Bankiq Magazine Jan PDF

BANKiq.
IN January 2020
INDEX
TOPPER’S TALK 1
1) Topic in News 4
2) New Scheme 6
3) Tip of the month 7
4) Banking and Financial Awareness 11
5) Taxation 14
6) International Affairs 15
7) India and the World 17
8) Polity and Governance 19

9) Defence and Security 22
10) Appointments and Resignations 25
11) Government Scheme 28
12) Sports 30
13) Rank & Reports 32
14) Honours and Awards 35
15) Miscellaneous 38
PRACTICE CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ’S 42
SOLUTIONS CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ’s 51
A STUDY IQ Initiative
bankiq.in January 2020
TOPPER’S TALK
How to Clear RRB PO & Clerk exam -Arpit of Rajasthan, Motivation for
BANK Aspirants
Strategy:
In the pre-exam, we have two subjects math and reasoning. For math, the basic calculation is
must, 5 to 10 questions are asked on simplification and that too of basic level , anyone can easily
do them.
Preliminary Exam Pattern
Reasoning 40 questions 40 marks .

Numerical Ability 40 questions 40 marks
A cumulative time of 45 mins is given
In Reasoning 40 questions are asked which are of 40 marks - coding-decoding, syllogism ,

inequalities are asked and that too of a simple level. Machine input-output question is not seen
much. All these come at a very basic level.
My calculation was very fast in the exam that’s why I was able to CRACK THE EXAM.
RRB Rajasthan clerk cutoff was 74 out of 80.
In RRB PO I attempted 65 and got 62.5 and in RRB Clerk I attempted 79 and got 79.
Mains preparation strategy (PO)( 2 hours)
Subjects -Math, Reasoning, Computer , Hindi/English and GA.
Banking awareness- I followed banking awareness videos by Gaurav Garg Sir on Current Affairs
at Studyiq Youtube channel.
Banking Awareness
Countries/Currencies
UNO
Indian and International Economy
Marketing
Banking Terms
Awards and Honors
RBI & Its Functions
Sports
Books and Authors
Finance
Fiscal Monetary Policies
Agriculture
Page 1
Repo and Reverse Repo Rate

History of Banking
Preliminary Exams strategy
The reasoning was my favorite subject. I always did one-liner questions first in the exam
followed by the two liners and at last the puzzle and sitting arrangement.
Try to solve 40 questions in 18/19 minutes.
For Math, I gave 23/24 minutes --starting with simplification questions at first followed by
Data Interpretation questions then, the arithmetic questions.
Note
Learn squares up to 40 and cube up to 25
Give daily quizzes on 2-3 application .
Give mock and do the analysis of them.
For Pre give 2/3 mock
For Mains give 10/12 mock
For Hindi
NCERT of Hindi for classes 9-12, revise NCERT of Hindi 2-3 times.
I scored 31 marks out of 40 in Hindi.
Vyakaran
Fill in the Blanks
Mistakes
Paragraphs
Computer: Lucent book
Computer Fundamentals
Computer Abbreviations
Software and Hardware Fundamentals
Shortcut Keys
Networking
Basic Knowledge of Internet
MS Office
History of Computers
Database
Security Tools
History and Future of Computers
Virus, Hacking
Interviewer
In Mains, I scored 17 marks more than the final cutoff.
In the Final cutoff, I got only 0.55 marks more from the final cutoff.
In the Interview, I scored 11 out of 20.
Page 2
In Interview
Personality is judged.
Psychology is judged
Current topics are asked.
Don’t lie.
3-4 banking questions were asked and rest were related to my background and graduation
subjects.
Do practice of the subjects more than to study only.
I studied Math but I practised it more, I helped my friends in math only because I practiced more.
I want to thank Gaurav Garg sir for the series of daily current affairs on Studyiq Youtube channel.
I wish you all the very best.
Thank you

Page 3
Topic In News
BUDGET 2020
Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman
has presented the Union Budget 2020 of India
on the 1st of February, 2020. The government
has taken some measures towards reaching the target of a $5 trillion economy by the end of
2022.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is only the second woman in the history of Independ-
ent India to present the Union Budget.
Indira Gandhi was the first woman to have presented the Union Budget. In 1970, she presented
the Union Budget of India for 1970-71, after she took briefly over the finance portfolio.
She carried the budget documents in a ‘‘Bahi Khata’ (traditional Indian ledger), a red parcel
like bag with a key hole on the emblem, breaking the age-old tradition of carrying a briefcase.
Under Article 112 of the Constitution, a statement of estimated receipts and expenditure of
the Government of India has to be laid before Parliament in respect of every financial year (1st
April to 31st March).
The Annual Financial Statement (AFS) is the main Budget document and is commonly
referred to as the Budget Statement.
The Finance Minister said that the Union Budget Aims:
To achieve seamless delivery of services through Digital governance

To improve physical quality of life through National Infrastructure Pipeline
Risk mitigation through Disaster Resilience
Social security through Pension and Insurance penetration
Budget 2020-21 is woven around three prominent themes:
1) Aspirational India in which all sections of the society seek better standards of living, with
access to health, education and better jobs.
The three broad themes are held together by
Corruption free – policy-driven good governance
Clean and sound financial sector.
The three components of Aspirational India are- a) Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Develop-
ment , b) Wellness, Water and Sanitation and c) Education and Skills
Page 4
bankiq.in
2) Economic development for all, indicated in the Prime Minister’s exhortation of “Sabka
econo-
Saath , Sabka Vikas , Sabka Vishwas”. This would entail reforms across swathes of the econo
my. Simultaneously, it would mean yielding more space for the private sector. Together, they
would ensure higher productivity and greater efficiency.
3) Ours shall be a Caring Society that is both humane and compassionate. Antyodaya is an
article of faith.
Highlights of Budget 2020
Income Tax: Middle Class India Gets A Rs 40,000 Crore Boost
The new income tax slabs and rates are as under:
Rs 5-7.5 lakh per annum: 10 percent from 20 percent earlier.

Rs 7.5-10 lakh per annum: 15 percent from 20 percent earlier.
Rs 10-12.5 lakh per annum: 20 percent from 30 percent earlier.
Rs 12.5-15 lakh per annum: 25 percent from 30 percent earlier.
Above Rs 15 lakh per annum: 30 percent without any exemptions.
Real Estate: Benefits For Buyers And Makers Of Affordable Housing In order to boost
affordable housing
100 New Airports, 5 New Smart Cities, 10,000-Km Gas Grid
National infra pipeline of Rs 106 lakh crore addresses country’s needs.
To set up project preparation facility for infrastructure projects. National logistics policy to
be released soon.
Logistics policy to create single-window e-logistics market.
Delhi-Mumbai Expressway to be completed by 2023.
To monetise 12 lots of highway bundles by 2024.
Indian Railways commissioned 550 Wi-Fi facilities.
Railways has small operating surplus.
Solar power capacity to be set-up alongside rail tracks.
Four station redevelopment projects to be done through PPP mode.
More Tejas-like trains to connect iconic tourist destinations.
100 more airports to be developed by 2024.
To provide 20% equity, external assistance for metro projects.
To provide Rs 22,000 crore for power, renewable energy in FY21.
Page 5
New Scheme
BUDGET 2020
To achieve higher export credit disbursement, a
new scheme, NIRVIK is being launched, which
provides for higher insurance coverage, reduction
in premium for small exporters and simplified procedure for claim settlements.
Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme
Under the proposed „Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme, a taxpayer would be required to pay only the
amount of the disputed taxes and will get complete waiver of interest and penalty, provided he
pays by 31st March, 2020. Those who will avail the scheme after 31st March, 2020 will have to pay
some additional amount. The scheme will remain open till 30th June 2020.

Page 6
Tip of Month
BUDGET 2020
Inequality is a phenomenon that we have
known or come across for a while now. It
simply means something that is not equal in all
the sense whether social, economical or math-
ematical sense. But today we are talking about Inequalities in mathematical terms. Each one
of you has seen signs such as “>”, “≠”, “≤” etc. at some point of time or other.
You should keep in mind the priority order while solving these type
questions
Priority of Symbols:
1) > ≥ =
For ex- If T>P≥Q=R Then, T> Q and T>R
2) < ≤ =
For ex- If W<X≤V=Y Then, W<Y and W<V
3) > < (No relation)
For ex- If Q>K<L , Then there will be no relation between Q and L.
4) > ≤ (No relation)
For ex- If O>J≤H , Then there will be no relation between O and H.
5) < > (No relation)
For ex- If F<E>Q , Then there will be no relation between F and Q.
6) < ≥ (No relation)
For ex- If D<S≥Z, Then there will be no relation between D and Z.
Either - or case:
In equality it is very important condition. Mostly students make mistakes in this condition. For
clear concept we are giving example of “either-or”
1st condition for “either-or” is both conclusions should be wrong.
2nd condition is that variables of both conclusions should be same.
Page 7
Trick 1: Whenever in a statement you get both the priority 1 in

opposite order (A>B<C) there will be a conflict and thus no conclusion.
If A > B <C Then A < C = False & C > A = False.

But If A > B >C then A > C = True, C < A = True
Example:
Statement: A < D > C < E > B
Conclusions:
1) C > B → False
2) A < E → False
3) D > B → False
In simple way, whenever these two sign comes in opposite direction the answer will be false.
Trick 2: Whenever in a statement you get both the priority 2 in opposite

order (A≥ B ≤C) there will be a conflict and thus no conclusion.
If A ≥ B ≤C Then A ≤ C = False & C ≥ A = False.
But
If A ≥ B ≥ C then A ≥ C = True, C ≤ A = True.
Example:
Statement: B ≥ D ≤ A ≥ F ≤ C
Conclusions:
1) A ≥ C → False
2) B ≤ F → False
3) D ≥ C → False
Trick 3: When it occurs to you that the statement of order is opposite

just change the sign in the alternate direction
If A > B > C > D < E < F

We can say that A > B > F = C < B < A
Types of Questions asked in Inequality
Now a days, inequality based questions are provided in two types
Direct Inequality in which direct symbols will be given in the statement.
Coded Inequality in which coded symbols (like @, %, $ etc) will be given and they signify
will be provided separately.
Direct Inequalities:
The questions related to direct inequalities only includes basic symbols of inequalities like <, >,
=, ≥, etc. In these questions, the candidates are given a set of sentences followed by a set of con-
clusions. The candidates are required to analyze the conclusion and answer the question accord-
ingly.
Page 8
Question 1:
Statements: a) A > B b) B > C

Conclusions: a) A > C b) C > A
Solution:
On combining both the statements, we get: A > B > C

So, we can easily say that the conclusion a) follows i.e. A > C
Coded Inequalities:
The questions related to coded inequalities involve codes like @, #, &, etc. to define a specific
relation between different entities. So, in these type of questions, the candidates need to analyze
(or write down) the coded relations in standard form and then check the conclusions to answer
the question. They are also called symbol operations and are repeated often in CAT exams.
Coded Inequality Question
In the given statements, the relations are represented as follows:

‘P # Q‘ means ‘P is not smaller than Q’.
‘P $ Q‘ means ‘P is neither smaller than nor equal to Q’.
‘P % Q‘ means ‘P is neither greater than nor smaller than Q’.
‘P ^ Q’ means ‘P is not greater than Q’.
‘P & Q’ means ‘P is neither greater than nor equal to Q’.
Statements:
X#Y
Y$Z
A&Z
Conclusions:
Z&X
A$Y
Answer Options:
(a) Only conclusion I holds true.

(b) Only conclusion II holds true.
(c) Either conclusion I or II holds true.
(d) Neither conclusion I nor II holds true.
(e) Both conclusions I and II hold true.
Page 9
Solution:
Option (a)
At first, the code must be interpreted in the general form. Here the symbols can be interpreted
as :
# means ≥
$ means > and
& means <
Representing the statements in general form gives:
X≥Y
Y>Z
A<Z
Similarly, the conclusions can be interpreted as, Z < X and A > Y.
Thus, from the given conclusions, Z < X holds true. But as A < Z and Z < Y, the conclusion A > Y is
false. So, only the first conclusion follows.
With this information, the candidates can easily solve the questions related to inequalities
easily and accurately.

Page 10
Banking and
Financial
Awareness
PM’s Focus Back on $5t Economy
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a
focussed
effort from all stakeholders to achieve the target of a $5-trillion economy.
PM said the ‘$5-trillion’ idea is not sudden and is based on a deep understanding of India’s
strengths.
“Strong absorbent capacity of Indian economy shows the strength of basic fundamentals of
the Indian economy and its capacity to bounce back,”
SBI’s report ‘Ecowrap’ lowers India’s growth rate to 4.6% for FY 2020
The latest SBI Ecowrap report stated that we could be
Chairperson of SBI: Rajnish Kumar;
staring at growth rate below 6 per cent for two consecu-
Headquarters: Mumbai;
tive
years, and the RBI projection of a 5.9-6.3 per cent GDP for Founded: 1 July 1955.
FY21 could be on the higher side.
2 Indian banks to end their operations in Sri Lanka

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has permitted Indian Sri Lanka Capitals: Sri Jayawardene-
private sector lenders Axis Bank and ICICI Bank to close pura Kotte;
their operations in the island nation, according to online
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee.
news portal ColomboPage.
Prime minister: Mahinda Rajapaksa.
RBI allows to offer 24×7 rupee trading via select banks

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said selected banks in India
can offer forex rates to Indian clients beyond the inter-bank RBI 25th Governor: Shak-
market hours, which now run from 9am to 5pm. tikant Das;
In effect, this opens up the forex market in India round the Headquarters: Mumbai;
clock, Founded: 1 April 1935,
allowing Indians to hedge their foreign exchange risks at any Kolkata.
time of the day.
This will also make the offshore currency markets in Dubai and Singapore less attractive for
Indian investors, market Page 11
National Statistical Office (NSO) projects India’s GDP growth rate for
2019-20 at 5%
The Indian economy is estimated to grow at 5 per cent in Minister of State (Inde-
2019-20 as against 6.8 per cent in the previous fiscal. pendent Charge) of the
According to the first advanced estimates of the national Ministry of Statistics:
income released by National Statistical Office (NSO), the decline
Rao Inderjit Singh.
has been mainly on account of deceleration in manufacturing
sector growth, which is expected to come down to 2 per cent in 2019-20 from 6.2 per cent in the
year-ago fiscal.
State Bank of India has announces RBBG (Residential Builder Finance

With Buyer Guarantee) Scheme
It aims at giving a push to residential sales and impro-
Chairperson of SBI: Rajnish
ve homebuyers' confidence.
Kumar;
Under this scheme the SBI will issue a guarantee for
completion of select residential projects to customers
Founded: 1 July 1955.
who have availed home loans from it.
The scheme will focus on affordable housing projects priced up to 2.50 crore rupees in 10
cities .
National Payments Corporation of India –(NPCI) Launches Blockchain-

Based Vajra Platform To Secure Payments
Vajra platform can be accessed by various payments
companies. MD & CEO of National Payments
Vajra platform is based on the Distributed Ledger Tech- Corporation of India: DilipAsbe.
nology (DLT). Headquarters of National Payments
This blockchain-based technology will also help in Corporation of India: Mumbai.
Aadhaar authentication.
RBI has raised the Investment limit for FPIs in government & corporate
bonds to 30%
The Reserve Bank of India raised the investment limit
RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant Das;
for FPIs in government and corporate bonds to bring in
more foreign funds into the market.
Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.
The short-term investment limit has now been increa-
sed from 20 per cent to 30 per cent in both cases, the RBI said in a circular.
Vodafone m-pesa’s Certificate of Authorisation cancelled by RBI
Page 12
Following the cancellation of the CoA, the company cannot trans-

act the business of
issuance and operation of prepaid payment instrments, the central
bank said.
Vodafone M-pesa Limited Formtion:13 September 2014.

