GK UPDATE: JUNE PART-I

1. BHEL has recently commissioned all four units of the 520 MW Parbati underground hydro electricity project in the state of _________. A. Himachal Pradesh B. Jammu & Kashmir C. Uttarakhand D. Arunachal Pradesh
ANS. A

BACKGROUND:

Parbati project is located near village Bihali in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Bhel’s scope of work in the project included supply and installation of turbines, control and monitoring system, associated station auxiliaries, Gas Insulated Switchgear and electrical and mechanical Balance of Plant (BoP). Bhel is executing three more hydro projects of NHPC-3×110 MW Kishanganga in Jammu & Kashmir, 4×40 MW Teesta Low Dam in West Bengal and 4×200 MW Parbati II in Himachal Pradesh, which are in different stages of execution, the statement said.

2. Name the Indian-American student who has recently won the prestigious National Geographic Bee contest 2014. A. Ameya Mujumdar B. Akhil Rekulapelli C. Krish Patel D. Sathwik Karnik
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
Akhil Rekulapelli, a 13-year-old Indian-American student, has won the prestigious National Geographic Bee contest that carries a USD 50,000 college scholarship, outclassing nine others including four Indian-origin contestants. Akhil, of Virginia, beat out second-place winner Ameya Mujumdar, an 11-year-old fifth grader from Florida who received USD 25,000 college scholarship, in the final round yesterday held at National Geographic headquarters here.

3. As announced by the US President Barack Obama, the US military will be completely pulled out of Afghanistan by the end of__________. A. 2015 B. 2016 C. 2017 D. 2018
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
President Barack Obama’s announcement this week that 9,800 US troops would remain in Afghanistan until 2016 only if the Afghan government signs the bilateral security agreement has been hailed by the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan both have condemned President Obama’s plan and termed it an “aggressive move for the religious, national and human rights of freedom-loving Afghans”. Reacting quickly to the American president’s revelation, the Taliban issued a statement saying their armed struggle would continue till the last US soldier leaves the country. “We consider the White House comments stating they would extend the invasion till 2016 as a shameful act and all nations that favour independence must strongly condemn it,” the statement read. “The stance of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has always been clear and we reiterate that Jihad is obligatory against US troops till the time they are on our land,” it stated further. President Hamid Karzai, who refused to meet Obama during his visit to the country this week on Memorial Day, has welcomed the news.

4. Which of the following teams won the Sub-Junior Girls National Hockey Championship title recently? A. Hockey Haryana B. Chandigarh Olympic Association C. Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy (MPHA) D. Jharkhand
ANS. C

BACKGROUND:
Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy (MPHA) defeated Jharkhand 5-2 to win the fourth Hockey India Sub-Junior Girls National Championship (Division A) here today. While MPHA bagged the title, Chandigarh Olympic Association (COA) registered a 3-1 win over Haryana to finish third.

5. During his recent visit to India, the head of which of the following countries is said to have decided to provide automatic exchange of tax related information with India? A. Maldives B. Mauritius C. Fiji D. Switzerland
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
Recently Singapore overtook Mauritius as the leading source of FDI into India last year, Mauritius has announced it will begin participating in an automatic exchange of tax-related information with the Indian government. In India this week for the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, Mauritian PM Navin Ramgoolam emphasized his country’s desire to clean up its reputation as a tax haven and money laundering hub.

6. In the first decision after assuming office, the Narendra Modi govt constituted a special investigative team (SIT) to unearth black money. Which of the following is correct about the new SIT? A. It will be headed by former Supreme Court judge M B Shah B. It will include Revenue Secretary, CBI and IB directors, Enforcement Directorate official, CBDT Chairman and RBI deputy governor C. It has been charged with the responsibility and duties of investigation, initiation of proceedings and prosecution in cases involving unaccounted money D. All of these
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
On its first day in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new government has constituted a Special Investigation Team or SIT to unearth and bring back black money stashed away abroad. The decision was taken at cabinet meeting on Tuesday evening. “I want to share two issues which were discussed at the meeting today. It is a matter a great satisfaction that we have constituted a SIT to bring back black money as per Supreme Court orders,” Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said after the meeting. The SIT will be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, Justice MB Shah. “The highest level of financial, revenue and economic management of the country are members of the SIT. This indicates the commitment of the new government of India,” Mr Prasad said.

