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1. Which actor won the ‘Best Actor’ award in Oscars 2018?
a) Gary Oldman
b) Daniel Kaluuya
c) Denzel Washington
d) Daniel Day-Lewis

2. What was the theme of the 2018 International Women’s Day (IWD)?
a) Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives
b) Women in the Changing World of Work
c) Time's Up: Equality for Women is Progress for All
d) Step It Up for Gender Equality

3. Who was awarded with the 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize?
a) Zaha Hadid
b) Balkrishna Doshi
c) Frank Gehry
d) Raj Rawat

4. Which Indian billionaire led Indians in the Forbes 32nd World's Billionaires List?
a) Azim Premji
b) Lakshmi Mittal
c) Savitri Jindal
d) Mukesh Ambani

5. When is International Women's Day celebrated every year?
a) 7 March
b) 8 March
c) 9 March
d) 10 March

6. According to UNICEF, the sharpest decline in child marriages has happened in which nation in the last 10 years?
a) India
b) Pakistan
c) Bangladesh
d) Sri Lanka

7. RBI recently tightened the priority sector lending norms for which banks?
a) Foreign Banks
b) Public Sector Banks
c) Private Sector Banks
d) Regional Rural Banks

8. Who was sworn-in as Chief Minister of Meghalaya?
a) TR Zeliang
b) Conrad Sangma
c) Ganga Prasad
d) Pema Khandu

9. Justice Gita Mittal has been chosen for the Nari Shakti award 2017. She is the acting Chief Justice of which high court?
a) Madras
b) Bombay
c) Delhi
d) Allahabad

10. Who has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Nagaland?
a) Neiphiu Rio
b) Conrad K Sangma
c) Biplab Kumar Deb
d) N. Biren Singh

ANSWERS
1. (a) Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman won the Oscar award for ‘Best Actor’ for his performance as Winston Churchill in the Second World War drama Darkest Hour. The actor, who had been considered the strong favourite in the category, overcame competition from fellow British nominees Daniel Kaluuya and Daniel Day-Lewis to take home the prize.

2. (a) Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives
The International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated every year on March 8 to highlight the achievements of women. The 2018 theme is “Time Is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives”.

3. (b) Balkrishna Doshi
Noted Indian architect & urban planner Balkrishna Doshi won the prestigious 2018 Pritzker Architecture Prize for being able to interpret architecture and transform it into buildings that respect Eastern culture. He is the first Indian architect to be awarded the prize.

4. (d) Mukesh Ambani
Mukesh Ambani leads Indians in Forbes' Billionaires List with net worth of USD 40.1 billion. He secured 19th global rank on the list of 2208 billionaires worldwide. In 2017, he ranked 33 with USD 23.2 billion wealth.

5. (b) 8 March
The International Women's Day 2018 was observed across the world on March 8, 2018 with an aim to empower women in all settings, be it rural and urban, and celebrate the activists who are working constantly to assert women’s rights and realize their full potential.

6. (a) India
The United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) stated on March 6, 2018 that India has seen a sharp decline in child marriages over the last ten years with only 27 per cent of girls getting married before 18 years in comparison to 47 per cent a decade back.

7. (a) Foreign Banks
The RBI has tightened the priority sector lending (PSL) norms for foreign banks by directing them to mandatorily create sub-targets so that they lend a portion of their loans to small and marginal farmers as well as micro enterprises from April 2018. The move is directed at foreign banks with over 20 branches.

8. (b) Conrad Sangma
Conrad Sangma, the President of National People's Party (NPP), was on March 6, 2018 sworn-in as the 12th Chief Minister of Meghalaya. Sangma is the youngest son of former Lok Sabha Speaker late PA Sangma.

9. (c) Delhi
The Acing Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Gita Mittal will be conferred the ‘Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017’ by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Mittal is the first woman from the field of law and justice to be conferred the prestigious award.

10. (a) Neiphiu Rio
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader Neiphiu Rio was sworn in as the chief minister of Nagaland on March 8, 2018. Rio has served as the state's CM three times before this, between 2003 and 2014.

290118 - 030218

29 January to 3 February 2018: We have prepared the Top 10 Weekly Current Affairs to help every competitive exam aspirant to revise the weekly current affairs with ease. It covers some major topics like Union Budget 2018, Economic Survey 2017-18 and occurrence of Super Blue Blood Moon among others.
Union Budget 2018: Major Highlights

