1. Mahadayi River, which was recently mentioned in the news, originates in which state?
[A] Goa
[B] Karnataka
[C] Maharashtra
[D] Kerala
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Karnataka]
Notes:
The River Mahadayi, also known as River Mandovi, originates in Karnataka on the Western Ghats. It is one of the two primary rivers of Goa- the other being Zuari. Goa and Karnataka have disputes over the sharing of Mahadayi, especially in relation to the Kalsa Bhanduri project.
2. Which Union Ministry recently set up a new division called the ‘New, emerging and strategic technologies (NEST) division’?
[A] Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
[B] Ministry of Communication
[C] Ministry of External Affairs
[D] Ministry of Defence
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of External Affairs]
Notes:
The Ministry of External Affairs recently announced that it would set up a new division under its aegis called the New, emerging and strategic technologies (NEST) division’. The proposed NEST would act as the nodal division under the ministry for addressing the issues related to emerging technologies. It will help our country to closely work with foreign partners in the field of 5G and artificial intelligence. Recently all companies including the Chinese major Huawei were allowed to participate in 5G trials.
3. The Chief Minister of Kerala recently launched the state’s regulatory authority ‘K-RERA’. The authority is related to which field?
[A] Research
[B] Revenue
[C] Real Estate
[D] Railways
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Real Estate]
Notes:
The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan recently launched the Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority ‘K-RERA’ to boost the confidence of customers and make the real estate sector more transparent. Under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, passed in 2016, all state governments were directed to establish the regulating authority for real estate sector, RERA for regulation and dispute redressal in the sector.
4. Recently, Supreme Court of India has asked the centre to consider deployment of which force to guard various courts of India?
[A] Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
[B] Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
[C] National Security Guard (NSG)
[D] Indian Army
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) ]
Notes:
Supreme Court recently asked the Centre to consider the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to guard the various courts in India — taking over the job of securing the courts from the local police forces.
5. Which state is set to conduct a dedicated state-level Adalat for LGBT community?
[A] Telengana
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Kerala
[D] Gujarat
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Kerala]
Notes:
For the first time in the state, the Kerala State Youth Commission has announced that it would conduct a state-level Adalat for LGBT community. The programme would be held at the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram.
The main objective of the Adalat is to encourage the transgender community to come out with their grievances and to make arrangements for redressal of the issues. The Government of Kerala had introduced a Transgender policy in 2015 and it has a dedicated ‘Transgender Cell’ working under the state’s Social Justice Department.
6. The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) recently celebrated its 5th annual day. CARA is a statutory body of which ministry?
[A] Ministry of Law and Justice
[B] Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
[C] Ministry of Women and Child Development
[D] Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ministry of Women and Child Development]
Notes:
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a statutory body of Union Ministry of Women & Child Development. It is the nodal body for adoption of Indian children and regulation of adoption processes inside the country and within countries. In 2003, the Government of India ratified the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption of 1993.
Recently, CARA celebrated its 5th Annual Day in New Delhi and the event was attended by the officials of the Union Ministry of Women & Child Development.
7. The second Tejas Express, which was recently flagged off, connects Mumbai with which city?
[A] Pune
[B] Hyderabad
[C] Ahmedabad
[D] Nagpur
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Ahmedabad]
Notes:
The second Tejas Express in the Mumbai- Ahmedabad route was recently flagged off from Ahmedabad by the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani. The commercial run is expected to start on January 18 and it will run in the route for all days of the week except Thursday.
Tejas Express is a semi-high speed and fully air-conditioned train, which is run by the wholly owned subsidiary of Indian Railways, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The first Tejas Express between New Delhi and Lucknow was inaugurated in October 2019. For Tejas Express, IRCTC follows a dynamic pricing scheme and it pays compensation to the customers on train delays.
8. The passengers returning from which country are to be screened for novel Corona virus (nCov), in selected Indian airports?
[A] Indonesia
[B] China
[C] Thailand
[D] Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [China]
Notes:
For nearly three weeks, China is hit by a new viral disease which was reported to spread by novel Corona virus (nCov). It killed one person and infected more than 40 in the country. Two other people in Japan and Thailand who had travelled to China were also infected by the virus. Recently, the Union Health Ministry instructed the airport authorities of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata to screen passengers returning from China and to check through thermal scanners if they carry the virus.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, that cause diseases such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
9. The Indian Railways is expected to be electrified by which year, as per the recent statement of the Union Railway Minister?
[A] 2023
[B] 2024
[C] 2025
[D] 2026
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [2024]
Notes:
The Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal recently announced that the Indian Railways is set to run entirely on electricity by the year 2024 and diesel locomotives are gradually been pushed out of service. Once achieved, India will have the first railway network in the world to be run completely on electricity.
He announced this during the India-Brazil Business Forum, which was organised during Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s official visit to India. The Minister also hoped to make the entire railways network a net-zero emission network by 2030, which will use clean energy and clean power.
10. Which Indian state has recently declared the disease caused by the novel coronavirus as a “state calamity”?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Kerala
[C] Karnataka
[D] Telangana
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Kerala]
Notes:
The state Government of Kerala declared the disease caused by the novel coronavirus as a “state calamity”. This declaration comes at the backdrop of three people of the state being tested positive for coronavirus.
Kerala reported the first infection from the virus in India and the person is being treated in isolation wards. Later two other patients, who are the students of a medical college in Wuhan, China are also diagnosed with the virus infection. The novel coronavirus was first reported in China’s Wuhan city and has spread to nearly 25 other countries.
