- Who was the recipient of the 25th Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence 2024?
(A) Indra Nooyi
(B) Rajashree Birla
(C) Kiran Mazumdar
(D) Nita Ambani
(E) Arundhati Bhattacharya
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
The 12th CMS Vatavaran started in New Delhi on 3rd October 2024.
The festival runs from 3rd to 5th October 2024 in New Delhi.
CMS India organises the CMS Vatavaran with support from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
The first CMS Vatavaran was organised in 2002, and it is held every two years.
The 25th Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence 2024 was awarded to Smt. Rajashree Birla.
The award was conferred by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in October 2024.
- Which of the following is a newly appointed member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the RBI in 2024?
(A) Dr. Michael Patra
(B) Dr. Saktikanta Das
(C) Dr. Nagesh Kumar
(D) Dr. Ajay Seth
(E) TV Somanathan
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
The Government of India has reconstituted the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the RBI in 2024.
The MPC consists of six members, three from the RBI and three appointed by the Government of India.
The Finance Act of 2016 amended the RBI Act 1934 and provided for the six-member MPC.
The first MPC of the RBI was notified on 29 September 2016.
The newly appointed members from the Government of India include:
Prof. Ram Singh, Director, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University.
Saugata Bhattacharya.
Dr. Nagesh Kumar, Director, Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, New Delhi.
- In October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India had agreed to train the troops of which country?
(A) Kenya
(B) Jamaica
(C) Nepal
(D) Bangladesh
(E) Sri Lanka
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
Andrew Holness expressed Jamaica’s support for India’s bid for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s cooperation with Jamaica in areas such as digital public infrastructure, small-scale industries, biofuel, innovation, health, education, and agriculture.
India agreed to train Jamaican troops and assist in building Jamaica’s defence capabilities.
The four MoUs signed include sharing Indian digital public infrastructure for financial inclusion, cooperation between NPCI International Payments Limited and Egov Jamaica Limited, a Cultural Exchange Programme for 2024-2029, and cooperation in sports.
- How many villages are expected to be covered under the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan?
(A) 51,000
(B) 77,000
(C) 82,000
(D) 63,000
(E) 91,000
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, on 2nd October 2024.
The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan.
The Abhiyan aims to fill gaps in social infrastructure, health, education, and livelihood through 25 intervention schemes implemented by 17 central government ministries.
The total expenditure for the scheme is Rs 79,150 crore.
It will cover approximately 63,000 villages in 549 districts and 2,740 blocks across 30 States and Union Territories.
The initiative is expected to benefit more than 5 crore tribal people in the targeted areas.
- Who won the gold medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the ISSF Junior World Championship 2024 in Lima, Peru?
(A) Cristina Magnani
(B) Divanshi
(C) Saanvi Gupta
(D) Maria Antonova
(E) Aditi Ashok
Solution: Option B.)
Ans (B)
India achieved remarkable success at the ISSF Junior World Championship 2024 in Lima, Peru, adding six more medals, including five golds.
Divanshi secured a come-from-behind victory in the women’s 25m pistol event final.
Despite a challenging start, missing seven of her first 11 shots, the 18-year-old shooter scored 35 out of 50.
Divanshi narrowly defeated Italy’s Cristina Magnani, winning by two points after both shooters were tied at 31 before the final series of five shots.
- What did Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurate in Assam in October, 2024?
(A) Solar power plants
(B) Hydroelectric projects
(C) Compressed biogas plants
(D) Wind energy farms
(E) Thermal power stations
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the construction of four compressed bio-gas (CBG) plants by Oil India Ltd in Assam in October 2024.
The event was part of a groundbreaking ceremony for multiple CBG plants across India, aimed at promoting sustainable energy, coinciding with Swachh Bharat Diwas.
The key project locations in Assam include Guwahati, Jorhat, Sivasagar, and Tinsukia.
Oil India Ltd plans to set up 25 CBG plants by 2024-25, partnering with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) and private entrepreneurs.
- Who has recently been appointed as the Mission Director of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) Telangana Chapter launched by NITI Aayog?
(A) Sita Pallocholla
(B) B V R Subrahmanyam
(C) Jayesh Ranjan
(D) K. Chandrashekar Rao
(E) Nirmala Sitharaman
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
NITI Aayog has launched its first State Chapter of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) in collaboration with WE Hub and the Telangana government.
The WEP has over 30,000 registered women entrepreneurs and associations and more than 400 mentors from various industry sectors.
Sita Pallocholla, the Chief Executive Officer of WE Hub, has been appointed as the Mission Director of the WEP Telangana Chapter.
WE Hub will serve as the nodal agency for all WEP activities in the state.
- How many teams are participating in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, held in UAE?
(A) 06
(B) 08
(C) 10
(D) 12
(E) 14
Solution: Option C.)
Ans (C)
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 commenced on October 3 in the UAE.
The tournament features 10 teams divided into two groups.
Matches are being held in Dubai and Sharjah.
The tournament aims for gender parity with equal prize money.
India, Australia, and England are among the teams vying for the title.
The final of the tournament is scheduled for October 20.
Group A: Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Group B: South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Scotland
- What percentage of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) usage has the UAE government targeted by the year 2031?
(A) 01%
(B) 05%
(C) 10%
(D) 15%
(E) 20%
Solution: Option A.)
Ans (A)
The World Green Economy Forum was launched in Dubai, focusing on global environmental challenges.
The forum was held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE.
Its theme was “Empowering Global Action: Unlocking Opportunities and Advancing Progress.”
A significant panel discussed the future of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), aiming to increase production from 200,000 tonnes to 300 million tonnes by 2050.
The UAE government targets 1% SAF usage by 2031 as a key change driver in the region.
- Who took office as the NATO Secretary General in October 2024?
(A) Jens Stoltenberg
(B) Ursula von der Leyen
(C) Anthony Blinken
(D) Mark Rutte
(E) Stoltenberg Rutte
Solution: Option D.)
Ans (D)
Mark Rutte took office as the NATO Secretary General in October, 2024.
He was welcomed to NATO Headquarters in Brussels by outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Jens Stoltenberg’s term ended after ten years.
He outlined three priorities for NATO:
Keeping NATO strong and ensuring effective and credible defenses against all threats.
Increasing support for Ukraine and integrating it closer to NATO.
Strengthening partnerships in a more interconnected world.