The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1, 2018 presented the Union Budget 2018 in the parliament. In the independent India, this will be the 88th budget and the fifth of the Modi Government.
• Operation Green will be launched for agriculture with corpus of Rs 500 crore.
• Rs 1290 crore allocated for restructured bamboo production mission.
• Ujjwala Yojana, the free LPG connection scheme will be expanded to eight crore women.
• The Saubhagya Yojana will be another focus for the government.
• Budget 2018 proposes to treat education holistically without segmentation from pre-nursery to Class 12.
• Revitalising of Infrastructure and Systems of Education (RISE) will be launched by 2019.
• National Health Protection Scheme will be launched to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. Under this, up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to each family per year in secondary and tertiary care institutions. This scheme will have 50 crore beneficiaries.
• Mass formalization of MSME sector is happening after demonetization and GST. Online loan sanctioning facility will be refurbished to speed up the complete process by banks.
• Rs 1. 48 lakh crore have been allocated for the Indian Railways for the year 2018-19.
• UDAN scheme will now connect 56 unserved airports and 31 unserved helipads in the country.
• Recapitalisation: The Union government will recapitalise public sector banks to help them lend an additional Rs 5 lakh crore.
• The total expenditure of the Union government is Rs 21.57 lakh crore. The projected fiscal deficit of the FY 2018-19 is 3.3 per cent of the GDP.

Union Budget 2018: Agriculture Sector

The Budget 2018 has identified Agriculture Sector as one of the key drivers of the economy. The government wants to assist farmers to earn 1.5 times the production cost, and the Minimum Selling Price (MSP) for the Kharif Crops has been set at 1.5 times the produce price.

The government would be setting up an Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund with a corpus of `2000 crore for developing and upgrading agricultural marketing infrastructure in the 22000 Grameen Agricultural Markets (GrAMs).

Government plans to launch ‘Operation Green’ with a corpus of Rs 500 crore. It will promote Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management.

Union Budget 2018: Health, MSME and Social Welfare

National Health Protection Scheme will be launched to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. Under this, up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to each family per year in secondary and tertiary care institutions. This scheme will have 50 crore beneficiaries. This scheme will generate lakhs of jobs, particularly for women.

Mass formalization of MSME sector is happening after demonetization and GST. Online loan sanctioning facility will be refurbished to speed up the complete process by banks. Rs 3 lakh crore is allocated as target for the Mudra Yojana for the year 2018-19. Additonal measures will be taken to boost the growth of venture capital funds and angel investors.

187 projects have been sanctioned under Namami Gange. Namami Ganga programme outlay has been increased with an all round development plan for villages and cities along the river Ganga.

Union Budget 2018: Infrastructure Sector

The government is planning to develop connectivity infrastructure in the border areas. While the construction on the Rohtang tunnel has been completed, the construction of Zojila pass tunnel is progressing well. The government has also proposed to construct a tunnel under the Sela pass.

Rs 1. 48 lakh crore have been allocated for the Indian Railways for the year 2018-19. 18000 km of railway line will be doubled to eliminate capacity constraints. The government would be laying special focus on safety. Hence, special attention would be paid to the maintenance of track infrastructure.

The regional connectivity scheme- UDAAN would be connecting 56 underserved airports and 36 underserved helipads in the country. The operation has already started in 16 such airports.

Union Budget 2018: Fiscal Expenditure & Taxation Reforms

The total expenditure of the Union government is Rs 21.57 lakh crore. The projected fiscal deficit of the FY 2018-19 is 3.3 per cent of the GDP.

In previous years, the growth rate of direct taxes have been significant. Till January 2018, growth rate of 18.7 per cent was recorded. Over 85 lakh new taxpayers filed their returns. The number of effective taxpayers increased from 6.47 lakh crore to 8.27 lakh crore in the previous financial year.

No changes in personal income tax slabs. Majorly, the personal income tax collection comes from the salaried class. Around 1.89 crore returns were filed in 2017 and Rs 1.44 lakh crore was paid as taxes.

Economic Survey 2017-18: Key Highlights

The Economic Survey 2017-18 was tabled in the Parliament on January 29, 2018 by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
• The transformational Goods and Services Tax (GST) was launched at the stroke of midnight on July 1, 2017.
• The Twin Balance Sheet (TBS) problem was decisively addressed by sending the major stressed companies for resolution under the new Indian Bankruptcy Code.
• Policy vigilance will be necessary in the coming year, especially if high international oil prices persist or elevated stock prices correct sharply, provoking a ‘sudden stall’ in capital flows.
• The Goods and Services Tax (GST) embodies and heralds a radical alteration and enlargement in the understanding of the Indian economy.
• India’s unprecedented climb to historically high levels of investment and saving rates in the mid-2000s has been followed by a pronounced, albeit gradual, decline.
• This current episode of investment and saving slowdown is still ongoing.
• The survey observes a long-term trend of rising temperatures, declining average precipitation and increase in extreme precipitation events.
• The survey observes that India’s performance in 14 out of the 17 indicators of women’s agency, attitudes, and outcomes has improved over the last 10-15 years.
• The survey notes that India under-spends on research and development (R&D), even relative to its level of development.

