21. The Union Defence Minister of India has inaugurated six major bridges in which state/UT?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Jammu & Kashmir
[C] Arunachal Pradesh
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Jammu & Kashmir]
Notes:
The Union Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh has inaugurated six major bridges in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, through video conferencing.
The bridges are located near the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. These strategically important bridges were completed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in a record time.
22. Which is the first Arab country, to plan for its Mars orbiter mission?
[A] United Arab Emirates
[B] Kuwait
[C] Qatar
[D] Saudi Arabia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [United Arab Emirates]
Notes:
The United Arab Emirates has recently announced its plans to send its first Mars mission and it has become the first Arab country to do so.
Until now, only the United States, India, USSR and the European Space Agency have successfully sent their Mars orbiter missions. China is in the process of launching its first Mars rover. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is heading the Mars project of the UAE.
23. Hagia Sophia, the monument that was seen in news recently, is located in which country?
[A] Italy
[B] Turkey
[C] Australia
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Turkey]
Notes:
The President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently announced that the iconic architectural place of the country Hagia Sophia would be made a mosque, which gained criticism from across the world.
After the top Turkish court revoked the museum status of the monument, the President made this announcement. The UNESCO World Heritage site in Istanbul was first constructed as a cathedral but was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It has been a museum since 1935 and open to people of all faiths.
24. Which country has become the first nation to complete clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccine on humans?
[A] China
[B] United States
[C] Russia
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Russia]
Notes:
Russia has become the first nation to complete clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine on humans, in a major step towards the vaccine.
Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University has successfully completed the clinical trails of the vaccine, produced by the Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russia. As per the WHO, there are as many as 21 vaccines under key trials across the world.
25. What is the rate of TDS deducted if cash withdrawal of above 1 crore is made by a person who is an income-tax payee?
[A] 0.5 per cent
[B] 1 per cent
[C] 2 per cent
[D] 3 per cent
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [2 per cent]
Notes:
TDS is deductible at the rate of 2 % if cash withdrawal of above 1 crore made by a person who is an income-tax payee. While, TDS is deductible at the rate 2 % if cash withdrawal exceeds 20 lakh rupees and at the rate of 5 % if it exceeds one crore rupees, if made by a non-income-tax filer.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has launched a new tool, through which Banks and Post offices can determine the TDS rates on cash withdrawals, by entering their PAN number.
26. Who has been named the Chairman of its e-commerce committee of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for 2020-21?
[A] Kunal Bahl
[B] Rohit Bansal
[C] Bhavish Aggarwal
[D] Vijay Shekar Sharma
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Kunal Bahl]
Notes:
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has recently announced that Kunal Bahl has assumed charge as the Chairman of its e-commerce committee for the year 2020-21.
Kunal Bahl is the Co-founder & CEO of popular e-Commerce firm Snapdeal. The agenda of the committee is the upcoming e-commerce policy, consumer protection rules and promotion of exports through e-commerce.
27. Which industry body through its Economic Outlook Survey projected India’s annual median GDP growth for 2020-21 at -4.5%?
[A] Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
[B] Confederation of Indian Industry
[C] NASSCOM
[D] Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry]
Notes:
India’s oldest apex industry body Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has projected India’s annual median GDP growth for 2020-21 at -4.5%.
This has been projected in the association’s Economic Outlook Survey in the SBI Banking and Economics Conclave. It had previously predicted India’s growth rate to be 5.5 per cent in the January 2020 survey. In the conclave, RBI Governor said that Indian economy has started showing signs of getting back to normalcy.
28. Who has been named as the recipient of the 2020 Von Karman Award of the International Academy of Astronautics?
[A] Dr K Sivan
[B] Dr G Satheesh Reddy
[C] Tessy Thomas
[D] Ritu Karidhal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Dr K Sivan]
Notes:
The Chairperson of the Indian Space Research Organisation, Dr Kailasavadivoo Sivan has been named as the recipient of the 2020 Von Karman Award.
The award was constituted by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and will be conferred in March 2021 in Paris. It is named after the aerospace engineer and aerodynamics expert Theodore von Karman. K Sivan is only the third Indian to receive this award after Kasturirangan and U.R. Rao.
29. Which state’s website and application containing details of all its schemes, has been awarded “Elites Excellence Awards-2020”?
[A] Odisha
[B] Telangana
[C] Chhattisgarh
[D] Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Chhattisgarh]
Notes:
Chhattisgarh government’s Mukhyamantri Darpan website and mobile application has been awarded “Elites Excellence Awards-2020”.
The website and app contains all the flagship schemes of the Chhattisgarh government, including the ‘Suraji Gaon Yojna’. The award was announced under the ‘Digital India initiative’ of Elites Technomedia in a virtual conference inaugurated by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi.
30. Which country has dropped India from the Chabahar Project due to delay in funding?
[A] Afghanistan
[B] Iran
[C] Myanmar
[D] Nepal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Iran]
Notes:
India and Iran partnered to construct a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan, along the border with Afghanistan, four years ago.
Recently, Iran decided to proceed without India’s assistance and its Transport Minister has inaugurated the track-laying process for the Chabahar-Zahedan line. Recently, China finalised a 25 year-USD 400 billion strategic deal with Iran.