Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 19th November 2020

Correct Answer: B. USD 20.3 million

Explanation: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has allocated USD 20.3 million in aid to its developing member countries. The aid if for accessing coronavirus vaccine and establishing systems to enable equitable and efficient vaccine distribution. The funds will be available for ADB developing members to support vaccine-related health system assessments and the development of country readiness plans.

Correct Answer – B. Rs 1700 crores

Explanation: The Karnataka Minister for Cooperation, S T Somasekhar has informed that the Central Govt has sanctioned an amount of Rs1700 cr under Special Liquidity Facility. It was released by NABARD to the District Cooperative Banks in the state to provide loans to the farmers in distress due to the pandemic. They have a target to distribute loans of 15,300 crore rupees to 24 lakh farmers in 2020.

Correct Answer – D. Both A & B

Explanation: Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi took oath as the Deputy chief ministers of Bihar. The swearing-in ceremony comes a day after the Nation Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar chose Kumar as the chief minister for another term. Eight other ministers from NDA constituents — BJP, JD(U), HAM and VIP were also sworn.

Correct Answer – D. Navneet Munot

Explanation:  HDFC Mutual Fund Board of Directors has approved the appointment of Navneet Munot as the next Managing Director and CEO of the company. Navneet Munot, who was the chief investment officer of SBI Funds Management, will succeed HDFC Mutual Fund’s long-time Managing Director and CEO Milind Barve. SBI Funds Management is the largest fund house in the country.

Correct Answer – A. Sonu Sood

Explanation: Actor Sonu Sood has been appointed as state icon of Punjab by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The decision of honouring him with the title comes after he earned laurels for his humanitarian work during the lockdown. He has been helping migrant workers reach their hometowns amid the coronavirus pandemic. He also helped people by giving them face masks, food, mobile phones and more.

Correct Answer – B. HDFC Bank

Explanation: HDFC Bank & IndusInd Bank have been put in the ‘red flag’ list, a system used for monitoring foreign portfolio investor (FPI) limits. A listed company enters the list when the available legroom for overseas investment is less than 3% of the permissible limit. FPIs can invest up to 74% in both HDFC Bank and IndusInd Bank. The current FPI shareholding in case of HDFC Bank is 71.3 per cent, while that of IndusInd Bank is 73. 1 per cent. Besides these two, Novartis India and Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care are the only other companies in the red-flag list.

Correct Answer – B. SBM Bank

Explanation: SBM Bank India, the wholly-owned subsidiary of State Bank of Mauritius has partnered with Fintech PayNearby to launch a neo banking platform. Both firms signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build an “open banking” network towards delivering basic banking solutions as well as advanced financial services, to their customers.

• Neo bank is a type of bank that operates exclusively online, i.e., it does not have any traditional physical branch networks.
• Neo banks are cheaper, faster. In one single platform, the neo bank can integrate the entire financial portfolio.
• It offers complete digital banking experience through mobile applications.
• It is also known as an online bank, internet-only bank, virtual bank or digital bank.

Correct Answer – C. Susanta Kar

Explanation: Dr Susanta Kar, Senior Scientist, Molecular Parasitology and Immunology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research- Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI) was honoured with “Prof. A N Bhaduri Memorial Lecture Award 2020” by Society of Biological Chemists (India), Bengaluru. The award is given to him for his contribution towards defining the survival tactics of Leishmania Donovani. Leishmania Donovani is a protozoan parasite that infects the macrophages and the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-Azar).

Correct Answer – C. Maharashtra

Explanation:  Jai Bhawani women’s cooperative textile mill which is set to come up at Parbhani, Maharashtra will be the first Textile Mill in Asia which will operate on Solar Power. The Textile Mill is spread across Thirty acres of land and will process cotton to cloth. Once Functional, the mill will provide jobs to many women in the district. Ginning, Pressing, Weaving and Spinning of cotton will be done in the mill itself. It is being set up at a cost of INR 100 Crores and will add momentum to the industrial sector in the district. Parbhani is the leading cotton producing district in Maharashtra. Majority of the farmers grow cotton as it is seen as a profitable investment.

Correct Answer – C. Maia Sandu

Explanation: Maia Sandu, leader of the Action and Solidarity Party and former Prime Minister of Moldova, backed by the European Union(EU) won the Presidential runoff votes with around 57.75% of votes. She is set to become the first woman President of Moldova. Maia Sandu won the election defeating the pro-Russian incumbent president, Igor Dodon by 15 points (42.25% of votes). Maia Sandu worked for the World Bank and later became the prime minister of Moldova in 2019. She secured 26 out of 101 seats in the Parliament of Moldova in association with Andrei Nastase. She was ousted by Ion Chicu following the motion of no confidence by the parliament of Moldova.

Correct Answer – A. 18th November

Explanation: World COPD Day is observed on the third Wednesday of November every year to raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and improve COPD care throughout the world. World COPD Day 2020 falls on 18 November 2020. The 2020 theme: Living Well with COPD-Everybody, Everywhere. The day is organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) in collaboration with health care professionals and COPD patient groups throughout the world. The first World COPD Day was held in 2002. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a lung disease that blocks airflow and makes it difficult to breathe.

Correct Answer – B. Novak Djokovic

Explanation: Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has given the ATP Tour No. 1 trophy on 15 November 2020, for finishing 2020 as the year-end No. 1 (world number one). With this, he has become the only second player in tennis history, after Pete Sampras, to receive the trophy sixth time. Earlier Djokovic had finished as world number one in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018. Before this, only Pete Sampras has managed to finish six years on top of the rankings which he did between 1993 and 1998.

Correct Answer – D. Politician

Explanation:  Former Lt Governor of Pondicherry, Chandrawati passed away. She has a number of 1st to her credit as she was the 1st Member of Parliament (1977), the 1st MLA, 1st minister (1964-66 and 1972-74) & 1st leader of Opposition in the Haryana assembly (1982-85). Chandrawati had also served as the president of the Janata Party from 1977 to 1979.

Correct Answer: B. Football

Explanation: Former England, Liverpool and Tottenham goalkeeper Ray Clemence has died aged 72. Clemence, who won five league titles and three European Cups with Liverpool between 1967 and 1981, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2005. He made 470 league appearances for Liverpool before joining Tottenham.