Economic Survey 2017-18: Top 10 facts on Indian Economy
• There has been a 50 per cent increase in unique taxpayers under the GST in comparison with the pre-GST system.
• More than 30 per cent when formality is defined in terms of social security provision.
• States that export more internationally and trade more with other states tend to be richer. However, the correlation is stronger between prosperity and international trade.
• The top one per cent of Indian firms account for 38 per cent of exports. In all other countries, they account for a substantially greater share such as 72, 68, 67 and 55 per cent of exports in Brazil, Germany, Mexico and US respectively.
• The relief from embedded state taxes (ROSL) announced in 2016 boosted exports of ready-made garments (but not others) by about 16 percent.
• Parents continue to have children until they get the desired number of sons. This kind of fertility-stopping rule leads to skewed sex ratios but in different directions:
• The tax department’s petition rate is high, even though its success rate in litigation is low and declining well below 30 per cent.
• Cross-country experience shows that growth slowdowns are preceded by investment slowdowns but not necessarily by savings slowdowns may not.
• Own direct tax collections by Indian states and local governments are significantly lower than those of their counterparts in other federal countries

Indian Navy launches third Scorpene Class Submarine INS Karanj

INS Karanj, the third Scorpene class submarine constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, was launched by the Indian Navy on January 31, 2018.

The submarine was launched by Reena Lanba, President of Navy Wives Welfare Association following the recitation of Sanskrit shlokas from the Atharva Veda and traditional ceremonies associated with the launch of naval platforms.

Following the launch, the submarine was towed to Mumbai Port Trust for separation from the pontoon. INS Karanj will now undergo rigorous trials and tests, both in harbour and at sea before it is commissioned into the Navy.

Total Lunar eclipse, Super Blue Blood Moon to be seen around the world

In a rare celestial occurrence, people around the world would be able to witness a total lunar eclipse and a super blue moon today, January 31, 2018.

The event is being termed as a super blue blood moon and would be a rare lunar event to watch. According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the celestial event is a lunar trifecta where three particular events are colliding including total lunar eclipse, blue moon and the super moon phenomena.

Those living in the United States, Alaska and Hawaii will be able to see a pre-dawn ‘super blue blood moon’ while the rest of the world will enjoy the best view of the lunar eclipse.

Luckily for India, residents here would also be able to witness the super blue blood moon. According to BM Birla Science Centre's Director BG Sidharth, the lunar eclipse would be visible from India with the moon taking a red-brown glow, also called the ‘Blood Moon’.

US lifts ban on refugees from 11 ‘high risk’ nations

The United States on January 29, 2018 announced that it is lifting the ban that it had imposed on refugees from 11 nations, which it termed as high-risk countries.

Despite resuming the process of accepting the refugees, the US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen stated that those seeking to enter the US would have to come under much tougher scrutiny than in the past. She said that the refugees will have to undergo tougher screening procedures and risk-based assessments before getting admission into the nation.

The new screening measures include additional interviews of applicants’ family members and close scrutiny of potential ties to organized crime. The move comes as President Donald Trump presses for a sharp turn in overall US immigration policy.

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1. The Union government in its budget 2018 has proposed to launch a restructured mission with an outlay of Rs 1290 crore to promote which sector?
a) Handloom
b) Bamboo
c) Traditional Craft
d) Rural Development

2. Which scheme will be launched this year as per Budget 2018 to improve the Health Sector of the country?
a) Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana
b) National Health Policy 2018
c) Ayushman Bharat
d) National Health Protection Scheme

3. How much fund has the Union Government allocated for its new ‘Operation Green’ mission ?
a) 1000 crore
b) 680 crore
c) 500 crore
d) 1300 crore

4. As per Budget 2018, which three firms will be merged and then listed?
a) UTI, Oriental Insurance and National Insurance
b) LIC, Bharti AXA and United Insurance
c) General Insurance, Max Bupa and UTI
d) None of the above

5. The Indian Railways is planning to re-develop how many major railway stations in 2018?
a) 400
b) 540
c) 730
d) 600

6. What was India’s rank in the 2017 EIU Global Democracy Index?
a) 42nd
b) 64th
c) 73rd
d) 81st

7. Name the long-lost NASA satellite that was discovered recently by an amateur astronomer.
a) IMAGE satellite
b) JUNO satellite
c) TERRA satellite
d) POLAR satellite

8. Which nation has lifted its ban on refugees from 11 nations, which it had termed as high-risk countries earlier?
a) UK
b) US
c) Canada
d) Germany

9. Which among the following statements is not true as per Economic Survey 2017-18?
a) There has been a large decrease in registered indirect and direct taxpayers
b) State’s prosperity is correlated with their international and inter-state trade.
c) Indian society exhibits strong son ‘Meta’ Preference
d) To re-ignite growth, raising investment is more important than raising saving

10. What is the salary of President as per Union Budget 2018?
a) Rs 5 lakh
b) Rs 4 lakh
c) Rs 3 lakh
d) Rs 2 lakh

ANSWERS

1. (b) Bamboo
The Union Government in its Budget 2018 has proposed to launch a restructured bamboo mission with a fund of Rs 1290 crore to promote bamboo sector in a holistic manner.

