General Awareness PYQs

• UN member countries are expected to present their Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of Sustainable development Goals (SDGs). The VNRs thus serve as a basis for international review of the progress of SDGs.
• SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The SDGs are part of Resolution 70/1 of the United Nations General Assembly: "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• The Reserve Bank of India has constituted a 10-member High-Level Task Force on Public Credit Registry (PCR) to suggest a roadmap for developing a transparent, comprehensive and near-real-time PCR for India.
• Public Credit Registry (PCR) committee is headed by YM Deosthalee.

• With the objective of obtaining people’s participation in the Income Tax Department’s efforts to unearth black money and to reduce tax evasion, a new reward scheme titled “Benami Transactions Informants Reward Scheme, 2018”, has been issued by the Income Tax Department.
• Under the Benami Transactions Informants Reward Scheme, 2018, a person can get reward up to Rs. 1 crore for giving specific information in a prescribed manner.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan at Ramnagar in tribal-dominated district of Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day that seeks to strengthen the country’s Panchayati Raj system and address critical gaps that hinder its success.
• The Central government scheme aims at making rural local bodies self-sustainable, financially stable and more efficient.

• Ishwar Sharma who is the under-11 UK national yoga champion has been named as the British Indian of the Year for his achievements in the field.
• He has won many titles in both individual and artistic yoga, most recently a gold medal representing Great Britain at the World Student Games 2018 in Winnipeg, Canada, in June.

• Himachal Pradesh has been adjudged first among states for its performance under the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritav Abhiyan (PMSMA) in the country.
• The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan has been launched by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. The program aims to provide assured, comprehensive and quality antenatal care, free of cost, universally to all pregnant women on the 9^th of every month.

Uttarakhand High Court accorded the status of “legal person or entity” to animals in the State, saying “they have a distinct persona with corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked banks authorised to deal in foreign exchange (Authorised Dealer-I Banks) to share data with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence is India's chief anti-smuggling intelligence, investigations and operations agency.

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) organized a two-day “National Consultation on Accessible Elections,” on 3^rd July 2018 in New Delhi.
• The event was a part of the ECI’s pursuit of its mission ‘leave no voter behind,’ with the special focus on “Persons with Disabilities” (PwD).
• During the inaugural session, a dedicated portal for the ECI’s ‘Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation’ (SVEEP) initiative was also launched.

• The Government of India has signed a loan agreement worth 200 million dollars with the World Bank for the National Nutrition Mission -POSHAN Abhiyaan. (PM’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment)
• The POSHAN scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2018 at Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.
• The POSHAN scheme aims to ensure holistic development and adequate nutrition for pregnant women, mothers, and children.

• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) launched  “Ganga Vriksharopan Abhiyan” in five main stem Ganga basin states – Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
• The drive was launched on the 9^th of July and the week up to 15^th July was observed as ‘Shubharambh Saptah’.

Punjab National Bank has been ranked as the best PSU bankin the overall digital transactions category in India.

Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched an innovative initiative on 1^st October, 2018, with PSU Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs, i.e. IOC, BPCL and HPCL) to set up Compressed Bio-Gas (CBG) production plants and make available CBG in the market for use in automotive fuels named as SATAT.

2. Better use of agricultural residue, cattle dung, and municipal solid waste.
3. To provide an additional revenue source to farmers. |

• State Bank of India and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development have joined hands to provide collateral-free credit through Joint Liability Groups in Telangana.
• The two signed a MoU, along with seven NGOs from Nizamabad, Medak and Warangal districts, for the promotion and credit linkage of 2,000 Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) during the current year.

• Under the new RBI rules, banks will have to file for insolvency proceedings against loan defaulters with Rs 2,000 crore or more if a resolution plan is not implemented within 180 days of the initial occurrence of default.
• The Reserve Bank of India abolished half a dozen existing loan-restructuring mechanism and instead provided for a strict 180-day timeline for banks to agree on a resolution plan in case of a default or else refer the account for bankruptcy.

• Indian naval ship INS Sumitra became the first-ever warship to enter the port of Sabang in Indonesia.
• The Ship was deployed in Malacca Strait.
• INS Sumitra is the fourth and last Saryu class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy, designed and constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited.​

The correct answer is: Bank of Baroda

Key Points

Bank of Baroda has signed an agreement with CDSL Commodity Repository (CCRL), thus becoming the first public sector bank to become the repository participant for pledge finance under the repository ecosystem for registered/accredited warehouses.

Additional Information

Swachh Bharat Mission has two sub-missions 

1. SBM-Urban
2. SBM-Gramin