Current Affairs Quiz: February 20 2019

February 20, 2019

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AffairsCloud brings you the complete and important daily Current Affairs February 20 2019 Quiz to achieve more marks in Banking, Insurance, UPSC, SSC, CLAT, Railways and all other competitive Exams. We have prepared the current affairs quiz from our current affairs today updates.

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Who inaugurated the 2-day long One Health India Conference 2019 in New Delhi with an objective to launch India‘s new One Health Initiative?
1) Narendra Modi
2) Ram Nath Kovind
3) Sushma Swaraj
4) Harsh Vardhan
5) None of these
Answer – 4) Harsh Vardhan
Explanation:
Union Science & Technology Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, inaugurated the 2-day long One Health India Conference 2019 in New Delhi. The purpose of the conference was to launch India‘s new One Health Initiative – an inter sectoral approach to tackling the most urgent health threats in India as well as in low- and middle-income countries across South and South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The main objective of the conference was to formulate a roadmap for the response, preparedness, and management of current regional, national and global health challenges using a One Health collaborative approach.
Name the Minister who launched various initiatives to escalate safety of women in 16 states and Union Territories along with Maneka Gandhi in NewDelhi?
1) Ram Nath Kovind
2) Sushma Swaraj
3) Rajnath Singh
4) Narendra Modi
5) None of these
Answer – 3) Rajnath Singh
Explanation:
On 19th February 2019, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi launched various initiative to escalate safety of women in 16 states and Union Territories .
• Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO)
• Safe City Implementation Monitoring (SCIM) portal
• Pan India number under the Emergency Response Support System, ERSS
Under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), which of the following helpline number has been launched for ensuring women safety, by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh?
1) 144
2) 112
3) 131
4) 136
5) None of these
Answer – 2) 112
Explanation:
On 19th February 2019, pan India number 112(helpline number) was launched by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi in New Delhi. It comes under the Emergency Response Support System, ERSS which has been introduced for women safety in 16 states and Union Territories including Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir and was launched in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland earlier. All the states are required to set up an Emergency Response Centre, ERC.
In the hour of need, the person seeking can help can:
• Dial 112
• In smartphones, press power button of the phone thrice without any delay to activate a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre.
• In feature phones, long press on the number 5 or 9 on the keypad to activate the panic call.
Who is the head of Group of Ministers (GoM),which has favoured 3% GST on the affordable housing category, down from 8% and submitted its report to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council?
1) Mallikarjun Kharge
2) Shanta Kumar
3) Nitin Patel
4) Murli Manohar Joshi
5) None of these
Answer – 3) Nitin Patel
Explanation:
A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, which has favoured 3% on the affordable housing category, down from 8%, has submitted its report to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council for taking it up and decide on it in the meeting to be held on 20th February 2019. The Council might also consider reducing tax on cement from 28%to 18% to boost the realty sector in the meeting.GST is currently levied at 12%on premium housing and 8% on affordable housing on payments made for under-construction properties, where completion certificate has not been issued at the time of sale.No GST is charged if a property is bought after the issue of completion certificate.
Which Ministry sponsored the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) AIIMS,New Delhi for their report on “Magnitude of Substance Use in India”?
1) Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
2) Ministry of Science and Technology
3) Ministry of Human Resource Development
4) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
5) None of these
Answer – 4) Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Explanation:
A report “Magnitude of Substance Use in India”by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi sponsored by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment was submitted to the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot in Delhi. A“National Survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India”was conducted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment through the NDDTC of AIIMS, New Delhi in both the national and stated levels.Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot stated that in order to deal with the issue of drug abuse and to formulate guidelines and prepare an action plan, the State governments and all other stake holders including NGOs and drug de-addiction centres will be consulted.
According to the National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO) report gross secondary enrolment rate in the 15-16 age group was hiked to _______ percent in the year 2016 from 58 percent in 2010.
1) 75 percent
2) 80 percent
3) 90 percent
