11. How is the Railway Protection Force (RPF) recently renamed by the Ministry of Railways?
[A] Railway Protection Service
[B] Indian Railway Protection Force Service
[C] Indian Railway Force Service
[D] Indian Railway Service
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Indian Railway Protection Force Service]
Notes:
The Ministry of Railways recently granted ‘Organized Group A Status’ (OGAS) to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and also renamed it as the Indian Railway Protection Force Service. Recently the Union Cabinet approved the restructuring of the Indian Railways and merged eight Group A services of the Railways into a central service called the Indian Railway Management Service. Vinod Kumar Yadav recently assumed charge as the chairman of Railway Board after an extension in his term.
12. Australia recently witnessed which disaster that killed many lives and caused huge destruction?
[A] Flood
[B] Cyclone
[C] Wild fires
[D] Tsunami
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Wild fires]
Notes:
Australia recently witnessed severe wild fires that killed nearly 25 people and destroyed several homes across the country. More than hundred bush fires were burning in New South Wales and they could not be controlled. Several million animals are also reported to be killed by the severity of bush fires. Scientists have cited Global warming to be the reason of this early and devastating wild fires.
13. In which city, the Human Space Flight Centre is proposed to be set up by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)?
[A] Bengaluru
[B] Vishakhapatnam
[C] Sriharikota
[D] Challakere
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Challakere]
Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has proposed to set up its Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC) in the Challakere town of Karnataka. It is located on the National Highway connecting Bengaluru and Pune. The 400-acre Training centre will entail a project cost of nearly 2700 Crores. Recently, four Indian astronauts selected for the Gaganyaan mission are sent to an Russian agency for space related training. This indigenous HSFC of ISRO will be have world class infrastructure and training facilities.
14. Which is the first Urban Cooperative Bank (UCB), that is approved to convert into a Small Finance Bank?
[A] Bharat Cooperative Bank
[B] Shivalik Mercantile Cooperative Bank
[C] Punjab And Maharashtra Cooperative Bank
[D] Bombay Mercantile Cooperative Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Shivalik Mercantile Cooperative Bank]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India has recently granted ‘in-principle’ approval to Shivalik Mercantile Cooperative Bank, to convert into a Small Finance Bank (SFB). It is the first Urban Cooperative Bank (UCB) to be granted such permission after the announcement of RBI in September 2018, about voluntary conversion of UCBs into Small Finance Banks.
The bank should comply with the requirements of an SFB such as minimum net worth and Capital to risk ratio, as stipulated by the RBI within 18 months of the in-principle approval.
15. Which city is to host the ‘Central Indian Ocean Leadership Workshop’?
[A] Cochin
[B] Goa
[C] Chennai
[D] Vishakhapatnam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Chennai]
Notes:
The ‘Central Indian Ocean Leadership Workshop’ is to be organised in the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai. The workshop is organised with the assistance of the United Nations. Several scientists across the world are going to participate in the workshop, which will focus on coastal vulnerabilities.
National Institute of Ocean Technology is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. It was established in the year 1993 with its headquarters at Chennai.
16. What is the name of the mandatory standard individual health insurance policy launched by IRDAI?
[A] Arogya Raksha
[B] Arogya Suraksha
[C] Arogya Sanjeevani
[D] Arogya Samriddhi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Arogya Sanjeevani]
Notes:
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) recently directed the health and general insurance companies to offer a standard individual health insurance policy. The policy is named as ‘Arogya Sanjeevani policy’.
It will cover minimum health requirements of the insurers and would be offered from April 1, 2020. IRDAI also stipulated that there will be no exit age for the scheme, so that the insurance will be continued till the person’s last breath. The minimum and maximum age limit to enroll are 18 years and 65 years respectively. The sum assured will be between Rs.1 Lakh and Rs. 5 Lakhs.
17. Scientists recently discovered dwarf galaxies with massive black holes using Very Large Array (VLA) observatory. Where is the observatory situated?
[A] Japan
[B] China
[C] U.S.A
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [U.S.A]
Notes:
According to the recent study published in ‘Astrophysical Journal’, Scientists have discovered thirteen huge black holes in some dwarf galaxies. The galaxies are found to be located several light years from the earth and in half of the galaxies, the black holes are not in the centre of the galaxies.
The high-resolution images of the galaxies with black holes were captured using the Very Large Array (VLA) observatory. It is a radio telescope observatory, which is situated in New Mexico, U.S.A. VLA was set up by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
18. Which is the first state to integrate its land records with the web portal of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)?
[A] Odisha
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Gujarat
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Maharashtra]
Notes:
The Department of Agriculture of the state of Maharashtra has seamlessly integrated the state’s land records with the web portal of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). It is the first state in the country to perform such linkage.
After the records are linked online, the farmers are required to provide only their Aadhar number, details of bank and the land records, during the process of insuring crops. The process which is implemented during the current rabi season, is expected to improve efficiency and transparency of the system.
19. The recently approved Mineral Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 has done away with so called captive end-use criteria of which mineral / natural resource?
[A] Coal
[B] Gas Hydrates
[C] Natural Gas
[D] Crude Oil
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [ Coal ]
Notes:
On January 8, 2020, Union Cabinet has approved promulgation of Mineral Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2020. The Ordinance will amend Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation ) Act 1957 and Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act 2015. The Ordinance will ease rules for auctioning of coal mines and to open up to all sectors. Government has also done away with end-use restrictions of the coal mining blocks.
20. The highest railway bridge in the world is to be constructed in which state/ UT?
[A] Himachal Pradesh
[B] Uttarakhand
[C] Sikkim
[D] Jammu and Kashmir
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Jammu and Kashmir]
Notes:
As a part of the major Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project, which would connect the Kashmir valley with the Indian Railway network, a new railway bridge is to be constructed connecting Bakkal and Kauri. This bridge in the newly formed Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be the world’s highest railway bridge. The project is expected to be completed by December 2021.
The proposed bridge will be 1.315 km long and will be built 359 m above the river bed. Presently, the highest railway bridge in the world is the Beipan river Shuibai railway bridge of China.