11. Project CAVForth is the first registered service of which country to use full-sized autonomous buses?
[A] USA
[B] UK
[C] India
[D] China
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [UK]
Notes:
Project CAVForth was launched in 2019 to provide fully autonomous full-sized bus service across the Forth Road Bridge.
CAVForth is a joint project of various institutions and it is part funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. It will be the first registered service in the UK to use full-sized autonomous buses. Bus services under this project will be launched in Scotland soon.
12. Which state approved agreement with KfW for a loan to fund the ‘Kerala Green Energy Corridor’?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Telangana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Kerala]
Notes:
Kerala Green Energy Corridor seeks to synchronize electricity produced from renewables with conventional power stations in the grid.
The state cabinet recently approved the agreement with the German development bank, KfW, for a loan to fund this project.
13. What is India’s growth forecast for this fiscal year, as per the World Bank?
[A] 6.1 %
[B] 6.3 %
[C] 6.7 %
[D] 7.2 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [6.3 %]
Notes:
The World Bank has forecast a 6.3% economic growth rate for India in the current fiscal year (FY) 2023-24, in its South Asia Economic Focus: Expanding Opportunities: Toward Inclusive Growth report.
This is a downgrade of 0.7 percentage points since its October forecast. The primary reasons for this are high borrowing costs and slower income growth causing weaker consumption, as well as the government tightening fiscal expenditure.
14. Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease is prevalently spreading in which country?
[A] USA
[B] UK
[C] New Zealand
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [New Zealand]
Notes:
Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus is a contagious and deadly viral hepatitis that affects adult domesticated and wild rabbits.
The rabbits are threatening the bio-diversity and agriculture of the southern region of Central Otago. New Zealand is currently considering the use of the virus that causes this disease to cull the rabbits, which are turning into a plague.
15. Genome India Project aims to sequence how many Indian human genomes?
[A] 1000
[B] 10000
[C] 1 lakh
[D] 1 crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [10000]
Notes:
Genome India Project is an initiative of the Central Government that involves sequencing of 10,000 Indian human genomes and creating a database.
The Department of Biotechnology has sequenced close to 7,000 genomes and 3,000 of these are already available for public access.
16. Which country hosts the multinational wargame named ‘Exercise Orion’?
[A] India
[B] USA
[C] France
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [France]
Notes:
Exercise Orion is the largest multinational exercise conducted by the French defence forces. The multinational wargame codenamed Orion will involve India, the USA and other allies of France.
For the first time, Indian Rafale combat aircraft is expected to take part in this wargame. India will send its Refale fighter jets to take part in the exercise Orion in France.
17. Vibrant Villages Programme is implemented by which Union Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Home Affairs
[B] Ministry of External Affairs
[C] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
[D] Ministry of Rural Development
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Home Affairs]
Notes:
Vibrant Villages Programme has been launched by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah during his visit to Arunachal Pradesh. It is implemented by the Home Ministry.
It is a centrally sponsored scheme that will provide for the comprehensive development of 2,967 villages situated at the northern border in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and UT of Ladakh.
18. Which state/UT introduced the ‘Vacant land tax’ for assets registration?
[A] Andhra Pradesh
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Gujarat
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Maharashtra]
Notes:
Maharashtra government introduces vacant land tax for assets registration, in a bid to combat irregularities in the registration of properties.
The state government has also made it mandatory the incorporation of the title owner in the adangal copy for agricultural land.
19. Amolops siju is a new species of frog discovered in which state of India?
[A] Meghalaya
[B] Arunachal Pradesh
[C] Goa
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Meghalaya]
Notes:
The researchers from the Zoological Survey of India have discovered a new species of frog named Amolops siju in a cave situated in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills district.
Siju is a four-kilometre-long natural limestone cave, from where the species was discovered. Hence the frog species has been named after the place of its discovery.
20. Who was the ninth Guru of the Sikh religion?
[A] Guru Tegh Bahadur
[B] Guru Nanak
[C] Guru Har Gobind
[D] Guru Ram Das
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Guru Tegh Bahadur]
Notes:
Guru Tegh Bahadur is the ninth out of the ten Gurus who founded the Sikh religion. Parkash Purab of Guru Tegh Bahadur is celebrated every year on April 11. He was the leader of Sikhs from 1665 until his death in 1675.
He was the youngest son of the 6th Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind.