Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 2nd & 3rd May 2021

Correct Answer: E. Karnal, Haryana

Explanation: The Mahindra Group Chairman, Anand Mahindra has rolled out a project titled ‘Oxygen on Wheels’ to ease the transportation of oxygen from producing plants to hospitals and homes, following acute oxygen shortage amid a severe second wave of coronavirus. The ‘Oxygen on Wheels’ initiative will bridge the gap between oxygen production and its transportation in India, especially in Maharashtra.

Under the initiative:

• Mahindra has lined up around 70 Bolero pickup trucks to connect oxygen producers with hospitals and homes, to deliver oxygen cylinders.
• The project is being implemented through Mahindra Logistics.
• Apart from this, an operations control centre has been established and the storage location is replenished from the local refilling plant. A direct-to-consumer model is also being conceived.

Important Points:

• Mahindra Group CEO: Pawan Kumar Goenka.
• Mahindra Group Founded: 2 October 1945, Ludhiana.

Correct Answer – D. UK

Explanation: The United Kingdom has become the first country to announce regulation for the use of self-driving vehicles at low speeds. The UK wants to be at the forefront in rolling out autonomous driving technology. The Government of the UK forecasts that around 40% of UK cars will have self-driving capabilities by 2035. This will create 38,000 jobs in the country. The speed limit of the ALKS is to be set at 37 miles per hour. The ALKS shall drive itself in a single lane.

How do Self Driving Vehicles work?

A self-driving vehicle is fully autonomous. No driver is required for the safe operation of the vehicle. Self-driving technologies have been developed by Uber, Google, Nissan, Tesla. Most of the self-driving systems maintain an internal map. They use lasers, sensors and radars to map their surroundings. Based on the map created, instructions are delivered to the actuators of the vehicle.

Important Points:

• Prime minister of United Kingdom: Boris Johnson.
• Capital of the United Kingdom: London.

Correct Answer – C. Arjun Munda

Explanation: Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED), has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The LINK Fund, for a collaborative project titled “Sustainable Livelihoods For Tribal Households in India”.  Under the project, both the organisations will work together towards:Tribal Development and Employment Generation, by providing support to tribals for increasing value addition in their produce and products;Sustainable livelihoods and value addition, for the increase in income and employment generation through technological intervention for efficiency in value addition for MFPs, produce and crafts diversification, skill training and enhancement of value additions in minor forest produce.

LINK Fund:

The LINK Fund is a Geneva, Switzerland based philanthropic operational foundation and practitioner-led fund, working towards eradicating extreme poverty and mitigating the effects of climate change.

TRIFED

TRIFED is a nodal agency under the administrative control of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, working for the empowerment of the tribals community in India.

Correct Answer – B. Paytm

Explanation: Home-grown digital financial services platform Paytm has launched a new video-based wealth community called the Paytm Wealth Community.Paytm Wealth Community is an investing community based on video, and “will enable users to attend live sessions conducted by subject matter experts across an array of wealth topics like Stocks, F&O, IPO, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Gold, Fixed Income, and Personal Finance.

Correct Answer – D. Stock Market

Explanation: Axis Direct – the flagship brand of Axis Securities, a fully-owned subsidiary of Axis Bank, announced the launch of a revolutionary mobile app- ‘Axis Direct RING’ to make investment in stock markets simple, fast, and rewarding.RING is built on the latest Technology Stack above a robust Order Management and Risk Management system.RING technology scans over 25,000 stock market instruments in real-time and identifies opportunities for you to invest.

Correct Answer – B. 49th

Explanation: India has been ranked 49th in the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), which classifies 104 countries in terms of government capabilities and outcomes.The Chandler Good Government Index shows the importance of measuring and investing in governance capabilities that matter.It highlights a key need for ‘pracademics’ in government – people who combine a rigorous understanding of research and data with a practical and grounded sense of what governments need to do to succeed.Finland has topped the CGGI list, in which each country is measured across over 50 open data points.The index focuses on seven pillars: leadership and foresight; robust laws and policies; strong institutions; financial stewardship; attractive marketplace; global influence and reputation; and helping people rise.

Correct Answer – B. Finland

Explanation:  Finland has topped the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), in which each country is measured across over 50 open data points.The index focuses on seven pillars: leadership and foresight; robust laws and policies; strong institutions; financial stewardship; attractive marketplace; global influence and reputation; and helping people rise.India has been ranked 49th in the Chandler Good Government Index (CGGI), which classifies 104 countries in terms of government capabilities and outcomes.The Chandler Good Government Index shows the importance of measuring and investing in governance capabilities that matter.