4) 66 percent
5) None of these
Answer – 3) 90 percent
Explanation:
According to the National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO) first periodic labour force survey, levels of unemployment were observed to be much higher among educated people than ones with lower level of education in 2017-18. The gross secondary enrolment rate in the 15-16 age group went up to 90 percent in 2016 from 58 percent in 2010. The rate of education among rural men increased from a mere 6 percent in 2011-12 to 10.5 percent in 2017-18. As many as 9.2 percent urban men were educated in 2017-18, more than double of the 2011-12 levels.
Union Tourism Minister, Shri K. J. Alphons, inaugurated the ‘Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon – Thekkady’ project under which of the following scheme in Vagamon, Kerala?
1) Swadesh Darshan scheme
2) Pooled Finance Development Fund Scheme
3) Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana
4) Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana
5) None of these
Answer – 1) Swadesh Darshan scheme
Explanation:
Union Tourism Minister, Shri K. J. Alphons, inaugurated the ‘Eco Circuit: Pathanamthitta – Gavi – Vagamon – Thekkady’ project under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of the Ministry of Tourism,at Vagamon, Kerala. The project was sanctioned for Rs 76.55 crores in December 2015 and major works carried out under it include Eco Adventure Tourism Park at Vagamon, Cultural Centre at Kadamanitta, Eco Log Huts at Peerumedu, Approach Roads, Walking trails, Rain Shelters at Pine Valley Forest, Thekkady, Kumily, Moozhiyar Dam, Penstock and Kakki Dam.
Name the State government,which passed a Bill to make Sanskrit as the second official language of the state?
1) Madhya Pradesh
2) Himachal Pradesh
3) Maharashtra
4) NewDelhi
5) None of these
Answer – 2) Himachal Pradesh
Explanation:
On 16th February 2019, a bill was passed in the Himachal Pradesh assembly to make Sanskrit the second official language of the state. Key Points Mahender Singh Thakur, the Irrigation and Public Health minister introduced the bill Himachal Pradesh Official Language Bill, 2019 (Amendment). The bill was introduced in the absence of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and was passed without discussion. With this, Himachal Pradesh became the second state to adopt Sanskrit as the second official language of the state after Uttarakhand. The other bills passed during the same session:
• Himachal Pradesh University of Health Sciences Amendment Bill, 2019 to rename Himachal Pradesh University of Health Sciences as Atal Medical and Research University, Himachal Pradesh.
• Himachal Pradesh Bovine Breeding Bill, 2019 to promote indigenous species of cows in the state by setting up sperm stations and using frozen semen in artificial insemination.
Uttarakhand State government had given Interest-free loans of how much worth to self-help groups involved in agro-related activities during its State Budget 2019-20?
1) Rs 3 lakh
2) Rs 1 lakh
3) Rs 2 lakh
4) Rs 5 lakh
5) None of these
Answer – 4) Rs 5 lakh
Explanation:
Uttarakhand State budget of Rs. 48,663.90 crore was presented by Finance Minister Prakash Pant who described it as a balanced budget by prioritising education, health, agriculture, employment generation in rural areas, infrastructure, housing and urban development. Interest-free loans of up to Rs 1 lakh shall be provided to poor and small farmers.Interest free loans amounting to Rs 5 lakh shall be given to self-help groups involved in agro-related activities.Rs 1,341 crore have been allocated to agriculture and horticulture in the budget while Rs 3,141.34 crore have been allocated to rural development and Panchayati Raj department.
Punjab FM Manpreet Singh Badal allocated __________crore for farm debt waiver,while presenting the State Budget 2019-20?
1) Rs 3,000 crore
2) Rs 2,000 crore
3) Rs 4,000 crore
4) Rs 5,000 crore
5) None of these
Answer – 1) Rs 3,000 crore
Explanation:
Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal presented the state budget for Financial Year (FY) 2019-20 with a total outlay of Rs 1,58,493 crore with no new taxes.An allocation of Rs 3,000 crore for farm debt waiver was proposed for the year 2019-20 in order to waive off the loans of landless farm labourers and the families of farmers who have been forced to commit suicides. The total revenue receipts have been estimated at Rs 78,510 crore for the next financial year as against Rs 70,399 crore for 2018-19. The total receipts of the state have been pegged at Rs 1,54,170 crore.
Name the General Insurance Company,that launched first-of-its-kind ‘Trip Protector’ policy in India?
1) National Insurance Co. Ltd
2) New India Assurance Co. Ltd
3) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance
4) HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd
5) None of these
Answer – 4) HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd
Explanation:
The first-of-its kind ‘Trip Protector’ insurance policy was launched by HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company which is the third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector in India. The policy states that:
• In case a flight or a hotel booking is cancelled, travellers will be safeguarded financially against the cost of cancellation levied on them by the respective hotels or airlines for both domestic and international travel.
• In instances wherein travellers are refused accommodation on arriving at the hotel due to overbooking, the policy will provide cover against cancellation of a pre-booked room.
