Dear Readers, Daily Current Affairs Questions Quiz for SBI, IBPS, RBI, RRB, SSC Exam 2024 of 06th April 2024. Daily GK quiz online for bank & competitive exam. Here we have given the Daily Current Affairs Quiz based on the previous days Daily Current Affairs updates. Candidates preparing for IBPS, SBI, RBI, RRB, SSC Exam 2024 & other competitive exams can make use of these Current Affairs Quiz.

 

Start Quiz

 

1) The Reserve Bank of India has postponed the adoption of exchange-traded foreign exchange derivatives regulations until May 3rd, 2024. In which year did the RBI allow transactions in dollar-rupee currency futures to hedge foreign exchange rate risks or for other purposes when currency futures trading first started?

(a) 2005

(b) 2007

(c) 2008

(d) 2009

(e) 2006

2) How much amount (in crores) has the Income Tax Department demanded from Indian Overseas Bank, Tamilnad Mercantile Bankand Karur Vysya Bank?

(a) Rs.570crores

(b) Rs.670crores

(c) Rs.770crores

(d) Rs.870crores

(e) Rs.470crores

3) How many number of demat accounts were added in the fiscal year 2024, the highest growth ever, averaging more than 30 lakh accounts each month, owing to market rally?

(a) 3.2crores

(b) 3.3crores

(c) 3.5crores

(d) 3.7crores

(e) 3.9crores

4) In April 2024, which bank will introduce a variety of new products and services to improve customer experience and banking efficiency?

(a) Axis bank

(b) Canara bank

(c) Indian bank

(d) ICICI bank

(e) Punjab National Bank

5) State Bank of India and Standard Chartered Trade Credit Default Swaps Under New Reserve Bank of India Guidelines. How much amount (in crore) was the CDS trade worth, showing a significant financial commitment from both parties involved?

(a) Rs.15crores

(b) Rs.25crores

(c) Rs.35crores

(d) Rs.10crores

(e) Rs.20crores

6) How many places will the first phase of India's plan to build a strategic petroleum reserve with a private enterprise be completed by 2029–2030?

(a) 2

(b) 3

(c) 4

(d) 5

(e) 6

7) After the elections, a new PLI plan for components will be introduced. Consequently, the current Rs 3,285-crore scheme for the promotion of the production of semiconductors and electronic components (SPECS) will not be extended. It ended on March 31, 2024. When werethe SPECS introduced?

(a) 2019

(b) 2020

(c) 2021

(d) 2022

(e) 2018

8) Through the end of December 2023, investments totalling more than Rs 1.06 lakh crore were drawn to 14 different sectors under production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes. Which sector currently receives the largest share of this scheme?

(a) Automobiles

(b) Steel

(c) Solar Modules

(d) Pharmacy

(e) Drones

9) Which country was hit by the strongest earthquake in 25 years, with a magnitude of 7.2, that occurred close to Hualien County?

(a) Chile

(b) Peru

(c) Philippines

(d) Guatemala

(e) Taiwan

10) MyCGHS, an iOS app, was just released by the Union Health Ministry.Which state's National Informatics Centre (NIC) technical teams collaborated with the NIC Health Team to create the myCGHS iOS app?

(a) Andhra Pradesh

(b) Madhya Pradesh

(c) Uttar Pradesh

(d) Arunachal Pradesh

(e) Himachal Pradesh

11) Which edition of the CIDC Vishwakarma Award honours SJVN for its exceptional contribution to the sphere of corporate social responsibility in 2024?

(a) 14th

(b) 15th

(c) 16th

(d) 17th

(e) 18th

12) Rakesh Mohan is appointed as the Member of the World Bank's economic advisory panel. How many organizations are a part of the World Bank Group?

(a) 4

(b) 5

(c) 6

(d) 7

(e) 3

13) Which company has Mahendra Singh Dhoni on board as a new brand ambassador?

(a) MakeMyTrip

(b) Clear Trip

(c) Goibibo

(d) EaseMy Trip

(e) Yatra

14) J&K Bank and Paymart collaborated to introduce the Virtual ATM Facility.Currently, users can withdraw a maximum of Rs 2,000 in cash for every transaction and a total of what number of rupees per month?

