Current Affairs - November 2021

1.The United Nations General Assembly has designated the year 2021 as?

International Year Against Terrorism

International Year of Health Care

International Year to fight COVID

International Year of Fruits and Vegetables

Answer: D

Notes:

The United Nations General Assembly has declared the year 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the lead agency to celebrate this year, along with other relevant organizations.

This year seeks to spread awareness on the role played by fruits and vegetables in human nutrition, and in food security.

2.“The State of Climate Ambition” is a report released by which organization?

UNGA

UNDP

IMD

WHO

Answer: B

Notes:

The United Nations Development Progrmme (UNDP) has released a report titled “The State of Climate Ambition”, which has observed that close to 93% of Least developed countries (LDCs) have submitted enhanced national climate pledges. The report is released ahead of the upcoming COP26 climate negotiations.

The report makes a comparative study between the current climate trends and the assessment made in the 2019 NDC Global Outlook report.

3.Which social networking platform is set to rename itself as “Meta”?

Orkut

Snapchat

Facebook

Twitter

Answer: C

Notes:

The social networking giant Facebook is set to change its name and rebrand itself as “Meta”, as announced by its CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The Company’s CEO has stated that the word “Meta” is derived from the Greek Word “Beyond”. It is stated that the company would not have any change in its corporate structure or functioning of its apps.

4.India’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra has recently overseen the presidential election of which country?

Singapore

Uzbekistan

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Answer: B

Notes:

India’s Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sushil Chandra led a three-member delegation to Uzbekistan to oversee the country’s presidential election.

Indian team has overseen the election as an international observer. Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got over than 80% of the vote in the elections and was re-elected for a second five-year term. CEC Sushil Chandra and Uzbekistan’s election commission, led by Zainiddin Nizamkhodjaev, held a meeting on electoral cooperation.

5.India jointly launched the ‘Green Grids Initiative – One Sun One World One Grid’ (GGI-OSOWOG), with which country?

UK

Australia

USA

Japan

Answer: A

Notes:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his United Kingdom’s counterpart Boris Johnson jointly launched a new flagship international initiative, at the COP26 World Leaders’ Summit.

Named ‘Green Grids Initiative – One Sun One World One Grid’ (GGI-OSOWOG), it is aimed at accelerating the development of interconnected electricity grids across continents, countries and communities. It aims to improve energy access of the poor through mini-grids and off-grid solutions.

6.Which country has recently passed the historic $1 trillion Infrastructure bill?

China

USA

Australia

Italy

Answer: B

Notes:

The US Congress has recently passed the historic $1 trillion Infrastructure bill, a package of highway, broadband and other infrastructure improvements.

The bill has now been sent to the US President Joe Biden to sign into law. The US Government will now oversee the biggest upgrade of the country’s roads, railways and other transportation infrastructure. This package is expected to create jobs and boost the competitiveness of the country

7.‘Matalafi’, a traditional plant which is found to rival ibuprofen, is seen in which country?

Thailand

Samoa

Singapore

China

Answer: B

Notes:

As per a new research, a plant in Samoa (country in Oceania) called ‘matalafi’ could be as potent as ibuprofen. The Samoan plant was traditionally used to treat fevers, body aches, and ghost sickness. As per the study, it could rival ibuprofen for its anti-inflammatory properties. Matalafi is a small tree with red berries, also known as Psychotria insularum. It grows along the coasts and in the forests of Samoa.

8.Which country has announced plans to sent an indigenous rover to the Moon by 2026?

Germany

Saudi Arabia

Israel

Australia

Answer: D

Notes:

The Australian Space Agency announced plans to send an Australian-made rover to the Moon by 2026, under a deal with NASA.

Another separate mission conducted by private companies in Australia and Canada, in conjunction with the University of Technology Sydney, may send another rover on the Moon by mid-2024. The arm will collect high-resolution data and information on the physical and chemical composition of lunar dust, soil and rocks, with a goal of finding water.

9.“Billie Jean King Cup” is associated with which sport?

Football

Cricket

Tennis

Golf

Answer: C

Notes:

The Billie Jean King Cup is an international women’s tennis competition launched in 1963 to celebrate 50th anniversary of the International Tennis Federation.

