Q1. Which union minister has launched a new tax payer service module ‘Aaykar Setu’?
[A] Sushma Swaraj
[B] Arun Jaitley
[C] Nitin Gadkari
[D] Ravi Shankar Prasad
Ans: B [Arun Jaitley]
Explanation: Arun Jaitley, the Union Finance Minister, has launched a new tax payer service module ‘Aaykar Setu’ in New Delhi on July 10, 2017 that compiles various tax tools, live chat facility, dynamic updates and important links to various processes within the Income Tax Department in a single module. This e-initiative would not only provide better taxpayer services but would also help in reducing the direct physical interface between assesses and tax assessing authorities.
Q2. Mangesh Tendulkar, the renowned cartoonist has passed away. He hailed from which state?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Tamil Nadu
[C] Andhra Pradesh
[D] Maharashtra
Ans: D [Maharashtra]
Explanation: Mangesh Tendulkar (82), the renowned cartoonist, has passed away in Pune, Maharashtra. His cartoons especially about government offices and on traffic rules were famous. He often used satire in his cartoons to give social messages and even called himself a satirist (vyang chitrakar). He was conferred with the president’s medal in 1980, Marathi Natya Parishad Award in 1993 and Pulotsav award in 2003 among several other honours.
Q3. Which country is hosting the 2017 Family Planning Summit (FPS)?
[A] India
[B] United Kingdom
[C] Japan
[D] China
Ans: B [United Kingdom]
Explanation: The 2017 Family Planning Summit (FPS) has started in London, United Kingdom (UK) on July 11, 2017 to discuss efforts to reach Family Planning 2020 goals and ensure that more women and girls around the world are able to plan their families and their futures. The summit has been organized by the UNFPA, the United Kingdom and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It is taking place on 11 July, which is World Population Day (WPD), a day to focus attention on population issues, including family planning. The event will focus on four key issues: innovative financing models for procuring and delivering high-quality contraceptives; strengthening supply chains and expanding the range of contraceptives available to women; empowering young people with access to family planning information and care; and reaching the hardest to reach, such as women in humanitarian crises or facing cultural barriers.
Q4: Who has been appointed as new Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DG GSTI)?
[A] Debi Prasad Dash
[B] R K Mahajan
[C] John Joseph
[D] K L Khan
Ans 4: C [John Joseph]
Explanation: Dr John Joseph, a 1983 batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), has been appointed Director General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DG GSTI). He is at present posted in Mumbai and expected to take the new charge soon. The post of chief of central excise intelligence (now GST intelligence) was lying vacant for over a month after R K Mahajan took charge as Member, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). Mahajan has been given the additional charge of the DG GSTI till the joining of the new chief.
Q5. Which Indian bank has tied up with Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) to boost trade with Latin America?
[A] Uco Bank
[B] ICICI Bank
[C] HDFC Bank
[D] Axis
Ans5. D [Axis Bank]
Explanation: Axis Bank has tied up with Inter-American Investment Corporation (IIC) to facilitate trade with Latin America and the Caribbean. It is the first Indian bank to participate in the Trade Finance Facilitation Programme as a confirming bank. IIC, a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, is a multilateral development bank committed to supporting the private sector in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Q6: Which country is hosting the 22nd World Petroleum Congress (WPC) International Conference?
[A] Malaysia
[B] Iran
[C] Israel
[D] Turkey
Ans6: D [Turkey]
Explanation: The 22nd edition of World Petroleum Congress (WPC) International Conference has started in Istanbul, Turkey from July 10 – 12, 2017 under the theme ”Bridges to Our Energy Future”. The WPC’s 65 member countries represent over 96% of the world’s oil and gas consumption and production. The purpose of the conference is to promote the management and sustainable use of oil, gas and other energy resources worldwide for the benefit of all. Dharmendra Pradhan, the Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas, is representing India in the conference. The tri-annual WPC Conference is widely recognized as the `Olympics` of the oil and gas industry.
Q7: Which state government has formed committee to study legalities for separate state flag?
[A] Karnataka
[B] Kerala
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] West Bengal
Ans A Karnataka
Explanation: The Karnataka Government has constituted a 9-member committee to study and submit a report to the government on the possibility of designing a separate flag for Karnataka and providing it a statutory standing. The committee will be headed by Principal Secretary, Department of Kannada and Culture. It must be noted that there is no prohibition in the Constitution for the State to have its own flag. As per S.R. Bommai v/s Union of India (Supreme Court 1994) case, the Supreme Court has declared that federalism is a basic feature of the Constitution and States are supreme in their sphere. This being the Constitutional position, however, the manner in which the State flag is hoisted should not dishonour the national flag. It has to be always below the national flag. The national flag code specifically authorises use of other flags subject to the regulation by the court. So, State flag is not unauthorized.
