21. Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has approved the psoriasis drug, manufactured by which company, for emergency use in Covid-19?
[A] Biocon
[B] Sun Pharma
[C] Dr Reddy’s
[D] Cipla
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Biocon]
Notes:
India’s drug regulator Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr V G Somani has recently approved ‘Itolizumab’ injection for treating coronavirus patients.
As per the Union Health Ministry, the drug used to treat psoriasis, will be used for emergency use on Covid-19 patients with medium to severe acute respiratory conditions. The drug has been manufactured by the biopharmaceutical company Biocon, led by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.
22. When is Malala Day celebrated every year?
[A] July 12
[B] July 13
[C] July 14
[D] July 15
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [July 12]
Notes:
The United Nations declared July 12 as ‘Malala Day’ every year, to honour the sixteen-year old Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who was advocating the promotion of education of girls.
On the same day in 2013, she delivered an inspiring speech at the United Nations (UN) headquarters on the need for gender equality in education. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate has recently completed her degree at the Oxford University.
23. What is the target year set by the Indian Railways to achieve net zero carbon emission?
[A] 2025
[B] 2027
[C] 2030
[D] 2035
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [2030]
Notes:
The Indian Railways has set the target to achieve net zero carbon emission by the year 2030. In order to achieve the target of becoming a Green Railways, it has accelerated the efforts.
Some of its initiatives include Electrification of lines, improving energy efficiency of trains, green certification for stations, fitting bio toilets in coaches and switching to renewable sources of energy. Recently, a 1.7 mega watt plant at Bina in Madhya Pradesh in collaboration with BHEL has been installed.
24. 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.
25. Which institution has developed an Ultraviolet sanitizing product named SHUDH?
[A] IIT Madras
[B] IIT Kanpur
[C] IISc Bangalore
[D] AIIMS
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [IIT Kanpur]
Notes:
The Imagineering Laboratory department of IIT Kanpur has developed an Ultraviolet sanitizing product named SHUDH.
SHUDH is an abbreviation of Smartphone operated Handy Ultraviolet Disinfection Helper. The device comprises of six ultra-violet lights, which can be monitored even from a distance. It can disinfect a small room in 15 minutes.
26. Which international organisation has released a report titled ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’?
[A] International Monetary Fund
[B] United Nations
[C] World Economic Forum
[D] Asian Development Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United Nations]
Notes:
The United Nations has recently released a report titled ‘the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’, prepared jointly by FAO, UNICEF, IFAD and WFP.
As per the report, the number of undernourished people in India has fell down from 249.4 million in 2004-06 to 189.2 million in 2017-19. There was a rise in obesity level in India, as per the report. India and China are the only Asian countries that reported a reduction in number of undernourished people.
27. Ashok Lavasa has been appointed as the new Vice President of which international financial institution?
[A] World Bank
[B] Asian Development Bank
[C] BRICS Bank
[D] Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Asian Development Bank]
Notes:
Election Commissioner of India Ashok Lavasa, has been appointed as the Vice President for Private Sector Operations and Public-Private Partnerships at the Asian Development Bank.
Ashok Lavasa is to replace the incumbent Vice President Diwakar Gupta, whose term is ending on August 31. The retired IAS officer was appointed as the Election commissioner in January 2018 and he was the next senior Election Commissioner, to be appointed as the Chief, after the present CEC Sunil Arora.
28. Indian Armed Forces are delegated special financial powers for capital acquisition cases up to which limit?
[A] Rs 100 crore
[B] Rs 200 crore
[C] Rs 300 crore
[D] Rs 500 crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Rs 300 crore]
Notes:
According to the statement released by the Ministry of Defence, special financial power has been delegated for capital acquisition cases up to Rs 300 crore, to the three armed services.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh has granted this power amid the growing border tensions between India and China, to fast-track urgent capital acquisition of arms and ammunition.
29. Which payment application has launched India’s first numberless card of the country?
[A] Payzapp
[B] FamPay
[C] FreeCharge
[D] PayTm
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [FamPay]
Notes:
One of the country’s digital payment applications, Fampay has recently launched the country’s first numberless card, targeted at teenagers.
Using these numberless debit cards, minors can make online and offline payments without opening a bank account. The card has no numbers on it and all the details are saved on the FamPay application.
30. As per the recommendation of the NITI Aayog, what is the percentage of recycled products to be used in large infrastructure projects?
[A] 5 per cent
[B] 10 per cent
[C] 25 per cent
[D] 50 per cent
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [25 per cent]
Notes:
NITI Aayog has recommended that the Government of India should use 25 per cent use of recycled products in large infrastructure projects to promote secondary products across India.
The chief executive officer of Niti Aayog, Amitabh Kant announced that the recycled products including metals, plastics and paper will promote secondary products that are now hardly found in our country. India levies 2.5 per cent customs duty on the scrap while importing.