2. (d) National Health Protection Scheme
National Health Protection Scheme will be launched to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families. Under this, up to Rs 5 lakh will be provided to each family per year in secondary and tertiary care institutions. This scheme will have 50 crore beneficiaries.

3. (c) Rs 500 crore
The Union government plans to launch ‘Operation Green’ with a corpus of Rs 500 crore. It will promote Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management.

4. (a) UTI, Oriental Insurance and National Insurance
As per Union Budget 2018, the Union government will recapitalise public sector banks to help them lend an additional Rs 5 lakh crore. Unit Trust of India, Oriental Insurance and National Insurance will be merged and then listed.

5. (d) 600
The Indian Railways is planning to re- develop 600 major railway stations. All stations with more than 25000 footfall will have escalators. All the stations will also be equipped with high-speed wifi.

6. (a) 42nd
India was ranked 42nd out of 165 countries at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s annual Global Democracy Index due to rise of conservative religious ideologies and increase in vigilantism and violence against minorities as well as other dissenting voices.

7. (a) IMAGE satellite
An amateur astronomer on January 20, 2018 recorded observations of a satellite in high Earth orbit. This satellite was a long-lost NASA satellite- Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) satellite.

8. (b) US
The United States has announced that it is lifting its ban on refugees from 11, which it had earlier termed high-risk countries. Though the 11 countries have not been identified officially, reports state that they include North Korea and Muslim-majority nations such as Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Mali, North Korea, Syria and Yemen.

9. (a) There has been a large decrease in registered indirect and direct taxpayers
The new Economic survey of 2017-18 reveals that there has been a 50 per cent increase in unique taxpayers under the GST in comparison with the pre-GST system and also a boost in exports of ready-made garments.  It states that there has been a large increase in registered indirect and direct taxpayers.

10. (a) Rs 5 lakh
Emoluments will revised for the President to Rs 5 lakh, Rs 4 lakh for Vice-President and Rs 3.5 lakh per month for Governors. Emoluments to MPs will be refixed with effect from April 1, 2018.

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NITI Aayog unveils Health Index for states, Kerala, Meghalaya top the list

Niti Aayog on February 9, 2019 released a comprehensive 'Healthy States, Progressive India' report in New Delhi. The health index ranks the states on the basis of their performance on measurable indicators such as infant mortality rate, sex ratio at birth and functional 24x7 public health centres.

The healthy state progressive report ranked Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu at the top among the larger states in terms of overall performance. The report was released by NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant in New Delhi.

In terms of annual incremental performance, the states that were ranked at the top three positions in the larger states category included Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.

Among the Union territories, Lakshadweep showed the best overall performance as well as the highest annual incremental performance.

SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful rocket carrying car into space

US space flight company SpaceX on February 6, 2018  launched the world's most powerful operational rocket 'Falcon Heavy' into the space. The Falcon Heavy blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States.

Falcon Heavy's smooth takeoff wasn't the only surprising thing about this launch, but also SpaceX managed to guide two of the Falcon Heavy's first-stage rocket boosters to land straight back on Earth. They landed in unison at a Kennedy Space Centre landing pad.

Falcon Heavy carried a red Tesla Roadster car belonging to SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk into space. The car was outfitted with a mannequin dressed in a spacesuit, a high-data storage unit containing Isaac Asimov's science fiction book series, the Foundation Trilogy, and a plaque bearing the names of 6000 SpaceX employees.

Earlier, the only rocket that delivered more payload into the space was Saturn V moon rocket, which was last flown in 1973.

Indra Nooyi appointed as first independent female Director of ICC

PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi was on February 9, 2018 appointed as the Independent Director of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

With this, Nooyi became the first independent female Director of the ICC. Nooyi will join the ICC Board in June 2018 to align with the term of the ICC Independent Chairman.

The appointment came following the introduction of the appointment of an Independent Director of ICC, who must be female. The same was approved by the ICC Full Council in June 2017 as part of wide ranging constitutional change to improve the global governance of the sport.

Indra Nooyi is a global business leader and has been consistently ranked by Fortune Magazine among the World's Most Powerful Women.

Competition Commission of India fines Google Rs 136 crore for 'search bias'

The Competition Commission of India on February 7, 2018 imposed a fine of Rs 136 crore on internet search giant Google for unfair business practices in the Indian market for online search.

The regulatory body took the decision after a detailed probe on the complaints filed in 2012. It said through a majority order that the penalty is being imposed on Google for ‘infringing anti-trust conduct’.

