Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 5th March 2021

Correct Answer: B. SBI Mutual Funds

Explanation: The State Bank of India (SBI) Mutual Funds has launched its first overseas offering on 1 March 2021. The fund titled SBI International Access — US Equity FOF is an open-ended fund of funds scheme investing in a mutual fund scheme/ETFs that invest in US markets, which are domiciled overseas. The scheme will invest 95-100 per cent of its net assets generally in Amundi Funds – US Pioneer Fund (including ETFs), which invest predominantly in the US markets.

The main features of the scheme include:

International diversification: Provides international diversification to the portfolio and provides investors with the opportunity to invest in themes not available in the Indian market.

Lower correlation: Aids in mitigating overall risk by investing in a market that has a lower correlation to Indian markets.

Currency depreciation: Provide investors with the opportunity to benefit from any depreciation in the Indian currency against the currency of the underlying fund.

Minimum Investment Amount

The customers interested in the scheme are required to invest at least Rs 5,000 for the first time. However, for additional purchase, the minimum application amount is Rs 1,000.

There is no upper cap for the investment in this fund.

Important Points:

• SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara.
• SBI Headquarters: Mumbai.
• SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.
• SBI Mutual Fund MD & CEO: Vinay Tonse.

Correct Answer – C. 8th

Explanation: The 10th Edition of Hurun Global Rich List 2021 was released, which ranked 3228 billionaires from 2,402 companies and 68 countries. The report showed that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the world added 8 billionaires every week in 2020 and 421 in a year, taking their total number to a record 3,288.

The total wealth of all billionaires across the globe surged 32 per cent, an addition of $3.5 trillion, to take their total wealth to $14.7 trillion, during the period under review. The wealth calculations taken into account is as of January 15, 2021.

Top three billionaires:

Tesla chief Elon Musk bagged the top spot on the Hurun Global Rich List for the first time after adding a massive $151 billion during the year 2020 to take his net worth to $197 billion.

Amazon.com Inc CEO Jeff Bezos ranked second with $189 billion in net worth.

Bernard Arnault, the chief executive of LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE, the world’s largest luxury-goods company ranked third with a net worth of $114 billion.

India in the list

• With 60 Billionaires from the Hurun India Global List 2021, Mumbai became the capital for India’s rich followed by New Delhi (40) & Bengaluru (22).
• Asia’s richest person and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani is ranked eighth on the Hurun Global Rich List 2021. The total wealth of Ambani surged by 24% to $83 billion (approximately Rs 6.09 lakh crore).
• Apoorva Mehta of Instacard & Nikhil Kamath of Zerodha (both 34 years) became the youngest Indian Billionaires with a net worth of USD 1.7 Billion.
• Gautam Adani of Adani Group (Global Rank – 48)
• Shiv Nadar of HCL (Global Rank – 58)
• Lakshmi N Mittal of ArcelorMittal (Global Rank – 104)
• Cyrus Poonawalla of Serum (Global Rank – 113)

ASIA:

Zhong Shanshan (Founder of Chinese Bottle Water Maker – Nongfu Spring) with USD 85 Billion became Asia’s Richest person, followed by Mukesh Ambani. He also broke into the Hurun Global Rich List 2021 for the 1st time with a rank of 7.

Important Points:

• Hurun Report Chairman and Chief Researcher: Rupert Hoogewerf (Hu Run).
• Hurun Report Headquarters: Shanghai, China.
• Hurun India MD and Chief Researcher: Anas Rahman.
• Hurun India Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Correct Answer – E. Nainital

Explanation: Indian Scientists at Aryabhatta Research Institute of observational sciences (ARIES), Nainital, have indigenously designed and developed a low-cost optical Spectrograph named as Aries-Devasthal Faint Object Spectrograph & Camera (ADFOSC). It has been commissioned on the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT), in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand.

About the ADFOSC spectroscope:

• The ADFOSC spectroscope is the largest of its kind among the existing astronomical spectrographs in India.
• The ADFOSC spectrograph can locate sources of faint light from distant quasars and galaxies in a very young universe, regions around supermassive black-holes around the galaxies, and cosmic explosions.
• So far, spectroscopes were imported from abroad at high costs. The ‘Made in India’ optical spectrograph is about 2.5 times less costly compared to the imported ones and can locate sources of light with a photon-rate as low as about 1 photon per second.
• The ARIES is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. It is the largest reflecting telescope in India, as well as in Asia.

Important Points:

• ARIES Founded: 20 April 1954.

Correct Answer – D. Tripura

Explanation:  The Governor of Tripura, Ramesh Bais has inaugurated the Udaipur Science Centre, at Udaipur, Tripura. The Udaipur Science Centre has been developed at a cost of Rs 6 crore funded jointly by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Tripura Government and with this; the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) has now set-up science centres in all the northeastern states.

