Current Affairs Quiz - August, 2021
21. Which Indian city has been declared as the first ‘water plus’ city of India?
[A] Kolkata
[B] Bengaluru
[C] Indore
[D] Hyderabad
[B] Bengaluru
[C] Indore
[D] Hyderabad
Correct Answer: C [Indore]
Notes:
Indore, the country’s cleanest city, has now been declared as the first ‘water plus’ city of India under the Swachh Survekshan 2021, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday. Indore City received the certification from the centre on Wednesday. Swachh Survekshan is an annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in cities and towns across India launched as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Indore, the country’s cleanest city, has now been declared as the first ‘water plus’ city of India under the Swachh Survekshan 2021, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday. Indore City received the certification from the centre on Wednesday. Swachh Survekshan is an annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in cities and towns across India launched as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission.
22. With which state/UT, Coal India arm Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) has collaborated to promote and boost mine tourism?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
[B] Jharkhand
[C] West Bengal
[D] Chhattisgarh
[B] Jharkhand
[C] West Bengal
[D] Chhattisgarh
Correct Answer: A [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
Coal India arm Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) has collaborated with Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board to promote and boost Singrauli eco-tourism circuit, giving thrust to mine tourism under sustainable development initiatives. The collaboration will facilitate the development of eco-mine tourism and eco-parks which will also generate employment and business opportunities for the locals. This initiative will explore a new tourism circuit in Madhya Pradesh having beauty mining, wildlife, cultural heritage and adventure. This will also foster mine tourism entailing the importance of Singrauli as Energy Capital of India. NCL-IIT (BHU) Incubation Centre will facilitate research, gather information, design and operate the tour plans for incoming tourists.
Coal India arm Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) has collaborated with Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board to promote and boost Singrauli eco-tourism circuit, giving thrust to mine tourism under sustainable development initiatives. The collaboration will facilitate the development of eco-mine tourism and eco-parks which will also generate employment and business opportunities for the locals. This initiative will explore a new tourism circuit in Madhya Pradesh having beauty mining, wildlife, cultural heritage and adventure. This will also foster mine tourism entailing the importance of Singrauli as Energy Capital of India. NCL-IIT (BHU) Incubation Centre will facilitate research, gather information, design and operate the tour plans for incoming tourists.
23. Who has been sworn in as the Governor of Manipur?
[A] Prem Singh Tamang
[B] Jagdish Mukhi
[C] Ganga Prasad
[D] R.N. Ravi
[B] Jagdish Mukhi
[C] Ganga Prasad
[D] R.N. Ravi
Correct Answer: C [Ganga Prasad]
Notes:
Ganga Prasad was sworn in as the Governor of Manipur at a ceremony held on 12 August at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, Imphal. The Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur PV Sanjay Kumar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shri Ganga Prasad. He will take charge of the Manipur Governor, in addition to his own duties during the absence on leave of Dr. Najma Heptulla. Shri Ganga Prasad is also the Governor of Sikkim. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Deputy Speaker, Council of Ministers, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other senior officials of the State Government and Senior citizens.
Ganga Prasad was sworn in as the Governor of Manipur at a ceremony held on 12 August at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan, Imphal. The Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur PV Sanjay Kumar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Shri Ganga Prasad. He will take charge of the Manipur Governor, in addition to his own duties during the absence on leave of Dr. Najma Heptulla. Shri Ganga Prasad is also the Governor of Sikkim. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Deputy Speaker, Council of Ministers, Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and other senior officials of the State Government and Senior citizens.
24. Which ministry has launched an online portal named TAPAS (Training for Augmenting Productivity and Services)?
[A] Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
[B] Ministry of Labour and Employment
[C] Ministry of Education
[D] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
[B] Ministry of Labour and Employment
[C] Ministry of Education
[D] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Correct Answer: D [Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment]
Notes:
- Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar launched an online portal TAPAS (Training for Augmenting Productivity and Services)
- This portal has been developed by the National Institute of Social Defence to provide access to lectures by subject experts, study material and more, but in a manner that it supplements the physical classroom without compromising teaching quality.
- The five basic courses are on Drug (Substance) Abuse Prevention, Geriatric/Elderly Care, Care and Management of Dementia, Transgender Issues and on comprehensive course on Social Defence Issues.
25. Which organization, UNESCO has partnered with to celebrate India’s rich cultural heritage?
[A] Netflix
[B] Amazon
[C] Facebook
[D] Google
[B] Amazon
[C] Facebook
[D] Google
Correct Answer: A [Netflix]
Notes:
- Netflix and UNESCO have partnered to celebrate India’s rich cultural heritage through the streaming platform’s popular animated series “Mighty Little Bheem”.
