31. With which organization, India has signed a USD 500 million loans agreement in order to expand metro rail network in Bengaluru?
[A] Asian Development Bank
[B] World Bank
[C] European Central Bank
[D] New Development Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Asian Development Bank]
Notes:
- India has signed a USD 500 million loans agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in order to expand metro rail network in Bengaluru.
- Metro Rail Network in Bengaluru will be expanded with the construction of two new metro lines of 56 kilometers.
- Signatories to an agreement for Bengaluru Metro Rail Project include: Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs, and Takeo Konishi, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission.
32. Recently, with which organization, Ministry of Tourism has partnered to strengthen the hospitality and tourism industry?
[A] MakeMyTrip
[B] Ibibo
[C] RedBus
[D] Both A & B
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Both A & B]
Notes:
- The Ministry of Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MakeMyTrip (India) Private Limited and Ibibo Group Private Limited in a bid to strengthen the hospitality and tourism industry.
- It has already signed MoUs with Cleartrip and Yatra.com and Ease my Trip.
- The primary objective of this MoU is to provide an extensive visibility to accommodation units, which have self-certified themselves on SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness and Training for the Hospitality Industry) on the OTA platform.
33. Recently, who has become the first Indian to receive Congressional Gold Medal?
[A] Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
[B] Mahatma Gandhi
[C] Bhagat Singh
[D] B. R. Ambedkar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mahatma Gandhi]
Notes:
- New York Congresswoman Caroline Maloney re-introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi.
- He has been awarded for his contributions made through his methods of non-violence.
- He would become the first Indian to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, which is the highest civilian award in the US.
34. Which date in August is observed as World Senior Citizen Day?
[A] 20 August
[B] 22 August
[C] 19 August
[D] 21 August
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [21 August]
Notes:
- World Senior Citizen Day is observed on August 21.
- It’s an effort by the young to acknowledge the problems that our elders face due to their age and raise awareness about those issues.
- The day was first proposed by former US President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
- On August 21 that year, he officially commemorated the first National Senior Citizens Day. Two years later, the United Nations General Assembly adopted it as a global celebration.
35. In which State/UT, India’s highest herbal park has been inaugurated?
[A] Uttarakhand
[B] Himachal Pradesh
[C] Sikkim
[D] Mizoram
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Uttarakhand]
Notes:
- India’s highest altitude herbal park situated at a height of 11,000 feet was inaugurated at Mana village close to the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district.
- The research wing of Uttarakhand’s forest department has developed the park over three acres of land given by Mana Van panchayat, under the central government’s Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (CAMPA), scheme.
- It has been developed in three years under central government’s Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme.
- The herbal park has around 40 species found in high altitude alpine areas in the Indian Himalayan region.
36. Recently, which state/UT has announced a package of Rs 500 crore for the industrial units?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Andaman & Nicobar
[C] West Bengal
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Gujarat]
Notes:
- The Gujarat government has announced a package of Rs 500 crore for industrial units located in GIDC areas to give them relief following the setback caused by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) announced four schemes to provide assistance to more than 50,000 units located in GIDC industrial estates.
- The state government had earlier announced an “Atmanirbhar” package of Rs 14,000 crore for the industry after the first wave of the pandemic.
- A total of 31,166 industrial units have received benefits worth Rs 407.72 crore so far through 14 different schemes as part of that package.
37. Who has won the silver medal in the 10,000m race walk at World U-20 Athletics in Nairobi?
[A] Gurpreet Singh
[B] Rahul Rohilla
[C] Sandeep Kumar
[D] Amit Khatri
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Amit Khatri]
Notes:
- Amit Khatri has won a silver medal in men’s 10,000m race walk event to clinch in Nairobi.
- The 17-year-old Khatri clocked 42 minute 17.94 seconds to finish second behind Kenya’s Heristone Wanyoni (42:10.84).
- The mixed 4x400m relay team had won a bronze on the first day of competitions on August 18.
38. Which bank has launched a digital and instant Blocked Account for students aspiring to study in Germany?
[A] Citibank
[B] ICICI Bank Germany
[C] Deutsche Bank
[D] State Bank of India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ICICI Bank Germany]
Notes:
- ICICI Bank Germany has announced the launch of a digital and instant Blocked Account for students aspiring to study in Germany.
- A Blocked Account is a special type of account wherein students are required to keep a certain amount of money in order to get a Balance Confirmation Certificate (BCC).
- This account is mandatory for getting a student Visa in Germany.
- This account offers students a complimentary Current Account that the students can use in Germany. It also comes with a VISA debit card which can be used anywhere in the world.
39. Which organization has decided to train 3, 500 unemployed youths under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana?
[A] DRDO
[B] Prasar Bharati
[C] Shipping Corporation of India
[D] Indian Railways
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Indian Railways]
Notes:
- Indian Railways will train 3,500 unemployed youths under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
- The employment training of these 3,500 individuals will be organised by the Northern Railway and will take place over the next three years.
- The PMKVY scheme was started in 2015 and its phase three was launched in January 2015.
- Northern Railway zone will train 2,500 people while the remaining 1,000 will undergo training at different manufacturing units.
- The training will start from September 2021.
40. According to Cushman & Wakefield’s 2021 World Manufacturing Danger Index, what is India’s rank in the most sought after manufacturing destination across the world?
[A] First
[B] Third
[C] Fourth
[D] Second
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Second]
Notes:
- India has emerged as the second most sought after manufacturing destination across the world.
- According to Cushman & Wakefield’s 2021 World Manufacturing Danger Index, India has surpassed the United States as the world’s second most desired manufacturing destination.
- This year, India and the United States traded second and third place, respectively, putting India one rank higher than last year’s rankings, when India was ranked third.