(a) Rs.10000

(b) Rs.20000

(c) Rs.30000

(d) Rs.40000

(e) Rs.50000

15) Which company offers health insurance options up to Rs 1 crore through its partnership with Star Health?

(a) Paytm

(b) Phonepe

(c) Gpay

(d) BHIM

(e) Razorpay

16) Which platform declared that it will be working with the Press Trust of India (PTI) as a part of its third-party fact-checking initiative in the country?

(a) Google

(b) Meta

(c) Amazon

(d) Flipkart

(e) Microsoft

17) According to cargo throughput, Paradip Port is the largest major port in India as of FY24. Which year did the port open for company operations?

(a) 1965

(b) 1966

(c) 1967

(d) 1968

(e) 1969

18) The Akashteer system is adopted by the Indian Army. What theme has been chosen for 2024 by Indian Army?

(a) Year of Power Beyond Boundaries

(b) In Stride with the Future

(c) Year of Technology Absorption

(d) Year of Courage, Sacrifice duty

(e) Digital Transformation of Defence

19) Astronomers are looking forward to posting high-resolution telescopes on the moon and in orbit around it, including one from India called Probing ReionizATion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen (PRATUSH).PRATUSH refers to which type of telescope that will be deployed on the moon's far side?

(a) Refracting telescope

(b) Radio telescope

(c) Ultraviolet telescope

(d) Submillimeter telescope

(e) Large Liquid mirror telescope

20) Which country's footballer and Olympian Luke Fleurs was fatally shot in a carjacking incident?

(a) Australia

(b) South Africa

(c) England

(d) Srilanka

(e) Pakistan

Answers :

1) Answer: C

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has postponed the implementation of norms on exchange-traded currency derivatives (ETCDs) linked to the Indian rupee until May 3, 2024, in response to investor concerns.
• The norms were scheduled to take effect starting from April 05, 2024.
• Initially, when currency futures trading began in August 2008, the RBI allowed transactions in dollar-rupee currency futures for hedging foreign exchange rate risks or other purposes.

Detailed Explanation:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has postponed the implementation of norms on exchange-traded currency derivatives (ETCDs) linked to the Indian rupee until May 3, 2024, in response to investor concerns.
• The norms were scheduled to take effect starting from April 05, 2024.
• Requirement for Underlying Exposure: Rupee-denominated currency contracts traded on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the BSE now require underlying exposure.
• Though traders are not required to provide evidence of underlying exposure for positions up to $100 million, they must confirm the existence of such exposure.
• Regulatory Framework: The regulatory framework for participation in ETCDs involving the rupee is guided by the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999, and regulations framed thereunder, which mandate that currency derivative contracts involving rupee- both over-the-counter (OTC) and exchange traded are permitted only for the purpose of hedging of exposure to foreign exchange rate risks.
• Norms Remain Unchanged: The RBI stated that the deferred norms reiterated the existing regulatory framework for participation in ETCDs involving the rupee, without introducing any alterations.
• Initially, when currency futures trading began in August 2008, the RBI allowed transactions in dollar-rupee currency futures for hedging foreign exchange rate risks or other purposes.

2) Answer: C

• The Income Tax (I-T) Department has slapped Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB), Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) and Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) with demand notices for ₹770 crores for the assessment year 2022-23 on account of certain additions and disallowances.

Detailed Explanation:

• The Income Tax (I-T) Department has slapped Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB), Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) and Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) with demand notices for ₹770 crores for the assessment year 2022-23 on account of certain additions and disallowances.
• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) received a demand notice of ₹620 crore due to certain additions and disallowances, discovered on March 28, 2024.
• IOB is preparing to file an appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), National Faceless Appeal Centre (NFAC), within the stipulated time frame.
• There is a demand of ₹110 crore on IOB for certain additions and disallowances, with this information received on March 30, 2024.
• Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) received a demand notice for ₹40 crore.

3) Answer: D

• Nearly 7 crore (36.91 million ) demat accounts were added in the fiscal year 2024, marking the largest increase ever, averaging over 30 lakh accounts a month, driven by a rally in the market.
• The number of Demat accounts opened with two depositories the Central Depository Services (CDSL) and the National Securities Depository (NSDL) jumped 9% year-on-year, to 15.14 crore from 11.45 crore.

