31. Which financial institution is the regulator of housing finance companies (HFCs) after August 2019?
[A] National Housing Bank (NHB)
[B] Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
[C] Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
[D] Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) took over the powers to regulate HFCs from the National Housing Bank (NHB) in August 2019.
Recently, RBI proposed to modify the rules of housing finance firms, which includes the formal definition of housing finance as “financing, for purchase/ construction/ reconstruction/ renovation/ repairs of residential dwelling unit”. RBI also proposed to classify HFCs as systemically important HFCs and non-systemically important HFCs.
32. Who has been elected as the President of 75th United Nations General Assembly?
[A] Gita Gopinath
[B] Volkan Bozkir
[C] Masatsugu Asakawa
[D] David Malpass
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Volkan Bozkir]
Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly has recently elected Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir to be its president. He is the first Turkish national to head the General Assembly.
This decision has been taken ahead of the 75th General Assembly in September. Volkan Bozkir is serving as the head of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. He had also served as Turkey’s Minister of European Affairs and Chief Negotiator. He would assume office in September 2020 and hold the post for one year.
33. Which football club won the Italian cup this year, that was restarted amidst COVID-19 pandemic without spectators?
[A] Napoli
[B] Juventus
[C] A.C. Milan
[D] SS Lazio
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Napoli]
Notes:
Napoli, the Italian professional football club based in Naples, won the Italian cup after it scored 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Italian Cup also called as Coppa Italia was restarted after a three-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gennaro Gattuso is the Coach of the football team, who has bagged his first major trophy of his managerial career. Napoli has won the title for the sixth time.
34. Who has been reappointed as the Ethics Officer and Ombudsman of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)?
[A] D K Jain
[B] Sourav Ganguly
[C] Jay Shah
[D] W V Raman
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [D K Jain]
Notes:
Former Supreme Court Judge D K Jain has been reappointed as the Ethics Officer and Ombudsman of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
D K Jain was appointed as the first ever Ombudsman and was later appointed as the Ethics Officer in addition. His term had ended on February 29 this year, but his appointment has been renewed for one more year. Due to the Covid pandemic, the Ombudsman will be conducting hearings virtually.
35. As per the recent report of the National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), which ocean has seen the greatest decline of ice in the last 41 years?
[A] Arctic Ocean
[B] Antarctic Ocean
[C] Pacific Ocean
[D] Indian Ocean
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Arctic Ocean]
Notes:
The National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) has found that the Arctic Ocean has seen the largest decline in the last 41 years due to global warming.
This has led to localised increase in evaporation, air humidity, cloud cover and rainfall. NCPOR noted that this decline in Arctic Sea ice was -13 per cent in July 2019 while it was -4.7 per cent per decade in the last 40 years. The study also noted that if this trend continues, there would be no ice left in the Arctic sea by 2050.
36. Which agency of the United Nations releases the report titled ‘Annual report on displacement’?
[A] International Labour Organization
[B] United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
[C] World Tourism Organization
[D] World Health Organization
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]
Notes:
The UN Agency for refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has released its Annual report on displacement.
As per the report, nearly 80 million people were forcibly displaced by the end of 2019 globally. The main reason for displacement has been war, violence, persecution and other emergencies. This count is almost double the total figure of the past decade. The report also revealed that an additional 11 million people were newly displaced in 2019 alone.
37. When is the ‘International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict’ observed?
[A] June 19
[B] June 20
[C] June 22
[D] June 23
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [June 19]
Notes:
Every year, on June 19, the ‘International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict’ is observed by the United Nations.
The UN General Assembly proclaimed 19 June of each year as this special day in the year 2015, in order to raise awareness to prevent conflict-related sexual violence, to honour the victims and survivors of sexual violence. The day also pays tribute to people who have fought against this crime and laid down their lives. On the same day in 2008, the Security Council resolution condemning sexual violence as a tactic of war, was adopted.
38. Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has partnered with which Public sector enterprise to support its Innovation & Entrepreneurship initiatives?
[A] Steel Authority of India
[B] Coal India Limited
[C] GAIL Limited
[D] NTPC Limited
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Coal India Limited ]
Notes:
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has partnered with Coal India Limited (CIL) to boost its Innovation & Entrepreneurship initiatives.
During a virtual e-summit held between AIM and CLI, a Statement of Intent (SoI) of strategic partnership between them was signed and exchanged. Under the collaboration, several programs will be conducted by them to promote innovation ecosystem through the initiatives of Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).
39. Which Metro station of India is to have the first She-Man station of North India with special facilities for transgenders?
[A] Delhi Metro
[B] Noida Metro
[C] Kolkata Metro
[D] Gurgaon Metro
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Noida Metro]
Notes:
The Noida Metro Rail Corporation has announced its plan to convert Sector 50 metro station into a ‘she-man’ metro station.
Once implemented, this would be the first She-Man station of North India with special facilities for employment opportunities to the transgender community. This station will be on the lines of the Pink Metro stations. Though the ‘She-Man’ station will be open for all passengers, it will cater especially to the transgender passengers.
40. Which fund has been made open to contributions from individuals or institutions, by the Finance Ministry?
[A] National Disaster Response Fund
[B] PM CARES Fund
[C] Consolidated Fund of India
[D] Public Account Fund
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [National Disaster Response Fund]
Notes:
The Department of Economic Affairs, Finance Ministry has recently announced that there is no objection to the proposal of contributions from individuals or institutions towards the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
The proposal has been accepted based on the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The NDRF was constituted under the same act and it supplements SDRF of a state, when adequate funds are not available in SDRF in case of a severe disaster. The central government may constitute a fund to be called the NDRF for meeting any severe disaster.