Vodafone M-pesa Limited Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
ICICI Bank introduces cardless cash withdrawal facility through ATMs
This service enables customers to withdraw cash from over

MD & CEO of ICICI Bank:
15,000 ATMs of the ICICI b ank by simply raising a request on
Sandeep Bakhshi;
iMobile, its mobile banking application.
Headquarters: Mumbai.
The service can be used for self-withdrawal when customers
do not wish to carry the debit card. The daily transaction limit as
well as per transaction limit is set at Rs 20,000.
“MANI” to help visually challenged to identify currency notes
Reserve Bank of India, RBI has launched a mobile app, MANI, Mobile Aided Note Identifier, to
help visually challenged people to identify denomination of currency notes.
The app, which is available both on Android and iOS operating systems, was launched by RBI
Governor Shaktikanta Das in Mumbai.
RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant
RBI said that the visually challenged can identify the Das;
denomination of a note by using the application, which can Headquarters: Mumbai;
also work offline once it is installed.
Through the downloaded app, users can scan the notes
using the camera. The audio output will give the result in Hindi and English.
Page 13
Taxation
Income Tax Department launched
24×7 control room
The Income-Tax Department here has
launched a 24x7 control room to monitor black
money and illegal inducements in poll-bound
Delhi.
The Income-Tax Department here has launched a 24x7
control room to monitor black money and illegal induce- RBI 25th Governor: Shaktikant
ments in poll-bound Delhi. Das;
The facility will also host a toll-free number-1800117574 - Headquarters: Mumbai;
where people can inform the department about any activity
of use of money power, illegal distribution of cash among
other such election-related crimes.
Notes
Page 14
International
18th Edition of Dhaka International

Film Festival begins
The 18th Dhaka International Film Festival was
inaugurated by the Foreign Minister of Bang-
la-desh Dr. A.K. Abdul Momen.
The theme of the festival is ‘Better Film, Better Audience and Better Society’.
Country - Bangladesh
Official language and national language - Bengali
President - Abdul Hamid
Prime Minister - Sheikh Hasina
H-1B Visa
Indian IT industry could suffer from delays in grant of work visas by the US in 2020.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will move to a new system in April.
New system requires employers to register in advance names of employees who need the
work permit.
Iran’s Gen QassemSoleimani killed in US airstrike on Baghdad airport
In a major blow to Iran, top commanders of Iran and

Iraq were killed in the air strike by the
United States. A US strike killed top Iranian commander
QasemSoleimani and the Top Iraqi militia commander
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at Baghdad's airport.
Global oil prices meanwhile soared more than 4% in the
wake of the strike.
Meanwhile, Iran has termed US act of killing of Soleima-
ni an 'extremely dangerous, foolish escalation'
Iran Capital: Tehran;

Currency of Iran: Rial;
President of Iran: Hassan Rouhani.
Page 15
Robert Abela has been elected as Malta’s Prime minister
Malta's governing party has elected a new leader and

prime minister to replace Joseph Muscat, who resigned over
the murder of a journalist.
Robert Abela won the Labour Party leadership contest
with 57.9% of the vote.
Capital- Valletta
Official languages- Maltese, English
Currency- Euro
Notes
Page 16
India and the

World
India on Malaysia & Turkey
India is planning to cut some imports from
Turkey and widen curbs on palm oil from Malay-
sia to oil, gas and other products.
India is not happy with the two Muslim-majori-
ty countries for their criticism of India's policy Malaysia
towards Kashmir.
India, the world's biggest buyer of edible oils, has
Capital- Kuala- Lumpur
already effectively stopped importing palm oil from
Prime Minister- Mahathir Mohamad
Malaysia.
Currency -Ringgit
Turkey
Capital- Ankara
President- RecepTayyipErdoğan
Currency- Turkish lira
World Bank projects India’s growth rate at 5% for FY2020

The World Bank cut India’s growth for financial year
2020 to 5% from 6% estimated earlier,
a day after the country's statistics office pegged growth
in the current financial year at 5%, the lowest in 11 years.
President of World Bank: David R. Malpass;

Headquarter: Washington DC.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart K.P.Sharma

Oli inaugurated Integrated Check Post (ICP), Biratnagar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India has been playing the role of a trusted part-
ner in Nepal’s all round development.
The Prime Minister was speaking after jointly inaugurating the Jogbani-Biratnagar Integrat-
ed Check Post, ICP through video conferencing with his Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli.
Page 17
Prime Minister of Nepal: K PSharma Oli;

Capital: Kathmandu.
President of Nepal: Bidhya Devi Bhandari;
Currency of Nepal: Nepalese rupee.
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya participates at United Nations

AIDS Programme in WEF-World Economic Forum
The Union Minister of State for Shipping (I/C) and Chemical & Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya
participated in the High-level roundtable of The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS) at World Economic Forum at Davos.
The theme of the roundtable is Access for all: Leveraging Innovations, Investments, and
Partnerships for Health.
World AIDS Day: 1 December.

United Nations AIDS Headquarters:
Geneva, Switzerland.
Winnie Byanyima is the Executive
Director of the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS.
Notes
Polity and
Governance
Mega campaign ‘Saksham’ launched
by Petroleum Minister
MrKutty inaugurated fuel conservation mega-
campaign - Saksham of Petroleum Conservation
Research Association, PCRA in New Delhi.
One-month long annual event Saksham imsat Secretary, Petroleum and
creating mass awareness among public about Natural Gas : MM Kutty
conventional fuel conservation.
Maharashtra CM to inaugrates “Advantage Maharashtra expo 2020”
The four-day mega industrial exhi-

bition has been organised by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra:
Marathwada Association of Small Uddhav Thackeray;
Scale Industries and Agriculture Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
(MASSIA).
Gujarat CM unveils world’s 2nd tallest statue of SardarVallabhbhai Patel
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani unveils the second tallest

statue of SardarVallabhbhai Patel in the world at Ahmedabad.
50 feet tall bronze statue with the weight of 70 thousand
kilograms has been unveiled at the Sardard-ham campus near
Vaishnodevi circle in Ahmedabad.
It has become the second highest statue of India’s first home
home minister after the Statue of Unity of the legendary leader
situated at Kevadiya in Narmada district of Central Gujarat.
Gujarat CM : Vijay Rupani;

Governor : Acharya Dev Vrat;
Capital : Gandhinagar.
Page 19
‘Cyber Safe Women’ initiative launched by Maharashtra Government

Maharashtra Government has launched a ‘Cyber-
Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray
Safe Women’ initiative under which awareness camps
Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari;
will be held across all the districts of the state
Capital: Mumbai.
regarding cyber safety.
In a statement, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray
has said the initiative will help in educating women
about how the web is used by anti-social elements
and child predators to commit various types of
crimes.
UPSRTC launched ‘Damini’ helpline service for women-UPSRTC (Uttar

Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation)
“Our aim is to help the women travelling on the road-

ways buses if they face any trouble. Passengers can
report their problems on the helpline from 9am to 6pm.”
said SP Singh, service manager, UPSRTC, Agra.
A new helpline service called ‘Damini’ (8114277777) has
been introduced
UP Present CM: Yogi Adityanath
Governor: Anandiben Patel.
Andhra Pradesh Govt. appoints two ‘Disha Special Officers’
The state government appointed Indian Administra-tive Service (IAS) official Dr. Kritika Shukla
and Indian Police Service (IPS) official M. Deepika, as Special Officers for implementing the
Andhra Pradesh Disha Act 2019.
The Act is intended for speedy trial and faster execu-tion in cases of sexual offences against
women in the state.
CM of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jagan-mohan

Reddy.
Governor of Andhra Pradesh: BiswaBhusanHar-
ichandan.
Himachal Pradesh Gov. launches “Himachal MyGov” portal & “CM App”
Himachal Pradesh Govt launches Himachal MyGov portal to strengthen public participation.
With this, Himachal Pradesh has become the 11th state in the country to have this facility.
The portal will help people of the state to communicate their views, suggestions, feedback
as well discontentment.
MyGov is an innovative platform to build a partnership between citizens and government
with the help of technology for growth and development of India. This unique platform aims to
enhance citizen partnership with the State Government and vice-versa.
Page 20
Banking and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh: Jai Ram Thakur;

Governor: BandaruDattatraya.
Financial
Notes
Page 21
Defence and
Security
ISRO will set up launch port for
small satellite launch vehicles
Indian Space Research Organisation will
establish a second launch port in Thoothuko-
di district in Tamilnadu exclusively to launch
small atellite launch vehicles.
ISRO Chairman K Sivan

Formation 15 August 1969
Headquarters Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Railways renames RPF as Indian Railway Protection Force Service

The Ministry of Railways accorded Organised Group 'A' status to Railway Protection Force
(RPF) and renamed it Indian Railway Protection Force Service.
The Organised Group 'A' status (OGAS) to RPF decision arising from Hon'ble Court's orders.
Union Railway Minister: Piyush Goyal.

Joint Director of Railway Board Amitabh Joshi
CISF to observe 2020 as ‘year of mobility’
The Central Industrial Security Force will observe

Director-General of CISF: Rajesh
2020 as the 'year of mobility' and steps will be taken in
Ranjan;
a 4 pronged manner, that will have a special focus on
CISF established: 1969.
creation of more residential units and implementation
of various welfare measures for the troops.
CISF Director General Rajesh Ranjan said this while
addressing jawans and officers of the over 1.62-lakh
personnel force over a country-wide webcast facility
on the occasion of new year.
Page 22
India’s 1st indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant to be commissioned by

2021
The manufacturing of the country's first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant is currently under
phase three which involves setting to work of machinery and other equipment and it is likely to
be commissioned by early 2021.
Indian Navy Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

Navy Day: 4 December.
‘Vyommitra’ a half-humanoid robot has been unveiled by ISRO for

Gaganyaan Space Mission
The half-humanoid robot, named 'VyomMitra' or a friend in the sky, is capable of conversing
with astronauts, recognising them, and responding to their queries.
ISRO Director: K. Sivan;

Headquarters: Bengaluru;
Established: 1969.
‘Vyommitra’ a half-humanoid robot has been unveiled by ISRO for

Gaganyaan Space Mission
France will train Indian flight surgeons to enable them to monitor the health of astronauts
selected for the ambitious human space mission Gaganyaan.
President of France: Emmanuel Macron;

Capital: Paris.
Notes
Page 23
IAF inducts its 1st squadron of Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft
The Indian Air Force has inducted its first squadron of

Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft carrying the BrahMos missiles in
the South at its Thanjavur base in Tamil Nadu.
The newly reinstated 222-squadron, also known as the
Tigersharks, would serve as a lethal weapons platform
capable of carrying both aerial and maritime roles in the
Indian Ocean Region.
Indian Air Force Day: 8 October.

The motto of Indian Air Force: NabhahSprshamDiptam (touch the sky with glory).
Chief of Defence Staff General BipinRawat
Visakhapatnam to host MILAN 2020 naval exercise in March
The Indian Navy will host military drill ‘Milan 2020'

(Multilateral Naval Exercise) at Visakha-patnam in Andhra Pradesh Capital: Amaravati.
March which will witness the participation of several Andhra Pradesh Governor: Biswab-
countries. husanHarichandan.
41 nations from South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa and
Europe that share defence coopera-tion with India have
been invited for the drill.
The MILAN series of biennial exercises commenced in
1995. It was conducted at Andaman and Nicobar Com-
mand until last year
Notes
Page 24
Appointments
and
Resignations
SayyidHaitham bin Tariq al Said is
new the Sultan of Oman
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, 65, has been
sworn in after Oman’s Defence Council announced he
would succeed the late Sultan Qaboos as ruler of Oman.
Oman Capital and largest City: Muscat Currency: Rial
Michael Patra appointed as the Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank

Michael Patra has been appointed to the post for a period
of three years.
Patra, who is looking after the monetary policy department
as the executive director, will be the fourth deputy governor
of the RBI. The post was lying vacant after Viral V Acharya had
resigned from the post in June last year.
Umaro Cissoko Embalo wins Guinea-Bissau presidential election

Guinea-Bissau opposition leader UmaroCissokoEmba-
lo, a former prime minister, won the presidential elec-
tion with 53.55 percent of votes, the National Electoral
Commission (CNE). Capital of Guinea-Bissau: Bissau.
Currency: Eco.
Official languages -Portuguese
Former PM Zoran Milanovic wins croatia presidential election

Milanovic took 52.7 percent of the vote while President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic won 47.3%
Capital of Croatia: Zagreb.

Currency of Croatia: Croatian Kuna.
Prime Minister of Croatia: Andrej Plenkovic.
Page 25
(All India Institutes of Medical Sciences) AIIMS’ Prof Suresh Chandra

Sharma as first chief of National Medical Commission (NMC).
The NMC will replace the Medical Council of India as the apex regulatory authority of medi-
cal education in the country.
Four boards — dealing with undergraduate, postgraduate medical education, medical assess-
ment and rating board and the ethics and medical registration board — will regulate the sector.
28th Chief of Army Staff: General Manoj Mukund Naravane.
General ManojMukundNaravane took over as the 28th

Chief of Army Staff, helming the 1.3 million-strong force
at a time India faces evolving security challenges such as
cross-border terrorism and an assertive Chinese military
along the border.
Gen Naravane, who was serving as vice chief of the
Army, succeeds Gen BipinRawat, appointed the coutry's
first Chief of Defence Staff, a post created to bring in
operational convergence among the three services.
ChallaSreenivasuluSetty appointed managing director of SBI-State

Bank of India
The government appointed ChallaSreenivasuluSetty as State Bank of India
the managing director of the State Bank of India NSE 0.26
Founded- 2 June 1806
% for a period of three years, according to an official order.
Headquarters- Mumbai
With more than three decades of experience in various
functional areas of banking, he has held various positions
at SBI such as VP & Head (syndications) in SBI, New York
Branch, DGM in Commercial Branch, Indore, GM & RH,
Corporate Account Group (CAG), Mumbai Branch, CGM,
CAG and last assignment as DMD (SARG).
New MD and CEOs for Bank of Baroda, Bank of India and Canara Bank
Sanjiv Chadha appointed MD, Bank of Baroda headquarters:Vaodara, Gujarat;

CEO Bank of Baroda; Atanu Kumar
Tagline: India’s International Bank.
Das to head Bank of India.
Bank of India of Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra;
Lingam VenkataPrabhakar, Exec-
Tagline: Relationship Beyond Banking.
utive Director in Punjab National
Canara Bank of Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka;
Bank, will be MD and CEO
Tagline: Together We Can.
in Canara Bank
Page 26
Greece’s parliament elects Katerina Sakellaropoulou as its 1st woman

president
In a rare display of unity between the members of
Capital of Greece: Athens;
parliament, 261 MPs out of the 300 voted for
Currency of Greece: Euro.
63-year-old Katerina to become the ceremonial head
of the country.
Although a nominal post, the president confirms
governments and laws and has the power to declare
war in conjunction with the government.
Katerina was also the first female in the country’s
200-year history to be elected as the president of the
Council of State, the country's top administrative
court
Notes
Page 27
Government
Scheme
Smriti Irani has launched 3 welfare
schemes in Goa
Smriti Irani launched 3 welfare Schemes
namely the Yashaswini Scheme for Women
entrepreneurship, Swasthya Sahayak Project
and breast cancer screening initiative for women in Goa in the presence of Goa Chief Minister
PramodSawant and State Health Minister VishwajitRane.
Dharmendra Pradhan launch mission Purvodaya in West Bengal