Detailed Explanation:

• Nearly 7 crore (36.91 million ) demat accounts were added in the fiscal year 2024, marking the largest increase ever, averaging over 30 lakh accounts a month, driven by a rally in the market.
• The number of Demat accounts opened with two depositories the Central Depository Services (CDSL) and the National Securities Depository (NSDL) jumped 9% year-on-year, to 15.14 crore from 11.45 crore.
• At the same time, the benchmark Sensex and Nifty50 jumped 24.85 percent and 28.61% in FY24, while the broader BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices jumped 63.4% and 60%.
• The number of Rs 1-trillion market capitalization stocks increased to 80 from 48 in the previous fiscal year.
• Furthermore, there was a substantial increase in coverage by sell-side analysts, with 250 stocks now covered by at least 10 analysts.

What is a Demat account?

• A Demat Account or Dematerialised Account provides the facility of holding shares and securities in an electronic format.
• A Demat Account holds all the investments an individual makes in shares, government securities, exchange-traded funds, bonds and mutual funds in one place.

Benefits of Demat account :

• Seamless and fast transfer of shares
• Facilitates digitally secured storing of securities
• Eliminates theft, forgery, loss and damage of security certificates
• Easy tracking of trading activities
• All-time access
• Allows to add beneficiaries
• Automatic credit of bonus stocks, rights issues, split shares

4) Answer: B

• Canara Bank, a Public Sector Bank has unveiled a series of new products and services aimed at enhancing customer experience and streamlining banking operations.
• The bank is launching a healthcare-focused loan product Canara Heal, to meet the shortfall of hospitalization expenditure while settling through Third Party Administrator (TPA) healthcare insurance claims of self and/or dependents.

Detailed Explanation:

• Canara Bank, a Public Sector Bank has unveiled a series of new products and services aimed at enhancing customer experience and streamlining banking operations.
• The bank is launching a healthcare-focused loan product Canara Heal, to meet the shortfall of hospitalization expenditure while settling through Third Party Administrator (TPA) healthcare insurance claims of self and/or dependents.
• A customized savings account for women -Canara Angel , with features like Cancer Care policy, pre-approved personal loan Canara ReadyCash and online loan against term deposit product Canara MyMoney.
• The bank has also unveiled ‘Canara UPI 123PAY ASI’, a user-friendly payment interface, and ‘Canara HRMS Mobile App for Staff’, an HR management solution for the bank’s employees.
• The launch ceremony of the new products saw the attendance of Rajesh Bansal, CEO, Reserve Bank Innovation Hub, Canara Bank’s MD & CEO, K Satyanarayana Raju.
• Rajesh Bansal, CEO, Reserve Bank Innovation Hub, launched a Digital SHG initiative named Canara SHG e-MONEY.
• Canara Bank is the first Bank to offer seamless doorstep Digital services to SHGs in collaboration with RBIH.

5) Answer: B

• The Credit Default Swap (CDS) trade between the State Bank of India (SBI) and Standard Chartered Bank India is significant as it marks the first transaction of its kind following the issuance of fresh guidelines by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regarding CDS instruments.
• The CDS trade was valued at ₹25 crore, indicating a substantial financial commitment from both parties involved.

Detailed Explanation:

• The Credit Default Swap (CDS) trade between the State Bank of India (SBI) and Standard Chartered Bank India is significant as it marks the first transaction of its kind following the issuance of fresh guidelines by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regarding CDS instruments.
• The CDS trade was valued at ₹25 crore, indicating a substantial financial commitment from both parties involved.
• The trade involved a 1-year rupee CDS featuring REC.
• This landmark transaction marks a pivotal moment in credit risk management and underscores the growing sophistication of financial instruments in the Indian market.
• Credit default swaps are derivative instruments that provide a form of insurance against the risk of default of the issuer of a bond.
• A credit default swap (CDS) is a financial swap agreement in which the seller of the CDS will compensate the buyer in the event of a debt default (by the debtor) or other credit event.
• That is, the seller of the CDS insures the buyer against some reference asset defaulting.
• The buyer of the CDS makes a series of payments (the CDS ``fee " or"spread ") to the seller and, in exchange, may expect to receive a payoff if the asset defaults.