7. The Govt. has ordered Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) to pay a record _________ in subsidy to help state owned fuel retailers cover part of the losses they incurred on diesel and cooking fuel in 2013-14. A. Rs 49,421 cr B. Rs 56,384 cr C. Rs 67,021 cr D. Rs 70,772 cr
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
The government has ordered Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) to pay a record Rs 56,384 crore in subsidy to help state owned fuel retailers cover part of the losses they incurred on diesel and cooking fuel in 2013-14. Oil India and GAIL to shell out Rs 67,021.14 crore to cover for about 48 per cent of over Rs 140,000 crore loss retailers Indian Oil (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) incurred on selling diesel, LPG and kerosene below cost in 2013-14. The government will chip in Rs 70,772 crore by way of cash subsidy, official sources said. Retailers sell diesel, domestic cooking gas (LPG) and kerosene at rates way below cost. The losses they incur are compensated by way of cash subsidy from government as well as assistance from upstream firms like ONGC.

8. The Indian consulate in which of the following provinces in Afghanistan was recently attacked by heavily armed gunmen? A. Kandahar B. Ghor C. Herat D. Bamyan
ANS. C

BACKGROUND:
Gunmen armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades attacked the Indian Consulate in western Afghanistan’s Herat province on Friday in an assault that injured no diplomatic staff, police said. Indian diplomats said there had been a threat against its diplomats in Afghanistan but gave no other details. Two gunmen were killed by police after a group opened fire on the consulate from a nearby home, provincial police chief Abdul Sami Qatra said. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Afghanistan is experiencing a rise in insurgent attacks as foreign troops plan to withdraw from the country by the end of the year.

9. The Reserve Bank has eased gold import norms recently. Earlier, the central bank had prescribed a formula under which at least _______of every lot of imported gold had to be exclusively used for exports. A. 10 per cent B. 20 per cent C. 25 per cent D. 30 per cent
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
The Reserve Bank’s move to ease gold import norms is unlikely to exert upward pressure on the current account deficit, industry body Assocham today said. The RBI had earlier eased gold import norms by allowing select trading houses, in addition to already permitted banks, to procure the precious metal to boost exports. “Assuming a monthly average gold import of 40 tonnes for first quarter of 2014-15 and 80 tonnes for the remaining three quarters, total imports for the current fiscal will tantamount to 840 tonnes vis-a-vis 586 tonnes in 2013-14. “While the 80-20 rule would still put some downside pressure on our estimate, we believe the impact would be offset by the likely upside risk that phased normalisation of custom duty could bring-in,” Assocham President Rana Kapoor said.

10. Madhav Mantri, who died recently, was India’s oldest player of A. Hockey B. Football C. Tennis D. Cricket
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
Madhav Mantri, the former India wicketkeeper, has died following a heart attack at a private clinic in Mumbai on Friday. He was 92. Mantri played four Tests for India in the 1950s, and though he couldn’t quite establish himself in the national team, he was a consistent performer for a dominant Bombay side on the domestic circuit. He captained Bombay to three Ranji titles, and scored 2976 runs at an average of 53.14, besides taking 69 catches and 23 stumpings. He was admitted to hospital on May 1 after suffering a mild heart attack, and died after another heart attack early on Friday morning. Mantri, who was Sunil Gavaskar’s uncle, was a national selector from 1964 to 1968 and the Mumbai Cricket Association president from 1988 to 1992. He was also manager of the Indian team on the England tour of 1990, and served as BCCI treasurer between 1990 and 1992.

11. In which of the following countries has the army seized power in a bloodless coup, suspended the Constitution and declared night curfew? A. Vietnam B. Thailand C. Philippines D. Cambodia
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
Details are sketchy, but Thailand’s military chief announced Thursday in a national address that the armed forces had taken control of the country after rival factions were unable to reach an agreement to govern. The military declared martial law without consulting the country’s interim prime minister, who was serving in a caretaker status after former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra — also a caretaker — was ousted by Thailand’s Constitutional Court. An aide to interim Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan described Tuesday’s move by the military as “half a coup d’etat.” There’s been no reaction from Niwatthamrong’s camp so far. The country remains under martial law, which among other things includes restrictions on where protesters can gather, what TV and radio broadcasters can air and social media posts.