The programme is aimed at accelerated develop-ment
of eastern India through establishment ofinte-grated
steel hub.
The government aims to transform logistics and
utilities infrastructure which would change the
socio-economic landscape in the eastern India. The
steps, under mission, also include growth of steel indus-
try along with employment opportunities across the
entire value chain.
West Bengal
Governor - JagdeepDhankhar
Chief Minister - Mamata Banerjee
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Shri : Dharmendra Pradhan
Kolkata Police begins 3rd edition of ‘Sukanya’ project

Kolkata Police will start the third edition of its 'Sukanya' project to
provide girls studying in schools and colleges in the city with self-de- Chief Minister of
fence training. West Bengal:
Sukanya is an initiative of the Kolkata Police's Community Policing Mamta Banerjee;
Wing to provide self-defence training to girl students of city-based Governor: Jagdeep
schools, colleges and universities. Dhankhar.
Page 28
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports KirenRijiju flag off ‘Fit India
Cyclothon’
The Fit India Mission under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports in collaboration with the Directorate of Sports and
Youth Affairs, Government of Goa, organized the inaugural
event of ‘Fit India Cyclothon’ event in Panaji.
Prime Minister Modi chairs the 32nd edition of PRAGATI platform

meeting
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the 32nd interaction through PRAGATI- the
ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation in
New Delhi.
PRAGATI
Prime Minister had launched the multi-purpose and multi-modal governance platform
PRAGATI on 25th March 2015. PRAGATI is an integrating and interactive platform aimed
at addressing the common man’s grievances.
PRAGATI also helps in simultaneously monitoring and reviewing important programmes
and projects of the Centre as well as projects flagged by various State governments.
PBrazilian President J. M. Bolsonaro has been invited as the Chief

Guest on India’s 71st Republic Day celebrations
Brazil Capital: Brasilia,

Currency: Brazilian real.
Notes
Page 29
Sports
Indian Bowler JaspritBumrah gets
BCCI’s Polly Umrigar award
The world’s No. 1 ODI bowler Jasprit Bumrah
will receive the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award
during the BCCI Annual Awards in Mumbai.
Jasprit Bumrah is the only Asian bowler to
pick up a five-wicket haul in South Africa, Eng-
land, Australia and the West Indies.
Ladakh wins 7th National Ice Hockey Championship women trophy

The tournament was organised by the Ice Hockey
Association of India (IHAI) in association with the
Ladakh winter sports club. Four women teams repre-
senting Chandigarh, Delhi, Maharashtra, and Ladakh
participated in the tournament.
The chief guest at the event, Ladakh Buddhist Associa-
tion President PTKunzang, distributed the trophies and
certificates to the players.
President of Ice Hockey Association of India: K. L. Kumar.
VineshPhogat shines with gold medal at the Rome Ranking Series
Indian wrestlers had a stellar run in the Rome Ranking Series

in Italy, returning with 7 medals, including four gold.
BajrangPunia, despite looking rusty in his run to the
finals,managed to turn his form around in the summit clash to
return with the yellow metal, and Ravi Dahiya managed to
bag the top
honours.
Ratchanok Intanon bags Indonesia Masters title 2020
RatchanokIntanon won the first badminton title of the

year in a 2-1 victory over former world number one Caroli-
na Marin.
Page 30
Yogeshwar Dutt& Deepa Malik included in All India Council of Sports

The tenure of AICS, an advisory body to the Ministry
of Youth Affairs and Sports which was formed in 2015 by
then Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, has been
extended by three years and it will continue to be led by
veteran sports administrator V K Malhotra as President.
President of All India Council of Sports: V K Malhotra.
Maharashtra has topped the medal tally of Khelo India Youth Games
2020
The multi-sporting extravaganza of the Khelo India

Capital of Assam: Dispur;
Youth Games 2020 underway in Guwahati, Assam.
Governor of Assam: JagdishMukhi.
Maharashtra topped the Khelo India Youth Games
Organized by: The 2020 Games is
champions 2020. The total medal tally of 256 medals,
conducted in partnership with the
including 78 gold. Haryana ranked second and won a
School Games Federation of India
medal tally of 200.
(SGFI), Indian Olympic Association
(IOA), and Assam STate government.
Notes
Page 31
Rank &
Reports
Indian passport ranked 84th in
Henley Passport Index 2020
An Asian country has been successively rank-
ed at No. 1 on the prestigious world passport
rankings, followed by Singapore, Germany and South Headquarters of Henley & Partners:
Korea. London, United Kingdom; Founded:
A Japanese passport holder can access over 165 1997.
destinations than an Afghan passport holder can. Chairman of Henley & Partners:
The Indian passport has slipped to 84th, whereas it Christian Kälin.
had been ranked at 71 way back in 2006. Data shows Chief Executive Officer(CEO):
that Serbia is the only European country to which
Juerg Steffen.
Indians can travel without a visa.
United Nations-UN’s World Economic Situation and Prospects Report

2020
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD), United Nations Department of Economic and UNCTAD
Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the five United Nations Regional
Economic Commissions have jointly released the World
United Nations Headquar-
Economic Situation and Prospects 2020 (WESP) recently.
ters: New York, USA;
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Founded: 24 October 1945.
(UNCTAD) was established in 1964 to promote develop- Secretary-General of the
ment-friendly integration of developing countries into the United Nations: Antonio
world economy. Guterres.
UNCTAD is a permanent intergovernmental body headquar-
tered at Geneva in Switzerland.
Indore tops national cleanliness rankings for first two quarters
Swachh Survekshan League 2020 (SS League 2020) was introduced with the objective of sustain-
ing the on groun performance of cities along with continuous monitoring of
service level performance when it comes to cleanliness.
Bhopal stood second in first quarter results (April to June), while Rajkot grabbed the second spot
in second quarter results (July-September)
Page 32
Ministers of State (Independent Charge) of

Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh
Puri.
NITI Aayog releases SDG (Sustainable Developmental Goals )India

Index and Dashboard 2019
The SDG India Index dashboard displays overall & detailedinfo on the progress made by
States & UTs on Global Goals of the United Nations including their incremental progress
from 2018, using interactive visualizations.
The SDG index shows that Kerala is on the first rank for 2019 followed by Himachal Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu and Andhra
Pradesh.
India’s composite score has improved from 57 in 2018 to 60 in 2019, thereby showing notice-
able progress.
CEO of NITI Aayog: Amitabh Kant.

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman : Dr Rajiv Kumar
India listed as 5th biggest Geo-political Risk of 2020
India under Narendra Modi is the fifth biggest geo-

political risk of 2020, according to the world’s leading President of Eurasia Group -Ian
political risk consultancy, Eurasia Group. Bremmer.
The impacts will be felt in 2020, with intensified com- Founded -1998
munal and sectarian instability, as well as foreign policy Headquarters -New York City,
and economic setbacks,” said the Eurasia Group’s United States
report.
Global Social Mobility Index 2020

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has come out with its first-ever Global Social Mobility
Report.
The Social Mobility Report showed that across the Global Social Mobility Index, only a handful
of nations have put in place the right conditions to promote social mobility.
Page 33
India’s overall ranking is a poor - 76 out of the 82 countries considered.

However, India is among the five countries thatstand to gain the most from a better social
mobility score
World Economic Forum Established: January 1971.

Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
Founder & Chairman: Klaus Schwab.
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.
Other Important Reports of WEF:
The Global Risks Report

The Global Gender Gap Report
The Global Competitiveness Report
The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness
Report
Notes
Page 34
Honours and
Awards
Aayushi Dholakia becomes Miss
Teen International 2019
Vadodra’sAayushi Dholakia has bagged the title of
Miss Teen International 2019, vying with the girls
from 22 countries, becoming the first Asian to do so
in the last 27 years.
Dholakia also bagged the titles of Best in National
Costume Award and Best in Speech Award.
The event was held at Kingdom of Dreams,Guru-
gram .
MuppavarapuVenkaiah Naidu National Award to MS Swaminathan
Prof. M S Swaminathanpresented with ‘MuppavarpuVenkaiah Naidu National Award’ for his

contribution to agriculture
Prof. M.S. Swaminathan was awarded for his signifi-cant contributions in the field ofagricu-
lture.
MuppavarapuVenkaiah Naidu National Award:

The National Award for Excellence was instituted by the Muppavarapu Foundation. The
award for Social Service was launched by the Swarna Bharat Trust, in Hyderabad.
ICC Awards 2019
Ben Stokes wins the highest prize in the form of Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for world player
of the year.
While Pat Cummins and Rohit Sharma also walked away with top prizes in Test and ODI
categories respectively, Indian captain ViratKohli was bestowed with triple honours.
Swarna Jayanti Fellowships awarded to 14 scientists

The Union Ministry of Science and Technology have awarded Swarna Jayanti Fellowships
to 14 scientists to pursue basic research in frontier areas of science and technology.
The fellowship covers all the requirements for performing the research and includes a fellow-
ship of 25 thousand rupees per month.
A research grant of five lakh rupees for five years is also being provided in addition to their
salary.
Page 35
Union Minister of Science and Technology: Dr Harsh Vardhan.
Indian scientist SakyaSingha Sen awarded “Merck Young Scientist

Award 2019
SakyaSingha Sen from National Chemical Laboratory
Founded: 1950
awarded as Merck Young Scientist Award 2019 for perform-
Director: Ashwini Nangia
ing remarkable research in chemical science.
Merck Young Scientist Award Merck Young Scientist Award is given to researchers with
less than ten years of experience with expertise in solving some of the toughest problems in
chemical sciences.
CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory National Chemical Laboratory is an Indian government
laboratory based in Pune, in western India.
K. Srikkanth & Anjum Chopra to get CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement

Award
Former India captain and member of the 1983 World Cup - winning team Krishnamachari
Srikkanth recipient of this year’s prestigious CK Nayudu Lifetime Award given by the BCCI.
Former India women’s captain Anjum Chopra is the co-recipient of the lifetime achievement
award for the year 2019.
President of BCCI (Board of

Control for Cricket in India) –
Sourav Ganguly.
Headquarters- Wankhede Stadi-
um, Mumbai.
CEO- Rahul Johri
Vice president(s)- MahimVerma
President of India Presents 14th RamnathGoenka Excellence in

Journalism Awards
The President of India, Shri Ram NathKovind, presented the 14th

RamnathGoenka
Excellence in Journalism Awards at a ceremony held in New Delhi.
The eminent jurors for this year’s RamnathGoenka Excellence in
Journalism Awards were
Tom Goldstein, Professor and Dean, Jindal School of Journalism &
Communication, O P Jindal Global University; S Y Quraishi, former
Chief Election Commissioner;
Pamela Philipose, journalist and Senior Fellow at the Indian Council of Social Science
Research; and Justice B N Srikrishna, former Supreme Court judge.
Page 36
bankiq.in
.in January 2020
‘Castle of Dreams’ recieves the Best Film Award at DIFF-Dhaka

International Film Festival
The Iranian film ‘Castle of Dreams’ directed by Reza Mirakarimi won the Best Film Award in
Asian Competition section of the 18th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF).
Indian film ‘Finally Love’ directed by AnjanDutt bagged Best Audience Award in Cinema of
the World Category.
Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF)
The Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) is being organized by the Rainbow Film Festival
since 1992 with support from Bangladesh government and many other organizations including
the High Commission of India, Dhaka.
The theme of this year’s festival was ‘better film, better audience, better society.’
RBI stands at 6th position in buying gold abroad in World Gold Council
report
The World Gold Council (WGC) recently released its
World Gold Council founded: 1987.
report, “World Gold Outlook 2020”. The report says that
gold has performed the best since 2010 in 2019. In 2019, Headquarters of World Gold
the gold trade in USD has increased by 18.4% as com- Council: London, United King-
pared to 2010. dom(UK).
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
the World Gold Council: David
Tait.
Notes
Page 37
Miscellaneous
Kolkata Port Trust renamed as Shyama
Prasad Mukherjee Port
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, renamed Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, renamed the Kolkata Port
Trust after Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee, the found-er
of the ruling BJP's predecessor Bharatiya Jan Sangh.
Often called the "gateway to eastern India", the Kolk-
ata port is said to have one of the longest naviga-tional
channels in the world. "This port has seen India earn its
independence. It has seen India's journey from
'Satyagraha' to 'Swacchagraha'.
Sardar Patel’s Statue of Unity place in ‘8 Wonders of Shanghai

Cooperation Organisation’
Shanghai Cooperation Organization Includes India’s
Statue of Unity In the ‘List of Eight Wonders of SCO’.
Each of the attractions we find in the list has its own
unique set of characteristics.
Ladakh hosts the 1st ever Food Processing Summit
Union Territory Ladakh is hosting the 1st ever Food

Processing Summit to attract investors to the region. Capital -Leh
With the help of Ministry of Commerce and Industry Union territory-31 October 2019
and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, the UT
Administration of Ladakh is organizing the Summit.
Ladakh region has vast scope for investment in food Processing Industries in horticulture prod-
ucts like Apricot, SeabuckThorn, Apple and agricultural produce like buckwheat and barley
WHO designated 2020 as “Year of Nurse and Midwife”
World Health Organization designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife to
honor the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale (an English Social reformer born in
1820).
It aims to improve health globally by raising the status and profile of nursing and enabling
nurses to maximize their contribution to achieve Universal Health Coverage.
WHO is to launch the reports prior to 73rd session of WHO which is to held in Geneva between
Feb 3-8.
Page 38
WHO Headquarters: Geneva,

Switzerland
Formation :7 April 1948
Director General: Tedros Adha-
nom.
Goa hosts the 5th Science Film festival
The festival that will take place at the Inox Complex and Maquinez Palace in Goa, aims at
instilling the knowledge of science among the youth with the help of exhibitions, masterclass-
es, workshops, and other activities.
Goa's capital - Panaji

Chief Minister- Dr. Paramod-
Sawant.
Uber ties up with Hyundai to develop electric air taxis
Uber has pledged to begin demonstrator urban flights in 2020 and commercial operations in
2023.
US ride-hailing company Uber Technologies and South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor
plan to jointly develop electric air taxis.
Reliance Jio becomes 1st Telecom to launch UPI Payments Feature
According to a new report coming from Entrackr, Reliance Industries Ltd Found-
Reliance Jio has launched a UPI-powered payments er: DhirubhaiHirachandAmbani.
space, which offers customers to make payments via
Reliance Industries Ltd Chief
UPI.
Executive Officer(CEO):
The feature according to the report is currently availa-
MukeshDhirubhaiAmbani.
ble to select users only.
Reliance Industries Ltd Head-
The report, however, notes that the service will soon
quarters: Mumbai, Maharash-
be made available to all Jio subscribers. No specific
timeline has been stated. tra.
Page 39
Taxi service ‘Women with Wheels’ launched at Indira Gandhi

International Airport
Men are allowed in the cab only if they are accompanied by a woman or women.
Sakha Consulting Wings provides the all-women cab service in Indore, Jaipur and Kolkata Also
CEO of Sakha Consulting Wings: Arvind Vadera.
Jharkhand’s Jharia most polluted city in India
Coal-belching Jharia in Jharkhand continues to be the

Greenpeace India Headquarters
most polluted city in India, while Delhi has made margin-
Location: Bengaluru.
al improvement in reducing air pollution, according to a
Greenpeace India Founded: 2001.
Greenpeace India report.
Lunglei in Mizoram is the least polluted followed by Meghalaya's Dowki, according to the
report
Six of the top-10 polluted cities are in Uttar Pradesh - Noida, Ghaziabad, Bareilly, Allahabad,
Moradabad and Firozabad.
India’s 1st Mahatma Gandhi convention centre inaugurated in Niger
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and President

