June Current Affairs 2020 Weekly Test -2

Answer – 3) Javed Ahktar
Explanation:
Javed Ahktar, renowned poet, lyricist and writer became the first Indian to receive the Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, holding religious principles up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values.

Answer – 4) Gujarat
Explanation:
The 2nd State Food Safety Index (SFSI) for 2019-20 of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been topped by Gujarat among larger states and by Goa among smaller states. It was announced during a webinar conducted on the occasion of “World Food Safety Day” on June 7, 2020 on the theme “Food Safety is everyone’s business”.

Answer – 1) 168
Explanation:
According to the biennial Environment Performance Index (EPI) 2020 released jointly by Yale University and Columbia University, India has ranked 168 out of 180 countries with a score of 27.6 out of 100.While the Denmark has been topped the list with a score of 82.5. Here’s the list of top 3 nations in EPI 2020:

Answer – 3) June 7
Explanation:
The Second World Food Safety Day was celebrated to promote actions that support food security, human health, agriculture and sustainable development and prevent, detect and manage foodborne diseases. The First World Food Safety Day was celebrated on 7th June 2019. The Theme of World Food Safety Day 2020 remains the same as the theme of 2019 “Food Safety, everyone’s business”.

Answer – 4) Google
Explanation:
Google is trying to do its bit in helping people maintain their social distance. The tech giant has launched a new app that will help people maintain distance in real life using augmented reality. The app has been developed under Experiments with Google and is not available on the Google Play Store but can be side-loaded separately. The app called ‘Sodar’.

Answer – 1) Uttarakhand
Explanation:
Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya approved the declaration of Bhararisen(Gairsain) in Chamoli district as the state’s summer capital in compliance with the provisions of clause (3) of Article 348 of the Constitution of India. Dehradun (the largest city) will remain the winter capital.

Answer – 3) West Bengal
Explanation:
According to the Chief Minister (CM) of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, the World Bank (WB) has granted loan worth of Rs. 1,950 crores to the state for tackling coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and developmental work.

Answer – 5) -3.2%
Explanation:
The Washington based multilateral lender, World Bank in its latest edition of the Global Economic Prospect (GEP) June 2020 analytical chapters reports states that India’s growth is contract by 3.2% (so growth is -3.2%) for FY20-21. It was lower from 4.2% which forecasted in FY2019-20 at the end of March 2020.

Answer – 5) Renjith Kumar
Explanation:
Renjith Kumar, Engineer from Kerala and Indian Entrepreneur based in Virginia is honoured with NASA’s highest form of recognition for a non-governmental individual “NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal” for his service to NASA through executive leadership, engineering contribution, technical excellence and customer satisfaction.

Answer – 1) Empays Payment Systems
Explanation:
In order to eliminate the use a physical card or touch an ATM PIN pad, amid the spread of coronavirus from contaminated surfaces, Empays Payment Systems has joined hands with Mastercard to launch “Cardless ATM powered by Mastercard” in India based on the standards of EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa).

Answer – 2) Adani Green Energy Limited
Explanation:
Gautam Adani led Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) has won one of world’s largest solar contract from Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to develop 8 GW of solar projects along with a commitment to establish 2 GW of additional solar cell and module manufacturing capacity at cost of ₹45,000 crore or $6 bilion, creating 4 lakh direct and indirect jobs.

Answer – 3) Kishan Reddy
Explanation:
MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) reconstituted a new committee for the welfare of the freedom fighters with the chairman G Kishan Reddy and 9 other “eminent freedom fighters” from across the country. Along with Reddy, former Congress MLA from Gujarat Dinakar Bhai Desai, who took part in 1942 Quit India Movement is one among the 9-member panel.

Answer – 5) 3 Lakh crore
Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed a committee headed by Rajnath Singh to solve the difficulties faced in the implementation of Rs.3 Lakh crore collateral-free loan for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises(MSME) under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) scheme announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 13th May 2020 as a part of Rs.20 Lakh crore Covid-19 aid to raise the economy. Under the Scheme, 100% guarantee coverage to be provided by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) for additional funding of up to Rs. 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs and interested MUDRA. borrowers, in the form of a Guaranteed Emergency Credit Line (GECL) facility.

Answer – 1) Management trainer
Explanation:
The Management guru, Padma Shri Pritam Singh, who contributed more than 50 research papers and 7 books on management education in India and abroad passed away at the age of 78 at a hospital in Gurugram due to cardiac arrest.

Answer – 5) Gymnastics
Explanation:
kurt Bilteaux Thomas, the first American to win the gold medal in the Gymnastic World Championship 1978 in floor exercise held at the Strasbourg, France passed away at the age of 64 after suffering from a stroke on 24th May 2020 in Texas. He was born on 29th March 1956 in Miami, Florida.

Answer – 1) Gujarat
Explanation:
According to the “Poonam Avlokkan” survey the population of the Asiatic lion at the Gir sanctuary in Gujarat has seen a commendable rise to approximately 29% (28.87%) from 27% in 2015 i.e their population went from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020.

