31. Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) is a spring harvest festival primarily celebrated in which state?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Punjab
[C] West Bengal
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Punjab]
Notes:
Baisakhi is a spring harvest festival celebrated primarily in northern parts of India. It marks the start of the month of Vaisakh.
Vaisakhi is a spring festival which happens in the month of April every year. It is a day to celebrate 1699 – the year when Sikhism was born as a collective faith. Vaisakhi has been a harvest festival in Punjab for a long time, even before it became so important to Sikhs.
32. ‘Pohela Boishakh’ marks the beginning of the new year in which state?
[A] Odisha
[B] West Bengal
[C] Uttarakhand
[D] Meghalaya
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [West Bengal]
Notes:
Pohela Boishakh, also known as Bengali New Year, is a significant cultural festival in Bangladesh and the Bengali-speaking states of India including West Bengal.
The festival is celebrated on the first day of the Bengali calendar, which usually falls in the month of April. This year, it is celebrated on April 15.
33. Which Indian state/UT announced ‘Dr. B R Ambedkar Award’ for recognising people involved in the welfare of Dalits?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Telangana
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] West Bengal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Telangana]
Notes:
The Telangana Government recently announced an award in the name of Babasaheb Dr. B R Ambedkar.
The government will form Rs.51 crore corpus for this award and every year. Rs.3 crore worth of award will be given to anyone involved in the welfare of Dalits.
34. Which Union Ministry is set to draft the ‘SOPs for Safety and Security of Journalists’?
[A] Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
[B] Ministry of Home Affairs
[C] Ministry of Electronics and IT
[D] Ministry of Communication
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Home Affairs]
Notes:
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) for the safety and security of journalists will be drafted by the Union Home Ministry.
The decision comes after three assailants posing as journalists killed gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj while they were speaking to journalists.
35. Aragam, which is set to made as India’s Largest Book Village, is in which state/UT?
[A] Assam
[B] Jammu and Kashmir
[C] Kerala
[D] West Bengal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Jammu and Kashmir]
Notes:
Aragam village of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district is set to be converted into India’s largest book village to promote Kashmiri literature and culture.
The initiative is jointly implemented by Pune-based NGO ‘Sarhad’ and the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
36. Which city hosted the ‘National Conference on Water Sufficient Panchayat, Clean & Green Panchayat and Healthy Panchayat’?
[A] Pune
[B] Chennai
[C] New Delhi
[D] Guwahati
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [New Delhi]
Notes:
The National Conference on Water Sufficient Panchayat, Clean & Green Panchayat and Healthy Panchayat will be held in New Delhi.
It will showcase best practices followed by Panchayati Raj institutions (PRI) and augment capacity building of elected representatives with greater exposure, interactive learning and experience sharing.
37. ‘Hanuman Plover Bird’ is a species endemic to which countries?
[A] India and Sri Lanka
[B] USA and Canada
[C] Australia and New Zealand
[D] Japan and Indonesia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [India and Sri Lanka]
Notes:
Hanuman Plover Bird has been reinstated as species after more than eight decades. This bird is endemic to India and Sri Lanka.
Hanuman Plover Bird was merged with the Kentish plover in the 1930s as both species were considered to be the same.
38. Which Union Ministry launched the ‘YUVA PORTAL’ to identify potential young Start-Ups?
[A] Ministry of Science and Technology
[B] Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
[C] Ministry of Power
[D] Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports]
Notes:
Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launches ‘YUVA PORTAL’ to identify potential young Start-Ups.
Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the One Week -One Lab programme. It will offer the opportunity to the CSIR labs to showcase the work being done by them so that others can avail of it.
39. When is the ‘Civil Services Day’ celebrated every year?
[A] April 18
[B] April 21
[C] April 24
[D] April 27
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [April 21]
Notes:
‘Civil Services Day’ is observed on April 21 every year. It highlights the achievements and contributions of civil servants in India.
National Civil Services Day was first celebrated on April 21, 2006. April 21 was chosen because it is on this day that the first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, 1947 addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers at Metcalf House in Delhi.
40. ‘Abhilekh Patal’ is a portal related to which institution?
[A] Indian Space Research Organisation
[B] National Archives of India
[C] Election Commission of India
[D] Reserve Bank of India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Archives of India]
Notes:
The Abhilekh Patal is a portal containing over 1 crore pages of historic records of the National Archives. It was praised recently by Prime Minister Modi.
National Archives of India has a search web Portal namely “Abhilekh patal” which is available to make its rich treasure of Archival Records available to scholars and users.