11. Which airline is currently headed by Ashwani Lohani?
[A] Indigo
[B] Spicejet
[C] Air India
[D] Vistara
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [ Air India ]
Notes:
Current Ashwini Lohani heads Air India. It began operations in 1932 with a single-engine, de Havilland Puss Moth monoplane. In 1962, it became the world’s first airline to boast an all-jet fleet. Last October, it also became the world’s first airline to use a Taxibot on an A320 aircraft with passengers onboard. Recently, Group of Ministers (GoM) of the central government have approved the proposal to divest stake in the national carrier. Led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the GoM met on Tuesday and approved all proposals on debt transfer from Air India to a special purpose vehicle. The Expression of Interest (EoI) and the share purchase agreement would be issued in January 2020.
12. How many routes have been identified by NITI Aayog and Indian Railways towards running Private Trains in India?
[A] 100
[B] 120
[C] 150
[D] 200
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [ 100 ]
Notes:
Niti Aayog and Indian Railways have recently released a discussion paper for running 150 trains on 100 routes by private operators. The plan envisages a total investment of Rs. 22500 crore. The discussion paper titled ‘Private Participation: Passenger Trains’ has identified 100 routes, including Mumbai Central-New Delhi, New Delhi- Patna, Allahabad-Pune and Dadar-Vadodara.
13. Which country has recently proposed a “Global Electricity Grid”?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] United States
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ India ]
Notes:
Proposed “Global Electricity Grid” was an idea mooted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The grid plans to leverage solar power generated in one geography to feed the electricity demands of other nations. India is reportedly in talks with World Bank as its technical partner to implement the plan.
14. According to an statement of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, in which year, India will hold its Parliament Session in new Parliament Building?
[A] 2021
[B] 2022
[C] 2023
[D] 2024
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ 2022 ]
Notes:
As per statement of Lok Sabha Speaker, India will mark 75th anniversary of the country in 2022 and in same year parliament session will be held in the new building. The existing Parliament House Building has completed 92 glorious years after it was made functional in 1927.
15. Which Union Ministry is set to launch a program for development of eastern states called ‘Purvodaya’?
[A] Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
[B] Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
[C] Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
[D] Ministry of Steel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Ministry of Steel]
Notes:
The Union Ministry of Steel is to launch a program called ‘Purvodaya-Accelerated Development of Eastern Region through an Integrated Steel hub’. The Union Minister for Steel and Petroleum & Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan will launch the program.
The Eastern states of India such as Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Northern Andhra Pradesh possess a huge share of reserves but lag in development. This proposed Integrated Steel Hub in the Eastern region would lead to an inclusive socio-economic development in the region.
16. DRDO’s Naval variant of Light Combat Aircraft made its first successful landing on which aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy?
[A] INS Vikramaditya
[B] INS Vikrant
[C] INS Viraat
[D] INS Vishal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [INS Vikramaditya]
Notes:
After completion of extensive trials on the Shore Based Test Facility, the naval variant of indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) made its first successful landing on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. The Light Combat aircraft is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO.
INS Vikramaditya was formally inducted into the Indian Navy on June 2014. It is a flagship air-craft carrier of the Indian Navy. Prior to this commission, it served with the Russian Navy.
17. Which state has recently started an awareness campaign for farmers to protect their sugarcane crop from locust?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Rajasthan
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Uttar Pradesh
]
Notes:
The Department of Cane Development of the state government of Uttar Pradesh has recently started an awareness campaign for the farmers to protect their sugarcane crop from locusts.
During the month end of December 2019, a huge swarm of locusts destroyed more than 25000 hectares of crop lands in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Several thousand litres of pesticides were used by the state governments to kill the locusts. Gujarat recently announced Rs.18500 per hectare as relief assistance for the affected farmers.
18. An international Film Festival with the theme of ‘Better Film, Better Audience and Better Society’, was recently inaugurated in which city?
[A] Tokyo
[B] Dubai
[C] Dhaka
[D] Colombo
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Dhaka]
Notes:
The 18th edition of the famous Dhaka International Film Festival was recently inaugurated at Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The festival will be organised from January 11 to 19, 2020 with the theme of ‘Better Film, Better Audience and Better Society’.
During the eight-day-long festival, which is to be held at various venues in Dhaka, more than 200 films from 74 countries are to be screened. A conference on the theme of ‘Women in cinema’ will also be conducted during the film festival.
19. The Australian Government recently announced that which animal could be declared as an endangered species?
[A] Kangaroo
[B] Koala
Koala
Koala
[C] Emu
[D] Lyrebird
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Koala
Koala
Koala]
Notes:
The Australian Government recently announced that it could place ‘Koala’ in the endangered species category. This announcement is made after the devastating bush fires witnessed by Australia, which killed nearly 25 people and nearly 1.25 billion animals.
Koalas of northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland are being observed by the Scientific committee. Another species called ‘Wallaby’ is also greatly affected. Recently the Government committed an emergency wild life recovery fund worth 50 million Australian Dollars.
20. Which cricketer won the ‘Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy’ for ‘Player of the Year’, presented by the International Cricket Council (ICC)?
[A] Virat Kohli
[B] Ben Stokes
[C] Kane Williamson
[D] Rohit Sharma
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ben Stokes]
Notes:
The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently presented the ICC Annual awards. The biggest award named ‘Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy’ for Player of the Year was bagged by the England All-rounder Ben Stokes.
Indian opener, Rohit Sharma was named the ‘ODI Player of the year’, while the Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins was presented the ‘Test Player of the year award’. The ‘Spirit of Cricket Award’ was presented to Virat Kohli. Another Indian cricketer, Deepak Chahar was given the ‘T20I Performance of the Year’ award.