1. National Geographic channel in collaboration with Drinking Water Ministry has released a film about which government scheme?
[A] Swachh Bharat Mission
[B]
Secure Himalaya Project
[C] Green Skill Development Programme
[D] National Clean Air Programme
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Swachh Bharat Mission]
Notes:
The National Geographic channel has released a film titled ‘Swachh Bharat: India’s Sanitary Revolution’, in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation.
The film was recently premiered at a special screening for the Indian President and also on the NatGeo channel. The film is also made available on the YouTube channel of Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen. Many ‘Ambassadors of cleanliness’ share their connection with the scheme in the film.
2. The Union Government has approved Rs 445 Crore for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in which state/UT?
[A] Jammu & Kashmir
[B] Assam
[C] Punjab
[D] Chhattisgarh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Chhattisgarh]
Notes:
The Union Government has approved 445 crore rupees for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in Chhattisgarh during 2020-21, to provide tap connections to 20 lakh households.
The aim of Jal Jeevan Mission is to provide potable drinking water on a long-term basis to every rural household of the country by 2024. During the Union Budget 2020, 3.6 lakh crores has been allocated for this scheme. The migrant labourers returned to Chhattisgarh will be involved in the jobs related to water supply.
3. What is the name of the scheme launched by the Uttarakhand state government, to provide loans to migrant workers?
[A] Mukhya Mantri Samriddhi Yojana
[B] Mukhya Mantri Yatra Yojana
[C] Mukhya Mantri Pravasi Yojana
[D] Mukhya Mantri Swarojgar Yojana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Mukhya Mantri Swarojgar Yojana]
Notes:
The state government of Uttarakhand has recently launched a scheme called ‘Mukhya Mantri Swarojgar Yojana’, to provide loans to the migrant workers amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Under the scheme, Uttarakhand government will provide loans worth ₹25 lakh in the manufacturing sector and ₹10 lakh in the service sector. The migrant workers who are returning to the state are eligible to apply for the loans, that will be provided by nationalised banks, scheduled commercial banks and co-operative banks.
4. Ashwani Bhatia has been appointed as the new Managing Director of which Indian public sector bank?
[A] Punjab National Bank
[B] Bank of India
[C] State Bank of India
[D] Union Bank of India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [State Bank of India]
Notes:
The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has recently recommended the appointment for the top-level position of three public sector banks.
The BBB recommended the appointment of Ashwani Bhatia as the next Managing Director of State Bank of India. Ashwani Bhatia is currently the Deputy Managing Director in SBI. The Board also recommended the appointment of Matam Venkat Rao as the MD & CEO of Central Bank of India and PP Sengupta as the MD & CEO of Indian Overseas Bank.
5. Which venue was originally scheduled for the 47th G-7 summit 2020, that has been postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic?
[A] France
[B] United States
[C] Germany
[D] Italy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United States]
Notes:
G7 is an association of seven of the world’s largest economies namely the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan. Previously it included Russia and was called the G-8.
The 47th G7 summit was originally scheduled to be held in the month of June 2020, at Camp David, United States. The US President Donald Trump recently announced that he is postponing the 47th summit to September or November. He also suggested to expand the G7 bloc to include India, Australia, South Korea and Russia.
6. When is the Global Parents Day celebrated by the United Nations, every year?
[A] May 31
[B] June 1
[C] June 3
[D] June 4
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [June 1]
Notes:
June 1 was declared as the Global Day of Parents by the UN General Assembly in 2012. Since then, June 1 is being celebrated as Global Day of Parents every year.
The day is celebrated with an objective of honouring all the parents around the world for their commitment and sacrifice they do for their children. Among the efforts to build social development, the UNGA proclaimed 1994 as the International Year of the Family and 15 May of every year as the International Day of Families.
7. What is the objective of the new initiative SWADES, that was seen in news recently?
[A] Environment conservation
[B] Employment Generation
[C] Defence Procurement
[D] Farmer welfare
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Employment Generation]
Notes:
The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of External Affairs have jointly launched a new initiative named SWADES.
SWADES stands for Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support. Since many Indian citizens are returning under Vande Bharat Mission, this scheme aims to conduct a skill mapping exercise of the qualified people. The information will be shared with the companies for suitable job opportunities in the country.
8. Which Indian writer won the regional award for Asia of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, 2020?
[A] Kritika Pandey
[B] Madhuri Vijay
[C] Aravind Adiga
[D] Vikram Seth
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Kritika Pandey]
Notes:
Indian writer Kritika Pandey has won the regional award for Asia of the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize for this year.
The writer was selected for her work titled ‘The Great Indian Tee and Snakes’. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded for the best unpublished short fiction, every year. She had also been earlier nominated for the Pushcart Prize. To be eligible for the award, one must be a commonwealth citizen aged above 18 years.
9. Who has been appointed as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to World Trade Organisation?
[A] Brajendra Navnit
[B] Nripendra Mishra
[C] Abhas Jha
[D] K V Kamath
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Brajendra Navnit]
Notes:
Veteran Bureaucrat and 1999-batch IAS officer, Brajendra Navnit has been appointed as the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India (PRI) to the World Trade Organisation for a period of three years.
He had been the Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office prior to this appointment and will be posted at the Permanent Mission of India (PMI) to the WTO in Geneva. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet also gave a nod to the appointment of IRTS officer Anwar Hussain Shaik for the post of Counsellor, at the PMI to WTO, Geneva for three years.
10. Which Indian Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) signed a MoU with Energy Efficiency Services for development of Trigeneration projects?
[A] Steel Authority of India
[B] GAIL (India)
[C] Coal India
[D] Power Finance Corporation
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [GAIL (India)]
Notes:
The largest state-owned natural gas processing and distribution company, GAIL (India) and Energy Efficiency Services have signed a MoU for cooperation in development of Trigeneration projects in India.
In Trigeneration or Combined Cooling, Heat and Power (CCHP) projects, natural gas-fired generators are used to produce electricity. Under the MoU, the two companies will jointly explore business opportunities in Trigeneration segment, where 50:50 joint venture between GAIL & EESL will be incorporated.