1. What is the tenure of the Taxable Floating Rate Savings Bonds, 2020 introduced by the Government?
[A] 5 years
[B] 6 years
[C] 7 years
[D] 8 years
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [7 years]
Notes:
The Union Government has announced the launch of Taxable Floating Rate Savings Bonds, 2020, that will be available for subscription for retail investors from July 1, 2020.
The bonds are issued by the Reserve Bank of India on behalf of the Government, replacing the recently withdrawn 7.75% bonds. The interest rate on these bonds will be reset every six months while the initial rate of interest is fixed at 7.15 per cent. The bonds shall be repayable on the expiration of seven years from the date of issue.
2. When is the “International Day of the Tropics” celebrated every year?
[A] June 28
[B] June 29
[C] June 30
[D] July 1
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [June 29]
Notes:
International Day of the Tropics is celebrated every year on 29 June. The United Nations General Assembly declared the day in the year 2016.
The International Day of the Tropics was designated to raise awareness to the specific challenges faced by tropical areas. June 29 was selected because on the same day in 2014, the inaugural State of the Tropics Report was launched by leading tropical research institutions.
3. Who has been named as ‘India’s Most Valuable Test Player of the 21st Century’ by Wisden?
[A] Mahendra Singh Dhoni
[B] Virat Kohli
[C] Ravindra Jadeja
[D] R Ashwin
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ravindra Jadeja]
Notes:
Wisden has named Ravindra Jadeja as ‘India’s Most Valuable Test Player of the 21st Century’. He is also named as the second most Valuable Test player in the world.
The list is topped by Sri Lanka’s legendary cricketer Muthiah Muralithatan. Wisden used CricViz, a detailed analysis tool in cricket to analyse performance of the players and award an ‘MVP rating’ to each player in world cricket. The 31-year old India’s spin-bowling all-rounder has scored an MVP rating of 97.3.
4. Who has been re-appointed as the Attorney General (AG) of India?
[A] Ranjit Kumar
[B] K.K. Venugopal
[C] Tushar Mehta
[D] Maninder Singh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [K.K. Venugopal]
Notes:
The President of India has re-appointed K.K. Venugopal as the Attorney General (AG) of India for one more year. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister approved the extension in term of Tushar Mehta as the Solicitor General (SG) for three years.
Six new Additional Solicitors General (ASGs) were appointed and tenure of five existing Additional Solicitors General (ASGs) was extended. Venugopal took over as the AG in 2017, succeeding Mukul Rohatgi.
5. Which is the headquarters of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)?
[A] Geneva
[B] New York
[C] Nairobi
[D] Paris
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [New York]
Notes:
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has recently released the ‘State of World Population 2020’ report.
UNFPA is the sexual and reproductive health agency of the United Nations (UN) located in New York. As per the report, the number of missing women has more than doubled over the past 50 years, from 61 million in 1970 to 142.6 million in 2020. Out of that, India accounts for 45.8 million of missing females of the world.
6. Which financial institution has approved a USD 750 million MSME Emergency Response program?
[A] Asian Development Bank
[B] World Bank
[C] International Monetary Fund
[D] United Nations
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [World Bank]
Notes:
The World Bank has approved a USD 750 million MSME Emergency Response program, to support micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As per the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors, the programme will help in improving funding capacity of Small finance banks (SFBs) and Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) for the MSME sector. This is expected to provide liquidity to about 1.5 million viable MSMEs. The loans have a maturity period of 19 years.
7. Which global organisation has enhanced support to USD 400 million, for India’s programme to rejuvenate Ganga river?
[A] International Monetary Fund
[B] World Bank
[C] Asian Development Bank
[D] BRICS Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [World Bank]
Notes:
The World Bank has recently announced that it has enhanced its support for India’s flagship program to rejuvenate Ganga river.
World Bank would provide a USD 400 million assistance to the program, which will help reduce pollution and strengthen river basin management. The Second National Ganga River Basin Project (SNGRBP) will support the government’s Namami Gange program. The loan has a maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of 5 years.
8. ‘Mission Vriksharopan’ is a plantation initiative of which Indian state?
[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Bihar
[C] West Bengal
[D] Chhattisgarh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath has launched a plantation campaign named ‘Mission Vriksharopan’.
He planted a sapling at Kukrel forest Lucknow, on the occasion of the Guru Purnima, which is celebrated across the state. Under the mission, the state government has planned to plant at least 25 crore saplings in a single day, across the state.
9. Which racing driver has won the Formula One Austrian Grand Prix event?
[A] Valtteri Bottas
[B] Lewis Hamilton
[C] Sebastien Vettel
[D] Charles Leclerc
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Valtteri Bottas]
Notes:
Ace racing driver of Finland Valtteri Bottas has recently won the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg.
Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton could finish only in the fourth position, after he suffered a penalty. Charles Leclerc bagged the second place for Ferrari and 20-year-old racer Lando Norris won third position for McLaren.
10. A commercial communication satellite named ‘APStar-6D’ was launched from which country, using its flagship Long March rocket?
[A] United States
[B] China
[C] Russia
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [China]
Notes:
A commercial communication satellite named ‘APStar-6D’ has been recently launched by China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC).
It is developed by the China Academy of Space Technology and was launched using the variant of the country’s Long March rocket. This new satellite can provide a communication capacity of at least 50Gbps, as per sources.