Q1: Which Bank will set up Accelerator Fund at IIM Ahmedabad’s CIIE startup incubator to back tech startups?
a) ICICI Bank
b) Axis Bank
c) HDFC
d) SIDBI
Solution: option d.)
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) announced on Monday its collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad’s (IIM-A) startup incubator CIIE to set up a SIDBI Accelerator Fund.
Through this, the principal financial institution for MSMEs in the country will support tech startups with an initial corpus of Rs 20 crore.
The program focuses on supporting startups with meritorious ideas and technologies important for India’s goals for 2047 to become self-reliant as well as a dominant player in high quality/ high entry barrier products/services.
SIDBI MD: Sivasubramanian Ramann
SIDBI HQ: Lucknow
Q2: Which company has handed over the 1st Radio Frequency (RF) seeker of Akash – the Next Generation Weapon system to DRDO?
a) GRSE
b) BHEL
c) BDL
d) BEL
Solution: option c.)
The Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has handed over the first Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker of Akash – the Next Generation Weapon System produced at its newly commissioned state-of-the-art Seeker Facility Centre (SFC) to the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
Seeker is a critical and technology-intensive subsystem used in Surface-to-Air Missiles and Air-to-Air Missiles for target tracking in the terminal phase.
The RF Seeker has been designed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat, and produced by BDL at its state-of-the-art Seeker Facility Centre set up at BDL, Kanchanbagh Unit in Hyderabad.
Q3: The ‘Athidhi Portal’ is launched by which state government?
a) Maharashtra
b) Kerala
c) Karnataka
d) Tamil Nadu
Solution: option b.)
The Kerala government is set to launch the ‘Athidhi Portal’, which aims to expedite the registration process for migrant workers in the state.
In light of recent incidents involving sexual crimes against children allegedly carried out by migrant workers, the government is taking measures to enhance the registration of “guest workers.”
The exploitation of unregistered migrants by contractors and the lack of social security.
Kerala Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
Kerala CM: Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
Q4: The first instance of captive breeding of the Himalayan vulture in India at which state?
a) Arunachal Pradesh
b) Assam
c) Uttrakhand
d) Himachal Pradesh
Solution: option b.)
Recently, the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati has achieved a ground-breaking feat by successfully breeding the elusive Himalayan vulture (Gyps Himalayans) in captivity for the first time in India.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List: Near Threatened.
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora): Appendix II.
The Himalayan vulture is aptly named, as it primarily inhabits the towering peaks and valleys of the Himalayan mountain range.
It is a common winter migrant to the Indian plains.
Q5: Microfinance Industry Network (MFIN) elected whom as the Chairperson?
a) Udaya Kumar
b) MU Nair
c) Atul Anand
d) Mohammad Iqbal
Solution: option a.)
Microfinance Industry Network (MFIN), the premier association and RBI-recognised Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) for the microfinance industry announced the election of Udaya Kumar Hebbar, MD & CEO, CreditAccess Grameen Ltd. as Chairperson and Manoj Kumar Nambiar, MD of Arohan Financial Services Ltd. as the Vice Chairperson at its 14th AGM.
Manoj Kumar Nambiar and Vineet Chatterjee, Director – Svatantra Microfin Pvt. Ltd., were elected to the Governing Board by MFIN Members through an election process.
The House bid farewell to outgoing Member, Dibyajyoti Pattanaik, Director – Annapurna Finance.
Q6: Which state government launched the ‘ Just Ask/Khulke Poocho’ chatbot for adolescents, and young adults on social, and health issues?
a) Kerala
b) Assam
c) Uttrakhand
d) Madhya Pradesh
Solution: option d.)
The Madhya Pradesh government and the United Nations Population Fund on Monday launched an Artificial Intelligence-enabled chatbot to address the critical need for accurate and accessible information on social issues and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among adolescents and young adults.
Madhya Pradesh CM: Shivraj Singh Chauhan
Madhya Pradesh Governor: Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel
Q7: Which state government has launched the ‘Mo Jungle Jami Yojana’ for indigenous people of the state to ensure individual and community rights over forest land for eligible beneficiaries?
a) Tamil Nadu
b) Odisha
c) Madhya Pradesh
d) Maharashtra
Solution: option b.)
On the occasion of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today launched the state-specific scheme, Mo Jungle Jami Yojana, through video conferencing.
Mo Jungle Jami Yojana is a special initiative towards the recognition and promotion of Regenerative Economies in Scheduled Areas, Land, and the Resource Rights of Indigenous People. The Chief Minister expressed hope that this scheme will create a milestone in the development of tribals with the cooperation of all.
“Mo Jungle Jami Yojana of Odisha is the only program in the country that will complement the efforts in forest-based livelihood by promoting individual and collective action including environmental conservation and preservation.
