Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 13th & 14th December 2020

Correct Answer: B. Angela Merkel

Explanation: For the 10th consecutive year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel takes the No. 1 spot, also marking her 15th total appearance on the list. Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, maintains her position at No. 2 on this year’s ranking. New to the top three is the U.S. Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris, who will serve as the first female Vice President of the United States and is the first Black and Indian American to hold the position.

Correct Answer – D. ₹1,048 crores

Explanation: Indian Bank has raised ₹1,048 crores by issuing bonds on private placement basis. The bank has successfully raised tier I capital fund through a private placement of Basel III compliant additional tier I perpetual bonds aggregating to ₹1,048 crores. The bonds will bear a coupon rate of 8.44% per annum payable annually.

Correct Answer – C. Luxembourg

Explanation: Union cabinet has approved the proposal of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to sign bilateral MoU between India and Luxembourg. The MoU is likely to strengthen cross border cooperation in the area of securities regulations and facilitate mutual assistance. The cabinet also approved an MoU between India and Suriname on cooperation in the field of health and medicine.

Correct Answer – C. Nidhi Vadhera

Explanation:  The book titled ‘Romancing Targets’ by author Nidhi Vadhera has been released recently. In this book, Author Nidhi Vadhera shares with you a systematic approach to understand the sales process which will empower you to embrace sales targets and achieve results without getting burnt in the process.

Correct Answer – C. 41st

Explanation: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is among the Forbes’ ranking of 100 most powerful women in the world. FM Sitharaman, is ranked 41st, and other Indians in the list include HCL Corporation CEO and Executive Director Roshni Nadar Malhotra and Biocon Founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. German Chancellor Angela Merkel grabbed the No. 1 slot for the 10th consecutive year, with European Central Bank head Christine Lagarde coming in second for the second year in a row. US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris made the list for the first time—debuting in the No. 3 spot.

Correct Answer – D. West Bengal

Explanation: West Bengal Chief Miniter Mamata Banerjee announced that the state cabinet has approved the construction of a deep sea port in Tajpur. Tajpur Deep Sea Port will be built at a cost of Rs 15,000 crore and will generate employment for 25,000 people. It will be the state’s first deep seaport. The concentration of iron and steel industries around Kharagpur will get a boost by having a port at their doorstep for exports.

Correct Answer – A. IIT Guwahati

Explanation: A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IIT-G) have developed a method for harvesting water from humid air. This method involves spraying a sponge-like porous polymeric material on a normal printer paper. As per the researchers, this method can also be used in underwater hulls of ships and submarines to prevent bio-fouling; and to prevent icing on aircraft windows. The method mainly uses the principle of hydrophobicity. The lotus leaves exhibit the property of hydrophobicity.

Correct Answer – A. PM-WANI

Explanation: The Union Cabinet has approved a scheme called the Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI), to improve wireless connectivity and pave the way for free wireless internet in public spaces across the country. The scheme will allow anyone, from an individual in a residential area to a Kirana shop owner to a tea shop vendor, to set up public Wi-Fi hotspot and deliver wifi services. It aims to promote the growth of public wi-fi networks in the country.  PM-WANI scheme will be operated by the following players:

• Public Data Office (PDO): It will establish, maintain, and operate only WANI compliant Wi-Fi Access Points and deliver broadband services to subscribers. (tea shop, or Kirana shop, individual or any organisation.)
• Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA): It will look after functions relating to Authorization and Accounting of PDOs.
• App Provider: It will develop an App to register users and discover WANI compliant Wi-Fi hotspots in the nearby area and display the same within the App for accessing the internet service.
• Central Registry: It will maintain the details of App Providers, PDOAs, and PDOs. To begin with, the Central Registry will be maintained by C-DoT.

Correct Answer – C. Rs.22,810 crore

Explanation:  The Union Cabinet has given its approval for Atmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY) to boost employment in the formal sector by encouraging the businesses to do fresh hiring amid the pandemic. ABRY will also incentivize the creation of new employment opportunities under Atmanirbhar Bharat Package 3.0.

• The Cabinet has approved an expenditure of ₹ 1,584 crores for the current financial year and ₹ 22,810 crores for the entire scheme period from 2020 to 2023.
• The scheme will provide subsidy for two years in respect of new employees engaged on or after October 1, 2020, and up to June 30, 2021.
• The government will pay both 12 per cent employees’ contribution and 12 per cent employers’ contribution i.e. 24 per cent of wages towards EPF in respect of new employees in establishments employing up to 1,000 employees for two years.
• It will pay only employees’ share of EPF contribution i.e. 12 per cent of wages in respect of new employees in establishments employing more than 1,000 employees for two years.

Correct Answer – D. 12th December

Explanation: International Day of Neutrality is a United Nations recognized day held on December 12 each year to raise public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations. It was officially declared by a UN General Assembly resolution adopted in February 2017 and first observed on December 12, 2017.

Correct Answer – C. Telangana

Explanation: The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy has inaugurated the National Centre for Divyang Empowerment (NCDE) at the CRPF Group Centre in Hakimpet near Hyderabad, Telangana. About National Centre for Divyang Empowerment:

• The NCDE is first of its kind establishment to re-skill and rehabilitates the Divyang Warriors of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) who suffered life-threatening injuries in the line of duty.
• Several market-driven expertise like computer skills and various sports skills will be imparted on the Divyang Warriors to empower them and enable them to serve the force and the country.
• All possible assistance and cooperation will be extended for the welfare of the Divyang Warriors.

Correct Answer – B. Israel

Explanation: The Indian Navy has finalised a contract for procurement of a batch of Israeli weapon systems that are capable of bringing down high-speed enemy drones. The delivery of the SMASH 2000 fire control systems is expected to begin in early 2021. The fire control system, manufactured by Israeli firm Smart Shooter can track and bring down high-speed drones.

Correct Answer – B. Annika Sorenstam

Explanation:  The International Golf Federation (IGF) elected Annika Sorenstam as its new president effective January 1, 2021. IGF President, Peter Dawson, is stepping down after 10  years of leadership and service.  Sorenstam, a 72-time winner on the LPGA Tour and former No. 1 from Sweden.

Correct Answer: C. Carolina Araujo

Explanation: The year 2020 Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians was awarded to Dr Carolina Araujo, Mathematician from the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her work area focuses on birational geometry, which aims to classify and describe the structure of algebraic varieties. The prize is awarded annually to a researcher from a developing country funded by the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India in association with ICTP (International Centre for Theoretical Physics), and the International Mathematical Union (IMU) was given for her outstanding work in algebraic geometry.