Daily GK and Current Affairs Quiz – 8th April 2021

Correct Answer: D. 1315 m

Explanation: The construction of the arch of the world’s highest railway bridge that soars 359 metres above the bed of the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir was completed. The 1.3-kilometre-long bridge aims to boost connectivity to the Kashmir Valley and it is being constructed at a cost of ₹ 1,486 crores as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project.

Features of the Arch of the iconic Chenab Bridge:

The construction of the Chenab bridge was declared as a national project in 2002.Indian Railways is constructing the iconic Arch Bridge on River Chenab as a part of the USBRL project to connect the Kashmir valley to the rest of the nation.This bridge is 1315m long.This is the highest Railway Bridge in the world being 359m above the river bed level.It will be 35 meters higher than the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris (France).The overall weight of Arch is 10,619 MT.The most sophisticated ‘Tekla’ software used for structural detailing.Structural steel was suitable for -10°C to 40°C temperature.Bridge designed to bear earthquake forces of highest intensity zone-V in India.Bridge designed to withstand high wind speed up to 266 Km/Hour.

Correct Answer – E. Defence Research and Development Organisation

Explanation: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an Advanced Chaff Technology to safeguard naval ships against missile attack. The development of Advanced Chaff Technology by the DRDO lab is another step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.

About the Advanced Chaff Technology:

Chaff is a passive expendable electronic countermeasure technology used worldwide to protect naval ships from enemy’s radar and Radio Frequency (RF) missile seekers. The importance of this development lies in the fact that a very less quantity of chaff material deployed in the air acts as a decoy to deflect the enemy’s missiles for the safety of the ships.Defence Laboratory Jodhpur, a DRDO laboratory, has indigenously developed three variants of this critical technology:

• Short Range Chaff Rocket,
• Medium-Range Chaff Rocket and
• Long Range Chaff Rocket.

Important Points:

• Chairman DRDO: Dr G Satheesh Reddy.
• DRDO Headquarters: New Delhi.
• DRDO Established: 1958.

Correct Answer – B. Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone

Explanation: The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated on 7 April every year. On April 7th every year, governmental as well as non-governmental health organizations organize events that focus on promoting healthier habits of living. From exciting activities to pledges and support plans, these events aim to create awareness about what can increase the life expectancy of people around the world.

The Theme of World Health Day 2021: “Building a fairer, healthier world for everyone”.

History of World Health Day:

In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as World Health Day. The World Health Day is held to mark WHO’s founding and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year.

Important Points:

• President of the World Health Organisation: Tedros Adhanom.
• Headquarters of WHO: Geneva, Switzerland.
• WHO founded: 7 April 1948.

Correct Answer – B. Sweden

Explanation: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), appointed Carl Bildt as WHO Special Envoy for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator). Bildt succeeds Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Andrew Witty in the special envoy role. He will help lead the collective advocacy for the ACT-Accelerator in his new role, mobilising support and resources so it can deliver against its strategy for 2021.

About the ACT-Accelerator:

The ACT-Accelerator is a groundbreaking global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) tests, treatments and vaccines, according to the WHO website.It brings together governments, scientists, businesses, civil society, and philanthropists and global health organizations.These include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI, FIND, Gavi, The Global Fund, Unitaid, Wellcome, the WHO and the World Bank.

Who is Carl Bildt?

Bildt has served as both prime minister and foreign minister of Sweden and is a renowned international diplomat, having been the European Union Special Envoy to erstwhile Yugoslavia; High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina; UN Special Envoy to the Balkans and Co-Chair of the Dayton Peace Conference, according to a press statement by the WHO.

Correct Answer – D. Environment

Explanation: Former Union Environment Minister and an MLA from Wankaner in Gujarat, Digvijaysinh Zala has passed away. The veteran Congress leader became the first Environment Minister of India under the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1982 to 1984.