Capital of Niger: Niamey; Currency
of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou jointly inaugurated the
of Niger: West African CFA franc.
first convention centre established in Africa by India to
Prime Minister of Niger: BrigiRafini.
honour the memory of Mahatma Gandhi.
The External Affairs Ministry said in a statement that the establishment of the Mahatma
Gandhi International Convention Centre (MGICC) is a landmark for India-Niger friendship, as
also a symbol of India's firm commitment towards Africa.
9th International Children’s Film Festival begins in Kolkata
The 9th International Children's Film Festival begins in Kolkata with the screening of Aizaz
Khan directed Hamid.
National Award winner Children actor, TalhaArsad Rishi will inaugurate the festival.
Zomato acquires Uber Eats business in India
Zomato said the deal gives Uber a 9.99% ownership

in Zomato CEO of Zomato: Deepinder Goyal.
Uber Eats in India will discontinue operations and CEO of Uber Technologies Inc: Dara
direct restaurants, delivery partners, and users of the Khosrowshahi.
Uber Eats apps to the Zomato platform.
Page 40
India starts thermal screening of passengers against “Corona” Virus
The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked the

authorities of seven major airports across the country to Minister of State (Independent
install equipment to screen people arriving from China Charge) of the Ministry of Civil
for the coronavirus, a new SARS-like virus that has Aviation: Hardeep Singh Puri
infected nearly 300 people in the neighbouring country.
News agency AFP reported that the coronavirus, also known as the Wuhan virus, has spread
to three other Asian nations - Thailand, Japan and South Korea.
UN declares Malala Yousafzai ‘Most Famous Teenager of The Decade
In 2014, Malala became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her
efforts for children’s rights which started even before she was shot in the head two years ago by
Taliban.
The 22-year-old was also recently chosen by Teen Vogue as its cover person for its last issue
Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA;

Founded: 24 October 1945.
Secretary-General of the United Nations: Antonio
Guterres.
India to host Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) heads of govt

meeting later this year
This would be the first high-level meeting of the SCO
that would be organised here since India’s admission to
the eight-member grouping.
Uttarakhand becomes 1st state to implement agricultural land leasing

policy
In lieu of giving land on a 30-year lease, the
concerned farmer will get the rent for the land. Uttarakhand Chief Minister: Triven-
In the hilly areas of the state, the obstacles of leasing
dra Singh Rawat;
land for farming, agriculture, horticulture, herbs,
Governor: Baby Rani Maurya.
off-season vegetables, milk production, tea planta-
Capital of Uttarakhand: Dehradun.
tion, fruit hybridization and solar energy has been
removed with this step.
Page 41
bankiq.in january 2020
PRACTICE CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ’S
BANKING & FINANACIAL AWARENESS

Ques -1) The Reserve Bank of India has revised the investment limit under the Voluntary Retention
Route (VRR) for investments by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to Rs ___________ crore?
(a) Rs 80,000 Crore (b) Rs 1,50,000 Crore (c) Rs 1,00,000 Crore (d) Rs 75,000 Crore
Ques -2) Which bank has launched the Residential Builder Finance with Buyer Guarantee (RBBG)
scheme?
(a) Bank of Baroda (b) Axis Bank (c) Yes Bank (d) State Bank of India
Ques -3) Which state has signed a loan agreement worth Rs.711 crore with Kfw, Germany Devel-
opment bank for expanding the climate-resilient Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)?
(a) Karnataka (b) Andhra Pradesh (c) Telangana (d) Kerala
Ques -4) Which Bank has launched myApps, which is a suite of white-label apps?
(a) Axis Bank (b) HDFC Bank (c) Yes Bank (d) ICICI Bank
Ques -5) Which bank will launch its wealth management platform – “PIONEER Banking”?
(a) Kotak Mahindra Bank (b) Axis Bank (c) IndusInd Bank (d) Yes Bank
Ques -6) The Exim Bank has extended USD 35.80 million line of credit to which country for rural
electrification?
(a) Aruba (b) Eswatini (c) French Guiana (d) Suriname
Ques-7) United Nations has projected India’s GDP growth rate for 2019-20 to what percent?
(a) 5.7% (b) 5.3% (c) 5.5% (d) 5.1%
Ques -8) Which bank will provide a loan of USD 88 million for Assam Inland Water Transport Proj-
ect?
(a) Asian Development Bank (b) World Bank

(c) New Development Bank (d) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Ques -9) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has curbed which bank from doing business with imme-
diate effect?
(a) Nainital Bank (b) Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank

(c) Lakshmi Vilas Bank (d) IndusInd Bank
Ques -10) What is the new deadline set by SEBI to separate roles of chairman and MD in top 500
companies?
(a) 1 April 2020 (b) 1 April 2021 (c) 1 April 2022 (d) 1 April 2023
Ques -11) The government has increased the authorised capital of Indian Overseas Bank to Rs
_________ crore?
(a) Rs 25,000 crore (b) Rs 10,000 crore (c) Rs 20,000 crore (d) Rs 15,000 crore
Page 42
Ques -12) The RBI has amended the KYC norms allowing banks and other lending institutions to
use V-CIP. What is the full form of V-CIP?
(a) Video based Customer Identification Process

(b) Virtual Based Customer Identification Process
(c) Video Based Customer Identity Policy
(d) Virtually Based Client Identification Process
Ques -13) According to India Ratings, India has to increase its labour productivity growth to
________ per cent to attain 8 per cent economic growth?
(a) 5.4% (b) 5.8% (c) 6.3% (d) 7.1%
Ques -14) Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has approved which scheme which will allow Forest
Department to outsource the responsibility of reforesting to non-government agencies?
(a) Green Gold (b) Forest Credit (c) Green Credit (d) Trade Green
Ques -15) The urban co-operative banks (UCBs) may be placed under supervisory action frame-
work when its Net NPAs exceed ________% of its net advances?
(a) 5% (b) 8% (c) 3% (d) 6%
Ques -16) Deutsche Bank has projected that Indian economy will reach $7 trillion by which year?
(a) 2030 (b) 2025 (c) 2027 (d) 2028
Ques -17) State Bank of India has lowered its GDP growth forecast for FY20 to what per cent?
(a) 4.7% (b) 5.1% (c) 4.3% (d) 4.6 %
Ques -18) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has outlined plans to invest worth over
₹__________ lakh crore on infrastructure projects by 2024-25?
(a) ₹ 50 lakh crore (b) ₹ 75 lakh crore (c) ₹ 102 lakh crore (d) ₹ 80 lakh crore
Ques -19) How much amount has been paid by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
(CBIC) as Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) refunds to exporters?
(a) Rs 1,32,000 crore (b) Rs 1,12,000 crore (c) Rs 1,72,000 crore (d) Rs 1,82,000 crore
Ques -20) RBI has launched which app to help visually challenged identify currency notes?
(a) BANI (b) MANI (c) VANI (d) NANI
Ques -21) According to the India State of Forest Report, 2019, what percent of Indian forests are
prone to forest fires?
(a) 21.4% (b) 19.6% (c) 31.2% (d) 24.6%
Ques -22) RevFin has partnered with which Life Insurance Company to offer life cover to custom-
ers?
(a) Bajaj Allianz (b) PNB MetLife India (c) Max Life Insurance (d) Bharti AXA
Ques -23) Which bank has signed a MoU with Women Entrepreneurs Welfare Association (WEWA)
of Tamil Nadu?
Page 43
(a) Punjab National Bank (b) Bank of Baroda (c) Canara Bank (d) Indian Bank
International Affairs
Ques -1) Which country has announced to launch its Mars probe in July 2020?
(a) Japan (b) Russia (c) Israel (d) China
Ques -2) Which country’s tennis player Joao Souza has been handed the life time ban over match
fixing?
(a) Spain (b) Mexico (c) Brazil (d) France
India and the World
Ques -1) Government of India and the World Bank has signed a USD 210 million loan agreement
Agri business and Rural Transformation Project of which state?
(a) Jharkhand (b) Rajasthan (c) Goa (d) Maharashtra
Ques -2) Which country will host the next World Economic Forum Regional Summit?
(a) India (b) Saudi Arabia (c) Germany (d) Qatar
Ques -3) The Ganga-Volga Dialogue was held, between India and which country, in New Delhi?
(a) China (b) Russia (c) Japan (d) France
Ques -4) Currently India has Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, MLAT with how many countries?
(a) 24 (b) 42 (c) 54 (d) 60
Ques-5) Which country has recently been declared as ‘Reciprocating Territory’ by India?
(a) South Korea (b) Japan (c) Russia (d) UAE
Ques-6) India has opened its first Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centre in which West African
country?
(a) Gambia (b) Niger (c) Ghana (d) Chad
Ques-7) 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting will be held in which city?
(a) Berlin (b) Parish (c) Davos (d) New Delhi
Ques -8) Which country was the largest source of FDI in India during the first half of FY 2020, as
per the data released by the government?
(a) United States (b) Netherlands (c) Japan (d) Singapore
Ques -9) The entire government of which country has resigned recently after its President
announced some constitutional amendments?
Page 44
(a) France (b) Russia (c) Argentina (d) Germany
Ques -10) Which country has decided to make yoga education compulsory for school children?
(a) Japan (b) Russia (c) Germany (d) Nepal
Ques -11) Sahyog-Kaijin’ is an annual Joint Exercise of the Coast Guard of India and which coun-
try?
(a) Bangladesh (b) Japan (c) Russia (d) Canada
Ques -12) The World Future Energy Summit was held in which city recently?
(a) Doha (b) Riyadh (c) Muscat (d) Abu Dhabi
Ques -13) The Australian government could declare which species as an "endangered" species ?
(a) Kangroos (b) Koalas (c) Emu (d) Dingo
Ques -14) Taal Volcano which is in news recently is located in which country?
(a) Philippines (b) Maldives (c) Thailand (d) India
Ques -15) Which country has officially announced to drop the nickname ‘Holland’ from January
2020?
(a) Norway (b) Netherlands (c) Denmark (d) Belgium
Polity and Governance
Ques-1) Madhya Pradesh's first air cargo terminal will come up in which city?
(a) Indore (b) Bhopal (c) Jabalpur (d) Gwalior
Ques -2) The Tribal Affairs Ministry has proposed 6th Schedule Area status for which Union Terri-
tory ?
(a) Jammu & Kashmir (b) Puducherry (c) Lakshadweep (d) Ladakh
Ques-3) Indian Railways will replace Urdu with Sanskrit on station signboards in which state?
(a) Himachal Pradesh (b) Uttar Pradesh (c) Gujarat (d) Uttarakhand

Page 45
Defence and Security
Ques -1) What is the range of K-4 nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile?
(a) 2,500 km (b) 3,500 km (c) 1,000 km (d) 1,500 km
Ques -2) India's first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant is likely to be commissioned by which
year?
(a) 2021 (b) 2022 (c) 2023 (d) 2024
Ques -3) ISRO will launch its communication satellite GSAT-30 onboard through which launch
vehicle?
(a) Ariane-5 (b) GSLV D2 (c) PSLV C 46 (d) PSLV-C 42
Appointments and Resignations
Ques -1) European Union has appointed whom as the first ambassador to the post-Brexit United
Kingdom?
(a) Joao Vale de Almeida (b) Alisher Kurmanov

(c) Christian Katsande (d) Manuel Lobo Antunes
Ques -2) Lt Gen YK Joshi was appointed the Commander of the Northern Army. Where is Head-
quarters of Northern Command located?
(a) Udhampur (b) Anantnag (c) Srinagar (d) Leh
Ques-3) Sanjiv Chadha has been appointed as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Offi-
cer (CEO) of which bank?
(a) Indian Bank (b) Bank of Baroda (c) State Bank of India (d) Punjab National
Ques-4) Who has been appointed as the managing director of the State Bank of India?
(a) Challa Sreenivasulu Setty (b) Parthasarathi Mukherjee

(c) Yaduvendra Mathur (d) Gaurav Sharma
Ques-5) Which bank has appointed Shalini Warrier to the post of executive director?
(a) Yes Bank (b) Axis Bank (c) Indusind Bank (d) Federal Bank
Ques-6) Filipe Nyusi has sworn in as the President of which country for second term?
(a) Eswatini (b) Zimbabwe (c) Mozambique (d) Malawi
Ques-7) Who was elected as the President of Archery Association of India?
(a) Arjun Munda (b) Giriraj Singh (c) Gajendra Singh Shekhawa (d) Ram Kripal Yadav
Page 46
Ques -8) Mikhail Mishustin has been named the new Prime Minister of which country?
(a) South Korea (b) Russia (c) Chile (d) Peru
Ques 9) Who has been appointed as Queen's Counsel for the courts of England and Wales?
(a) Harish Salve (b) Arvind Datar (c) Mukul Rohtagi (d) Rahul Trivedi
Ques -10) Who has been appointed as the India’s High Commissioner to the United States of
America?
(a) Sudhir Bhargava (b) Suresh Chandra

(c) Taranjit Singh Sandhu (d) Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha
Ques -11) Who has been appointed as the deputy governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI)?
(a) Michael Patra (b) Viral Acharya (c) Ajay Michyari (d) Rajiv Ranjan
Ques -12) Who has been appointed as Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF)?
(a) S.S. Deswal (b) A P Maheshwari (c) R Bhatnagar (d) K Nigam
Ques -13) Who will be the first woman parade adjutant for the Republic Day parade?
(a) Tania Shergill (b) Shreya Patil (c) Shweta Niga (d) Aparna Chauhan
Ques -14) Pedro Sanchez was sworn in as Prime Minister of which country?
(a) Spain (b) Brazil (c) Mexico (d) France
Sports
Ques -1) Which team has become the first team in the world to score 500,000 runs in Test cricket?
(a) South Africa (b) India (c) New Zealand (d) England
Ques -2) Which among the following has lifted 7th National Ice Hockey Championship Women
trophy?
(a) Chandigarh (b) Delhi (c) Maharashtra (d) Ladakh
Ques -3) Which golf player will be inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021?
(a) Tiger Woods (b) Rory McIlroy (c) Dustin Johnson (d) Jack Nicklaus
Ques-4) Man Mohan Sood, who passed away recently, was associated with which sports?
(a) Hockey (b) Badminton (c) Wrestling (d) Cricket
Ques-5) Who has become the fastest Indian spinner to take 100 wickets in ODIs?
(a) Kuldeep Yadav (b) Ravindra Jadeja (c) Mohammad Shami (d) Jasprit Bumrah
Page 47
Ques-6) Who among the following has won the gold medal at Rome Ranking Series in women
53kg category?
(a) Anshu Malik (b) Babita Kumari (c) Sakshi Malik (d) Vinesh Phogat
Ques -7) Who has won the 18th Delhi Open International Grand Masters Chess Championship?
(a) Prithu Gupta (b) Girish Koushik (c) Nihal Sarin (d) Abhijeet Gupta
Rank & Reports
Ques -1) India Ratings and Research has pegged India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for
2020-21 at what percent?
(a) 5.3% (b) 5.1% (c) 5.5% (d) 5%
Ques -2) What is the rank of India in the Henley Passport Index 2020 ?
(a) 74th (b) 84th (c) 56th (d) 90th
Ques -3) What is the rank of India in the Corruption Perception Index 2019?
(a) 80th (b) 75th (c) 56th (d) 90th
Ques-4) What is the rank of India in the Democracy Index released by the Economist Intelligence
Unit?
(a) 45th (b) 32nd (c) 51st (d) 60th
Ques-5) What is the rank of India in the Social Mobility Index given by World Economic Forum?
(a) 55th (b) 45th (c) 84th (d) 76th
Honours and Awards
Ques -1) Which Indian city has topped the list of world's fastest-growing cities released by Econo-
mist Intelligence Unit (EIU)?
(a) Kozhikode (b) Kollam (c) Nashik (d) Malappuram
Ques -2) Who will be conferred with the 29th Saraswati Samman?
(a) Vasdev Mohi (b) Shankar Dayal Singh (c) Kedarnath Agarwal (d) Hari Joshi
Ques -3) Who has won the Global Child Prodigy Award 2020 for achievements in spiritual disci-
pline yoga?
(a) Suresh Khaana (b) Vivek Duggal (c) Ishwar Sharma (d) Abhishek Singh
Ques -4) Who has recently been chosen for “Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for
Excellence”?
(a) G Sateesh Reddy (b) K Sivan (c) Dr M S Swaminathan (d) Akhilesh Sati
Page 48
Miscellaneous
Ques -1) Which among the following organization has announced to establish first Global Consor-
tium for Digital Currency Governance?
(a) World Trade Organization (b) World Bank

