1. Which institution is to set up the ‘Corporate Debt Market Development Fund’?
[A] RBI
[B] SEBI
[C] NSE
[D] BSE
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [SEBI]
Notes:
SEBI decided to set up a corporate debt market development fund in the form of an Alternative Investment Fund.
Corporate Debt Market Development Fund will be set up with an initial corpus of Rs 3,000 crore. It will function as a backstop facility for buying investment grade corporate debt securities during stressful times.
2. The ‘Foundational Literacy and numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT)’ is organised under which program?
[A] Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan
[B] New India Literacy Programme
[C] Scheme of Vocational Education
[D] National Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [New India Literacy Programme]
Notes:
The first ‘Foundational Literacy and numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT)’ is organised under under Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme).
The Test was held across 10 States and UTs in the country to assess the basic Reading, Writing and Numeracy skills of the neo-literates.
3. What is the estimated amount that the government will borrow for the first half of financial year 2023-24?
[A] Rs 5.55 lakh crore
[B] Rs 8.88 lakh crore
[C] Rs 11.11 lakh crore
[D] Rs 13.33 lakh crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rs 8.88 lakh crore]
Notes:
The Centre plans to raise ₹ 8.88 lakh crore through market borrowing in the April-September period of 2023-24 to fund the revenue gap to push economic growth.
The Finance Ministry announced this after consultation with the Reserve Bank of India.
4. IMF’s Extended Fund Facility has been reently approved for which country?
[A] Pakistan
[B] Afghanistan
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Ukraine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Ukraine]
Notes:
The International Monetary Fund’s Extended Fund Facility is intended for countries experiencing serious medium-term BoP issues due to structural weakness that require time to address. It was recently approved for Ukraine to meet the urgent funding requirements amid the war with Russia.
5. ‘Sarbat Khalsa’ is an event associated with which religion?
[A] Islam
[B] Sikhism
[C] Buddhism
[D] Jainism
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sikhism]
Notes:
Sarbat Khalsa is a deliberative assembly of all factions of Sikhs that dates back to the 18th century. It is held twice a year on the occasion of Baisakhi and Diwali.
The last “Sarbat khalsa” was held on February 16, 1986. It was recently announced that the convening of a Sarbat khalsa congregation is the sole prerogative of the Akal Takht chief.
6. The ‘Foreign Trade Policy 2023’ aims to boost India’s merchandise and services exports by 2030 by?
[A] USD 1 trillion
[B] USD 2 trillion
[C] USD 5 trillion
[D] USD 10 trillion
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [USD 2 trillion]
Notes:
The Indian government unveiled its Foreign Trade Policy 2023 which seeks to boost merchandise and services exports by USD 2 trillion by 2030 from the current level of USD 765 billion.
The Policy also seeks to make the Indian Rupee the global currency in settling international trade payments.
7. After recent revision in March 2023, what is the rate of interest of Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme?
[A] 7.5 %
[B] 7.75 %
[C] 8.0 %
[D] 8.2 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [8.0 %]
Notes:
The government has raised the interest rates across all small savings schemes except the post office savings deposit and the Public Provident Fund (PPF) for the April-June 2023 quarter.
The Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme too will enjoy a higher rate of interest – up from the existing 7.6 percent to 8 percent. The interest rate on the National Savings Certificate (NSC) has been hiked from 7 percent to 7.7 percent for the April – June 2023 quarter.
8. Which country’s plant mycologist is the first person in the world to contract a plant fungal disease?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] Japan
[D] USA
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [India]
Notes:
‘Chondrostereum purpureum’ is a plant fungus that causes silver leaf disease in plants. A plant mycologist from India has become the first person in the world to contract a plant fungal disease.
It attacks most species of the rose family Rosaceae, particularly the genus Prunus. Among the millions of fungi present, only a few hundreds of fungi infect humans and animals.
9. What is the total merchandise value of Government e Marketplace (GeM) as of 2022-23?
[A] Rs 1 lakh crore
[B] Rs 2 lakh crore
[C] Rs 5 lakh crore
[D] Rs 10 lakh crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rs 2 lakh crore]
Notes:
In the financial year 2022-2023, procurement of goods and services from government portal Government e Marketplace (GeM) has crossed the Rs 2 lakh crore mark.
After the GeM portal was launched in 2017, business worth about Rs 400 crore was done and the business tripled last year to Rs 1 lakh crores, while it reached the 2 lakh crore-mark in 5 years.
10. What is the GST collection recorded in the month of March?
[A] Rs 1.5 lakh crore
[B] Rs 1.6 lakh crore
[C] Rs 1.8 lakh crore
[D] Rs 2 lakh crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rs 1.6 lakh crore]
Notes:
India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenue collection for the month of March 2023 is stood at 1.6 lakh crore rupees.
This is 13 percent higher than the GST revenues in the same month of last year. It is for the fourth time, in the current financial year that the gross GST collection has crossed 1.5 lakh crore rupees, since the implementation of GST.