1. Recently, which ministry has released the report titled “The Indian Economy: A Review”?
[A] Ministry of Agriculture
[B] Ministry of Commerce & Industry
[C] Ministry of Finance
[D] Ministry of Home Affairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Finance ]
Notes:
The Ministry of Finance released a report titled The Indian Economy: A Review in January 2024. The report was released a few days before the Union Budget for 2024-25 was presented in Parliament on February 1. The Ministry of Finance is made up of five divisions: Economic Affairs, Revenue, Expenditures, Investment and Public Asset Management, and Financial Services.
2. What was the theme of the 20th National Good Governance Webinar Series for 2023-2024?
[A] Advancing Agricultural Practices for Sustainable Growth
[B] Enhancing Educational Opportunities through Digital Initiatives
[C] Promoting Excellence in Sports and Wellness through Khelo India Scheme
[D] Strengthening Healthcare Infrastructure for Public Welfare
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Promoting Excellence in Sports and Wellness through Khelo India Scheme]
Notes:
The theme of the 20th National Good Governance Webinar Series for 2023-2024 was “Promoting Excellence in Sports and Wellness through Khelo India Scheme”. The webinar included presentations on initiatives taken by the districts of Churu, Rajasthan and Bishnupur, Manipur, which were awarded the PM’s Award for 2021.
3. Mesolithic era rock paintings have recently been discovered in which state?
[A] Telangana
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Gujarat
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Telangana]
Notes:
Recently, Mesolithic rock paintings were unearthed at Sitamma Loddi, Gattusingaram, in Telangana’s Peddapalli district. Discovered on a hillock in a dense forest, the paintings adorned a 1,000-foot-long, 50-foot-high sandstone rock shelter. The Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, bridged the gap between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, spanning approximately 12,000-10,000 years ago. Notable for the transition from large chipped stone tools to microliths, small tools affixed to bone or wood handles for making implements like saws and sickles, it marked a pivotal era in human cultural development.
4. Which state of India has recorded the highest number of Ramsar sites?
[A] Kerala
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Gujarat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Tamil Nadu]
Notes:
Tamil Nadu leads India in environmental conservation with 16 Ramsar sites, the highest nationwide. The recent additions, Longwood Shola Reserve Forest and Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary, underscore the state’s commitment to ecological preservation. Ramsar sites, designated under an international treaty, highlight the ecological importance, biodiversity richness, and their crucial role in supporting human life and environmental health. Tamil Nadu’s achievement reflects a robust strategy for sustainable wetland use and underscores the government’s dedication to biodiversity protection.
5. Darlipali thermal power plant, recently seen in the news, is located in which state?
[A] Odisha
[B] Gujarat
[C] Karnataka
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Odisha]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated NTPC Ltd’s Darlipali thermal power plant (1,600 MW), Rourkela PP-II expansion project (250 MW), and laid the foundation stone for Talcher 2×660 MW in Odisha, with a total investment of Rs 28,978 crore. Darlipali, a pit-head station, has supply agreements with multiple states. The Rourkela project supports the steel plant, while Talcher’s 660 MW will cater 50% to Odisha and the rest to Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Assam. The government encourages coal-based capacity additions due to rising energy demand.
6. What are ‘Manatees’, recently mentioned in the news?
[A] Large aquatic mammals
[B] Invasive plants
[C] Asteroid
[D] Ancient irrigation system
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Large aquatic mammals]
Notes:
A record number of manatees recently gathered at a Florida state park. Manatees, often called “sea cows,” are large aquatic mammals belonging to the Sirenia group, which also includes dugongs. While they share similarities in appearance and behavior, the key difference lies in their tails – manatees have paddle-shaped tails, while dugongs have fluked tails, resembling whales. Manatees inhabit shallow coastal areas and rivers, with three species identified: Amazonian, African, and Caribbean manatees. They are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species
7. What is Cygnus X-1, recently seen in the news?
[A] Asteroid
[B] Black hole
[C] AI tool
[D] Submarine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Black hole]
Notes:
Astro Sat, India’s inaugural multi-wavelength astronomy mission, successfully measured the X-ray polarization of the Cygnus X-1 black hole system. Discovered four decades ago, Cygnus X-1 is among the first confirmed black hole systems in our galaxy. The black hole is 20 times the Sun’s mass, with a companion supergiant star (40 times more massive) in a binary system. Located 400 times farther than Earth-Sun distance, the gravitational pull forms an accretion disk, generating soft X-rays.
8. Who has been selected as torchbearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics?
[A] Saina Nehwal
[B] Neeraj Chopra
[C] Abhinav Bindra
[D] P V Sindhu
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Abhinav Bindra]
Notes:
Abhinav Bindra, a former shooter and India’s first Olympic gold medalist, has been selected as a torchbearer for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Bindra is one of 11,000 torchbearers selected throughout France for the 2024 Olympics. The 2024 Olympic torch relay will start in France on May 8, 2024, with the flame arriving in Marseille before traveling across France for 68 days.
9. What is ‘Trichoglossum’, recently mentioned in the news?
[A] Ancient irrigation system
[B] Anti ship missiles
[C] A genus of fungus
[D] Asteroid
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [A genus of fungus]
Notes:
Researchers discovered a new fungus species, Trichoglossum syamviswanathii, in Kerala. Trichoglossum is a genus of fungus known as “hairy earth tongues” due to its filamentous structure. The fungus, with 55 identified genera and 21 recognized species globally, exhibits saprotrophic behavior and can be found in plant roots as endophytes. Predominantly distributed in tropical and temperate forests across five continents, these fungi play a crucial role in decomposing organic matter.
10. What is the theme of International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female FGM 2024?
[A] Unleashing Youth Power
[B] Achieving the new Global Goals through eliminating FGM
[C] Her Voice, Her Future
[D] Unite, Fund, and Act
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Her Voice, Her Future]
Notes:
The theme for the 2024 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is “Her Voice, Her Future”. The theme highlights the important role of community-led initiatives in achieving lasting change. The International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM is an annual awareness day sponsored by the United Nations that takes place on February 6 as part of the UN’s efforts to eradicate FGM. It was first introduced in 2003.