(c) International Monetary Fund (d) World Economic Forum
Ques -2) Which plant was recently awarded at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting for
being included in the WEF’s Lighthouse Network?
(a) Tata Steel Kalinganagar (b) Chabbra Thermal Power Plant

(c) Rourkela Steel (d) Bokaro Steel Plant
Ques -3) International Summit on Women in STEM was held in which city?
(a) Bengaluru (b) Hyderabad (c) Jaipur (d) New Delhi
Ques -4) The famous chariot festival of the Suchindram Thanumalayan Temple begins in which
state?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Kerala (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Telangana
Ques -5) Which city will host the International naval exercise ‘MILAN’ in March 2020?
(a) Jaipur (b) Kochi (c) Vishakapatnam (d) Chandigarh
Ques -6) Which Airport has started ‘Women with wheels’ Cab Service for Female Safety?
(a) Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (b) Indira Gandhi International Airport
(c) Kempegowda International Airport (d) Chennai International Airport
Ques -7) Which state’s Tourism project has received the special mention as “Emerging Global
Destination” by United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) ?
(a) Assam (b) Himachal Pradesh (c) Uttarakhand (d) Kerala
Ques-8) Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary (PWS) is situated in which of the following states?
(a) Rajastha (b) Bihar (c) Maharashtra (d) Uttarakhand
Ques-9) India's first War Memorial for Animals will come up in which of the following cities?
(a) Bhopal (b) New Delhi (c) Jaipur (d) Meerut
Ques-10) In a first in India, the State Election Commission of which will be using facial recognition
app in a bid to counter impersonation by voters?
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Andhra Pradesh (c) Telangana (d) Karnataka
Ques-11) Which state will celebrate the Chapchar kut festival on March 6?
(a) Nagaland (b) West Bengal (c) Uttarakhand (d) Mizoram
Ques-12) Who is the author of the book “The Winning Sixer”?
(a) Rahul Dravid (b) Anil Kumble (c) P. Madhavan (d) W.V. Raman
Page 49
Ques -13) Mega fuel conservation campaign ‘Saksham 2020’ was recently inaugurated in which
city?
(a) Bengaluru (b) Hyderabad (c) New Delhi (d) Pune
Ques -14) Now it has become mandatory to wear ‘dhoti-kurta', saree for entering sanctum of
which temple?
(a) Lingaraj Temple (b) Kashi Vishwanath (c) Jagannath Temple (d) Brahmeswara Temple
Ques -15) Which football club has won the Spanish Super Cup?
(a) Barcelona (b) Manchester United (c) Real Madrid (d) Chelsea
Ques -16) Parshuram Kund Mela begins in which state recently?
(a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Uttarakhand (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Tripura
Ques -17) Which among the following has been included in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisa-
tion's '8 Wonders of SCO' list?
(a) Statue of Unity (b) Ajanta Caves (c) Sanchi Stupa (d) Charminar
Ques -18) General Qassim Soleimani of which country has been killed in a U.S. drone strike?
(a) Iraq (b) Turke (c) Syria (d) Iran

Page 50
MCQ’s
MCQ’s Solution
Solution
BANKING & FINANCIAL AWARENESS
Ans-1 (B) Rs 1,50,000 Crore
RBI raises VRR limit for FPIs to Rs 1.50 lakh crore

● The Reserve Bank of India on Thursday revised the investment limit under the Voluntary Reten-
tion Route (VRR) for investments by foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to Rs 1,50,000 crore from Rs
75,000 crore earlier, and the revised scheme will be open for allotment from Friday
● RBI had introduced VRR in March 2019, to enable FPIs to invest in debt markets in India. Broad-
ly, investments through the route will be free of the macro-prudential and other regulatory norms
applicable to FPI investments in debt markets, provided FPIs voluntarily commit to retain a
required minimum percentage of their investments in India for a period.
● Participation through this route is entirely voluntary. An amount of Rs 75, 000 crore was offered
for investment in two tranches so far ..
● As on December 31, around Rs 54,300 crore has already been invested under the scheme. The
investment limit available for fresh allotment will accordingly be Rs 90,630 crore (net of extant
allotments and adjustments); and will be allotted under the VRR–Combined category. The mini-
mum retention period shall be three years.
Ans-2 (D)State Bank of India
SBI launches ‘guarantee’ plan for home buyers

● State Bank of India (SBI) has launched Residential Builder Finance with Buyer Guarantee
(RBBG) to safeguard home buyers financially by issuing guarantee for completion of projects to
customers availing SBI Home Loans.
● India’s largest bank, in a statement, said with RBBG, customers will be able to secure their
investment in the ongoing home projects financed by the bank. RBBG will focus on affordable
housing segment with home prices of up to ₹2.50 crore in seven cities initially, it added.
● Under this product, reputed builders fulfilling the prescribed criteria, including Star rating and
CIBIL score, can avail loan between ₹50 crore to ₹400 crore.
Ans-3 (B)Andhra Pradesh
AP Govt, German Bank Ink Rs 711 Cr Loan Pact For Natural

● KfW, a German development bank, will assist the Andhra Pradesh government with a Rs 711
crore loan for expanding the climate-resilient Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in the state
over the next five years.
The state government will spend another Rs 304 crore on the project under which 2.39 lakh farm-
ers in 591 village panchayats will be encouraged to take up ZBNF, Agriculture Minister K Kanna
Babu said.
● The ZBNF project is being undertaken by the state government, dovetailing the Rastriya Krishi
Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) of the Centre, with the Azim
Premji Philanthropic Initiatives extending technical support.
Page 51
It has already launched ZBNF is over 3,011 villages covering an extent of 1.28 lakh hectares.
Ans-4 (B ) HDFC Bank
HDFC Bank launches customisable myApps for large institutions

● HDFC Bank has launched myApps, which is a suite of white-label apps that will enable urban
local bodies including Smartcities and municipalities, housing societies, clubs or gymkhanas and
even religious institutions to completely digitise their ecosystem.
● HDFC is offering a customized app as a “value-added service” in addition to a complete suite
of bank products.
● Through myApp, large institutions can sport their own branding and content and its members
can use it for payments, fees, online bookings etc. This app can also be used to stay updated on
the latest announcements from the institution and the organisation itself can get easy access
reports on payments, bookings, complaints etc.
● The app can be customised in over 20 languages beginning with Hindi and English.
Ans-5 (C) IndusInd Bank
Induslnd Bank launches wealth management platform

● Private sector lender IndusInd Bank on Friday said it has launched its wealth management plat-
form Pioneer Banking, which caters to high net-worth customers.
● Induslnd Bank announced the launch of 'PIONEER' Banking, its wealth management platform,"
the private sector lender said in a BSE filing.
● Based on research-based capabilities of the bank, the new service merges wealth manage-
ment solutions with an array of personal and commercial banking products.
Ans-6 (D) Suriname
Exim Bank extends USD 35.80 mn line of credit to Suriname for rural electrification
● The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) on Wednesday said it has extended USD 35.80
million (about Rs 250 crore) line of credit to Suriname government to fund the country's rural
electrification programme.
● The line of credit (LOC) is meant for financing rural electrification through solar DG hybrid PV
systems in 50 remote villages of Suriname, the bank said in a statement.
● With the latest round of funding, the Indian government has till date extended nine LOCs to
Suriname, totalling USD 124.98 million (about Rs 890 crore).
● The projects covered under LOCs extended to Suriname include power, water supply, pur-
chase of helicopters, and rehabilitation and upgradation of milk processing plant.
Suriname is a small country on the northeastern coast of South America.
Capital: Paramaribo
Currency: Surinamese dollar
Page 52
Ans -7 (A) 5.7%
UN projects India's growth rate at 5.7% for 2019-20

● UN projects India's economy to grow by 5.7 percent in the current fiscal year and expects it to
rise to 6.6 percent in the next.
● The projection in the UN's World Economic Situation and Prospects report released on Thurs-
day is higher than the 5 percent made by the World Bank earlier this month.
● The UN growth estimate for the current fiscal is drastically lower than the forecast of 7.6 per-
cent made in last year's report in January and 7 percent in the May update.
Ans-8 (B) World Bank
World Bank, Centre sign $88 mn loan agreement for AIWTP

● The central govt, Assam govt and the World Bank signed a loan agreement of USD 88 million
to help modernise Assam's passenger ferry sector that runs on its rivers including the Brahmapu-
tra.
● The Assam Inland Water Transport Project (AIWTP) will help Assam improve the passenger
ferry infrastructure and its services and strengthen the capacity of institutions running the inland
water transport.
Ans-9 (B) Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank
● Solution-RBI curbs on Bengaluru private bank from doing business

● The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has curbed a Bengaluru-based private bank from doing busi-
ness with immediate effect for alleged irregularities in transactions, an official said on Saturday.
● "Sri Guru Raghavendra Sahakara Bank in Bengaluru shall not, without prior approval of the RBI
in writing, grant or renew loans and advances, make investment, borrow funds or accept fresh
deposits from January 10, 2020," the RBI said in a directive, which has been accessed by IANS.
● The central bank's Chief General Manager Yogesh Dayal issued the directive under Sections
35A and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, from Mumbai.
● The RBI, however, allowed the bank's savings and current account customers and depositors
to withdraw cash up to ₹35,000 only till further notice.
Ans-10 (C) 1 April 2022
SEBI defers deadline by 2 years for top 500 firms to separate roles of chairman and MD
● Markets regulator SEBI has deferred by two years till April 2022 its directive for companies to
separate the roles of chairman and managing director in view of demand from the corporates and
to keep compliance cost lower amid slowing economy.
● Under the Sebi norms, the top 500 listed entities by market capitalisation were mandated to
comply with the requirement of separation of the roles of chairperson and managing director
(MD) or chief executive officer (CEO) with effect from April 1, 2020.
● Now, the date of implementation of the regulatory provision has been deferred to April 1, 2022,
However, sources stated that the decision has been taken in view of demand from corporates
and to ease the compliance burden amid the current economic scenario.
Page 53
Ans-11 (A) Rs 25,000 crore
Govt raises authorised capital of Indian Overseas Bank to Rs 25,000 crore

● Indian Overseas Bank on Friday said the government has increased its authorised capital by Rs
10,000 crore to Rs 25,000 crore.
● The Centre after consultation with the Reserve Bank of India has increased the authorised cap-
ital of the bank from Rs 15,000 crore to Rs Rs 25,000 crore, it said in a regulatory filing.
Ans-12 (C) Video Based Customer Identity Policy
RBI amends KYC norms, allows banks to use V-CIP

● The RBI has amended the KYC norms allowing banks and other lending institutions regulated
by it to use Video based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP), a move which will help them
onboard customers remotely.
● The V-CIP, which will be consent-based, will make it easier for banks and other regulated enti-
ties to adhere to the RBI’s Know Your Customer (KYC) norms by leveraging the digital technology.
● The Reserve Bank decided to permit video based Customer Identification Process (V-CIP) as a
consent based alternate method of establishing the customer’s identity, for customer onboard-
ing with a view to leveraging the digital channels for Customer Identification Process (CIP) by reg-
ulated entities (REs).
● The RBI further stated that the regulated entities will have to ensure that the video recording
is stored in a safe and secure manner and bears the date and time stamp.
Ans-13 (C) 6.3%
India needs 6.3% labour productivity growth to clock 8% GDP: India Ratings
● Ratings and Research stated that the country will have to increase its labour productivity
growth to 6.3 per cent to attain 8 per cent economic growth. The labour productivity growth in
FY19 was 5.2 per cent.
● “India will have to raise its labour productivity growth to 6.3 per cent to achieve 8 per cent GDP
growth. And to attain nine per cent growth, labour productivity growth will have to be raised to 3
per cent.
● This is 40.4 per cent higher than the level attained in FY19.
Ans-14 (A) Green Credit
Panel Approves Scheme to Trade in Forests

● Recently, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has approved the Green Credit Scheme. It will
allow the Forest Department to outsource the responsibility of reforesting to non-government
agencies, if implemented.
● Currently, in the case of the loss of forest, the industry needs to find appropriate non-forest
land and pay Net Present Value (current economic equivalent) to the State Forest Department.
Then it is the Forest Department’s responsibility to grow appropriate vegetation which would
grow into forests over time.
Page 54
● Green Credit Scheme allows agencies (private companies, village forest communities etc.) to
identify land and grow plantations. After three years, the land would be eligible to be considered
as compensatory forest land if it meets the criteria set by the Forest Department. An industry
needing forest land could then approach the agency and pay it for parcels of such forested land
and this would then be transferred to the Forest Department and be recorded as forest land. In
simpler words, it will allow forests to be traded as a commodity.
● This scheme will encourage plantation by individuals outside the traditional forest area and will
help in meeting international commitments such as Sustainable Development Goals and Nation-
ally Determined Contributions
Ans-15 (D) 6%
RBI revises supervisory framework for UCBs to expedite resolution of UCBs in financial stress
● The Reserve Bank of India has rationalised its supervisory framework for urban co-operative
banks (UCBs) to expedite resolution of UCBs experiencing financial stress.
● The revised framework released by the RBI on Monday stipulates the thresholds for various
parameters that could trigger a corrective action by the UCBs or a supervisory action by the cen-
tral bank.
● A UCB may be placed under supervisory action framework when its Net NPAs exceed 6% of its
net advances, its CRAR falls below 9%, when it incurs losses for two consecutive financial years or
has accumulated losses on its balance sheet. The type of action would depend on the severity of
stress, RBI said.
Ans-16 (A)2030
India Likely To Become $7 Trillion Economy By 2030: Deutsche Bank

● Deutsche Bank has projected that Indian economy will reach $7 trillion by 2030. The estimation
was stated by Deutsche Bank in its research report “Imagine 2030”.
● According to the report, India will grow with the Nominal GDP growth rate of just over 10% in
the next decade. Indian economy is presently valued at $3 trillion.
Ans-17 (D)4.6 %
India’s GDP growth could be below 6 per cent for next two years: SBI’s research report
● State Bank of India’s economic research department has cut its projection for gross domestic
product (GDP) for FY20 to 4.6 per cent, based on current available trends, against 5 per cent pro-
jected earlier, even as it assessed that India could be now staring at a sub-6-per-cent growth for
two successive years.
Ans-18 (C) ₹ 102 lakh crore
Centre unveils plans for ₹102 lakh cr. infra projects

● Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has outlined plans to invest more than ₹102 lakh
crore on infrastructure projects by 2024-25, with the Centre, States and the private sector to
share the capital expenditure in a 39:39:22 formula.
● This would be a significant increase over the last six years, when the Centre and States togeth-
er spent ₹51 lakh crore on infrastructure.
Page 55
● The announcement came on the same day that the government released data showing that
the output of eight core infrastructure industries shrank by 1.5% in November 2019, the fourth
straight month of negative growth. In November 2018, these sectors had expanded by 3.3%.
● On Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced plans to invest ₹100 lakh
crore on modern infrastructure. This is the expenditure needed to achieve a $5 trillion economy
by 2024-25
Ans-19 (B) Rs 1,12,000 crore
Rs 1,12,000 crore paid as IGST refunds to exporters: CBIC

● Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has announced that it has paid Rs 1,12,000
crore as Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) refunds to exporters.
● According to CBIC, over 83,000 exporters have been benefited by these refunds. The numbers
indicated the government’s efforts to fast track refunds under GST especially to exporters. Also,
as of now, refunds of only 3,604 crores are pending with Customs.
● CBIC is using data analytics to identify risky exporter entities that “take input tax credit fraudu-
lently and monetize it by paying IGST and taking refund”. Such exporters are being subject to KYC
and verification process before the grant of refund.
Ans-20 (B) MANI
RBI launches ‘MANI’ app to help visually challenged identify currency notes
● The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a mobile application called ‘Mobile Aided Note
Identifier’ or ‘MANI’.
● The ‘MANI’ would help visually challenged persons to identify the denomination of currency
notes, and thereby facilitating their day to day transactions.
● The app was launched in the presence of RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das in the national capital.
● “Indian banknotes contain several features which enable the visually impaired (colour blind,
partially sighted and blind people) to identify them, viz., intaglio printing and tactile mark, vari-
able banknote size, large numerals, variable colour, monochromatic hues and patterns.
● Technological progress has opened up new opportunities for making Indian banknotes more
accessible for the visually impaired, thereby facilitating their day to day transactions,” the RBI said
in a statement.
Ans-21 (A) 21.4%
FSI: 21.4% of forest cover prone to forest fires

● The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently released India State of
Forest Report, 2019. The report predominantly talks about forest fires in the country.
● According to the report, 21.4% of Indian forests are prone to forest fires. The report has given
the figures after a thorough study of fire points dentified between 2004 and 2017. The study says
that forests in central India and north-eastern India are most vulnerable to forest fires.
● The total number of forest fire alerts issued between November 2018 and June 2019 were
29,547. Out of these alerts, Mizoram recorded the highest.
● Of the alerts received, one-third were from north-eastern states. The major reason for
increased number of alerts in north eastern region is slash and burn cultivation (Jhoom Cultiva-
tion).
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Ans-22 (B) PNB MetLife India
RevFin Ties-up with PNB MetLife to offer life cover to customers

● RevFin, a digital lending start-up, has partnered with PNB MetLife India Insurance Company
Limited (PNB MetLife) to offer protection to its customers through life insurance on their loans.
● The insurance will cover loans up to Rs 3 lakhs for a term of 3 years.
● The product is also key towards financial inclusion that will secure the families of the borrow-
ers against loan repayment burden in case of unfortunate demise of the borrower during the loan
term.
● The product is offered digitally through RevFin’s app (iOS and Android), so there is no addition-
al paperwork needed.
Ans-23 (D) Indian Bank
Indian Bank partners with WEWA to help women entrepreneurs set up businesses
● Indian Bank has entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Women Entre-
preneurs Welfare Association (WEWA), Tamil Nadu, to offer training and credit linkage to women
members/entrepreneurs of the association for establishing business.
● WEWA said that members would get support for loans at special discounted rates.
● WEWA aims at adding 1,000 members by 2023 and requested the bank to provide the skill
training to their members as per the interest and choice of the members.
International Affairs
Ans-1 (D) China
China to launch its Mars probe in 2020 July

China has announced that it is to launch its Mars probe in July 2020. The spacecraft will be
launched onboard the Long March-5 Y4 carrier rocket.
Long March-5 Y4 rocket:

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), China's space agency, will
send a probe to orbit and land and deploy a rover on Mars.
● It also states that the Long March-5 Y4 rocket has completed its 100-second test, which was
the last engine test before the final assembly. It was tested for its high thrust hydrogen-oxygen ●
Also, the Long March-5 rocket of China is to have several missions in including the Mars probe
launch and the lunar sample return.
In November 2020, China started the process of a probe hovering avoiding obstacles and
descending to land on Mars. After many tests, CASC is now ready for a safe landing on Mars.
CASC also simulated the gravity of Mars to test the design of the lander.
Ans-23 (D) Indian Bank
Brazil tennis player Joao Souza gets life ban for match-fixing
● Brazilian Joao Souza has been banned from tennis for life after being convicted of multiple
match-fixing and other corruption offences, the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) said on Saturday.
Page 57
● A TIU investigation found that the 31-year-old had committed several anti-corruption breaches
between 2015 and 2019 including fixing matches at ATP
India and the World
Ans-1 (D) Maharashtra
Government of India and the World Bank sign USD 210 million loan agreement for State of Maha-
rashtra’s Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project.
● The Government of India, the Government of Maharashtra and the World Bank today signed a
loan agreement ofUSD 210 million to support small holder farmers participate in competitive agri-
culture value chains, facilitate agri-business investments, increase market access and productivi-
ty in focus commodities, and build resilience of crops to recurrent floods or droughts in the Indian
state of Maharashtra.
● The USD 210 million Maharashtra Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project, will help build
capacity of the nodal departments and institutions.
Ans-2 (B) Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia To Host Next World Economic Forum Regional Summit In Riyadh
● Saudi Arabia will host the next Middle East summit of the World Economic Forum, the first time
the Kingdom has staged the prestigious meeting of world leaders, it was announced in Davos on
Thursday.
● Borge Brende, the WEF president, told delegates: “The next Middle East summit will be held in
Saudi Arabia on the 5 and 6 of April this year.”
● The theme of the meeting will be the place of the region in the fourth industrial revolution,
according to a posting on the official WEF website.
● Middle East WEF’s in the past have been staged in Egypt, Jordan and some have been held in
the UAE.
Ans-3 (B) Russia
India, Russia launch Track 1.5 dialogue to push greater Eurasian partnership
● The maiden Ganga Volga Dialogue (Track 1.5) held in Delhi on 22 January was conceptualized
during the October 2018 India-Russia Summit between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi.
The dialogue prioritized people-to-people contact. According to Russia, the dialogue acted as a
good platform for its policy of “Greater Eurasia”.
● The Dialogue was held on the following theme Theme: Connectivity
● The Dialogue also focused on Digital Connectivity, culture, tourism, healthcare, manufacturing
technology, economy, entrepreneurship, etc. The aim of the dialogue is very similar to the Inter-
national North-South Transport Corridor.
Page 58
Ans-4 (B) 42
Govt issues revised norms for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with other nations
● The Centre has issued revised guidelines for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with
other nations as part of the government's policy of zero tolerance for crime and its endeavour to
fast track the dispensation of justice.
India has Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, MLAT with 42 countries and is signatory to various
International Conventions for cooperation in criminal matters. Home Ministry is the designated
central authority for the country.
Under the MLAT, a country can request for obtaining evidence for criminal investigations and
prosecutions. The evidence includes witness statements or the service of documents among
others.
Ans -5 (D) UAE
UAE declared ‘Reciprocating Territory’ by India

● Indian expatriates if convicted in a civil case in the UAE would no longer be able to seek safe
heaven back in India as the Ministry of Law and and Justice, Government of India during the
second week of January 2020 issued an Extraordinary Gazette Notification, which declared the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) to be a “reciprocating territory” under Section 44A of the Civil Proce-
dure Code, 1908.
● The notification also declared a list of courts in the UAE to be ‘Superior Courts’ under the same
section of CPC.
● Besides UAE, the other countries which were declared as reciprocating territories include the
United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and New Zealand among others
Ans-6 (B) Niger
India opens its first Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centre in West African nation Niger at capital
Niamey
● External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and President of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou on Tuesday
jointly inaugurated the first convention centre established in Africa by India to honour the
memory of Mahatma Gandhi.
It is the first centre to be established in Africa by India to honour the memory of Mahatma Gandhi
whose 150th Birth Anniversary was observed last year.
● The convention centre has been designed as a spacious, modern and eco-friendly facility,
including a 2,000 capacity Plenary Hall, to witness high-level and wide-ranging participation
from African Union member states and other high-level conventions.
Mr. Jaishankar, the first Indian Foreign Minister to visit the West African country, arrived in
Niamey on Monday on the first leg of his three-day two-nation trip to Niger and Tunisia. The tour
is his first outreach to the African continent after becoming Foreign Minister last year.
Page 59
Ans -7 (C) Davos
Piyush Goyal to lead Indian Delegation to World Economic Forum 2020

● The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry & Railways, Piyush Goyal, will lead the Indian
delegation to the 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting at Davos from January 20
to 24, 2020.
● The theme of the 2020 meeting is “Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World“.
● Every year, WEF meeting is held to engage the world’s top leaders to shape global, regional and
industry agendas at the beginning of the year.
Ans-8 (D) Singapore
FDI inflows to India rose 15% to $26 billion between April and September
● Foreign direct investment into India grew 15% to $26 billion during the first half of the current
financial year, according to government data.
● Inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) during April-September of 2018-19 stood at $22.66
billion.
● Sectors, which attracted maximum foreign inflows during April-September 2019-20, include
services ($4.45 billion), computer software and hardware ($ 4 billion), telecommunications ($4.28
billion), automobile ($2.13 billion) and trading ($2.14 billion), the commerce and industry ministry
dta showed.
● Singapore continued to be the largest source of FDI in India during the first half of the financial
year with $8 billion investments. It was followed by Mauritius ($6.36 billion), the US ($2.15 billion),
the Netherlands ($2.32 billion), and Japan ($1.78 billion)
Ans-9 (B) Russia
Russia shakeup: Putin may remain in power even after 2024

● The entire Russian government is resigning, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced
Wednesday, after Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping reforms that could extend his decades-long
grip on power beyond the end of his presidency.
● President Vladimir Putin engineered a surprise shakeup of Russia’s leadership Wednesday, pro-
posing changes to the constitution that could keep him in power well past the end of his term in
2024.
● Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigned his post after Putin announced the proposed con-
stitutional amendments. Putin kept his longtime ally in the Kremlin’s leadership structure,
appointing him to the newly created post of deputy head of the presidential Security Council.
● Putin's proposed constitutional reforms, announced in a state of the nation address, indicated
he was working to carve out a new governing position for himself after his term ends, although
the suggested changes don't immediately indicate what specific path he will take to stay in
charge.
Page 60
Ans-10 (D ) Nepal
Nepal to make yoga education compulsory for school children

● The Nepal government has decided to make yoga education compulsory for school children to
promote healthy lifestyle among students.The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has
completed designing courses on yoga for Grades IX, X, XI and XII.
● Through integrated approach certain topics about yoga will be included as part of the compul-
sory subjects such as English and Nepali.
● However the students can make choice between yoga, Ayurveda and natural medicine as
optional subject at the school level.The courses will have credits similar to other subjects.
● These courses will be implemented from the upcoming academic session at schools.
● The subject will be taught under three-year diploma programme under the Council for Techni-
cal Education and Vocational Training.
Ans-11 (B) Japan
Japan Coast Guard Ship ‘Echigo’ arrives in Chennai

● The Japan Coast Guard Ship ‘Echigo’ has arrived Chennai on Monday on a five-day goodwill
visit. It will be participating in the Annual Joint Exercise ‘Sahyog-Kaijin’ with the Indian Coast
Guard off Chennai on coming Thursday.
● This is the 19th such exercise being conducted between the two Coast Guards since 2000. It is
being witnessed by Admiral Takahiro Okushima, Commandant, Japan Coast Guard and the Direc-
tor-General of Indian Coast Guard Krishnaswamy Natarajan.
● Four Indian Coast Guard ships, their aircraft and a vessel from the Chennai-based National
Institute of Ocean Technology - NIOT are participating in the exercise along with the Japanese
vessel.
● It is aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties and mutual understanding between the two
Coast Guards. It is set to enhance interoperability in communication and Search and Rescue pro-
cedures and sharing of best practices.
Ans-12 (D) Abu Dhabi
World Future Energy Summit begins in Abu Dhabi

● The World Future Energy Summit will begin on Monday in Abu Dhabi, 33,500 participants from
170 countries and 800 specialist exhibitors are expected to attend the four-day annual event.
● The theme for this year's summit is "Rethinking Global Consumption, Production, and Invest-
ment." World Future Energy Summit is the Middle East’s largest future energy and sustainability
event.
● Held annually at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the 2020 edition includes exhibition
and forum programmes across five main pillars: energy, solar, water, waste and smart cities,
hosting an unrivalled gathering of top-level government and business leaders.
Page 61
Ans-13 (B) Koalas
Bushfire crisis: Australia may list koalas as 'endangered' species

● The Australian government on Monday said it could declare koalas as an "endangered" species
after their population suffered "extraordinary hit" in the bushfire crisis, which destroyed 30 per
cent of their habitat across the country.
● Since September last year, the raging Australian bushfires, one of the worst in its history, has
killed at least 26 people, burned over 10 million hectares of land, destroyed over 2,000 homes and
pushed many species towards extinction.
● Over 1.25 billion animals are believed to be dead in the wake of bushfires and experts believe
that hundreds of billions of insects may have been wiped out, the Australian Broadcasting Corpo-
ration (ABC) reported.
Ans-14 (A) Philippines
Philippines warns of 'explosive eruption' after Taal Volcano spews ash near Manila
● Philippine authorities have urged a "total evacuation" of nearly half a million people near the
capital Manila, after a volcano spewed ash up to nine miles (14 kilometers) into the air Sunday
prompting warnings of a possible "explosive eruption."
● The Taal Volcano, about 37 miles (60 kilometers) south of the capital Manila on the island of
Luzon, is one of the country's most active. Images from the scene on Monday showed streams of
lava beginning to gush out the volcanic vent, the sky above still thick and dark with ash and
steam.
● The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has raised the alert level to
four, meaning an "explosive eruption" could happen in the coming hours or days. Its highest alert
level is five, indicating an eruption is taking place.
Ans-15 (B) Netherlands
The Netherlands scrapping its name nickname ‘Holland’ from January 2020
● As a part of €200,000 tourism rebranding, the Netherlands has officially announced to drop
the nickname ‘Holland’ from January 2020.
● Even the Netherlands’ Board of Tourism and Conventions is also scrapping its symbol featuring
a tulip, the national flower, and the word “Holland” and replacing it with a new logo that has an
orange tulip and the initials “NL.”
● Key Points:
● i.Reason: ‘Holland’ refers to just two of the 12 provinces in the Netherlands. Those are North
Holland, where Amsterdam is located, and South Holland consisting of Rotterdam and The
Hague. But the name ‘Holland’ often used to describe the whole nation.
● ii.The govt of Netherlands has instructed the companies, embassies, ministries, and universi-
ties to refer the country as its official title ‘the Netherlands’.
Page 62
Polity and Governance
Ans-1 (B) Answer- Bhopal
MP's first air cargo terminal to be operational by Jan end

● Madhya Pradesh's first air cargo terminal in Bhopal's Raja Bhoj Airport will begin operations by
the end of this month, an official said on Saturday.
● The cargo hub in Bhopal will facilitate transportation for national and international trade and
create employment opportunities in the state.
Ans-2 (D) Ladakh
Tribal Affairs Ministry proposes 6th Schedule Area status to Ladakh

● The Tribal Affairs Ministry has proposed 6th Schedule Area status to Union Territory of Ladakh.
It has sent the proposal to the Home Ministry to declare the 6th Schedule status to Ladakh.
● Sixth Schedule consists of provisions for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Megha-
laya, Tripura and Mizoram, according to Article 244 of the Indian Constitution.
● It grants considerable autonomy to tribal communities.
Ans -3 (D) Uttarakhand
Sanskrit to replace Urdu on railway signboards in Uttarakhand

