21. 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
Show Answer
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.
22. Which state/UT has announced smart health cards under its Swasthya Kalyan Yojana?
[A] Kerala
[B] West Bengal
[C] Odisha
[D] Karnataka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Odisha]
Notes:- Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Odisha would provide smart health cards to 3.5 crore people in the State under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY), which would enable each family to get treatment cost up to ₹5 lakh per annum.
- Odisha is the first State in the country to provide such smart health cards.
- The BSKY was redesigned to provide smart health cards to people that would work as a debit cards.
- According to the re-launched BSKY, each family can avail treatment cost up to ₹5 lakh per annum while women members can avail this benefit up to ₹10 lakh every year.
- The beneficiaries could avail health services in more than 200 hospital chains of the country, including Odisha.
23. Recently, which state has announced a special package for the weavers of the state whose livelihoods were badly hit due to Covid-19?
[A] Jharkhand
[B] Odisha
[C] West Bengal
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Odisha]
Notes:- Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a special package for the weavers of the state following reports that the Covid-19 had badly hit their livelihood.
- The state government announced interest-free loans of up to Rs 50,000 to weavers.
- 3,000 weaver families will be provided with house-cum-work shed on a priority basis.
- The weavers will be provided with electricity and electrical fans so that they can do weaving and designing comfortably.
- After agriculture, handlooms are the main source of employment for the rural population in Odisha.
- Infrastructure such as Customer Fulfillment Centre (CFC); warehouses and sales centres will be established through the panchayati raj to store the weaver’s products.
24. Which bank has introduced a special deposit scheme to mark the celebratory occasion of 75 years of Independence?
[A] Canara Bank
[B] Punjab National Bank
[C] Bank of Baroda
[D] State Bank of India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [State Bank of India]
Notes:- The country’s largest public lender State Bank of India (SBI) has introduced a new deposit scheme, under which it will offer additional interest to individuals and senior citizens.
- The new deposit scheme, called the SBI Platinum Deposits has been launched as a special deposit scheme to mark the celebratory occasion of 75 years of Independence.
- As part of the special deposit scheme, individuals can get additional interest up to 0.15% on term deposits for 75 days, 75 weeks and 75-month tenors.
- An individual can select 75-day, 525-day and 2,250-day tenures under the special scheme, under which additional interest can be gained on investments.
25. In collaboration with which organization, has NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) launched Student Entrepreneurship Program 3.0?
[A] Dassault Systemes
[B] Google
[C] Tesla
[D] DRDO
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Dassault Systemes]
Notes:- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog in collaboration with La Fondation Dassault Systemes in India launched the third series of the ‘Student Entrepreneurship Program’ (SEP 3.0) for the young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).
- The theme of SEP 3.0 is based on the ‘Made in 3D – Seed the Future Entrepreneurs Program’, conceptualized and rolled out in France by La Main à la Pate Foundation and La Fondation Dassault Systèmes Europe in 2017.
- As part of this program, a team from each school (6 students and a teacher) will be allocated seed funding towards creating their own start-up, design and prototype their innovation using 3D printing, prepare marketing campaign, define product pricing and create expansion strategy.
- At the end of the program, each school’s start-up will participate in a playful competition and present their marketing campaign in front of experts from industry and academia.
26. With which bank, PayNearby has partnered to launch SoftPoS and mPoS for its over 1.5 million retail network?
[A] State Bank of India
[B] Bank of Baroda
[C] RBL Bank
[D] ICICI Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [RBL Bank]
Notes:- PayNearby has partnered with Visa and RBL Bank to launch SoftPoS and mPoS for its over 1.5 million retail network.
- With the addition of these options, PayNearby is the first company to launch an all-inclusive digital package for retailers that is form-factor agnostic and provides a wide choice to end consumers.
- Its upgraded digital payment package now supports QR code payment, UPI payment, Aadhaar Pay, SMS payment, and card payment through mobile tokenization.
27. Recently, with which country, Indian has participated in a bilateral Maritime partnership exercise in the Persian Gulf region?
[A] Saudi Arabia
[B] Qatar
[C] Bahrain
[D] Kuwait
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Bahrain]
Notes:- Indian Navy and the Royal Bahrain Naval Force have participated in a bilateral Maritime partnership exercise in the Persian Gulf region.
- The exercise took place at Manama, Bahrain.
- INS Kochi participated in this exercise.
28. Who has been elected as the new president of Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) Society?
[A] Dr Manmohan Singh
[B] Amitabh Kant
[C] Ajay Tyagi
[D] NK Singh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [NK Singh]
Notes:- Chairman of 15th Finance Commission, NK Singh, has been elected as the new president of Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) Society.
- He succeeded former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh who was the President of IEG since 1992.
- His name was recommended by Dr Manmohan Singh for the consideration of the IEG’s general assembly. Dr Manmohan Singh stepped down from this position for health concerns.
- It is an autonomous, multidisciplinary centre that is used for advanced research and training. It was founded by VKRV Rao in 1952, but became operational in 1958. It is located at University Enclave of University of Delhi, New Delhi.
29. Which organization has launched eShield Next life insurance product?
[A] Life Insurance Corporation
[B] HDFC Life Insurance
[C] SBI Life Insurance
[D] Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [SBI Life Insurance]
Notes:- SBI Life Insurance has launched a new-age protection solution ‘SBI Life eShield Next’ an individual, non-linked, non-participating, life insurance pure risk premium product that is neither linked to the stock market nor shares any profit or dividends with the policyholders.
- It offers three plan options – level cover, increasing cover and level cover with future-proofing benefit.
30. With the inauguration of the first solar electric vehicle charging station at the Karnal lake resort, which highway has become the first e-vehicle friendly highway in India?
[A] Delhi-Jaipur Highway
[B] Delhi-Chandigarh Highway
[C] Delhi–Gurgaon Expressway
[D] Delhi-Mumbai Highway
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Delhi-Chandigarh Highway]
Notes:- The Union Heavy Industries Minister Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey inaugurated the country’s very first Solar Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station at the Karnal Lake Resort.
- With the inauguration of the first solar electric vehicle charging station at the Karnal lake resort, the Delhi-Chandigarh Highway has become the first e-vehicle friendly highway in India.
- The EV charging station at the Karnal lake resort is strategically located at the midpoint of the Delhi-Chandigarh highway and is equipped to cater to all types of E-cars plying currently in the country.
- The network of Solar-based Electric Vehicle Charging stations (SEVCs) is set up by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) under the FAME-1 [Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) & Electric Vehicles in India] scheme of the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
