1. The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023 aims to expand the scope of the Forest (Conservation) Act enacted in which year?
[A] 1972
[B] 1980
[C] 1992
[D] 2002
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [1980]
Notes:
The Lok Sabha has recently passed the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023. It aims to expand the scope of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The Bill acknowledges India’s international commitments and the national target set by the country for achieving Net Zero Emission by 2070.
2. Which state implements the ‘Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana’?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Gujarat
[D] Assam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
Under ‘Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana’, underprivileged women between 23 and 60 years were eligible for ₹1,000 every month.
However, after distributing two instalments the government decided that those completing 21 years from January this year would also be included. They should be married and fulfil the other existing eligibility criteria.
3. Rajkot International Airport has been inaugurated in which state?
[A] Rajasthan
[B] Gujarat
[C] Punjab
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Gujarat]
Notes:
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurated Rajkot International Airport and various development initiatives amounting to over Rs 860 crores in Rajkot, Gujarat.
The projects encompass Sauni Yojana Link 3 Package 8 and 9, upgrading of Dwarka Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (RWSS), preservation, renovation, and progress of Uparkot Fort Phase I & II, among others.
4. What is the process of removing securities of a listed company from a stock exchange?
[A] Delisting
[B] White-listing
[C] Black-listing
[D] Stock-listing
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Delisting]
Notes:
Delisting means removing the securities of a listed company from a stock exchange. Once delisted, the securities of that company can no longer be traded on the stock exchange.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is currently reassessing the delisting regulations applied to listed companies, aiming to curb share manipulation in companies that choose to delist from the stock exchanges.
5. Which country has successfully launched its first communications satellite named ‘Lingxi-03’?
[A] Japan
[B] China
[C] North Korea
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [China]
Notes:
China successfully launched its first communications satellite, Lingxi-03, featuring an ultra-thin flexible solar wing to test technologies for a massive 13,000-satellite broadband mega constellation in low-Earth orbit.
It aims to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. The satellite was launched atop a Long March 2D rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in central China.
6. Which country is undertaking the project – Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] Russia
[D] USA
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [USA]
Notes:
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the USA and the U.S. Military have collaborated for a project named Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO). The project aims to launch a nuclear-powered satellite to Earth’s orbit in late 2025 or early 2026.
The spacecraft for the project is developed by Lockheed Martin. The project involves an in-space test of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NPT) technology, marking a significant technical advancement.
7. Which institution releases Digital Payments Index (DPI) in India?
[A] RBI
[B] NPCI
[C] NITI Aayog
[D] Finance Ministry
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [RBI]
Notes:
Digital payments across the country registered a growth of 13.24 per cent in a year through March 2023, as per RBI’s index that measures the adoption of online transactions.
RBI’s Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) stood at 395.57 at end-March 2023 compared to 377.46 in September 2022 and 349.30 in March 2022. The index is a base to capture the extent of digitisation of payments across the country.
8. Which country has granted Pakistan a two-year rollover on USD 2.4 billion loan?
[A] China
[B] USA
[C] Russia
[D] Germany
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [China]
Notes:
China has granted Pakistan a two-year rollover on a USD 2.4-billion loan for a period of two years.
This move is expected to provide relief to Pakistan, which is facing a severe Balance of Payments crisis. Its current reserves barely cover two months’ worth of import bills.
9. Which country has executed a 45-year-old woman over charges of trafficking heroin?
[A] China
[B] Singapore
[C] Bangladesh
[D] North Korea
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Singapore]
Notes:
Singapore has hanged a 45-year-old woman who was caught with 31 grams of heroin. This is the first time the city-state has executed a woman in nearly 20 years.
Saridewi Binte Djamani was hanged after being convicted of trafficking “not less than 30.72 grams” of the drug in 2018.
10. ‘Secondary Towns Development Sector Project’ is associated with which state/UT?
[A] Rajasthan
[B] Gujarat
[C] Manipur
[D] Karnataka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Rajasthan]
Notes:
Recently, the Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have entered into an agreement, securing a USD 200 million loan as extra funding for the existing Rajasthan Secondary Towns Development Sector Project.
The loan aims to extend water supply and sanitation systems, boost urban resilience, and preserve the heritage in chosen towns.