● Names of railway stations written in Urdu on platform signboards in Uttarakhand will now be
written in Sanskrit, the second official language of the hill state.
● The move is in keeping with the Railway Manual which says the name of a railway station on
platform signboards should be written in the second official language of the state concerned
after Hindi and English, Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railway, Deepak Kumar said.
● "Instead of Hindi, English and Urdu, the names of railway stations on platform signboards
across Uttarakhand will now be written in Hindi, English and Sanskrit
Notes
Page 63
Defence and Security

Ans-1 (B) 3,500 km
India successfully test-fires K-4 submarine-launched nuclear capable missile

● India on Friday successfully test-fired the K-4 nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic
missile off the coast of Visakhapatnam for the second time in the past five days, in a major mile-
stone to augment its strategic arsenal and delivery systems.
● The missile, developed by the DRDO, has a range of 3,500 km and it will be able to bring almost
all parts of Pakistan and several areas of China within its reach, officials said.
● The missile is being developed for integration with India's Arihant class nuclear submarines.
● The missile was test-fired successfully for the second consecutive time in the last five days off
the coast of Visakhapatnam.
Ans-2 (A) 2021
India’s 1st indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant to be commissioned by 2021

● India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant is currently under phase-3 which involves setting
to work of machinery and other equipment and to be commissioned by early 2021 in Indian Navy.
● It will be fully operated by 2022. Vikrant is being built at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL)
Kochi, Kerala.
Ans-3 (A) Ariane-5
Isro's communication satellite GSAT-30 to launch on Jan 17 from French territory Ariane
● India would launch a communication satellite GSAT-30 onboard Ariane-5 launch vehicle (VA
251) from French Guiana on January 17, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said here
on Monday.
● The 3,357-kg satellite is slated to blast off from the Ariane Launch Complex at Kourou, a French
territory located along the northeastern coast of South America, at 02:35 hrs IST.
● "GSAT-30 is to serve as a replacement to INSAT-4A spacecraft services with enhanced cover-
age", ISRO said.
● With a mission life of 15 years, GSAT-30 is an operational communication satellite for DTH, tele-
vision uplink and VSAT services.
Notes
Page 64
Appointments and Resignations
Ans-1 (A) Joao Vale de Almeida
EU Appoints Joao Vale De Almeida As First Ambassador To Post-brexit UK

● European Union named its first ambassador to the post-Brexit United Kingdom after Prime
Minister Boris Johnson on Friday signed the agreement to leave the bloc.
● Officials on Friday named Portuguese diplomat Joao Vale de Almeida as EU's top envoy to
London. Joao Vale de Almeida has previously served as an ambassador for the European Union in
Washington and the United Nations. Vale de has worked as a journalist before joining the Europe-
an Commission in 1982.
Ans-2 (A) Udhampur
Kargil fame Lt Gen YK Joshi appointed Northern Army Commander

● Kargil war hero Lt Gen YK Joshi was on Thursday appointed the commander of the strategically
crucial Northern Command which looks after the borders with both adversaries -- China and
Pakistan.
● Lt Gen Joshi, with vast experience of anti-terror operations in Kashmir, succeeded Lt Gen
Ranbir Singh who retires from service on January 31.
● Lt Gen Joshi is currently serving as the Chief of Staff of the Northern Command. He will take
charge of the Northern Command as General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) on Feb-
ruary 1, official sources told PTI.
Headquarters for the command was established at Udhampur, J&K.
Ans -3 (B) Bank of Baroda
Sanjiv Chadha appointed MD, CEO Bank of Baroda; Atanu Kumar Das to head Bank of India
● Sanjiv Chadha has been appointed as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) at Bank of Baroda
● Lingam Venkata Prabhakar, Executive Director in Punjab National Bank, will be MD and CEO in
Canara Bank
● Atanu Kumar Das has been appointed as the MD and CEO in Bank of India for a three-year
term.
Ans 4 (A) Challa Sreenivasulu Setty
Solution-Challa Sreenivasulu Setty appointed MD of SBI

● The government on Monday appointed Challa Sreenivasulu Setty as the managing director of
the State Bank of IndiaNSE 0.78 % for a period of three years, according to an official order.
● Setty has been appointed as the MD of the SBI for a period of three years with effect from the
date of his taking over the charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier and
which is extendable by 2 years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, after review of his per-
formance, the order said.
Page 65
Ans -5 (D) Federal Bank
Federal Bank elevates Shalini Warrier to the post of executive director

● Kochi-based private sector lender Federal Bank on Thursday announced elevation of Shalini
Warrier as an executive director.
● The bank received approval of the Reserve Bank in this regard, the lender said in a statement.
● Warrier has been the chief operating officer of the bank since November 2015, and also holding
the additional responsibility of business head of retail banking since May 2019.
Ans -6 (C) Mozambique
Mozambique's Nyusi Begins 2nd Term Amid Violent Challenges

● Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi was sworn in for a second and final term Wednesday
after five turbulent years in office amid two armed insurgencies.
● Nyusi, 60, won re-election in October with 73% of the vote, while the opposition alleged irregu-
larities
Ans -7 (A) Arjun Munda
Arjun Munda elected president of Archery Association of India

● Union minister Arjun Munda was on Saturday elected as president of the suspended Archery
Association of India (AAI) in its much-delayed elections, which were held here smoothly in the
presence of three observers.
● Enjoying the support of former AAI President Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Munda had a smooth sail-
ing as he beat his rival BVP Rao by a margin of 34-18 votes.
Ans-8 (B) Russia
Who Is Russia’s New Prime Minister?

● When Russians woke up on Wednesday morning, most had likely never heard of Mikhail
Mishustin, the head of the country’s tax service.
● But by the time they went to bed that night, Mishustin had been named as Russia’s new prime
minister after a day that included a flurry of proposed changes to the constitution and a series of
dramatic shake-ups that saw the government resign en masse.
● It was the first real inkling of the power transfer to come, with President Vladimir Putin set to
reach his constitutionally imposed term limit in 2024.
Ans-9 (A) Harish Salve
Solution-Indian advocate Harish Salve appointed as Queen's Counsel

● Senior Advocate Harish Salve has been appointed as Queen's Counsel for the courts of England
and Wales.
● The title of Queen's Counsel is awarded to those who have demonstrated particular skill and
expertise in the legal field.
● Salve, who is a barrister with the legal firm Blackstone Chambers, had served as the Solicitor
General of India from Nov 1999 to Nov 2002. He will be formally appointed on as QC 16 March this
year.
Page 66
Ans-10 (C) Taranjit Singh Sandhu
● Taranjit Singh Sandhu, currently India’s ambassador to Sri Lanka, will be taking charge as India’s
High Commissioner to the United States of America.
● Sandhu will be succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who will be taking charge on as the foreign
secretary of India on January 29, 2020.
Ans-11 (A) Michael Patra
Govt appoints Michael Patra as RBI Deputy Governor

● The government has appointed Michael Patra as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI), according to a press release by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.Patra,
who is already a member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), will replace Viral Acharya,
who left the post in July 2019. He will be the fourth Deputy Governor of the central bank.
Ans-12 (B) A P Maheshwari
Senior IPS officer AP Maheshwari appointed Director General of CRPF

● Senior IPS officer A P Maheshwari was on Monday appointed as Director General of the Central
Reserve Police Force ( CRPF), according to a Personnel Ministry order.
● He would soon take over the charge from ITBP Director General S.S. Deswal who was given the
"additional" charge to head the country's largest paramilitary force, CRPF, after its serving DG R.R.
Bhatnagar retired last month.
● Maheshwari, a 1984 batch IPS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present Special Secretary
(Internal Security) in the Union Home Ministry.
Ans-13 (A) Tania Shergill
Captain Tania Shergill To Become First Woman Parade Adjutant

● Captain Tania Shergill, an officer with Army's Corps of Signals, will be the first woman parade
adjutant for the Republic Day parade, sources said on Monday.
● A parade adjutant is responsible for the parade.
● Commissioned in March 2017 from the Officer Training Academy, Chennai, Captain Shergill is
an electronics and communications graduate, they said.
● Her father, grandfather and great-grandfather have also served in the Army.
● In last year's Republic Day parade, Captain Bhavna Kasturi was the first woman officer to lead
an all-men contingent.
Ans-14 (A) Spain
Pedro Sanchez sworn in as head of Spain's first coalition government since 1936
● Pedro Sanchez was sworn in as prime minister on Wednesday in a ceremony before King Felipe
VI, becoming head of Spain's first-ever coalition government since the dictatorship ended in 1975.
Page 67
Sports
Ans-1 (D) England
England become 1st team to score half-a-million Test runs

● England have become the first team in the world to score 500,000 runs in Test cricket. They
achieved the feat during the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa being played at
The Wanderers.
● On Friday - the opening day of the 4th South Africa vs England Test match -- England captain
Joe Root’s single through the covers took the Three Lions to a landmark 500,000 run-mark in the
longest format of the game. They achieved the feat in their 1022nd Test match.
● Australia comes second in the list, with 432,706 runs in 830 Tests. India, meanwhile, are third,
with 273,518 runs in 540 Tests, followed by West Indies (270,441 runs in 545 Tests).
Ans-2 (D) Ladakh
Ladakh lifts 7th National Ice Hockey Championship Women trophy

● Ladakh on Tuesday lifted the 7th National Ice Hockey Championship Women trophy. The
match was held at the Karzoo Ice Hockey Rink here.
● The tournament was organised by the Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) in association with
the Ladakh winter sports club. Four women teams representing Chandigarh, Delhi, Maharashtra,
and Ladakh participated in the tournament.
Ans-3 (A) Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods to be inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021

● The Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced changes to the criteria and the selection process,
starting with the age limit being reduced from 50 to 45. Players become eligible if they are 45 in
the year of the induction ceremony.
● The next induction is in 2021. Woods turns 45 in January.
Ans -4 (D) Cricket
Former cricketer Man Mohan Sood passes away

● Former Test batsman and National selector Man Mohan Sood passed away here on Sunday
morning. He was 80.
● A batsman with flair to play strokes, Sood made his First Class debut against Services at
Ferozeshah Kotla in 1957 and played his final Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir at
Srinagar in 1964
Ans -5 (A) Kuldeep Yadav
Solution-Kuldeep Yadav becomes fastest Indian spinner to take 100 wickets in ODIs
● In Cricket, Kuldeep Yadav became the fastest Indian spinner to claim 100 wickets in ODI during
the 2nd match against Australia in Rajkot.
● The left-arm wrist-spinner reached the milestone in his 58th match when he got rid of Alex
Carey for 18 in the 38th over of the Australian run chase.
● Among spinners, the earlier fastest to 100 wickets was Harbhajan Singh in 76 matches.
Page 68
Ans -6 (D) Vinesh Phogat
Vinesh Phogat wins gold medal in Rome Ranking Series

● A dominant Vinesh Phogat won her 1st gold medal of the 2020 season at the Rome Ranking
Series event after teen sensation Anshu Malik settled for a silver in 57kg competition.
● Vinesh downed two tough Chinese rivals on her way to the 53kg gold medal bout in which she
overpowered Ecuador's Luisa Elizabeth Valverde 4-0. Earlier, Vinesh won her bouts against Khry-
styna Bereza (10-0) and Lannuan Luo (15-5) by technical superiority.
Ans-7 (D) Abhijeet Gupta
GM Abhijeet Gupta wins Delhi Open Chess Championship

● India's GM Abhijeet Gupta beat Aleksej Aleksandrov of Belrus in the 10th and final round on
Thursday to win the 18th Delhi Open International Grand Masters Chess Championship here.
● Starting the final game half a point behind the Belarussian, the 30-year old Gupta secured a
win in 37 moves to seal the top prize with 8.5 points.
Rank & Reports
Ans-1 (C) 5.5%
India Ratings pegs FY21 GDP at 5.5%, warns of downside risks

● Ratings agency India Ratings and Research has pegged India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
growth for 2020-21 at 5.5%, above the 5% growth that India’s statistics office expects for 2019-20.
● The slowdown, in the agency’s view, is a combination of several factors. These are an abrupt
and significant fall in lending by non-banking financial companies close on the heels of a slow-
down in bank lending, reduced income growth of households coupled with a fall in savings and
higher leverage, and inability of the dispute resolution/judicial systems to quickly unlock the
stuck capital.
Ans-2 (B) 84th
Indian passport ranked 84th in Henley Passport Index 2020

● Henley Passport Index 2020 has been released. The Indian passport ranked 84th in the world’s
most powerful passport index 2020. Which is a drop by 2 places as it ranked 82nd in 2019. Now
India provides visa-free access to 58 countries. The list was topped by Japan.
● World’s top most powerful passports:
● 1) Japan: 191 countries
● 2) Singapore: 190 countries
● 3) Germany, South Korea: 189 countries
Page 69
Ans-3 (A) 80th
India ranked 80th in Corruption Perception Index

● India has been ranked at the 80th position among 180 countries and territories in the Corrup-
tion Perception Index (CPI) prepared by Transparency International.
● The CPI, released at the WEF 2020 here, ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived
levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people.
● Denmark and New Zealand have cornered the top spot, followed by Finland, Singapore,
Sweden and Switzerland in the top ten.
Ans -4 (C) 51st
India falls ten places to rank 51 on democracy index 2019

● India dropped ten places to rank 51 out of 167 in the recently released 2019 Democracy Index,
formulated and compiled by the research firm Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The country
ranked 41 in 2018.India’s overall democracy score also fell from 7.23, out of a possible 10, in 2018 to
6.90 in 2019. “The primary cause of the democratic regression was an erosion of civil liberties in
the country,” the EIU report said.
● Norway topped the index with an overall score of 9.87, while North Korea was at the bottom
with a score of 1.08.
Ans -5 (D) 76th
India ranks 76th on WEF’s Social Mobility Index, Denmark tops the list
● India has been ranked very low at 76th place out of 82 countries on a new Social Mobility Index
compiled by the World Economic Forum, while Denmark has topped the charts.
● The most socially mobile societies in the world, according to the report’s Global Social Mobility
Index, are all European.
● The Nordic nations hold the top five spots, led by Denmark in the first place (scoring 85 points),
followed by Norway, Finland and Sweden (all above 83 points) and Iceland (82 points). Rounding
out the top 10 are the Netherlands (6th), Switzerland (7th), Austria (8th), Belgium (9th) and Lux-
embourg (10th).
Notes
Page 70
Honours and Awards

Ans-1 (D) Malappuram
These 3 Indian cities top the list of world's fastest-growing cities

● Three Indian cities have been listed as the world's fastest-growing urban areas, a survey by the
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) revealed.
● Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kollam were the only three cities to make it to the top 10 of the
world's fastest-growing cities.
● Malappuram was ranked No. 1 in the world rankings with a 44.1 per cent change between 2015
and 2020. While Kozhikode was ranked fourth with 34.5 per cent change and Kollam was at
number 10 with 31.1 per cent, the EIU survey revealed.
● The other cities in the top 10 list were three cities from China, one each from Nigeria, Oman,
UAE and Vietnam.
● Other Indian cities that made the list were Thrissur in Kerala at 13th position, Gujarat's Surat at
26, while and Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur is at 30.
Ans-2 (A) Vasdev Mohi
Noted writer Vasdev Mohi to be conferred with 29th Saraswati Samman

