Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 20th April 2021

Correct Answer: A. Max Verstappen

Explanation:Max Verstappen (Red Bull – Netherlands) won the Emilia Romagna F1 Grand Prix 2021, in Imola, Italy.This win is his first victory of the season. The race was the second round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship. The seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) finished second, following a crash and sustaining damage involving Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas. Lando Norris (McLaren – Great Britain) took third place.

Correct Answer – E. Charles Geschke

Explanation: American computer scientist Charles Geschke, best known as the co-founder of graphics and publishing software company Adobe Inc, has passed away. Geschke co-founded Adobe company in 1982 with fellow mate John Warnock. Geschke, who was widely known as Chuck, also helped in developing the popular Portable Document Format (PDF).

Correct Answer – C. Ministry of Rural Development

Explanation: The Ministry of Rural Development recently launched the Gender Samvaad Event. It is a joint initiative between DAY-NRLM and IWWAGE. The main objective of the Gender Samvaad event was to create awareness of gender-related interventions under the DAY-NRLM. DAY-NRLM is Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihood Mission. IWWAGE is Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy.

About Gender Samvaad

• It provides opportunities to understand the best practices of other states to improve women agencies.
• For instance, facilitating women’s access to land rights and their engagement in Farmer Producer Organisations, establishing strong institutions for public service delivery, best practices around food, nutrition, health and water and sanitation.
• It helps to understand Gender Interventions globally.
• Also, the event provides opportunities to engage with experts on suggestions to handle implementation barriers.
• It aims to promote the need to focus on gender issues.

Important Points:

• Union Minister of Rural Development: Narendra Singh Tomar.

Correct Answer – B. 40th

Explanation:  The 40th Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (40-ISEA) hosted by the Ministry of Earth Sciences successfully returned to Cape Town after completing a journey of about 12,000 nautical miles in 94 days, including stopovers.This achievement concludes four successful decades of India’s scientific endeavour in the continent of peace and cooperation. The team reached its destination Bharati station on February 27 and Maitri station on March 8 in Antarctica. Bharati and Maitri are India’s permanent research base stations in Antarctica.

Important Points:

• Minister of Earth Sciences:  Dr Harsh Vardhan.

Correct Answer – C. Mirabai Chanu

Explanation: Mirabai Chanu set a new World Record in the women’s 49kg Clean and Jerk with a massive 119 kg lift at Asian Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent. The 26-year-old Indian won the bronze medal at the event. The gold medal went to Hou Zhihui of China who created a new world record in snatch. Asian Games, held once every 4yrs, is the 2nd largest multi-sport event after Olympics.

Correct Answer – B. Rajasthan

Explanation: Rajasthan govt announced Jan Anushasan Pakhwara (JAP) or Public Discipline Fortnight.The decision came on a day when the state crossed 10,000 new cases for the first time.JAP is essentially an extension of the curfew the Rajasthan government had announced for the weekend.However, the government has neither called it a lockdown, nor a curfew, mainly because of the interpretations associated with both, as they have been implemented in the past.

Correct Answer – C. Filmmaker

Explanation:  Acclaimed Marathi filmmaker, Sumitra Bhave has passed away. Sumitra Bhave was popular as a duo with filmmaker Sunil Sukthankar in Marathi cinema and Marathi theatre.She was known for her out-of-the-box content and also for the way she handled social issues in her films.The duo of Sumitra and Sunil together directed several popular films like Doghi, Dahavi Fa, Vastupurush, Devrai, Badha, Ek Cup Chya, Samhita, Astu, Kaasav, among others.

Correct Answer – D. Piyush Goyal

Explanation: Union Minister Piyush Goyal launched the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS).The Fund aims to provide financial assistance to startups for proof of concept, prototype development, product trials, market-entry, and commercialization.The government has approved Rs. 945 Crore corpus for the fund, which will be divided over the next 4 years beginning April 01, 2021, for providing seed funding to eligible startups through eligible incubators across India. The scheme is expected to support an estimated 3,600 startups through 300 incubators.

Correct Answer – C. 84

Explanation: The Henley Passport Index, which has been regularly monitoring the world’s most travel-friendly passports since 2006, has released its latest rankings and analysis.India stands at number 84 on the list, as the Indian citizens can visit Visa-Free or Visa-on-Arrival in over 58 places.Japan, Singapore and Germany, South Korea stand in Top 3 respectively.

Correct Answer – D. DCB Bank

Explanation: Private sector lender, DCB Bank has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India for the re-appointment of Murali M. Natrajan as the Managing Director & CEO, for a further period of one year from April 29, 2021.He was appointed as MD and CEO of DCB Bank in May 2009.Prior to joining DCB, Natrajan has worked with foreign banks Standard Chartered & Citibank.

Correct Answer – D. 6

Explanation: The Delhi government announced a curfew in the national capital for six days.It had earlier imposed a two-day weekend curfew which came to an end on 19 April 2021.Delhi Chief Minister met Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on 19 April 2021 in a crucial meeting where the future course of action has been decided.

Correct Answer – B. M Venkaiah Naidu

Explanation: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid tributes to the great philosopher, saint & social reformer, Shri Ramanujacharya Ji on his Jayanti on 18 April 2021.He was a great proponent of Vedanta and Vaishnavism who also propagated the message of universal brotherhood.The mummified body of Ramanuja is preserved at the Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam using sandalwood paste and saffron.

Correct Answer – C. 200

Explanation: Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) is going to set up an oxygen plant with 200 cubic meters per hour capacity in its Gujarat’s Kalol unit.It will provide free oxygen to hospitals suffering from a shortage of oxygen amid the unprecedented surge of COVID-19 infections.The plant will fill 700 big D-type cylinders daily and also 300 medium B size cylinders on demand.

Correct Answer –  C. 4,002

Explanation: Indian Railways has converted 4,002 train coaches as a COVID-19 care-cum-isolation facility to assist state governments facing a shortage of beds in their states.These coaches will be allocated to state governments on request.Railways has deployed 94 coaches in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar.Meanwhile, Northern Railways has deployed 50 isolation coaches at Delhi’s Shakur Basti railway station.