India has recently signed how much amount of loan pact with AIIB for Gujarat road project?
Correct Answer: B [$329 million]
Answer Explanation:
India has recently signed a $329 million loan agreement with Asian
Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for Gujarat Rural Roads Project.
The objective of the project is to improve the rural road connectivity
and accessibility to more than one thousand villages in all the 33
districts of the state benefiting about 80 lakh people. The project will
also benefit the service providers such as public transport operators,
educational institutions, hospitals, local markets and traders.
India’s first private sector missile sub-systems manufacturing facility has set up in which city?
Correct Answer: C [Hyderabad ]
Answer Explanation:
India’s first private sector missile sub-systems manufacturing
facility has inaugurated near Hyderabad on August 4, 2017. It has been
established a line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative and Government’s
policy to encourage private sector participation in defense product. It
is a joint venture between the $2.5 billion Kalyani Group and Israel’s
Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd. The Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems
(KRAS) plant will make anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) Spike and the
production is expected to start soon within weeks.
Who has will be the new Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog?
Correct Answer: A [Rajiv Kumar]
Answer Explanation:
Noted economist Dr. Rajiv Kumar will be the new Vice-Chairman of NITI
Aayog, which is a think-tank that replaced the Planning Commission. He
will succeed Arvind Panagariya, who will leave the government think tank
on August 31, 2017 and return to Columbia University. Currently, Rajiv
Kumar is a senior fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, a
non-governmental think tank on public policy based out of New Delhi. He
had also been part of a Government appointed high-level search Panel
that went into the appointment of regulators in the Indian financial
sector. Meanwhile, the Centre has also appointed Vinod Paul, a
Paediatrician at AIIMS, as a member of NITI Aayog.
Which country to host the 15th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of BIMSTEC countries?
Correct Answer: D [Nepal]
Answer Explanation:
The 15th meeting of the Foreign Ministers of BIMSTEC countries will
be held in Kathmandu, Nepal from August 10-11, 2017. From India, the
Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will represent India in
the meeting and will hold bilateral meetings with the leaders of the
members countries. During the BIMSTEC meeting, progress on several
programmes will be discussed.
Which committee has recently submitted report on institutionalization of arbitration mechanism in India?
Correct Answer: A [BN Srikrishna committee ]
Answer Explanation:
The high level committee under the Chairmanship of Justice BN
Srikrishna has recently submitted its on review of the
Institutionalization of Arbitration Mechanism in India. The committee
has recommended for setting up an Autonomous Body, Arbitration Promotion
Council of India (APCI) having representatives from all stakeholders
for grading arbitral institutions in India. The APCI may recognize
professional institutes providing for accreditation of arbitrators. The
APCI may hold training workshops and interact with law firms and law
schools to train advocates with interest in arbitration and with a goal
to create a specialist arbitration bar comprising of advocates dedicated
to the field. It has also recommended for creation of a specialist
Arbitration Bench to deal with such Commercial disputes, in the domain
of the Courts.
Who has been appointed as the new Ambassador of India to the Republic of Kazakhstan?
Correct Answer: D [Prabhat Kumar]
Answer Explanation:
Prabhat Kumar, the IFS officer of 1991 batch, has been appointed as
the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Kazakhstan. Presently,
he is Ambassador of India to Colombia. He is expected to take up the
assignment shortly.
Microsoft has tied up with which Indian state to use its AI-based MINE platform to screen children for eye problems?
Correct Answer: B [Telangana ]
Answer Explanation:
The Microsoft India has tied up with the state of Telangana to use
its artificial intelligence-based MINE platform to screen children for
eye problems and prevent avoidable blindness. The Microsoft Intelligent
Network for Eyecare (MINE) is an artificial intelligence platform to
reduce avoidable blindness. With this tied up, Telangana has become the
first Indian state to deploy artificial intelligence for eyecare
screening.
Robert Hard, the noted actor has passed away. He hailed from which country?
Correct Answer: C [England]
Answer Explanation:
Robert Hard (91), who portrayed the role of Minister of Magic
‘Cornelius Fudge’ in four of the ‘Harry Potter’ films, has passed away
in London, England on August 3, 2017. He was also known for his many
portrayals of Winston Churchill and as the irascible vet Siegfried
Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small. His voice performance as Robin
Hood in Tale Spinners For Children, an LP from the 1960s, is considered
one of the best Robin Hood renditions.
The Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) is located in which state?
Correct Answer: D [Kerala]
Answer Explanation:
The Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) is located along the Western
Ghats in Mukundapuram taluk of Thrissur District of Kerala. The
sanctuary is an important bird area with 192 recorded avian species such
as grey-headed bulbul, Indian rufous babbler, white-bellied
blue-flycatcher, Ceylon frogmouth, Indian edible-nest swiftlet, Malabar
trogon and Loten’s sunbird. The sanctuary also offers trekking paths for
the adventure traveller.
Ankur Mittal is associated with which sports?
Correct Answer: C [Shooting]
Answer Explanation:
Indian shooter Ankur Mittal has clinched the individual as well as
the team gold medal in men’s double trap at the 7th Asian Shotgun
Championship at Astana, Kazakhstan on August 5, 2017. Mittal shot 71 in
the six-man final to finish at the top of the podium. With scores of
Sangram Dahiya and Mohammad Asab added to Mittal’s final total, India
managed to bag the top prize in the team event also. Dahiya had a score
of 43 and Asab had shot 34.