About the centre:

• Science Centres play a vital role in developing a scientific temper in society and inculcating a culture of Innovation among the masses, particularly among students.
• The role of NCSM and the Ministry of Culture for the spread of scientific awareness. Udaipur Science Centre is the 22nd Science Centre which has been developed by NCSM and handed over to the State Governments under the Ministry of Culture’s Scheme for Promotion of Culture of Science.
• NCSM will open 4 more new science centres in different parts of India during 2021.

Important Points:

• Chief Minister of Tripura: Biplab Kumar Deb;
• Governor: Ramesh Bais.

Correct Answer – A. Shimla

Explanation: According to the the ‘Ease of Living Index 2020’ released by the Government of India (GoI), Shimla topped the category of cities with population of less than million. It is followed by Bhubaneswar, Silvassa, Kakinada and Salem.At the bottom of the list of 62 cities are Aligarh, Rampur, Namchi, Satna and Muzaffarpur.

Correct Answer – B. MohanKrishana Bohara

Explanation: Mohankrishna Bohara will be awarded 30th Bihari Puraskar for 2020 for his Hindi book of Criticism, titled Taslima: Sangharsh aur Sahitya in New DelhiHis book was published in 2016.Bihari Puraskar: It carries an award money of two lakh 50 thousand rupees, a Citation and Plaque. It is one of the three literary awards instituted by K.K. Birla Foundation in 1991.This award is given every year for an outstanding work in Hindi or Rajasthani published in the last 10 years.

Correct Answer – A. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Station

Explanation:Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus Railway Station of Central Railway is the first railway station in Maharashtra to be awarded with Gold certification as per CII’s Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) ratings.Central Railway has implemented various green initiatives across its zone, with plantation creating green areas, installation of solar panels, etc.IGBC ratings gives impetus to the national priorities like energy efficiency, water conservation, etc.

Correct Answer – B. Turkmenistan

Explanation: The Indian Army on Thursday began the training of Turkmenistan Special Forces in “Combat Free Fall” to help them build their capabilities.The Indian Army shared the information of the training on Twitter and said it was building bonds of friendship with the Turkmenistani forces.Special Forces Training School Indian Army has commenced training of Turkmenistan Special Forces in Combat Free Fall as a precursor to a series of customised courses to follow and help build the capability of the Turkmenistan Special Forces.In January, India and Turkmenistan had reviewed various aspects of bilateral relations, including political, economic, commercial, defence, education and consular cooperation during the fourth round of foreign office consultations.Both sides had also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and agreed to enhance cooperation in the United Nation and multilateral arena.

Correct Answer – A. Kieron Pollard

Explanation: West Indies superstar cricketer Kieron Pollard has become just the third batsman in international cricket to hit 6 sixes in an over.Pollard achieved the feat when he hit Sri Lanka’s Akila Dananjaya out of the park 6 times in the 6th over of West Indies’ successful chase in the first T20I at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.KIeron Pollard joins World Cup-winning former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh as the only other batsman to hit 6 sixes in an over in T20I cricket.At the international level, it was former South Africa opener Herschelle Gibbs who achieved the feat first — in a World Cup 2007 match against the Netherlands.

Correct Answer – C. Bengaluru

Explanation: Bengaluru has been adjudged as the most liveable city in India, followed by Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Surat, according to the government’s Ease of Living Index released by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.Of the 49 cities ranked on livability index in the million-plus population category, Delhi ranks 13th.At the bottom of the list are Amritsar, Guwahati, Bareilly, Dhanbad and Srinagar.

Correct Answer – C. 6000

Explanation: The government aims to do away with more than 6,000 compliance requirements for businesses, both at the central and state level in 2021.To reduce compliance burden and ensure better easing of doing business environment for companies operating in India, the government has started identifying redundant rules in state and central acts that can be removed.The portal would capture the action plans to rationalize and simplify processes, remove burdensome compliances, decriminalize laws, and repeal redundant Acts, made by the center and states, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

Correct Answer – D. 1040

Explanation: Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, set up for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is planning to expand the temple complex area.It will be done for providing better facilities to the devotees who will visit the city from all over the world.The Trust has purchased 1,040-square meter land in Ayodhya which is located around one kilometer away from the temple land.

Correct Answer – D. UNICEF

Explanation:   United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF has warned that at least one in seven children lived under stay-at-home policies during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting their mental health and well-being at risk.Based on new research, it said, more than 330 million youngsters have been stuck at home for at least nine months since the virus spread uncontrollably in 2020.

UNICEF:

• Headquarters – New York, United States.
• Head – Henrietta H. Fore.
• Founded On- 11 December 1946.

Correct Answer: A. China

Explanation: China has set an economic growth target of “above 6 percent” for 2021.This was announced at the National People’s Congress in Beijing on 5 March 2021.The International Monetary Fund’s forecast in January 2021 said that China’s economy would grow by 8.1 percent in 2021.China is the second-largest economy in the world.

China:

• Capital – Beijing.
• President – Xi Jinping.
• National Sport – Table Tennis.