11. ‘Ekushey Boi Mela’ is the largest book fair organised in which country?
[A] Nepal
[B] Bangladesh
[C] Myanmar
[D] Thailand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bangladesh]
Notes:
The biggest book fair of Bangladesh ‘Ekushey Boi Mela’ was inaugurated in Dhaka by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The theme of this year’s book fair is ‘Poro Boi, Goro Desh: Bangbandhur Bangladesh’- Read books, build the country, a country of Bangabandhu’s dream. The Prime Minister also distributed the Bangla Academy Award 2022 in recognition of the literary works in Bangla.
12. Which state inaugurated the ‘MV Ganga Vihar floating restaurant’?
[A] Bihar
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] West Bengal
[D] Uttarakhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bihar]
Notes:
Bihar Deputy Chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav inaugurated the MV Ganga Vihar at NIT Ghat in Bihar.
The floating restaurant operated by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC). The two-storied floating restaurant has a restaurant on the ground floor with a seating capacity of 48 people along with a VIP lounge and a private lounge on the top floor.
13. BIND Scheme, which was seen in the news, is associated with which Ministry?
[A] Ministry of Defence
[B] Ministry of MSME
[C] Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
[D] Ministry of Power
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Information and Broadcasting]
Notes:
Of the Rs 1,100 crore estimated for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Rs 600 crore has been set aside for the recently announced Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development (BIND) Scheme.
The scheme has a total outlay of over Rs 2,500 crore. The scheme aims to boost public sector broadcasting in the country and focuses on infrastructure development of Prasar Bharati, including All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD).
14. Which is the first Indian retailer to introduce Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)?
[A] Reliance Retail
[B] Titan
[C] Big Bazaar
[D] Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Reliance Retail]
Notes:
Reliance Retail has become the first Indian retailer to introduce Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), also known as digital rupee.
The company has piloted the use of Digital Rupee in one store in Mumbai, and is planning to make this facility available in all its stores in Mumbai within the next three to four months, in accordance with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) norms.
15. NISAR is an Earth-observation satellite jointly developed by ISRO and which other country’s space agency?
[A] Japan
[B] USA
[C] Israel
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [USA]
Notes:
The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is an Earth-observation satellite jointly developed by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
The SUV-size satellite will be shipped to India in a special cargo container flight later this month. It is expected to be launched into outer space in 2024 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. NISAR will provide critical information on Earth’s crust, ice sheets, and ecosystems.
16. Who is the only living Indian to win the Grammy Award thrice?
[A] A R Rahman
[B] Ricky Kej
[C] Resul Pookutty
[D] Babbu Mann
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ricky Kej]
Notes:
Ricky Kej is an Indian musician and environmental activist. The Indian music composer recently won his third Grammy Award for the album ‘Divine Tides’.
He is the youngest person to win this award and only the fourth Indian to achieve this feat. He recently made another history by becoming the only living Indian to win the Grammy Award thrice.
17. Which company launched India’s first Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2ICE) technology?
[A] Tata Motors
[B] Reliance Industries
[C] Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
[D] Mahindra and Mahindra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Reliance Industries]
Notes:
India’s first Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2ICE) technology was launched by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) for heavy-duty trucks.
It was developed by RIL in collaboration with vehicle partners like Ashok Leyland and others and was launched during the India Energy Week 2023. The H2ICE technology minimizes carbon emissions and delivers better performance when compared with conventional diesel trucks.
18. India established a ‘Trade and Technology Council (TTC)’ along with which bloc?
[A] SAARC
[B] ASEAN
[C] EU
[D] G-20
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [EU]
Notes:
The India-EU Trade and Technology Council was jointly established by the European Union and India.
Under this new council, three working groups have been set up with the focus on strategic technologies, digital governance, and digital connectivity; green and clean energy technologies; and trade, investment, and resilient value chains. The working groups will be responsible for preparing for the TTC meeting, which is set to take place before the next bilateral India-EU summit.
19. The Black Galaxy or ‘Invisible galaxy’ was recently discovered in which country?
[A] Turkey
[B] Italy
[C] China
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Italy]
Notes:
The Black Galaxy or ‘Invisible galaxy’ was recently discovered by researchers in Italy. It was found and characterised using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array.
The Black Galaxy is compact and has a large amount of interstellar dust. It is forming stars at a rate 1,000 times faster than the Milky Way.
20. ‘High Mobility Artillery Rocket System’ (HIMARS) is manufactured by which country?
[A] France
[B] Israel
[C] USA
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [USA]
Notes:
The US State Department gave the nod for the sale of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers to Poland.
The HIMARS and the related equipment will be sold to Poland at a cost of around USD 10 billion. HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a type of artillery system that can fire long-range rockets with pinpoint accuracy. It has been used in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.