31. The Reserve Bank has adopted a four-tiered regulatory framework for which institutions?
[A] Primary Agriculture Societies
[B] Urban Co-operative Banks
[C] Rural Cooperative Banks
[D] Nidhi Companies
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Urban Co-operative Banks]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to adopt a simple four-tiered regulatory framework for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs).
The framework will be based on size of deposits, with an aim to strengthen their financial soundness. An expert committee, headed by former RBI deputy governor N S Vishwanathan, made a host of recommendations for strengthening the UCBs.
32. The government slashed the newly-introduced windfall tax on which products?
[A] Pharmaceuticals
[B] Petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and crude oil
[C] Electronic Goods
[D] Semiconductor Chips
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and crude oil]
Notes:
The government slashed the newly-introduced windfall tax on petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and crude oil, after a global oil price ease.
The move, which is effective from July 20, will give relief to top fuel exporters like Reliance Industries, and oil explorers like Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). A windfall tax is levied on companies deemed to have made unreasonably high profits, normally due to unusually favourable market factors.
33. India signed a MoU with which country for reintroduction of cheetah and wildlife conservation?
[A] Australia
[B] Namibia
[C] Kenya
[D] Ghana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Namibia]
Notes:
An MoU was signed by Union Environment Minister of India and Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia, in New Delhi.
It paves way for reintroduction of eight cheetahs in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. The MoU also covers cooperation on wildlife conservation and sustainable biodiversity utilisation. India will train Namibian candidates in wildlife management courses at the Wildlife Institute of India.
34. Who has been elected as the Sri Lanka’s new President after Gotabaya Rajapaksa?
[A] Dullus Alahapperuma
[B] Ranil Wickremesinghe
[C] Maithripala Sirisena
[D] Basil Rajapaksa
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ranil Wickremesinghe]
Notes:
Sri Lankan MPs have elected the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country’s new President.
He defeated his main rival for the job, Dullus Alahapperuma in a parliamentary vote. Sri Lanka’s ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country last week, after thousands of protesters stormed his presidential residences calling for his resignation. They had also called for the resignation of Wickremesinghe.
35. When is the ‘World Chess Day’ celebrated every year?
[A] July 20
[B] July 22
[C] July 24
[D] July 26
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [July 20]
Notes:
World Chess Day is observed on 20 July every year. It is also known as International Chess Day. On the same day in 1924, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) was founded in Paris.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proposed the idea of celebrating the day in 1966.
36. Which is the venue of the Asian Games in 2023?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] Indonesia
[D] Nepal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [China]
Notes:
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has confirmed that the postponed Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8 in 2023.
The Asian Games were scheduled to be held in September 2022 but the OCA announced the postponement until 2023 due to rise in Covid-19 cases in China earlier this year.
37. Which is the venue of the ISRO’s ‘Human Space Flight Expo’?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Bengaluru
[C] Ernakulam
[D] Vishakhapatnam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bengaluru]
Notes:
ISRO’s three-day Human Space Flight Expo is being held in Bengaluru. It includes model-plane-making workshops to interactive models of satellites, and a movie about the history of India’s space programme.
It is being held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium in Bengaluru. The expo commemorates Indian achievements in space and has been organised as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations marking 75 years of Independence.
38. What is India’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD), as per NITI Aayog’s recent report?
[A] USD 43 per capita
[B] USD 83 per capita
[C] USD 123 per capita
[D] USD 183 per capita
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [USD 43 per capita]
Notes:
According to NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index 2021, India’s gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) is one of the lowest in the world, with just USD 43 per capita.
It said that India needs to boost this expenditure and at least be on a par with its BRICS or ASEAN counterparts like Russia (USD 285) and Brazil (USD 173). In India, the government spends more than 55% on R&D and private sector is to be encouraged to take up research.
39. Soorarai Pottru, which was declared the ‘Best Feature Film’ in the 68th National Film Awards, is from which language?
[A] Malayalam
[B] Tamil
[C] Telugu
[D] Kannada
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Tamil]
Notes:
The winners of the 68th National Film Awards were announced in New Delhi. The prestigious awards are administered by the Government of India’s Directorate of Film Festivals.
This year, the ‘Best Feature Film’ award was given to the Tamil film Soorarai Pottru, while its actor Suriya and Aparna Balamurali won two awards. Ajay Devgn for Tanhaji also shared the Best Actor award. The Malayalam movie ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyam’ won several awards including Best Director.
40. Burhanpur, which was declared the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified district in the country, is in which state?
[A] Telangana
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Bihar
[D] Kolkata
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh becomes the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ certified district in the country.
It is also called the ‘Darwaza of Dakhin’. After the launch of ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ in 2019, Panchayat representatives, Pani Samitis and district officials of Burhanpur took efforts to achieve functional tap water connections to all its 1,01,905 rural households within a span of 34 months.