In this year’s tournament held at Prague, the Russian team has defeated Switzerland to win the maiden Billie Jean King Cup. At the same time Switzerland has alleged that Russians have replaced players against the game rules.

10.Which Union Ministry announced the first-ever ‘Star College Mentorship Programme’?

Ministry of Education

Ministry of Electronics and IT

Ministry of Science and Technology

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Answer: C

Notes:

Ministry of Science and Technology launched the first-ever mentorship programme for young innovators to mark the 75th year of India’s independence.

Named the ‘DBT-Star College Mentorship Programme’, it aims for a ‘Star College’ in every district of the country supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the science and technology ministry. It also aims to organise workshops and meetings every month, handhold colleges particularly in the rural areas and outreach activities with government schools.

11.“Operation Allies Welcome,” is a procedure implemented in which country?

Russia

USA

Australia

Japan

Answer: B

Notes:

When tens of thousands of people were evacuated from Afghanistan after the country fell to the Islamist Taliban, the US Government launched “Operation Allies Welcome,”.

As per the US Department of Homeland Security, the US government will streamline immigration procedures for recent Afghan arrivals to speed up their resettlement in the United States. Under the “Operation Allies Welcome,”, around 70,000 Afghans have landed in the United States.

12.Which city has been designated as a part of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)?

Pune

Cochin

Srinagar

Kolkata

Answer: C

Notes:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Srinagar as a part of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

After Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Varanasi and Jaipur, Srinagar is the sixth Indian city to achieve this honour. The capital city of Jammu and Kashmir has also entered the club of 295 creative cities network across the world.

13.Mitrabha Guha, who was seen in the news sometime, is associated with which sports?

Chess

Fencing

Archery

Athletics

Answer: A

Notes:

Mitrabha Guha became India’s 72nd Grandmaster (GM) after he defeated Nikola Sedlak to bag his third and final GM norm at the tournament in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Mitrabha is a resident of Calcutta, now has 2511 Elo points. He has achieved the GM title two days after Sankalp Gupta became the country’s 71st GM, during an event in Arandjelovac, Serbia.

14.Which state celebrates ‘Onake Obavva Jayanti’?

Karnataka

Odisha

West Bengal

Punjab

Answer: A

Notes:

The Karnataka government has approved a celebration of ‘Onake Obavva Jayanti’ on the 11th of November from this year.

She was a famous woman-soldier who had fought against the forces of Hyder Ali in Chitradurga in the 18th century. The Kannada and Culture Department had proposed celebrating the birth anniversary of Onake Obavva every year.

15.Which Union Ministry launched the ‘Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge’?

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Ministry of Rural Development

Ministry of Law and Justice

Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

Answer: A

Notes:

As part of the World Toilet Day observance, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development launched a week-long awareness campaign on SafaiMitra Suraksha Challenge (SSC).

A total of 246 cities are participating in the Challenge which is being conducted across the country. It encourages cities to mechanise their sewer and septic tank cleaning operations in order to prevent deaths and fatalities of sanitation workers.

16.According to IQAir pollution rankings, which city has the worst Air Quality Index?

Lahore

New Delhi

Kabul

Mumbai

Answer: B

Notes:

According to IQAir, a Switzerland-based climate group has released a list with worst air quality indicators and pollution.

As per the list, Delhi tops with the worst AQI of 460. The list also includes Mumbai and Kolkata in the top ten most polluted cities of the world. The cities with the worst AQI indices also include Lahore, in Pakistan, and Chengdu, in China.

17.What is India’s retail inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), for the month of October?

4.10

4.48

5.75

6.20

Answer: B <4.48>

Notes:

India’s retail inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose to 4.48 percent in the month of October 2021, compared to at 4.35 percent at that of September 2021.

This data was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). There was a light increase in retail inflation in October due to a rise in food prices. CPI has been below the Reserve Bank of India’s six percent margin, for the fourth month in a row.

18.“Tech NEEV@75” is launched by which institution?

NITI Aayog

Finance Commission

State Bank of India

Union Ministry of Science & Technology

Answer: D

Notes:

The Union Ministry of Science & Technology has launched the “Tech NEEV/ नींव @75” as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav and it was inaugurated by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra singh.

