General Knowledge(GK) (or) General Awareness

Correct Answer :   6.44%

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According to the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), India's retail inflation has lowered to 6.44% in February 2023 from 6.52% in January 2023.

But it remained above the upper band of the 4+/- 2 percent medium-term target of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the second consecutive month.

While food inflation eased marginally to 5.95 percent in February 2023 from 6% in January 2023, inflation for cereals, milk, and fruits picked up..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Naatu Naatu

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RRR’s Naatu Naatu has created history by winning the prestigious Academy Awards 2023 in the Best Original song category.

The 95th Academy Awards saw India win two trophies. The Best Original Song was won by RRR’s Naatu Naatu.

As MM Keeravaani and Chandrabose picked the trophy, the music composer sang a song dedicating his award to India.

While India's The Elephant Whisperers (directed by Kartiki Gonsalves) The Elephant Whisperers won the award for Best Documentary Short Subject at the 95th Academy Awards.

Best Actress : Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once)

Best Actor : Brendan Fraser (The Whale)..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Tarundeep Rai

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Sikkim's veteran Tarundeep Rai on 12 February 2023 won the men's recurve title in the final leg of the National Ranking Agency tournament at the Yamuna Sports Complex.

The 2010 Asian Games silver medallist defeated former national champion Parth Salunkhe 6-2 in the final. Singh grabbed third position edging out India's number one Atanu Das in a shoot-off.

On the other hand, Ankita Bhakat won the senior women's recurve title with a 6-4 win over the Madhu Vedwan, while Bhajan Kaur took third place on the podium.

Bhajan defeated Ridhi Phor 6-2.

Here are results :

(Recurve) Sub-junior, Men : 1. Vishnu Choudhary, 2. Dev Arjun, 3. Kapish Singh; Women: 1. Bhajan Kaur, 2. Manjiri Alone, 3. Avni.

Junior Men : 1. Neeraj Chauhan, 2. Aditya Choudhary, 3. Parth Salunkhe; Women: 1. Bhajan Kaur, 2. Ridhi Phor, 3. Luxmi Hembram.

Senior Men : 1. Tarundeep Rai, 2. Parth Salunkhe, 3. Sukhchain Singh; Women: 1. Ankita Bhakat, 2. Madhu Vedwan, 3. Bhajan Kaur...

Source : India Today

Correct Answer :   Eoin Morgan

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It came to light that former England captain Eoin Morgan retired from all forms of cricket on February 13, 2023. He posted a tweet stating that “After much deliberation, I believe that

Now is the right time to step away from the game that has given me so much over the years, I will undoubtedly miss the thrill and challenges of playing professional cricket”. Morgan gave England 50 overs in 2019 which led to a tremendous victory in the World Cup.

He played for England and marked a record of 126 ODIs and 72 T20s of captaincy. It is also a record that he has led England to victory in 118 matches as captain in both formats.

Correct Answer :   3,825 Kilometers

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The Central Railway has achieved 100 per cent electrification of its broad gauge network of 3,825 kilometers, which was resulting in an annual reduction of 5.204 lakh tonnes of carbon footprints.

The CSMT-headquartered zonal railway said the 52-kilometre Ausa Road-Latur Road stretch in Solapur division was the last non-electrified section and its electrification was completed on the 23rd of February 2023.

This move helps in reducing carbon footprints of 5.204 lakh tonnes every year as well as savings of 1670 crore rupees. It will reduce fuel bills and help earn carbon credit...

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Tajinderpal Singh Toor

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* India's Tajinderpal Singh Toor cleared 19.49m in the shot put event at the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships and won a gold medal.

* While Karanvir Singh who was the only one to cross the 19m mark was an athlete and won a silver medal.

* Tajinderpal Singh Toor won the 2018 Asian Games and won gold in the 2019 Outdoor Asian Championship.

* India's current national champion in the triple jump, Praveen Chitravel won the silver medal with a jump of 16.98 metres.

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   Kochi Metro

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In an initiative to promote Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), Kochi Metro has started accepting the digital currency (e-rupee) in its parking facilities.

