11. What is the fixed interest rate of the ‘Mahila Samman Bachat Patra’ announced recently?
[A] 6.5%
[B] 7.0%
[C] 7.5%
[D] 8.0%
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [7.5%]
Notes:
In the Union Budget 2023, Finance Minister announced Mahila Samman Bachat Patra, a one-time new small savings scheme, for a two-year period up to March 2025.
This initiative will avail a deposit facility for a woman up to Rs 2 lakh for two-year period at a fixed interest rate of 7.5% with partial withdrawal option. Maximum deposit limit of Senior Citizens’ Saving Scheme was increased from ₹15 lakh to ₹30 lakh.
12. The Union Budget announced a Mission to eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia by which year?
[A] 2025
[B] 2030
[C] 2035
[D] 2047
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [2047]
Notes:
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 that the Centre will work in mission mode to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047.
This programme will include awareness creation and universal screening of 7 crore people in 0 – 40 years age group in affected tribal areas and counselling through collaboration of central ministries and state governments.
13. Which institution releases the ‘Digital Payments Index’?
[A] NITI Aayog
[B] Ministry of Finance
[C] RBI
[D] NPCI
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [RBI]
Notes:
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) releases the Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) twice a year, to measure the adoption of online transactions, digital payments across India.
As per the recent data, the digital payments registered a growth of 24.13% in a year through September 2022. RBI-DPI stood at 377.46 in September 2022 against 349.30 in March 2022 and 304.06 in September 2021.
14. Which state has initiated serious action on child marriage and arrested over 2000 people?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Assam
[C] Odisha
[D] Jharkhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Assam]
Notes:
Assam state government has initiated action on child marriage. The state police have so far arrested nearly 2,500 people for marrying minor girls or facilitating such marriages.
Assam Cabinet earlier decided to book men who marry girls aged below 14 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Those who marry girls in the age group of 14-18 years will be tried under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
15. What is the name of the ‘Indian military joint training exercise’, which was held recently?
[A] Trishakti Prahar
[B] Atmanirbhar Prahar
[C] Vikram Prahar
[D] Trilok Shakti
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Trishakti Prahar]
Notes:
The Indian military forces concluded a joint training exercise named ‘Trishakti Prahar, which began in North Bengal.
As per defence sources, the aim of the exercise was to practice battle preparedness of the security forces, using latest weapons and equipment in a networked, integrated environment, involving the Army, the Indian Air Force and CAPFs.
16. Which Southeast Asian country partnered with the US to grant more access to its bases?
[A] Taiwan
[B] Philippines
[C] Singapore
[D] Malaysia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Philippines]
Notes:
The United States and the Philippines announced plans to expand America’s military presence in the Southeast Asian nation.
The countries decided to accelerate full implementation of their ‘Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)’. As part of the agreement, the U.S. has allocated $82 million toward infrastructure improvements at five current EDCA sites. This will provide access to four more bases to the US.
17. ‘VIHANGAM’ Web portal, which was seen in the news, is associated with which field?
[A] Digital Currency
[B] Drone technology
[C] E-Sports
[D] Defence
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Drone technology]
Notes:
Coal India arm, Mahanadi Coal Fields (MCL) MCL has introduced drone technology in coal mines for environmental monitoring, volume measurement and digital mapping of mines.
The technology has been introduced through the launch of a web-based portal ‘VIHANGAM’ along with a drone and ground control system. The portal allows an authorised person to access real time drone video from the mine through a dedicated internet lease line near the mines.
18. 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.
19. Bard is an AI chatbot that is being developed by which tech major?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Google
[C] Meta
[D] Twitter
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Google]
Notes:
Bard is an AI chatbot that is being developed by Google as a competitor for the popular Microsoft-backed ChatGPT.
Bard will use AI to generate answers in text when queries are typed by the users. This chatbot will function based on the AI model called LaMDA, which was introduced by Google in 2021 as a generative language model for dialogue applications.
20. The Indian Armed Forces are set to procure armed Predator MQ 9A drones from which country?
[A] France
[B] Israel
[C] USA
[D] Russia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [USA]
Notes:
The Indian Armed Forces are looking to procure 18 armed Predator MQ 9A drones from the United States.
Of these 18 drones, six will be provided for each of the three armed forces. These unmanned aerial vehicles are capable of flying up to 50,000 feet for a maximum duration of 24 hours. It is capable of carrying air-to-ground missiles to target high-value ground targets or air-to-air missiles.