Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Dec 04, 2015

ANSWER: Yes Bank

Explanation:
Yes Bank has won Bank of the year award in the UK given by Banker’s magazine and regarded as the Oscars of the banking industry. Yes Bank is only 11 years old. Previous winners of this award were large banks. For winning this award, banks from 120 nations were evaluated on numerous parameters such financial figures, technology, innovation, performance and marketing initiatives.

ANSWER: Regional Rural

Explanation:
RBI has released revised priority sector lending guidelines for regional rural banks as per new norms, according to which 18% of outstanding will have to be advanced to agricultural activities. A target of 7.5 percent of total outstanding is to be diverted into micro enterprises and another 15% for weaker sections. New norms will be implemented from January 1, 2015.

ANSWER: 24%

Explanation:
Sugar production has been notched up 24% at 23.6 LT in October-November according to ISMA. ISMA sugar production rose 24% on account of higher output from Maharashtra. Sugar export from India which is the world’s second largest producer and biggest consumer was pegged at 1.75 lakh tonnes during October to November. As per market reports, around 4 lakh tonnes of contracts for exports have been finalised, mostly as white sugar, and around 1.75 lakh tonnes of sugar exports have taken place since October one, 2015, ISMA also said.

ANSWER: 10%

Explanation:
Richest 10% of people produce half of the carbon emissions on earth, while the 50% poorest contribute a mere 10%, according to UK charity Oxfam. Richest 10% have carbon footprint which is 11 times that of poorest 3.5 billion persons on the planet. The biggest challenge facing climate change initiatives is funding for developing nations.

ANSWER: MapmyIndia

Explanation:
Flipkart has acquired a strategic minority stake in online digital map platform for GPS navigation called MapmyIndia. Early financial investors Nexus Venture Partners and Lightbox Ventures will exit this company following this investment. Acquisition of this company’s stake will boost Flipkart’s logistics operations.

ANSWER: Q-carbon

Explanation:
Diamond was once the hardest known naturally occurring material. Carbon has been used with a new process to create a substance called Q-carbon which is harder than diamond and graphite. This showcases the third phase or distinct form of carbon alongside graphite and diamond. The process of creating Q-carbon produces minuscule synthetic diamond "seeds," which can yield gems. Opportunities for creating synthetic gemstones pales next to possible applications of Q-carbon which the researchers said is magnetic, fluorescent and electroconductive.

ANSWER: Super flares

Explanation:
UK researchers discovered stellar superflare on a star with wave patterns similar to those that have been observed in solar flares. Found in the Milky Way , the binary star, KIC9655129, is known to produce superflare. Researchers suggest due to the similarities between the superflare on KIC9655129 and the Sun's solar flares, the underlying physics of the flares might be the same.

ANSWER: 16

Explanation:
At 16th place, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore is the only Indian institute to feature in the top 20. China, on the other hand, has 5 institutes among top 10 followed by two from South Africa, and one each from Taiwan, Brazil and Russia. Taiwan has done better than India with 24 universities in top 200.

ANSWER: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)

Explanation:
With identification of suitable drug targets and candidate vaccines to control TB remaining a challenge and most of the studies focusing on strategies to prevent TB infection, scientists from the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics here have looked at the interaction between pathogenic mycobacteria and the human cell during infection to develop a new form of targeted drug therapy. The discovery could not only be a potential drug target against mycobacterial infections but also help in developing a new biomarker for identification of M tuberculosis infection in humans.

ANSWER: Justice TS Thakur

Explanation:
Justice Tirath Singh (TS) Thakur was on 3rd December 2015 sworn in as 43rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) by President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. He succeeded incumbent Justice H L Dattu who retired on 2 December 2015 and will have a tenure for 1 year, retiring in January 2017.

ANSWER: Dr. V. M. Rao

Explanation:
Indian-American Dr Vijaya M Rao was named as the chairperson of the prestigious Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Board of Directors on 2nd December 2015. She has considerable expertise in health services and security matters and was David C Levin Professor and Chairperson of Radiology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.

ANSWER: MAM Ramaswamy

Explanation:
Industrialist, founder of Chettinad Group, former parliamentarian MAM Ramaswamy passed away on 2nd December 2015 in Chennai due to prolonged illness at the age of 84.Popularly known as MAMR in political, business and sports circles, he served as MP of India representing Karnataka at RS and also established the Annamalai university.

ANSWER: 3rd December

Explanation:
On this day, the theme was “Inclusion Matters: Access and Empowerment for People of All Abilities”. Around 1 billion persons are living with disabilities across the world. Sub themes for this year were making cities inclusive and accessible, improving disability data and statistics and including persons with invisible disabilities in society and development. UNGA passed a resolution in 1992 to observe this day.

ANSWER: Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Explanation:
PM of India, Shri Narendra Modi and President of India, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee paid tributes to Dr. Rajendra Prasad on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan on December 3rd, 2015. Dr. Prasad was the first president of India.

ANSWER: Transparency International India

Explanation:
National Textile Corporation Limited has become the 49th CPSU and 51st PSU to sign an MoU with Transparency International India for adopting an Integrity Pact. the pact is a tool which ensures transactions between PSY and suppliers occurs in fair, ethical and corruption free manner.

ANSWER: Indian Railways

Explanation:
An MoU regarding the use of non-potable water released following treatment from effluent treatment plants in Ganga and Yamuna rivers for railway purposes was signed between Ministry of Railways and Water Resources on 3rd December 2015. Indian Railways is committed to the cause of water conservation. Water Recycling Plants will be installed in major water consumption centres in association with report of water audit for the Indian Railways.

ANSWER: UP

Explanation:
Highest number of dowry deaths for the last 3 consecutive years have been reported from UP followed by Bihar as per NCRB data which shows that the former state reported 2244 dowry deaths in 2012, 2335 in 2013 and 2469 in 2014. Bihar was second highest while highest cases of cruelty by husband or relatives was reported in the following state: Rajasthan, Odisha, AP and WB.

As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, a total number of 9038, 10709 and 10050 cases have been registered under the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 during 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. 8233, 8083 and 8455 cases were registered under section 304 B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) dowry death in the country during 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. Dowry Prohibition Act seeks to ensure protection against ill-treatment of women for dowry.

ANSWER: 89423

Explanation:
National Crime Records Bureau has reported that during 2012, 2013 and 2014 around 38,172 cases, 58,224 cases and 89,423 cases were registered under crime against children. Major steps taken to curb atrocities against children include the implementation of POSCO Act 2012 and RTE 2009, along with a dedicated online complaint system called ebaalnidaan. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also reviewed numerous laws and policies pertaining to children.

ANSWER: Indian Skill Development Service

Explanation:
Central Government has approved the formation of Indian Skill Development Service. This service will be notified following consultation with UPSC and other government organisations. The service’s formation was also discussed in the Indian Parliament.