The programme was inaugurated on Friday (10th March 2023) at the parking facility in Thykoodam and the system would be introduced in all other parking areas of the Metro soon.

According to Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) authorities, Kochi Metro is the first Metro in the country to accept CBDC.

The programme was introduced in association with IDFC FIRST Bank partnered with Anantham Online, a technology startup.

This initiative comes at the back of a pilot programme launched by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). RBI recently announced the launch of CBDC for retail users...

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   Punjab National Bank

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Punjab National Bank, nation’s public sector bank and Central Warehousing Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate financing under e-NWR (Electronic Negotiable Warehousing Receipt).

The partnership is aimed at providing easy access to finance to farmers/ food processors/ traders against the pledge of agriculture commodities stored in CWC warehouses.

General Manager, Kanwal Jit Shorey signed the agreement on behalf of Punjab National Bank and Shri Rajiv Kumar Bansal, Group General Manager (Comm.) on behalf of CWC in the presence of K.S. Rana, DGM & Shri Neeraj  Jakhmola, CM of PNB and Shri R.R. Aggarwal (GGM- Finance, CWC), Shri Amit Puri (GM Finance, CWC) & Shri Ashwin (AGM, CWC).

Agriculture is an important sector of the country’s economy and government has been focusing on increasing the income of the farmers who drive this segment. One of the main constraints in increasing farm income has been distress sale by the farmers. With a view to curbing the same, the bank has entered this new MoU, PNB said in a statement..

Source : CNBC

Correct Answer :   HAL

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The defence ministry on Friday (10th March 2023) signed a contract for procurement of six Dornier-228 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a cost of ₹667 crore.

* The addition of the six aircraft will further bolster the operational capability of the IAF in remote areas, the ministry said announcing the contract.

* The Dornier-228 aircraft is a highly versatile multi-purpose light transport aircraft. It has been developed specifically to meet the manifold requirements of utility and commuter transport as well as for maritime surveillance.

* ‘’The aircraft was used by IAF for route transport roles and communication duties. Subsequently, it has also been used for training of transport pilots of the IAF,‘’ it said.

* The present lot of six aircraft will be procured with an upgraded fuel-efficient engine coupled with a five bladed composite propeller, it added.

* The aircraft is ideally suited for short haul operations from semi-prepared/short runways of the North East and island chains of India.

* Earlier on Tuesday, the defence ministry sealed a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to procure 70 HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft at a cost of over ₹6,800 crore for the Indian Air Force.

* The ministry also finalised a contract with the Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) for acquisition of three cadet training ships worth over ₹3,100 crore...

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Jagdeep Dhankhar

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The release of the book “Mundaka Upanishad: The Gateway to Eternity” was announced by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

The book was written at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas in New Delhi by Dr. Karan Singh, a former member of parliament. He is a philosopher and politician from India.

About the book :

* Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan initially released this book in 1987. But, the current edition is unique since it includes Dr. Kamal Kishor Mishra’s Hindi translation of Dr. Karan Singh’s texts, who also transliterated the Sanskrit text in accordance with international standards.

* Six antiquated manuscripts have also been added from the large collection at the Sri Ranbir Sanskrit Research Center, Sri Raghunath Temple in Jammu.

* These documents, which include the primary text as well as the Bhasya, Bhasya-tippanam, and Dipika-comments by Adi Shankaracharya and Pandita Naraina, show that this important Upanisad was written down for centuries in both the old and new Kashmiri types of Devanagari script.

About the Dr. Karan Singh :

* Dr. Karan Singh is well recognised as an intellectual and a patron of scholarship and artistic endeavours in addition to his extraordinary record of 70 years in public life, which began at the age of 18 when he was named Regent of Jammu & Kashmir by his father Maharaja Hari Singh.

* His most recent novels are Shiva: King of the Cosmic Dance (Speaking Tiger) and Reflections, which are among his more than 20 published works (Shubhi Publications).

* He formerly served as chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Banaras Hindu University, and the Jammu & Kashmir University.