1. Recently, which musician has been honored with the Laxminarayan International Award?
A. Santhosh Narayanan
B. Pyarelal Sharma
C. AR Rahman
D. VM Bhatt
- Pyarelal Sharma, the renowned musician, has been honored with the Laxminarayan Intl. Award at the Global Music Festival. Presented by L Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurthy Subramaniam, Pyarelal is a highly successful Hindi cinema composer with an illustrious 8-decade career. The award recognizes his outstanding contributions to the world of music.
2. What is the rank of India in the World Bank’s ‘Logistics Performance Index Report (2023)?
A. 38th
B. 36th
C. 35th
D. 39th
- India’s logistics performance has shown significant improvement, ranking 38th out of 139 countries in the World Bank’s 2023 Logistics Performance Index, a climb of six places since 2018 and sixteen places since 2014. Initiatives like the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan and the National Logistics Policy, along with digital reforms like the Unified Logistics Interface Platform, contribute to this positive trend.
3. When is the ‘World Pulses Day’ observed every year?
A. 10 February
B. 9 February
C. 8 February
D. 11 February
- World Pulses Day, observed on February 10 annually, promotes awareness about the nutritional and environmental benefits of pulses in sustainable food production. The United Nations assigns a theme each year; the 2024 theme is “Pulses: Nourishing Soils and People,” aiming to integrate pulses into diets and agricultural practices. The day originated in 2019, emphasizing pulses’ role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
4. Aadi Mahotsav is organized by which Cooperative body?
A. National Cooperative Union of India Ltd
B. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd
C. National Cooperative Exports Ltd
D. National Cooperative Organics Ltd
- The President of India will inaugurate Aadi Mahotsav 2024, the annual National Tribal Festival at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi. Organized by TRIFED under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the event highlights India’s tribal heritage, showcasing talent, craftsmanship, and cultural diversity. With 300 stalls, the festival promotes tribal art, handicrafts, natural produce, and cuisine, fostering interaction and contributing to the empowerment of tribal communities.
5. FIFA World Cup 2026 will be hosted by which one of the following countries?
A. Canada, Mexico, and the United States
B. Italy and France
C. Spain and Russia
D. Africa, Europe and South America
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will feature 104 matches across 16 cities. The tournament will feature 48 teams, with 60 games played in the United States, 10 in Canada, and 10 in Mexico. The tournament will begin in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca stadium and conclude in New York, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026. The 2026 World Cup will be the first hosted by three nations and the first North American World Cup since 1994.
6. How much budgetary support has the government constituted for ‘Fisheries Infrastructure Development Fund’?
A. Rs. 830.57 crore
B. Rs. 939.48 crore
C. Rs. 935.55 crore
D. Rs. 955.68 crore
- The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a 3-year extension of the Fisheries Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) until 2025-26. The extension maintains the approved fund size of Rs 7522.48 crore with a budgetary support of Rs 939.48 crore. FIDF, initiated in 2018-19, has so far approved 121 projects, creating fisheries infrastructure and generating over 2.5 lakh employment opportunities.
7. Recently, who released the report titled ‘LNG as a transportation fuel in medium and heavy commercial vehicles’?
A. NITI Aayog and Netherlands Embassy
B. Ministry of Renewable Energy & Netherlands Embassy
C. NITI Aayog and Russian Embassy
D. Ministry of Agriculture and NITI Aayog
- NITI Aayog and the Netherlands Embassy released the report ‘LNG as a transportation fuel in medium and heavy commercial vehicles’ during India Energy Week 2024 in Goa. The collaboration, initiated in 2020, focuses on energy transition. The report addresses LNG utilization in Indian commercial vehicles, examining coordination challenges and drawing insights from global practices. The Netherlands, a leader in green hydrogen, plans to aid India in achieving climate targets. The report outlines strategies for a 15% gas share in primary energy by 2070.
8. Where was the cultural festival ‘Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav’ organized?
A. Chennai
B. Bhopal
C. New Delhi
D. Jaisalmer
- President Draupadi Murmu inaugurated the 4-day ‘Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav’ cultural festival at Amrit Udyan, Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Organized by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the event aims to showcase the rich diversity of North East India. With over 320 participants, it highlights traditional arts, crafts, and agricultural products, promoting cultural exchange and catalyzing progress in the region’s handicraft, handloom, and agriculture sectors.
9. Bannerghatta National Park is located in which state?
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Karnataka
C. Kerala
D. Andhra Pradesh
- Protests have erupted over a proposal by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to construct a six-lane elevated highway through Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta National Park (BNP). The project, part of the satellite township ring road, aims to ease traffic but has sparked concerns among environmentalists for its potential impact on the ecologically sensitive park, home to endangered species. The plan includes cutting 1,288 trees within the park.
10. What is the name of the new scheme approved by the Union Cabinet to improve the fisheries sector?
A. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana
B. Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
C. Sagar Parikrama Scheme
D. Palk Bay Scheme
- The Union Cabinet recently approved the ‘Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY),’ a sub-scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
- With a budget of Rs 6,000 crores, the 4-year initiative aims to formalize the fisheries sector, providing institutional credit to fishers, aquaculture farmers, and vendors. Key benefits include a National Fisheries Digital Platform, support for micro-enterprises and cooperatives, job creation, and a shift from conventional subsidies to performance-based incentives.
11. Save Wetlands Campaign is launched by which ministry?
A. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
B. Ministry of Agriculture
C. Ministry of Home Affairs
D. Ministry of Textiles
- The ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’, initiated by MoEF&CC on World Wetlands Day 2023, concluded successfully on World Wetlands Day – 2024. The campaign aimed at wetlands conservation and emphasizing awareness. Aligned with Mission LiFE and Mission Sahbhagita philosophy, it operated nationwide, leveraging Ramsar Sites as model anchors. Participants included State Wetland Authorities, District Administrations, Municipal Corporations, Gram Panchayats, Educational Institutes, and Knowledge Partners, yielding positive outcomes.
12. Kalingarayan Anicut barrage is located in which state?
A. Tamil Nadu
B. Maharashtra
C. Kerala
D. Karnataka
- The Kalingarayan Anicut, a 13th-century barrage on the Bhavani River in Erode, Tamil Nadu, is among the world’s oldest water diversion projects.
- Acknowledged as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure in 2021 by ICID, it was commissioned by Kalingarayan, the ruler of Poondurai Nadu, a Kongu Nadu subdivision. In 1240, he joined Madurai Pandyas as a soldier, and in 1265, earned the title ‘Kalingarayan’ from Sadayavarman Sundara Pandyan, subsequently ruling Poondurai Nadu.
13. FAST Telescope is developed by which country?
A. Russia
B. USA
C. China
D. India
- Astronomers at Nanjing University, China, using the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope, FAST, detected a radio pulsar in CTB 87 supernova remnant.
- FAST, located in Guizhou, has a receiving area equivalent to 30 football fields and aims to maintain its world-class status for 20-30 years. Its goals include detecting neutral hydrogen at the universe’s edge, reconstructing early universe images, discovering pulsars, participating in gravitational wave detection, and contributing to the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
