41. Which state passed Rs 8,534 crore supplementary budget for the current fiscal?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Haryana
[C] West Bengal
[D] Jharkhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Jharkhand]
Notes:
The Jharkhand Assembly recently passed a Rs 8,533.79-crore supplementary budget for the current fiscal by voice vote.
On August 1, the house passed a Rs 3,436.56-crore supplementary budget for the 2022-23 fiscal. As per the house, the government has spent 49 per cent of the main estimates till date, and a supplementary budget was required for ensuring a proper supply of power and scholarships.
42. Which song made in India has been shortlisted for the 2023 Oscar Awards in the ‘Best Original Song’ category?
[A] Srivalli
[B] Naatu Naatu
[C] Pasoori
[D] Kesariya
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Naatu Naatu]
Notes:
‘Naatu Naatu’ song from the blockbuster Telugu film ‘RRR’ has been shortlisted for the 2023 Oscar Awards in the ‘Best Original Song’ category.
Gujarati film ‘Chhello Show’ was also shortlisted in the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category. ‘RRR’ was nominated in two categories, ‘Best Picture – Non-English Language’ and ‘Original Song – Motion Picture’ in Golden Globe Awards 2023.
43. iNCOVACC, which was approved as an intranasal booster dose for Covid, is manufactured by which institution?
[A] Serum Institute of India
[B] Biological E Ltd
[C] Bharat Biotech
[D] Biocon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Bharat Biotech]
Notes:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved Bharat Biotech’s intranasal Covid vaccine as a booster dose for those above 18 years of age.
India’s first intranasal Covid vaccine iNCOVACC will be added to the CoWin app, which is a web platform for vaccination registration in the country. At present, only Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, Serum Institute’s Covishield and Covovax, Russian Sputink V and Biological E Ltd’s Corbevax are listed in the CoWin portal.
44. Who has been accused by the House January 6 committee for the US Capitol riot?
[A] Joe Biden
[B] Donald Trump
[C] Kamala Harris
[D] Janet Yellen
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Donald Trump]
Notes:
House January 6 committee recently released the final report on US Capitol riot. The congressional panel investigating the attack on the US Capitol has accused former President Donald Trump of a multi-part conspiracy to overturn his election defeat three months earlier.
Over 18 months, the committee held 10 public hearings and interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses, before releasing the final 845-page report on the attack.
45. India has agreed to start negotiations for a free trade agreement with which neighbouring country?
[A] China
[B] Sri Lanka
[C] Bangladesh
[D] Nepal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Bangladesh]
Notes:
India and Bangladesh agreed to start negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) at an early date. The decision was taken in a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his Bangladeshi counterpart Tipu Munshi.
A joint feasibility study on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), has been carried out after the two countries agreed to explore the possibility of negotiating a trade pact. The bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh increased to USD 18.2 billion in 2021-22.
46. ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ observed to mark the martyrdom of the sons of which Sikh Guru?
[A] Guru Gobind Singh
[B] Guru Arjan
[C] Guru Hargobind
[D] Guru Tegh Bahadur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Guru Gobind Singh]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid respects to Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, the sons of Tenth Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh’s sons who laid down their lives while defending their faith.
December 26 is observed as Veer Bal Diwas in Idia. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee as well as Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of the Sikhs, opposed the government’s initiative.
47. Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project, which was see in the news, was handed over by India to which country?
[A] Nepal
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Bhutan
[D] Maldives
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Bhutan]
Notes:
India-assisted 720 Megawatts Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project has been recently handed to Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in Bhutan.
With this project, India and Bhutan have successfully completed four mega hydroelectric power projects. The commissioning of the project has increased Bhutan’s Electrical Power Generation Capacity by 44 per cent.
48. Nirmatrelvir, is the Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate, of which company?
[A] Bharat Biotech
[B] Hetero
[C] Serum Institute
[D] Dr Reddy’s
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Hetero]
Notes:
Pharmaceutical company Hetero received World Health Organization Prequalification of Medicines Programme (WHO PQ) approval for its generic version of Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate Nirmatrelvir.
Nirmatrelvir, which originated in Pfizer laboratories, is co-packaged with ritonavir tablets as Pfizer’s Covid-19 oral antiviral drug Paxlovid.
49. The Competition Commission issued demand notices to which company for its failure to pay penalties within the stipulated time?
[A] Meta
[B] Xiaomi
[C] Google
[D] Amazon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Google]
Notes:
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) issued demand notices to Google for its failure to pay the penalties within the stipulated time.
CCI earlier imposed penalties on the internet major for anti-competitive practices. Google has filed appeals before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) two orders in October.
50. Which state/UT passed a draft Solar Policy, aiming a total installed solar capacity of 6,000 megawatt by 2025?
[A] Rajasthan
[B] Delhi
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Karnataka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Delhi]
Notes:
Delhi government has recently cleared the draft Delhi Solar Policy 2022. It aims to increase the share of the city’s annual electricity demand met by solar energy from 9% at present to 25% by 2025.
The draft targets a total installed solar capacity of 6,000 megawatt by 2025. It includes benefits such as Generation Based Incentives and subsidy for consumers. The draft has been put in public domain for 30 days after which it will be tabled before Cabinet for final approval.