12. The results of 16th Lok Sabha elections indicate that no party qualifies as the Opposition and this could affect appointments to key offices that mandate that the govt consult the LoP. These offices are: A. Lokpal B. Chief of armed forces C. Central Vigilance Commissioner D. Both A and C
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
The Leader of the Opposition enjoys the rank of a Cabinet Minister and receives the same perks, salaries and allowances. The Leader of the Opposition also serves on several important committees, including the selection panels for the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Central Bureau of Investigation Director, and members of the Lokpal. In cases where there is no officially recognized Leader of the Opposition, the leader of the single largest party in opposition will function as leader of the bloc. However, an unofficial Leader of the Opposition does not receive the perks, salaries and allowances that an officially recognized one would. The post of Leader of the Opposition can only be awarded to the leader of a political party and not to the leader of an alliance, even if the alliance was formed prior to the election. This means that a single party would have to meet the 10% seat criteria, not an alliance.

13. The Committee headed by PJ Nayak, which submitted its report, recently, pointed out that all PSBs violate Sebi listing norms. The Sebi regulation for listed companies mandates that __________of directors must be independent. A. 20 per cent B. 25 per cent C. 40 per cent D. 50 per cent
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
The RBI appointed Nayak committee, which submitted its report on May 13, addresses governance issues at both private and state-owned banks, while the focus of the recommendations targets public sector banks. The report called for bringing down government stake in public sector banks below 50 per cent. Noting that many of the recommendations do not require legislation and hence have a much higher likelihood of implementation, it said the report implementation will help strengthen corporate governance standard, particularly at the state-owned banks. The report called for measures to bring about a level playing field between public and private sector banks, as with an earlier RBI report concerning creation of a new financial institutions resolution regime. The report also called for bringing down state control and lowering reduction in state ownership to below 50 per cent, repealing of the Parliamentary Acts through which public sector banks have been constituted as statutory bodies. It also called for creation of a bank investment company to hold state equity stakes, and moving to a uniform bank licensing regime for all banks irrespective of ownership, creation of a dedicated bank boards bureau made up of experienced, retired bankers, to select the board and management team for start-run banks.

14. Negotiations between India and South African Customs Union (SACU) are in progress. Which of the following is/are a member of SACU? A. Namibia B. South Africa C. Swaziland D. All of these
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
SACU is the oldest existing customs union in the world. It was established in 1910 pursuant to a Customs Union Agreement between the then Union of South Africa and the High Commission Territories of Bechuanaland, Basutoland and Swaziland. With the advent of independence for these territories, the agreement was updated and on 11 December 1969. It was relaunched as the SACU with the signing of an agreement between the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. The updated union officially entered into force on 1 March 1970. After Namibia’s independence from South Africa in 1990, it joined SACU as its fifth member. As of 2007, the Executive Secretary of the SACU was Tswelopele C. Moremi.

FUNCTIONS
The union meets annually to discuss matters related to the Agreement. There are technical liaison committees, namely the Customs Technical Liaison Committee, the Trade and Industry Liaison committee and the Ad hoc Sub-Committee on Agriculture, which meet three times a year. Its aim is to maintain the free interchange of goods between member countries. It provides for a common external tariff and a common excise tariff to this common customs area. All customs and excise collected in the common customs area are paid into South Africa’s National Revenue Fund.

15. The leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) group took part recently in the swearing in ceremony of the new PM Narendra Modi. Which of the following countries is NOT a member of the group? A. China B. Afghanistan C. Bhutan D. Nepal
ANS. A

BACKGROUND:
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and geopolitical cooperation among eight member nations that are primarily located in South Asia continent. Its secretariat is headquartered in Kathmandu, Nepal. The idea of regional political and economical cooperation in South Asia was first coined in 1980 and the first summit held in Dhaka on 8 December in 1985 led to its official establishment by the governments of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In the intervening years, its successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states. Afghanistan was the first to have been accessed in the physical enlargement of the SAARC in 2007. The SAARC policies aim to promote welfare economics, collective self-reliance among the countries of South Asia, and to accelerate socio-cultural development in the region. The SAARC has developed a role in external relations around the world. Permanent diplomatic relations have been established with the EU, the UN (as an observer), and other multilateral entities. On annual scheduled basis, the official meetings of leaders of each nation are held; meetings of foreign secretaries, twice annually. The 18th SAARC Summit would be held at Kathmandu, Nepal in November 2014.

