11. Which state bagged the highest number of awards in the ‘National Panchayat Awards 2023’?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Telangana
[C] Odisha
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Telangana]
Notes:
National Panchayat Awards 2023 were conferred recently by Panchayati Raj Ministry to recognize best performing Panchayats in the areas that align with the 17 SHGs.
Telangana won 8 out of 27 various categories of the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) for the years 2021 – 2022. It was followed by Kerala with 4, Jammu and Kashmir with 3, and Maharashtra with 3.
12. Which country chairs the 2nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] USA
[D] Sri Lanka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [India]
Notes:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in Washington DC to attend the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), along with G20 meetings, Investor/ Bilateral meetings, and other associated meetings.
Finance Minister Sitharaman and RBI Shaktikanta Das will jointly chair the 2nd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting.
13. ‘Mircha’ Rice, which recently received GI Tag, is from which state/UT?
[A] Uttarakhand
[B] Assam
[C] Sikkim
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Bihar]
Notes:
‘Mircha’ Rice from Bihar’s West Champaran recently received GI tag. Since this rice’s size and shape appear like a black pepper, it is known as Mircha or Marcha Rice.
This rice is famous for its aroma, palatability and its aromatic rice flakes making qualities. The cooked rice is fluffy, non sticky, sweet and easily digestible.
14. Which state/UT launched the project Sanjeevani to empower dairy farmers?
[A] Punjab
[B] Rajasthan
[C] Himachal Pradesh
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Himachal Pradesh]
Notes:
Himachal Pradesh state government has launched a project named Sanjeevani that helps in empowering the livelihood of small dairy farmers and livestock owners.
It will enhance the lives of farmers by providing them convenient and quality care for livestock at their doorsteps. For this a collaboration was signed by the Animal Husbandry Department with Bharat Financial Inclusion Ltd. (BFIL), a subsidiary of IndusInd Bank.
15. As per a recent report of the NSO, what per centage of communicable disease deaths in 2021 was due to respiratory ailments?
[A] 18 %
[B] 38 %
[C] 58 %
[D] 78 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [78 %]
Notes:
As per the latest data released by National Statistical Office (NSO), the share of respiratory infections in deaths caused by communicable diseases rose by 10 per cent to 78 per cent in 2021 from 68 per cent in 2020,
This means about four out of five deaths due to communicable diseases were caused by the respiratory ailments.
16. Melolontha arunachalensis, which was seen in the news, belongs to which species?
[A] Spider
[B] Beetle
[C] Butterfly
[D] Snake
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Beetle]
Notes:
Two new species of beetle were found in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh and they were named Melolontha lachugensis and Melolontha arunachalensis.
These two new beetle species have been discovered in India after 127 years in the genus Melolontha, bringing the total number of Indian species to 12.
17. What is the rate of interest payable in General Provident Fund (GPF) for the April to June 2023 quarter?
[A] 7.1%
[B] 7.3 %
[C] 7.5 %
[D] 8.1 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [7.1%]
Notes:
The government has retained the interest rate payable on savings in General Provident Fund (GPF) at 7.1% for the April to June 2023 quarter.
Interest rates on General Provident Fund (GPF) are revised periodically according to the government’s issued notifications.
18. Which space agency has released the image of Crab Nebula?
[A] ISRO
[B] European Space Agency
[C] Roscosmos
[D] NASA
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [NASA]
Notes:
Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant and pulsar wind nebula found in the Taurus constellation, which is located 6500 light-years from Earth.
Its image which was captured using Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) spacecraft was released by NASA. Using the IXPE, Scientists have mapped the iconic Crab Nebula’s magnetic field in greater detail than ever before.
19. The Government of Maharashtra announced to celebrate which Indian personality’s birthday as “Swatantraveer Gaurav Din”?
[A] Mahatma Gandhi
[B] Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
[C] Jyotirao Phule
[D] Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Vinayak Damodar Savarkar]
Notes:
The Government of Maharashtra has decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar – May 28th as ‘Swatantraveer Gaurav Din’.
Vinayak Savarkar was born in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, on 28th May 1883. Year 2023 would mark his 140th birth anniversary. Various programs will be organised by the state to promote and propagate the thoughts and works of Veer Savarkar on Swatantraveer Gaurav Divas.
20. Which country has declared a drug named ‘xylazine’ as an emerging threat?
[A] India
[B] USA
[C] China
[D] Sri Lanka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [USA]
Notes:
The United has declared that the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl combined with xylazine – an animal tranquilizer is an “emerging threat” facing the United States.
Xylazine is increasingly being used in illicit drugs and it is seen as a threat due to its role in the ongoing opioid crisis.