- Netflix and UNESCO will come up with a series of short videos themed ‘One Country, Incredible Diversity’ that will focus on India’s cultural journey, monuments, living heritage, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festivals such as Dussehra, Diwali, Holi, etc.
- The short videos, featuring Bheem, will be released on UNESCO New Delhi’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter pages.
- The first video in the series was released on Friday, ahead of the 75th Independence Day.
26. Thomas Dennerby has been appointed as head coach of Indian women’s football team ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022. Which country is the host of this event?
[A] China
[B] India
[C] Japan
[D] South Korea
[B] India
[C] Japan
[D] South Korea
Correct Answer: B [India]
Notes:
- Thomas Dennerby will take charge of the Indian women’s national team as head coach with immediate effect ahead of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022.
- AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2022 will be hosted by India from January 20-February 6.
- Dennerby was earlier in charge of India’s U-17 World Cup squad and will go back to that duty once the Asian Cup is over.
- He also served as the head coach of the Nigerian women’s national team and took them to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup. He also helped the Nigerian women win the AWCON Award 2018, and was awarded the 2018 Coach of the Year in Nigeria.
- The 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup will be the 20th edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. India was recommended as the host of the tournament by AFC Women’s Football Committee and selected as the host in June 2020. It will be the second time that the country will host the competition, the first being in the year 1979.
27. Recently, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has resigned. He was the prime minister of which country?
[A] Afghanistan
[B] Philippines
[C] Cambodia
[D] Malaysia
[B] Philippines
[C] Cambodia
[D] Malaysia
Correct Answer: D [Malaysia]
Notes:
- Malaysian Prime Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin, resigned on August 16, 2021 following the months of political turmoil in the country.
- He and his cabinet resigned after losing his majority. His resignation is going to open another chapter of instability as there is absence of any obvious successor currently.
- He resigned after the tenure of 17 months in office. Thus, it is the shortest stint of Malaysian leader.
- His resignation also impacts the efforts towards rebooting economy and controlling resurgence of Covid infections.
- Ringgit, the currency of Malaysia has fallen down to one-year low and its stock market also slipped.
- Political turmoil in Malaysia was triggered by a power grab within the then-ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition. It led to the resignation of former PM Mahathir Mohamad.
28. Which organization has set up a specialised lab for camera innovation at Hyderabad?
[A] Xiaomi
[B] Oppo
[C] Apple
[D] Samsung
[B] Oppo
[C] Apple
[D] Samsung
Correct Answer: B [Oppo]
Notes:
- Smartphone maker Oppo has set up a specialised lab for camera innovation at its Hyderabad research and development centre.
- It is designed to develop localised features, camera solutions using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and focus on developing imaging software for a better user experience.
29. With which country, the Union Cabinet has given approval for India to partner with in the field of Disaster Management?
[A] South Korea
[B] Switzerland
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Nepal
[B] Switzerland
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Nepal
Correct Answer: C [Bangladesh]
Notes:
- The Union Cabinet has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation signed between India and Bangladesh in March this year during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Bangladesh.
- It will also help in strengthening the areas of preparedness, response and capacity building in the field of Disaster Management.
- The MoU envisages that the countries will extend mutual support to each other at the time of large scale disaster in the field of relief, response, reconstruction and recovery.
- Both the countries will also exchange relevant information, remote sensing and other scientific data.
- They will also share best practices in the field of disaster response, recovery, mitigation, capacity building for ensuring resilience, etc.
- India and Bangladesh will extend cooperation in the field of advanced information technology, early warning systems, remote sensing and navigation services and expertise for disaster preparedness, response and mitigation and real time data sharing.
- They will also support training of officials in the field of Disaster Management and conduct joint disaster management exercises bilaterally.
- The MoU also envisages joint research activities in the field of Disaster management.
30. With which bank, ICICI Bank have cut the first swaption deals?
[A] HSBC Bank
[B] Standard Chartered Bank
[C] Citibank
[D] Both A & B
[B] Standard Chartered Bank
[C] Citibank
[D] Both A & B
Correct Answer: D [Both A & B]
Notes:
- ICICI Bank, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank have cut the first swaption deals, giving new risk management tools to borrowers in rapidly changing interest rate scenarios.
- The ‘swaption’ interest-rate derivative product helps both local borrowers and investors to rein in funding costs in a rising rate scenario and retain investment returns in a falling rate scenario.
- A swaption contract gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an interest-rate swap deal.