16. Who among the following has been sworn in as the Minister of Human Resource Development? A. Radha Mohan Singh B. Harsimrat Kaur Badal C. Ananth Kumar D. Smriti Zubin Irani
ANS. D

17. SEBI wants the Govt. to pare its holdings in PSUs to ensure what percent public share holding which the regulator has successfully implemented for private companies? A. 10 per cent B. 15 per cent C. 20 per cent D. 25 per cent
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
Having successfully implemented the 25 per cent free-float norm for private companies, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) now wants the government to pare its holdings in public-sector undertakings (PSUs) to below 75 per cent. According to sources familiar with the developments, the securities market regulator has already written to the finance ministry proposing the minimum public shareholding (MPS) be raised from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, to level the playing field. The regulator is likely to set a three-year timeframe for PSUs to meet the 25 per cent MPS requirement to avoid crowding out. Some of the other major companies where the Centre holds more than 75 per cent stake are NMDC, NHPC, SAIL and MMTC.

18. India lost to which of the following countries and settled for a historic bronze in Uber Cup women’s badminton tournament recently? A. Denmark B. Japan C. Indonesia D. China
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
The 2014 Thomas & Uber Cup was the 28th tournament of the Thomas Cup and 25th tournament of the Uber Cup, the premier badminton team championships for men and women respectively. It was held from 18th to 25th May, 2014 at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in New Delhi, India. This is the first time India hosted the two cups. The Thomas Cup final featured two teams not expected to make it there as Japan faced Malaysia. In a back-and-forth contest, Japan came out on top by a score of 3 matches to 2, winning their first Thomas Cup. The Uber Cup final featured the top two teams, China and Japan. Backed by wins from the world’s top two singles players, China came out on top by a 3–1 score. It was their 13th title overall.

The Uber Cup, sometimes called the World Team Championships for Women, is a major international badminton competition contested by women’s national badminton teams. First held in 1956–1957 and contested at three year intervals, it has been contested every two years since 1984 when its scheduled times and venues were merged with those of Thomas Cup, the world men’s team championship. The Uber Cup is named after a former British women’s badminton player, Betty Uber, who in 1950 had the idea of hosting a women’s event similar to that of the men. She also made the draw for the 1956–1957 inaugural tournament, which took place at Lytham St. Annes in Lancashire, England

19. In 1969, in the fourth Lok Sabha, who among the following became the first person to be formally recognized and given the status of the leader of the opposition? A. Ram Subhag Singh B. GV Mavalankar C. Jagjivan Ram D. CM Stephen
ANS. A

20. Who among the following has been temporarily appointed as the US ambassador to India after Nancy Powell resigned from the post recently? A. Tara Sonenshine B. Stephen W Bosworth C. Christopher R Hill D. Kathleen Stephens
ANS. D

21. TR Zeliang has been sworn in as the new Chief Minister of which of the following states? A. Arunachal Pradesh B. Sikkim C. Nagaland D. Manipur
ANS. C

BACKGROUND:
T. R. Zeliang (born 21 February 1952) is the 10th and current Chief Minister of Nagaland, a state in northeast India. A leader of the Nagaland People’s Front, Zeliang took over the reins from former chief minister Neiphiu Rio following the latter’s move to national-level politics in Delhi. Zeliang is a former Member of Parliament, representing Nagaland in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.

22. Which of the following teams has lifted Thomas Cup men’s badminton championship recently? A. Indonesia B. China C. Malaysia D. Japan
ANS. D

23. Which of the following teams has won the Women’s Asian Cup Football championship recently? A. Japan B. Australia C. Vietnam D. China
ANS. A

BACKGROUND:
The AFC Women’s Asian Cup (formerly known as the AFC Women’s Championship) is a biannual competition in \ women’s football for national teams which belong to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It is the premier women’s football competition in the AFC region for national teams. The competition is also known as the Asian Women’s Football Championship and the Asian Women’s Championship. 18 tournaments have been held, with the current champions being Japan. The competition also serves as a qualifying tournament for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

24. ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) has signed a deal with Rosneft to jointly explore hydrocarbons in the offshore Arctic. Rosneft is the largest oil and gas producer of: A. US B. Russia C. China D. Canada
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the overseas arm of the state-owned explorer ONGC , has signed a deal with Russia’s largest oil and gas producer Rosneft to jointly explore hydrocarbons in the offshore Arctic. Igor Sechin, President and Chairman of the Management Board of Rosneft and Dinesh Kumar Sarraf, Chairman of OVL and Chairman & Managing Director, Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “The Memorandum paves the way for the companies’ cooperation in subsurface surveys, exploration and appraisal activities and hydrocarbons production in Russia’s offshore Arctic,” the Indian firm said in a statement. The parties will jointly consider forming a consortim led by Rosneft and involving other partners.

25. Who among the following has won the recent Presidential election in Ukraine? A. Arseniy Yatsenyuk B. Sergei Tigipko C. Petro Poroshenko D. Yulia Tymoshenko
ANS. C

BACKGROUND:
Presidential elections were held in Ukraine on 25 May 2014, resulting in Petro Poroshenko being elected President of Ukraine. Originally scheduled to take place on 29 March 2015, the date was changed following the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. Poroshenko won the elections with 54.7% of the votes. His closest competitor was Yulia Tymoshenko, who emerged with 12.81% of the votes. The Central Election Commission reported voter turnout at over 60% excluding those regions not under government control. Since Poroshenko obtained an absolute majority in the first round, a run-off second ballot (on 15 June 2014) was unnecessary. The elections were not held throughout Ukraine. During the 2014 Crimean crisis, Ukraine lost control over Crimea, which was unilaterally annexed by Russia in March 2014. As a result, elections were not held in Crimea.

26. Who among the following has been appointed Chairman of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal, recently? A. Justice NP Singh B. Justice P Sathasivam C. Justice MB Shah D. Justice BS Chauhan
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
The sharing of waters of the Kaveri River has been the source of a serious conflict between the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The genesis of this conflict rests in two agreements in 1892 and 1924 between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Princely State of Mysore. The 802 kilometres (498 mi) Kaveri River has 44,000 km2 basin area in Tamil Nadu and 32,000 km2 basin area in Karnataka. Karnataka contends that it does not receive its due share of water from the river. It claims that the agreements were skewed heavily in favor of the Madras Presidency, and has demanded a renegotiated settlement based on “equitable sharing of the waters”.

27. Who has authored the book ‘Redesigning the Aeroplane While Flying: Reforming Institutions’? A. Pallavi Aiyar B. Mihir Shah C. Arun Maira D. Sam Pitroda
ANS. C

BACKGROUND:
Arun Maira is a thought leader and author of several books on leadership, institutional transformation and the future of India. He was a member of India’s Planning Commission from 2009 to 2014. Prior to that, he was with the Tata Group in India and abroad for twenty-five years, consulted in the USA for ten years with Arthur D. Little Inc., and was the chairman of the Boston Consulting Group, India.

28. International hockey suffered a big setback as the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah passed away recently. He was a father figure for hockey in which of the following countries? A. Indonesia B. Malaysia C. Yemen D. Pakistan
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, (19 April 1928 – 28 May 2014) was the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 26 April 1989 to 25 April 1994. A lawyer by profession, he served as a judge, and the Lord President of the Federal Court before becoming the Sultan of Perak. Sultan Azlan was President of the Malaysian Hockey Federation until 2005, and was the President of the Asian Hockey Federation until his death. He was an Executive Board member of FIH (International Hockey Federation). The Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament, an annual hockey tournament played in Ipoh, is named after Sultan Azlan Shah.

29. Indian Cricket team for upcoming Bangladesh tour for ODI series was announced recently. Who among the following will lead the team? A. Mahendra Singh Dhoni B. Suresh Raina C. Gautam Gambhir D. Virat Kohli
ANS. B

30. Punjab Govt. has given in-principle approval for setting up a Rs 150-cr mega food park at which of the following cities to promote food processing industry in the state? A. Ludhiana B. Patiala C. Amritsar D. Mohali
ANS. A

BACKGROUND:
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave in-principle approval for setting up a Rs 150-crore mega food park at Ladowal in Ludhiana to promote food processing industry in the state. The CM has asked Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) to finalise the Detailed Project Report (DPR) regarding the proposed food park at the earliest for submitting it to the Union Food Processing Ministry, an official spokesperson said. Two-time MP from Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, took charge of the Ministry of Food Processing yesterday.

