31. Which state has slashed value added tax (VAT) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to 4 per cent from 20 per cent?
[A] Sikkim
[B] Jharkhand
[C] Telangana
[D] Himachal Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Jharkhand]
Notes:
To strengthen air connectivity to the state and boost tourism, Jharkhand government slashed VAT (value added tax) on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to 4 per cent from 20 per cent.
Recently, the price of ATF was reduced by 1.3percent which was the first reduction after it was hiked for 10 rounds of hike in ATF prices. ATF constitutes about 40 per cent of the operating cost of an airline.
32. Which country proposed to organise a joint border operation named ‘Solidarity-2023’ for SCO member countries?
[A] India
[B] China
[C] Nepal
[D] Bangladesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [China]
Notes:
India and other member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) supported an initiative of China to organise a joint border operation ‘Solidarity-2023’ for the border agencies of the member countries next year.
India’s Border Security Force (BSF) Director announced this at the conclusion of the eighth meeting of the heads of border authorities of the competent bodies of SCO member states, which was held in Delhi, under the chairmanship of India.
33. Which institution released a report titled ‘Payments Vision 2025’?
[A] NPCI
[B] RBI
[C] NITI Aayog
[D] World Bank
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [RBI]
Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently released a document titled “Payments Vision 2025”, with guidelines on payments.
The document also focussed on the architecture of digital finance. It includes regulations for BigTechs and fintechs in payments; guidelines on payments involving ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ (BNPL) services; introducing the central bank digital currency (CBDC); and linking credit cards and credit components of banking products to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
34. As per recent MFIN report, which is the largest state in terms of the outstanding portfolio of microfinance loans?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Uttar Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Tamil Nadu]
Notes:
According to the quarterly report published by Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN), Tamil Nadu has displaced West Bengal to emerge as the largest State in terms of the outstanding portfolio of microfinance loans.
The gross loan portfolio (GLP) of Tamil Nadu as of March 31, 2022 stood at ₹36,806 crore while the overall microfinance industry has a total GLP of ₹2,85,441 crore as of March 31, 2022. Banks held the largest share of the portfolio in micro-credit followed by NBFC-MFIs.
35. Edakoodam is a popular wooden toy made in which Indian state/UT?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Kerala
[C] West Bengal
[D] Jharkhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Kerala]
Notes:
Edakoodam is the name of a wooden puzzle toy, which was popular among children and was a part of every household in Kerala, during earlier times.
There are many efforts being taken in Kerala to popularise the wooden puzzle by teaching the art of making and solving Edakoodam popular among children and adults.
36. When is the ‘World Sickle Cell Awareness Day’ observed every year?
[A] June 19
[B] June 23
[C] June 27
[D] June 30
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [June 19]
Notes:
Every year on the 19th of June, the World Sickle Cell Day (SCD) event is conducted by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of sickle cell disease.
Sickle cell anaemia is a group of inherited disorders that cause red blood cells to become sickle in shape instead of normal biconcave shape. In a patient who is suffering from SCD, the red blood cells have abnormal haemoglobin.
37. In which country, world’s largest ever freshwater fish has been found recently?
[A] Australia
[B] China
[C] Cambodia
[D] Chile
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Cambodia]
Notes:
A 300kg stingray caught in the Mekong River in Cambodia is the biggest freshwater fish ever documented in the world.
Though there is no official database of the world’s biggest freshwater fish, the previous largest recorded fish was a 293kg Mekong giant catfish caught in Thailand in 2005. The Mekong River flows from the Tibetan Plateau through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
38. Which government agency is responsible for protecting India’s critical information infrastructure?
[A] National Cyber Coordination Centre
[B] National Informatics Centre
[C] ICERT
[D] NCIIPC
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [NCIIPC]
Notes:
The National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) is the nodal agency responsible for protecting India’s critical information infrastructure. It was established in 2014 under Section 70A of the IT Act, 2000. It is part of the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), an intelligence agency under the NSA.
39. Where was the Indian Coast Guard’s 840 Squadron created?
[A] Visakhapatnam
[B] Chennai
[C] Mumbai
[D] Kolkata
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Chennai]
Notes:
The Indian Coast Guard’s new air squadron named 840 Squadron was created in Chennai on June 20, 2022. The squadron was initially created with an indigenous ALH Mark-III aircraft. This is the first such aircraft to be stationed in the eastern region.
40. Which body is responsible for the implementation of the NIPUN project of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs?
[A] National Skill Training Institute
[B] National Skill Development Fund
[C] National Skill Development Corporation
[D] National Council for Vocational Education and Training
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [National Skill Development Corporation]
Notes:
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which comes under the aegis of the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, is responsible for the implementation of the NIPUN project of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It will train, monitor and track potential candidates under this initiative.