1. Which sector accounted for around 43 per cent in the total foreign inflows of India in 2020-21?
[A] Pharmaceutical sector
[B] Computer software and hardware
[C] Precious stones
[D] Petroleum Products
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Computer software and hardware]
Notes:
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in computer software and hardware rose over threefold to 26.14 billion during 2020-21. It accounted for about 43 per cent in the total 59.63 billion foreign inflows that India attracted in 2020-21.
As per the data from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, the sector received 7.67 billion FDI in 2019-20 and 6.41 billion in 2018-19.
2. Which is India’s first institution to be declared as Standard Developing Organization (SDO)?
[A] RDSO
[B] IRCTC
[C] DRDO
[D] RITES
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [RDSO]
Notes:
The Research Design & Standards Organization (RDSO), which functions under the Indian Railways has recently become the country’s first institution to be declared as Standard Developing Organization (SDO).
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) launched the scheme of ‘Recognition of SDO’, to attain the “One Nation One Standard” of the Government.
3. Leadership Group for Industry Transition, LeadIT, is the climate change initiative led by India and ………
[A] France
[B] Sweden
[C] Switzerland
[D] Germany
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sweden]
Notes:
Leadership Group for Industry Transition, LeadIT, is an Indian-Swedish climate change initiative. It will help the countries to take the lead in heavy industry transition as well as meet Paris Agreement goals and create new sustainable jobs,
Recently, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commended India and Sweden for their climate change initiative. He announced this during the Clean Energy Ministerial hosted by Chile.
4. India launched a Workstream to promote industrial energy efficiency, along with which country?
[A] USA
[B] Japan
[C] UK
[D] Germany
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [UK]
Notes:
India and the UK have launched a new workstream to promote industrial energy efficiency, under the Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI).
The 12th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) is being organised by Chile in virtual mode. IDDI is coordinated by the by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). It is also supported by Germany and Canada.
5. EAGLE Act, which was making news recently, is associated with which country?
[A] New Zealand
[B] USA
[C] Australia
[D] Brazil
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [USA]
Notes:
A bipartisan legislation was re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to eliminate the per-country cap on employment-based green card.
This new law is called as the EAGLE Act 2021. Currently, there is a 7% per-country limit on Visa issuance by the United States. If this law is cleared by the Senate, this would benefit a lot of Indian professionals and their family members who wish to immigrate to the country.
6. NACH facility, which was seen in the news recently, stands for?
[A] National Automobile Clearing House
[B] National Automated Clearing House
[C] National Accreditation Council of Higher Education
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [National Automated Clearing House]
Notes:
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) implemented “National Automated Clearing House (NACH)”, which can be used for making bulk transactions towards distribution and collection of payments.
NACH is a centralised system which consolidates multiple ECS systems running across the country. As per the RBI’s recent monetary policy committee meeting, the NACH facility would be available on all days of the week from August 1.
7. Trirashmi Buddhist cave complex, where three new caves have been discovered, is located in which state?
[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] Maharashtra
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Maharashtra]
Notes:
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), has discovered three new caves in the Trirashmi Buddhist cave complex, which is located near Nashik in Maharashtra.
This cave complex is also called the Pandav Leni. This site was first documented by a British military officer nearly two decades ago.
8. Which state in India has been witnessing African Swine Fever, which claimed over 4500 pigs?
[A] Goa
[B] Mizoram
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mizoram]
Notes:
The state of Mizoram has been severely affected by African Swine Fever (ASF), which has claimed more than 4,700 pigs in over two months, since the first case was reported.
As of now, the state government has declared 99 villages and localities as “infected areas”, of which 56 are located in Aizawl District, which is the state capital.
9. ‘Raising and Accelerating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Performance (RAMP) Program’ is an initiative of which organisation?
[A] IMF
[B] World Bank
[C] ILO
[D] UN
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [World Bank]
Notes:
The World Bank has approved a USD 500 million program to help boost India’s MSME sector. RAMP stands for Raising and Accelerating Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Performance.
The programme targets to improve the performance of five lakh 50 thousand MSMEs, by providing better access to finance and working capital for MSMEs. The World Bank had earlier launched Rs 750 million MSME Emergency Response Program in July last year.
10. PRANA, VaU, SWASTA, are the names of ventilators developed by which organisation?
[A] DRDO
[B] ISRO
[C] HAL
[D] BHEL
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ISRO]
Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed three types of ventilators recently named PRANA, VaU, SWASTA.
It includes a low-cost and portable ventilator, ‘Prana’ (“Programmable Respiratory Assistance for the Needy Aid’); ICU grade positive pressure mechanical ventilator titled ‘VaU’ (Ventilation assist Unit); and Gas-powered ventilator ‘Space Ventilator Aided System for Trauma Assistance (SVASTA)’.