31. Who among the following has been sworn in as the new External Affairs Minister, the first woman to get External Affairs portfolio? A. Najma A Heptulla B. Sushma Swaraj C. Smriti Zubin Irani D. Maneka Gandhi
ANS. B

32. Who among the following has been appointed as the new principal secretary to the Prime Minister of India? A. Nripendra Mishra B. RK Mathur C. Anil Goswami D. Arun Ramanathan
ANS. A

BACKGROUND:
Former TRAI chairman Nripendra Misra, who was overlooked for the post of Cabinet Secretary by the previous UPA Government, would now become the Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Centre on Wednesday promulgated an Ordinance, amending the existing TRAI Act that prevented former top officials from holding any post in government, to hand over the new responsibility to Misra, who had retired from service in 2009 as the TRAI chief. Nripendra Misra, a 1967-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, would hold the new post co-terminus with that of the PM or till further orders, whichever is earlier, according to orders issued by the Ministry of Personnel and signed by B P Sharma, Secretary of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. The TRAI Act prohibits its chairman and members from taking up any other job in the Central or state governments after demitting office.

33. Which of the following currencies has been the best performing currency in the Asia-Pacific region against the US dollar so far in 2014? A. Indian Rupee B. Malaysian Ringgit C. South Korean Won D. Japanese Yen
ANS. A

BACKGROUND:
Boosted by capital inflows and euphoria around the incoming government, rupee’s surge to 11-month high levels has made it the best performing currency in Asia-Pacific region against the US dollar so far in 2014. With a gain of about 5.3 per cent since the start of this year, rupee has sprinted ahead of its other Asia-Pacific peers, including Indonesia’s rupiah and New Zealand dollar, in terms of year-to-date rise, shows an analysis of various currencies vis-a-vis the Greenback In Asia-Pacific, the rupee’s gains versus the US dollar are followed by the Rupiah (Indonesia) that has appreciated 4.6 p r cent, New Zealand dollar’s 3.75 per cent rise and Australian currency’s 3.5 per cent rise. The Yen (Japan), the Won (South Korea) and the Ringgit (Malaysia) have gained between 2-3 per cent in this calendar year so far. Philippines Peso has appreciated 1.6 per cent against the US dollar, followed by 0.5 per cent uptick in Thailand’s Baht and Singaporean dollar. While the Hong Kong dollar is almost unchanged since 2014 started, the Taiwan dollar and Chinese Yuan have lost value.

34. Which of the following cities has been awarded the rights to host the inaugural European Games to be held in 2015? A. Minsk, Belarus B. Zagreb, Croatia C. Sofia, Bulgaria D. Baku, Azerbaijan
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
The European Games are a proposed multi-sport event to be held among athletes from all over Europe. The Games were designed and are to be regulated by the European Olympic Committees (EOC). The first edition of the Games is intended to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2015, and every four years thereafter. 19 sports have so far been confirmed for the 2015 Games, following successful negotiations with the European authorities for swimming, gymnastics and finally athletics. Launching of these Games was announced at 41st General Assembly of European national Olympic committees in Rome, on December 8, 2012. The first holding of the Games will take place in June 2015 summer and will have around 19 sports on the programme. The European Games are the final ‘continental’ Games to be initiated, after the Asian Games, Pan-American Games, All-Africa Games and Pacific Games. As of 2015, every continent will have a continental games in the Olympic tradition.