6) Answer: B

• India plans to build its first privately managed strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) by 2029-30, granting the operator the freedom to trade all of the stored oil.
• The ISPRL had in the first phase built a strategic petroleum reserve in underground unlined rock caverns for storage of 5.33 million tonnes of crude oil at three locations — Visakhapatnam (1.33 million tonnes) in Andhra Pradesh, and Mangalore (1.5 million tonnes) and Padur (2.5 million tonnes) in Karnataka.

Detailed Explanation:

• India plans to build its first privately managed strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) by 2029-30, granting the operator the freedom to trade all of the stored oil.
• Allowing a fully commercial SPR mirrors the model adopted by countries such as Japan and South Korea, which allow private lessees, mostly oil majors, to trade the crude.
• So far, India has allowed only partial commercialisation for its three existing SPRs in southern India, which have a combined capacity of 36.7 million barrels.
• The ISPRL had in the first phase built a strategic petroleum reserve in underground unlined rock caverns for storage of 5.33 million tonnes of crude oil at three locations — Visakhapatnam (1.33 million tonnes) in Andhra Pradesh, and Mangalore (1.5 million tonnes) and Padur (2.5 million tonnes) in Karnataka.
• India plans to build two new SPRs - the first an 18.3 million barrels cavern at Padur in southern Karnataka state, and then a 29.3 million barrels SPR in eastern Odisha state - with private partners allowed to trade all of the oil locally.
• The government will have the first right to the oil in the event of a shortage.
• ISPRL, a company charged with managing India's SPRs, last month issued a tender to gauge interest among local and global companies for the Padur SPR.
• India, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer, is keen to expand its SPR capacity to hedge against global supply disruptions and price spikes.
• ISPRL estimates the Padur SPR and linked pipeline and oil import facility would cost about 55 billion rupees ($659 million), with the federal government providing up to 60 per cent of the total.

7) Answer: B

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will come out with a new production-linked incentive scheme for component manufacturing after the elections.
• The SPECS scheme, which comes to an end, was launched in 2020 for three years and was extended till March 31, 2024.

Detailed Explanation:

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will come out with a new production-linked incentive scheme for component manufacturing after the elections.
• As a result, the current Rs 3,285-crore scheme for the promotion of manufacturing of electronic components and semiconductors (SPECS), which came to an end on 31st March 2024, will not be renewed.
• The SPECS scheme, which comes to an end, was launched in 2020 for three years and was extended till March 31, 2024.
• It offers a financial incentive of 25% of capital expenditure for the manufacturing of goods such as discrete semiconductor devices including transistors and diodes; USB/data cables.
• The government has received applications from 42 companies under the SPECS scheme, with a proposed investment of Rs 11,690 crore.
• The committed incentive from the government comes to Rs 1,612 crores.
• The government has set a target of achieving $300 billion in electronics manufacturing production by 2025-2026, from $102 billion in FY23.

8) Answer: D

• Production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes for 14 sectors have attracted over Rs 1.06 lakh crore investments till December 2023 with pharma and solar modules accounting for nearly half of the total.
• The response to the schemes was tepid in sectors like IT hardware, auto, auto components, textiles, and ACC battery storage till December 2023.
• According to the data, the pharmaceuticals and drugs sector attracted Rs 25,813 crore till December last year, exceeding the expected investments of Rs 17,275 crore.

Detailed Explanation:

• Production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes for 14 sectors have attracted over Rs 1.06 lakh crore investments till December 2023 with pharma and solar modules accounting for nearly half of the total.
• The response to the schemes was tepid in sectors like IT hardware, auto, auto components, textiles, and ACC battery storage till December 2023.
• The government 2021 announced PLI schemes for 14 sectors such as telecommunication, white goods, textiles, manufacturing of medical devices, automobiles, speciality steel, food products, high-efficiency solar PV modules, advanced chemistry cell battery, drones, and pharma with an outlay of Rs 1.97 lakh crore.
• According to the data, the pharmaceuticals and drugs sector attracted Rs 25,813 crore till December last year, exceeding the expected investments of Rs 17,275 crore.
• As regards the high-efficiency solar PV modules, the total investment was Rs 22,904 crore as against the expected investment of Rs 1.10 lakh crore.
• The lowest investment was received in IT hardware at Rs 270 crore against expected investments of Rs 2,517 crore.
• The other PLI sectors with tepid investments included auto and auto components (Rs 13,037 crore as against expected investments of Rs 67,690 crore), textiles (Rs 3,317 crore as against expected investments of Rs 19,798 crore), and ACC battery storage (Rs 3,236 crore as against expected investments of Rs 13,810 crore).
• The government has disbursed Rs 4,415 crore under the scheme for eight sectors, including electronics and pharma, till October this fiscal.

