1. Which Union Ministry is associated with ‘Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar Programme’?
A. Ministry of Culture 🗹
B. Ministry of Home Affairs
C. Ministry of Women & Child Development
D. Ministry of Mines
- The Government of India has decided to map and document all villages under Mera Gaon, Meri Dharohar (MGMD) Programme. This National Mission on Cultural Mapping is conducted in coordination with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) under the Ministry of Culture. A web portal on MGMD has also been launched. The MGMD seeks to compile comprehensive information detailing the life, history, and ethos of Indian villages and to make the same available to virtual and real-time visitors.
2. Cooum and Adyar rivers flow in which state/UT?
A. Tamil Nadu 🗹
B. Kerala
C. Andhra Pradesh
D. Karnataka
- Five weather systems in the Bay of Bengal had paths similar to the recent Cyclone Michaung since 1971. Weather disturbances in 1976, 1982, 1984, 1996 and 2005 brought intense rainfall that left the Chennai city flooded with both the Cooum and Adyar rivers running through the course of the city in full flow.
3. What is India’s GDP growth projection for 2023-24, as per RBI’s December 2023 Monetary Policy Committee Meeting?
A. 7% 🗹
B. 10%
C. 5%
D. 12%
- Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep key interest rates unchanged at 6.5 per cent for the fifth policy meeting in a row. It also maintained its ‘withdrawal of accommodation’ policy stance by a five-out-of-six majority. The committee raised its GDP growth projection for 2023-24 to 7%, and retained its average inflation forecast at 5.4%.
4. Prashant Agrawal, who was seen in the news, is associated with which profession?
A. Artist
B. Social Worker 🗹
C. Sports person
D. Politician
- Prashant Agrawal, President of Narayan Seva Sansthan, was honoured with the prestigious National Award for ‘Best Personality- Empowerment of Differently-abled’ by President Draupadi Murmu at a ceremony organised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
- Prashant Agrawal has led initiatives in establishing residential schools, and vocational rehabilitation centres, and providing assistive devices for differently-abled individuals. Rajasthan govt’s acknowledgement, honouring him with the Best Social Worker Award in 2017.
5. ‘Hanukkah’ is a festival associated with which religion?
A. Hinduism
B. Judaism 🗹
C. Jainism
D. Sikhism
- Hanukkah is Judaism’s “festival of lights.” On eight consecutive nightfalls, Jews gather with family and friends to light one additional candle in the menorah — a multibranched candelabra. The holiday marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC, after a small group of Jewish fighters liberated it from occupying foreign forces.
6. Which European country has withdrawn from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2023?
A. Germany
B. The Netherlands
C. Italy 🗹
D. Spain
- Italy has withdrawn from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), more than four years after becoming the only Group of Seven (G7) nation to sign up. The Belt and Road plan proposes massive investments in infrastructure such as roads, bridges and ports to recreate the ancient Silk Road trade routes linking Europe and Asia.
7. India recently celebrated its 50 years of diplomatic ties with which country, in December 2023?
A. Republic of Korea 🗹
B. China
C. South Africa
D. Australia
- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his greetings to President of Republic of Korea, Mr. Yoon Suk Yeol on completing 50 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Republic of Korea. In 1973 that India could definitively establish diplomatic relations by formally recognizing both North and South Korea. As of 2022, trade volume has soared to USD 27.8 billion. At present, major South Korean conglomerates, including Hyundai Motor, POSCO, LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics are operating in Indian market.
8. Banni grasslands, which was seen in the news, is located in which state/UT?
A. Rajasthan
B. Maharashtra
C. Gujarat 🗹
D. Punjab
- The Union government has approved setting up a breeding centre for cheetahs at the Banni grasslands in Gujarat’s Kutch district. The Gujarat government sent a proposal to the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management Authority under National CAMPA.
- Wildlife experts said that there were records of cheetah hunting in Saurashtra and Dahod until 1921, adding that several reference journals have mentioned cheetah presence in Gujarat until the early 1940s. The Gujarat government will have to set up breeding centres and introduce a prey base in this area before cheetahs are brought.
9. Which Union Ministry is associated with Unique Disability ID (UDID) project?
A. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment 🗹
B. Ministry of Home Affairs
C. Ministry of Rural Development
D. Ministry of Panchayat Raj
- Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar presented the one croreth Unique Disability Identity (UDID) card. During the event, an indigenized IQ assessment test kit was dedicated to the nation by the Union Minister. Launched in 2017, the UDID project by the Government of India aims to provide a Unique Identity to each person with disabilities in the country, creating a comprehensive database for welfare planning.
10. Which city is the host of the first ever Khelo India Para Games in 2023?
A. New Delhi 🗹
B. Mumbai
C. Bhuvaneshwar
D. Chennai
- Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the Khelo India Para Games 2023 in New Delhi. More than 1400 players from 32 states and Union Territories and Services Sports Board are participating in these Games between December 10 and 17 at three venues in New Delhi.
- The Competition will be held in seven para-sports which include athletics, shooting, archery, football, badminton, table tennis and weightlifting. Some of India’s top international para stars like Sheetal Devi, Bhavina Patel, Ashok and others will participate in the event.
11. Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, who were seen in the news, play which sports?
A. Tennis
B. Table Tennis
C. Badminton 🗹
D. Volleyball
- Indian badminton players Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, who joined hands in January this year, secured their third women’s doubles title at the Guwahati Masters. 34-year-old Ashwini and the 20-year-old Tanisha Crasto, secured their third women’s doubles title and the second Super 100 crown with the Guwahati Masters BWF Super 100 International badminton tournament.
12. Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS) is the subsidiary of?
A. Reserve Bank of India 🗹
B. Ministry of Finance
C. DPIIT
D. FSSAI
- The RBI announced to set up a cloud facility as digital public infrastructure dedicated to the financial sector. The facility’s establishment and initial operation will be undertaken by a subsidiary of RBI, the Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS). Subsequently, the operational responsibility will transition to an independent entity owned by participants in the financial sector. RBI has said the facility will be in the nature of IT infrastructure to improve efficiency and it is not in pursuit of data sovereignty.
13. 118 countries signed a pledge at the ongoing COP28 climate summit to triple the world’s green energy capacity to 11,000 GW by which year?
A. 2025
B. 2030 🗹
C. 2040
D. 2045
- As many as 118 countries signed a renewable energy pledge at the ongoing COP28 climate summit to triple the world’s green energy capacity to 11,000 GW by 2030, thereby, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels in generating energy. According to the “Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge”, countries have to “double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements from around 2% to over 4% every year until 2030”. The pledge is neither legally binding nor a part of the official COP28 calendar.