35. Who among the following has won the 2014 Monaco Formula One Grand Prix? A. Nico Rosberg B. Jenson Button C. Fernando Alonso D. Sebastian Vettel
ANS. A

36. Which of the following movies has won the prestigious Palme d’Or award, the festival’s highest honour, at the 67th annual Cannes Film Festival? A. Foxcatcher B. Mr Turner C. Maps to the Stars D. Winter Sleep
ANS. D

37. As informed by the Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai during his recent India visit, which of the following terrorist groups was responsible for the attack on the Indian consulate in Afghanistan’s Herat province? A. Lashkar e Omar B. Jaish-e-Mohammed C. Lashkar-e-Taiba D. Al-Qaeda
ANS. C

38. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has cleared purchase of a 50 per cent stake in Tata Group firm Trent Hypermarket by which of the following global retail firms? (It is the first FDI transaction in multi-brand retail since the sector was opened up in 2012) A. Carrefour B. Walmart C. Kroger D. Tesco
ANS. D

BACKGROUND:
British retail major Tesco’s purchase of a 50per cent stake in Tata Group firm Trent Hypermarket, the first foreign direct investment transaction in multi-brand retail since the sector was opened up in 2012, has got approval from the Competition Commission of India. The competition watchdog’s order comes at a time when a government led by the BJP, which has a stated policy of opposing FDI in retail stores selling multiple brands, has just taken over. According to the new Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, multi-brand retail is best not opened up now for FDI because small and medium size traders and small farmers have not been adequately empowered.

About Trent Hypermarket (THL)
Trent Hypermarket is a firm that is engaged in the business of multi-format retail trading in India. It has hypermarkets, supermarkets and smaller convenience stores with retail stores across India. The company was established in 1998 and runs lifestyle chain Westside, Star Bazaar, a hypermarket chain, Landmark, a books and music chain and Fashion Yatra, a complete family fashion store.

About Tesco Overseas Investment Limited (TOIL)
Tesco Overseas Investment Limited as an organisation is a subsidiary of Tesco PLC. At present, it is not present in the retail market segment in India. It is the holding company of several of the Tesco Group’s overseas retail businesses across the world. The Tesco group entered India in 2008 through one of its entities named Tesco Hindustan Wholesaling Private Limited. In 2008, it entered into wholesale supply agreement with THL to supply merchandise to its retail stores.

39. Name the Andhra Pradesh Governor who has been given the additional charge of Telangana. A. MC Bhandare B. Hansraj Bhardwaj C. ESL Narasimhan D. Konijeti Rosaiah
ANS. C

BACKGROUND:
Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India on 28 May 2014 appointed ESL Narasimhan as common Governor of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. His appointment will come into effect from the date when he assumes the charge of the office. Narasimhan got the additional responsibility five days ahead of formal bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2014. He will be serving Telangana until a permanent arrangement is made. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act seeks for a common Governor for a time period that will be determined by the President. The two reasons to have a common Governor:
• Even after bifurcation, the symbiosis between the two states is likely to continue. This is because Hyderabad will be the common capital for both the States for 10 years. The time limit of 10 years will enable Andhra Pradesh to build its own capital. There has been no such precedent anywhere else in the country.
• There is a need for arrangement to address the safety and security of people of Seemandhra settled in Hyderabad and Secundrabad. As the Act has mentioned that the Governor will be responsible for the security of the life, liberty and property of people who reside in these two cities.

40. Who among the following has been named the Protem Speaker of the Lok Sabha to conduct oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected MPs? A. Venkiah Naidu B. Murli Manohar Joshi C. Kamal Nath D. Lal Krishna Advani
ANS. C

41. Who among the following has been named to be the next Attorney General (AG) of India? A. Mukul Rohatgi B. Maninder Singh C. Mohan Parasaran D. Ranjit Kumar
ANS. A

BACKGROUND:
Mukul Rohatgi was appointed as the 14th Attorney-General of India on 28 May 2014. He will succeed G.E. Vahanvati. Rohatgi represented the Gujarat government in the Supreme Court in many cases like 2002 Gujarat riots, Zahira Sheikh and Best Bakery cases. Earlier, the 13th Attorney-General of India, Goolam Essaji Vahanvati and Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran tendered their resignations after change of government in India. They resigned as law officer because tenure of law officers is co-terminus with the government.

About Mukul Rohatgi
• He is a senior Supreme Court advocate and is among the top corporate lawyers in the country
• He was the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) under the NDA regime in 1999.
• He has represented top companies in the 2G Scam trial.
• He has also been representing the Italian Embassy in the Supreme Court in case relating to two Italian marines involved in killing of two fishermen off the coast of Kerala in 2012.