9) Answer: E

• Taiwan was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the strongest in the last 25 years.
• The epicentre of the quake was located just 18 kilometres south-southwest of Hualien County, which is situated in eastern Taiwan.

Detailed Explanation:

• Taiwan was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, the strongest in the last 25 years.
• The epicentre of the quake was located just 18 kilometres south-southwest of Hualien County, which is situated in eastern Taiwan.
• Taiwan is prone to earthquakes as it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” - where 90% of the world’s earthquakes take place.
• The Ring of Fire is essentially a string of hundreds of volcanoes and earthquake-sites which run along the Pacific Ocean.
• It is a semicircle or horseshoe in shape and stretches nearly 40,250 kilometres.
• The Ring of Fire traces the meeting points of numerous tectonic plates.
• It runs through 15 more countries including the USA, Indonesia, Mexico, Japan, Canada, Guatemala, Russia, Chile, Peru, and the Philippines.
• Taiwan lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.
• The area is particularly vulnerable to temblors due to the tension accumulated from the interactions of two tectonic plates -the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate.

10) Answer: E

• Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the myCGHS app for the iOS ecosystem of devices.
• The myCGHS iOS app is developed by the technical teams of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) Himachal Pradesh and the NIC Health Team.

Detailed Explanation:

• Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the myCGHS app for the iOS ecosystem of devices.
• The app is designed to enhance access to Electronic Health Records, information, and resources for Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries.
• The myCGHS iOS app is developed by the technical teams of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) Himachal Pradesh and the NIC Health Team.
• It is a convenient mobile application offering features aimed at enhancing information and accessibility for CGHS beneficiaries.
• The app features security features like 2-factor authentication and functionality of mPIN ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of users' data.

11) Answer: B

• SJVN Limited has won two prestigious awards at the 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards 2024, instituted by the Construction Industry Development Council.
• SJVN has been conferred the ‘Achievement Award for Creating Social Development & Impact’ and ‘CIDC Partners in Progress Trophy’.

Detailed Explanation:

• SJVN Limited has won two prestigious awards at the 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards 2024, instituted by the Construction Industry Development Council.
• SJVN has been conferred the ‘Achievement Award for Creating Social Development & Impact’ and ‘CIDC Partners in Progress Trophy’.
• On behalf of SJVN, the awards were received by CGM (HR), Shri Baljeet Singh during a ceremony held at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
• CIDC Vishwakarma Awards have become an epitome for recognizing organizations and individuals for their initiatives across various fields, including Corporate Social responsibility, contributing significantly to the growth and sustainable development of the nation.

12) Answer: B

• President Emeritus and Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), Rakesh Mohan has been appointed by the World Bank Group to serve on the World Bank Group’s Economic Advisory Panel.
• The World Bank Group consists of 5 institutions i.e

1. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
2. International Development Association (IDA)
3. International Finance Corporation (IFC)
4. Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
5. International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)

Detailed Explanation:

• President Emeritus and Distinguished Fellow of the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), Rakesh Mohan has been appointed by the World Bank Group to serve on the World Bank Group’s Economic Advisory Panel.
• The World Bank panel will be chaired by Lord Nicholas Stern, the IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government at the London School of Economics, while World Bank Group Chief Economist Indermit Gill will co-chair the panel.
• The panel will focus on strategic issues for the World Bank Group to their objectives, research agenda and actions.
• Mohan worked as executive director on the board of the International Monetary Fund, as economic affairs secretary and chief economic adviser in the Finance Ministry, and as economic adviser in the Industry Ministry.
• He also served as a senior fellow at the Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, Yale University, and was a professor in the practice of international economics and finance at the School of Management from 2010 to 2012.
• He is also a part-time member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council.

