General Awareness Test (June - 15) - Set 1

ANSWER: Mandatory disclosure of foreign trips & Mandatory disclosure of dormant bank accounts.

Explanation:
In the new forms, the government has dropped the controversial provision for mandatory disclosure of foreign trips and dormant bank accounts. The Finance Ministry in a statement said, the forms - ITR 2 and ITR 2A - will have only three pages and other details will have to be filled in schedules. At present individuals having income from capital gains are required to file Form ITR-2 but it was noticed that majority of individuals who file it do not have capital gains.

ANSWER: France

Explanation:
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the previous UPA government's deal for 126 Rafales was too expensive and it would have hampered other modernisation plans of the Indian military. Parrikar termed the deal "economically unviable". He added, the deal would have required around Rs 1.3 lakh crore over a period of 10-11 years.

ANSWER: Singapore

Explanation:
The "Arumbu" app was launched at the opening of the 14th Tamil Internet Conference on 30thMay’15, which is being attended by 150 Tamil speaking delegates from Singapore and 200 from 10 countries.

ANSWER: Mikheil Saakashvili

Explanation:
Mr. Saakashvili is widely credited with carrying out radical reforms in Georgia during his terms in office in 2004-13. However, current Georgian authorities accuse him of abuse of power and have demanded his extradition. Mr Saakashvili left Georgia after his term as President ended in 2013.

ANSWER: Punjab

Explanation:
Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal said that over all development of the rural and urban areas was the foremost priority of the Punjab government for which a major scheme has already been embarked , which would be implemented in the current fiscal.

ANSWER: V K Pipersenia

Explanation:
A 1980 batch IAS officer, Mr. Pipersenia has earlier rendered his services in various capacities. He is the 45th Chief Secretary of Assam.

ANSWER: Neerja Sethi & Jayshree Ullal.

Explanation:
India-born Neerja Sethi, with a net worth of 1.1billion US Dollar, ranked 14th while London born Jayshree Ullal with 470 million US Dollar net worth comes at the 30th Spot on the list. Neerja Sethi, co-founded IT consulting and outsourcing company Syntel with her husband, billionaire Bharat Desai, in 1980. Jayshree Ullal is the president and CEO of Arista Networks.

ANSWER: China

Explanation:
China is boosting its influence in global gold markets by establishing its largest gold investment fund led by Shanghai Gold Exchange, which is expected to raise about 100 billion yuan, 16.1 billion dollars. China has established its largest gold-investment fund in northwest China's Xi'an City aiming to bolster Beijing's role in global gold trade. The fund may also boost China's power over the world gold market. Indeed, Asia's gold demand is growing rapidly, accounting for more than 70 percent of the global total. Today China is the world's largest gold producer.

ANSWER: HDFC Bank

Explanation:
It is a part of the digital initiative by the HDFC Bank, under which it had last year launched the ‘green PIN’ scheme wherein card-users were given the PIN numbers electronically rather than in a printed kit.

ANSWER: Sweden

Explanation:
These include Memorandum of Understandings on sustainable Urban Development, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, health and visa waiver programme for diplomatic passport holders. The agreements were signed in presence of President Pranab Mukherjee and Swidish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven at Stockholm.

ANSWER: Capt. Saurabh Kalia

Explanation:
Union government will file an affidavit in the Supreme Court and after getting permission will take the matter into International Court of Justice. Captain Kalia, along with five other soldiers, was taken prisoner by Pakistani troops during the Kargil war in 1999. They were held captive and allegedly tortured before their bodies were handed back to India in 1999.

ANSWER: BIS App

Explanation:
The status of any BIS Certification Licence can also be obtained using the application.

ANSWER: 2nd June

Explanation:
Telangana was formed as 29th State of the country on this day last year after the reorganization of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. In remembrance of the struggle and sacrifice made during the formation of the state, the state government has planned to hold events covering all fields from literature to music across the state. All the ten districts of the new state have geared up for celebrating the Formation Day which will be a cultural grandeur.

ANSWER: To facilitate the breeding of fish

Explanation:
The department of fisheries has completed all preparations for imposing fishing ban in Goa from June 1 to July 31, to facilitate the breeding of fish throughout the spawning season, during monsoon.

ANSWER: Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa

Explanation:
Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa’s appointment was necessitated after Lt General (Retired) Nirbhay Sharma was transferred to Mizoram. Rajkhowa was the former Chief Secretary of Assam. He is a retired Indian Administrative Service officer from 1968 batch.

ANSWER: Beijing

Explanation:
Smoking bans already existed in China, but have largely failed to crack down on the habit. These tougher regulations ban lighting up in restaurants, offices and on public transport in Beijing.

ANSWER: Andres

Explanation:
Andres is centered about 1,290 kilometers southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico, and is moving west at 9 kilometres per hour.

ANSWER: 0.4%

Explanation:
Shrinking for the second straight month, output of the country's eight core sector industries contracted by 0.4 per cent in April 2015, on poor performance of most sectors. Core sector output had declined by 0.1 per cent in March this year, and had grown 5.7 per cent in April last year.

ANSWER: 2nd June

Explanation:
No explanation is available for this question!

ANSWER: China

Explanation:
The ATM machine was created by Tsinghua University and Hangzhou-based technology company Tzekwan.

ANSWER: Cuba

Explanation:
The US on 29 May 2015 removed Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, signed an order removing Cuba from the terrorism blacklist as part of the process of strengthening ties between the former Cold War foes.

