Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 1st & 2nd November 2020

Correct Answer: C. Ambala

Explanation: Single-use plastic and polythene bags will remain prohibited in Ambala, with effect from November 1, 2020. Awareness is being created among people and announcements are also being made. Shopkeepers are being requested not to use polythene bags to give goods to customers. Customers will also be penalised if they don’t agree and accept such bags.

Correct Answer – D. Paytm Payments Bank

Explanation: Paytm Payments Bank is now enabling automatic cashless payments at 211 toll plazas. It continues to be the largest issuer of FASTags in India and has equipped over 5 mn vehicles with these tags. With this, it has emerged as the largest facilitator of digital toll payments. It is further aiming to acquire another 100 toll plazas and achieve 100% growth in FASTag sales in the next 3 months.

Correct Answer – D. Tamil Nadu

Explanation: The Tamil Nadu Government has passed an order to provide 7.5% reservation for Government school students in undergraduate medical courses. The state Assembly passed a bill unanimously on September 15th, 2020 for the purpose. However, it is yet to become a law as it awaits the state Governor’s nod. It will be made applicable for the state quota seats in the government and private medical colleges.

Correct Answer – C. National Academy of Medical Sciences

Explanation:  The Orations & Awards Committee of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (India), has selected Dr Satish Mishra for “Dr.Tulsi Das Chugh Award” for 2020. He will be awarded in recognition of his research work on Malaria parasite’s life cycle which is a complex process involving two hosts. He is the Principal Scientist, Division of Molecular Parasitology and Immunology, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow.

Correct Answer – A. DBS Bank

Explanation: Global Finance, New York based trade publication released the list of World’s 50 Safest Banks 2020 which named DBS Bank, Singapore as the Safest Bank in Asia for the 12th consecutive year. DBS secured the 4th rank as the safest commercial bank in the world and 14th safest bank globally from 2019 and 2018. Due to COVID-19 pandemic situation the Global Finance conducted a virtual award ceremony of the 2020 World’s Safest Banks on 19th October 2020.

DBS Bank has also won the Global Finance’s Best Bank in the World 2020 which marks the 3rd consecutive year for DBS Bank to be honoured with the World’s Best Bank award. DBS bank was also named the World’s Best Bank 2019 by Euromoney, a leading financial publication and Global Bank of the Year 2018 by Financial Times Publication.

Correct Answer – B. 5%

Explanation: The Reserve Bank of India has granted its approval to Maple Group to acquire up to a 9.99 percent stake in the RBL Bank. Maple Group was one of the investors that participated in the bank’s preferential issue. The group had acquired rights to buy the stake and was waiting for permission from the banking regulator. RBL reported a standalone net profit of Rs 144.2 crore in July-September quarter as against Rs 54.3 crore posted in Q2 the previous financial year. The number was better-than-expected, as a CNBC-TV18 poll had estimated the number to the tune of Rs 126.2 crore.

Correct Answer – C. State Bank of India

Explanation: State Bank of India (SBI) has signed a loan agreement of up to $1 billion with The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). The loan will facilitate the operations of Japanese car companies in India. The financing will assist in Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. While $600 million will be financed by JBIC, the rest will come from other participating lenders which include the Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, MUFG Bank, , Mizuho Bank, Shizuoka Bank and Bank of Yokohama. JBIC will provide a guarantee for the portion co-financed by the participating banks. The loan is intended to promote the smooth flow of funds for the whole range of business operations of Japanese automobile manufacturers in India.

Correct Answer – B. Kerala

Explanation: Kerala becomes the first state in the country to fix the floor price for vegetables. The floor price will be 20 per cent above the production cost of the vegetable. Even if the market price goes below the floor price, the product will be procured at the floor price from the farmers. This is the first time in the country that the floor price is being fixed for vegetables produced in the state.

Correct Answer – C. USD 300 million

Explanation:  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 300 million dollar loan to finance inclusive water supply and sanitation infrastructure and services in secondary towns of Rajasthan. The project is expected to build citywide access for improved water supply services for about 5.7 lakh people. It will also enhance the sanitation services for about 7.2 lakh people in at least 14 secondary towns. Through the project, water supply systems in at least eight project towns are expected to improve by 2027 with about one lakh households including all urban poor households benefiting from five new or rehabilitated water treatment plants and 1,350 km of distribution networks.

Correct Answer – C. US Postal Service

Explanation: Indian Posts & US Postal Service entered into an agreement for the electronic exchange of customs data related to postal shipments. It will enable to transmit & receive electronic data of international postal items prior to their physical arrival. The agreement will make it possible to transmit and receive electronic data of international postal items prior to their physical arrival at the destination and would enable customs clearance of postal items in advance in line with the evolving global postal framework.

Correct Answer – C. SOFIA

Explanation: Two new studies published in Nature Astronomy suggest there could be much more water than previously thought, including ice stored in permanently shadowed “cold traps” at lunar polar regions. Using data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Airborne Telescope, researchers scanned the lunar surface at a more precise wavelength than had been used before — six microns instead of three. This allowed them to distinguish the spectral fingerprint of molecular water. Previous research has found indications of water by scanning the surface, but these were unable to distinguish between water (H2O) and hydroxyl, a molecule made up of one hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom. But a new study provides further chemical proof that the Moon holds molecular water, even in sunlit areas.

Correct Answer – C. KK Sharma

Explanation: KK Sharma, an advisor to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, resigned from his post and was appointed the State Election Commissioner. Mr Sharma, a 1983-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Mizoram Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre, was appointed advisor to the Lieutenant Governor in November last year only.

Correct Answer – D. Anju Bobby George

Explanation:  Incumbent Adille Sumariwalla was elected as Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president while former Indian athlete Anju Bobby George was elected as the senior vice-president during its Annual General Body Meeting. Sumariwalla was elected as the AFI president for the third time. Madhukant Pathak and Ravinder Chaudhary were elected as treasurer and general secretary of AFI respectively

Correct Answer: B. Japan

Explanation: Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga has stated that the country will achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Prime Minister stated he intends to make a sustainable economy a pillar of his growth strategy and put maximum effort into achieving a green society. Suga emphasized the need to shift away from fossil fuels to counter climate change as an opportunity rather than a burden. As per Japan’s current energy plan, 56 per cent of its energy requirements come from fossil fuels.