GK & Current Affairs: January 19, 2017
1. The 2017 Dantan Gramin Mela has started in which of the following states?
[A]West Bengal
[B]Mizoram
[C]Assam
[D]Chhattisgarh
Answer: West Bengal
Notes:
President Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated the 28th edition of Dantan Gramin Mela in West Midnapore district in West Bengal in a few hours time on January 19, 2017. He is on a 4-day visit to West Bengal. The fair will display the rural handicraft skills of the people of the region. The different goods ranging from textile to terracotta will be on display.
2. Where is the headquarters of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)?
[A]Germany
[B]Brazil
[C]South Korea
[D]France
Answer: South Korea
Notes:
The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is an international non-profit i.e. devoted to developing and introducing new and improved vaccine to protect the people, especially children, against deadly infectious diseases. The headquarters of IVI is located in Seoul, South Korea. It is in news because the Union Cabinet has recently given its approval to the proposal for India’s taking full membership of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) Governing Council. This decision involves payment of annual contribution of US $5,00,000 to the IVI.
3. Which state has become the India’s first state to launch “Aanandam programme” to help the needy persons?
[A]Odisha
[B]Assam
[C]Sikkim
[D]Madhya Pradesh
Answer: Madhya Pradesh
Notes:
Madhya Pradesh has become the India’s first state where Aanandam programme has been launched to help the needy persons. The places have been fixed in each district where the economically sound citizens can donate items for the needy persons under the programme. The Aanandam programme of the newly-formed Aanand Department has been launched by the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at the local TT Nagar Stadium in Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh is the first state in India which has constituted Anand department.
4. What is the theme of the 2017 Raisina Dialogue?
[A]The New Normal: Multilateralism in a multipolar world
[B]The New Normal: Multilateral in a multipolar world
[C]The New Normal: Multilateralistic in a multipolar world
[D]The New Normal: Multifocal in a multipolar world
Answer: The New Normal: Multilateralism in a multipolar world
Notes:
The 2nd edition of Ministry of External Affairs’ annual conference “Raisina Dialogue” has been held at Taj Palace in New Delhi from 17-19 January, 2017 with the theme “The New Normal: Multilateralism in a multipolar world”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and addressed the opening session of the Dialogue, which is India’s flagship geo-political conference. The conference was attended by delegates from 65 countries.
5. “Mission 41K” has been launched by which union ministry to save energy?
[A]Ministry of Urban Development
[B]Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
[C]Ministry of Urban Development
[D]Ministry of Railways
Answer: Ministry of Railways
Notes:
The Union Minister of Railway, Suresh Prabhu has recently launched “Mission 41K” to save Rs. 41,000 crore on the Indian Railways’ expenditure on energy consumption over the next 10 years. This target will be achieved by taking a slew of measures which include moving 90% of traffic to electric traction over diesel. Presently, this is at 50% of the total rail traffic. The launch of this programme was undertaken at a Roundtable Discussion on Energy Initiatives of Indian Railways with external stakeholders. The railways also aim to procure more and more electricity at cheaper rates through open market instead of sourcing it through DISCOMs and thereby hope to save as much as 25% on its energy expenses.
6. Which portal has been launched by the Union Government for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)?
[A]Shiksha portal
[B]Maitri portal
[C]Desh Bharti portal
[D]Shagun portal
Answer: Shagun portal
Notes:
The Union HRD Minister, Prakash Javadekar has recently launched a dedicated web portal “ShaGun” for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) at New Delhi. The purpose of the portal is to capture and showcase innovations and progress in Elementary Education sector of India by continuous monitoring of the flagship scheme “SSA”. It will help to monitor progress of implementation of SSA by assessing performance of States and Uts on key parameters and thereby serve as a platform for the central government for effective planning and deliver on the promise of providing quality education to all. Beside this, the Union HRD Minister also unveiled the ‘Toolkit for Master Trainers in Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs’, which has been prepared by World Bank (WB) in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD).
7. What is the India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 17, as per latest report of United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2017?
[A]7.7%
[B]7.6%
[C]6.6%
[D]7.0%
Answer: 7.7%
Notes:
As per latest report of United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2017, India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 17 has been projected to 7.7% and 7.6% for FY 18 (2017-18). Though, the report cautioned that low capacity utilization and stressed balance sheets of banks and businesses will prevent a strong investment revival in the short term.
8. Who has been selected as the new chief of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)?
[A]JS?Khehar
[B]Satish Mathur
[C]RK Dutta
[D]Alok Kumar Verma
Answer: Alok Kumar Verma
Notes:
Alok Kumar Verma, a 1979-batch IPS officer, has been selected as the new chief of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the 3-member committee headed by PM Narendra Modi. The post of CBI director was lying vacant since the retirement of Anil Sinha on December 2, 2016. Presently, Verma is the Delhi Police Commissioner. At present, Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana is the interim director of CBI.
9. Jacob Polley, who has won the 2016 TS Eliot Prize for poetry, is belonged to which country?
[A]United Kingdom
[B]United States
[C]South Africa
[D]Malaysia
Answer: United Kingdom
Notes:
Jacob Polley has won the 2016 TS Eliot Prize for poetry and won the coveted £20,000 award for his collection “Jackself” at the Wallace Collection Gallery in London, United Kingdom (UK). Jackself is a sequence of narrative poems partly inspired by his childhood in Cumbria, United Kingdom (UK).
10. Farrukh Amonatov, who has won the 2017 Delhi International Open chess tournament, is belonged to which country?
[A]Kyrgyzstan
[B]Tajikistan
[C]Iran
[D]Uzbekistan
Answer: Tajikistan
Notes:
Farrukh Amonatov of Tajikistan has won the 15th edition of Delhi International Open chess tournament-2017 and received Rs. 4 lakh in prize money. He is the only chess grandmaster of Tajikistan. .
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