1. What are the new annual premium rates of PMJJBY and PMSBY respectively, with effect from June 1, 2022?
[A] Rs 520 and Rs 40
[B] Rs 436 and Rs 20
[C] Rs 400 and Rs 40
[D] Rs 350 and Rs 30
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rs 436 and Rs 20]
Notes:
The government raised the premium for Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), to make them economically viable.
The premium rate of PMJJBY has been revised upward to Rs 1.25 per day, with an increase from Rs 330 to Rs 436 annually. The annual premium for PMSBY has been hiked from Rs 12 to Rs 20. The new premium rates are effective from June 1, 2022.
2. Frontier, the world’s fastest supercomputer, is developed in which country?
[A] USA
[B] Russia
[C] China
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [USA]
Notes:
‘Frontier’ became the world’s fastest supercomputer, according to the Top500 list of world’s most powerful supercomputers with Linmark benchmark score of 1.1 exaflops.
It is a supercomputer built using Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) architecture and equipped with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) processors. It surpassed Fugaku, Japan’s supercomputer jointly developed by RIKEN and Fujitsu Ltd., which topped the supercomputer benchmarking index in 2020.
3. Which Indian personality was honoured by the Geneva-based Martin Ennals Foundation?
[A] Father Stan Swamy
[B] Varavara Rao
[C] Sudha Bharadwaj
[D] Anand Teltumbde
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Father Stan Swamy]
Notes:
The Martin Ennals Foundation has decided to posthumously pay homage to Father Stan Swamy. He was a Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist from Jharkhand who had been arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case. He worked closely with Adivasi communities to safeguard their land, forest and labour rights.
The Geneva-based foundation presents the award regarded as the Nobel Prize for human rights defenders every year. The recipients of this year’s awards include Daouda Diallo from Burkina Faso, Pham Doan Trang from Vietnam and Abdul-Hadi Al-Khawaja of Bahrain.
4. Ribbon weed (Posidonia australis), the world’s largest plant has recently been discovered in which country?
[A] Australia
[B] UAE
[C] Turkey
[D] China
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Australia]
Notes:
The world’s largest plant- the ribbon weed (Posidonia australis) has recently been discovered off the West Coast of Australia.
It is a sea-grass which is measured to be 180 km in length. Ribbon weed rhizomes can usually grow to around 35cm per year and with this, the scientists arrived at its lifespan of 4,500 years. It has double the number of chromosomes than other similar plants, and managed to survive the volatile atmosphere of the Shark Bay.
5. What is the theme of the ‘World Environment Day 2022’?
[A] Invest in our Planet
[B] Only One Earth
[C] 50th Environment Day
[D] Live with the Nature
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only One Earth]
Notes:
The World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5, to raise awareness about degrading environmental conditions and environment protection.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the nodal agency that organises and supports events across the world. The year 2022 marks the 50th World Environment Day. Sweden is the host of the event this year and the theme is ‘Only One Earth’. It was the motto for the 1972 Stockholm Conference
6. ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’ is the flagship campaign of which institution?
[A] Indian Coast Guard
[B] National Cadet Corps
[C] Border Security Force
[D] Indian Navy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Cadet Corps]
Notes:
National Cadet Corps (NCC) has launched the recent phase of its nationwide flagship campaign ‘Puneet Sagar Abhiyan’ from May 30 to June 5 2022 (the World Environment Day).
Puneet Sagar Abhiyan was launched by NCC to clean Sea Shores and other water bodies including rivers and lakes, of plastic and other waste. It aims to increase awareness among the local population about importance of keeping the beaches and river fronts clean.
7. Which country passed the world’s first “Fair Repair Act”?
[A] China
[B] Russia
[C] USA
[D] UK
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [USA]
Notes:
The New York state legislature has recently passed the “Fair Repair Act”, which requires digital electronics manufacturers to make parts, tools, information, and software available to consumers and independent repair shops.
The independent repair shops will finally be able to compete with manufacturers. As per the New York assembly, the act levels the playing field for independent repair shops, and reduces the e-waste footprint on the environment.
8. What is the name of the new national portal launched for credit-linked government schemes?
[A] PM Atmanirbhar Portal
[B] Jan Samarth Portal
[C] Jan Sandesh Portal
[D] Bharat Samarth Portal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Jan Samarth Portal]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the national portal for credit-linked government schemes named ‘Jan Samarth Portal’.
Jan Samarth Portal is a one-stop digital portal linking government credit schemes, to connect beneficiaries to lenders. It provides people with the right government benefits through simple and easy digital processes.
9. What is the expansion of ‘D2M broadcasting’, which was seen in the news recently?
[A] Digital-to-Mobile
[B] Direct-to-Mobile
[C] Device-to-Mobile
[D] Direct-to-Movie
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Direct-to-Mobile]
Notes:
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and India’s public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati are exploring the feasibility of a technology called ‘direct-to-mobile’ (D2M) broadcasting.
It allows broadcasting video and other forms of multimedia content directly to mobile phones, without the need of an active internet connection. The technology is also expected to improve consumption of broadband and utilisation of spectrum.
10. Luxury cruise liner “Empress” has been flagged off from which state/UT?
[A] Kerala
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Gujarat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Tamil Nadu]
Notes:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin recently flagged off the luxury cruise liner “Empress” from Chennai port.
This is regarded as the first luxury cruise liner to be operated from the state. The eleven-storey tourist vessel can accommodate up to 2000 passengers and 800 crew members. The package also includes an anchor at Puducherry and Visakhapatnam harbours.