Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Feb 10, 2016

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
Shri. R. K. Verma, a 1980 batch IRSE or Indian Railway Service of Engineers officer has attained the charge of Secretary, Railway Board on 9th February 2016. Prior to serving as the Secretary, he was serving as advisor Public Grievance to the Ministry of State for Railways. He completed his engineering from IIT(BHU) and M.Tech from IIT-D. He joined Indian Railways in the year 1982.

ANSWER: Mukhtda Hassan Nija Fazli

Explanation:
Well known Urdu and Hindu poet Nida Fazli has passed away in Mumbai at 78 years of age. He was born in Delhi in the 9130s and was raised in Gwalior. His birth name was Mukhtda Hassan Nija Fazli and he succumbed to a heart attack. His famous ghazals include Kiska Chehra and Hosh Walon Ko. He was associated with late ghazal singer Jagjit Singh.

ANSWER: Destination North East

Explanation:
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for DoNER and MoS PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh announced the holding of Destination North East: 2016 at a conference. Aim of Destination North East was to bring India closer to NE states. NE will play a vital role in India’s Act East Policy. Venues for Destination NE will be Mumbai and Bengaluru to be followed by other parts of the nation. 3 day event will have theme particular business summits comprising sectors like Tourism and Handloom apart from cultural events to showcase the heritage of NE states.

ANSWER: Invictus Oncology Pvt Ltd

Explanation:
Ratan Tata, the chairman emeritus of TATA Sons, has made the investment of a non disclosed amount in Delhi’s biopharma firm Invictus Oncology Pvt Ltd which is involved in uncovering cancer therapies. Invictus Oncology is the fifth firm Tata has invested in after Tracxn, DogSpot, FirstCry and CashKaro. This firm uses supramolecular technology platform for designing cancer treatment drugs. This company has also developed a deep pipeline of molecules tapping a USD 20 billion market opportunity in oncology space.

ANSWER: National Deworming Day

Explanation:
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri JP Nadda launched the National Deworming Day at a function in Hyderabad. India will wage a battle against neglected tropical diseases and the first National Deworming Day was observed in 2015. India will now be launching National Deworming Day across the whole country targeting 27 crore children in 536 Indian districts. National Deworming Day will see the mobilisation of health personnel, state governments and other stakeholders for improving investments in controlling STH infections. India has the highest burden of parasitic worms across the globe. According to a 2012 GoI report, 48% of children under the age of 5 years are stunted and 19.8% are wasted, indicating that half of the country’s children are malnourished.

ANSWER: 7.9

Explanation:
According to CRISIL, the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.9 percent in the fiscal commencing April which is much less than earlier forecast of 8.1% on account of intensification of international economic downturn. Economy’s modest recovery has been shaped by excellent fortune on crude oil and commodities. Economy has weathered two successive monsoon failures apart from slower economic growth cycle. Next fiscal will also see implementation of OROP and 7th Pay Commission.

ANSWER: Chattisgarh

Explanation:
An MoU was signed between Ministry of Railways and Government of Chattisgarh for the formation of JV companies for development of railway infrastructure in the state. Augmenting the new railway lines in the state will also help in exploring the complete potential of its natural resources and help the transport system within the state.

ANSWER: United States Technical Development Agency

Explanation:
Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India and United States Technical Development Agency has signed a grant agreement for Indian Aviation Safety Technical Assistance Phase 2 in New Delhi. USTDA will partially fund the project along with TWG or The Wicks Group and GoI. In 2014, USTDA in coordination with FAA offered DGCA assistance under the USTDA Grant agreement project for addressing FAA IASA findings and restoring category 1 status to the nation.

ANSWER: 4

Explanation:
Government of India has made the announcement for the Prime Minister’s Shram awards for 2014 to be given to 54 departmental and PSU employees of central and state governments and private sector units with 500 or more workers. The awards were given for outstanding contributions to productivity and exceptional bravery as well as presence of mind. This year, nine nominations for the Shram Bhushan Award, Nineteen nominations for Shram Vir/Shram Veerangana and twenty six nominations for Shram Shree/Shram Devi Awards have been selected. Even though, the total number of Shram Awards is 32, the number of workers receiving the Awards is 54 (Including 3 women), as some of the Awards have been shared by workers and/or teams of workers consisting of more than one worker. These include 36 workers from the public sector and 18 workers from the private sector. The 4 different award categories are Shram Ratna, Shram Bhushnam, Shram VIr/Veerangana and Shram Shree/Devi awards.

ANSWER: Chettinad

Explanation:
Chettinad cotton saree during the first week of February 2016 won the India Handloom tag for unique design and identity. The Amarar Rajiv Gandhi Handloom Weaver’s Cooperative Society which produces these sarees will also come up with brand as well as logo for marketing the product, following Ministry authorisation. The Chettinad cotton saree also called knandaangi has bold checks, stripes and hues with a vibrancy that is refreshing.

ANSWER: Cyanobacteria

Explanation:
The question of how tiny bacteria see have puzzled scientists ever since Leeuwenhoek viewed them under his microscope 340 years ago. German and British researchers have found that bacterial cells are like the microscopic eyeball or the smallest and oldest camera eye. Bacteria can therefore see the world in the same way humans do. Scientists studied cyanobacteria found in water bodies. This type of bacteria evolved 2.7 billion years back. Energy is produced by this bacteria through energy from the sun. Cyanobacteria of a particular species Synechocystis, which is found naturally in freshwater lakes and rivers was studied. Current study shows bacteria contain photosensors which enable them to perceive position of light source and go towards it. This is because the cell body acts as a lens. Once light reaches the spherical surface, there is refraction into a point on the cell’s other side. A Synechocystis cell is about half a billion times smaller than the human eye. Angular resolution enables superior light perception in cyanobacteria.

ANSWER: Hydrozoas

Explanation:
Scientists have discovered a new species of hydroid polyps called hydrozoan which were founding emitting green fluorescent light in the Red Sea, in a manner akin to gastropod Nassarius margaritifer. These polyps are also referred to as hydrozoan and are a new species of Cytaeis, a genus whose body length is 1.5 mm. This polyps species was found in coral reefs of Farasan, Saudi Arabia south of the Red Sea.

ANSWER: Hindu Marriage Bill

Explanation:
For the first time in decades, the Hindu minority community in Pakistan will have a marriage law. The parliamentary panel has approved the Hindu Marriage Bill. National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice approved the final draft of the bill. 5 Hindu lawmakers were specially invited for this draft. After making amendments in that minimum age of marriage is 18 and law is applicable for the whole nation, the bill was unanimously adopted by the committee.