Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2020

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.

Notes:
The light utility aircraft Dornier was recently inducted into the No.41 “Otters” Squadron during a ceremony at the Palam Air Force Station. the Dornier-228 aircraft is a multi-purpose, fuel efficient, rugged, lightweight twin turboprop aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear.

Notes:
According to the central government’s cleanliness survey, Indore is declared to be the cleanest city in India for the fourth time in a row. Kolkata is designated as the worst performer. It the category of cities having population more than 10 lakh, Bhopal stood second in the first quarter of the result and Rajkot got the second spot in the second quarter of the results.

Notes:
Auckland in New Zealand has become the world’s first major city to celebrate the start of the 2020.  Australia and New Zealand were followed by Europe, the Middle East and Asia to welcome the year 2020. The firework display in Sydney, Australia was put up despite the ongoing bushfire crisis.  

Notes:
According to the recently released Government data, Singapore remains the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India during the first half of the financial year with investments amounting to 8 billion. The second largest source was Mauritius with 6.36 billion worth investments followed by the United States, the Netherlands and Japan. India remains as one of the world’s favourite FDI destinations during this year. FDI limits in coal mining and contract manufacturing were recently relaxed by the Government.

Notes:
The leading Carnatic vocalist S.Sowmya was selected for the ‘Sangita Kalanithi’ award instituted by the Music Academy and recently received the award. Sowmya, a recipient of various awards and titles in her music career, is a visiting faculty at the Madras Advanced School of Carnatic Music, run by the Music Academy. She also serves as the member of the Academic Council of the Tamil Nadu Music and Fine Arts University.

Notes:
The result of Swachh Survekshan League 2020 was recently released by the Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri for the first and second Quarters of this year. Under the category of cities with 10 lakh plus population, Indore topped in both the first and second quarters. The famous city of Madhya Pradesh, Indore was also the topper of the league in the previous year. Bhopal and Surat were ranked second and third in the first quarter respectively and Rajkot and Navi Mumbai in the second quarter.

Notes:
The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a ₹102 lakh crore national infrastructure pipeline. The Ministry of Finance had set up a committee headed by Atanu Chakraborty to prepare a road map for the the ₹100 lakh crore ‘National Infrastructure Pipeline’ (NIP) from 2019-20 to 2024-25. In the plan which involves spending in various sectors, the central government and state governments would have an equal share of 39% each and the private sector would have 22% share.

Notes:
SPARMVs refer to Self Propelled Accident Relief Medical Vans which are vehicles to provide relief during Railway accidents and disasters. Indian Railways is gradually replacing locomotive hauled Accident Relief Medical Vans (ARMVs) with Self Propelled Accident Relief Medical Vans (SPARMVs) to improve response during disaster. Another kind of vehicles, which Railways proposes to include are high speed Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains (HS-SPARTs) with speed of 160 kmph. Railways will soon procure them.

Notes:
The birth anniversary of the social reformer and the first female teacher of India, Savitribai Phule was observed across the country on January 3. The Prime Minister of India and various other leaders paid tributes to her on her birth anniversary. Savitribai Phule along with her husband Jyotirao Phule founded the country’s first girls’ school in Pune in 1848. Born in Maharashtra, Phule worked hard to abolish discrimination against women and suppressed classes of people.