31. 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.
32. Which Union Ministry is to conduct a special session titled ‘Bharat: A Cultural Treasure’, to mark International Yoga Day?
[A] Ministry of Culture
[B] Ministry of Tourism
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Home Affairs
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Tourism]
Notes:
Ministry of Tourism is organising a week-long celebration of International day of Yoga from 15th June, 2020.
It has also launched social media activities focussed on Yoga under the central theme “Yoga @ home & Yoga with family”. The Tourism Ministry will also conduct a special session titled ‘Bharat: A Cultural Treasure’ under Dekho Apna Desh Webinar. Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel will attend the session along with celebrity participants.
33. What is ‘Swift J1818.0-1607’, that was seen in news recently?
[A] Neutron star
[B] Black Hole
[C] White Dwarf
[D] Nebula
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Neutron star]
Notes:
Recently, a team of astronomers at NASA and European Space Agency ESA have discovered a neutron star called ‘Swift J1818.0-1607’.
The neutron star has been estimated to be about 240 years old. It was first discovered in March 2020, when it released a massive burst of X-rays. Neutron stars are the smallest and densest stars. According to NASA, Swift J1818.0-1607 contains twice the mass of our Sun in a volume of more than one trillion times smaller.
34. What is the tenure of the ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’ launched by the Prime Minister of India?
[A] 75 days
[B] 100 days
[C] 125 days
[D] 200 days
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [125 days]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, a Rs 50,000 crore dedicated programme to create job opportunities for millions of migrant workers who returned home during the lockdown imposed due to Covid-19.
It was launched from Telihar village of Bihar’s Khagaria district. The scheme is expected to run in mission mode for 125 days across 116 districts in six states namely Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha. Twelve different ministries or departments will be engaged in implementing the programme.
35. NITI Aayog has advised which telecom operator to use an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured (IDDM) solution for its 4G network?
[A] Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL)
[B] Reliance Jio
[C] Bharti Airtel
[D] Vodafone Idea
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL)]
Notes:
The think tank of the Union Government, NITI Aayog has advised Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), to use an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured (IDDM) solution for its 4G network.
Earlier, the Government also urged that both BSNL and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) must not use Chinese equipment for the 4G services. BSNL has floated a 4G tender and if NITI Aayog’s recommendation is accepted, it could have an adverse impact on global telecom gear manufacturers, from both China and Europe.
36. Which Union Ministry celebrates International Yoga Day 2020 with a campaign titled ‘Namaste Yoga’?
[A] Ministry of AYUSH
[B] Ministry of Culture
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Culture]
Notes:
Ministry of Culture is celebrating International Yoga Day 2020 by organising a campaign titled ‘Namaste Yoga’ from 19th to 21st June, 2020.
Union Minister of State for Culture Prahlad Singh Patel urged everyone to join him for a Surya Namaskar. He also asked them to post their Surya Namaskar videos on social media platforms to create health awareness among all citizens.
37. Mount Merapi, that was seen in news recently, is located in which country?
[A] Philippines
[B] Indonesia
[C] Vietnam
[D] Australia
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Indonesia]
Notes:
Mount Merapi is the most volatile volcano located in the country of Indonesia. It was seen in news, as the mountain spewed ash and hot gas to about 6 kilometers into the sky.
The mountain has a height of 2,968-meter and it is one of the most active of 500 Indonesian volcanoes. It has been generating dark hot clouds since last year. The last major eruption of the mountain happened in 2010, which killed 353 people.
38. When is the ‘World Music Day’ celebrated across the world?
[A] June 20
[B] June 21
[C] June 22
[D] June 24
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [June 21]
Notes:
World Music Day is celebrated on June 21, to promote peace and spread positivity through music. The event is also popularly called as ‘Fete de la Musique’.
This special day was a music festival, which began in France in 1982. French Minister of Culture Jack Lang proposed the idea of the celebration of Music Day in the year 1981. Every year, on this day, amateur and professional musicians are encouraged to showcase their work.
39. Which Indian state/UT became the first to operationalise rail coaches converted into isolation units for Covid-19?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Gujarat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Uttar Pradesh]
Notes:
The Uttar Pradesh Government has started using rail coaches as isolation units for COVID-19 suspected patients.
COVID coaches are deployed at Mau junction in Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in a first in the country. Indian Railways is ready to offer as many as 5,231 isolation coaches to the states and the respective zonal railways have converted the coaches as quarantine facilities. After Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh have also been using rail coaches.
40. What is the name of the investment promotion agency, that functions under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade?
[A] Bharat Invest
[B] Vocal for Local
[C] Invest India
[D] Investment made easy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Invest India]
Notes:
Invest India was set up as a non-profit venture under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry in 2009.
It focusses on sector-specific investor targeting and develops new partnerships for investments in India. Recently, the Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal launched the Food Processing Edition of the Exclusive Investment Forum, designed by Invest India.