41. Which institution releases the ‘Digital Payment Index’?
[A] Niti Aayog
[B] Reserve Bank of India
[C] Ministry of Finance
[D] National Payments Corporation India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Reserve Bank of India]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India releases the ‘Digital Payment Index’, which shows the deepening of payments through digital modes in India.
The Index rose by 39.64 per cent to 304.06 in September 2021 against 217.74 in the year-ago month. The DPI was constructed with March 2018 as the base period. The RBI-DPI comprises five parameters: payment enablers, payment infrastructure—demand-side, payment infrastructure—supply-side, payment performance and consumer centricity.
42. Ramisyllis kingghidorahi, a new ringed worm, has discovered in which country?
[A] Australia
[B] Japan
[C] UK
[D] South Korea
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Japan]
Notes:
Ramisyllis kingghidorahi, is a new ringed worm, which was discovered in waters off Sado Island, Japan. Marine biologists have discovered this third species of branching syllid worm.
Among over 20,000 species of annelids (ringed worms), only 2 branching species with a modified body-pattern were known until now namely Syllis ramosa and Ramisyllis multicaudata.
43. ‘Operation Sajag’, is associated with which state/UT Government?
[A] Madhya Pradesh
[B] Delhi
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Delhi]
Notes:
‘Operation Sajag’ was launched to curb the incidents of street crime in Delhi. After the launch of the programme, Police control room calls have reduced by 24 per cent.
According to the police, 8,006 criminals and anti-social elements, including robbers and snatchers, have been arrested since the launch of the operation. The main focus is on detection of source of fire-arms, drugs, illicit liquor and stolen property.
44. What is the expansion of ‘VRR Auction’, conducted by the Reserve Bank of India?
[A] Variable Rate Repo auction
[B] Virtual Reality Repo auction
[C] Viable Rate Repo auction
[D] Vernacular Region Repo auction
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Variable Rate Repo auction]
Notes:
‘VRR Auction’ stands for Variable rate repo auction. Repo is the rate at which RBI lends short term loans to Banks. A part of it is done at a fixed rate and some of it is a variable rate.
The Reserve Bank of India said it will conduct an overnight variable rate repo auction under liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) for an amount of Rs 75,000 crore. On January 20, the RBI conducted an overnight variable rate repo (VRR) auction of Rs 50,000 crore.
45. Padma Bhushan awardee ‘R Nagaswamy’, who recently passed away, was associated with which field?
[A] Archaeology
[B] Business
[C] Sports
[D] Literature
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Archaeology]
Notes:
Veteran archaeologist, art historian and Padma Bhushan awardee R Nagaswamy has passed away at the age of 91.
He was the first director of Tamil Nadu government’s Department of Archaeology. He played a key role in bringing back the Chola-era bronze Nataraja to Tamil Nadu Nagaswamy founded the Institute of Epigraphy and Archaeology in 1973. He had also excavated many sites in Tamil Nadu, including Korkai, the ancient Pandyan port.
46. Nagaland was carved out from which state, with which it shares a 512 km long border?
[A] Assam
[B] Sikkim
[C] Arunachal Pradesh
[D] West Bengal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Assam]
Notes:
Nagaland state was carved out of Assam in 1963 and the two states share a 512.1-km-long border. Nagaland has been demanding Naga Hills and all Naga-dominated areas in the then North Cachar and Nagaon districts of Assam, to be part of the state.
The Governments of Nagaland and Assam announced that they are ready for out-of-court settlement of the long pending inter-state boundary dispute.
47. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who refused the Padma Bhushan award, was the Chief Minister of which state?
[A] Odisha
[B] West Bengal
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [West Bengal]
Notes:
The 77 year-old Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee refused the Padma Bhushan award announced in 2022.
He served as the Chief Minister of West Bengal from 2000 to 2011. Legendary singer Sandhya Mukherjee and tabla exponent Anindya Chatterjee also refused the awards. Sandhya Mukherjee has a 70 year long career and has sung thousands of songs for Indian cinema.
48. MeiTY has approved the project of state to set up India’s first ‘Graphene Innovation Centre’?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala
[C] Telangana
[D] Odisha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Kerala]
Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and IT, Government of India, has given approval to Kerala for setting up India’s first ‘Graphene Innovation Centre’.
The state-run Digital University Kerala (DUK), along with CMET-Trichur, is to set up “India Innovation Centre for Graphene”, an R&D incubation centre. It will be implemented with the support of Government of Kerala, and Tata Steel Ltd will be the industrial partner of the centre. Graphene is the thinnest and strongest material in the world and could replace indium in OLED screens.
49. Which country launched the ‘COMPETES Act of 2022’?
[A] Russia
[B] USA
[C] UK
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [USA]
Notes:
The United States House of Representatives unveiled the ambitious America ‘Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength’ Act of 2022, or the America COMPETES Act of 2022.
It proposes to open up new arenas for talented individuals from across the world with a new start-up visa. The bill also provides grant to encourage semiconductor production in the US and to improve supply chain resilience and manufacturing.
50. Which state launched the AP Seva Portal 2.0 (Citizen Service Portal)?
[A] Arunachal Pradesh
[B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] Himachal Pradesh
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Andhra Pradesh]
Notes:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched AP Seva Portal 2.0 (Citizen Service Portal), to deliver better services for the people.
The public can track the status of their application themselves without any hassles. All the applications can be approved online and the officials can provide certificates and documents online with digital signature.