The ruling has come on complaints filed by Matrimony.com and Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) back in 2012 against Google LLC, Google India Pvt Ltd and Google Ireland Ltd.

In the complaints filed, it was alleged that Google is indulging in abuse of dominant position in the market for online search through practices leading to search bias and search manipulation.

Union Cabinet approves implementation of Prime Minister Research Fellows Scheme
The Union Cabinet on February 7, 2018 approved implementation of the 'Prime Minister's Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme' with a total outlay of Rs 1650 crore for a period of seven years beginning from Financial Year 2018-19.

Under this scheme, the best students who have completed or are in the final year of B. Tech or Integrated M.Tech or M.Sc. in Science and Technology streams from IISc, IITs, NITs, IISERs and IIITs, will be offered direct admission in PhD programme in the IITs/IISc.

Students, who fulfil the eligibility criteria and get shortlisted through a selection process laid down in the PMRF Guidelines, will be offered a fellowship of Rs 70000 per month for the first two years, Rs 75000 per month for the 3rd year, and Rs 80000 per month in the 4th and 5th years.

A maximum of 3000 Fellows will be selected in a three year period beginning 2018-19.

Jerome H Powell sworn in as 16th Chairman of Federal Reserve

Jerome H Powell was on February 5, 2018 sworn in as the 16th Chairman of the Federal Reserve for a four-year term. Powell took the oath of office from Randal Quarles, the Fed's Vice-Chairman for supervision.

He pledged to support continued economic growth and a healthy job market while remaining cautious towards emerging economic risks.

His appointment as the Fed Chairman was approved by the US Senate in January 2018. Powell was nominated for the post in November 2017 by President Donald Trump.

Powell succeeds Janet Yellen, the first woman to lead the US central bank in its 100-year history.

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation observed

The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation was observed on February 6, 2018. The day is observed every year to eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation. It was first introduced in 2003.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

The practice reflects deep-rooted gender inequality and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls. It also violates their rights to health, security and physical integrity, their right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and their right to life when the procedure results in death.

None of the cities in India meet air quality standards of WHO: Greenpeace
According to a report, Airpocalypse, released by Greenpeace India, people living in eight of every 10 Indian cities breathe toxic dust particles, PM 10, at levels exceeding national safety limits.

The report mainly brings together data on the quality of air and presence of particulate matter in the atmosphere in over 280 cities across the country. In many of the cities, the air quality has reportedly gone down from bad to worse with the National Capital Territory of Delhi recording the worst air quality in the country.

Around 228 cities, which is more than 80% of the cities/town where Air Quality Monitoring data was available, have not been complying with the annual permissible concentration of 60µg/m⊃3; that is prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

India contributes $1 mn to UN Development Partnership Fund

India on February 1, 2018 contributed an additional $1 million to the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, earmarked for South-South cooperation.

According to the UN Office of South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), the contribution aims to intensify India’s partnerships with other developing countries.

India had pledged a multi-year contribution of $100 million to the fund established in June 2017 and has already provided $6 million within seven months of its launch. The fund focuses on the Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

Managed by the UNOSSC, the fund has developed an impressive portfolio of projects including in climate resilience, improving maternal health, youth employment, agricultural development, and infrastructure.

Union Government to launch KUSUM Scheme to encourage farmers for solar farming

The Union Government on February 2, 2018 announced to launch 1.4 lakh crore Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan (KUSUM) Scheme to encourage farmers for solar farming. The Union Government will spend Rs 48000 crore on the scheme in ten year time span.

KUSUM Scheme aims for decentralized solar power production of up to 28250 megawatt (MW) over a period of five years. It will provide additional income to farmers by giving them option to sell additional power to the power grid through solar power projects set up on their barren lands.

It will support the financial health of DISCOMs by reducing the burden of subsidy to the agriculture sector and will support the States in meeting the Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs) targets.

050218 - 110218

1. Which space agency recently launched the world's heaviest rocket 'Falcon Heavy'?
a) SpaceX
b) NASA
c) JAXA
d) European Space Agency

2. What is the current Repo Rate, according to 6th Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement of RBI for FY 2017-18?
a) 5. 75 per cen
b) 6.00 per cent
c) 6.25 per cent
d) 6.50 per cent

3. Which Union Ministry has launched the Start-up-India Ranking framework?
a) Ministry of Finance
b) Ministry of Law and Justice
c) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
d) Ministry of MSME

4. Who was sworn-in as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve?
a) Janet Yellen
b) Randal Quarles
c) Rene Williams
d) Jerome H Powell

5. The Union Government recently announced to launch which scheme to encourage farmers for solar farming?
a) KUSUM Scheme
b) ABHIMAAN Scheme
c) SAUBHAGYA Scheme
d) KISAN Scheme

