1. The Mutual Recognition Agreement for Organic Products between India and which country came into effect in July 2024.
(A) Cambodia
(B) China
(C) Israel
(D) Taiwan
(E) Russia
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
The India-Taiwan Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for Organic Products came into effect on 8 July 2024.
This was announced at the 9th Working Group on Trade Meeting of India and Taiwan in New Delhi.
The landmark agreement is likely to give a push to trade in organic products between the two countries.
Under the agreement, organic products from India can be exported to Taiwan after it is certified by a competent authority in India which confirms the provisions of the National Programme for Organic Production.
2. Where has the 22nd Annual India-Russia Summit Meeting held in July 2024?
(A) Moscow
(B) New Delhi
(C) Mumbai
(D) Novosibirsk
(E) Saint Petersburg
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
After being sworn in as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term, the visit to Russia was Modi’s first foreign bilateral visit.
Prime Minister Modi visited Russia to participate in the 22nd Annual India-Russia summit meeting. This meeting was held after a three-year gap.
The 21st India-Russia summit meeting was held in New Delhi in December 2021.
Normally, both countries alternately host the Annual summit meeting.
During the visit, the two leaders issued a joint declaration titled India-Russia: Enduring and Expanding Partnership. Nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) were signed between the two countries to facilitate further cooperation in various fields.
Prime Minister Modi attended the Outreach meeting of the G7 summit in Italy on 14 June 2024, but it was not a bilateral visit.
3. What is the theme of the 2024 World Population Day?
(A) To Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone
(B) Unleashing the power of gender equality
(C) The pandemic impact on fertility
(D) Safeguard the health and rights of women
(E) For humanity to progress, people must be counted
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Every year since 1990, 11 July has been observed as World Population Day around the world.
World Population Day was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989.
The date 11 July was chosen as on this date in 1987; the global population was officially declared to have crossed the five billion mark.
The first Population Day was observed on 11 July 1990.
Later, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in December 1990 to declare 11 July as World Population Day.
The 2024 World Population Day theme is “To Leave No One Behind, Count Everyone”.
Vatican City is the least populated country in the world, with an estimated population of 526, according to the World Population Review.
4. Who has been appointed as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team?
(A) M S Dhoni
(B) Gautam Gambhir
(C) Yuvraj Singh
(D) Suresh Raina
(E) Dinesh Karthik
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
The 2007 T 20 World Cup and 2011 One Day International (ODI) World Cup-winning Indian men’s cricket team member Gautam Gambihir has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.
This was announced by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah.
Gambhir will replace Rahul Dravid who stepped down from his post following the victory of the Indian team in the 9th ICC T20 World Cup held in West Indies and the United States of America.
Rahul Dravid was appointed the head coach for a three-year term in 2021.
5. The Sixteenth Finance Commission formed an Advisory Council, who is its convener?
(A) DK Srivastava
(B) Neelkanth Mishra
(C) Dr Poonam Gupta
(D) Pranjul Bhandari
(E) Rahul Bajoria
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
The Sixteenth Finance Commission has constituted an advisory council with five members to advise the Commission on any of the Terms of Reference (ToR) or related subjects.
The Finance Commission, as per the ToR, will also suggest measures to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of panchayats and municipalities.
Poonam Gupta, Director General of the National Council of Applied Economic Research, has been appointed as the convenor of the Advisory Council.
The other members are:
D.K. Srivastava, Chief Policy Advisor at EY
Neelkanth Mishra, Chief Economist at Axis Bank
Pranjul Bhandari, Chief India Economist at HSBC Securities & Capital Markets
Rahul Bajoria, MD & Head of EM Asia (ex-China) Economics at Barclays
6. Who will be the main sponsor of the Indian team in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics?
(A) Tata Group
(B) Essar Group
(C) Reliance Group
(D) Adani Group
(E) Vedanta Limited
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
In a significant development for Indian sports, Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, has declared that the conglomerate will be the principal sponsor of the Indian contingent at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Adani Group to sponsor Indian team for Paris Olympics 2024
Campaign launched with theme #DeshkaGeetAtOlympics
Focus on athletes’ dedication and national pride
7. Which state government has launched a probe into alleged irregularities in poaching in the new tiger reserve?
(A) Mizoram
(B) Madhya Pradesh
(C) Meghalaya
(D) Tamil Nadu
(E) Uttar Pradesh
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
The Madhya Pradesh government has initiated an inquiry into the alleged poaching of tigers and irregularities in the newly established Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, according to official documents.
The reserve, the seventh in the state and the 54th in India includes areas within the Nauradehi Sanctuary and the Veerangana Durgavati Sanctuary.
The forest department launched the probe following an email from wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, who alleged “serious negligence in the conservation of tigers, tiger safari and management of forest property” in the reserve.
The forest department has directed the deputy director of the tiger reserve to initiate the investigation and submit a report within seven days.
Tiger reintroduction efforts in the Nauradehi Sanctuary began in 2018 with the release of a pair.
The number of tigers now stands at 16 and they are part of the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve.
8. Who has been appointed principal advisor for the Union Health Ministry’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme?
(A) Randeep Guleria
(B) Norman Borlaug
(C) Soumya Swaminathan
(D) Balram Bhargava
(E) Divya Deshmukh
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
Soumya Swaminathan has been appointed principal advisor for the Union Health Ministry’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme on a pro-bono basis.
Swaminathan is a former chief scientist of the World Health Organization and earlier served as director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research.
As a principal advisor for the program, Swaminathan will provide technical advice on the overall strategy to achieve its goals, suggest policy directions and necessary course corrections for optimal outcome, and advise on research strategy, the health ministry said in a statement.
9. Who has been unanimously elected as the President of the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA)?
(A) Rajat Sharma
(B) Sudhir Chaudhary
(C) Ravish Kumar
(D) Rajdeep Sardesai
(E) Sweta Singh
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
Rajat Sharma, the esteemed Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of India TV, has been unanimously elected as the President of the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA).
The NBDA stands as the largest organization of news broadcasters in India, representing a formidable coalition of the country’s most influential news networks.
10. Who led the Indian delegation at the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum?
(A) S Jaishankar
(B) Jagdeep Dhankhar
(C) Mahua Moitra
(D) Om Birla
(E) Narendra Modi
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, will head a prominent Indian parliamentary delegation to the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in St Petersburg, Russia.
The forum aims to explore the role of parliaments in advancing global development and security through multilateral cooperation.
The Indian delegation includes Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Rajya Sabha member Shambhu Sharan Patel, Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh, and Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody.
The forum’s theme is ‘The Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security’.