Odisha Governor: Ganeshi Lal
Odisha Capital: Bhubaneshwar
Q8: Which country won the Asian Champion Trophy 2023 of Hockey held in Chennai?
a) Pakistan
b) Malaysia
c) China
d) India
Solution: option d.)
The Indian men’s hockey team came from two goals behind to defeat Malaysia 4-3 in the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 final at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai.
With this victory, India became the most successful team in the Asian Champions Trophy, ahead of three-time champions Pakistan.
Jugraj Singh (9’), Harmanpreet Singh (45’), Gurjant Singh (45’), and Akashdeep Singh (56’) scored the goals for India while Abu Kamal Azrai (14’), Razie Rahim (18’), Aminudin Muhamad (28’) netted for Malaysia.
World No. 9 Malaysia, playing in their maiden Asian Champions Trophy final, made a brisk start and had more incursions in the first five minutes.
India, fourth in the hockey rankings, settled down soon after and got a breakthrough after Karthi Selvam drew a foul from the Malaysian defense for India’s first penalty corner.
Q9: Which number of projects 17A Frigate will be launched by President?
a) 4th
b) 5th
c) 6th
d) 7th
Solution: option c.)
President Droupadi Murmu will launch Vindhyagiri, the sixth ship of the Project 17A Frigates, on Thursday (August 17) at Kolkata’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Kolkata.
The newly christened Vindhyagiri stands as a symbol of India’s determination to embrace its rich naval heritage while propelling itself toward a future of indigenous defense capabilities.
Q10: India’s first post office near LoC has been inaugurated in which district of Jammu and Kashmir?
a) Udhampur
b) Kupwara
c) Rajouri
d) Kishtwar
Solution: option c.)
India’s ‘first’ post office bearing PIN code 193224 is located on the banks of the Kishanganga river, the de facto Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district with Pakistan-occupied territory just across the stream at a stone’s throw.
It was known as the last post office of the country until recently, when the signboard near it described it as the “First Post Office of India”, as it is the first one from the LoC or border in terms of distance.
Q11: Which state to get an organic agriculture university?
a) Tamil Nadu
b) Sikkim
c) Karnataka
d) Himachal Pradesh
Solution: option b.)
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on August 13 laid the foundation stone for the Sikkim Organic Agriculture University (SOAU) at Mondegaon in Soreng district.
Stating that Sikkim has established itself as the country’s first organic state, Tamang said SOAU will be a center of excellence where subjects related to organic farming will be taught.
Hundreds of students from the state go outside to study agriculture, horticulture, and forestry, he said, adding that he had met over 500 students in Dehradun itself who were doing undergraduate and post-graduate courses in these subjects.
Q12: NPCI has launched which edition of UPI Safety Awareness Campaign, “UPI Chalega”?
a) 2nd
b) 4th
c) 3rd
d) 5th
Solution: option c.)
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced the third edition of its UPI Safety Awareness campaign, titled “UPI Chalega.”
Collaborating with key players in the payments ecosystem, NPCI aims to foster the adoption of UPI as a secure, convenient, and instantaneous mode of payment.
The campaign also seeks to educate users about UPI’s various features, including UPI LITE for swift low-value transactions, UPI AUTOPAY for secure recurring payments, and UPI Interoperability for seamless money transfers across all UPI-enabled applications.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an initiative taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Bank’s Association (IBA) to operate retail payments and settlement systems in India. This organisation was founded in the year 2008 under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, of 2007. NPCI has been incorporated as a ‘not-for-profit’ company under section 8 of the Companies Act 2013.
Q13: On which day we observed ‘International Left-Handers Day’?
a) 17th August
b) 14th August
c) 16th August
d) 13th August
Solution: option d.)
International Left-Handers Day, observed annually on August 13th, is a global celebration that recognizes and appreciates the diverse skills, talents, and viewpoints of left-handed individuals.
The day highlights the distinctive contributions left-handers make across various domains, from art and science to sports and daily life, emphasizing the value of diversity.
International Left-Handers Day 2023 is dedicated to commemorating the uniqueness of left-handed people worldwide.
It raises awareness about the achievements and challenges faced by left-handers, fostering inclusiveness and empathy in a predominantly right-handed world.
With only around 10% of the global population being left-handed.
Q14: On which day we observed ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’?
a) 11th August
b) 14th August
c) 12th August
d) 15th August
Solution: option b.)
Partition Horrors Remembrance Day is observed on August 14 every year. The day is to remember the brutalities and tragedies that unfolded during the partition of India in 1947.
It’s a day to reflect on the shared history of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, a period marred by extreme violence, loss, and displacement.
In August 1947, British India was divided into two independent countries, India and Pakistan. This partition led to the creation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of India.
This led to the mass migration of citizens. It is estimated that around 10 to 15 million people were displaced from their homes. Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan (today’s Pakistan) migrated to India, while Muslims from India migrated to Pakistan.