ANSWER: Third

Explanation:
But announcing its bi-monthly monetary policy, the RBI left all other policy tools, like the Cash Reserve Ratio and the Statutory Liquidity Ratio unchanged. Following RBI’s instructions to pass on the sequence of rate cuts into lending rates, the State Bank of India has reduced its base rate by 15 basis points to 9.70 per cent from 9.85 per cent effective 8th June. This comes after the Reserve Bank announced a repo rate cut of 25 bps earlier today. While the Reserve Bank has cut its lending rates by 75 basis points in three installments, the SBI has done so by 30 bps in two tranches.

ANSWER: 7.6

Explanation:
The RBI lowered its growth forecast from 7.8 per cent, to 7.6 per cent for the current fiscal.

ANSWER: Bihar

Explanation:
The Court also ordered to go for arrest if required. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ramchandra Prasad directed Kazi Mohammadpur Police Station to register the FIR against the three film stars and two Nestle Officials and investigate the complaint. The case has been filed under IPC sections 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) 276 (sale of drug as a different drug or preparation) and 420 (cheating and dishonesty).

ANSWER: Sweden

Explanation:
The President Mr Pranab Mukherjee announced this while addressing a business seminar on India and Sweden co - creating a brighter future at Stockholm.

ANSWER: Khoyapaya.gov.in

Explanation:
Information about missing and sighted children can be uploaded at this website. A lot of benefit will accrue through the Khoya Paya App as people in rural and backward areas too have access to internet.

ANSWER: Gatiman Express

Explanation:
The first 'Semi High Speed Train'of the country which runs at the speed of 160 KM per hour, started for Agra from Delhi at 11.15 Hrs. and reached its destination well within the stipulated time at 13.10 hrs taking less than two hours. It reached Agra ten minutes before its scheduled time of 13.20 hrs.

ANSWER: Andhra Pradesh

Explanation:
The objective of ‘Nava Nirmana Deeksha’ is to make people partners in the development of Andhra Pradesh.

ANSWER: 8

Explanation:
Indian grapplers ended their campaign on a high note in the International Wrestling tournament in Sassari City, Italy, bagging as many as nine medals, including 8 gold in Men's Freestyle event.

ANSWER: Karnataka

Explanation:
The 64th Senior National Volleyball Championship for Men and Women will be held in Bengaluru during January 2016.

ANSWER: Cancer Survivor

Explanation:
She completed the Marathon in San Diego in 7 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds.

ANSWER: World Environment Day

Explanation:
Cricketer Virat Kohli and wrestler Sushil Kumar will participate in a function to plant saplings at Parvayvaran Bhawan. A new pilot project on Urban Forestry will be launched in Pune on 6th of this month to achieve the goal of more green. The project will be run through public participation in the form of a Memorial Garden.

ANSWER: Ashton Carter

Explanation:
He is scheduled to meet Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

ANSWER: Belarus

Explanation:
These include agreement on Textiles, protocol to amend the agreement between two countries for avoidance of double taxation, MOU between Prasar Bharati and National State TV and Radio company of Belarus Broadcasting Corporation in the presence of Indian President and his Belarussian Counterpart.

ANSWER: USA Freedom Act

Explanation:
The US Senate has voted to limit the government's ability to collect phone data, a policy that had been in place since the attacks of 11 September 2001. The USA Freedom Act extends the government's ability to collect large amounts of data, but with restrictions. The bill, which replaces the Patriot Act, had been backed by President Obama as a necessary tool to fight terrorism. The new law replaces a National Security Agency program in which the spy agency collected personal data en masse.

ANSWER: LIC

Explanation:
LIC will start business as the joint venture entity called LIC Bangladesh Ltd with a paid-up capital of 1 billion Takas with LIC holding half of it. Bangladesh has over 77 local insurance companies in the market, the only other foreign insurance company is a US-based company which operates as a branch office, and not as a registered company.

ANSWER: Askwar Hilonga

Explanation:
A water filter which absorbs anything from copper and fluoride to bacteria, viruses and pesticides has won a prestigious African innovation prize. Its inventor, Tanzanian chemical engineer Askwar Hilonga, uses nano technology and sand to clean water.

ANSWER: 2 year

Explanation:
Scientists are waiting for the first new data to begin flowing from the underground particle smasher, paving the way to a new era in physics. Today, the vast machine clattered proton beams together at much higher energies than were achieved during its first run in 2010-2013. This should allow physicists to hunt for signs of new scientific phenomena.

ANSWER: Colombia

Explanation:
The bill was passed with 104 votes in support and three against. It still needs to be signed by the President to become law. It was named after Rosa Elvira Cely, a woman who was attacked, raped and murdered by a man in a park in the capital, Bogota, in May 2012. Under the new law, those found guilty could face up to 50 years in jail. It imposes longer sentences on crimes where women are targeted specifically because of their gender, including psychological, physical and sexual attacks.

ANSWER: Norway

Explanation:
Former US security contractor Edward Snowden has been awarded a Norwegian prize for freedom of expression and received yet another invitation to leave his exile and receive the award in person. The Norwegian Academy of Literature and Freedom of Expression said the 31 year old fugitive had won the Bjornson Prize, named after a Norwegian Nobel literature laureate, for his work protecting privacy and for shining a critical light on US surveillance of its citizens and others. Snowden was awarded Sweden's Right Livelihood Award in 2014 but chose to accept it by video link rather than leaving his exile in Russia. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the second year in a row.