1. When is ‘World No Tobacco Day 2020’ celebrated every year?
[A] May 30
[B] May 31
[C] June 1
[D] June 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [May 31]
Notes:
World No Tobacco Day 2020 is celebrated on May 31 every year, across the world. The main objective of celebrating the day is to protect youth from industry manipulation and to prevent them from tobacco and nicotine use.
This year, the World No Tobacco Day 2020 global campaign will expose the manipulation tactics of tobacco and related industries, educate young people about the intentions of the industries and empower the general public in social platforms to protect youth.
2. K-FON project, that is to be implemented in Kerala this year, is associated with which field?
[A] Nutrition-added food
[B] Internet access
[C] Water conservation
[D] Space Science
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Internet access]
Notes:
The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that Kerala Fibre Optic Network (K-FON) project would be launched by December 2020.
The objective of the Rs 1,500 crore scheme is to provide free internet access to the poor and at affordable rates to others. It is being implemented by Kerala State IT Infrastructure Limited and Kerala State Electricity Board. Using the KSEB posts, optical fibre cables are being laid across the state.
3. Which is the smallest state of India by area, that celebrates its statehood day on May 30?
[A] Goa
[B] Sikkim
[C] Tripura
[D] Meghalaya
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Goa]
Notes:
Goa is the smallest state of India, by are and the fourth-smallest state by population. It recently celebrated its statehood day on May 30.
In 1961, Indian Army invaded and annexed Goa, Daman and Diu into the Indian union, through Operation Vijay. After that, Goa along with Daman and Diu, was categorised as a centrally administered Union territory of India. On 30 May 1987, the union territory was split and Goa was made the 25th state of India and Daman and Diu remained as a UT.
4. What is the name of the programme launched by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, in collaboration with Intel India?
[A] Responsible AI for Youth
[B] Sustainable AI for Youth
[C] Artificial Intelligence for India
[D] Bharat AI
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Responsible AI for Youth]
Notes:
The Union Government has launched a national programme for the youth, called “Responsible AI for Youth”. It has been developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT in collaboration with Intel India, with support from Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L). It aims to equip young students with new generation technology.
A dedicated portal for Artificial Intelligence, which will be a platform for all AI related developments in India, was also launched to mark the first anniversary of the second tenure of the government. It has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT and NASSCOM.
5. As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon occurs during which period of the year?
[A] July-August
[B] June-September
[C] September-December
[D] August-November
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [June-September]
Notes:
As per the recent announcement from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon arrived on time over the Kerala coast. The southwest monsoon usually occurs in the period of June-September.
IMD declares the start of the monsoon when 60% of the 14 meteorological stations in Kerala record 2.5mm of more rains for two consecutive days. The other two factors are the westerlies (winds) and the outgoing longwave radiation. IMD also revised the forecast for rains to 102% of long-period average.
6. Wajid Khan, who recently passed away, was associated with which profession?
[A] Sportsperson
[B] Musician
[C] Journalist
[D] Politician
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Musician]
Notes:
Famous music composer Wajid Khan recently passed away at the age of 42. He was a part of the popular music duo Sajid-Wajid.
The pair started their musical career in the year 1998 for a Hindi movie starring Salman Khan. Sajid-Wajid scored music for many films of the star including his latest single, ‘Bhai Bhai’. The pair has been popular for their composition of IPL 4 theme song.
7. Which Union Ministry launched the schemes named PLI, SPECS and EMC 2.0?
[A] Ministry of Defence
[B] Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
[C] Minister for Electronics and IT
[D] Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Minister for Electronics and IT]
Notes:
Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched three major schemes to boost manufacture of electronics in the country.
Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) aims for large-scale electronics manufacturing. Other two schemes namely Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Electronic Components and Semiconductors (SPECS) and Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme were also launched. This will generate manufacturing of electronics components worth Rs 10 lakh crore by 2025.
8. Google’s former Chief financial officer Patrick Pichette has been appointed as the board chairman of which major technology company?
[A] Amazon
[B] Apple
[C] Twitter
[D] Facebook
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Twitter]
Notes:
Social networking giant Twitter has recently appointed Patrick Pichette, a former chief financial officer at Google as the next chairman of its board.
This is the first time in the history of Twitter that an outsider is presiding over the board. Patrick Pichette served as the lead independent director of Twitter since the end of 2018. He is to replace Omid Kordestani in leading the directors as Chairman. Investors have been urging for appointing outsiders to preside over boards.
9. Which Indian non-governmental organisation (NGO) has been conferred with the World No Tobacco Day Award 2020 by WHO?
[A] CARE India
[B] Goonj
[C] SEEDS
[D] Deccan Development Society
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [SEEDS]
Notes:
Indian non-governmental organisation (NGO), Socio-Economic and Educational Development Society (SEEDS) has been conferred with the World No Tobacco Day Award 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO), from the South-East Asia Region.
The organisation is one among the 3 awardees and has been selected for its efforts to ban pan masala, gutkha, e-cigarettes and hookah in Bihar and Jharkhand. On May 31, World No Tobacco Day, the WHO selects individuals and organisations from its 6 regions for their contribution in the field of tobacco control.
10. Which Indian has been appointed as the senior advisor to the Executive Director (ED), World Bank?
[A] Surjith Bhalla
[B] Rajeev Topno
[C] Urjit Patel
[D] Abhas Jha
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rajeev Topno]
Notes:
Veteran bureaucrat Rajeev Topno, a 1996 batch IAS officer who had been serving as the private secretary to the Prime Minister, has been appointed as senior advisor to the Executive Director (ED), World Bank.
As per the Personnel Ministry order issued, five other officers have been appointed to various posts abroad. This includes the appointment of Ravi Kota as Minister (Economic) at the Indian embassy in Washington; Lekhan Thakkar as Counsellor (Economic) at the Indian Embassy in Beijing; H Atheli, as Advisor (Director-level) to the ED of the ADB among others.