31. Which Tennis championships is scheduled to be held from August 31 to September 13 this year, without spectators?
[A] Australian Championship
[B] US Open Championship
[C] Wimbledon Championship
[D] French Open Championship
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [US Open Championship]
Notes:
As per the official confirmation, the US Open tennis championships will be held as scheduled in the month of August.
The championships will be held without spectators, in Queens, New York from August 31 to September 13. The New York Governor Andrew Cuomo formally gave approval to the event. There was uncertainty around the tournament, as the location is the epicentre of Covid-19 crisis in the US. Safety procedures and sanitation protocols would be followed.
32. IM Vijayan, who has been nominated for Padma Shri award, is associated with which sports?
[A] Cricket
[B] Foot ball
[C] Hockey
[D] Table-Tennis
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Foot ball]
Notes:
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has recently recommended former skipper IM Vijayan for the country’s fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri.
The 51-year-old legendary player served as the India striker. Since he made his debut in the early 90s, he had scored 40 goals in 79 matches for India. He was also awarded the prestigious Arjuna award in 2003. Six Indian footballers including Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri have earlier won the Padma Shri award.
33. Which zone of the Indian Railways has installed ATMA (Automated Ticket Checking & Managing Access) machine?
[A] Southern Railway Zone
[B] Northern Railway Zone
[C] Central Railways Zone
[D] Western Railway Zone
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Central Railways Zone]
Notes:
Indian Railways Central Railway zone has installed an automated ticket kiosk called ATMA – Automated Ticket Checking & Managing Access machine.
The innovative machine has been introduced at the Nagpur railway station, under the New, Innovative Non-Fare Revenue Ideas Scheme (NINFRIS) policy to prevent transmission of COVID-19. The system has features for automated boarding protocol by ticket checking, human body temperature checking, and face mask checking.
34. Which institution has been selected as the implementation Agency for PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)?
[A] Life Insurance Corporation (LIC)
[B] National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
[C] Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
[D] NITI Aayog
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)]
Notes:
Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs signed a MoU with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), to engage SIDBI as the Implementation Agency for PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi).
The scheme aims to provide a working capital loan up to Rs 10000 to street vendors, who have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 lockdown. The loan is repayable in monthly instalments in 1-year tenue. On prompt payment, a subsidy of 7% per annum is also provided.
35. Quantum communications satellite –Micius, that was seen in news recently, was launched by which country?
[A] United States
[B] China
[C] Russia
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [China]
Notes:
The World’s first Quantum communications satellite, Micius was launched by China in the year 2016. It has pioneered in the field of quantum encryption.
The satellite was seen in news recently, as it sends particles of light to Earth to establish the world’s most secure communication link. This is considered to be a milestone in the research, as long-range secure communication can be obtained without the help of traditional communication satellites. Secure long-distance links such will be the foundation of the future global network called the quantum internet.
36. Which Union Ministry has organised a webinar titled ‘National Sickle Cell Conclave’?
[A] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
[B] Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
[C] Ministry of Tribal Affairs
[D] Ministry of Science and Technology
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Tribal Affairs]
Notes:
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs along with FICCI and two private healthcare institutes organised a webinar titled ‘National Sickle Cell Conclave’, to mark World Sickle Cell Day.
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda addressed the webinar and announced that the government has launched a new portal with registration facility, information about the disease and various government initiatives undertaken. The Ministry has initiated ‘Action Research’ project for helping SCD patients. A report titled ‘Stepping out of the shadows – Combating Sickle Cell Disease in India’ was released.
37. 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.
38. As per a recent study, the researchers detected an exoplanet named ‘HIP 67522 b’. What is it otherwise called?
[A] Hot Jupiter
[B] Super-Earth
[C] Mini-Neptune
[D] Ice giant
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Hot Jupiter]
Notes:
According to the new study published in the Astronomical Journal, the researchers have detected the exoplanet HIP 67522 b.
The exoplanet appears to be the youngest hot Jupiter ever found. It also orbits around a well-studied star that is about 17 million years old. This means that the hot Jupiter is only a few million years younger probably. As most known hot Jupiters are more than a billion years old, this is likely the youngest hot Jupiter.
39. What is the name of the platform launched by the HRD Minister, for higher educational institutions?
[A] DHRUV 2.0
[B] YUKTI 2.0
[C] SHAKTI 2.0
[D] EKTA 2.0
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [YUKTI 2.0]
Notes:
Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has recently launched an initiative named ‘YUKTI 2.0’.
YUKTI stands for ‘Young India combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation’. Earlier, the Minister launched the YUKTI portal on April 11, 2020. The 2.0 portal will serve as an online depository for innovative ideas and help students, teachers and researchers in higher educational institutions.
40. As per the National Statistical Office (NSO), what is the rank of India as the world’s largest economy, in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) for 2017?
[A] Three
[B] Four
[C] Five
[D] Six
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Three]
Notes:
The National Statistical Office (NSO) has recently announced that India has retained its position as the third-largest economy after China and the US in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) for 2017.
The government quoted the World Bank data and said that India accounted for 6.7 per cent (USD 8,051 billion out of the total of USD 119,547 billion) of global GDP in terms of PPP. India is also third-largest economy in terms of its PPP-based share in global actual individual consumption and global gross capital formation.