1. Which is the first private space company to send astronauts into space?
[A] Blue Origin
[B] Tesla
[C] SpaceX
[D] Orbital
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [SpaceX]
Notes:
California-based American aerospace manufacturing and space transportation services firm SpaceX has become the first private company to send astronauts into space.
The firm is owned by the tech-billionaire Elon Musk. The Crew Dragon spacecraft of SpaceX carried two astronauts of NASA Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station (ISS). Earlier, this feat has been achieved by the governments of the United States, Russia and China. The US halted to use its own shuttles nine years ago.
2. Who has been nominated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award?
[A] Shikhar Dhawan
[B] Rohit Sharma
[C] Jasprit Bumrah
[D] Ravindra Jadeja
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rohit Sharma]
Notes:
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has nominated Indian cricket star Rohit Sharma for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
Other stars including Ishant Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Deepti Yadav have been shortlisted by the BCCI for the Arjuna Award. The period of consideration for the awards is between January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019. Rohit Sharma has been named the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2019.
3. Which state-owned organisation has developed a multi-purpose disinfection unit named Ultra Swachh?
[A] DRDO
[B] CSIR
[C] HAL
[D] BARC
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [DRDO]
Notes:
Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), the Delhi based laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed a disinfection unit named Ultra Swachh.
It is a multi-purpose unit, which can be used to disinfect a wide range of objects and materials including Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), fabrics among others. The system is compliant with international standards of personal and environmental safety. The system will be available in two variants namely Ozonated Space and Trinetra Technology
4. Which subordinate office of Agriculture Ministry recommends the change in minimum support price (MSP) to the Union Cabinet?
[A] Commission for Agricultural Costs & Price
[B] Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre
[C] National Centre of Organic Farming
[D] Directorate of Pulses Development
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Commission for Agricultural Costs & Price]
Notes:
The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) is an attached office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Based on the recommendation of CACP, the Union Cabinet fixes the minimum support price (MSP).
Recently, the government raised the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy marginally by Rs 53 per quintal to Rs 1,868 per quintal for the 2020-21 crop year. It also hiked the rates for oilseeds, pulses cereals and commercial crops. This is expected to give 50-83 per cent higher return over the cost of production to farmers.
5. Which Indian state/UT has launched a mobile application to give real-time information on number of hospital beds?
[A] Goa
[B] New Delhi
[C] Odisha
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [New Delhi]
Notes:
Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal has recently launched ‘Delhi Corona’ app for real-time information on availability of hospital beds.
The dedicated application would display the availability of beds at both private and government hospitals in the city, available at any particular time. Moreover, the app will also provide redressal of complaints related to refusal of hospitals in admitting COVID-19 positive patients.
6. What is the name of the initiative launched by the Sports Ministry to train Physical Education teachers and Community Coaches?
[A] Bharat Coach Development Programme
[B] Khelo India Community Coach Development Programme
[C] Khelo India Sports Development Programme
[D] National Sports Mission
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Khelo India Community Coach Development Programme]
Notes:
The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju has recently launched a 25-day Khelo India Community Coach Development Programme.
The programme seeks to train about 15,000 Physical Education Teachers and Community Coaches across India. Sports Ministry will collaborate with the Human Resources Ministry to implement this programme in all school in India.
7. Which association celebrated its 125th Annual session on the theme “Building India for a New World: Lives, livelihood, growth”?
[A] Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
[B] Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)
[C] National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM)
[D] Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)]
Notes:
The Prime Minister has recently delivered the inaugural address at the 125th Annual Session of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) through video conference.
The theme of this year’s annual conference is “Building India for a New World: Lives, livelihood, growth”. The Prime Minister addressed the conference on “Getting Growth Back”. He congratulated the industry body on completing 125 years of the organisation and said Intent, Inclusion, Investment, Infrastructure and Innovation important to build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
8. Union Cabinet has approved to rename which major port of India as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port?
[A] Kandla Port
[B] Chennai Port
[C] Cochin Port
[D] Kolkata Port
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Kolkata Port]
Notes:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister has recently approved to rename Kolkata Port as Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port.
During the 150th anniversary celebration of the Kolkata Port trust, the Prime Minister announced that the Port trust would be named after the leader Syama Prasad Mookerjee. The Port trust’s board of trustees passed a resolution to re-name Kolkata Port on February 2020. The Kolkata Port is the first Major Port as well as the only riverine port of the country.
9. What is the rank of India in the StartupBlink’s Ecosystem Rankings Report 2020?
[A] 17
[B] 23
[C] 24
[D] 29
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [23]
Notes:
The global innovation mapping and research company StartupBlink has recently released its annual Ecosystem Rankings Report.
As per this year’s report, India has been ranked at 23rd place out of 100 countries. In the last year’s report, India was placed at 17th rank. The report collects local data of every country to rank their start-up ecosystem based on the quality of start-ups and business environment. The United States was placed at the top spot. Only four Indian cities were ranked in the top 100 start-up cities list.
10. 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.