Current Affairs january 2021 pdf download SSC CGL
Table of Contents
One Liner Updates & Current Affairs is a collection of important news and events that occurred in the two weeks (1-15th) of February 2021. This file is important for, Banking, SSC CGL 2021, SSC CHSL 2021, Railway & Insurance exams. Banking & Financial Awareness
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the licence of Shivam Sahakari Bank Ltd based in which state __
Maharashtra.
Note:
➢ Following the cancellation of its license, the bank will stop to carry on the banking business, which includes
accepting and repaying deposits as defined in Section 5(b) read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act,
1949, with effect from the close of business on January 29, 2021.
➢ The bank can start the liquidation proceeding, with the cancellation of the license.
Which entity has set up an ‘Innovation Sandbox’ web portal, a workflow based platform that enables FinTech firms and individuals to do offline testing of their applications __ Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
Note:
➢ It is a testing environment that enables FinTech firms and individuals to do offline testing of their applications.
➢ The innovation sandbox is set up as per the guidelines of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
➢ The aim of the portal is to create an ecosystem which promotes innovation in the securities market.
As per the ‘Brand Finance Global 500 2021 Ranking, which Indian firm has emerged as the fifth strongest brand in the globe _ Reliance Jio.
Note:
➢ The Reliance Industries subsidiary had a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 91.7 out of 100.
➢ The list is topped by WeChat with a BSI score of 95.4 followed by Ferrari with 93.9 BSI score.
➢ Russian bank Sber is spotted in 3rd rank with 92.0 BSI score followed by Coca-Cola with 91.7 BSI score.
The Reserve bank of India has appointed an external IT firm for carrying out a special audit of IT infrastructure of which of the following banks _ HDFC Bank.
Note:
➢ RBI has appointed an external professional IT firm for carrying out a special audit of the entire IT infrastructure of
the bank under Section 30 (1-B) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949…, at the cost of the Bank under Section 30 (1-
C) of the Act.
➢ The bank shall accordingly extend its cooperation to the external professional IT firm so appointed by RBI for
conducting the special IT audit as above.
Which bank has decided to restrict its customers from withdrawing money from non-EMV automated teller machines (ATMs) with effect from 5 October 2024 __ Punjab National Bank.
Note:
➢ This restriction will apply to both, financial and non-financial transactions. To overcome this, PNB will introduce
OTP based systems for withdrawing cash.
➢ PNB has also decided to replace the old IFSC and MICR codes. This means that the old codes will not work after
March 31, 2021.
Neo banking startup StashFin has partnered with which bank to launch their co-branded contactless prepaid cards __
SBM Bank India.
Note:
➢ Designed through collaboration, these prepaid cards will boost access to credit for underbanked consumers.
➢ With this launch, the innovation and technology-led business partnership is set to bridge the growing credit gap in India.
➢ The Visa powered card comes with a contactless EMV chip, offering the cardholders 24×7 access to funds.
Which motor maker has partnered with Alphabet Inc’s Google to cooperate in software, artificial intelligence and cloud computing, developing new consumer services __ Ford Motor Co.
Note:
➢ The partnership will be applicable for 6 years and will incorporate the Android operating system of the Google into Ford and Lincoln vehicles in 2023
➢ Ford’s customer will get built-in Google apps, including its map and voice technology, Google AI to improve efficiency of vehicle development.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) unveiled the risk-based internal audit (RBIA) system for select non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) with an asset size of over _ Rs 5,000 crore.
Note:
➢ As per the regulator, all the deposit-taking non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and the ones with an asset
size of over Rs 5,000 crore will have to migrate to the new system.
➢ Currently, all the entities supervised by the RBI have their own approaches on internal audit, resulting in certain inconsistencies, risks and gaps in the system.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) unveiled the risk-based internal audit (RBIA) system for urban co-operatives banks
(UCBs) with assets size of over __ Rs 500 crore.
Note:
➢ As per the regulator, the Urban Co-operatives Banks (UCBs) with assets of over Rs 500 crore will have to migrate to
the new system.
➢ Currently, all the entities supervised by the RBI have their own approaches on internal audit, resulting in certain
inconsistencies, risks and gaps in the system.
As per the data revealed by the Reserve Bank of India, almost what amount of loans of top 100 wilful defaulters have been written off by the banks as of March 2020 __ Rs 62,000 crore.
Note:
➢ Data the Reserve Bank of India shared with Right to Information Act activist Biswanath Goswami showed that
Mehul Choksi-owned Gitanjali Gems was the top wilful defaulter, accounting for Rs 5,071 crore of non-performing
assets (NPA).
➢ Banks wrote off Rs 622 crore of the firm’s loans.
As per the revised the objective and eligibility criteria of innovation sandbox by the Securities and Exchange Board of
India, an applicant can move from Stage-I to Stage-II only after a minimum of __ 60 Days.
Note:
➢ In order to encourage innovation and boost participation, markets regulator SEBI revised the objective and
eligibility criteria of its innovation sandbox with graded entry norms.
➢ As the revised guidelines, an applicant if completed a minimum 60 days in the Stage-I of Innovation Sandbox testing will be eligible to enter into stage 2 of the testing.
Federal Bank Ltd launched ‘FedFirst’, a special savings account for __ Children.
Note:
➢ The account helps children develop healthy saving and spending habits, thereby giving them the freedom to save,
spend and earn.
➢ The account is designed to enable children to learn the importance of money management.
➢ The account comes with unique features and offers. The account holder is provided with a FedFirst contactless
Debit Card with a daily cash withdrawal limit of ₹2,500 and POS/e-com limit of ₹10,000, in addition to free online
facilities including access to internet banking, mobile alerts and e-mail alerts.
Which general insurance company has launched ‘Salute to Caregivers – Ek Naya Nazariya Campaign’ to support the cancer survivors in the battle against cancer _ Bharti AXA General Insurance.
Note:
➢ To commemorate the World Cancer Day 2021, Bharti AXA General Insurance has collaborated with poetess Priya
Malik, who wrote a poem on the Campaign & she also expressed her experience as a caregiver.
Which private sector bank in India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MUFG Bank of Japan for
collaboration towards catering to the banking requirements of Japanese corporates present in India __ ICICI Bank.
Note:
➢ The MoU establishes a framework of partnership between the banks across various domains including trade,
investment, treasury, corporate and retail banking.
➢ It also paves way for the two banks to combine their individual strengths and cater holistically to the banking
requirements of Japanese corporations operating in India.www.gradeup.co
The Reserve Bank of India in its 5th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) review projected India’s gross domestic Product
(GDP) growth at what per cent for the FY2021-22 __ 10.5%.
Note:
➢ The projection of Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation has been revised to 5.2% for the Q4FY21, 5.2 % to 5.0 % in
H1FY22 and declined to 4.3% by Q3FY22.
➢ The MPC has given the mandate to maintain annual inflation at 4% until March 31, 2021 with an upper tolerance of
6% and lower tolerance of 2% i.e. within a band of +/- 2 %.
What is total amount to be provided to various sectors and banks under Targeted Long Term Repo Operations (TLTRO)
scheme __ Rs 1 lakh crore.
Note:
➢ The sectors which could benefit from this move include construction, real estate, and microfinance. RBI will
provide these funds under on-tap targeted long-term repo operations (TLTRO) at a floating rate linked to the policy
rate for up to three years. At present, the repo rate is 4 percent.
➢ LTRO lets banks borrow one to three-year funds from the central bank at the repo rate, by providing government
securities with similar or higher tenure as collateral.
Which general insurance company has launched ‘Salute to Caregivers – Ek Naya Nazariya Campaign’ to support the cancer survivors in the battle against cancer __ Bharti AXA General Insurance.
Note:
➢ To commemorate the World Cancer Day 2021, Bharti AXA General Insurance has collaborated with poetess Priya
Malik, who wrote a poem on the Campaign & she also expressed her experience as a caregiver.
Parivartan is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) brand of which bank under which it has invited applications from
start-ups and solo entrepreneurs for its SmartUp grants __ HDFC Bank.
Note:
➢ The initiative is aimed at finding and deploying long-term, sustainable solutions at scale, to address social issues
and contribute to the economic and social development of the country.
➢ The bank will be focusing on start-ups in the education (edtech) and skill development sector this year for the
grant.
What is the budgetary provision for the new Central Sector Scheme titled “Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer
Produce Organizations (FPOs)” launched with a clear strategy and committed resources to form and promote 10,000 new FPOs _ Rs 6865 crore.
Note:
➢ The goal is to achieve doubling of export by 2022.
➢ However, more than 86% of farmers in the country are small and marginal.
➢ For this, Aggregation of small, marginal and landless farmers into FPOs will help enhance economic strength &
market linkages of farmers for enhancing their income.
Which Bank has entered into a co-lending agreement with the Pune-based non-banking financial company LoanTap Credit Products, for MSME loans __ Bank of Maharshtra.
