Current Affairs 12 July 2024

Current Affairs 12 July 2024

01. In which state is the special university for disabled students being established?
(a) Bihar
(b) Odisha
(c) West Bengal
(d) Jharkhand

Ans : D

• The Jharkhand government is establishing the first university in eastern India for disabled students.
• The university will be located in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand.
• This institution will have special arrangements and educational equipment tailored for the needs of disabled students.
• The initiative aims to prevent students from having to leave the state for their education.

02. Name the rocket that Europe launched on its inaugural flight on 9th July 2024?
(a) Ariane 4
(b) Ariane 5
(c) Ariane 6
(d) Ariane 7

Ans : C

• Ariane 6 is the latest heavy-lift rocket in Europe’s Ariane series.
• The inaugural flight took place on 9th July 2024 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
• The rocket features a modular and versatile design capable of launching missions to low-Earth orbit and deep space.
• Ariane 6 is designed and built by ArianeGroup and represents a new era in European space transportation.
• It is a two-stage rocket which utilizes liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen engines.

03. Which five states/UTs in India have not yet achieved the replacement fertility rate of 2.1?
(a) Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Manipur
(b) Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
(c) Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Manipur
(d) Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Chhattisgarh

Ans : A

• Recent government data shows that 31 out of 36 states and Union Territories in India have achieved the replacement fertility rate of 2.1.
• Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, and Manipur still have higher than desired fertility rates.
• The replacement level of fertility rate is 2.1, which ensures a stable population size.
• Efforts are ongoing to reduce the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in these regions through targeted interventions.

04. Which mutual fund company launched India’s first oil & gas Exchange-Traded Funds?
(a) HDFC Mutual Fund
(b) ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund
(c) SBI Mutual Fund
(d) Axis Mutual Fund

Ans : B

• ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund launched India’s first oil & gas ETF.
• The ETF is called ICICI Prudential Nifty Oil & Gas ETF.
• The scheme tracks the Nifty Oil & Gas TRI, which reflects the performance of companies in the oil and gas sector.
• The ETF aims to provide investors with exposure to the oil and gas sector, which is pivotal to the economy.
• The ETF includes a balanced portfolio with Reliance Industries, ONGC, Indian Oil, etc.
• ETFs or “Exchange-Traded Funds” are the funds that trade on exchanges, generally tracking a specific index.

05. Which university is establishing new centres for Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain studies under the “School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies”?
(a) Delhi University
(b) Banaras Hindu University
(c) University of Mumbai
(d) Jawaharlal Nehru University

Ans : D

• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is establishing new centres for Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain studies.
• These centres will be created under the “School of Sanskrit and Indic Studies” in line with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• The decision was approved by JNU’s Executive Council in a meeting held on May 29, 2024.
• This initiative aims to implement NEP 2020 and the Indian Knowledge System at JNU.

06. The Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme of DRDO has which of the following aims?
(a) Indigenous development of Scramjet technology for Hypersonic vehicle
(b) Indigenous development of defense components by MSMEs
(c) Research Corpus for development of loitering munitions
(d) Indigenous development of Air Independent Propulsion system for Submarines

Ans : B

• DRDO has awarded seven new projects to private sector industries, focusing on MSMEs and start-ups in defence and aerospace sectors, under the Technology Development Fund scheme.
• The TDF scheme, executed by Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), facilitates indigenous development of components, products, systems and technologies by MSMEs and start-ups. Hence option 2 is correct.
• The TDF Scheme aims to provide a major fillip to the defense manufacturing sector by encouraging the industry to innovate and develop defense technologies in order to place India on the ‘Atma Nirbhar’ pathway.
• The scheme facilitates up to 90 per cent of the total project cost and allows industry to work in consortium with other industries/academia.
• With the enhanced funding, the industry and startups will be able to develop more complex technologies for existing and future weapon systems and platforms.

07. Which Public Sector Bank has signed a pact with Steel Authority of India Ltd. to offer home loans, car loans, and education loans to SAIL employees at concessional rates?
(a) State Bank of India
(b) Bank of Baroda
(c) Punjab National Bank
(d) Canara Bank

Ans : C

• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has signed a pact with Steel Authority of India (SAIL) to offer home loans, car loans, and education loans at concessional rates.
• This strategic partnership aims to enhance the financial well-being of SAIL employees.
• The MoU was signed by senior officials from both PNB and SAIL.
• The partnership also aims to expand PNB’s customer base within the steel sector.

08. What is India’s rank in the list of the world’s most affordable countries for immigrants in 2024, and which country has topped the list?
(a) India is ranked 4th, and Thailand is ranked 1st.
(b) India is ranked 6th, and Vietnam is ranked 1st.
(c) India is ranked 8th, and Indonesia is ranked 1st.
(d) India is ranked 10th, and Colombia is ranked 1st.

Ans : B

• India is ranked 6th among the most affordable countries for immigrants in 2024.
• Vietnam has been ranked 1st as the most affordable destination for immigrants for the third consecutive year.
• The ranking is based on the Expat Insider 2024 survey conducted by InterNations, involving over 12,000 expats living in 174 countries.
• The survey evaluates various factors, including the general cost of living, satisfaction with financial situation, and whether disposable household income is enough to lead a comfortable life.

09. Which state was adjudged as the best state in horticulture at the Agriculture Leadership Awards 2024?
(a) Sikkim
(b) Kerala
(c) Nagaland
(d) Punjab

Ans : C

• Nagaland was adjudged as the best state in horticulture at the Agriculture Leadership Awards 2024.
• The award was received by Nagaland’s Minister for Women Resource Development and Horticulture, Salhoutuonuo Kruse.
• Nagaland was recognized for its innovative programmes and policies for horticulture development.
• The state has achieved GI (Geographical Indication) registration for three horticultural crops: Naga Mircha, Naga Tree Tomato, and Naga Sweet Cucumber.

10. Where is the headquarters of BIMSTEC situated?
(a) Kathmandu
(b) Dhaka
(c) New Delhi
(d) Thimphu

Ans : B

• India hosted BIMSTEC
• Foreign Ministers’ Meeting amid Myanmar crisis.
• BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiative on Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
• It was formed on the 6th of June 1997, through the Bangkok declaration.
• It is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 
• Its main objective is for technological and economical cooperation among south Asian and southeast Asian countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.
• The chairmanship of BIMSTEC rotates among the Member States. Sri Lanka is the present chairman of BIMSTEC.