Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 26th August 2021

Correct Answer: C. Tekchand

Explanation: India’s Mariyappan Thangavelu has won the silver medal in the men’s high jump (T63) at the Tokyo Paralympics. He cleared the 1.86m mark to take home silver. In the same event, Sharad Kumar won the bronze medal, clearing 1.83m mark. Sam Grewe of the United States won the gold medal after he cleared the 1.88m mark. With the two new medals, India’s medal tally at the Tokyo Paralympics has now reached to 10.

Correct Answer – E. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

Explanation: Union minister for information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur has kicked off a series of activities to celebrate the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ starting August 23. The series of events will go on till August 29. The activities organised by the ministry will aim to ‘ showcase the convergence of the values and glories of the freedom struggle of the past with the aspirations and dreams of a young, new and iconic India’.Thakur kicks off the ‘Iconic Week’ which attract participation from across the country under the overall spirit of ‘Jan Bhagidari and Jan Andolan’. During the Iconic Week, the ministry showcases the journey of new India and celebrate the contribution of freedom fighters, including the ‘Unsung Heroes of the freedom struggle, through massive outreach activities.

Correct Answer – B. Economist Intelligence Unit

Explanation: Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark, has been named as the world’s safest city from among 60 global cities, in Safe Cities Index 2021, released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Copenhagen scored 82.4 points out of 100, to top the fourth edition of the EIU’s biennial index, which measures the level of urban safety. Yangon is at the bottom of the index, as least safe city, with a score of 39.5.

From India:

New Delhi and Mumbai have found a place in the index. New Delhi is placed at 48th position with a score of 56.1, while Mumbai is at 50th place with a score of 54.4.

World’s top 10 Safest cities

• Copenhagen
• Toronto
• Singapore
• Sydney
• Tokyo
• Amsterdam
• Wellington
• Hong Kong
• Melbourne
• Stockholm

About the Safe Cities Index 2021:

The EIU’s Safe Cities Index is a global, policy benchmarking tool developed to measure global urban safety. The Index was first released in 2015.In 2021, cities are ranked based on 76 indicators of security across five broad pillars, which are digital, health, infrastructure, personal and environmental.Environmental security is the new addition in the security parameters list for the year 2021.

Cities score on a scale of 0 to 100 where score denotes the safety in the following manner:

• 0-25 – Low Safety
• 1-50 – Medium Safety
• 1-75 – High Safety
• 75.1-100 – Very High Safety

Correct Answer – D. Assam

Explanation:Tiwa tribesmen perform their traditional dnac eas they take part in Wanchuwa Festival in Assam. This festival is celebrated by Tiwa tribesmen to mark their good harvest. It comes with songs, dances, a bunch of rituals and people clad in their native attires.Tiwa is also known as Lalung is an indigenous community inhabiting the states of Assam and Meghalaya and are also found in some parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. They are recognized as a Scheduled tribe within the state of Assam. They practice Jhum or shifting cultivation.

Important Points:

• Assam Governor: Jagdish Mukhi;
• Assam Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Correct Answer- C. NITI Aayog

Explanation: NITI Aayog and World Resources Institute (WRI), India, jointly launched the ‘Forum for Decarbonizing Transport’ in India. NITI Aayog is the implementing partner for India. The aim of the project is to bring down the peak level of GHG emissions (transport sector) in Asia (in line with a well below 2-degree pathway), resulting in problems like congestion and air pollution.The Forum has been launched under the NDC-Transport Initiative for Asia (NDC-TIA) project. The NDC Transport Initiative for Asia (TIA 2020-2023) is a joint programme of seven organizations that will engage China, India, and Vietnam in promoting a comprehensive approach to decarbonizing transport in their respective countries.

Important Points:

• NITI Aayog Formed: 1 January 2015;
• NITI Aayog Headquarters: New Delhi;
• NITI Aayog Chairperson: Narendra Modi;
• NITI Aayog CEO: Amitabh Kant;
• World Resources Institute Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States;
• World Resources Institute Founder: James Gustave Speth;
• World Resources Institute Founded: 1982.