• Initially, this policy is being offered to customers of HDFC Bank on the purchase of Airline tickets or Hotel Bookings done using their HDFC Bank credit cards.
• The policy will allow customers to choose between refundable and non-refundable tickets. Refundable tickets shall be paid for in case of cancellation.
Name the new micro insurance plan,that will provide coverage of up to 2 lakhs by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India?
1) Micro Debit
2) Micro Bachat
3) Micro Loan
4) Micro Fund
5) None of these
Answer – 2) Micro Bachat
Explanation:
On 18th February 2019, a new micro insurance plan ‘Micro Bachat’ was launched by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India. It provides a coverage of up to 2 lakhs and is the first micro-insurance plan to do so.It provides both protection and savings and is a regular premium, non-linked, participating endowment micro insurance plan. In case a policyholder dies, this plan would provide financial assistance to the family. For surviving policyholders, a lump sum amount at the time of maturity shall be provided.It can be availed only by standard healthy citizens in the age group of 18-55 years without undergoing any medical examination.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI),decided to transfer how much crore as interim dividend to the Government of India in the current Financial Year (FY) 2018-19?
1) Rs. 30,000 crore
2) Rs. 28,000 crore
3) Rs. 25,000 crore
4) Rs. 35,000 crore
5) None of these
Answer – 2) Rs. 28,000 crore
Explanation:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to transfer Rs. 28,000 crore as interim dividend to the Government of India in the current Financial Year (FY) 2018-19, in order to enable the Centre to meet its revised fiscal deficit target of 3.4% of the GDP for FY19.It is the 2nd successive year that RBI has transferred an interim surplus to the Government. In FY 2017 – 18, RBI handed out an interim dividend of Rs 10,000 crore in March 2018 and in August 2018, it transferred Rs 40,000 crore taking the total dividend pay-out to Rs 50,000 crore. The accounting year of RBI is from July to June. With the Rs 40,000 crore dividend for FY 2017-18, the Centre has earned a total of Rs 68,000 crore as dividend for the 2018-19 fiscal. The RBI Act, 1934 requires RBI to pay the Government its surplus after making provisions for bad and doubtful debts, depreciation in assets and contribution to staff and superannuation.
Which company becomes the first Indian state refiner to buy U.S. crude oil worth USD 1.5 billion for 60,000 barrels a day from April 2019 to March 2020?
1) Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
2) Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
3) Indian Oil Corporation Limited
4) Reliance Industries Limited
5) None of these
Answer – 3) Indian Oil Corporation Limited
Explanation:
Indian Oil Corporation(IOC), has signed its very first annual deal to buy U.S. crude oil, paying USD 1.5 billion for 60,000 barrels a day beginning April 2019 to March 2020 to diversify its crude sources.IOCL is the first Indian state refiner to buy U.S. oil under an annual contract, in a deal that will also help boost trade between New Delhi and Washington.
As per Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s new norms, after how many years of incorporation, a startup will recognise as an entity, from earlier 7 years under the Income Tax Act, 1961?
1)10 years
2) 8 years
3) 9 years
4) 12 years
5) None of these
Answer – 1) 10 years
Explanation:
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry in an attempt to provide relief to and boost investments into start-ups in India, has decided to simplify the process for them to get exemptions under the Income Tax Act, 1961.It will now recognize an entity as a start-up up to 10 years from the date of its incorporation or registration instead of the existing duration of 7 years. It will also recognize an entity as a start-up if its turnover for any of the financial years since its incorporation or registration does not exceed Rs 100 crore unlike the previous amount of Rs 25 crore.Under Section 56 (2) (viib) of Income Tax Act, a start-up will be eligible for exemption if it is a private limited company recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). This section was introduced in 2012 as an anti-abuse measure,and is dubbed as ‘Angel tax’ due to its impact on investments made by angel investors in start-up ventures.
Who was awarded with India’s first-ever “Football Ratna” by Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran, former player and administrator in AIFF and FIFA?
1) Cristiano Ronaldo
2) Lionel Messi
3) Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
4) Sunil Chhetri
5) None of these
Answer – 4) Sunil Chhetri
Explanation:
The 34-year-old,Sunil Chhetri, was awarded India’s first-ever “Football Ratna”by Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran, former player and administrator at the All India Football Federation(AIFF) and FIFA(Fédération Internationale de Football Association).Football Delhi is the state association governing the sport in Delhi.He was also named as the 6th Indian Footballer in the elite Padma Shri list.Shubham Sarangi, youth player from Delhi who is currently the player of Delhi Dynamos team for Indian Super League (ISL), was also honoured by Football Delhi on this occasion. He was part of the AIFF Youth Academy for 12 years, and has represented India in Under-14 and Under-17 National Teams.

