IPO Exam 2019: Current Affairs Questions and Answers - October 2018 (III)

111)Who will be awarded the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for 2016?

1)  Rajkumar Singhajit Singh

2)  Chhayanaut

3)  Ram Vanji Sutar

4)  Sampath Kumar

5)  None of these

Answer – 3) Ram Vanji Sutar

Explanation:

On October 26, 2018, the Ministry of Culture announced the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the years 2014, 2015 & 2016. These will be conferred to:

2014: Manipuri dancer Sh. Rajkumar Singhajit Singh;

2015: Chhayanaut (a cultural organization of Bangladesh) and

2016: Sculptor, Sh. Ram Vanji Sutar.

112)Indian railways has announced the world’s highest railway line that will run along the border of India and which country, with the highest road point of 5,360 metres above mean sea level?

1)  Bangladesh

2)  Nepal

3)  China

4)  Pakistan

5)  None of these Answer – 3) China

Explanation:

On October 26, 2018, Indian railways announced the world’s highest railway line that will run along the India-China border. The rail line will have a highest road point of 5,360 metres above mean sea level. The estimated cost to build this 465 km-line will be Rs 83,360 crore. It will consist of 74 tunnels, 124 major bridges and 396 minor bridges and 30 stations. Keylong station on the route will be build inside a tunnel at a height of 3,000 metres, a first in India. More than half of the train route will be covered in tunnels, longest being 27 km, and the total length of the tunnels would be 244 km.

113)Which state launched the flagship scheme “Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries”, on 26th October 2018?

1)  Arunachal Pradesh

2)  Kerala

3)  Meghalaya

4)  Telangana

5)  None of these Answer – 3) Meghalaya

Explanation:

On October 26, 2018, Meghalaya launched the flagship scheme “Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and

Management of Fisheries”. For this, the Central Government has sanctioned 51 crore rupees. This would enable self-sufficiency in fish production.

114)Which state has created a national record by opening over 16 lakh postal savings accounts under the Sukanya Samridhi Yojana?

1)  Kerala

2)  Gujarat

3)  Uttarakhand

4)  Tamil Nadu

5)  None of these. Answer – 4) Tamil Nadu

Explanation:

Tamil Nadu has created a national record by opening over 16 lakh postal savings accounts under the Sukanya Samridhi Yojana. Tamil Nadu’s Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) M Sampath made this announcement in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, on 26th October 2018. The Chief Postmaster General (CPMG) also inspected the Vaalavanthankottai rural branch post office in Trichy to assess the progress of the Digital Advancement of Rural Post Offices in New India – Darpan scheme. He stated that over 1500 post offices, out of the total 6717 post offices in Tamil Nadu have already migrated to the Darpan system.

115)Who was appointed as new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, on 26th October 2018?

1)  Mahinda Rajapaksa

2)  Maithripala Sirisena

3)  Ranil Wickremesinghe

4)  Sri Jayavardhane

5)  None of these

Answer – 1) Mahinda Rajapaksa

Explanation:

On 26th October 2018, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena appointed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Mahinda Rajapaksa replaces Ranil Wickremesinghe. Following tensions in relationship between with Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maithripala Sirisena’s United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) withdrew the coalition with Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP). Ranil Wickremesinghe lost majority in the Parliament. Then, President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka follows a semi-presidential mode of government.

116)Name the Indian who won silver medal in the men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling at the 2018 Senior World Wrestling Championships held in Budapest, Hungary, from 20th to 28th October 2018?

1)  Vijendra Singh

2)  Bajrang Punia

3)  Deepak Punia

4)  Sushil Kumar

5)  None of these

Answer – 2) Bajrang Punia

Explanation:

From 20th to 28th October 2018, 2018 Senior World Wrestling Championships, was held in Budapest, Hungary. It was the 15th edition of World Wrestling Championships of combined events. A 30-member Indian team led by Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik and Asian Games gold medalist Bajrang Punia represented India. Jagminder Singh was the chief coach of freestyle team and Kuldeep Malik was in charge of women’s squad. India won 2 medals: 1 bronze medal and 1 silver medal. India’s 24-year-old Pooja Dhanda from Haryana defeated Grace Jacob Bhullen of Norway 10-7 and won bronze medal in the 57kg category. She has become the 4th Indian woman wrestler to have won a medal (all bronze) at the World Championships. India’s Bajrang Punia, won a silver medal in the 65kg freestyle division. He lost to Japanese Takuto Otoguro in the final.

117)Name the first engine-less semi-high speed train released by India on 29th October 2018, that was developed by Integral Coach Factory, Chennai?

1)  Train 15

2)  Train 24

3)  Train 18

4)  Train X

5)  None of these Answer – 3) Train 18

Explanation:

On October 29, 2018, India released its first engine-less semi-high speed train called- Train 18. It is a 16-coach prototype without a locomotive (engine) that will travel at a speed of up to 160 kmph. It was developed by the city-based Integral Coach Factory, Chennai in 18 months as part of the ‘Make In India’ initiative. It cost nearly Rs 100 crore and will cut travel time by 15 per cent compared to the Shatabdi. The ICF will make six such train sets, out of which two will have sleeper coaches.

118)Payments solution provider Hitachi Payment Services India entered into an agreement with which bank to form a joint venture for establishing a card acceptance and digital payment platform, on 29th October 2018?

1)  Axis Bank

2)  State Bank of India

3)  HDFC Bank

4)  ICICI Bank

5)  None of these

Answer – 2) State Bank of India

Explanation:

On October 29, 2018, State Bank of India (SBI) and payments solution provider Hitachi Payment Services India entered into an agreement to form a joint venture for establishing a card acceptance and digital payment platform. According to the joint venture (JV), Hitachi will pick up 26 per cent stake in SBI Payment Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SBI.

119)Where did Union Minister for Shipping , Road Transport and Highways, Mr Nitin Gadkari lay the foundation of India’s largest Dry Dock, on 30th October 2018?

1)  Vishakapatnam

2)  Cochin

3)  Chennai

4)  Mumbai

5)  None of these Answer – 2) Cochin

Explanation:

On October 30, 2018, the Union Minister for Shipping , Road Transport and Highways, Mr Nitin Gadkari and Kerala Chief Minister Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan laid foundation of India’s largest Dry Dock at Cochin Shipyard. The new Dry Dock is being constructed at a cost of Rs 1799 Crore and is expected to be completed by May 2021. It will be 310 m long, 75m wide, with a depth of 13 m and drought of 9.5m. It will be designed to handle both ship building and repairs, and bear a load up to 600 T/m. It will have a water treatment plant and Green Belt Development. It will be used to build specialized and technologically advanced large vessels like LNG Carriers, drill ships etc for the Indian Navy.

120)Finance ministry has announced the issuance of the 6th tranche of electoral bonds from November 1-10, 2018. Which bank has been authorised to issue and encash electoral bonds through its 29 authorised branches?

1)  Axis Bank

2)  State Bank of India (SBI)

3)  Canara Bank

4)  Bank of India (BOI)

5)  None of these

Answer – 2) State Bank of India (SBI)

Explanation:

On October 30, 2018, the Finance ministry announced the issuance of the 6th tranche of electoral bonds that will take place from November 1-10, 2018. State Bank of India (SBI), has been authorised to issue and encash electoral bonds through its 29 authorised branches with effect from November 1 to 10. The 29 specified SBI branches are in cities like New Delhi, Gandhinagar, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Mumbai, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chennai, Kolkata and Guwahati.