21. Which Indian state/UT has launched an integrated Flood Warning System named ‘iFLOWS’?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Odisha
[C] Maharashtra
[D] West Bengal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Maharashtra]
Notes:
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan launched an Integrated Flood Warning System called ‘IFLOWS-Mumbai’.
The warning system has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). It would relay alerts of possible flood-prone areas at 6 to 72 hours in advance. After Chennai, Mumbai is only the second city to get such system.
22. Who heads the working group constituted by the Reserve Bank of India, to review private bank shareholding norms?
[A] PK Mohanty
[B] R Gandhi
[C] BP Kanungo
[D] Rabi N. Mishra
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [PK Mohanty]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted an internal working group to review the guidelines on ownership and corporate structure of private sector banks.
The working group will be headed by PK Mohanty, an Executive Director at RBI. The group will examine the licensing guidelines of banking and regulations on ownership of private sector banks. It will also review the regulations on holding of financial subsidiaries through a non-operative financial holding company.
23. What is the annual rate of inflation based on monthly Wholesale Price Index (WPI), in May 2020?
[A] 3.21%
[B] 0.25%
[C] -0.25%
[D] -3.21%
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [-3.21%]
Notes:
As per the recent notification from the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the annual rate of inflation based on monthly Wholesale Price Index (WPI) contracted to 3.21% in the month of May 2020.
It means that the annual rate of inflation is -3.21% in May 2020. The government had suspended the release of wholesale price index (WPI) data in April, due to the nationwide lockdown. Hence the provisional figures of May are compared with final figures of March.
24. Which Union Ministry of India released a report titled ‘Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region’?
[A] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
[B] Ministry of Earth Sciences
[C] Ministry of Science and Technology
[D] Ministry of Jal Shakti
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Earth Sciences]
Notes:
Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has recently released a report titled ‘Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region’.
As per the first edition of the report released this year, the average surface air temperatures over India could rise by up to 4.4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, in a worst-case scenario. This estimate is provided as compared to the period between 1976 and 2005. The report also revealed that under an intermediate scenario, the country’s average temperature could rise by up to 2.4°C.
25. Galwan valley, that was seen in news recently, is located in which Indian state/UT?
[A] Jammu and Kashmir
[B] Ladakh
[C] Uttarakhand
[D] Sikkim
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ladakh]
Notes:
In a violent conflict that took place in the Galwan Valley located in the Union Territory of Ladakh, as many as 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
As per the statement of the Indian Army, the two sides disengaged from the area where the fight happened. The US media reported that its intelligent officials quoted about 35 Chinese troops have been killed. The infrastructure projects that India has undertaken recently, a strategic road through the Galwan Valley, connecting the region to an airstrip, has escalated the conflict.
26. Which generic steroid drug has been found to reduce deaths by a third for patients affected by COVID-19?
[A] Dexamethasone
[B] Aspirin
[C] Indomethacin
[D] Naproxen
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Dexamethasone ]
Notes:
Scientists in UK have claimed that the generic steroid drug dexamethasone has reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalised patients, affected by COVID-19.
This result is a part of one of the world’s largest randomised trial of drugs to treat COVID-19 patients, that also showed hydroxychloroquine was not working against the coronavirus. The drug is shown to cut the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators and a fifth for those on oxygen. However, World Health Organisation said that the drug is reserved for severely ill and critical patients.
27. Which Indian state/UT has observed Great June Uprising Day?
[A] Assam
[B] Sikkim
[C] Manipur
[D] Arunachal Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Manipur]
Notes:
The 19th Great June Uprising Day was observed in the capital of Manipur, Imphal and other places of the state.
On June 14, 2001, the Union government signed the amended ceasefire agreement inserting the words “without territorial limits”. Several people of Manipur protested against the agreement and nearly 18 of them laid down their lives for the unity of the state. On the Great June Uprising Day, the state commemorates the 18 people.
28. Which country is named the President of the UN Security Council for August 2021?
[A] United States
[B] China
[C] India
[D] Norway
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [India]
Notes:
India, which has been elected as a non-permanent member of the Security Council recently, will serve as its president for the month of August, 2021.
India, Norway, Ireland, Mexico and Kenya were elected as the non-permanent members of the 15-nation-UNSC for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2021. Tunisia will begin 2021 as the President of the Council in January. It will be followed by each of the members in turn for one month, as per the English alphabetical order of the name of member states.
29. What is ‘NavRakshak’, that was seen in news recently?
[A] Light Combat Aircraft
[B] Fighter Jet
[C] Personal Protective Equipment
[D] Covid-19 Drug
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Personal Protective Equipment]
Notes:
The manufacturing know-how of a PPE Suit being named ‘NavRakshak’ has been licensed by National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) to 5 five MSMEs.
The manufacturers are expected to mass produce more than 10 million PPEs per year, to meet the demand of quality PPE kits across the country. This know-how has been developed at the Mumbai-based Innovation Cell of the Institute of Naval Medicine. Intellectual property rights are also to be obtained.
30. What is the name of the special campaign of FICCI-FLO, launched by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development?
[A] Power to Empower
[B] Empowering the Greater 50%
[C] Women Entrepreneur Power
[D] Empowering Women ecosystem
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Empowering the Greater 50%]
Notes:
Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani launched a special campaign titled ‘Empowering the Greater 50%’.
This campaign is an initiative of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and its division FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO). It seeks to create an ecosystem to support women entrepreneurship and empower as many as 1 lakh women in India over the next three years.