This initiative is a year-long celebration which aims to highlight the impact of Science – Technology – Innovation in empowering various communities and lead to inclusive growth.

19.Which Indian regulatory institution has withdrew more than 100 redundant circulars recently?

SEBI

RBI

PFRDA

IRDAI

Answer: B

Notes:

The banking and financial sector regulator – Reserve Bank of India has recently withdrawn more than 100 redundant circulars pertaining to Foreign Portfolio Investors, RTGS, KYC – AML etc. This is done as per the recommendations of Regulations Review Authority (RRA 2.0) set up by the RBI in April 2021.

The RRA 2.0 was established with an objective to review the regulatory circulars, remove redundant and duplicate circulars and reduce the compliance burden on regulated institutions.

20.SITMEX is a naval exercise between India and which other country / countries?

Myanmar

Myanmar and Sri Lanka

Singapore and Thailand

Japan and USA

Answer: C

Notes:

SITMEX 2021 – A maritime exercise between the navies of Singapore, India and Thailand was held in the Indian Ocean at the Andaman Sea on 15th and 16th November 2021. This year marks the third edition of the SITMEX series of exercises.

The Indian Navy is represented by the Naval Ship (INS) Karmuk missile corvette in the exercise.

21.‘Bhumi Samvaad’, which was recently inaugurated is a National Workshop on?

Modern Agricultural Practices

Ground Water Management

Rainwater Harvesting

Land Record Management

Answer: D

Notes:

A National Workshop on Digital India Land Record Modernisation Programme (DILRMP) named ‘Bhumi Samvaad’ has been inaugurated by the union minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh.

This is a 2 day long work shop, where various stake holders discuss the best practices undertaken by different States in digital land record management.

22.Which Indian cricketer has been appointed as the Chairman of the ICC men’s Cricket Committee in 2021?

Anil Kumble

Saurav Ganguly

Rahul Dravid

V V S Lakshman

Answer: B

Notes:

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has been appointed as the Chairman of the ICC men’s Cricket Committee.

Ganguly will replace fellow Indian Anil Kumble, who stepped down after serving a maximum of 3 three-year terms. The Board also approved that first-class status and list A classification will be applicable to women’s cricket, similar to men’s game.

23.Which country is India’s largest source of remittance in 2021?

China

UAE

USA

Canada

Answer: C

Notes:

As per a recent data by the World Bank, India has received a total of $87 billion in remittances in 2021, and India remains the top recipient of inward remittance. India is followed by China and Mexico in the list.

The USA is India’s biggest source of remittance accounting for over 20% of total inward remittance.

24.Where is the ADIPEC CONFERENCE 2021 held?

New Delhi

Abu Dhabi

Washington DC

London

Answer: B

Notes:

The ADIPEC stands for Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, which is a global platform for oil and gas professionals. The conference would register participation of world’s biggest oil and gas companies and many OPEC+ energy ministers.

This year’s ADIPEC conference at Abu Dhabi has been organized in the wake of rising oil prices and COP26 climate talks at Glasgow.

25.What is the position of India in producing footwear and leather garments in the world?

First

Second

Fourth

Tenth

Answer: B

Notes:

India is the second largest producer of footwear and leather garments in the world. Exports of leather, footwear and leather products reached $3.67 billion during 2020-21 (April to Feb)

Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal addressed the National Export Excellence Awards presentation ceremony of the Council for Leather Exports (CLE).

26.The process by which data pertaining to an individual is collected from all of the individual’s financial accounts is termed as?

Account opening

Account creation

Account aggregation

Data Mining

Answer: C

Notes:

The process by which data from all of an individual’s financial accounts are collected in one place is termed as Account aggregation.

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India has given in-principle approval to NSDL e-Governance Account Aggregator Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of NSDL to establish account aggregator business.

27.Which Union Ministry organised ‘Creating Synergies for Seamless Credit Flow and Economic Growth’ conference?

