Current Affairs Quiz 14th September 2018

14/09/2018

Who will head the panel of secretaries to look into the issues raised on some proposals of the draft e-commerce policy?

(a) Rajiv Gauba

(b) S S Ahluwalia

(d) Ramesh Abhishek

(e) None of these

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has tied up with which software company to create payments network for unorganized retail?

(a) FSS

(b) Oracle

(d) TCS

(e) HCL

The proposed Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) corridor will link Kunming City to which part of India?

(a) Kolkata

(b) Gangtok

(d) Patna

(e) Lucknow

Which state government is going to distribute over 1 lakh pump sets to double farmers’ income by 2022?

(a) Madhya Pradesh

(b) Maharashtra

(d) Assam

(e) Odisha

The European Union Parliament has voted to punish which nation for breaching democratic norms?

(a) Spain

(b) Italy

(d) Hungary

(e) Bolivia

Sardar Singh, who announced his retirement recently, was the former captain of which Indian team?

(a) Indian football team

(b) Indian kabaddi team

(d) Indian rugby team

(e) None of these

BARC has recently re-commissioned an upgraded version of which nuclear reactor?

(a) Dhruva

(b) Apsara

(d) Zerlina

(e) None of these

Nomadic Elephant 2018 is an army exercise between India and which country?

(a) Nigeria

(b) Senegal

(d) Ghana

(e) None of these

According to a recent UN report, the level of Hunger rose from 804 million in 2016 to how much in 2017?

(a) 821

(b) 864

(d) 915

(e) 950

The Union Cabinet has approved which new umbrella scheme to benefit the farmers?

(a) PM-AASHA

(b) PM-JAASH

(d) PM-FRPS

(e) None of these

Solution

Ans1.(d)

Exp.The Government of India (GoI) has set up a group of secretaries to look into the issues raised on some proposals of the draft e-commerce policy. The group will be chaired by Ramesh Abhishek, the secretary in the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). The development comes at a time when the DIPP has effectively ruled out FDI in inventory based ecommerce models. As per draft e-commerce policy, any group company of an online retailer or marketplace may not be allowed to directly or indirectly influence the price or sale of products and services on its platform, a move that could completely restrict e-tailers from giving deep discounts. The draft has also suggested introduction of a pre-set timeframe for offering differential pricing or deep discounts by e-commerce players to customers. Further, the draft recommended 49% FDI in inventory-based business-to-customer e-commerce model. Currently, FDI in such businesses is prohibited and it is allowed only in the marketplace model.

Ans2.(a)

Exp.The India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has partnered with Financial Software and Systems (FSS) to create payments network for unorganized retail. FSS is a payments technology company that enables micro-merchants to accept payments online, or via Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Quick-Response (QR) codes, Aadhaar and IPPB accounts. FSS will also provide merchant management and settlement solutions including on-boarding fee calculation, reconciliation and settlement. IPPB has been incorporated as a public sector company under the Department of Posts with 100% government equity and is governed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). IPPB offers a range of products such as savings and current accounts, money transfer, direct benefit transfer, bill and utility payments and enterprise and merchant payments. Customers are able to access these products and related services across various channels—counter services, micro-ATM, mobile banking app, text messages and phone calls.

Ans3.(a)

Exp.Chinese Consul-General in Kolkata, Ma Zhanwu on September 12, 2018 announced that China is looking forward to plan bullet trains from Kolkata to Kunming City of China. However, the Chinese diplomat did not reveal the details of the route. The train is expected to traverse through Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Ans4.(d)

Exp.The Assam government has decided to distribute over 1 lakh pump sets to double the farmers’ income by 2022. The pump sets will be distributed under NABARD’s Rural Infrastructure Development Project. They will include 60 thousand diesel sets, 11 thousand solar and 30 thousand electrical operated pump sets.

Ans5.(d)

Exp.The European Union legislators have voted overwhelmingly in favour of launching punitive action against the Hungarian government for flouting democratic rules. More than two-thirds of members of the European Parliament backed the censure motion, the first such vote against a member state under EU rules.

Ans6.(c)

Exp.Former Indian captain Sardar Singh has announced his retirement from International hockey. He made the decision after a disappointing Asian Games where India failed to defend their title and had to settle for a Bronze medal. The 32-year old player made his senior debut for India against Pakistan in 2006 and since then played over 350 international matches, captaining the team for eight years.

Ans7.(b)

Exp.The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has recently re-commissioned an upgraded version of nuclear research reactor ‘Apsara-U’ with a higher capacity, which was shut down permanently in 2009 for revamp. The indigenously made reactor ‘Apsara-U’ uses plate type dispersion fuel elements made of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU). By virtue of higher neutron flux, this reactor will increase indigenous production or radio-isotopes for medical application by about 50% and would also be extensively used for research in nuclear physics, material science and radiation shielding. This development has re-emphasized the capability of Indian scientists and Engineers to build, complex facilities for health care, science education and research. Apsara was the Asia’s first research reactor that was made operational in Trombay campus of BARC on 4th August 1956. The design of the pool-type reactor using enriched uranium fuel was conceptualised in 1955 by Dr Homi Bhabha himself. The name ‘Apsara’ was coined by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Ans8.(c)

Exp.The 13th edition of Indo-Mongolian joint military exercise “Nomadic Elephant 2018” has commenced at Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF) Five Hills Training Area in Ullanbaatar on September 10. During the 12 days long exercise, both sides will jointly train, plan and execute a series of well developed tactical drills for neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered in urban warfare scenario. Experts from both sides will also hold detailed discussions to share their experience on varied topics for mutual benefits. Exercise Nomadic Elephant is an annual, bilateral exercise since 2006 which is designed to strengthen the partnership between Indian Army and Mongolian Armed Forces. The exercise will see them improve their tactical and technical skills in joint counter insurgency and counter terrorist operations in rural and urban scenario under United Nations mandate.

Ans9.(a)

Exp.The UN report on the ‘state of food security and nutrition in the world’ revealed that the number of undernourished people in the world has been on the rise since 2014, reaching an estimated 821 million in 2017, from around 804 million in 2016. The levels are the same as almost a decade ago.

Ans10.(a)

Exp. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a new umbrella scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan’ (PM-AASHA). The scheme aims to ensure that farmers get remunerative prices for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018.