6. Name the female cricketer who became the first woman in the world to take 200 ODI Wickets ?
a) Harmanpreet Kaur 
b) Jhulan Goswami
c) Poonam Raut
d) Latika Kumari

7. NCERT recently tied-up with which company to teach a course on 'Digital Citizenship and Safety' to students?
a) Apple
b) Yahoo
c) Google
d) Facebook

8. Who inaugurated the Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav recently?
a) Narendra Modi
b) Ram Nath Kovind
c) Venkaiah Naidu
d) Arun Jaitley 

9. Which state launched DASTAK Campaign in association with UNICEF?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Andhra Pradesh
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Bihar 

10. According to Prime Minister’s Research Fellows scheme, how many meritorious students of B. Tech and M. Tech will get fellowship in complete 3 years span time?
a) 1000 students
b) 2000 students
c) 3000 students
d) 4000 students

ANSWERS
1. (a) SpaceX
US space flight company SpaceX on February 6, 2018  launched the world's most powerful operational rocket 'Falcon Heavy' into the space. Falcon Heavy carried a red Tesla Roadster car belonging to SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk into space. The car was outfitted with a mannequin dressed in a spacesuit, a high-data storage unit containing Isaac Asimov's science fiction book series, the Foundation Trilogy, and a plaque bearing the names of 6000 SpaceX employees.

2. (b) 6.00 per cent
In the 6th Bi-monthly Monetary policy statement for 2017-18, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept the key interest rate “repo rate” unchanged at 6 per cent and reverse repo at 5.75 per cent. Also, the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate stood at 6.25 per cent.

3. (c) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Suresh Prabhu, the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, launched the Start-up-India ranking framework in New Delhi to help the Startup India initiative to drive economic growth of the country.

4. (d) Jerome H Powell
Jerome Hayden Powell was sworn-in as the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve for a four-year term on February 5, 2018. The oath was administered by Vice Chairman Randal K. Quarles in the Board Room. He succeeded Janet Yellen, the first woman to lead the US central bank in its 100-year history.

5. (a) KUSUM scheme
The Union Government on February 2, 2018 announced to launch 1.4 lakh crore Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan (KUSUM) Scheme to encourage farmers for solar farming. The Union Government will spend Rs 48000 crore on the scheme in ten year time span.

6. (b) Jhulan Goswami
Indian women's cricket team pacer Jhulan Goswami became the first woman in the world to take 200 wickets in ODI cricket. Goswami achieved the feat playing in her 166th ODI against South Africa.

7. (c) Google
Google and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) signed a pact to integrate a course on 'Digital Citizenship and Safety' in information and communication technology curriculum. It was signed on the occasion of Safer Internet Day (6th February).

8. (b) Ram Nath Kovind
President of India Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav of Lord Gomateshwara in Hassan district of Karnataka. Mahamastakabhisheka of Gommateshwara, who is also known as Bahubali takes place once in 12 years. It is an important Jain pilgrimage center and lakhs of tourists visit Shravanbelagola to see 57 feet tall monolithic stone statue that is anointed from head to feet during the Utsav.

9. (a) Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh in association with UNICEF launched massive door to door campaign DASTAK to eradicate deadly Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanise Encephalitis (JE) disease in the state. The war cry of DASTAK is 'Darwaja Khatkhatao, AES aur JE ko bhagao'.

10. (c) 3000 students
The Union Cabinet on February 7, 2018 approved implementation of the 'Prime Minister's Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme' with a total outlay of Rs 1650 crore for a period of seven years beginning from Financial Year 2018-19. A maximum of 3000 Fellows will be selected in a three year period beginning 2018-19.

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1. Rohan More becomes first Asian to swim across Ocean Seven

• Pune-based Indian long-distance swimmer, Rohan More, has become the first Asian and the youngest to swim across the Cook Strait between North and South Islands of New Zealand.

• More managed to get a chance to swim across the Cook Straight on February 9, 2018, after a long wait due to bad weather conditions.

• Despite a sudden drop in water temperature, he covered the distance in eight hours and 37 minutes.

• With this achievement, More also became the ninth person in the world to swim across Cook Strait.

2. Tri-service maritime exercise 'Paschim Lehar' begins

• The Tri-service maritime exercise ‘Paschim Lehar’ was initiated off India’s western coast on February 12, 2018.

• The main objective of the exercise was to build interoperability between the Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Coast Guard.

• Around 40 ships, submarines and fighter aircraft participated in the exercise.

• In the initial phase, the exercise included a number of weapon firings, including missile, gun and torpedo firings.

• The second phase has been structured to validate and refine the operational plans of the Western Naval Command.

3. West Bengal becomes first state to opt out of National Health Protection Scheme

• The state of West Bengal on February 13, 2018 became the first one in India to opt out of the Union Government’s National Health Protection Scheme that was announced in Union Budget 2018-19.