Answer – 1) Maharashtra
Explanation:
On the occasion of World Environment Day (June 05, 2020), the Maharashtra cabinet chaired by its Chief Minister (CM) Uddhav Bal Thackeray has approved a proposal to rename the state’s Environment Ministry as ‘Environment and Climate Change Ministry’ with the aim to play an active role in climate change mitigation.

Answer – 1) Greece
Explanation:
Greece and Italy have signed an agreement demarcating their maritime boundaries, amid tension in the Mediterranean region over rights to natural resources. The agreement signed on Tuesday in Athens tackled an issue that had been pending for 40 years.

Answer – 5) MGNREGS
Explanation:
The highest ever allocation of funds worth Rs. 1,01,500 made under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the current Financial Year(FY) 2020-2021. A sum of Rs. 31,493 crores have already been released in 2020-21, which is more than 50 percent of budget estimation of current Financial Year 2020-21.

Answer – 5) Musician
Explanation:
Indian Musician Shobha Sekhar, the founder of Kalakruthi a music organisation in Australia receives the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday 2020 for her service to Indian music and dance.

Answer – 1) Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Explanation:
QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) is a global education analyst that released the 17th edition of the QS World University Rankings 2021. This year only 3 Indian Institutions were among the top two-hundred ranks 2 IIT’s and IISC. Globally, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), USA continues to be the number one for the 9th year in a row.

Answer – 3) Mumbai
Explanation:
Mercer released its 26th Annual Cost of Living Survey 2020. From India, Mumbai city has been ranked 60th most expensive city globally and also 19th in Asia. Mumbai is the only Indian city ranked in the top 100. Hongkong tops the list globally. Hong Kong is the most expensive city of the world, followed by Ashgabat and Tokyo.

Answer – 3) India
Explanation:
Indian railways created a benchmark by setting a new world history on the successful running of the first Double-decker Container Train with a contact wire of 7.57-metre height on its high reach pantograph in the high rise Over Head Equipment (OHE) electrified territory on the western railway from Palanpur and Botad stations in Gujarat.

Answer – 3) Odisha
Explanation:
Odisha became the first State in India to receive prestigious ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9001:2015 certification for its 44 tribal hostels of Keonjhar (32 hostels) and Sambalpur (12 hostels) districts improving their overall infrastructure and standards under Mission Suvidya.

Answer – 1) Rattan Lal
Explanation:
76-year-old Indian-American Soil scientist, Dr. Rattan Lal received the 2020 World Food Prize Laureate (250,000 USD – Rs. 1.89 crore) for developing and mainstreaming a soil centric approach to increase food production that conserves natural resources and mitigates climate change. He was born in 1944 in Karyal, West Punjab, India.

Answer – 3) SCL Das
Explanation:
A 3-member high-level committee was formed by the Petroleum Ministry to inquire the disaster at Oil India Ltd well in Assam. The panel will be headed by Director General of Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), SCL Das, other members of the panel include BC Bora former ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) chairman and T K Sengupta former ONGC director.

Answer – 5) Shobhaa De
Explanation:
Writer and Columnist Shobhaa De’s new collection of stories titled “Lockdown Liaisons” a book reflecting the impacts of COVID-19 on human lives published by Simon & Schuster India and released on May 30, 2020.

Answer – 1) June 12
Explanation:
June 12 of Every year is observed as the World Day Against Child Labour which was launched by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2002 to focus on the global extent of child labour and the steps to be taken to eliminate it. Theme of 2020: “COVID-19: Protect children from child labour, now more than ever”.

Answer – 1) Pankaj Tripathi
Explanation:
Pankaj Tripathi, Bollywood Actor, was appointed as the brand ambassador of Bihar’s Khadi by the Government of Bihar.He will promote the usage of Khadi product as well as the Patna’s Khadi Mall.

Answer – 5) Kathy Sullivan
Explanation:
The 68-year-old Kathy Sullivan, Former NASA astronaut and Oceanographer became the first woman to reach the Challenger Deep, the deepest point in the ocean. She is the 1st human to reach both the space and deepest point of ocean.

Answer – 2) PK Mohanty
Explanation:
India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has set up a 5-member internal working group (IWG) headed by its Central Board Director Prasanna Kumar (PK) Mohanty to review ownership guidelines and corporate structure for private banks in light of recent developments in the banking sector. The committee is due to submit its report by 30th September 2020.

Answer – 4) Cricket
Explanation:
India’s oldest first-class cricketer Vasant Raiji, a right-handed batsman passed away at 100 due to old-age at his residence in Walkeshwar in South Mumbai. He was born on January 26, 1920 in Vadodara (Baroda), Gujarat.

Answer – 2) Odisha
Explanation:
The Cabinet of Odisha chaired by Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha approved the proposal to give the status of State anthem to “Bande Utkala Janani”, a poem written by Kantakabi Laxmikanta Mohapatra in 1912.