Correct Answer – B. Anamaya

Explanation:  Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda launched ‘Anamaya’- the Tribal Health Collaborative through video conference today.A multi-stakeholder initiative supported by Piramal Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Anameya’ will converge efforts of various Government agencies and organisations to enhance the health and nutrition status of the tribal communities.

Correct Answer – E. Rs 75 lakh
Explanation:  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had announced increase in loan limits for bank lending against NWRs/eNWRs.

With a view to ensure greater flow of credit to the farmers against pledge/hypothecation of agricultural produce, and to encourage use of NWR/eNWR issued by regulated warehouses as a preferred instrument for availing such finance by the farmers, it has been decided to enhance the PSL limit for loans against NWRs/eNWRs from ₹50 lakh to ₹75 lakh per borrower.The PSL limit backed by the warehouse receipts other than NWR/eNWR will continue to be ₹50 lakh per borrower.

Correct Answer – D. Rs. 47,010 crore

Explanation: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has enhanced the temporary liquidity limit for states and union territories by about 46% to help them tide over their cash flow mismatches.The central bank provides this support to governments under its ways and means advances (WMA) mechanism.The new limit has been fixed at Rs 47,010 crore, compared with the previous Rs 32,225 crore.There are two types of WMA – normal and special. While normal WMA is clean advances, special WMA is secured advances provided against the pledge of government securities.Earlier in the month, RBI fixed the WMA limit for the central government at Rs 1,20,000 crore for the first half of the financial year 2021-22.

Correct Answer – B. Nethra Kumanan

Explanation:  Nethra Kumanan became the first Indian woman sailor to qualify for the Olympics after she was assured of a top-place finish in the laser radial event of the Asian Qualifiers in Oman.The 23-year-old Kumanan has a 21-point advantage over her nearest rival, who also happens to be an Indian — Ramya Saravanan — in the Laser Radial Class event with one race to go.The Chennai-based Kumanan currently has 18 points while Saravanan has 39 on the penultimate day of competitions in Mussanah Open Championship, which is a joint Asian and African Olympic qualifying event.

Correct Answer – B. Flipkart

Explanation: The e-commerce platform Flipkart announced its partnership with Mahindra Logistics Limited (MLL).The partnership is made for fast-track deployment of electric vehicles across its logistics fleet in the country.Both the entities will develop a conducive environment for EV deployment and operations in India.They will jointly develop supportive infrastructure and technology like charging stations and parking lots, training workforce, route planning and battery swapping stations.Through this partnership, Flipkart aims to achieve its target of making the logistics fleet fully electric by 2030.

Correct Answer – B. Zhejiang

Explanation: A port city in eastern China has launched a plan to build the country’s fifth rocket launch site.An engineering company in eastern Zhejiang province won a tender on April 1, 2021, to construct the launch pad in Ningbo.As part of the Zhejiang government’s infrastructure plans for 2021-2025, Ningbo will invest 20 billion yuan ($3 billion) in a rocket launch center in Xiangshan.

China:

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

Correct Answer – B. Wavel Ramkalawan

Explanation: PM Modi and Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan jointly inaugurated a range of Indian projects in Seychelles virtually on 8 April 2021.The event featured joint e-inauguration of the new Magistrates’ Court Building and handing over of a Fast Patrol Vessel to Seychelles Coast Guard.It also included handing over a solar power plant and the inauguration of 10 community development projects.

Correct Answer – B. John Kerry

Explanation:  US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 7 April 2021.He briefed the Prime Minister about the upcoming Leaders’ Summit on Climate scheduled for 22nd and 23rd April 2021.He informed that the US would support India’s climate plans by facilitating affordable access to green technologies and requisite finance.

USA:

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

Correct Answer: B. Gangtok

Explanation: Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship organized the first regional workshop to understand the provisions of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 3.0 in Gangtok on 8 April 2021.It also focused on how to effectively implement the scheme in the North East Region (NER).The states covered include Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.