13) Answer: B

• Cleartrip, a Flipkart company, has onboarded Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its new brand ambassador.
• The collaboration marks a historic milestone for Cleartrip as it joins forces with Mahendra Singh Dhoni and advocates to make the right choices in travel.

Detailed Explanation:

• Cleartrip, a Flipkart company, has onboarded Mahendra Singh Dhoni as its new brand ambassador.
• The collaboration marks a historic milestone for Cleartrip as it joins forces with Mahendra Singh Dhoni and advocates to make the right choices in travel.
• Under the bucket of ‘ClearChoice,’ the brand aims to inspire travellers to simplify decision-making and ensure seamless and anxiety-free travel experiences.

14) Answer: A

• J&K Bank announced its partnership with Paymart India Pvt Ltd to introduce a Virtual ATM (VATM) facility.
• For now, it enables consumers to withdraw up to Rs 2,000 cash per transaction and a total of Rs 10,000 per month.

Detailed Explanation:

• J&K Bank announced its partnership with Paymart India Pvt Ltd to introduce a Virtual ATM (VATM) facility.
• The partnership aims to introduce cardless cash withdrawals for the Bank’s customers through their neighbourhood merchants.
• The goal of the collaboration is to enhance banking convenience for its customers across its areas of operations especially in J&K and Ladakh.
• It is to be noted that the Virtual ATM facility has a limit to the transaction amounts.
• For now, it enables consumers to withdraw up to Rs 2,000 cash per transaction and a total of Rs 10,000 per month.

15) Answer: B

• Star Health and Allied Insurance Ltd has tied up with PhonePe to offer comprehensive insurance policies with monthly and annual EMI options.
• Under the partnership, payment options are available on the PhonePe app with coverage up to Rs 1 crore.

Detailed Explanation:

• Star Health and Allied Insurance Ltd has tied up with PhonePe to offer comprehensive insurance policies with monthly and annual EMI options.
• Under the partnership, payment options are available on the PhonePe app with coverage up to Rs 1 crore.
• This is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the industry.
• Users can also opt to pay their premium with the UPI AutoPay mandate with a monthly EMI option.
• The standalone health insurer is planning to roll out more such offerings across its indemnity and benefit products.
• Anand Roy, MD and CEO, Star Health Insurance, Vishal Gupta, CEO, PhonePe Insurance.

16) Answer: B

• Social media giant Meta announced its collaboration with the Press Trust of India (PTI) under its third-party fact-checking programme in India.
• The partnership will enable PTI to identify, review, and rate content as misinformation across Meta platforms.

Detailed Explanation:

• Social media giant Meta announced its collaboration with the Press Trust of India (PTI) under its third-party fact-checking programme in India.
• Meta's fact-checking programme in India includes partnerships with independent fact-checking organisations that assist users in identifying, reviewing, verifying information, and helping to prevent the spread of misinformation on its platforms.
• Under the initiative, Meta partners with fact-checkers certified through the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), who identify, review, and rate viral misinformation across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
• In India, the fact-checking partners under the programme can verify information in 16 languages including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Urdu, Punjabi, Assamese, Manipuri/Meitei, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Kashmiri, Bhojpuri, Oriya, and Nepali, as well as English.
• Meta’s partnership with PTI is part of a series of steps the social media giant has taken to combat misinformation in the past few months, ahead of the Indian general elections.

17) Answer: B

• Surpassing Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat, the State-owned Paradip Port in Odisha has emerged as India's largest major port in terms of cargo volume with a cargo throughput of 145.38 million tonnes in FY24.
• Paradip Port is situated at the confluence of the Mahanadi River and the Bay of Bengal in the Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha.
• The port was commissioned in 1966 to serve as a gateway for the maritime trade of eastern India.
• Paradip Port Trust, a statutory body under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, manages and operates the port.