Note:
➢ Under the co-lending model, the bank will have an exposure of up to 80 per cent while the rest will be borne by the
LoanTap.
➢ Co-lending is the system introduced by RBI in the wake of the liquidity crisis at non-banking finance companies to
enhance the credit flow to the unserved and underserved sector and make available funds to the ultimate
beneficiary at an affordable cost.
The digital payment platform PhonePe has partnered with which bank on UPI multi-bank model giving its users the option to create and use multiple UPI IDs banks “@axl” handle __ Axis Bank.
Note:
➢ It will enable the PhonePe users to create and use multiple UPI IDs with Axis Bank’s “@axl” handle.
➢ Until now, the PhonePe’s key banking partner was Yes Bank.
The RBI has permitted the Indian individual to make remittances to IFSCs established here under the Liberalized
Remittance Scheme (LRS) per year for travel, education and medical care as well as for the purchase of shares __
$250,000.
Note:
➢ Till now, only global participants were allowed to invest in funds set up in Indian IFSCs.
➢ The move is likely to benefit retail investors, and high net-worth individuals (HNIs).www.gradeup.co
➢ Under the LRS, an Indian individual can send up to $250,000 per year overseas for travel, education and medical
care as well as for the purchase of shares.
What do you mean by ‘Gilt Accounts’ for that the RBI has given permission to open, making India the first country to do so __ An account for holding Government securities.
Note:
➢ The retail investors are allowed to access government securities (G-Secs) market both primary and secondary –
directly through the Reserve Bank (‘Retail Direct’) along the facility to open their gilt securities account. With this,
India has become the first country to do so.
➢ A “Gilt Account” means an account opened and maintained for holding Government securities, by an entity or a
person including ‘a person resident outside India’ with a “Custodian” permitted by the RBI.
Meghalaya Police has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with which bank for implementation of e-Challan in the jurisdiction of Shillong Traffic Police (STP) __ State Bank of India.
Note:
➢ The e-Challan system has been integrated with VAHAN & SARATHI, which are the flagship applications of MoRTH
(Ministry of Road Transport & Highways).
➢ The Integration with VAHAN & SARATHI will help traffic officials in gathering the information of traffic violations
such as Vehicle & Driver’s details.
The Central Government is all set to sell what per cent stake in National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL) out of its shareholding of
74.71% through an Offer For Sale (OFS) method of shares _ 20 per cent.
Note:
➢ To initiate the sale process, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) has invited
tenders from merchant banks.
➢ It should be noted that NFL is the second largest producer of Urea in the country with a share of about 15% of total
Urea production in the country.
Which company has announced a definitive agreement with SoftBank Group Corp. (SBG) under which will acquire Arm
Limited from SBG and the SoftBank Vision Fund __ NVIDIA.
Note:
➢ Under the deal, NVIDIA will pay Softbank USD 21.5 billion in common stock and USD 12 billion in case, USD 2 billion
of which will be payable at signing.
➢ Another USD 5 billion in cash or stock may also be given to Softbank, depending on Arm’s performance.
Which bank has committed to invest USD 100 Million into the NIIF Fund of Funds (FoF) _ New Development Bank.
Note:
➢ This is the NDB’s 1st Equity Investment into India & the 1st ever Investment in an FoF.
➢ With this investment, FoF has secured USD 800 Million in commitments.
➢ The other investors in FoF apart from NDB are Government of India, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and
Asian Development Bank.
Which Bank has signed a First-of-its-kind Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) for providing up to INR 2 Crore Loan to Indian Oil dealers __ Punjab National Bank.
Note:
➢ Under the scheme Dealers can avail loan of upto INR 2 Crore at lower interest rates, nil margin and with minimum
or Zero Collateral requirements.
➢ Collateral Security will not be asked to Individuals who are having dealerships with IndianOil for 5 years or more.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has signed a First-of-its-kind an MoU with which oil company for providing up to INR 2 Crore Loan to dealers of the company through the PNB e-Dealer scheme _ IOCL.
Note:
➢ Under the scheme Dealers can avail loan of upto INR 2 Crore at lower interest rates, nil margin and with minimum
or Zero Collateral requirements.
➢ Collateral Security will not be asked to Individuals who are having dealerships with IndianOil for 5 years or more.
India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) Ltd estimated that India’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow at what per
cent in FY22 _ 10.4%.
Note:
➢ Earlier, Ind-Ra had projected the GDP for FY 21 as -7.8%.
➢ The full recovery will be visible in FY23.www.gradeup.co
➢ The government final consumption expenditure is expected to grow at 10.1% in FY22, while private final
consumption expenditure is expected to grow at 11.2% in FY22
Which bank has joined hands with CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd to provide EMI Collection Services _ HDFC
Bank.
Note:
➢ CSC is a Special Purpose Vehicle under MeitY.
➢ The bank’s new initiative is aimed at making payments convenient for customers, who can now visit their nearest
CSC, to deposit overdue.
➢ With EMI Collection facility, customers need not visit bank branches.
Which small finance bank has partnered with Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC) and
Ocean Highway Facilities and Solutions Pvt Ltd. to launch India’s first FASTag powered truck terminal at Khalapur,
Maharashtra _ Equitas Small Finance Bank.
Note:
➢ Equitas Small Finance Bank (Equitas SFB) has partnered with Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation
Limited (MSRDC) and Ocean Highway Facilities and Solutions Pvt Ltd for launching country’s first FASTag powered
truck terminal at Khalapur, Maharashtra on the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai – Pune Expressway.
Which Life Insurance company has launched a new goal based savings product – ‘Guaranteed Income for Tomorrow’
(GIFT), which provides guaranteed income to policyholders to help them achieve their long-term financial goals __
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company.
Note:
➢ This non-participating savings product can enable customers to eliminate the uncertainty of future income streams
to a large extent.
➢ The life cover provides financial security to the family, which is essential for a robust financial plan.
Name the Indian company that has been selected as the first member from India for The Circulars Accelerator Program
2021 _ Recykal.
Note:
➢ The Circulars Accelerator, led by Accenture, in partnership with Anglo American, Ecolab and Schneider Electric, and
in collaboration with UpLink and the World Economic Forum, will connect industry leaders with 17 groundbreaking circular economy entrepreneurs to scale up disruptive, cross-sector value-chain innovation at an
unprecedented pace.
The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) has signed an MoU with which payments
bank to facilitate opening of bank accounts for construction workers __ India Post Payments Bank.
Note:
➢ This MoU will ensure accessible financial services for construction workers along with financial literacy and digital
inclusion.
➢ The aim of the pact is to cover around 10 lakh workers in a year from around current 3 crore workers engaged in
construction activities across real estate projects.
Obituaries
Nobel laureates Paul J. Crutzen passed away recently, he received the prize in which discipline __ Chemistry.
Note:
➢ He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995, jointly with Mario J. Molina and F. Sherwood Rowland, for their work
in atmospheric chemistry, particularly concerning the formation and decomposition of ozone.
➢ He was known for his work on the ozone layer and climate change and for popularizing the term ‘Anthropocene’ to
describe a proposed new era when human actions have a drastic effect on the Earth.
Hilton Valentine, the founding guitarist of the rock and roll band ‘The Animals’ passed away recently, he held from which country __ England.
Note:
➢ Valentine took up the guitar at 13 in his hometown of North Shields in northeast England, subsequently getting
involved in the skiffle craze — a kind of fusion of American folk, country, jazz and blues — that was sweeping the
U.K.
➢ His skiffle band The Heppers evolved into The Wildcats, a rock and roll band that became popular across the north
of England, partly because of Valentine’s habit of rolling on the ground while playing his guitar.www.gradeup.co
Veteran Army officer Captain Tom Moore, who raised a record breaking fund for Corona warriors passed away recently,
he was held from which country _ England.
Note:
➢ Moore struck a chord with locked-down Britain by walking around his garden with the help of a frame to raise 38.9
million pounds ($53 million) for the National Health Service.
➢ His endeavour and wit spread joy amid the grim news of the coronavirus outbreak: Moore’s message to the world
was that the sun would shine again and that the clouds would clear.
Renowned sportsperson and coach Akhtar Ali passed away recently, he was associated with which sport __ Tennis.
Note:
➢ Born on July 5, 1939, Akhtar made his mark in 1955 when he became the National junior champion and reached the
junior Wimbledon semifinals.
➢ He represented India in eight Davis Cup ties against Pakistan, Malaysia, Iran, Mexico, Japan and Monaco between
195 October 2024. He played alongside stalwarts like Ramanathan Krishnan, Naresh Kumar, Premjit Lall and Jaidip
Mukerjea.
Renowned sportsperson and Olympic gold medallist, Leon Spinks passed away recently, he was associated with which
sport _ Boxing.
Note:
➢ Leon Spinks, who won Olympic gold and then shocked the boxing world by beating Muhammad Ali to win the
heavyweight title in only his eighth pro fight, has passed away recently.
➢ He was 67. Spinks beat Ali by decision in a 15-round fight in 1978 to win the title.
