Current Affairs Quiz/Questions-answers December 2013, December 30 - January 5

Losar is a traditional and cultural festival that is celebrated in Ladakh, a region in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This festival marks the Tibetan New Year and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor in Ladakh. It is a time for the local community to come together, perform religious rituals, and engage in various cultural activities. The festival is known for its vibrant decorations, music, dance, and traditional food.

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 has several features. It sets up the institution of Lokpal at the central level and Lokayuktas at the State level. The Lokpal consists of a Chairperson and a maximum of eight members, with 50 percent of them being judicial members. Additionally, 50 percent of the total members of the Lokpal should be from SC/ST/OBCs, minorities and women. Lastly, the Act brings the Prime Minister under the purview of the Lokpal. Therefore, all of the given options are correct features of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.

Latvia became the 18th member of the Euro Zone. This means that Latvia adopted the euro as its official currency and joined the group of countries that use the euro as their common currency. The Euro Zone is an economic and monetary union consisting of 19 European Union member states, and Latvia's entry expanded the membership to 18 countries.

The correct answer is 32. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved a proposal to install CCTVs and GPS devices on public transport vehicles for women's safety in 32 cities. This decision was made to enhance the security measures and ensure the safety of women passengers. By implementing these surveillance systems, it would be easier to monitor and track the movement of public transport vehicles, which would help in preventing crimes against women and providing a safer commuting experience.

India signed a credit agreement of 160 million dollars with the World Bank on 2 January 2014 for the modernization of the Rajasthan Road Sector. This agreement indicates that the funds will be specifically allocated to improve and upgrade the road infrastructure in Rajasthan. The modernization of the road sector in Rajasthan is crucial for the development and growth of the state, as it will enhance connectivity, facilitate trade and transportation, and improve overall socio-economic conditions in the region.

World Braille Day is observed on 4th January. This day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of Braille as a means of communication for blind and visually impaired individuals. It also marks the birthday of Louis Braille, the inventor of the Braille system. Braille has played a significant role in enabling visually impaired people to read and write, empowering them with independence and equal access to information. Therefore, 4th January is recognized as World Braille Day to honor Louis Braille's contribution and promote the rights and inclusion of visually impaired individuals.

The correct answer is National Records and Archives Authority of Oman. This is because the question states that the National Archives of India signed an agreement on sharing archives with another organization. Out of the options given, only the National Records and Archives Authority of Oman is a valid organization that could potentially sign such an agreement.

Louis Braille was the developer of the Braille language. He was a French educator and invented the Braille system of reading and writing for people with visual impairments. Braille lost his sight at a young age and developed a system of raised dots that could be felt with the fingertips to represent letters and words. This system revolutionized communication and literacy for the blind and visually impaired, providing them with a means to read and write independently. Today, the Braille system is widely used worldwide as a primary method of communication for the blind.

The correct answer is Thiruvanathpuram. This can be inferred from the information provided in the question, which states that the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, launched the total E-literacy project on 4 January 2014. Therefore, the project was launched in Thiruvanathpuram.

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance launched its first all women branch in Pune.

Serena Williams won the Brisbane International Title held in Queensland, Australia on 4 January 2014.

France beat Poland to win the Hopman Cup held in Perth, Australia on 4 January 2014.

According to a recent study by the University of Colorado researchers, Saturn's rings were formed approximately 4.4 billion years ago.

The correct answer is "All of the above". The Indian Leather Development Programme (ILDP) in the 12th Plan includes all three sub-schemes: Integrated Development of Leather Sector, Support to Artisan, and Leather Technology Innovation.

The government raised the minimum support price of raw jute for the season 2014-15 by 100 Rupees. This means that the government increased the guaranteed price at which they would purchase raw jute from farmers by 100 Rupees per unit. This increase in price indicates that the government is aiming to provide better support and incentives to jute farmers, potentially encouraging increased production of raw jute.

The given answer is not one of the amendments to the Mega Power Policy 2009. The amendments mentioned in the passage include the requirement for developers to tie up at least 65 percent of the installed capacity through competitive bidding, allowing duty-free equipment imports for thermal power projects of 1000 MW and above capacity and hydro power projects of 500 MW and above, and the requirement for project developers to submit a status certificate and fixed deposit receipt as security for provisional mega power projects. However, there is no mention of allocating 35 percent of the installed capacity under regulated tariff as per guidelines issued by the Central government.

The correct answer is "Only (b) and (c)". This means that the states included in the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project for Low Income States are Bihar and Jharkhand. Orissa is not included in the project.

The Southern Power Grid has been synchronously connected with the grids of the rest of India on 31 December 2013 to successfully accomplish the mission of 'One Nation - One Grid - One Frequency'.

The correct answer is Ministry of Human Resource Development. The Maulana Azad Taleem-e-Baligan scheme was launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development to enhance the skills of unemployed youth within the Muslim community. This scheme aimed to provide vocational training and education to empower and uplift the Muslim youth, enabling them to acquire the necessary skills for employment opportunities. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, being responsible for education and skill development, was the appropriate authority to launch such a scheme.

National Green Crops is an awareness initiative among school students and teachers under the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF). This initiative aims to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainable practices among the younger generation. It involves educating students and teachers about the importance of conserving the environment and taking proactive steps to protect it. By engaging schools in this initiative, the Ministry of Environment and Forests aims to instill a sense of responsibility and environmental consciousness in the future generation.

The correct answer is Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. The RBI recently recognized them to act as a local operating unit for issuing globally compatible legal entity identifiers (LEI) in India. This means that the Clearing Corporation of India Ltd will now be responsible for providing unique identification codes to legal entities in India, which will help in improving transparency and risk management in the financial system.

Tibor Gonczol, who recently passed away, was the coach of the Indian Shooting Team.

MS Dhir has been elected as the Speaker of the Delhi State Legislative Assembly.

S K Sharma has been appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Electricals Limited.

MOCLIC is the correct answer because it is mentioned in the given information that scientists at National Autonomous University of Mexico recently developed a software. Since UNAM is the full form of National Autonomous University of Mexico, it can be inferred that MOCLIC is the name of the software.

India scrapped the 3600 crore rupees defence deal to supply 12 VVIP helicopters with Agusta Westland, an Anglo-Italian firm, on 1 January 2014. This suggests that Agusta Westland was the firm involved in the cancelled deal.

The Health Ministry of Japan has estimated that a quarter of the population of Japan is currently aged over 65 and the figure is expected to reach nearly 40 percent by 2060. This information is specific to Japan's population and is likely based on demographic data and projections collected by the Health Ministry. The World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO, and the United Nations (UN) may have their own estimates and data on global populations, but they would not have the specific information regarding Japan's aging population.