31. What is “Kisan Sarathi”, which has been launched by the Union Minister of Agriculture?
[A] Digital Portal
[B] Agri Correspondent Scheme
[C] Interest subvention scheme
[D] Fertilizer subsidy app for farmers
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Digital Portal]
Notes:
The Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar has launched a digital portal named “Kisan Sarathi”. Using this platform, farmers can get the right information at the right time, in the language of their choice.
Using the portal, farmers can avail personalised advisories from respective scientists of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs).
32. July 18 is the birth anniversary of which Nobel Prize winning leader?
[A] Aung San Suu Kyi
[B] Nelson Mandela
[C] Kofi Annan
[D] Yasser Arafat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Nelson Mandela]
Notes:
July 18 is celebrated as Nelson Mandela International Day marking his birth date. He is known and remembered all over the world for his efforts to promote peace and reconciliation.
He became the first Black President of South Africa and was awarded the Noble Prize for Peace in the year 1993. The South African anti-apartheid revolutionary served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999.
33. Ganymede, which was making news recently, is the moon of which planet?
[A] Venus
[B] Mercury
[C] Jupiter
[D] Saturn
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Jupiter]
Notes:
Ganymede is a satellite of Jupiter and is the largest and most massive of the moons present in the Solar System. It is also the ninth-largest object of the Solar System, including the Sun.
The US space agency NASA has recently released a new video in which its Juno spacecraft was seen flying close to Jupiter’s moon Ganymede. The video shows several of the moon’s dark and light regions as well as the crater Tros, one of the largest and brightest crater scars on Ganymede.
34. Which institution released ‘Inequality Report 2021: India’s Unequal Healthcare Story’?
[A] NITI Aayog
[B] Oxfam International
[C] Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
[D] World Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Oxfam International]
Notes:
The Oxfam International recently released a report titled ‘Inequality Report 2021: India’s Unequal Healthcare Story’.
As per the report, the states attempting to reduce existing inequalities between the general category and SC and ST populations had lower confirmed cases of Covid-19, such as Telangana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Also, states that have had higher GDP expenditure on health, such as Assam, Bihar and Goa, have higher recovery rates of Covid cases.
35. Ariel Henry was appointed as the new Prime Minister of which country?
[A] Peru
[B] Haiti
[C] Maldives
[D] Mauritius
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Haiti]
Notes:
Ariel Henry was recently appointed as the new Prime Minister of Haiti, amid political turmoil caused by the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
Ariel Henry, a neurosurgeon and former cabinet minister was chosen as Prime Minister by the President, days before he was assassinated at his home. Ariel Henry will lead the nation until a new President is chosen in an election scheduled in September.
36. Which space agency is building a telescope named ‘SuperBIT’?
[A] ISRO
[B] NASA
[C] ESA
[D] Rocosmos
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [NASA]
Notes:
NASA and the Canadian space agency are building a telescope named the Superpressure Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope or SuperBIT. It is said to be the successor to the Hubble telescope.
As per recent media reports, a stadium-sized helium balloon is going to be used to lift up the telescope, which is to be sent to the upper levels of the earth’s atmosphere. It has been designed by the University of Toronto, Princeton University and Durham University in England together, in conjunction with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency.
37. Chrysilla volupe, a rare organism spotted in Kerala, belongs to which category of species?
[A] Spider
[B] Turtle
[C] Snake
[D] Frog
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Spider]
Notes:
A pair of rare Chrysilla volupe spiders was recently spotted at Puttenahalli lake in Kerala. The Chrysilla volupe was believed to be extinct for 150 years, until it was discovered at the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (WWS) in 2018.
The spider belongs to the family of jumping spiders (Salticidae). Male spiders are 5.44 mm long including stretched legs and 1.76 mm wide. They have a upper skin in reddish orange colour with two shining blue stripes. Females measure 2.61 mm long and 0.88 mm wide, and have a greyish upper skin with grey eyebrows with yellow legs.
38. Union Cabinet approved Rs 6,322 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for which product?
[A] Medical Equipment
[B] Specialty Steel
[C] Coking Coal
[D] Automobile
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Specialty Steel]
Notes:
Union Cabinet has been approved Rs 6,322 crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for speciality steel.
It is expected to attract an additional investment of about Rs 40,000 crore and capacity addition of 25 million tonnes in the segment. Out of a production of 102 million tonnes of steel in 2020-21, only 18 million tonnes of value-added steel/speciality steel were produced in the country.
39. ‘Gaon Buras’, is a term associated with the administration system of which state?
[A] Assam
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Maharashtra
[D] Gujarat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Assam]
Notes:
The Assam Cabinet announced that Gaon Buras, village-level functionaries of the district administration, will hereefter be called ‘Gaon Pradhans’.
The British appointed the oldest person in the village as the head, who would oversee matters relating to land and revenue. They were called as ‘Gaon Bura’ in Assam. As several youngsters are becoming the village-level functionaries, Bura (meaning Old in Assamese) has been replaced.
40. Which is the major component of India’s foreign exchange reserves?
[A] Gold
[B] Foreign Currency assets
[C] SDR with IMF
[D] Reserve Position with IMF
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Foreign Currency assets]
Notes:
As per the RBI data, India’s foreign exchange reserves rose by USD 835 million to touch a record high of USD 612.73 billion in the week ended July 16, 2021.
The foreign currency assets (FCA) is the major component of the overall reserves. It rose by USD 463 million to USD 568.748 billion in the week. Gold reserves were up by USD 377 million and the special drawing rights (SDRs) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were up by USD 1 million. With this, India became the fourth largest Forex holder.