• The announcement was made by the state’s Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who said that the state will not waste its hard earned resources to contribute its share to the programme.

• Banerjee said that the centre has drawn up a health plan in which 40 per cent of the fund has to come from states but questioned that why should the state spend on another programme when it already has its own.

• The West Bengal government has already enrolled 50 lakh people under its own Swasthya Sathi programme.

4. Venezuela, Libya suspended from voting in UN General Assembly

• Venezuela and Libya have been suspended from voting in the UN General Assembly for the third time in three years because of millions of dollars in unpaid dues to the world body.

• The Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informed the General Assembly in late January that 14 countries including Venezuela and Libya were in arrears.

• The Assembly spokesman Brenden Varma confirmed on February 14 that Venezuela and Libya have lost their vote in the 193-member global organisation as a result.

• According to a letter from Guterres to the Assembly President, Venezuela must pay a minimum of 25,200,296 US dollars to restore its voting rights and Libya must pay at least 6,594,842 US dollars.

5. Odisha to sponsor national hockey teams for next 5 years

• The Chief Minister of Odisha announced on February 15, 2018 that the state government will sponsor the Indian National Hockey teams for the next five years.

• The CM made the announcement while unveiling new jersey for the teams for the upcoming Hockey World Cup in Odisha.

• The CM added that hockey in Odisha is more than a sport, it is more like a way of life, especially in the tribal regions of the state where children learn to walk with hockey sticks.

• Odisha was the host city of Hockey World League in November 2017 and it is also the sponsor of the Men's Hockey World Cup this year, which is scheduled to be held between November 28 and December16, 2018.

6. India inks loan agreement with NDB for $100mn for Rajasthan Water Project

• India has signed the second loan agreement with New Development Bank (NDB) for 100 million dollars for Rajasthan Water Sector Restructuring Project for Desert Areas.

• This is the first tranche loan approved by the NDB under the Multi Tranche Financing Facility of 345 Million dollars for this project.

• The project implementation period is six years. Rajasthan government will implement the project primarily through its Water Resources Department.

• The objective of the project would be to rehabilitate the 678 kilometre long Indira Gandhi Canal system built during 1958 to 1963 to prevent seepage, conserve water and enhance water use efficiency as mandated by both national and state level policies on water use

7. Women Government employees commissioning Surrogacy to get maternity leave

• The Union Minister of State for Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh on February 12, 2018 announced that the women Government employees who have commissioned surrogacy will now be entitled to maternity leave.

• Moreover, divorced daughter will be eligible for family pension, if divorce case has been filed before the death of pensioner or family pensioner.

• Singh also announced the increment in the Constant Attendant Allowance on disability pension from Rs 4500 per month to Rs 6750 per month.

• All these measures are expected to promote gender equality and provide equal financial benefit to women. These are not only financial reforms, but also social reforms keeping in mind the futuristic society.

8. India, Russia celebrate 70 years of bilateral relations in field of agriculture

• India and Russia on February 14, 2018 celebrated 70 years of bilateral relations in the field of agriculture at Suratgarh in Rajasthan.

• On the occasion, delegations from both India and Russia visited the Central State Farm (CSF) in Suratgarh, which was set up in 1956 with the help of USSR.

• Scientists from Russia played a huge role in laying the foundation of agriculture in the deserts of Thar, which brought about a major change in the agriculture farming in nearby areas including fringe area of Punjab.

9. India's first radio festival to be held in Delhi today

• India's first radio festival was held in New Delhi on February 15, 2018, to mark the World Radio Day.

• The festival was organised by the International Association of Women in Radio and Television in partnership with UNESCO.

• It included expert panel discussions, an exhibition and live performances and touched upon the theme for World Radio Day 2018, ‘radio and sports’.

• It also examined the potential of radio as a platform for social change and ways to make it more creative and traced the journey of music on the broadcasting medium.

• The World Radio Day was celebrated across the globe on February 13, 2018.

10. Cyril Ramaphosa sworn in as new President of South Africa following resignation of Jacob Zuma

• Cyril Ramaphosa, head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), was been sworn in as the new President of South Africa on February 15, 2018.

• He was elected as the new president of South Africa by the ruling party members after the resignation of Jacob Zuma.

• The country's 400-member parliament, dominated by the ruling party, elected Ramaphosa to complete his predecessor's term, which ends in 2019.

• The ANC has finished first in every national vote since the end of the Apartheid system.

• The 65-year-old Ramaphosa became country's deputy President in 2014.

• In December 2017, he narrowly defeated Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in the race to replace South African President Jacob Zuma as the head of the ruling party.

