GK & Current Affairs: July 8, 9, 2015

1. Which country is the biggest contributor to recently agreed BRICS currency reserve pool?
[A]India
[B]Russia
[C]China
[D]Brazil
Answer: China
The Central banks of BRICS countries have signed an operating agreement on the $100 billion currency reserve pool to protect BRICS member states from currency volatility shocks. China will make the biggest contribution to the pool: $41 billion. Russia, Brazil and India will donate $18 billion each, while South Africa’s investment will be $5 billion. The goal of the pool is to give BRICS member states opportunity to provide each other financial assistance in case of problems with their balance of payments.
2. Gennady Padalka, who beats record for career time spent in space, is from which country?
[A]USA
[B]Russia
[C]China
[D]Japan
Answer: Russia
Gennady Padalka, a Russian cosmonaut on board the International Space Station has broken the record for total time in space by spending more than two years in orbit during his career. He broke his countryman Sergei Krikalev’s record of 803 days, nine hours and 41 minutes.
3. The NABARD is planning to organise financial literacy and awareness programme in which state?
[A]Haryana
[B]Jharkhand
[C]Odisha
[D]West Bengal
Answer: Odisha
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) would organise a massive financial literacy and awareness drive on July 12 coinciding with the bank’s 34th Foundation Day. The awareness drive to be conducted across 27 districts of Odisha, is aimed at making people at grassroots level aware of the latest schemes launched by Government of India on financial inclusion and social security.The awareness would centre on schemes like Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Bima Suraksha Yojana (PMBSY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana (PMJJY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
4. In which state, a system to detect earthquakes and disseminate warnings has been installed?
[A]Haryana
[B]Andhra Pradesh
[C]Uttarkhand
[D]Uttar Pradesh
Answer: Uttarkhand
A system to detect earthquakes and disseminate warnings has been installed in Uttarkhand. Thus Uttarkhand has become the first state in the country to install such system in the country. It will issue warnings 1-40 seconds before earthquakes of magnitude 5 occur. The first system has been installed in Dehradun, and the second will be established at Pithoragarh in the Kumaon region.
5. Which country is not a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)?
[A]Russia
[B]Belarus
[C]China
[D]Kazakhstan
Answer: China
The Collective Security Treaty Organization was formed under the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States. It serves as a mutual defense alliance among Russia, Belarus, Armenia and the four Central Asian states except Turkmenistan. CSTO members are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
6. Prince Saud Al Faisal, who died recently, was the world’s longest-serving foreign minister of which country?
[A]Iran
[B]Saudi Arabia
[C]Iraq
[D]Egypt
Answer: Saudi Arabia
Prince Saud Al Faisal was a Saudi diplomat and statesman who served as Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister from 1975 to 2015. By the time of his retirement, he was the world’s longest-serving foreign minister. He was a member of the Saudi royal family.
7. Which country will chair the 2016-BRICS summit?
[A]India
[B]China
[C]South Africa
[D]Brazil
Answer: India
India will chair the BRICS Summit from February 2016 to December 2016.
8. Which of the following has been named world’s largest public work scheme?
[A]MGNREGA
[B]IRDP
[C]JSY
[D]IAY
Answer: MGNREGA
India’s rural employment guarantee programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA), has been ranked as the world’s largest public works one, a World Bank report said. MGNREGA is providing social security net to almost 15 per cent of the country’s population. India’s mid-day meal scheme has been classified as biggest school feeding programme, benefitting 105 million beneficiaries. The World Bank ranked the Janani Suraksha Yojna with 78 million beneficiaries as the top-most social security programme with conditional cash transfers. Also, it ranked the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme as the second-largest unconditional cash transfer social security progamme in the world.
9. Which programme was launched to inculcate a spirit of inquiry, creativity and love for Science and Mathematics in school children?
[A]Rashtriya Vignana Abhiyan
[B]Rashtriya Aviskar Abhiyan
[C]Rashtriya Sankalp Abhiyan
[D]Rashtriya Chaitanya Abhiyan
Answer: Rashtriya Aviskar Abhiyan
The union ministry of human resource development has launched Rashtriya Aviskar Abhiyan. It is a unique concept aims to inculcate a spirit of inquiry, creativity and love for Science and Mathematics in school children. Under Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, government schools will be mentored by Institutes like IITs/ IIMs/ IISERs and other Central Universities and reputed organisations through innovative programmes, student exchanges, demonstrations, student visits, etc to develop a natural sense of passion towards learning of Science and Maths.
10. Which city is the venue for the 2016 SAARC Literature Festival?
[A]Lucknow
[B]Pune
[C]Bengaluru
[D]Vijayawada
Answer: Lucknow
The SAARC Festival of Literature is organised annually by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL), an organisation that works in areas of literature and culture to build up relations among the countries. Renowned scholars, intellectuals, laureates, media persons, film makers and social activists from all the SAARC countries and from Myanmar will be attending the festival. Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh is the site for the 2016 SAARC Literature Festival.

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