Renowned personality Bansi Kaul passed away recently, he was a prominent _ Theater Director.
Note:
➢ Bansi Kaul was a Hindi theatre director and the founder of Rang Vidushak, a theatre group and theatre institute in
Bhopal.
➢ He was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995 and Padma Shri in 2014.
➢ He received Rashtriya Kalidas Samman for the year 2016–17.
Renowned personality George Shultz passed away at 100 recently, he was a veteran ________Politician.
Note:
➢ A man of broad experience and talents, Shultz achieved success in statesmanship, business and academia.
Lawmakers praised him for opposing as sheer folly the sale of arms to Iran that were the cornerstone of the IranContra scandal that marred Reagan’s second term in office.
Renowned personality Rajiv Kapoor passed away recently, he was a veteran _ Actor.
Note:
➢ He was the youngest son of the legendary Raj Kapoor, and the brother of Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor.
➢ The Ram Teri Ganga Maili actor suffered a heart attack at his residence in Chembur following which he was rushed
to Inlaks Hospital.
Christopher Plummer is the oldest Oscar-winning actor, who has passed away recently. He was from which country
__ Canada.
Note:
➢ Oscar-winning actor Christopher Plummer, who rose to prominence for his critically-acclaimed film ‘Sound of
Music’, has passed away.
➢ He was 91. The prolific and versatile Canadian-born actor is the oldest person to win Oscar award.
10-time tennis Grand Slam champion, Tony Trabert passed away recently, he belongs to which country ________United
States.
Note:
➢ Trabert captured the 1953 US Open, the 1954 French Open and the 1955 US and French Opens and Wimbledon.
➢ Trabert served as the Hall of Fame’s president from 205 October 2024 and spent 30 years as a television analyst. He also
served as an author and coach and captained the US Davis Cup team from 1976-1980, guiding the squad to titles in
195 October 2024.
Prominent sportsman Bruce Taylor who passed away recently, was associated with which sports __ Cricket.
Note:
➢ Taylor played 30 tests for New Zealand, picking up 111 wickets and scoring 898 runs.
➢ He also scored New Zealand’s fastest test century in a game against West Indies in 1969 before the record was
broken by Daniel Vettori 36 years later.
Important Days
World Wetlands Day is observed every year on which date _ 2nd February.
Note:
➢ On 5 October 2024, the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance was signed at Ramsar in Iran.
➢ The day aims to raise awareness about the crucial role played by wetlands for people and our planet.
➢ The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2021 is ‘Wetlands and Water’.
➢ 2021 marks 50 years of the Convention on Wetlands.
International Day of Human Fraternity is observed every year on which date _ 4th February.
Note:
➢ International Day of Human Fraternity aims to underline the importance of raising awareness about different
cultures and religions, or beliefs, and the promotion of tolerance.
➢ It also aims to educate people that tolerance, pluralistic tradition, mutual respect, and the diversity of religions and
beliefs promote human fraternity
➢ This year International Day of Human Fraternity 2021 theme: A Pathway to the Future.
World Cancer Day is observed every year on ________4th February.
Note:
➢ The day is celebrated to raise awareness and education about cancer, and pressing governments and individuals
across the world to take action against the disease.
➢ World Cancer Day 2019-21 theme: ‘I Am And I Will’.
What is the theme of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2021 __ No Time for
Global Inaction, Unite, Fund, and Act to End Female Genital Mutilation.
Note:
➢ International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is a United Nations-sponsored annual awareness
day that takes place on 6th February as part of the UN’s efforts to eradicate female genital mutilation.
International Epilepsy Day 2021 is celebrated on _ 8th February.
Note:
➢ International Epilepsy Day celebrated each year on the 2nd Monday of February.
➢ World Epilepsy Day 2021 fall on February 8.
➢ The Day is a joint initiative by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against
Epilepsy (ILAE)
National DeNational Deworming Day (NDD) is celebrated every year on __ 10th February.
Note:
➢ The day aims at eradicating intestinal worms also referred to as Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH), among children
within the age bracket of 1-19 years.
What is the theme of the World Pulses Day (WPD) 2021 observing every year on 10 February _ ‘Nutritious Seeds
for a Sustainable Future’.
Note:
➢ World Pulses Day (WPD) is observed every year on 10 February to realize the importance of pulses in human life.
➢ UN General Assembly has decided to mark 10 February as World Pulses Day in 2018.
World Unani Day is observed every year on which date _ 11th February.
Note:
➢ World Unani Day has observed every year on 11th February.
➢ This day is celebrated every year to mark the birth anniversary of great Unani scholar and social reformer Hakim
Ajmal Khan.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed every year on _ 11th February.
Note:
➢ The theme for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021 is ‘Women Scientists at the forefront of the
fight against COVID-19’.
World Radio Day is observed every year on which date __ 13th February.
Note:
➢ This year, the day’s theme is ‘New World, New Radio.’
➢ This was decided to keep in mind the services the medium provided during COVID-19.
National Women’s Day of India is celebrated every year on which date _ 13th February.
Note:
➢ To honor the contributions of Sarojini Naidu, February 13 is observed as National Women’s Day of India. This year
is the 142nd birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu.
➢ National Women’s Day is observed to celebrate the social, cultural, political, and economic achievements of women.
New Appointments
Who has been appointed as the new CEO of the country’s flagship public health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat, also
called Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana _ RS Sharma.
Note:
➢ He would replace Indu Bhushan, who is serving as the Chief Executive of the Ayushman scheme since its inception
in 2018.
➢ RS Sharma, a former chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), who would take charge of the
NHA from February 1.
Who has been appointed as the new President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) __ Jay Shah.
Note:
➢ Shah replaces Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief Najmul Hasan Papon.
➢ He is the youngest person ever to be appointed to the office.
➢ The ACC is Asia’s regional administrative body and it currently consists of 24 member associations. ACC is
responsible for organizing the Asia Cup tournaments.
Who has been appointed as the Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of SBI Cards _ Rama
Mohan Rao Amara.
Note:
➢ He succeeds Ashwini Kumar Tewari, who was appointed as one of the 4 Managing Directors(MDs) of State Bank of
India (SBI).
➢ Prior to his appointment, Rama Mohan Rao Amara served as the Chief General Manager, SBI Bhopal Circle, where
he managed two key states, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Who assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff after Lt. Gen. S.K. Saini who stepped down on January 31 upon superannuation _ C.P. Mohanty.
Note:
➢ Lt. Gen. Mohanty was earlier serving as the Southern Army Commander. He was commissioned into the Rajput
Regiment on June 12, 1982.
➢ He has commanded a battalion on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and in the northeastern region. He has
the unique distinction of commanding two brigades, first on the Line of Actual Control and later the multinational
UN Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lt. Gen.
Who has been appointed as the first-ever Chief Compliance Officer of social media platform Facebook Inc _ Henry
Moniz.
Note:
➢ He will join Facebook on February 8 to lead the company’s global compliance team, to enhance its global
compliance and risk management and promote the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct at the company.
Name the Indian American who has been appointed as the Acting Chief of Staff of the US space agency, NASA _
Bhavya Lal.
Note:
➢ Lal is an active member of the space technology and policy community, having chaired, co-chaired, or served on five
high-impact National Academy of Science committees.
➢ She served two consecutive terms on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Advisory
Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing and was an External Council member of NASA’s Innovative Advanced
Concepts Program and the Technology, Innovation and Engineering Advisory Committee of the NASA Advisory
Council.
Who has been appointed as the acting chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to succeed Rishi Kumar Shukla
who retired after a two-year fixed stint __ Praveen Sinha.
Note:
➢ This is the fourth time since 2014 that an acting director has been given charge to look after duties of the CBI chief.
➢ Earlier, Rakesh Asthana, then additional director, held the fort before Alok Verma was appointed as Director.
Who will take over as the New Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Amazon after Jeff Bezos who decided to quit the post by October 2021 _ Andrew R. Jassy.
Note:
➢ Jeff Bezos will be taking up the role of executive chair of the Amazon’s Board of Directors.
➢ He also stated that he would be focusing on the new products, early initiatives and Philanthropic giving through
like Day 1 Fund and the Bezos Earth Fund; Blue Origin, his secretive space venture.
Who has been appointed as the chairman of the National Safety Council for a period of three years __ SN
Subrahmanyan.
Note:
➢ Subrahmanyan will guide the National Safety Council which has a major role to play to ensure safety in workplaces
under new Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (OSH Code, 2020).
➢ The National Safety Council will be assisting Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes in re-writing the regulations governing OSH in the country which have not been updated for over 50 years.
Who has been reappointed as a special envoy to engage governments and businesses in tackling the threat of global
warming by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres _ Michael Bloomberg.
Note:
➢ Bloomberg is the founder and owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.
➢ He was previously appointed as the U.N. special envoy for climate action between March 2018 and November 2019.
