1. Which variety accounts for maximum production of silk in India?
[A] Mulberry
[B] Muga
[C] Eri
[D] Tasar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Mulberry]
Notes:Mulberry silk is the most popular variety of silk in India, accounting for around 79% of the country’s silk production. In 2022, India produced nearly 26,000 metric tons of mulberry silk. The other varieties of silk produced in India are:
- Tasar, which accounted for 8.02% of the total raw silk production
- Eri, which accounted for 20.55% of the total raw silk production
- Muga, which accounted for 0.71% of the total raw silk production
India is the second largest producer of silk in the world. The five states that produce the most silk are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Jammu & Kashmir.
2. The National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) which started as a Central Sector Scheme since Rabi season 1999-2000, has been recently modified. The modified NAIS will be launched in how many districts as a Pilot scheme?
[A] 50 Districts
[B] 100 Districts
[C] 150 Districts
[D] 200 Districts
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [50 Districts]
Notes:
National Agricultural Insurance Scheme was launched by the Government of India in the year 1999-2000. The coverage was for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, horticultural and commercial crops farmers and loanees as well as non-loanees farmers. The modified NAIS will be launched in 50 districts.
3. Who among the following has been honoured with 2016 Green Economy Visionary Award?
[A] R Seetharaman
[B] Arundhati Bhattacharya
[C] Renu Sud Karnad
[D] Naina Lal Kidwai
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [ R Seetharaman ]
Notes:
R Seetharaman, a Qatar-based Indian banker has been awarded for his contribution in environment-friendly activities and for promoting green economy for nearly two decades. R Seetharaman, group chief executive officer of Doha Bank, was honoured with the 'Green Economy Visionary award' at the 2016 Union of Arab Banks International Banking Summit held in Rome.
4. India has signed a MoU with which country for the famous "The Building Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP)"?
[A] France
[B] Israel
[C] Russia
[D] Switzerland
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [ Switzerland]
Notes:
Recently, Switzerland and India have inked a pact to extend the Indo-Swiss Building Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP) by five years till 2021 based on successes achieved by the project in the first phase.
5. Provision Coverage Ratio is associated to which of the following?
[A] Bad Loans
[B] Capital Gain Tax
[C] Base Erosion and Profit Sharing
[D] Ratio of deposits in current and saving accounts
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [ Bad Loans ]
Notes:
Under Provision Coverage Ratio (PCR), banks set aside funds to cover bad loans. A higher provision coverage ratio means the bank is protecting itself better against its bad loans. It was recently in news when provision coverage ratio for most of the public sector banks went down and quantity of bad loans increased.
6. Recently, the Bengal Government applied to get GI Certification for 'Tulaipanji' and 'Gobindobhog'. 'Tulaipanji' and 'Gobindobhog' are:
[A] Sweet dishes
[B] Aromatic rice
[C] Conch-shell products
[D] Jute products
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Aromatic rice]
Notes:
'Tulaipanji' and 'Gobindobhog' are varieties of aromatic rice. Recently, the Bengal Government applied in the Office of Geographical Indications, Chennai for GI certification of products.
7. “Bharatmala Pariyojana”, sometimes seen in news, aims to:
[A] promote port-led development along Indian coast line
[B] connect more than 1 lakh gram panchayats through optical fibre network
[C] achieve optimal resource allocation for a holistic highway development
[D] improve the navigability of inland water in the country
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [achieve optimal resource allocation for a holistic highway development]
Notes:
Bharatmala Pariyojana is an umbrella programme which includes construction of roads nationwide including in border and coastal areas. It aims to achieve optimal resource allocation for a holistic highway development. It will look to improve connectivity particularly on economic corridors, border areas and national highways in the country.
8. Recently, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in its environment report entitled, “Solid approach to waste: how five cities are beating pollution” has recognised 5 cities in the world for their excellent waste management system. Which Indian city has made into the UNEP list?
[A] Indore
[B] Alappuzha
[C] Gandhinagar
[D] Bengaluru
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Alappuzha]
Notes:
Recently, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in its environment report entitled, “Solid approach to waste: how five cities are beating pollution” has recognised 5 cities in the world for their excellent waste management system. These include Osaka in Japan, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Penang in Malaysia and Cajica in Colombia and Alappuzha in India.
9. The recently launched Operation Save Kurma by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) aims to protect _?
[A] Turtles
[B] Great Indian bustard
[C] Lion-tailed macaque
[D] Indian rhinoceros
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Turtles]
Notes:
Operation Save Kurma was a species specific operation on turtles launched from December 15, 2016 to January 30, 2017. Under it total of 15,739 live turtles were recovered from 45 suspects, having inter-state linkages. It helped the enforcement agencies to focus on the existing trade routes and major trade hubs in the country, which will be continued in future.
10. The Railway Budget 2016 proposed three new freight corridors. Consider the following pairs of proposed freight corridors with their connecting places:
- North-South – Delhi to Visakhapatnam
- East-West – Kharagpur to Mumbai
- East-Coast – Kharagpur to Vijayawada
Which of the above is/are correctly matched?
[A] Only 1
[B] Only 2 & 3
[C] Only 1 & 3
[D] 1, 2 & 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Only 2 & 3]
Notes:
The three proposed corridors are North-South connecting Delhi to Chennai, East-West connecting Kharagpur to Mumbai and East-Coast connecting Kharagpur to Vijayawada.