Who won the Sportsman of the Year in Laureus World Sports Awards 2019 at the Laureus Awards Ceremony in Monaco?
1) Lionel Messi
2) Roger Federer
3) Novak Djokovic
4) Rafael Nadal
5) None of these

Answer – 3) Novak Djokovic
Explanation:
The Laureus World Sports Awards 2019 were announced at the Laureus Awards Ceremony in Monaco on 18 February, 2019. Novak Djokovic matched Usain Bolt’s record by being named World Sportsman of the Year for the fourth time.
[table]

Category	Winner	Sport	Country
Sportsman of the Year	Novak Djokovic	Tennis	Serbia
Sportswoman of the Year	Simone Biles	Gymnastics	USA
Team of the Year	France’s Football Team	Football	France
Comeback of the Year	Tiger Woods	Golf	USA
Breakthrough of the Year	Naomi Osaka	Tennis	Japan
Action Sportsperson of the Year	Chloe Kim	Snowboarding	USA

[/table]

Name the NGO,who won the Sport for Good Award that fight gender discrimination by getting young girls to play football in Laureus Awards Ceremony,Monaco?
1) Norway based NGO – Acumen Fund
2) U S based NGO – Mercy Corps
3) Jharkhand based NGO – Yuwa
4) Switzerland based NGO – CARE International
5) None of these

Answer – 3) Jharkhand based NGO – Yuwa
Explanation:
The Laureus World Sports Awards 2019 were announced at the Laureus Awards Ceremony in Monaco on 18 February, 2019. Yuwa is a Jharkhand based NGO that helps fight gender discrimination by getting young girls to play football.
[table]

Category	Winner	Sport	Country
Lifetime Achievement Award	Arsene Wenger	Football (Manager)	France
Spirit of Sport Award	Lindsey Vonn	Skiing	USA
Exceptional Achievement Award	Eliud Kipchoge	Running	Kenya
Sporting Moment of the Year	Xia Boyu	Mountain Climbing	China
Sport for Good Award	Jharkhand based NGO – Yuwa	Football	India

[/table]