Answer – 5) 1.16
Explanation:
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), one of the world’s biggest sovereign wealth funds, has invested Rs 5,863.50 crore for a 1.16 % stake in Jio platforms, a subsidiary of Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

Answer – 5) All the 1), 2) and 3)
Explanation:
Former Delhi police commissioner and former Governor of Mizoram, Manipur and Jharkhand, Ved Prakash Marwah, IPS, passed away at the age of 87 in a private hospital in Mapusa town in North Goa where he was admitted three weeks ago due to a fall. He was born on 15th September 1934 in Peshawar, British India.

Answer – 2) COVID BEEP
Explanation:
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) medical college, Hyderabad in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad and the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Hyderabad, and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECL) have developed India’s first indigenous wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for the COVID-19 affected patients namely “COVID BEEP” app. It is an acronym for Continuous Oxygenation & Vital Information Detection Biomed ECIL ESIC Pod. It has been virtually launched by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr. Jitendra Singh along with Minister of State for Home Affairs, Gangapuram Kishan Reddy, Dean ESIC Medical College, Prof. Srinivas M.

Answer – 1) PhonePe
Explanation:
Flipkart-owned digital payments platform PhonePe along with ICICI Lombard, the non-life insurance company launched ‘first of its kind’ travel insurance, domestic multi-trip insurance to provide a stress-free travel experience to customers by covering risks associated with all modes of travel within the country (road, rail and air within the country) from the time a customer leaves home, till the time of return.

Answer – 2) Haryana
Explanation:
Large areas of forest land are being diverted to other projects throughout India by the Government. A total 11,467.83 hectares (114.68 square kilometre) forest lands were diverted in 22 states between January 1 and November 6, 2019. The most number of projects were in Haryana where a total diversion of 519.53 ha for 251 projects.

Answer – 1) China
Explanation:
Senior lawmakers from eight democracies including the United States have united to counter Communist China. Launched on June 5, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) is “an international cross-party group of legislators working towards reform on how democratic countries approach China”.

Answer – 1) National Highway Authority of India
Explanation:
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways becomes the first Organisation in the Construction Sector to become fully digitalised utilising the cloud and artificial intelligence powered by the Data Lake, a Big Data Analytic platform and Project Management softwares.

Answer – 4) Karnataka
Explanation:
Kempegowda International Airport is an international airport serving Bengaluru, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka.

Answer – 4) Ramon Magsaysay awards
Explanation:
A Philippine peace award has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, marking only the third disruption in six decades for the annual prize regarded as an Asian Nobel. The Manila-based foundation that hands out the Ramon Magsaysay awards said recently it has no choice “with the COVID-19 pandemic practically immobilizing the world.”

Answer – 1) Nikol Pashinyan
Explanation:
Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has recently announced that he was infected with COVID-19. The capital and currency of Armenia are Yerevan & Armenian Dram respectively.

Answer – 3) Masatsugu Asakawa
Explanation:
Masatsugu Asakawa is the current President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Answer – 5) Uttar Pradesh
Explanation:
Mayur Nritya – This dance form is prevalent in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Also known as peacock dance, ‘Mayur Nritya’ is performed by dancers who wear specially designed clothes so as to resemble a peacock. It is performed while worshipping Lord Krishna.

Answer – 5) Odisha
Explanation:
The Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will hold talks to clear out all differences with regard to the sharing of Vamsadhara river waters. Andhra Pradesh wants to build the Neradi bridge across the river which will be possible only after Odisha’s consent. Andhra Pradesh also wants to complete the inter-linking of its Nagavali river with the Vamsadhara and expand the Madduvalasa Reservoir project soon. Vamsadhara is an east-flowing river which originates in Kalahandi district of Odisha, flows in Odisha, along its boundary with Andhra Pradesh and finally joins the Bay of Bengal at Kalingapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956 (IRWD Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted under Article 262 of Constitution of India to resolve river disputes.

Answer – 3) Maharashtra
Explanation:
The color of water in Maharashtra’s Lonar lake, formed after a meteorite hit the Earth some 50,000 years ago, has changed to pink with experts attributing it to the salinity and presence of algae in the water body. It is India’s only crater lake. India has proposed this lake along with 9 other sites as sites of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

Answer – 1) Andhra Pradesh
Explanation:
Andhra government signs agreement with GMR to develop Bhogapuram airport. While Special Chief Secretary (Infrastructure and Investments) R Karikal Valaven signed the agreement on behalf of the State government, GMR Chairman GBS Raju inked the pact on behalf of GMR Airports.

Answer – 4) Weightlifting
Explanation:
International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has cleared India’s K Sanjita Chanu of anti-doping violation over charges brought up in November 2017 citing “non-conformities” in the handling of her sample.

Answer – 5) Bihar
Explanation:
Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is located in Bhagalpur District of Bihar, India.