Who has been appointed as the first female Director General (DG) of World Trade Organisation (WTO) __ Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala.
Note:
➢ She would be the first woman as well as the first African nation to lead the organization.
➢ Okonjo-Iweala, the former finance minister of Nigeria, will succeed Roberto Azevedo, who stepped down in August
2020.
Mario Draghi has been named the new Prime Minister of which country _ Italy.
Note:
➢ He accepted the request of Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy, to form a new government.
➢ Mario Draghi will lead the unity government replacing the centre left coalition government of Former prime
minister Giuseppe Conte.
Who has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director(MD) of Tata Motors Ltd _ Marc
Llistosella.
Note:
➢ He served as the President and CEO of Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation between 2015-2018 and Head of Daimler
Trucks in Asia.
➢ Prior to this, he served as the MD and CEO of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt Ltd between 2008-2014.
Who has been appointed as the to the newly reconstituted National Security Advisory board (NSAB) headed by Ajit Doval _ Sridhar Vembu.
Note:
➢ Vembu is currently working from his company’s office in Tamil Nadu’s Tenkasi district.
➢ The other members of the NSAB are former ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan, IIM Bangalore faculty Anshuman
Tripathy and former ambassador to France and United Nations Arun K Singh.
Important News – India
Who inaugurated the 8th India International Silk Fair, India’s biggest silk fair on Virtual Portal _ Smriti Irani.
Note:
➢ The five days event is being held virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic.
➢ India has long history of silk production and is the 2nd largest producer of Silk. India is the only country in the
world which produces all the four major varieties of silk – Mulberry, Eri, Tassar, and Muga.
The first indigenous metro racks manufactured by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) was unveiled for which metro
corporation _ Mumbai Metro.
Note:
➢ Metro line 2A will run from Dahisar to D N Nagar & it is an 18.58-km-long elevated corridor built at an estimated
cost of Rs 6,410 crore, the metro line 7 from Andheri (East) to Dahisar (East) is an 16.47-km-long built at an
estimated cost of Rs 6,208 crore.
➢ The rake was manufactured by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and delivered the first ‘Made in India’ rake
from the Bengaluru facility of BEML.
India’s first wetland conservation center ‘Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM)’ has been be set up in which city of India __ Chennai.
Note:
➢ Coinciding with the World Wetland Day, India got its first specialised institution – Centre for Wetland Conservation
and Management (CWCM) – in Chennai which will work as a knowledge hub for various stakeholders for conserving
wetlands that occupy 4.6% of the country’s total land area.
➢ The CWCM has been set up as a part of the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai.
The government of India has launched a unified web portal for GOBAR-DHAN scheme, what does ‘R’ stands for in the
GOBAR-DHAN __ Resources.
Note:
➢ Gobardhan is an important component of Swachh Bharat Mission Phase-2 for organic solid waste management.
➢ This scheme was launched by the Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation.
➢ GOBAR-DHAN scheme stands for Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources – DHAN scheme.
India hosted the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) Defence Ministers’ Conclave on sidelines of the margins of Aero India 2021. What was the theme of the conclave __ Enhanced Peace, Security and Cooperation in the Indian Ocean
Note:
➢ The broad theme of the conclave will be ‘Enhanced Peace, Security and Cooperation in the Indian Ocean’.
➢ The conclave is an initiative to promote dialogue in an institutional, economic and cooperative environment that
can foster the development of peace, stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean region.
What is India’s global ranking in the 2020 Democracy Index Report titled “Democracy in sickness and in health?” released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) _ 53rd.
Note:
➢ India’s overall score fell from 6.5 October 2024 to 6.61 in the Index that provides a snapshot of the current state of
democracy worldwide for 167 countries.
➢ Norway topped The Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Democracy Index report titled “Democracy in sickness and
in health?”, with Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Canada making up the top five.
Which IIT has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to up-grade road construction in India, through scientific research _ IIT-BHU.
Note:
➢ In November 2020, Ministry of Education requested all technical institutions in the country (including IITs & NITs)
to provide technical supports to upgrade stretches of National Highways on voluntary basis.
➢ 18 IITs, 26 NITs & 190 other institutes have opted for the scheme.
Which ministry in collaboration with ASEAN launched the ASEAN-India Hackathon 2021 _ Ministry of Education.
Note:
➢ It will provide a unique opportunity to India and ASEAN to solve their common identified challenges under broad
themes of Blue Economy and Education
➢ ASEAN-INDIA Hackathon is an initiative of Ministry of Education
➢ It was organized online from 1 to 3rd Feb 2021
The Union Ministry of Education decided to rename 1,063 residential schools and hostels after __ Subhash
Chandra Bose.
Note:
➢ A total of 1,063 residential facilities (383 residential schools and 680 hostels) have been sanctioned to States and
UTs so far.
➢ It has been decided to rename the residential schools and hostels funded under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme as
“Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose residential schools.
Srivilliputhur–Megamalai will become the 5th Tiger Reserve in which state, that has been approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) _ Tamil Nadu.
Note:
➢ The Forest Department’s proposal was to declare 1.48 lakh hectares of land encompassing Meghamalai Wildlife
Sanctuary, Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary and Tirunelveli Wildlife Sanctuary as Tamil Nadu’s
fifth tiger reserve.
As per the information reported to and tracked by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), a total what
number of cyber security incidents pertaining to digital banking were reported during 2020 __ 2.9 lakh.
Note:
➢ These incidents included phishing attacks, network scanning and probing, viruses and website hacking.
➢ The Minister noted that the rising popularity of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) along with e-commerce
has also expanded the scope of digital payments.
Which institutions has been organised at the campus of which institution _ Indian Institute of Horticultural
Research (IIHR).
Note:
➢ The theme of the National Horticulture Fair 2021 will be: ‘Horticulture for Start-Up and Stand-Up India’.
➢ The theme seeks to encourage the farmers to become entrepreneurs.
➢ The fair will be organised by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Indian Institute of
Horticultural Research (IIHR).
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) has signed a contract with which country for delivering 1 Fast Patrol
Vessel (FPV) called ‘Zoroaster’ _ Seychelles.
Note:
➢ “Zoroaster” will be a powerful, fuel-efficient platform which will be capable of performing operations like
Patrolling, anti-smuggling, anti-poaching & search and rescue operations.
➢ The overall design of the FPV was developed indigenously by GRSE.
Which IIT has developed solar-powered energy-efficient pest controlling devices for smaller agricultural tracts owned by marginal farmers _ IIT Kharagpur.
Note:
➢ The research team has developed a self-propelled boom-type sprayer that can be operated using solar energy while
safely guided through the crops in smaller tracts of land, the leading engineering institute
➢ The device is aimed to increase field capacity and uniformity in liquid spraying and also to reduce drudgery to the
operator and dependency on fossil fuel for carrying out spraying in cropped areas.
According to India Energy Outlook 2021, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) by which year India will
overtake the European Union as the world’s third-largest energy consumer __ 2030.
Note:
➢ India at present is the fourth-largest global energy consumer behind China, the United States and the European
Union.
➢ India accounts for nearly one-quarter of global energy demand growth from 2019-40 — the largest for any country.
Its share in the growth in renewable energy is the second-largest in the world, after China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the postage stamp to mark the beginning of the centenary celebrations of the
Chauri Chaura Incident. Chauri Chaura place is located in which state _ Uttar Pradesh.
Note:
➢ The stamp was released during the event organised to inaugurate the Centenary celebration of the Chauri Chaura
incident.
➢ The state government has planned various events through 4th February 2022 at all the 75 districts of the state to
mark the centenary celebration of Chauri Chaura.
Under whose chairmanship the government of India has appointed an expert panel to review the objections of industry to the proposed ban on 27 pesticides, that are mentioned as harmful to animals and humans by the government __ TP
Rajendran.
Note:
➢ These 27 pesticides that are widely used are part of 66 contentious pesticides that are being reviewed for their
toxicity. Already, in 2018, the government had banned 18 of them.
➢ In May 2020, The Ministry of Agriculture and Family Welfare has issued the draft Banning of Insecticides Order,
2020 that aimed to ban these 27 pesticides.
What amount of Grant-in-aid has been approved by the government for the Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizers Corporation
Limited (BVFCL), Namrup (Assam) for the strengthening of it’s urea manufacturing units __ Rs 100 crore.
Note:
➢ The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved
Grant-in-aid of Rs.100 crore to Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizers Corporation Limited (BVFCL), Namrup (Assam) for
the strengthening of it’s urea manufacturing units.
➢ This approval has been made on the lines of the proposal of the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals
and Fertilizers (MoC&F).
To encourage and to create awareness about which scheme SIDBI and Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs of India
(COWE) have launched “Swavalamban Sashakt- Mega campaign” _ Stand Up India scheme.
Note:
➢ The Swavalamban Sashakt is a 20 webinar series to give a fillip to ‘Stand Up India’ scheme.
➢ The scheme was launched in 2016 and has been extended up to 2025.
