GK & Current Affairs : November 2, 2016

1. Who is the newly appointed chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)?
[A]Sushil Chandra
[B]Kaushal Sharma
[C]Junad Khan
[D]KV Pathak
Answer: Sushil Chandra
Notes:
Sushil Chandra, a 1980-batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (IRS), is the newly appointed chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the apex policy making body for the Income Tax department. He succeeded Rani Singh Nair. Prior to this appointment, he was the member (Investigation) of the CBDT. The CBDT has six members apart from the chairman and is responsible for framing policy and administrative issues related to direct taxes and the Income Tax department.
2. Which of the following states have become Open Defecation Free (ODF) states in India?
[A]Kerala, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh
[B]Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim
[C]Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Tripura
[D]Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Assam
Answer: Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim
Notes:
Kerala has become the 3rd Open Defecation Free (ODF) state in India on its foundation day (November 1, 2016) under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) – Gramin. With this, Kerala has become first high density populated state in India to achieve ODF status. Earlier, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim had declared themselves ODF states.
3. Who has won the 2016 Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix?
[A]Daniel Ricciardo
[B]Sebastian Vettel
[C]Lewis Hamilton
[D]Nico Rosberg
Answer: Lewis Hamilton
Notes:
Lewis Hamilton, a British Formula One racing driver from England, has won the 2016 Formula One Mexican Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
4. M N Sharma, who passed away recently, was the first chief architect of which Indian city?
[A]Kolkata
[B]Chennai
[C]New Delhi
[D]Chandigarh
Answer: Chandigarh
Notes:
MN Sharma (93), the first chief architect of Chandigarh, has recently passed away in Chandigarh. He recently wrote a book “Making of Chandigarh: Le Corbusier and After”, which brought the chronology of the events of the making of the city in his book. He was the first chief architect of Chandigarh, who closely worked with legendary Swiss-born French architect Le Corbusier. Sharma was the recipient of many national and international awards for his valuable contribution, including the award of the Institute of Life (France) for creating the best environment for the common man in 1973.
5. “Parippida Mission” has been launched by which state government to ensure housing for all?
[A]Kerala
[B]Karnataka
[C]Tamil Nadu
[D]Assam
Answer: Kerala
Notes:
The Kerala government has launched four major programmes viz. Parippida Mission, Haritha Keralam, Ardram and Life—in the education, health, housing and sanitation sectors to mark the 60th anniversary of the state on November 1, 2016. Under Parppida Mission, the government plans to ensure housing for all, while “Ardram” proposes to upgrade basic facilities in government hospitals without inflating rates. At least 1,000 schools are supposed to be elevated to international standards under “Life”, a scheme that will focus on improving liveability conditions. “Haritha Keralam”, which means “Green Kerala”, aims to look at effective methods of waste disposal, popularizing organic vegetable farming and conservation of forest and water resources. All schemes have a 5-year deadline.
6. Katherine Espin, who won the crown of 2016 Miss Earth, is belonged to which country?
[A]Philippines
[B]Ecuador
[C]Colombia
[D]Venezuela
Answer: Ecuador
Notes:
Katherine Elizabeth Espín of Ecuador has won the crown of 2016 Miss Earth at the Mall of Asia Arena, Philippines. She competed with 83 delegates from around the world for the prestigious and coveted beauty title with the theme “Empowered to make a Change”.
7. Silvio Gazzaniga, who designed the FIFA World Cup trophy, was belonged to which country?
[A]France
[B]Germany
[C]Italy
[D]Brazil
Answer: Italy
Notes:
Silvio Gazzaniga (95), the Italian sculptor who designed and created the FIFA World Cup trophy in 1971, has recently passed away in Milan, Italy. He was also known as “Mr Cups”, as he designed UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. The FIFA World Cup trophy is 18-carat solid gold trophy weighs approximately 6 kg (or 13 pounds). It depicts a moment of joy: two players celebrating with their arms outstretched and a globe resting on the backs of their shoulders.
8. What is the theme of 2016 World Savings Day?
[A]A global celebration for saving
[B]Shining a light on what people value
[C]Saving, investment and planning for retirement
[D]Grabbing hold of your financial future
Answer: Grabbing hold of your financial future
Notes:
The World Savings Day is observed every year on October 31 to increase the public’s awareness of the importance of savings both for modern economies and for individuals alike. The main topics are focused on the importance of savings in the global economy and how every depositor contributes to its development. The 2016 theme is “Grabbing Hold of Your Financial Future”.
9. “Sampriti-2016” a joint military training exercise will be conducted between India and which country?
[A]Myanmar
[B]Bangladesh
[C]Italy
[D]Venezuela
Answer: Bangladesh
Notes:
The joint military training exercise “Sampriti-2016” will be conducted between India and Bangladesh at Tangail, Dhaka, Bangladesh from 05 to 18 November 2016. The training will culminate with a final validation exercise in which troops of both armies will jointly practice a Counter Terrorist Operation in a controlled and simulated environment.
10. The book “Immortal” has been authored by whom?
[A]Ajay Kotian
[B]Krishna Udayasankar
[C]Nikita Deshpande
[D]Umang Jethva
Answer: Krishna Udayasankar
Notes:
The book “Immortal: Death is certain for all who are born…or is it?” has been authored by Krishna Udayasankar. It is the story of Asvatthama, the cursed immortal warrior from the Mahabharata, who is wandering on the Earth in the guise of Professor Bharadvaj. .

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