Q8. The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which state?
[A] West Bengal
[B] Nagaland
[C] Karnataka
[D] Madhya Pradesh
Ans8. C [Karnataka]
Explanation: The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Uttara Kannada District in Karnataka. The sanctuary is a birdwatchers paradise, housing nearly 200 species of birds, most famous for the great Indian hornbill and the Malabar pied hornbill. It is also the only known tiger reserve in India to report frequent sightings of the elusive black panther. It is also known to house the Indian sloth bear, the Indian pangolin, the giant Malabar squirrel, dhole, the Indian jackal and the muntjac (barking deer). The king cobra and the mugger crocodile (Indian crocodile) are the prime reptilians in the sanctuary.
Q9. Which country will become the world’s largest milk producer by 2026, as per latest “OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026” report?
[A] Vietnam
[B] Thailand
[C] India
[D] Brazil
Ans 9: C [India]
Answer Explanation:
According to latest report by the UN and OECD, India will become the world’s largest milk producer by 2026 and will account for the biggest increase in wheat production globally. As per report title “OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2017-2026”, the world’s population will increase from 7.3 to 8.2 billion over the course of the next decade with India and Sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 56% of total population growth. India’s population will grow from 1.3 billion to 1.5 billion, an increase of almost 150 million. India will overtake China and is projected to be the most populous country in the world by 2026.
Q10: India’s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will be set up in which state?
[A] Punjab
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Kerala
[D] Tamil Nadu
Ans10. A [Punjab]
Explanation: India’s first Technology and Innovation Support Center (TISC) will be set up at Patent Information Centre in Punjab under the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) TISC program. For this, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has signed an institutional agreement with the Punjab State Council of Science and Technology in New Delhi. The objective of the TISC is to stimulate a dynamic, vibrant and balanced Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) system in India to foster creativity and innovation, thereby promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing social, economic and cultural development by establishing a network of TISCs in India.
Q11: Who has become the first woman cricketer to score 6000 runs in women’s ODI cricket?
Ans11: Mithali Raj
Q12. Which country to host 8th Edition of Theatre Olympics ‘The Biggest Theatre Celebration of the World’?
Ans12: India
Q13: Maryam Mirzakhani, who passed away on 15 July 2017, was a noted personality associated with which field?
Answer: Mathematics
Q14: Which country will host G20 summit in year 2019?
Answer:Japan
Q15: A bill providing for setting up of the Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy in _______ was introduced in the Lok Sabha?
Answer: Andhra Pradesh
Q16: Which state has become the first state in India to have the law against social boycott?
Answer:Maharashtra
Q17: Which railway station has become the India’s first station to run by all women staff?
Answer: Matunga Railway Station
Explanation: The Matunga railway station has become the India’s first station to be run by all women staff. It is a railway station on the Central line of the Mumbai Suburban Railway network. A total of 30 women staffers, including 11 booking clerks, 5 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel and seven ticket checkers are working under station manager Mamta Kulkarni, who was the first female station master in Central Railway’s Mumbai division. With this, Matunga station has become the first such ladies special station.
Q18: Where is the headquarters of International Solar Alliance situated?
Answer: Gurugram
Explanation: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of more than 120 countries, most of them being sunshine countries, which come either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Founded by Narendra Modi.
Q19: Who is the Author of the recently launched book "Indira Gandhi - A life in Nature"?
Answer: Jairam Ramesh
Q20: Where is head office of India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) situated?
Answer: Mumbai
Explanation: India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) is India’s Most Respected credit rating agency committed to providing the India’s credit markets with accurate, timely and prospective credit opinions.
Ind-Ra is headquartered in Mumbai and has six branch offices located at Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Q21: Which Indian sportsperson has been honoured with the Maruti Suzuki Living Legend of the Year award 2017?
[A] Leander Paes
[B] Milkha Singh
[C] Sachin Tendulkar
[D] Mary Kom
Ans 21: B [Milkha Singh]
Explanation: Milkha Singh, also known as The Flying Sikh, has been honoured with the 2017 Maruti Suzuki Living Legend of the Year award at the 6th edition of ‘Maruti Suzuki Sportsperson of the Year’ Charity Gala Awards on July 6, 2017 at ITC Grand Central in, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