42. Who among the following is the present chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)? A. VK Saraswat B. Tessy Thomas C. RK Tyagi D. Avinash Chander
ANS. D

43. Name the coup leader who has recently overthrown the Govt. in Thailand? A. Jatuporn Prompan B. Prem Tinsulanonda C. Anupong Paochinda D. Prayuth Chan-ocha
ANS. D

44. William Pinckney, who was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Police, recently, is the Chairman and CEO which of the following companies? A. Nestle India B. Amway India C. Nokia India D. Hindustan Unilever
ANS. B

45. Name the Current Vice president and auditor of World Bank. A. Hiroshi Naka B. Jim Yong Kim C. Novak Djokovic D. Prayuth Chan-ocha
ANS. A

BACKGROUND:
Japanese national, Hiroshi Naka was appointed as the Vice President and Auditor General of World Bank. The appointment was announced by the World Bank President Jim Yong Kim on 23 May 2014. He will take the charge as the Vice President in July 2014. He will be responsible for providing leadership on evaluating and improving the effectiveness of the bank’s risk management, control and governance processes.

46. PM has created a new Ministry for_____________.
ANS. Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

BACKGROUND:
PM Narendra Modi on 27 May 2014 created a new Ministry of Skill development and Entrepreneurship. It was created recognizing the importance of skill development in India. Sarbananda Sonowal (MP from the Lakhimpur constituency of Assam) was made Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (independent charge). The immediate mandate of new Ministry is to ensure that India meet its target of skilling and upskilling 500 million people in India by 2022. At the same time create an ecosystem that eliminates bottlenecks which makes business easier and encourage entrepreneurship. This is the first time a separate ministry for skill development has been created. Previously, various departments and agencies were tasked with development of skill and entrepreneurship in the country.
• The Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) worked around entrepreneurship, while the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) was involved in skill development.
• Sam Pitroda as the advisor to Prime Minister on public information infrastructure and innovations was also involved in entrepreneurship development.

About National Skill Development Mission
National Skill Development Mission was launched by the Union Government in 2010. The mission consists of three institutions:
• National Council on Skill Development: It is responsible for policy direction and review of spectrum of skill development efforts in country. It is headed by the Prime Minister.
• National Skill Development Coordination Board: It is under the chairmanship of Dy. Chairman Planning Commission to enumerate strategies to implement the decisions of PM’s council.
• National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC): It is a non-profit company under the Companies Act, 1956. The corporation is being funded by trust National Skill Development Fund. National Policy on Skill Development (NPSD) approved by the Union Government and has set a target for skilling 500 million persons by the year 2022.

47. Who has been selected goodwill ambassador for 35th National Games? A. Rahul Dravid B. Milkha Singh C. Sachin Tendulkar D. Saina Nehwal
ANS. C

BACKGROUND:
Sachin Tendulkar on 27 May 2014 was selected as the goodwill ambassador of 35th National Games that is scheduled to be held in Kerala from January-February 2015. The games will be held in seven cities of the state. Sachin was selected ambassador during his meeting with Oommen Chandy, the Chief Minister of Kerala. Besides, Oommen Chandy also announced the name of the Kochi franchise team owned by Sachin Tendulkar in the Indian Super League Football Tournament. The team owned by Sachin will be called Kerala Blasters Football Club.

About National Games
The origin of the National games lies in the Olympic Movement that started in late 1920s. This led to launching of 9th edition of the Indian Olympic Games at Lahore in undivided Punjab in 1924. The Indian Olympic Games were held as National Games from 1940 onwards. The first National games after independence was hosted by Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh in 1948. It is for the second time National Games is coming to Kerala. The first occasion was in 1987 when the 27th National Games was held at Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Kochi, Thrissur and Kollam.

48. On which of the following cricketers, has the state government of Maharashtra decided to add a chapter in the school Syllabus? A. Rahul Dravid B. Sachin Tendulkar C. Kapil dev D. Navjot singh siddhu
ANS. B

BACKGROUND:
State Government of Maharashtra has decided to add a chapter on the cricket legend, Sachin Tendulkar in the school syllabus. The chapter on the iconic cricketer Sachin was added to inspire the children. The chapter on Sachin has been included in Marathi and English subject textbooks. The students of Maharashtra will learn about the iconic cricketer in Class IV as part of their curriculum from academic year 2014-15.