Correct Answer – A. Enchaned

Explanation:  The finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the fourth edition of the Public Sector Bank Reforms Agenda ‘Enhanced Access and Service Excellence (EASE) – 4.0’.The reforms agenda is focussed towards imbibing tech-enabled, simplified, and collaborative banking. The first edition of EASE 1.0 was launched in January 2018.EASE 4.0 aims to further the agenda of customer-centric digital transformation and deeply embed digital and data into PSBs’ ways of working.Annual report for PSB Reforms Agenda EASE 3.0 for 2020-21 was also unveiled, along with awards ceremony.SBI, BoB and Union Bank of India win top honors.Indian Bank won the award for the best improvement from the baseline performance.

Correct Answer – C. Ajit Doval

Explanation: National Security Advisor of India, Ajit Doval has virtually hosted 11th Meeting of BRICS High Representatives Responsible for National Security, since India is the chair for 2021 BRICS summit.15th BRICS Summit is scheduled to be held in September 2021.BRICS meeting of NSA provided a platform for the five countries to strengthen political security cooperation.IBSA: India, Brazil and South Africa.

Correct Answer – B. Bengaluru

Explanation: US-based Ohmium International Ltd has started India’s first green hydrogen electrolyzer manufacturing unit at Bengaluru, Karnataka.The unit will manufacture India-made Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) hydrogen electrolyzers.It has a capacity of manufacturing approximately 0.5 GW per year.Green hydrogen is made from non-fossil sources as against blue hydrogen that is made from fossil sources.

Correct Answer – C. Dubai

Explanation: World’s largest and tallest observation wheel is set to be unveiled in Dubai, UAE on 21st October 2021.This observation wheel is known as ‘Ain Dubai’.It is 250 m (820 ft) in height and is located at Bluewaters Island.This record breaking wheel is 42.5 m (139 ft) taller than the current world’s tallest observation wheel, High Roller, in Las Vegas, measuring 167.6 m (550 ft).It will allow commanding 360-degree view of the emirate’s skyline.

Correct Answer – B. Sandeep Bakshi

Explanation: Sandeep Bakshi has been re-appointment as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ICICI Bank with effect from October 15, 2021.His tenure will continue till October 3, 2023.He has been with the ICICI Group since 1986.Prior to this, he was the whole-time director and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of ICICI Bank.He was serving as MD & CEO of ICICI since October 2018.

Correct Answer – C. 30

Explanation: The Central government on 25 August 2021 announced to raise the family pension of bank employees to 30% of the last drawn salary.This move would make family pension go up to as much as Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000 per family of bank employees. The Finance Ministry has also decided to increase the employer’s contribution in the New Pension Scheme to 14% of the salary from the current 10%.

Correct Answer – B. 15,000-crore

Explanation: The government on 25 August 2021 approved an Rs15,000-crore foreign direct investment (FDI) proposal of Anchorage Infrastructure Investment Holding Ltd(AIIH) for the investment in the infrastructure sector. AIIH is a subsidiary of a Canada-based pension fund entity.The investment also includes the transfer of the share of Bangalore International Airport Limited to Anchorage.

Correct Answer – C. 123,700

Explanation: Indians in the US have surpassed the overall American population in terms of wealth and college education, according to a report which cited the latest census data.The median family earnings of Indians in the US is USD 123,700, nearly double the nationwide average of USD 63,922. The number of people who identify as Asian in the United States nearly tripled in the past three decades, and Asians are now the fastest-growing of the nation’s four largest racial and ethnic groups, according to a New York Times analysis of the census data. Indians are ahead of other Asian groups in the US in median family earnings ranges. Taiwanese and Filipinos with USD 97,129 and USD 95,000 of median family incomes respectively are in second and third place. About 4 million Indians currently reside in the US, including 1.6 million visa holders, 1.4 million naturalised residents and a million are US-born residents. About 79 per cent of Indians are college graduates, in comparison with the nationwide average of 34 per cent, according to the report.

Correct Answer – B. Medtronic

Explanation: Medtronic on 25 August 2021 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Kerala’s  Additional Skill Acquisition Programme Kerala (ASAP). It aims to equip final year students with advanced skill sets and improve overall employability within the healthcare industry. Medtronics is the world’s largest medical technology, services, and solutions company.

Kerala:

• Chief Minister – Pinarayi Vijayan.
• Governor – Arif Mohammad Khan.