Who was appointed as the first woman president of Astronomical Society of India?
1) GC Anupama
2) Arati Saha
3) Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi
4) Reita Faria Powel
5) None of these
Answer – 1) GC Anupama
Explanation:
The Astronomical Society of India will be presided over by a woman, GC Anupama for the first time in its history. She will succeed RK Tyagi and has been elected to this post for a tenure of 3 years.
Lieutenant General Depinder Singh Ahuja, awardee of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal,has taken charge as the new Chief of Staff for which command?
1) Eastern Command
2) Southern Command
3) Western Command
4) Northern Command
5) None of these
Answer – 2) Southern Command
Explanation:
Lieutenant General Depinder Singh Ahuja, awardee of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal,has taken charge as the new Chief of Staff at the headquarters of the Southern Command in Pune, Maharashtra.He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College,Wellington and the National Defence College, New Delhi and a member of the Indian Institute of Engineers.The position was earlier held by Lt. Gen. Manoj Pande, who has taken over the command of Army’s frontier Gajraj Corps.
Name the drainage-cleaning robot introduced in Chennai,TamilNadu recently?
1) Mitra
2) Bandicoot
3) Daksh
4) Robocop
5) None of these
Answer – 2) Bandicoot
Explanation:
Bandicoot, a drainage-cleaning robot, has been introduced for the first time in India at the Kumbakonam city corporation as part of efforts to rid of manual scavenging at the cost of Rs 18 lakh in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Kadambur Raju, member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, inaugurated the operation of the robot.It is a semi-automatic robot can enter manholes for cleaning sewage lines with its robotic arm and is equipped with 5 night-vision cameras to relay the scenario underneath.
Where did Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and LG Anil Baijal inaugurated India’s first National Cyber Forensic Lab (NCFL) and Cyber Prevention Awareness and Detection (CyPAD)?
1) NewDelhi
2) Gujarat
3) Odisha
4) Assam
5) None of these
Answer – 1) NewDelhi
Explanation:
On 18th February 2019, Cyber Prevention Awareness and Detection (CyPAD) Centre and the National Cyber Forensic Lab (NCFL) were inaugurated by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and LG Anil Baijal in Dwarka, New Delhi. NFCL has been set up under Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (ICCCC)and shall be accessible to Delhi Police’s cyber-crime cell and other safety organizations.It is equipped to deal with memory forensics, image enhancement, network forensics, malware forensics, crypto-currency forensics, recovery of damaged hard drives and advanced mobile forensics. Both of these labs have been set up in order to enhance the nation’s capability to deal with sophisticated and complicated terror plans and cyber-attacks.To spread awareness among school students and teachers, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has started a popular Twitter handle @CyberDost.
Which country is planning to build its first space-based solar power station, orbiting 36,000 kilometres above ground?
1) US
2) China
3) Russia
4) India
5) None of these
Answer – 2) China
Explanation:
China is planning to build its first space-based solar power station, orbiting 36,000 kilometres above ground, to capture solar energy in orbit and beam it to the Earth. Chinese scientists reportedly plan to build solar power stations and launch them into the stratosphere between 2021 and 2025. The beams would be converted into power through ground station, reports added.
8-time world champion,Squash queen Nicol David set to retire at the end of the 2018-19 Professional Squash Association (PSA).She belongs to which country?
1) Russia
2) India
3) Malaysia
4) Australia
5) None of these
Answer – 3) Malaysia
Explanation:
Malaysian squash queen,35-year-old and 8-time world champion,Nicol David, announced that she will be retiring at the end of the 2018-19 Professional Squash Association (PSA) season in June 2019. She had a successful career with 81 PSA titles from 102 finals and held the World no. 1 spot for a record 109 months consecutively from 2006 to 2015.
American military veteran and novelist,William E. Butterworth III,passed away recently at the age of 89.He wrote which of the following popular novel series?
1) Badge of Honor
2) An Era of Darkness
3) Remnants of a Separation
4) Patriots, Poets and Prisoners
5) None of these
Answer – 1) Badge of Honor
Explanation:
American military veteran and novelist,William E. Butterworth III, better known as W.E.B. Griffin (his pen name), died on 12th February 2019, at the age of 89. He joined the army at the age of 17 and has served in the Korean War.He wrote more than 200 books under the pen name W.E.B. Griffin and various other names and sold millions of copies. His most popular series include “Badge of Honor,” ”Clandestine Operations” and “Presidential Agent.”
Name the person,who was popularly known as ‘Grandfather of Climate Science’ died at the age of 87 in New York?
1) Max Planck
2) Rosalind Franklin
3) Francis Crick
4) Wallace Smith Broker
5) None of these
Answer – 4) Wallace Smith Broker
Explanation:
Wallace Smith Broker, popular as ‘Grandfather of Climate Science’ died at the age of 87 at New York. He popularised the term ‘global warming’. He was the first scientist to recognize the Ocean Conveyor Belt which is said to have a major impact on climate including air temperature and rain patterns. He also stated that the release of greenhouse gases into the Earth’s atmosphere has an effect on the ocean currents.

Static GK Quiz based on Current Affairs:

Who is the Chief Minister of Kerala?
Answer – Pinarayi Vijayan
Where is the Headquarter of Fédération Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) located?
Answer – Zürich, Switzerland
Who was the Governor of Uttarakhand?
Answer -Baby Rani Maurya
During which year Astronomical Society of India was established?
Answer – 1972
Which state houses the Moozhiyar Dam?
Answer – Kerala

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