1. Cabinet declared which day as ‘National Space Day’ in India?
[A] August 20
[B] August 23
[C] August 25
[D] August 27
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [August 23]
Notes:
Union Cabinet has declared August 23 as ‘National Space Day’ to commemorate Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing on the Moon.
The Cabinet also applauded the designation of two moon locations as ‘Tiranga Point’ (the imprint of Chandrayaan-2) and ShivShakti Point (the landing site of Chandrayaan-3) in the release.
2. Archaeologists have unearthed 3,000-year-old priestly tomb in which country?
[A] Peru
[B] Argentina
[C] Greece
[D] Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Peru]
Notes:
Archaeologists have recently unearthed 3,000-year-old priestly tomb, which had lain undisturbed, in northern Peru.
The occupant of the grave was dubbed as the Priest of Pacopampa by archaeologists after the highland area where it was found.
3. Which country’s military force has unveiled the artificial intelligence robot ‘Valkyrie’ for aerial combat?
[A] USA
[B] UK
[C] Germany
[D] UAE
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [USA]
Notes:
The Valkyrie, a next-generation drone, is a prototype, has been introduced by the United States military force.
It will serve as a supplement to the fleet of traditional fighter jets. The robot is powered into flight by a rocket engine and it can fly a distance equal to the width of China. It has a stealthy design and is capable of carrying missiles that can hit enemy targets far beyond its visual range.
4. Muhammed Anas and Amoj Jacob, who were in the news, are associated with which sports?
[A] Javelin Throw
[B] Weight lifting
[C] Relay
[D] Shotput
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Relay]
Notes:
Indian men’s 4x400m relay team consisting of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi and Rajesh Ramesh broke the Asian record.
The team qualified for the final round of the World Championships, for the first time. The earlier Asian record of 2:59.51 was in the name of Japanese team. The earlier national record was 3:00.25 set in 2021.
5. Which Union Ministry extended the deadline for enabling Aadhaar-based payment for MGNREGA workers?
[A] Ministry of Rural Development
[B] Ministry of Finance
[C] Ministry of MSME
[D] Ministry of Electronics and IT
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Ministry of Rural Development]
Notes:
As 42 per cent workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme still not eligible for Aadhaar-based payment system (ABPS), the deadline for enabling Aadhaar-based payment for MGNREGA workers was extended till December 31
Earlier, the deadline was September 1 and this is the fifth extension by the Centre. This was announced by the Ministry of Rural Development.
6. As per the annual lightning report, which state recorded the highest number of flashes in 2022- 23?
[A] Maharashtra
[B] Mizoram
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Sikkim
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
Madhya Pradesh is found to be the lightning hub of India with maximum flashes of 987,095 in 2022- 23 and highest deaths of 340 per year, according to the fourth annual lightning report.
It highlights that the country recorded more than 20 million lightning strikes in 2022-23, 60% increase in cloud-to-ground lightning from 2019-20. The Lightning Resilient India Campaign is a collaborative endeavour between the climate resilient observing systems promotion council (CROPC) and the India meteorological department (IMD).
7. National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to plant at least 10,000 trees in which state?
[A] Assam
[B] Manipur
[C] Uttarakhand
[D] Arunachal Pradesh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Uttarakhand]
Notes:
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to plant at least 10,000 trees within a month in Uttarakhand.
This direction was s part of compensatory tree plantation to make up for hundreds of trees felled during construction of a road from Simli to Gwaldam. There were petitions about construction of a road in the fragile and sensitive mountains of Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
8. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned 3.32 crore grant for safe public transport travel in which city?
[A] Chennai
[B] Hyderabad
[C] Pune
[D] Mysuru
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Hyderabad]
Notes:
A team of technology experts of BITS Hyderabad, IIT Mumbai and IIT Kharagpur, has won Asian Development Bank’s grant of USD 3.99 lakh (₹3.32 crore) to develop TUTEM.
TUTEM stands for Technologies for Urban Transit to Enhance Mobility and Safe Accessibility. It aims for safe public transport travel in Hyderabad.
9. What was India’s goods and services tax collection in August 2023?
[A] Rs 1.34 lakh crore
[B] Rs 1.59 lakh crore
[C] Rs 1.65 lakh crore
[D] Rs 1.72 lakh crore
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Rs 1.59 lakh crore]
Notes:
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues for August 2023 have shown a growth of 11 per cent year-on-year as it stands at Rs 1.59 lakh crore.
The increase is due to increased compliance and reduced evasion. In August 2022, the collection from GST was Rs 1,43,612 crore. Out of the Rs 1.59 lakh crore GST collected, CGST accounted for Rs 28,328 crore, SGST for Rs 35,794 crore, IGST for Rs 83,251 crore, and cess for Rs 11,695 crore.
10. Which state launched the ‘Mukhyamantri Medhabi Chatra Protshan Yojana (MMCPY)’?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Odisha
[C] Karnataka
[D] Bihar
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Odisha]
Notes:
The government of Odisha has launched the Mukhyamantri Medhabi Chatra Protsahan Yojana (MMCPY) to provide financial assistance to scheduled tribe (ST) and scheduled caste (SC) students pursuing higher studies in medical and engineering.
Under the scheme, the government will reimburse the entire course fees.