General Awareness Test (May - 15) - Set 6

ANSWER: Ireland

Explanation:
The Republic of Ireland has voted overwhelmingly to legalise same-sex marriage in a historic referendum. More than 62% voted in favour of amending the country's constitution to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.

ANSWER: Andre Russell

Explanation:
Andre Russell of Kolkata Knight Riders has been chosen as the Player of the Tournament in IPL-8 season. Orange Cup awarded to David Warner of Sunrisers Hyderbad, Dwayne Bravo awarded with Purple cap and Shreyas Iyer of Delhi Daredevils.

ANSWER: 4410 km

Explanation:
Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping P Radhakrishnan said that in the last fiscal 4,410 KM Highways were completed in the country. The Minister said that at present road works are being done at the rate of 12 KM per day and this will be roads to 30 KM per day soon.

ANSWER: 2100

Explanation:
A team of researchers in Nepal, France and the Netherlands have found that the Everest glaciers can be very sensitive to future warming. They have predicted that sustained ice loss through the 21st century is likely. Joseph Shea, a glacier hydrologist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development at Kathmandu, and leader of the study said that the signal of future glacier change in the region is clear. The glacier model used by Shea and his team shows that glacier volume could be reduced between 70 per cent and 99 percent by 2100.

ANSWER: Punjab

Explanation:
In one of its kind recognition received by any state of the country, the WHO on 27th May’’15 lauded the efforts of the state against use of tobacco. Punjab was the first state to impose complete ban on sale of loose Cigarettes, loose tobacco, flavoured and scented tobacco e-Cigarettes in the state.

ANSWER: Maharashtra

Explanation:
The government resolution of June 3, 2014 had decided to pay the special vehicle allowance to its employees belonging to the categories of blind, orthopaedically disabled and those affected by the back bone disabilities however, the GR did not include employees in the category of speech disabled employees.

ANSWER: Dr. Birubala Rabha

Explanation:
The award has been instituted by Upendra Nath Brahma Trust (UNBT), in the name of Bodofa UN Brahma, former president of the All Bodo Students Union. Dr Birubala Rabha, anti witch hunting activist has been chosen for 12th UN Brahma Soldier of Humanity Award, 2015, recognising her struggle against the blind belief and ill culture of the society.

ANSWER: 49%

Explanation:
The RBI in a statement issued on 27th May’15 said that the purchases could be made through primary market and stock exchanges. The board of Gammon has passed resolutions and the shareholders have passed a special resolution, agreeing for enhancing the limit for the purchase of its equity shares and convertible debentures by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs)/RFPIs.

ANSWER: Assam

Explanation:
The Festival is being organized by the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) on behalf of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

ANSWER: Himachal Pradesh

Explanation:
The system was launched with an aim to preserve the precious forest fire incidents during summer season. In case of any fire incident, the forest officials will immediately receive SMS on their mobiles.

ANSWER: Manabi Bandopadhyay

Explanation:
On 26th May 2015 Manabi Bandopadhyay became the first transgender principal of Krishnagar Women's College in Nadia district, West Bengal. She will join her new job from 9 June 2015.

ANSWER: Angela Merkel

Explanation:
The world’s most powerful woman in the list is German Chancellor Angela Merkel who fetched the first spot. This year’s top 10 women are: Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton followed by Melinda Gates, Janet Yellen, Mary Barra, Christine Lagarde, Dilma Rousseff, Sheryl Sandberg, Susan Wojcicki and Michelle Obama.

ANSWER: Arundhati Bhattacharya

Explanation:
Four Indians have been named in Forbes list including Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairperson of State Bank of India (SBI), who stood at 30th position, Chanda Kochhar, MD and CEO of ICICI Bank (35th position), Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CMD of Biocon Limited (85th position) and Shobhana Bhartia, Editorial Director of the Hindustan Times Group,( 93rd position).

ANSWER: Dagens Nyheter

Explanation:
On 27th May’15 India denied that it had asked the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) to retract portions of its interview with President Pranab Mukherjee where he had made references to the Bofors issue, because it could affect the state visit of the President. The newspaper also claimed that it refused to retract the statement, and stood by its decision to play the portion where Mr. Mukherjee said that since no Indian court has given its judgment on the Bofors issue, it cannot be called a “scandal.”

ANSWER: 3rd

Explanation:
India has moved from 4th to 3rd position in production of crude steel globally in last one year. The government would enhance the capacity of Steel Authority of India (SAIL) to 50 million tonnes annually with an investment of 1.5 lakh crore rupees.

