1. Fausta, a female black rhino, believed to be the world’s oldest rhino, had recently died in Tanzanian conservation area. What is the IUCN status of the black rhinos?
[A] Least concern
[B] Endangered
[C] Critically Endangered
[D] Near threatened
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Critically Endangered]
Notes:
Also known as “hook-lipped rhinoceros”, these species, though called “black” are in varying colours of brown and grey. They are found in South and East Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Its IUCN status is critically endangered, though the South-Western status of the black rhinoceros is classified under vulnerable.
2. Which state is going to observe “No Vehicle Day” on the first day of every month in 2020?
[A] Kerala
[B] Gujarat
[C] Punjab
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Rajasthan]
Notes:
In order to promote road safety and reduce vehicular pollution, Rajasthan Transport department is going to observe a “No Vehicle Day” once a month in 2020. The employees of the transport department are to come to their offices as pedestrians, via bicycles or a public transport.
3. Which river, which was recently in news for failed rejuvenation efforts, is known as Mexico’s most polluted waterway by the UN?
[A] Santiago river
[B] Rio Grande
[C] River Lerma
[D] Colorado river
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Santiago river ]
Notes:
The United Nations called the Santiago river as Mexico’s most polluted waterway. According to the 2017 figures, less than a third of the country’s industrial wastewater is treated. Recently, Mexico has signed an expansive trade deal with the US and Canada in which it made an explicit promise to conserve its environment.
4. From which Indian organization, the four personnel have been selected for training in Russia for the Gaganyaan Mission, that is going to be launched in 2022?
[A] ISRO
[B] IAF
[C] MARCOS
[D] Indian Navy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [IAF]
Notes:
Recently, four men from Indian Air Force have been identified for Gaganyaan, India’s first manned mission to space. They will undertake astronauts’ training in Russia. Gaganyaan is a crewed orbital spacecraft intended to send astronauts into space for a minimum of 7 days by 2022 as a part of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.
5. The Prime Minister is going to release the fourth installment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. What is the purpose of this scheme?
[A] Farm Loan Waiver
[B] Agricultural loan
[C] Pension for Farmers
[D] Income Support for Farmers
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Income Support for Farmers]
Notes:
The Prime Minister is going to launch the fourth instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, centrally sponsored scheme that provides an income support of Rs. 6,000 annually to all the farmer families in three equal installments.
6. What is the theme of 107th Indian Science Congress?
[A] Science for One India, Great India
[B] Science and Technology for Children
[C] Science & Technology: Rural Development
[D] Science and Heritage: Hand in Hand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Science & Technology: Rural Development]
Notes:
University of Agricultural Sciences (UASB), GKVK Campus, Bangalore, Karnataka is hosting 107th Indian Science Congress from January 3 to 7, 2020 with the theme Science & Technology: Rural Development.
7. Senior Politician and former Member of Parliament, D P Tripathi who passed away recently belonged to which political party?
[A] Bharathiya Janata Party
[B] Indian National Congress
[C] Nationalist Congress Party
[D] Communist Party of India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Nationalist Congress Party]
Notes:
D P Tripathi (Devisree Prasad Tripathi) was a senior political leader of Nationalist Congress Party and a former Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra. He also served as the General Secretary and chief spokesman of the Nationalist Congress Party. Though he was initially associated with the Congress (INC) party during his early life, he later moved to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He was also an academic and the author of the journal titled “Think India”.
8. Which state has recently announced a scheme to deliver sand to customer’s doorstep from January 2, 2020?
[A] Odisha
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Andhra Pradesh]
Notes:
The State Government of Andhra Pradesh recently announced that it would deliver sand to the customer’s doorstep. The scheme was launched as a pilot project in the Krishna District and would be expanded to other districts as well. The Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) would be the implementing agency of the delivery scheme. The state recently launched the new sand policy in September 2019 and has been taking various steps to curb illegal sand trade.
9. What is the new integrated helpline number of the Indian Railways, launched recently?
[A] 138
[B] 139
[C] 1071
[D] 1072
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [139]
Notes:
The Indian Railways has recently launched an integrated helpline number ‘139’ for its passengers by merging several other existing helpline numbers. The only other number which can still be used is ‘182’, which is the helpline number for assistance related to theft and criminal issues. This new helpline 139 is based on Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS) and is made available in 12 languages. The number can be even dialled from basic phones.
10. World’s second tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was recently unveiled in which Indian state?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Uttarakhand
[C] Gujarat
[D] Himachal Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Gujarat]
Notes:
The second tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the world is recently unveiled at Ahmedabad, Gujarat by the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani. This 50 feet tall bronze statue is the second tallest statue of Patel only after the ‘Statue of Unity’, located in the Narmada district of Gujarat. Ram Vanji Sutar, the famous sculptor and designer who designed the 182 feet tall statue of unity has also designed this statue.