➢ The scheme is a flagship programme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to facilitate bank loans between
Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore to at least one SC or ST borrower and at least one woman borrower per bank branch.
US-based Triton Electric Vehicle has signed an MoU with which Indian company for developing electric vehicles and
energy storage systems _ Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
Note:
➢ As per the MoU, BEL will be the exclusive manufacturing partner to Triton in India for identified products, while
Triton will provide the know-how and technical documentation required for manufacturing of these products.
➢ For requirements of Energy Storage System (ESS) in India, BEL will address the requirements as a prime contractor
and Triton will provide the support as technology partner as per Make in India requirements.
For what purpose ‘Asom Mala’ programme launched in Assam by PM Modi __ Improve Road Infrastructure.
Note:
➢ India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Asom Mala’ programme in Dhekiajuli of Sonitpur district of
Assam.
➢ Asom Mala Programme will focus on maintenance by conducting field studies of the roads and will thus improve
Road Asset Management System of the state.
Indian airport operator and aviation infrastructure developer, GMR group has signed MoU with which aerospace
corporation to explore collaboration opportunities across aviation services, technologies and innovation __ Airbus.
Note:
➢ This MoU was signed at Aero India 2021, which was held in Bangalore.
➢ The aim of the MoU is to explore potential synergies in several strategic areas of aviation services like maintenance,
components, training, digital services both for commercial and military aircraft.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) setting up country’s first thunderstorm research testbed in which city of India _ Balasore.
Note:
➢ The objective of setting up the thunderstorm testbed is to minimalise human fatalities and loss of property due to
lightning strikes.
➢ IMD Director-General Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, while speaking with a private television channel, also revealed
that a first-of-its-kind monsoon testbed is also being planned near Bhopal.
What is India’s rank in the ‘Asia-Pacific Personalised Health Index’ released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
_ 10th.
Note:
➢ Singapore ranked first in the index followed by Taiwan (2nd), Japan (3rd) and Australia (4th). Indonesia ranked
11th in the index.
➢ It measures performance against 27 different indicators of personalized health across four categories called ‘Vital
Signs’.
What is the corpus of the ‘Startup India Seed Fund Scheme’ approved by the government of India _ Rs. 845 crores.
Note:
➢ SISFS shall provide financial assistance to startups via a corpus of Rs. 945 cr that will be disbursed through selected
incubators across India in 2021-25.
➢ A startup, recognized by DPIIT, incorporated not more than 2 years ago at the time of application is eligible for SFS.
As per the data released by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), what is India’s rank in scientific publications _ Third.
Note:
➢ Of the 13,045 patents in 2017-18, as many as 1,937 were by Indians.
➢ Out of 15,550 patents filed by Indians at Indian Patent Office during the period, 65 per cent were filed from
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Delhi.
Which ministry launched ASEAN-INDIA Hackathon 2021 __ Ministry of Education.
Note:
➢ The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) implemented this important initiative with the support of
nodal agencies from all ten ASEAN countries, which included their Education Ministries and prominent universities.
➢ The Hackathon was inaugurated by Minister of Education Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ along with other
dignitaries from ASEAN and India on 1 February.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Discovery Campus of which IIT _ IIT Madras.
Note:
➢ The campus will be built at Thaiyur near Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crores in the first phase, over an
area of 2 lakh square metres.
➢ PM Modi also inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension project, which has been completed at a cost of
Rs 3,770 crores.
PM Modi handed over the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to Army Chief General MM Naravane, the tank has been
indigenously designed, developed and made by which establishment _ Combat Vehicles Research and
Development Establishment.
Note:
➢ The tank has been indigenously designed, developed and made by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development
Establishment, attached to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with 15 academic
institutions, 8 labs and several MSMEs.
Map my India will partner will partnered with which entity to build an Indigenous, mapping portal and geospatial services which could become an alternative to GoogleMaps & GoogleEarth services _ Indian Space Research Organization.
Note:
➢ According to the agreement, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) & MapmyIndia will partner to build an
Indigenous, mapping portal and geospatial services which could become an alternative to GoogleMaps &
GoogleEarth services.
➢ MapmyIndia’s digital maps and ISRO’s catalogue of satellite imagery and earth observation data will be utilized to
build the indigenous portal.
Which Indian company is developing a futuristic high altitude pseudo satellite namely Combined Air Teaming System
(CATS) __ Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Note:
➢ Once developed the pseudo-satellite will be capable of taking information flying unmanned around 70,000 ft for 2-3
months.
➢ The system will have mother-ship carrying components and four autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles known as
CATS Warrior.
Important News – State
Which state is going to open its first Human Milk Bank (HMB), a state-of-art facility with the support of the Rotary Club to ensure breast milk for newborn babies, who are not being breastfed by their own mothers __ Kerala.
Note:
➢ Set up with the support of the Rotary Club of Cochin Global, the milk bank is to ensure breast milk for newborn
babies, who are not being breastfed by their own mothers who may be sick, deceased or due to insufficient
production of breast milk, in the hospital.
➢ The milk will be collected by following all the safety protocols and procedures and it will be preserved and provide
it to needy children as per government guidelines.
Which state government has launched ‘Har Ghar Pani, Har Ghar Safai’ mission, aimed at providing 100% potable water
supply to all rural households of the state by March, 2022 _ Punjab.
Note:
➢ Punjab government inaugurated Mega Surface Water Supply Scheme, covering 85 villages in Moga district, 144 new
water supply schemes for 172 villages, 121 Arsenic & Iron removal plants.
➢ Funded by World Bank, Jal Jeewan Mission of GoI, NABARD and State Budget
➢ The scheme will benefit residents from 155 villages in Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts by helping
replace groundwater with surface water supply for drinking, besides resolving the problem of arsenic affected
habitations.
Which state government has launched ‘Pragyan Bharati’ scheme for college students under which each student will be
given Rs 1,500 for purchasing new text books _ Assam.
Note:
➢ Under Pragyan Bharati scheme, 3,26,046 college students were given Rs 1,500 each for purchasing text books,
while a total of Rs 161 crore was reimbursed for free admission of 4 lakh eligible students.
➢ The second scheme is Bhasha Gourab, under which the state government provided 21 Sahitya Sabhas (literary
bodies) with a total of Rs 43 crore as contribution towards their corpus funds.
Which state government has launched Intellectual Property Rights Scheme and Quality Testing & Certification Scheme to provide financial support to the innovative startups to file for IT patents _ Maharashtra.
Note:
➢ Both the schemes will be implemented by the Maharashtra State Innovation Society(MSInS) under the Department
of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of Maharashtra.
➢ Under the Intellectual Property Support Scheme more than 125 to 150 startups will be supported in the first phase
of the scheme with a financial support of upto Rs.2 lakh for Domestic Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
Applications and upto Rs.10 Lakh for International IPR Applications.
India’s first geothermal power project will be established in which state/union territories __ Ladakh.
Note:
➢ In the first phase of the pilot project, one megawatt (MW) power generation capacity will be generated.
➢ India’s first ever geothermal power project, known as Geothermal Field Development Project is planned to
commission by the end of 2022.
➢ The tripartite MOU was signed between ONGC Energy, LAHDC, Leh and the Power Department of UT Ladakh.
The third phase of Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar mela was organised in which state in which a financial assistance of 3
thousand rupees to each of 7.5 lakh people who belongs to tea garden areas was distributed _ Assam.
Note:
➢ It is to be mentioned that as many as 7,46,667 beneficiaries of tea gardens were covered under the scheme.
➢ Notably, the scheme was launched in Financial Year (FY) 2017-18.
➢ The main objective of the scheme is to incentivize and strengthen the efforts of financial inclusion of the tea tribe
community.
Which state government has launched the Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully (‘SAANS’) campaign with the aim of reducing infant mortality due to pneumonia _________Madhya Pradesh.
Note:
➢ Around 4,000 Health and Wellness Centres have been set up in the state for this purpose.
➢ The state government has also developed training modules in partnership with PGIMER, Chandigarh, and UNICEF.
Which country has approved a project to build the world’s first energy island, in the North Sea _ Denmark.
Note:
➢ It will produce and store enough green energy to meet the electricity needs of three million households in
European countries.
➢ The first-of-its-kind giant island will be as big as 18 football pitches (120,000sq m), estimated cost around 210bn
kroner ($34bn).
➢ The artificial island will be linked to hundreds of offshore wind turbines.
Which state government has introduced a system of issuing a unique 16-digit Unicode to mark all kinds of landholdings in the state _ Uttar Pradesh
Note:
➢ The main purpose of the system is to check the cases of land disputes, put an end to fake registries of the disputed
land and save people from falling into the trap of fraudsters.
➢ Every piece of land in the state will have its own unique identity
How many states have completed the reforms in the ‘Ease of Doing Business’, as stipulated by the Ministry of Finance
_ 12.
Note:
➢ These states have become eligible to mobilise additional financial resources to the tune of Rs 5,034 crore through
open market borrowings.