Detailed Explanation:

• Surpassing Deendayal Port Authority in Gujarat, the State-owned Paradip Port in Odisha has emerged as India's largest major port in terms of cargo volume with a cargo throughput of 145.38 million tonnes in FY24.
• Deendayal Port Authority has been holding the pole position in cargo handling among the 12 major ports for the last 16 years.
• Paradip Port, for the first time in its 56-year history of operations, has surpassed the previous record set by Deendayal Port on the instructions of the Ministry of Ports.
• During FY24, the port achieved the highest-ever coastal shipping traffic of 59.19 million metric tonnes, an increase of 0.76 million metric tonnes which is 1.30% over the last year.
• The growth path of Paradip Port was driven by an improved system of operations in the mechanized coal hand plant to reduce idle time between rake unloading.

18) Answer: C

• The Indian Army has initiated the induction of control and reporting systems under 'Project Akashdeep' to enhance its air defense capabilities.
• The first batch of Control Centers for the Automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, named 'Project Akashteer', was flagged off from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Ghaziabad.
• 2024 has been designated as the 'Year of Technology Absorption'.

Detailed Explanation:

• The Indian Army has initiated the induction of control and reporting systems under 'Project Akashdeep' to enhance its air defense capabilities.
• The first batch of Control Centers for the Automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, named 'Project Akashteer', was flagged off from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Ghaziabad.
• Aim : To deliver an "unprecedented level" of situational awareness and control for the force to ensure safety of friendly aircraft and engage hostile aircraft in in "contested airspace",
• “The Akashteer Project is a cutting-edge initiative designed to automate air defence control and reporting processes by digitising the entire process,” .
• 2024 has been designated as the 'Year of Technology Absorption'.
• The induction of Akashteer Control Centers aligns with this initiative, meeting both current and future requirements for complex air defense operations.

19) Answer: B

• Astronomers are looking forward to posting high-resolution telescopes on the moon and in orbit around it, including one from India called Probing ReionizATion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen (PRATUSH).
• PRATUSH is a radio telescopesited on the moon’s far side.
• It is being built by the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru with active collaboration from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Detailed Explanation:

• Astronomers are looking forward to posting high-resolution telescopes on the moon and in orbit around it, including one from India called Probing ReionizATion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen (PRATUSH).
• PRATUSH is a radio telescope to be sited on the moon’s far side.
• It is being built by the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru with active collaboration from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• Launch Plan:Initially, ISRO will deploy PRATUSH into Earth's orbit for adjustments and fine-tuning.
• Subsequently, ISRO plans to launch PRATUSH towards the moon to commence its scientific mission.
• Scientific Objectives:PRATUSH aims to detect signals from the first stars and galaxies, which would reveal insights into the cosmic dawn of the universe.
• It seeks to address fundamental questions such as when the first stars formed, the nature of these stars, and the characteristics of the light they emitted.
• Technological Components:PRATUSH will feature advanced components including a wideband frequency-independent antenna, a self-calibrating analog receiver, and a digital correlator.
• These components are crucial for capturing radio signals, particularly those originating from the "Dark Ages" period of the universe.
• LuSEE Night Project : China's Lunar Surface Electromagnetic Experiment, or LuSEE Night, a joint NASA-Berkeley Lab project, scheduled for launch in December 2025, will study the Dark Ages period because it connects how the early universe evolved into the universe.
• International Collaboration :LuSEE Night will be followed by many moon-bound instruments currently in various stages of planning with space agencies like NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
• ESA is getting ready to launch a radio telescope to the moon’s far side on board its lunar lander, ‘Argonaut’, by 2030.

20) Answer: B

• South African footballer and Olympian Luke Fleurs has been killed in a hijacking in Johannesburg at the age of 24.
• Fleurs was born in Cape Town on 3 March 2000.
• He made his National First Division debut aged 17 and made 18 league appearances in his first season of professional football.

Detailed Explanation:

• South African footballer and Olympian Luke Fleurs has been killed in a hijacking in Johannesburg at the age of 24.
• Fleurs was born in Cape Town on 3 March 2000.
• He made his National First Division debut aged 17 and made 18 league appearances in his first season of professional football.
• He represented South Africa at under-20 level.
• He was called up for the Bafana Bafana in 2021and 2022, albeit without receiving a cap.
• He previously played for the national under-23 side, representing South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics.