General Awareness PYQs

The correct answer is 833.1 million.

Key Points

• As per the Provisional Population Totals of Census 2011, the total population of India was 1210.2 million. Of this, the rural population stands at 833.1 million and the urban population 377.1 million.

Important Points

• By the 2011 census, there were 46 million-plus cities in India, with Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata having populations over 10 million.
• There are 53 urban agglomerations in India with a population of 1 million or more by the 2011 census.
• According to the 2001 census, there were 35 cities in India that have more than 1 million population.
• 31.165 % population can be categorized under Urban as per the 2011 Census.
• By census 2011, Goa is the most urbanized state with 62.17% of the population living in urban areas.

Additional Information

• According to Census 2001, over 70% lived in rural areas.
• By the 2001 census, 35 urban agglomerations in India with a population of 1 million or more.

Option 4 is correct i.e 29 July

• International Tiger Day is celebrated on July 29 every year to raise awareness for tiger conservation.
• The aim of the day is to help promote a worldwide system whereby we are dedicated to protecting tigers and their natural habitats.
• International Tiger Day was established in 2010 at Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia.
• At the summit, governments of tiger-populated countries vowed to double tiger population by 2022.
• Wild tiger populations have declined by around 95% since the beginning of the 20^th century.
• A WWF report says that about a 100 years ago, there might have been over 100,000 tigers roaming the planet.
• The Tiger Estimation Report 2018, released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 29, 2019, said that the population of tigers in India had increased to 2,967 in 2018 from 2,226 in 2014, according to the tiger census.

The correct answer is 10,000.

Key Points

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana  (PMJDY) is a nationwide scheme.
• It was launched by the Government of India.
• It was established to ensure financial inclusion of every individual who does not have a bank account in India.
• The scheme was launched on August 28, 2014.
• The main slogan of this scheme was ‘Mera Khata – Bhagya Vidhata’ which implies " my bank account is my god."
• Any of the documents can be helpful in opening the account under this scheme-
• The passport
• The driving license
• The Permanent Account Number (PAN) Card
• The Voter’s ID issued by the Election Commission of India
• The Aadhar Card
• Under PMJDY-
• Accounts can be opened with Zero balance.
• The account holders under this scheme can avail of a RuPay debit card which can be used across all ATMs for cash withdrawal.
• A customer can open an account under this scheme with any bank branch or Business Correspondent (Bank Mitr) outlet.
• The account holders can avail of an overdraft facility up to Rs 10,000.

The correct answer is 1.5 lakhs.

Key Points

• The Public Provident Fund is a savings-cum-tax-saving instrument in India, introduced by the National Savings Institute of the Ministry of Finance in 1968.
• A minimum yearly deposit of Rs. 500 is required to open and maintain a PPF account.
• It is a savings-cum-tax-saving instrument in India.
• The maximum amount that can be deposited in a financial year is Rs. 1.5 lakh.
• It is a 15-year scheme, which can be extended indefinitely in a block of 5 years.

The Correct Answer is Minimum Support Price.

Key Points

Minimum Support Price

• Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices.
• The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for certain crops.
• The MSP is decided based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

Additional Information

• The government announces minimum support prices (MSPs) for 22 mandated crops and fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane.
• The list of crops is as follows.
• Cereals (7) - paddy, wheat, barley, jawar, bajra, maize, and ragi
• Pulses (5) - gram, arhar/tur, moong, urad, and lentil
• Oilseeds (8) - groundnut, rapeseed/mustard, toria, soybean, sunflower seed, sesamum, safflower seed, and nigerseed
• Raw cotton
• Raw jute

The correct answer is SBI.

• SBI has raised ₹5,000 crores by issuing Basel-III compliant bonds.
• The committee of directors of capital raising met on 26 Oct 2020 and accorded its approval to allot 50,000 Basel-III compliant non-convertible, taxable debt instruments.
• The Basel-III capital regulations are globally accepted banking norms under which banks need to improve and strengthen their capital planning processes.

The correct answer is Nagaland.

• The Nagaland government has decided to celebrate the popular Hornbill festival virtually this year, amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.
• Hornbill Festival, held from December 1 to 10, showcases the culture, heritage, food, and customs of Naga tribes at Kisama village.
• Sixteen tribal communities come together to celebrate their traditions with colorful dance performances.
• Nagaland: 
• Lok Sabha seats - 1.
• Rajya Sabha seats - 1.
• State Animal - Gayal.
• State Bird - Blyth's tragopan.

The correct answer is Saudi Arabia.

• Saudi Arabia virtually hosted the 15^th G20 Summit in November 2020.
• The Summit saw the participation of respective Heads of State/ Government of 19 member countries, EU, other invited countries and international organizations.
• Theme-Realizing Opportunities of 21^st Century for All.
• The agenda of the Summit was spread out over two days with two sessions focused on overcoming the pandemic, economic recovery and restoring jobs, and building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future.

Additional Information

• PM Modi representing India called for a new Global Index for the Post-Corona World that comprises four key elements:
• creation of a vast Talent Pool
• ensuring that Technology reaches all segments of the society
• transparency in systems of governance
• dealing with Mother Earth with a spirit of Trusteeship
• PM Modi suggested the creation of a G20 Virtual Secretariat as a follow-up and documentation repository noting that ‘Work from Anywhere’ is a new normal in the post-COVID world.
• The members of the G20 are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and the European Union.

The Group of Seven (G7) is an international intergovernmental economic organization consisting of seven countries.

• Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• Russia was suspended in March 2014 due to the annexation of Crimea.
• The seven countries comprise 58% of the global wealth and 46% of the Global Gross Domestic Product.

The correct answer is Gujarat

• The Gujarat government has officially announced the inauguration of the first-ever seaplane service in the state from October 31 - which marks the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• The service will be operated by Spicejet Airline from Sabarmati riverfront in Ahmedabad to Statue of Unity in Kevadia.
• An MoU was signed on July 22 this year between Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and Airports Authority of India to start the “first-ever seaplane services in Gujarat.
• The water aerodrome scheme is being implemented by the terms and conditions of a tripartite agreement between the state government, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), and the Airports Authority of India.
• SpiceJet will operate a 19-seater plane, which will be able to accommodate 14 passengers. Ticket price would be around ₹4,800 per person.

The correct answer is Acting.

• Actor Soumitra Chatterjee passed away on 15 November in Kolkata following COVID-19 complications. He was 85.
• He had worked in acclaimed films like Ashani Sanket, Ghare Baire, Aranyer Din Ratri, Charulata, Shakha Proshakha, Jhinder Bandi and Saat Pake Bandha, among others.
• The actor was also a recipient of the Padma Bhushan (2004) and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2012).

Option 3 is correct:

• Former RBI governor, Urjit Patel has written a book titled 'Overdraft: Saving the Indian Saver'.
• The book focuses on the non-performing assets (NPAs) issue that has afflicted Indian banking in recent years, its causes and Patel's efforts as the RBI Governor in dealing with it.
• Patel's book description says that sovereigns do not need to earn or save before spending money. They can either print or borrow.
• Patel, under whose governorship the note ban was carried out, surprised all by resigning from the RBI in December 2018.
• Patel's book will be released by the end of July.

The Correct  Answer is Thaawar Chand Gehlot.

Key Points

• Thaawar Chand Gehlot, the Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, unveiled the 'National Portal for Transgender People.'
• A 'Garima Greh: A Shelter Home for Transgender People' was also e-inaugurated on 25 November 2020 in Vadodara, Gujarat.
• They will track the progress of their submission through the portal, which provides accountability in the process.
• A significant feature of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 is the receipt of Transgender Certificates and Identification Cards according to their self-perceived identity.
• The primary purpose of the shelter home is to offer basic services such as shelter, food, clothes, medical care and recreational facilities to transgender people.
• The shelter will also provide capacity-building and skills-building support for transgender people, enabling them to live a life of dignity and respect.
• In order to improve the conditions of transgender people across the world, the Union Social Justice Ministry has taken the first step by identifying 10 cities to set up 13 shelter homes.

The correct answer is Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana.

Key Points

Soubhagya scheme - 

• The scheme is also called as " Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana ".
• The scheme is related to " Electricity Connections ".
• It was launched in September 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who aimed to complete the electrification process by December 2018.
• The total outlay of the project is Rs 16,320 crore.
• The outlay for the rural household is Rs 14,025 crore.
• The outlay for the urban household is Rs 2,295 crore.
• The scheme will provide subsidy on equipment such as transformers, wires, and meters.
• The power connection will be provided in both the urban and rural areas.
• The beneficiary household will also get one LED lights one DC power plug, and also includes the repair and maintenance  of meters only ( R&M ) for 5 years

Important Points

Highlight 

• The scheme is launched on the occasion of the birth centenary celebration of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya on 25^th September.
• The scheme aims to achieve 24x7 power for all by 2019 by providing electricity connection to each household across the country.
• Ministry of Power would be the implementing authority of the scheme.

The correct answer is 70 lakhs.

Key Points

• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) completed 5 years of operation in Jan 2021.
• The Union agriculture ministry has disbursed Rs 90,000 to farmers.
• About 70 lakh farmers benefitted and claimed worth Rs 8,741.30 crore into their accounts during the COVID-19 lockdown period.
• The scheme covers over 5.5 crore farmer applications on yearly basis.
• The Aadhaar seeding has helped the govt for speedy claim settlement directly into the farmer accounts.
• The scheme was made voluntary for all farmers, after its revamp in February 2020.
• Under this scheme-
• Premium cost over and above the farmer share is equally subsidized by states and the central government.
• The average sum insured per hectare has increased from Rs 15,100 during the pre-PMFBY schemes to Rs 40,700 under PMFBY.
• key features of the scheme are-
• Integration of land records with the PMFBY portal.
• Crop insurance mobile app has been launched for easy enrolment of farmers.
• Use of various technologies to assess crop losses, like satellite imagery, remote-sensing technology, drones, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to assess crop losses.
• The scheme will help the farmers to report crop loss within 72 hours of the occurrence of any event through the crop insurance app.

Additional Information

• Union Agriculture Minister-Narendra Singh Tomar (as of Jan 2021).
• Constituency-Morena, Madhya Pradesh.
• ​The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched on 18 February 2016.
• It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• It is an insurance service for farmers for their yields.

The correct answer is 3 years.

Key Points

• The Kisan Credit Card scheme is a Government of India scheme.
• This scheme was launched in 1998.
• It was started with the aim of providing short-term formal credit to farmers.
• This scheme was created by NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development).
• Highlights of the Kisan Credit Card scheme is as follows-
• Under this scheme, Farmers are given credit for fulfilling their financial requirements of agricultural and other allied activities along with harvest expenses.
• The scheme also provides Insurance coverage for KCC scheme holders up to Rs.50,000 in the case of permanent disability or death.
• A cover of Rs.25,000 is given in the case of other risks.
• Any individual farmer who is an owner-cultivator is eligible for this scheme.
• They have the option of flexible repayment and hassle-free disbursement procedure.
• The application process for the Kisan credit card can be done in two ways, that is, Offline & Online.
• It also provides assistance in the purchase of fertilizers, seeds, etc. as well as in availing cash discounts from merchants/ dealers.
• Under the scheme, Credit is available for up to 3 years.
• Also, repayment can be made once the harvest season is over.
• Loans up to Rs.1.60 lakh are provided without any collateral.

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Additional Information

The correct answer is Carolina Araujo.

• Dr. Carolina Araujo from Brazil has become the first non-Indian to win the Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians.

Important Points

• Dr. Carolina Araujo has been awarded for her outstanding work in algebraic geometry.
• She is a Brazilian mathematician who specializes in algebraic geometry, including foliations, birational geometry, and fano varieties.
• She is the Vice President of the Committee for Women in Mathematics at the International Mathematical Union.
• The work area of Carolina focuses on birational geometry which aims at classifying and describing the structure of the algebraic varieties.

Additional Information

• The prize is awarded annually to a researcher from a developing country funded by the Department of Science and Technology in association with ICTP (International Centre for Theoretical Physics), and the International Mathematical Union (IMU).
• The candidates for Young Mathematics should be less than 45 years of age.
• The candidates must also be conducting outstanding research in a developing country.
• Srinivasa Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician.
• Ramanujan made great contributions in number theory, continued fractions, and infinite series, despite not having any formal education in math.
• He was a self-taught mathematician.

The Correct Answer is 1965.

Key Points

• The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was created in 1965, fulfilling the desire of the then prime minister of India — the late Lal Bahadur Shastri.
• The National Dairy Development Board was created to promote, finance and support producer-owned and controlled organizations.
• The programs and activities of NDDB seek to strengthen farmer-owned institutions and support national policies that are favourable to the growth of such institutions.
• NDDB’s efforts transformed India’s rural economy by making dairying a viable and profitable economic activity for millions of milk producers while addressing the country’s need for self-sufficiency in milk production.
• The NDDB Dairy Services is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the NDDB.
• It functions as a delivery arm of the NDDB for field operations relating to promoting Producer Companies and Productivity Services and is providing technical and management services for some activities under the National Dairy Plan.

Important Points

• In 2014, the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the Indian Dairy Association (IDA) and 22 state-level milk federations jointly agreed to celebrate Dr. Verghese Kurien's birthday, who was known on 26 November as the father of the White Revolution in India.
• Therefore on 26 November 2014, the first National Milk Day was celebrated.
• The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) of India began a rural development program known as Operation Flood in 1970.

Additional Information

• Verghese Kurien was a social entrepreneur whose "billion-litre idea" Operation Flood, made India's largest self-sustaining dairy farming industry and the largest rural employment market, providing a third of all rural income.

• While the memory contents for a ROM are set at design/manufacturing time, Programmable Read Only memories (PROM) and more recently One-Time Programmable (OTP) devices can be programmed after manufacturing making them a lot more flexible. Once programmed, or blown, the contents cannot be changed and the contents are retained after power is removed.
• The term “blown” is a historical term related to the programming mechanism of PROMs. Contents were written by using a high voltage to burn out interconnection fuses. These PROMs were blown on special devices called PROM Programmers.
• The PROM was originally developed as part of a military program related to ICBMs in 1956. The invention is attributed to Wen Tsing Chow who was working for American Bosch Arma Corporation. Commercial devices became available in the late 1960s.

The correct answer is Rs. 10,000.

Key Points

• The highest denomination currency note ever printed by the Reserve Bank of India was a note of 10,000 during the British Raj in 1938.
• Although the note was demonetized in 1946, a new edition of the note was introduced in 1954.
• However, 10,000 notes along with 1,000 notes and 5,000 notes were demonetized by the then PM Morarji Desai in 1978.
• The Indian 2000-rupee banknote is the Indian rupee denomination.
• It was issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 8 November 2016 after the demonetization of 500 and 1000 notes and has been in circulation since 10 November 2016.
• It is part of the Mahatma Gandhi New Banknote Series with a completely new design.