➢ Now the total number of state that has undertaken the reforms to promote Ease of Doing Business till now has gone up to 12.
➢ The other states are Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and
Telangana.
Which state government has approved “Mukhyamantri Vigyan Pratibha Pariksha” in which Rs 5,000 will be provided to
1,000 meritorious students of Class 9 in schools of state as a science scholarship __ Delhi.
Note:
➢ The scholarship will provide a boost to science education in secondary classes at the school level.
➢ Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed this as a crucial step for our government to promote excellent and talented
students.
Which state ranks first in the second edition of the India Justice Report (IJR) 2020 _ Maharshtra.
Note:
➢ That judges states on delivery of justice to people.
➢ Tamil Nadu is in second place which improved its ranking from its previous third position in 2019 and Telangana
ranked third.
Where is India is the first of its kind ‘PGI Amputee Clinic’ launched _ Chandigarh.
Note:
➢ The basic intent of this initiative is to bring an Amputee as a near-normal functional human being in society.
➢ This initiative will attempt to provide appropriate management to amputees to guide them in their path to
rehabilitation in society and will support patients with counselling and medical facilities during their treatment and
recovery.
The three-day famous “Mandu Festival” was held in which state of India __ Madhya Pradesh.
Note:
➢ The festival will culminate on February 15, 2021.
➢ The festival is organised by the state government of Madhya Pradesh to showcase each and every aspect of
the ancient Mandu city, ranging from food, music, history & heritage, art & craft etc.
Which state government has signed an MoU with UNEP to develop a framework for achieving climate resilience & low-carbon development in the state by 2040 __ Bihar.
Note:
➢ Bihar became the 1st Indian State to sign such an agreement.
➢ As part of the Agreement, UNEP will assist Bihar to prepare a GreenHouse Gas (GHG) Inventory & Carbon Footprint
Analyses and to develop Climate Impact Vulnerability Assessments
Important News – World
Which country’s military has taken power for a year after declaring a state of emergency in response to its claims of
election fraud __ Myanmar.
Note:
➢ The Vice President Myint Swe has been made the acting President and all powers have been transferred to the
Commander in Chief Min Aung Hlaing.
➢ The development follows early morning detention of the State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint
and other senior leaders from the ruling party National League for Democracy (NLD) by the military.
Nepal has decided to award the contract for construction of 679 megawatt Lower Arun Hydropower Project to which
Indian company __ Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN).
Note:
➢ This was decided at a meeting of the Investment Board Nepal (IBN), chaired by Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma
Oli.
➢ The project was awarded to the SJVN under the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) delivery method.
➢ Similar to the Arun III hydel project, which will provide 21 per cent free power to Nepal during the concession
period, the developer of the Lower Arun hydel project should also prioritise providing certain percent of power
free of cost.
The government of Bangladesh signed a USD 500 million loan agreement with which bank for the upgradation of rural
roads and digital connectivity _ World Bank.
Note:
➢ The project is expected to benefit over 20 million people in the western region of Bangladesh.
➢ The project will help upgrade the 48 kilometre two-lane Jashore-Jhenaidah road to a modern 4-lane highway. It will
also help improve 600 kilometre of connecting rural roads and build or develop new rural markets.
➢ The project will finance installation of fiber-optic cables along the highway to ensure fast and reliable internet
service.
Which country topped The Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Democracy Index report titled “Democracy in sickness and in health?” _ Norway.
Note:
➢ Among India’s neighbours, while Sri Lanka, at 68th rank, is classified as a flawed democracy, Bangladesh (76),
Bhutan (84) and Pakistan (105) are classified in the ‘hybrid regime’ category. Afghanistan is ranked 139th and
classified as an ‘authoritarian regime’ in the index.
➢ India slipped two places to 53rd position in the 2020 Democracy Index’s global ranking, according to The
Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has signed a long term agreement with which institution for the supply of AstraZeneca/Oxford and the Novavax vaccines _ Serum Institute of India (SII).
Note:
➢ India is one of the world’s biggest drugmakers, and an increasing number of countries have already approached it
for procuring the coronavirus vaccines.
➢ While Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield is being manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute, and the Novavax is
being produced by US-based Novavax Inc.
Which Arabian country has launched its Mars Mission “Hope” probe, which is expected to reach Mars’ orbit on February 9, 2021 _ United Arab Amirates.
Note:
➢ The United Arab Emirates, China and the United States all launched projects to Mars last July, taking advantage of a
period when the Earth and Mars are nearest.
➢ If successful, the wealthy Gulf state will become the fifth nation to ever reach Mars.
Which country has decided to set up a new information platform to allow the public to track the emissions of polluting
enterprises and help authorities prosecute those that break the rules or try to “evade supervision _______China.
Note:
➢ A total of 2.36 million companies, industrial facilities and institutions in China are legally obliged to obtain permits
to emit pollutants like sulphur dioxide or wastewater.
➢ According to the environment ministry, the new information platform will allow authorities and members of the
public to monitor real-time emission levels and check historical data in order to determine whether rules are being
breached. It is set to come into effect on March 1.
As per report by UNWTO, 2020 was the worst year recorded for global tourism, during which the international arrivals
dropped by_________ 74 percent.
Note:
➢ Destinations worldwide welcomed 1 billion fewer international arrivals in 2020 than in the previous year, due to
an unprecedented fall in demand and widespread travel restrictions.
➢ This compares with the 4% decline recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis.
➢ According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the collapse in international travel represents an
estimated loss of USD 1.3 trillion in export revenues – more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global
economic crisis.
What is the theme of the 20th edition of The Energy and Resources Institute’s (TERI) flagship event, the World Sustainable Development Summit 2021 __ Redefining our Common Future: Safe and Secure Environment for All.
Note:
➢ Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the World Sustainable Development Summit 2021.
➢ The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) is The Energy and Resources Institute’s (TERI) annual
flagship event.
Which country has released new anti-monopoly guidelines that target internet platforms, a move tightening the existing restrictions faced by the country’s top tech companies _ China.
Note:
➢ The new rules formalise an earlier anti-monopoly draft law released in November, and clarify a series of
monopolistic practices that regulators can crack down on.
➢ The rules, issued by the market regulator, bar companies from a range of behaviour, including forcing merchants to
choose between the country’s top internet players, a long-time practice in the market.
With which country India has signed an agreement to build the Shahtoot Dam _ Afghanistan.
Note:
➢ In a virtual summit, external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Afghan counterpart Mohammed Haneef Atmar
signed the MoU in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani.
➢ The Shahtoot dam is to be constructed on the Kabul river basin, one of the five river basins of Afghanistan.
Which Space agency announced to launch the world’s first ‘all-civilian’ mission to space named as Inspiration4 __
SpaceX.
Note:
➢ SpaceX announced its plan for the World’s first all civilian mission to space, the mission is named Inspiration4 in
recognition of the 4-person crew to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
➢ The mission commanded by Jared Isaacman, a 37-year-old entrepreneur the founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments
and accomplished pilot will be launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Which country has announced to set up world’s largest offshore wind farm by 2030 __ South Korea.
Note:
➢ This is a major component of President Moon Jae-in’s vision of a Korean Green New Deal that would both create
jobs and make the country carbon neutral by 2050.
➢ The farm will have a maximum capacity of 8.2 GW.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected which space company to launch its SPHEREx
Mission _ SpaecX.
Note:
➢ Elon Musk’s SpaceX wins contract to launch NASA’s astrophysics mission. Washington, NASA has selected tech
billionaire Elon Musk ‘s private aerospace company SpaceX to provide launch services for an astrophysics mission
to survey the sky in the near-infrared light.
Which country unveiled an ambitious 10-year space program for his country that includes missions to the moon, sending astronauts into space and developing internationally viable satellite systems _ Turkey.
Note:
➢ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan unveiled an ambitious 10-year space program for his country that
includes missions to the moon, sending Turkish astronauts into space and developing internationally viable
satellite systems.
➢ Erdogan announced the program, seen as part of his vision for placing Turkey in expanded regional and global role,
during a live televised event laced with special effects.
Which country conducted military exercise ‘Jidar-ul-Hadeed’ ________Pakistan.
Note:
➢ The exercise, code-named ‘Jidar-ul-Hadeed’, began on January 28 and is scheduled to conclude on February 28.
➢ Troops from the Karachi Corps will be practising tactical drills and procedures as part of the exercise.
Honor & Awards
Which word has been named as the Hindi word of the year 2020 by Oxford Languages __ Aatmanirbharta.
Note:
➢ The word was chosen by an advisory panel of language experts Kritika Agrawal, Poonam Nigam Sahay and Imogen
Foxell.
➢ The Oxford Hindi word of the year is a word or expression that is chosen to reflect the ethos, mood, or
preoccupations of the passing year, and have lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.
Name the Indian cricketer who has been named as ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for January 2021 _
Rishabh Pant.
Note:
➢ The International Cricket Council announced the nominees for the inaugural Player of the Month Awards which will
“recognise and celebrate the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of
international cricket throughout the year”.
Name the Australian cricketers who has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame _ Merv Hughes.
Note:
➢ Australian cricket board has described him as the larrikin who demolished batting line-ups all over the world
➢ He played 53 Tests and 33 ODIs for Australia in a career spanning from 195 October 2024, during which he captured
212 Test wickets at an average of 28.38 and 38 ODI wicket.
➢ He became selector for Australian cricket team in 2005.
Who has become the youngest female pilot of India _ Ayesha Aziz.
Note:
➢ In the year 2011, Aziz became the youngest student pilot to get a license at the age of 15 and underwent training to
fly a MIG-29 jet at Russia’s Sokol airbase the following year.
➢ She later graduated in aviation from the Bombay Flying Club (BFC) and obtained a commercial license in 2017.
Who conferred with the 4th edition of Alert Being Awards 2020 by NGO ‘ALERT’ for Good Samaritan work __ AR
Rahman.
Note:
➢ Apart from him, social activist Saidapet Hari Krishnan and 13 other people were also awarded.
➢ 156 nominations from 15 States and 35 districts across India were received for the awards, out of which 14 real-life
heroes (individuals and organisations) who saved lives in 2020 were selected for the awards.
Name the Indian documentary film that has won the audience award in the World Cinema Documentary category at the Sundance Film Festival 2021 __ Writing with Fire.
Note:
➢ The festival, which started from January 28 and will close on February 3, is presented by Sundance Organisation, a
nonprofit that discovers and supports independent artists, and introduces audiences to their work.
➢ “Writing with Fire”, which also marks the feature debut of directors Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh, follows this
ambitious group of Dalit women — led by their chief reporter, Meera — as the team switches from print to digital in
order to stay relevant.
Who has been conferred with the Business Leader of the Year at The Economic Times Award for Corporate Excellence
2020 _ Pawan Munjal.
Note:
➢ The Jury for the awards was led by Sundar Pichai, the chief executive officer of Alphabet Inc and its subsidiary
Google.
➢ Shaktikanta Das, governor of the Reserve Bank of India, was the jury’s choice for Business Reformer of the Year.
Who is the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Economic Times Award for Corporate Excellence 2020
_ Aditya Puri.
Note:
➢ After more than a quarter century at HDFC Bank, he left a bank worth Rs 7.73 lakh crore with a balance-sheet size
of Rs 16 lakh crore and net bad loans of a minuscule 0.17%.
➢ The Jury for the awards was led by Sundar Pichai, the chief executive officer of Alphabet Inc and its subsidiary
Google.
Who has won the Allan Border Medal for the period 2020-21 _ Steve Smith.
Note:
➢ The Allan Border Medal recognises the most outstanding male Australian cricketer of the past season as voted by
his peers, the media and umpires.
➢ Apart from this, Beth Mooney bagged Belinda Clarke Award, the top honour for a female player at the Australian
Cricket Awards.
Which airport has won the global recognition from the Airports Council International World’s ‘Voice of the Customer’
award _ Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL).
Note:
➢ The ‘Voice of the Customer’ initiative by the Airports Council International World recognises airports that
continued to prioritise their customers and remained committed to ensuring that their voice was heard during the
novel coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Sports News
Which country has won the second successive men’s world handball title __ Denmark.
Note:
➢ Olympic champions Denmark had defeated Norway to lift the 2019 trophy on home ground.
➢ While Hansen grabbed the scoring headlines, the Danes were equally indebted to Landin who made 15 saves.
Who won the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2021 __ Jorden van Foreest.
Note:
➢ The 21-year-old grandmaster defeated his compatriot GM Anish Giri in a dramatic playoff after both had finished
on 8.5/13.
➢ Meanwhile, it was a massive disappointment for Giri and his fans. The Dutch number-one seemed destined to
finally win his first major tournament in which GM Magnus Carlsen participated, but instead he lost his second
playoff in Wijk aan Zee, after the one in 2018 against Carlsen.
Which country organized first-ever Asian Online Shooting Championship 2021 __ Kuwait.
Note:
➢ The Indian shooting contingent has topped the medals tally in the tournament.
➢ The 24-member Indian contingent has won total 11 medals, which included four gold medals, two silver and five
bronze medals. 274 shooters from 22 Asian countries took part in the competition.
Name the Indian shooter who won the gold medal in first ever ‘Asian Online Shooting Championship 2021’ in men’s 10m air pistol event __ Saurabh Chaudhary.
Note:
➢ On the first day of competition, Saurabh Chaudhary had won gold in the men’s 10m air pistol, and Manu Bhaker
won bronze in women’s 10m air pistol.
➢ India’s 24-member shooting contingent also topped the medals tally winning four gold medals, two silver and five
bronze medals
Name the Indian shooter who won the gold medal in first ever ‘Asian Online Shooting Championship 2021’ in men’s 10m air rifle event __ Divyansh Singh Panwar.
Note:
➢ India’s 24-member shooting contingent also topped the medals tally winning four gold medals, two silver and five
bronze medals.
➢ On the second day of the competition, world number one Divyansh shot an impressive 632.4 to strike gold.
Which team won the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021 __ Tamil Nadu.
Note:
➢ The 12th edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was held at Sardar patel Stadium, Ahmedabad.
➢ The Tamil Nadu team was led by Dinesh Karthik
Which country has won the ATP Cup Title 2021 held at Melbourne, Australia _________Russia.
Note:
➢ Russia’s two-headed monster of Medvedev and Rublev dominated throughout the week, winning all eight singles
matches they played against some of the best players in the world.
➢ They combined to lose just two sets to lead their country to glory at Melbourne Park.
Who became the sixth Indian bowler to take 300 wickets in Test cricket in his 98th test against England at Chennai __
Ishant Sharma.
Note:
➢ Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma became the sixth Indian bowler to take 300 wickets in Test cricket in his 98th test
against England at Chennai.
➢ Anil Kumble (619), Kapil Dev (434), Ravichandran Ashwin (377), Harbhajan Singh (417) and Zaheer Khan (311)
are other Indian bowlers to take more than 300 wickets in tests.
Asian Games gold medalist athlete Hima Das has been appointed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police by which state
government __ Assam.
Note:
➢ Assam government has appointed World Championship sprinter Hima Das as a Deputy Superintendent of Police in
the state and medal winners in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games will be appointed as Class- I
officers.
Priyanka Goswami is associated with which sports who set a new National record and qualified for Tokyo Olympics and
for the World Athletics Championship _ Racewalking.
Note:
➢ Priyanka Goswami, 25, shattered the national record in the 20-km walk at the 8th open national and 4th
international race walking championship in Ranchi on Saturday with a timing of 1:28:45.
And she qualified for Tokyo Olympics and for the World Athletics Championship
Books and Authors
Who has authored the book titled “Yearbook” __ Seth Rogen.
Note:
➢ The hardcover and digital format of the book will be published by Crown Publishing Group and the audio edition of
the book will be released by Penguin Random House Audio.
➢ The “Yearbook” is a collection of true stories and funny essays of Seth Rogen that speaks about his grandparents,
about him from doing standup comedy during his teenage and Jewish summer camp.
Who has authored the book titled “The Little Book of Encouragement” __ Dalai Lama.
Note:
➢ The book edited by Renuka Singh is published by Penguin Random House is set to be released.
➢ The book is a compilation of Dalai Lama’s quotes and ideas to deal with the new realities of the post pandemic
world along with how to combat rising extremism, polarity and climate change and his views on Tibet.
Who has authored the book titled the book titled ‘Yes Man: The Untold Story of Rana Kapoor’ _ Pavan C. Lall.
Note:
➢ Yes Man is the story of Rana Kapoor, and his Icarus-like flight that eventually led to the Yes Bank crisis.
➢ In this hard-hitting book, Pavan C. Lall details not only Rana Kapoor’s journey, but also asks tough questions about
the banking system, its regulators and even the business environment that led to a point of no return for Yes Bank.
Who has authored the novel titled “Whereabouts” __ Jhumpa Lahiri.
Note:
➢ The book is published by Penguin Random House India is about a woman protagonist and her journey through life.
The book will be released in April.
➢ The novel Whereabout was written in Italian and translated into English by Jhumpa Lahiri.
➢ The book portrays the story of the life of a woman whose life transforms with the change in her perspective.
Who has authored the novel titled ‘1857 – The Sword of Mastaan’ _ Vineet Bajpai.
Note:
➢ It is part two of the Mastaan Trilogy. The first part of the trilogy, Mastaan – The Fallen Patriot of Delhi, was released
in October 2019.
➢ It is author’s 5th fiction novel and 8th book overall
➢ The Hindi editions will also be published by TreeShade Books.
Who has authored the novel titled “Whereabouts” _ Jhumpa Lahiri.
Note:
➢ The book is published by Penguin Random House India is about a woman protagonist and her journey through life.
The book will be released in April.
➢ The novel Whereabout was written in Italian and translated into English by Jhumpa Lahiri.
➢ The book portrays the story of the life of a woman whose life transforms with the change in her perspective.
Who has authored the novel titled ‘1857 – The Sword of Mastaan’ __ Vineet Bajpai.
Note:
➢ It is part two of the Mastaan Trilogy. The first part of the trilogy, Mastaan – The Fallen Patriot of Delhi, was released
in October 2019.
➢ It is author’s 5th fiction novel and 8th book overall
Who has authored the book titled “Beautiful Things” __ Hunter Biden.
Note:
➢ The book is called “Beautiful Things” and will center on the younger Biden’s well publicized struggles with
substance abuse, according to Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
➢ Acquired in the fall of 2019, “Beautiful Things” was kept under wraps even as Biden’s business dealings became a
fixation of then-President Donald Trump and others during the election and his finances a matter of investigation
by the Justice Department.
Who has authored the book titled ‘Platform Scale: For A Post-Pandemic World’ __ Sangeet Paul Choudhary.
Note:
➢ The first edition of ‘Platform Scale’ was published in 2015.
➢ It explains about the importance of inner workings of platform business models and their ability to scale rapidly.
Who has authored the book titled ‘By Many a Happy Accident: Recollections of a Life’ _ Mohammad Hamid Ansari.
Note:
➢ He served as the ambassador to the United Arab Emirates(UAE), Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.
➢ He was the high commissioner to Australia and was also the permanent representative to the United Nations in
New York.
Who has authored the book titled “Turn Around India: 2020 – Surmounting Past Legacy” _ RP Gupta.
Note:
➢ The book explains the economic history of India which enables it to identify the strengths and weaknesses and
helps to take the required corrective actions.
➢ This is an intimate narrative of the experiences and journey of RP Gupta towards achieving success through hard
work and determination.
Who has authored the book titled ‘Race With Me!’ __ Andre De Grasse.
Note:
➢ Titled ‘Race With Me!’, the motivational book is expected to be out in July 2021.
➢ In the book, he shares how he overcomes adversity and stays motivated.
Who has authored the book titled “Mapping Love” _ Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari.
Note:
➢ The book is published by Rupa Publications.
➢ Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari debuted as a director with the film “Nil Battey Sannata” in 2016 which was remade in Tamil as
“Amma Kanakku”.
The book titled ‘Starstruck: Confessions of a TV executive’ is a memoir of which Television Executive _ Peter
Mukerjea.
Note:
➢ The book is presented as a recollection of his experiences in the satellite television industry in India and the
changes it has gone through over the years.
➢ Mukerjea is the former chief executive of Star India
Who has authored the book titled “Unfinished: A Memoir” __ Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
Note:
➢ The end result is a book, published by the Michael Joseph imprint, which covers her dual-continent 20-year-long
career as an actor and producer and her work as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador.
Science and Defence
Name the aerospace company that has launched ‘Stardust 1.0’, the World’s 1st Commercial Rocket launch powered by
Biofuel _ bluShift Aerospace.
Note:
➢ The solid biofuels used in the launch is non-toxic, Carbon Neutral & can be sourced from America
➢ It uses Nitrous Oxide bubbled with Oxygen as an oxidizer.
➢ bluShift Aerospace’s Rocket Engine is a hybrid of solid and liquid propellant called ‘Modular Adaptable Rocket
Engine for Vehicle Launch (MAREVL)’.
The 16th edition of Indo-US joint military exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas 2021’ will be held in which state of India __
Rajasthan.
Note:
➢ The exercise near the India-Pakistan border aims at enhancing cooperation and interoperability between the two
armies and will focus on counter-terrorism operations under the United Nations mandate.
➢ The exercise is being held in India also assumes significance in the backdrop of recent developments on northern
borders, and conveys the strategic posture of the two nations as well as enhanced upward trajectory in Indo-US
relations.
Union defence minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the 13th edition of the Aero India show at Air Force station in
Yelahanka, Bengaluru. The Aero Show 2021 has been billed as __ Runway to a Billion Opportunities”.
Note:
➢ The event was unique in ways more than one and it is billed as the ‘Runway to a Billion opportunities’.
➢ This year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the air show, Aero India 2021 was a hybrid show, which means delegates
presented either physically or virtually.
➢ The three-day event has focused on India’s indigenous defence sector capabilities.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) second Light Combat Aircraft
(LCA)-Tejas production line in _ Bengaluru.
Note:
➢ The deal to be signed in the next few days with HAL would strengthen the Indian Air Force’s fleet of homegrown
fighter jet ‘LCA-Tejas’ and overall combat capability.
➢ Last month, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the
largest indigenous defence procurement deal worth about Rs 48,000 crores to buy 83 LCA Tejas Mark1A fighter
jets.
Bharat Dynamics Limited Limited (BDL) has signed am MoU with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems for joint induction of an anti-torpedo defence system called ‘SHADE’ for the Indian Navy. Rafael is a defence tech company of which country __ Israel.
Note:
➢ It was founded as Israel’s National R&D Defense Laboratory for the development of weapons and military
technology within the Israeli Ministry of Defense; in 2002 it was incorporated as a limited company.
To which defence equipment manufacturer the Indian Airforce has requested for 70 HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft
_ Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
Note:
➢ The certification will be given against the Program Compliance and Quality Review (PCQR). The production will
take place at two manufacturing facilities of HALin Bengaluru and Nashik.
➢ The RFP has come within six years from the first flight of HAL which is the shortest time-line in aircraft industry.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed an MoU with which company for development and production of
composite raw materials that are used in manufacturing of aircrafts and are currently being imported _ Mishra
Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI).
Note:
➢ This is the first time that such an MoU has been signed for composite raw materials.
➢ Composites raw materials, mainly in the form of prepregs used in platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA),
Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) are currently
imported.
SpearUAV, developers and suppliers of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) solutions for defence and Homeland Security
applications has signed an MoU with Paras Aerospace to introduce encapsulated Ninox 40 system to the Indian market. SpearUAV belong to which country _ Israel.
Note:
➢ Specifically designed for single-user operation, the Ninox 40 is a micro-tactical, cost-effective drone system,
featuring an encapsulated drone and control unit.
➢ Weighing under 250g — within regulatory limitations — it is lightweight enough to be incorporated into the
soldier’s vest and carried on-person during combat.
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Aerospace Laboratory has signed an MoU with which entity for development of two-seater trainer aircraft through technology transfer __ BEML Limited.
Note:
➢ The Two entities will also undertake Joint Development in areas of advanced composites and autoclaves, miniunmanned aerial vehicles, design & analysis of aircraft structure & systems.
➢ The MoU was exchanged between A K Srivastav, Director Defence and Aerospace, BEML & R Venkatesh, Director,
Business Development of NAL.
The 6th India-Russia Military Industrial Conference (IRMIC) was held in which city of India, where BEL entered into an
Offset Contract under invest in kind with Rosoboronexport, a Joint Stock Company (JSC) in Russia __ Kolkata, West
Bengal.
Note:
➢ The MoU was signed at the 6th India-Russia Military Industrial Conference, held in Bengaluru.
➢ Setting up of industrial facilities under the contract for manufacture of aviation hoses is fully consistent with the
government’s ‘Make in India’ programme.
Which edition of ‘Yudh Abhyas’, the joint military exercise of India and the United States was held in Rajasthan __
16th.
Note:
➢ The Indian side is represented by the 11th Battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, part of the South Western
Command while U.S.
➢ Army delegation will be represented by the troops of 2nd battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment of 1-2 Stryker Brigade
Combat Team along with respective brigade headquarters.
Indian Navy has signed an MoU with which IIT for research in the underwater domain of Naval Electronic Systems _
IIT Delhi.
Note:
➢ Research conducted at IIT Delhi has played a key role in the technological advancements of the Indian Navy
➢ Indian Navy, in accordance with ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, aims to develop major technology driven projects through
IIT Delhi.
‘Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX 21)’, is the Biennial Largest War Game of which entity of Indian
defence system __ Indian Navy.
Note:
➢ The exercise started in early January 2021 and is expected to end by the Third Week of February, 2021.
➢ The main objective of the exercise is to validate the Navy’s Offensive-Defence capabilities, safeguarding national
interests in the Maritime domain and promoting stability and peace in the IOR.
Where is the headquarter of the CIFT located __ Kochi.
Note:
➢ ADDS, promulgated by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, will set up a criterion for basic design
aspects for the construction of DSFVs.
➢ Notably, the vessels constructed in compliance with ASDDS will attract a subsidy under the PMMSY scheme.
The Ministry of Defence has inked a pact with which company to procure a software-defined radio tactical (SDR-Tac) ship-borne system __ Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
Note:
➢ The procurement of SDR-Tac (software-defined radio tactical) “will bring strategic depth to the armed forces”.
➢ The SDR-Tac is a four channel multi-mode, multi-band, 19-inch rack mountable, ship-borne software defined radio
system.
