21. India’s first commercial utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) is located at which place?
[A] Kilokri, South Delhi
[B] Amarsar, Jaipur
[C] Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
[D] Pokhran, Jaisalmer
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Kilokri, South Delhi]
Notes:
India’s first commercial utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) will go live in March 2025. It is located in Kilokri, a village in south Delhi. The BESS is a 20 MW/40 MWh battery cluster that is part of the BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL) Kilokri substation. The system is expected to provide four hours of power every day, two hours each during the day and at night. The BESS project is a collaboration between BRPL, IndiGrid, and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP). The project is a significant milestone in India’s efforts to integrate renewable energy and modernize its power infrastructure.
22. Which city has become home to India’s first Green Hydrogen Hub under the National Green Hydrogen Mission?
[A] Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
[B] Indore, Madhya Pradesh
[C] Vadodara, Gujarat
[D] Jaipur, Rajasthan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of India’s first Green Hydrogen Hub in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). NGHM was announced in January 2023 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Its objective is to make India a global hub for green hydrogen production, usage, and export. The target is to produce 5 MMT of green hydrogen annually by 2030.
23. Which organization released the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025 report?
[A] United Nations (UN)
[B] World Bank
[C] International Monetary Fund (IMF)
[D] Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [United Nations (UN)]
Notes:
World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025 report was recently released by the UN. According to this report, the Indian economy is projected to grow by 6.6% in 2025 and 6.7% in 2026, supported by private consumption and investments. The UN report highlighted the public sector’s role in funding infrastructure, digital connectivity, and social infrastructure projects. Capital expenditure on infrastructure will have strong multiplier effects, boosting growth. Manufacturing, services, and strong export growth in pharmaceuticals and electronics will drive economic activity. Favorable monsoon rains in 2024 are expected to boost agricultural output in 2025. Risks include geopolitical tensions, debt challenges, and climate hazards affecting growth.
24. Which country is the host of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit 2025?
[A] Russia
[B] France
[C] China
[D] India
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [France]
Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit 2025 in France from February 10 to 11. The summit will be hosted at the Grand Palais in Paris, announced by French President Emmanuel Macron. The event will bring together Heads of State, international leaders, CEOs, academics, NGOs, and civil society members. The summit will focus on five themes: public interest in AI, the future of work, innovation and culture, trust in AI, and global AI governance.
25. Recently, where was the regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ held?
[A] New Delhi
[B] Chennai
[C] Bengaluru
[D] Hyderabad
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [New Delhi]
Notes:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The conference, organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), aimed to address drug trafficking and its impact on national security. Amit Shah launched the Drug Disposal Fortnight and inaugurated the new office complex of the Bhopal Zonal Unit of NCB. He also extended the MANAS-2 helpline to all 36 states and Union Territories. The conference focused on tackling drug trafficking in eight northern Indian states and union territories.
26. Indravati National Park is located in which state?
[A] Odisha
[B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] Jharkhand
[D] Chhattisgarh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Chhattisgarh]
Notes:
Five Maoists, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Indravati National Park, Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. Indravati National Park is located in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. It was established in 1981. It became a tiger reserve in 1983 under India’s Project Tiger. The park is named after the Indravati River, which flows east to west and forms its northern boundary with Maharashtra.
27. Neptune Missile is developed by which country?
[A] Ukraine
[B] China
[C] Iran
[D] Israel
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ukraine]
Notes:
Ukraine’s Security Service and Navy used a Neptune missile to strike an ammunition depot in Russia’s Rostov region. The R-360 Neptune is a Ukrainian-made subsonic cruise missile, originally designed for anti-ship use and later adapted for land attacks. It is based on the Russian Kh-35 missile, known as AS-20 Kayak by NATO. The missile entered service with the Ukrainian Navy in March 2021. It weighs 870 kg, is 5.05 meters long, and has a 400 km range. It travels at 900 km/h, with altitudes from 10 to 300 meters, dropping to 3 meters in the final phase.
28. Prime Minister Ilza Amado Vaz, who recently announced her resignation, belongs to which country?
[A] Cameroon
[B] Sao Tome and Principe
[C] Chad
[D] Democratic Republic of the Congo
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sao Tome and Principe ]
Notes:
São Tomé and Príncipe Prime Minister Ilza Amado Vaz resigned after her proposed cabinet list was publicly leaked before informing President Carlos Vila Nova. Amado Vaz, a former justice minister, was appointed prime minister following the dissolution of Patrice Trovoada’s government. São Tomé and Príncipe is a small archipelago in the Gulf of Guinea, covering just over 1,000 sq. km.
29. Which district of West Bengal is home to Eastern India’s first astronomical observatory?
[A] Purulia
[B] Jalpaiguri
[C] Birbhum
[D] Bankura
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Purulia]
Notes:
The first astronomical observatory in Eastern India has been inaugurated in Garpanchkot Hills, Purulia, by the Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS). This is the sixth such observatory in India and is named after Satyendra Nath Bose. The observatory, located 600 meters above sea level at approximately 86° E longitude, fills a key gap in astronomical observations. It aims to aid scientific observations, student training, and foster national and international research collaborations. The observatory is strategically placed to observe transient astronomical phenomena. Satyendra Nath Bose Centre has partnered with Sidhu Kanu Birsa University for its operation.
30. Which ministry has implemented Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY)?
[A] Ministry of Jal Shakti
[B] Ministry of Rural Development
[C] Ministry of Agriculture
[D] Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Ministry of Rural Development]
Notes:
The Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development is implementing the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY) to develop degraded and rainfed areas. Activities include ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil conservation, rainwater harvesting, nursery raising, and pasture development. WDC-PMKSY 1.0 improved groundwater, surface water, crop productivity, and farmers’ income. In 2021-22, 1150 projects covering 50 lakh hectares were sanctioned under WDC-PMKSY 2.0 with ₹12,303 Crores. 56 new projects worth ₹700 Crores are sanctioned in 10 top-performing states, covering 2.8 lakh hectares to improve farmers’ income, combat land degradation, and enhance climate resilience.