerala
[D] Andhra Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Tamil Nadu]
Notes:
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K. Palaniswami recently announced that the Cauvery delta region would be declared as a ‘Protected Special Agriculture Zone’.
This declaration would ensure the food security of the State. The Cauvery delta region in the central districts of Tamil Nadu would be converted into Protected Special Agriculture Zone. Special legislations are to be enacted in this regard.