Correct Answer – B. Hindi Litterateur

Explanation: Noted Hindi litterateur and Padma Shri awardee Manzoor Ahtesham has died of COVID-19 in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.Incidentally, Ahthesham”s first story was titled ”Ramzan Ki Maut” and he died in the holy month currently underway.

Correct Answer – D. Uttar Pradesh

Explanation: The Government of Uttar Pradesh(UP) won the “E-Panchayat Puraskar 2021” ranking first under Category I.The award recognises the efforts of UP in implementing the e-applications developed by the Centre and other applications developed by the State Government.Uttar Pradesh was followed by Assam and Chhattisgarh in 2nd rank and Odisha and Tamil Nadu in 3rd rank.The award was instituted by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj(MoPR) to promote the use of ICT in monitoring the works of gram panchayats.

Correct Answer – B. Arun Raste

Explanation: Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved the appointment of Arun Raste as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX) for a term of five years.He succeeded Vijay Kumar.Arun Raste is currently working as an executive director in National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).He has also worked in organisations like IDFC First Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, NABARD, ACC Cement, and a non-profit NGO IRFT.Apart from this he has also served as a Director on the Board of Indian Immunological and Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable.

Correct Answer – C. 4 May

Explanation: The Joe Biden administration will restrict travel from India from 4 May 2021 in view of the spike in cases of Covid-19.The decision to restrict travel from India had been taken on the advice of the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The policy will be implemented in light of extraordinarily high COVID-19 caseloads and multiple variants circulating in India.

USA:

• Capital – Washington, D.C.
• Currency – US Dollar.
• President- Joe Biden.

Correct Answer – C. 5

Explanation: India is among the five countries that will be added to Ireland’s mandatory hotel quarantine list from 4 May 2021.Besides India, the other countries that have been added to the list for mandatory quarantine are Georgia, Iran, Mongolia and Costa Rica.According to the Department of Health, it is an offence to travel to Ireland without making the booking in advance, without reasonable excuse.

Correct Answer – B. Chandigarh

Explanation: Chandigarh administration has banned the private sale of remdesivir injection, used to treat Covid patients, and decided to itself distribute it among hospitals.The health department of Chandigarh will procure the medicine from open market or central allocation, and distribute it among all government and private hospitals treating Covid patients.While the antiviral drug does not reduce mortality, it is found to reduce hospitalisation duration, only if started within eight days of onset of symptoms.

Correct Answer: A. ​Hyderabad

Explanation:The first consignment of Russia-made Sputnik-V vaccine arrived at the Samshabad International Airport in Hyderabad on 1 May 2021 by a special flight.As part of the first lot, 1,50,000 vaccines have reached.This is the 3rd vaccine to be used as a preventive vaccine against covid.The 1st consignment has been handed over to the Indian partner of the Russian vaccine, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.

Correct Answer: A. ​IIT Madras

Explanation: IIT Madras-incubated start-up Modulus Housing has developed a portable hospital unit called ‘MediCAB’, to treat COVID-19 patients.The unit can be installed anywhere within two hours by four people.It is a decentralized approach to detect, screen, identify, isolate and treat COVID-19 patients in their local communities through these portable microstructures.

Correct Answer: A. ​Cinematographer

Explanation: Tamil Director and National film Award winning Cinematographer KV Anand (Karimanal Venkatesan Anand) passed away at the age of 54 due to COVID-19 related complications in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.KV Anand started his career as a photojournalist and later joined as an assistant of award-winning cinematographer PC Sreeram.He was the founding member of the Indian Society of Cinematographers (ISC).In 1994, He debuted as the cinematographer for the Malayalam film “Thenmavin Kombath” and won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography.

Correct Answer: C. ​Dubai, UAE

Explanation: Due to the International travel restrictions and rising COVID-19 cases in India, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), in consultation with the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) decided to conduct the 2021 Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).The tournament was scheduled to be held at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium from May 21 to 31, 2021.Now the event will be held between May 21 to June 1, 2021 and will be organized by BFI along with UAE Boxing Federation.Under the championship, the Indian women’s team will be led by the MC Mary Kom (51kg) and the men’s team is not yet announced.

Correct Answer: C. ​3rd May

Explanation: World Press Freedom Day or World Press Day is observed globally on 3 May every year.The day also pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives.They risk their lives at times or may even have to face tough situations in order to bring the news from different corners of the world in front of the public.This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme “Information as a Public Good”.

Correct Answer: C. ​Mahesh Balasubramanian

Explanation: Mahesh Balasubramanian has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company Limited (KLI).He has been appointed for a period of 3 years starting from 1st May 2021.He has been appointed following the retirement of G Murlidhar.KLI is in receipt of approval from the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for the appointment of Balasubramanian.