Ministry of Finance

Ministry of Corporate Affairs

Ministry of MSME

Ministry of Electronics and IT

Answer: A

Notes:

The ‘Creating Synergies for Seamless Credit Flow and Economic Growth’ conference was organised by the Finance ministry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the concluding session of the two-day symposium. It was attended by representatives of various industries, banks and financial institutions. The conference aims to remove friction in credit flow to productive sectors of the economy dented by Covid-19.

28.The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has forecasted India’s GDP Growth for next year to be?

11-12%

10.5%

9%

7-7.5%

Answer: D <7-7.5%>

Notes:

The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) forecasted that the Indian economy is likely to grow by 7 – 7.5 per cent in the next fiscal year.

The Council also observed that contact intensive sectors and construction should recover in 2022-23. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lowered the growth projection for the current financial year to 9.5 per cent, while the IMF has projected a growth of 9.5 per cent in 2021 and 8.5 per cent in the next year.

29.Which state is to impose a Tax plan to meet the expenses of running cow shelters in the state?

Uttar Pradesh

Bihar

Madhya Pradesh

Uttarakhand

Answer: C

Notes:

In Madhya Pradesh, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan Government has decided to set up a tax plan for“cow welfare in the State.

He announced this during a review meeting of the ‘Madhya Pradesh Gaupalan and Livestock Promotion Board’. The government is planning to impose a surcharge on products such as liquor and services provided by local bodies to generate ₹100 crore to meet the expenses of cow shelters.

30.India is set to revive the Trade Policy Forum (TPF) after four years, along with which country?

France

USA

Sri Lanka

Australia

Answer: B

Notes:

India and the United States (US) are set to revive the Trade Policy Forum (TPF) after four years, in an attempt to promote trade and investment flows between the two nations.

The India-US TPF was established in 2005 met last in October 2017. It was subsequently replaced by negotiations between the two sides on a trade deal. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, is on a two-day visit to India.

31.Which country is set to issue the world’s first sovereign Bitcoin bonds and build Bitcoin City?

Italy

Venezuela

El Salvador

Marshall Islands

Answer: C

Notes:

El Salvador has decided to issue the world’s first sovereign Bitcoin bonds and build Bitcoin City, which will be free of income, property and capital gains taxes.

El Salvador plans to issue $1 billion in tokenised US-dollar denominated 10-year bonds. Half of the funds of the ‘volcano bond’ will be converted to Bitcoin and the other half will be used for infrastructure and Bitcoin mining powered by geothermal energy.

32.Which organisation has recently made a survey on “Meaning of life”?

WHO

UNICEF

Pew Research Center

Pratham Foundation

Answer: C

Notes:

Pew Research Center is an American think tank headquartered at Washington, which provides information on social issues, public opinion etc.

The centre has recently conducted a survey on “meaning of life” among 19,000 adults across 17 advanced economies. It is found that in 14 countries, more people mentioned their family as the meaning of their life.

33.As per the “Global State of Democracy 2021” report, which country was added to the list of “backsliding” democracies, for the first time?

India

USA

Brazil

UK

Answer: B

Notes:

The International think tank International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) released its report titled “Global State of Democracy 2021”.

It added the United States to its annual list of “backsliding” democracies for the first time. It also stated that their data suggests that the backsliding episode began at least in 2019. As of 2021, the world will have 98 democracies, the lowest number in many years, some countries like India, the Philippines and the USA imposed measures that amount to democratic violations.

34.What is the present membership of ASEM?

10

11

13

53

Answer: D <53>

Notes:

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an intergovernmental forum founded in 1996, which acts as a platform for the countries in Asia and Europe to exchange views and enhance cooperation among the countries. Presently, it has 53 members.

The ASEM 2021 was conducted virtually on 25th and 26th November, hosted by Cambodia. India was represented by the Vice President.

35.What is the base year of the new series of Wage Rate Index (WRI)?

1992

2000

2008

2016

Answer: D <2016>

Notes:

Ministry of Labour and Employment recently released a new series of Wage Rate Index (WRI) with base year 2016.

It is compiled and maintained by the Labour Bureau, an attached office of the Labour Ministry. The new series of WRI with base 2016 will replace the old series with base 1963-65. The base year is revised to make the economic indicators reflect the changes in the economy.