● Eminent Sindhi writer Vasdev Mohi will be conferred with 29th Saraswati Samman.
● He has been selected for this prestigious literary award for his short stories collection-
Chequebook.
● This short stories collection talks about the agonies and sufferings of marginalized sections of
the society. The Saraswati Samman is an annual award for outstanding prose or poetry literary
works in any of the 22 languages of India listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.
Ans-3 (C) Ishwar Sharma
Indian-Origin Yoga Champion Ishwar Sharma from UK Wins Global Child Prodigy Award 2020
● A 10-year-old Indian-origin schoolboy, Ishwar Sharma from United Kingdom and under-11 yoga
champion has won the Global Child Prodigy Award 2020 for achievements in spiritual discipline
yoga.
● Ishwar Sharma, originally from Mysore, is currently based in Kent in south-eastern England.
● He was chosen for the awards among 15,000 applicants from across 45 countries and 30 differ-
ent categories.
● Sharma has participated in over 100 yoga events across the UK and worldwide.
● It must be remembered that 13-year-old Indian-origin girl, Sucheta Satish, from Dubai”s Indian
High School, has also won the 100 Global Child Prodigy Award for singing in most languages
during one concert and the longest live singing concert by a child.
Page 71
Ans-4 (C) Dr M S Swaminathan
Prof. MS Swaminathan & Dr. G Muniratnam chosen for Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National
Awards
● Eminent Agricultural Scientist Dr M S Swaminathan and well-known social worker, Dr. Gutta
Muniratnam were respectively chosen as the first recipients of ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu
National Award for Excellence’ and ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service’’
● The National Award for Excellence was instituted by the Muppavarapu Foundation, while the
one for Social Service was launched by the Swarna Bharat Trust, in Hyderabad today.
● Prof. M.S. Swaminathan was awarded for his distinguished contributions to the field of agricul-
ture while Dr G Muniratnam, was awarded for his extraordinary contribution in improving quality
of people’s lives through social service.
● A plant geneticist by training, Professor Swaminathan's contributions to the agricultural renais-
sance of India have led to his being widely referred to as the scientific leader of the green revolu-
tion movement.
● Dr Muniratnam is Founder Secretary of Tirupati -based Rashtriya Seva Samiti and an exemplary
social worker. He dedicated his life to the cause of transforming rural India by empowering
people.
Miscellaneous
Ans-1 (D) World Economic Forum
Regulating Bitcoin: WEF2020 Announced A Global Consortium For Cryptocurrency Governance

● The World Economic Forum for 2020 took place at Davos the past week, and cryptocurrencies
received a lot of attention. Yesterday, during its last day, the Forum announced the creation of
the first Global Consortium for Digital Currency Governance.
● It will consist of financial institutions, government representatives, academics, international
organizations, leading companies, technical experts, NGOs, and members of the Forum’s com-
munities on a global level.
Ans-2 (A) Tata Steel Kalinganagar
Solution-Kalinganagar Plant of Tata Steel awarded at WEF

● Tata Steel Kalinganagar was recently awarded at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting
in Davos, Switzerland for being included in the WEF’s Lighthouse Network.
● In July 2019, Tata Steel Kalinganagar became the first and only Indian manufacturing plant to
be included in the coveted ‘Lighthouse Network’ of the World Economic Forum.
● The other ten manufacturing plants from around the world were also included in the network.
● Kalinganagar industrial complex is located in Odisha’s Jajpur district.
● Tata Steel’s IJmuiden plant located in the Netherlands has already been included in the net-
work.
Page 72
Ans-3 (D) New Delhi
International Summit on Women in STEM Held in New Delhi

● The Department of Biotechnology, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, organized
two-day International Summit on Women in STEM under the theme “Visualizing the Future: New
Skylines” in New Delhi.
● The Summit was held on 23 and 24 January, 2020, with an aim to boost the participation of
women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) field for development of scientific
career.
Ans-4 (C) Tamil Nadu
Visakhapatnam gears up to host International Naval event Milan 2020

● The Vishakapatnam city of Andhra Pradesh will host International naval exercise ‘MILAN’ in
March 2020. The theme of the exercise for the year 2020 is ‘Synergy Across the Seas’.
● Milan exercise which will be hosted by Eastern Naval Command (ENC) aims to enhance profes-
sional interaction between foreign navies and also make use of the best practices in the maritime
domain.
Ans-6 (B) Indira Gandhi International Airport
Delhi airport gets a new women-only cab service

● At the Indira Gandhi International Airport here is an exclusive 'Women with wheels,' taxi service
that is unique as it is operated by women drivers, for women.
● The service, an initiative by 'Sakha cabs' was launched from the international airport from Jan-
uary 10 in a bid to make women feel safer.
● The cabs are driven by women drivers and the services are also provided to only female com-
muters.
● A man with a family and only women commuters are allowed to take the 'Sakha Cabs' ride from
Delhi airport
● The cabs are driven by women drivers and the services are also provided to only female com-
muter
Ans -7 (D) Kerala
● Kerala Tourism's Disabled-friendly Project Earns UNWTO Special Mention Keala Tourism's Bar-
rier-Free Tourism Project has won global recognition with the United Nations World Tourism
Organisation (UNWTO) making a special mention of the south Indian state as an "Emerging Global
Destination" in the Accessible Destination Awards 2019.
● Kerala Tourism Director P Bala Kiran received the conferment from UNWTO Secretary-General
Zurab Pololikashvili at the awards ceremony in Madrid on Wednesday, a press release said.
● The recognition was for the implementation of the project in the central Kerala district of Thris-
sur, which thus became India's only destination to win the honour.
Page 73
● The awards were given away in the Spanish capital as part of FITUR Trade Fair, which is a meet-
meet
ing point of tourism professionals the worldover and the second-biggest global gathering of
travel and tourism professionals.
● It was in March last year that Kerala Tourism launched the barrier-free project in an effort at
making 120 destinations across the state disabled-friendly.
Ans -8 (C) Maharashtra
Indian gaur spotted in Konkan sanctuary for the first time in recorded history
● Wildlife researchers recently documented the presence of an Indian gaur in the Phansad Wild-
life Sanctuary (PWS) in Roha and Murud talukas of Raigad district of Maharashtra. According to
the Maharashtra forest department, this is the first time a sighting of this species of bison has
been reported or documented at the sanctuary.
● The Indian Gaur is listed as Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and is
tagged as ‘vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List.
Gaurs are the world’s largest and tallest wild bovines, with 85% of their current population found
in India. Male gaurs weigh 1,000-1,500kg, while females weigh 700-1,000kg. Their height ranges
from 165-220cm (5 to 7ft).
Ans -9 (D) Meerut
India's First War Memorial for Animals to Come up in Meerut

Meerut city in Uttar Pradesh will be host to India’s first war memorial for service animals including
dogs, horses and mules.
● This place will dedicate itself to the contributions and heroics of animals who have helped the
army in counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir and in the battlefield during the Kargil War.
● The memorial, claimed by officials to be similar to the National Warn Memorial in Delhi, will
come up at the army’s specialized breeding, rearing and training centre for animals: the Remount
and Veterinary Corps (RVC) Centre and College in Meerut,
● Granite tablets with names and service numbers of more than 300 dogs, 350 handlers and a
few horses’ mules will be inscribed at the memorial. The preliminary design of the memorial and
the land has already been identified.
Ans -10 (C) Telangana
Face recognition app to be used in Telangana Municipal polls on pilot basis

● In a first in India, the Telangana State Election Commission will be using facial recognition app
in a bid to counter impersonation by voters.
● This will be done on a pilot basis in 10 selected polling stations in Kompally Municipality of Med-
chal Malkajgiri district.
● Artificial Intelligence-based technology is based on liveness testing, big data mining and deep
learning.
● The face recognition is digitally verifiable and quick as it will be possible to identify a person
through a photograph, even if there are certain changes in the profile over a period of time of
even 20 years.
Page 74
● Polling for 120 municipalities and nine municipal corporations will be held on January 22nd and
results declared on January 25th. Karimnagar Municipal Corporation, however, will go for polls on
January 25th and results will be declared on the 27th. All stakeholders including political parties
and polling staff would be sensitised on the new initiative.
Ans -11 (D) Mizoram
Mizoram to celebrate Chapchar kut on March 6

● Mizoram will celebrate Chapchar Kut, the biggest and most important festival of the Mizos, on
March 6, an official statement said on Tuesday.
● While March 5 will be celebrated as pre-festival, which would be graced by Art and Culture Min-
ister R Lalzirliana as "Kut Pa" or the "father of the festival", the grand celebration will take place on
March 6, where that place would be taken by Zoramthanga, the statement said.
● Chapchar Kut is a spring festival celebrated usually in March after completion of the Jhum culti-
vation.
● Jhum cultivation, also known as the slash and burn agriculture, is the process of growing crops
by first clearing the land of trees and vegetation and burning them thereafter
Ans -12 (D) W.V. Raman
W.V. Raman’s The Winning Sixer launched

● It should come as no surprise that W.V. Raman has authored a book. The former India opener
has always been one of the shrewdest voices on cricket, forthright and informed in his opinion
and never shy of expressing it. In ‘The Winning Sixer’, released formally by Anil Kumble here on
Thursday, Raman has drawn on his own experiences, and those of other athletes, to derive lead-
ership lessons from sport.
● Raman, the current head coach of the national women’s team; Kumble, a former India captain;
and P. Madhavan, Executive Vice-President, TVS Tyres, engaged in a lively conversation on the
subject of leadership, holding in rapt attention an audience that included G.R. Viswanath, Roger
Binny, Rahul Dravid, Ajinkya Rahane, Narendra Hirwani and Mithali Raj.
Ans-13 (C) New Delhi
Mega fuel conservation campaign ‘Saksham 2020’ inaugurated in New Delhi

● The one-month long mega fuel conservation campaign named Saksham-2020 was inaugurat-
ed in New Delhi on 16 January 2020.
● Saksham (Sanrakshan Kshamta Mahotsav) is an annual flagship event of Petroleum Conserva-
tion Research Association (PCRA) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt. of
India
● The Saksham campaign aims at creating mass awareness among public about conventional
fuel conservation, for health & environment protection and simultaneously help in reducing
India’s dependency on import of crude oil.
Page 75
Ans-14 (B) Kashi Vishwanath
Mandatory to wear ‘dhoti-kurta', saree for entering sanctum of Kashi Vishwanath temples
● The devotees visiting the holy shrine will now reportedly have to follow a dress code to enter the sanctum of
the temple. This decision was taken by the Kashi Vidwat Parishad.
● According to the new dress code that will be relevant for both men and women, it mandatory for men to wear
the Indian traditional 'dhoti-kurta' and saree for the women to enter the premises and worship the deity.
Ans-15 (C) Real Madrid
Real Madrid beat Atletico in penalty shootout to lift Spanish Super Cup
● Real Madrid beat Atlético Madrid in a penalty shootout on Sunday to win the first edition of the
new-look Spanish Super Cup that was held in Saudi Arabia despite criticism from human rights
groups.
● Madrid won the shootout 4-1 after the final ended 0-0 after extra time. Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo,
Luka Modric and Sergio Ramos all converted their spot kicks for Madrid.
Ans-16 (A) Arunachal Pradesh
Parshuram Kund Mela' begins in Arunachal Pradesh

● In Arunachal Pradesh, the famous Parshuram Kund Mela began yesterday. Devotees from
across the country visit the sacred place to take a holy dip in the Kund on the occasion of Makar
Sankranti every year.
● According to Lohit District Administration, more than 12,000 footfalls of pilgrims are recorded
so far who have come to the Mela this year.
● Parshuram Kund, nestled in the lower reaches of Lohit River is of great significance for the
Hindus. The legendary beheading of his mother by Lord Parshuram and eventual penance
followed by taking a bath in the so-called Brahma Kund, has added religious significance to this
place. Every year thousands of Hindu devotees throng in and take a holy dip in the sacred Kund
on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein yes-
terday announced to make the Parshuram Kund Mela a calendar event of the state to boost spiri-
tual tourism.
Ans-17 (A) Statue of Unity
Solution-Statue of Unity finds place in '8 Wonders of SCO'

● The 182-meter tall Statue of Unity in Gujarat has been included in the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation's '8 Wonders of SCO' list, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on
Monday.
Page 76
Ans-18 (A) Iran
Iran’s Gen Qassem Soleimani killed in US airstrike on Baghdad airport

● General Qassim Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds Force, was killed in a US airstrike at Bagh-
dad's international airport early on Friday, an assassination that marks a major escalation in
US-Iran tensions.
● The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias
known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF.
● The Pentagon said US President Donald Trump ordered the killing of Soleimani "in a decisive
defensive action to protect US personnel abroad".
● "General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service
members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were respon-
sible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of
thousands more," the Department of Defence said.

Page 77

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8) Polity and Governance 19

PRACTICE CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ’S 42

SOLUTIONS CURRENT AFFAIRS MCQ’s 51

Preliminary Exam Pattern

Reasoning 40 questions 40 marks .

A cumulative time of 45 mins is given

In Reasoning 40 questions are asked which are of 40 marks - coding-decoding, syllogism ,

Mains preparation strategy (PO)( 2 hours)

Subjects -Math, Reasoning, Computer , Hindi/English and GA.

Repo and Reverse Repo Rate

Preliminary Exams strategy

I wish you all the very best.

The Finance Minister said that the Union Budget Aims:

To achieve seamless delivery of services through Digital governance

Budget 2020-21 is woven around three prominent themes:

Highlights of Budget 2020

Income Tax: Middle Class India Gets A Rs 40,000 Crore Boost

The new income tax slabs and rates are as under:

Rs 5-7.5 lakh per annum: 10 percent from 20 percent earlier.

Vivad se Vishwas’ scheme

Trick 1: Whenever in a statement you get both the priority 1 in

If A > B <C Then A < C = False & C > A = False.

Trick 2: Whenever in a statement you get both the priority 2 in opposite

Trick 3: When it occurs to you that the statement of order is opposite

If A > B > C > D < E < F

Statements: a) A > B b) B > C

On combining both the statements, we get: A > B > C

Coded Inequality Question

In the given statements, the relations are represented as follows:

(a) Only conclusion I holds true.

FY21 could be on the higher side.

2 Indian banks to end their operations in Sri Lanka

RBI allows to offer 24×7 rupee trading via select banks

State Bank of India has announces RBBG (Residential Builder Finance

National Payments Corporation of India –(NPCI) Launches Blockchain-

Vodafone m-pesa’s Certiﬁcate of Authorisation cancelled by RBI

Following the cancellation of the CoA, the company cannot trans-

Vodafone M-pesa Limited Formtion:13 September 2014.

ICICI Bank introduces cardless cash withdrawal facility through ATMs

This service enables customers to withdraw cash from over

“MANI” to help visually challenged to identify currency notes

18th Edition of Dhaka International

Iran’s Gen QassemSoleimani killed in US airstrike on Baghdad airport

In a major blow to Iran, top commanders of Iran and

Iran Capital: Tehran;

Robert Abela has been elected as Malta’s Prime minister

Malta's governing party has elected a new leader and

India and the

World Bank projects India’s growth rate at 5% for FY2020

President of World Bank: David R. Malpass;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart K.P.Sharma

Prime Minister of Nepal: K PSharma Oli;

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya participates at United Nations

World AIDS Day: 1 December.

Maharashtra CM to inaugrates “Advantage Maharashtra expo 2020”

The four-day mega industrial exhi-

Gujarat CM unveils world’s 2nd tallest statue of SardarVallabhbhai Patel

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani unveils the second tallest

Gujarat CM : Vijay Rupani;

‘Cyber Safe Women’ initiative launched by Maharashtra Government

UPSRTC launched ‘Damini’ helpline service for women-UPSRTC (Uttar

“Our aim is to help the women travelling on the road-