1. Which is the nodal agency of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)?
[A] ICMR
[B] AIIMS
[C] NHA
[D] Niti Aayog
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [NHA]
Notes:
The National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) has launched a public dashboard. It has information on the mission’s progress at state level.
The dashboard will display detailed information on core registries under the mission – Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) numbers, Healthcare Professionals Registry (HPR) and Health Facility Registry (HFR).
2. Who has been appointed as the MD and CEO of NARCL (National Assets Reconstruction Company Ltd)?
[A] Urjit Patel
[B] Natarajan Sundar
[C] Ashwani Bhatia
[D] Nitin Chugh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Natarajan Sundar]
Notes:
Former State Bank of India Deputy Managing Director Natarajan Sundar has been appointed as the Managing Director and CEO of NARCL (National Assets Reconstruction Company Ltd) as MD & CEO.
NARCL is the joint initiative of Public and Private Sector Banks, and is expected to takeover bad loans from banks and focus on resolution and recoveries. NARCL has shareholding from 15 Indian Banks and Canara Bank is the sponsor bank.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed ‘Garib Kalyan Sammelan’ in which city?
[A] Pune
[B] Shimla
[C] Varanasi
[D] Gandhi Nagar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Shimla]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed ‘Garib Kalyan Sammelan’ in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, marking the completion of eight years of the government.
The programme is organised across the country at state capitals, district headquarters, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). The Prime Minister also released the 11th instalment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme of around Rs. 21,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmer families.
4. Which Indian public sector enterprise issued renewed Biodiversity Policy 2022?
[A] NTPC
[B] ONGC
[C] SAIL
[D] BHEL
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [NTPC]
Notes:
NTPC Ltd, India’s largest integrated energy producer has issued renewed Biodiversity Policy 2022, aligned with environmental and sustainability policies.
NTPC was the first PSU to issue Biodiversity Policy in the year 2018. The Public sector undertaking, formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, also became a member of the India Business & Biodiversity Initiative (IBBI) in the same year.
5. Which state/UT hosted the India’s first Lavender Festival?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Nagaland
[C] Jammu and Kashmir
[D] Arunachal Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Jammu and Kashmir]
Notes:
Union Minister Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Lavender Festival, the first-of-its kind in India, in Bhaderwah, Jammu and Kashmir.
Bhaderwah in Doda district is the birthplace of the purple revolution and it is known for lavender cultivation in terms of land and climate. CSIR-Aroma Mission, under the Ministry of Science & Technology, aims to develop aroma-related science and technology to reach farmers, industry, and society.
6. Which is the only Indian institution in the top-50 list of 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings?
[A] IIT Madras
[B] IIT Bombay
[C] IISc Bengaluru
[D] IIT Roorkee
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [IISc Bengaluru]
Notes:
The Times Higher Education (THE) released the 2022 edition of the Asia University Rankings with universities from 31 countries and territories.
India is the third most-represented country, with 71 universities making it to the list. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore is the only institute to make the top-50 list at 42nd rank. JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research (65th), IIT Ropar (68) and IIT Indore (87) were in top 100 list.
7. Which Indian film-maker has been selected for the ‘Locarno Kids Award la Mobiliare’ at Locarno Film Festival?
[A] Gitanjali Rao
[B] Zoya Akhtar
[C] Harshavardhan Kulkarni
[D] Sriram Raghavan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Gitanjali Rao]
Notes:
Indian Film-maker Gitanjali Rao is set to be honoured with an award during the 75th edition of the Locarno Film Festival.
The filmmaker will receive the Locarno Kids Award la Mobiliare, the award dedicated to personalities for conveying the love of cinema to younger viewers. The award will be presented at the film gala, held every year in Locarno, Switzerland.
8. India hosted the ‘Industry Transition Dialogue’ with which country?
[A] Finland
[B] Australia
[C] Sweden
[D] France
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Sweden]
Notes:
Industry Transition Dialogue was hosted by India and Sweden in Stockholm. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav addressed the summit.
The event was organised as a part of India and Sweden’s joint initiative called Leadership for Industry Transition (LeadIT). The Minister said that the developed countries must take lead in the global transition towards net zero and low carbon industry transition.
9. Which company recently announced to launch ‘AMBER alerts’ to find missing children?
[A] Microsoft
[B] Google
[C] Meta
[D] Apple
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Meta]
Notes:
Meta recently announced that AMBER alerts will be launched in Instagram in 25 countries. With the new feature, users in these regions will get notifications of missing children in the area.
The feature was already present on Facebook and it has helped find hundreds of children since its launch in 2015. AMBER alerts for Instagram was developed in partnership with various organisations like US- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children.
10. What is the new rate of interest ratified by the Government for the ‘employees’ provident fund (EPF) deposits for 2021-22’?
[A] 8. 7 %
[B] 8. 5 %
[C] 8. 1 %
[D] 7. 5 %
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [8. 1 %]
Notes:
The Government has approved 8.1 per cent rate of interest on employees’ provident fund (EPF) deposits for the year 2021-22, from 8.5 per cent provided in the previous year.
The 8.1 per cent EPF rate of interest is the lowest since 1977-78, when it stood at 8 per cent. The interest rate on EPF deposits was decided by the Central Board of Trustees (CBT) and was ratified by the finance ministry 2021.