GK & Current Affairs – May 22, 2016

1. The Centre for Environmental Health has been launched by which union ministry in New Delhi?
[A]Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
[B]Ministry of Earth Sciences
[C]Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation
[D]Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Answer: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
The ‘Centre for Environmental Health’ has been launched by the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J P Nadda in New Delhi to assess the impact of environment related problems due to climate change, air pollution, pesticide use and sanitation on health. It is a joint initiative of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) and it will conduct policy relevant research across a range of environmental health issues across the country.
2. Which Indian-American biotechnologist has been bestowed with the University of Houston (UH)’s highest teaching award in US?
[A]Manju Rajput
[B]Surendra Singh
[C]Rupa Iyer
[D]Ishika Ganguly
Answer: Rupa Iyer
Rupa Iyer , an Indian-American biotechnologist, has won the “Distinguished Leadership in Teaching Excellence Award”, the highest teaching award of University of Houston (UH), for her continuous and notable contributions in the field of education in United States (US). It is the highest award given in teaching and the only one given in this category by the varsity. Currently, she is Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Houston’s College of Technology.
3. Which state government of India has launched PEHAL programme for raising education standards?
[A]Madhya Pradesh
[B]Andhra Pradesh
[C]Himachal Pradesh
[D]Arunachal Pradesh
Answer: Himachal Pradesh
The Himachal Pradesh government has recently launched PEHAL programme for raising education standards at Ridge Maidan, Shimla. The purpose of the programme is to speed up developmental works and government schemes through effective implementation at grassroots level. The PEHAL will focus on five key areas viz. primary education, forest rights, health and sanitation, campaign against drugs and skill development and women Empowerment. With this, Shimla has become the 1st district in the state to launch such different programme to work as a team with the people.
4. The 2016 Group of 7 (G7) Summit will be hosted by which city of Japan?
[A]Tokyo
[B]Ise-Shima
[C]Kyoto
[D]Nagasaki
Answer: Ise-Shima
The 42nd edition of Group of 7 (G7) Summit will be held at Ise-Shima, Japan on May 26–27, 2016 to address global challenges. Under the Presidency of Japan, the 2016 Ise-Shima Summit will discuss measures to address the global economic slowdown, terrorism, the humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflicts. The G7 is a group of seven leading industrialised nations viz. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
5. “Qora” an indigenously developed fecal incontinence management system, has been launched by which ministry?
[A]Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
[B]Ministry of Urban Development
[C]Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
[D]Ministry of Science and Technology
Answer: Ministry of Science and Technology
The Minister of State for Science and Technology Y.S.Chowdary has recently launched “Qora”, an indigenously developed Fecal Incontinence (FI) management system. The medical device has been developed by Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and is implemented at AIIMS and IIT Delhi in collaboration with International partners such as Stanford University (USA), Queensland University of Technology (Australia), etc. The Fecal incontinence (FI) is a medical condition marked by inability to control one’s bowel movements, causing stool (feces) to leak unexpectedly from the rectum. It affects nearly 100 million bed ridden patients worldwide.
6. Who has been sworn-in as the new President of Taiwan?
[A]Chen Chien-jen
[B]Lin Chuan
[C]Tsai Ing-wen
[D]Ma Ying-jeou
Answer: Tsai Ing-wen
Tsai Ing-wen has been sworn in as the first female President of Taiwan. She is the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which favours independence from China.
7. Who is the newly appointed Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)?
[A]Ritujha Prasad
[B]Rakesh Kumar Mishra
[C]GR Chandak
[D]PM Bhargava
Answer: Rakesh Kumar Mishra
Rakesh Kumar Mishra, a noted expert in the study of function of genes, has been appointed as the new Director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The headquarters of CCMB is in Hyderabad.
8. Who is the author of the book “Dr. Ambedkar: Life and Mission”?
[A]PC Ray
[B]Srinath Raghvan
[C]Dhananjay Kheer
[D]Suresh Menon
Answer: Dhananjay Kheer
The book “Dr. Ambedkar: Life and Mission” has been authored by Dhananjay Kheer. This book gives an idea of Dr. Ambedkar’s contribution to Indian thought, history, literature and the constitution and of his place in the evolution of Hinduism and its phases.
9. Which Indian journalist has been elected as the Deputy Mayor of Loughton town in the United Kingdom (UK)?
[A]Abhijeet Sen
[B]Philip Abraham
[C]Nikhil Saxena
[D]Carol Davis
Answer: Philip Abraham
Philip Abraham, councillor and journalist from Kerala, has been elected as the Deputy Mayor of Loughton town in the United Kingdom. Loughton is a vibrant town in the Epping forest district of Essex.
10. Which mobile app has been launched to transform President’s Estate into a smart township?
[A]NewIndia
[B]Faith
[C]BuildingBharat
[D]Monitor
Answer: Monitor
President Pranab Mukherjee has recently launched a mobile app ‘Monitor’ to transform President’s Estate into a smart township. Beside this, he also inaugurated an Intelligent Operations Centre (IOC) at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The app is a residents collaboration tool of the IOC. It will help residents and domain (Energy, Water, Horticulture, Waste and Security) supervisors to collaborate in a smarter way for their observations. It will enable residents to report issues such as broken street lights, electricity failure, water wastage etc and check resolution status using their mobile devices in the Estate on real time basis. The mobile app is created by IT Company IBM..

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