Weekly Current affairs 120218 - 180218

1. According to a new report by London-based global think-tank, India’s budget for which sector has broken into the world’s top five?

a) Defence
b) Agriculture
c) Education
d) Space and Technology

2. The government of which state launched the DASTAK campaign to eradicate Japanise Encephalitis?

a) Madhya Pradesh
b) Uttar Pradesh
c) Rajasthan
d) Maharashtra

3. Which nation is the latest to withdraw from the UN refugee programme?

a) Tanzania
b) Zambia
c) Kenya
d) Ghana

4. Which Indian bank has detected India’s biggest bank fraud worth over USD 1.8 Billion?

a) State Bank of India
b) Bank of Baroda
c) Punjab National Bank
d) Canara Bank

5. The ‘Darwin Week’ was launched in which city?

a) Hyderabad
b) Mumbai
c) Kolkata
d) Pune

6. Which Indian cricketer became the first Indian to score a century in his 100th ODI?

a) Rohit Sharma
b) Virat Kohli
c) Ajinkya Rahane
d) Shikhar Dhawan

7. Which state has announced a one-time loan waiver of upto Rs. 50,000 for small & marginal farmers?

a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Madhya Pradesh
c) Gujarat
d) Rajasthan

8. Who became the first Asian as well as the first Indian to swim across the Ocean Seven?

a) Sandeep Sejwal
b) Rohan More
c) Virdhawal Khade
d) Khajan Singh

9. According to ADR report on current Chief Ministers of India, which CM is the wealthiest with the highest number of declared assets against his name?

a) Pema Khandu
b) Amarinder Singh
c) Chandrababu Naidu
d) Devendra Fadnavis

10. The first-of-its-kind Centre for learning Sanskrit language was launched in which city?

a) Ranchi
b) Mathura
c) Patna
d) Ahmedabad

11. Which Chief Minister was found to be the poorest among all the current CMs in the ADR report?

a) Mamata Banerjee
b) Manik Sarkar
c) Mehbooba Mufti
d) Yogi Adityanath

12. Which renowned jewellery designer has been named in India’s biggest bank fraud case?

a) Nirav Modi
b) Poonam Soni
c) Farah Khan Ali
d) Sabyasachi Mukherjee

Answers with Explanation

1. (a) Defence

According to a new report by a London-based global think-tank, India's defence budget has broken into the world's top five, beating the UK for the first time, signaling a key shift in the military balance between the two countries.

2. (b) Uttar Pradesh

The state government of Uttar Pradesh has launched massive door to door ‘DASTAK campaign against Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanise Encephalitis (JE)’ to eradicate deadly diseases from the state. It was launched in association with UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund).

3. (a) Tanzania

Tanzania has announced its withdrawal of United Nation’s “Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework” citing security reasons and lack of funds. Tanzania has long been considered as safe haven for refugees, particularly from conflict hit Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Burundi.

4. (c) Punjab National Bank

India’s Punjab National Bank (PNB) on February 14, 2018 stated that it has detected fraudulent transactions worth over Rs 11,300 crore at its Mumbai branch. The bank has reportedly lodged two complaints with the CBI against billionaire jewellery designer Nirav Modi and a jewellery company about fraudulent transactions.

5. (c) Kolkata

Scientists in Kolkata came together on February 12, 2018 to observe the ‘Darwin Week’ to effectively put an end to any confusion regarding his ‘Theory of Evolution’. The week will be celebrated from February 12 to February 18.

6. (d) Shikhar Dhawan

Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan created history by becoming the first Indian to score a century in his 100th One-day International. The only other Indian batsman to have come close to achieving the feat was former Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly.

7. (d) Rajasthan

The Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on February 12, 2018 announced a one-time loan waiver of up to Rs. 50,000 for small and marginal farmers in the state. In her budget speech in the assembly, Raje also announced to set up a farmer’s loan relief commission where farmers can present their side for getting relief on merit basis.

8. (b) Rohan More

Rohan More became the first Asian as well as the first Indian to swim across the Ocean Seven. He is also the youngest person in the world to do so. Moreover, he has become the ninth person in the world to have completed the Ocean Seven challenge.

9. (c) Chandrababu Naidu

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) has released a report on the financial, educational and criminal background of all the current Chief Ministers. Among them, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was found to be the wealthiest with declared assets worth over Rs 1,77,48,95,611 crore.

10. (d) Ahmedabad

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Centre for learning Sanskrit language at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad. The first-of-its-kind spoken Sanskrit centre will offer a six-month course for people on how to speak the language.

11. (b) Manik Sarkar

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW) has released a report on the financial, educational and criminal background of all the current Chief Ministers. Among them, the lowest declared assets worth Rs 26,83,195 lakh belonged to Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

12. (a) Nirav Modi

State-owned lender, Punjab National Bank has suspended 10 of its officers and lodged a complaint against celebrity jewellery designer Nirav Modi for committing fraudulent transactions worth over USD 1.77 billion in one of its Mumbai branches.