ANSWER: Tripura

Explanation:
A bit over 18 years after the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was enforced in Tripura, the state government on 27th May’15 decided to withdraw the Act. The State government has revoked the AFSPA as insurgency is on the wane and the situation has improved over the past one year.

ANSWER: 9-10%

Explanation:
The industry body has outlined ten areas requiring policy attention that can bring huge economic benefits for growth, investment and employment creation. The areas highlighted by CII for more attention include macro-economy, mining, manufacturing, land acquisition, energy, labour reforms, skill development, taxation, financial sector and Companies Act.

ANSWER: Abhinav Bindra

Explanation:
Abhinav Bindra earned the place after he finished sixth in the Men's 10 metre Air Rifle final at the ISSF Shooting World Cup in Munich on 28th May’15. Gagan Narang, Jitu Rai and Apurvi Chandela are the other Indians to have secured an Olympic quota earlier. Each country can win a maximum of 30 quota places from a total of 15 shooting disciplines (including shotgun events), two each from each discipline.

ANSWER: Himachal Pradesh

Explanation:
Himachal is one among the ten worst states wherein sex ratio is worst. It has a child sex ratio of 906 females against 1000 males. The objective of this Marathon is to save girl child and arrest the declining sex ratio in the hill state.

ANSWER: Trevor Bayliss

Explanation:
Trevor Bayliss replaced Peter Moores. He is the first Australian to coach England cricket players.

ANSWER: Vijay Kelkar

Explanation:
The government has constituted a 10-member panel under former finance secretary Vijay Kelkar to review and revitalise public private partnership (PPP). In pursuance of the announcement, a committee comprising 10 members including its chairman Vijay Kelkar, who is presently the chairman of Institute of Public Finance &Policy, has been constituted.

ANSWER: 79.5 Crore

Explanation:
The number of hungry people globally has declined from about one billion 25 years ago to about 795 million or about one person out of every nine, despite a surge in population growth, the United Nations reported on 27th May’15.

ANSWER: P K Sinha

Explanation:
Mr Sinha was Secretary in Power Ministry since July 2013. He had earlier been Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping, and has held several other important positions at the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government. He succeeds Ajit Seth.

ANSWER: Singapore

Explanation:
The annual meeting of 14th Asia Security Summit, Shangri-La Dialogue is started in Singapore and will continue till May 31. The US Defense Secretary Ash Carter as well as senior Chinese military officials will attend the meeting. US Defence officials said Washington wants Southeast Asian nations to take a more united stance against China's rapid acceleration this year of construction on disputed reefs.

ANSWER: Together for Peace

Explanation:
To mark the occasion, various events were organised across the globe to commemorate all brave men and women who have contributed towards establishing peace and security in the war torn countries and ravaged societies across the world.

ANSWER: Jospeh Sepp Blatter

Explanation:
Incumbent FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter on 29th May’15 was re-elected as President for the fifth term. He was chosen for the post by the 65th FIFA Congress held in Zurich.

ANSWER: V A Prasanth

Explanation:
Before this appointment, he was serving as the General Manager of the Indian Bank. V A Prasanth succeeded K Srinivasa Raghavan.

ANSWER: Dr. S Christopher

Explanation:
Christopher was presently Distinguished Scientist and Programme Director (airborne early warning and control system) and Director, Centre for Air-Borne Systems in the DRDO. He is known as the man behind the CABS AEW&C project.

ANSWER: Dr. G S Reddy

Explanation:
GS Reddy is an eminent DRDO scientist known for leading the Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) programme.

ANSWER: Dilawar Singh

Explanation:
Dilawar Singh of Haryana pipped local hero Mohammad Akbar Khan to win 'Pedal for Kashmir' cycling competition, held along the banks of picturesque Dal Lake in Srinagar on 31st May’15. Singh took the title while Khan came runner up, followed by another local cyclist
Mohammad Adil Teli.

ANSWER: 22nd May’15

Explanation:
A RBI press release has informed that foreign currency assets, a major part of the overall reserves, declined by 2.285 billion US Dollar to 326.839 billion. In the previous week, the reserves had surged by a whopping 1.745 billion US Dollar to touch a record high of 353.876 billion.

ANSWER: Geogre Yeo

Explanation:
George Yeo is a former foreign minister from Singapore. This decision comes after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has resigned as Chancellor on 19th February this year, alleging that the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) did not want him to continue, a claim denied by the government.

ANSWER: Hoshangabad

Explanation:
The Minister of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information and Broadcasting Shri Arun Jaitley inaugurated the New Bank Note Paper Line of 6000 MT capacity at Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh on 30th May’15.