1 ALL EXAM ENGLISH QUIZ 23.12.2024 Daily Quiz 1 / 10 Q1. Who was awarded the "National Tansen Samman" for the year 2023? Pandit Swapan Choudhary Pandit Ravi Shankar Ustad Zakir Hussain Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Explanation: National Tansen Samman awarded to renowned Tabla Maestro Pt. Swapan Choudhary. On 18 December, the National Tansen Award and Raja Mansingh Tomar Award were presented during the world-famous Tansen Festival, organized in Gwalior, the music capital of Madhya Pradesh. The "National Tansen Samman" for the year 2023 was conferred upon renowned tabla player of Indian classical music, Pt. Swapan Choudhary of Kolkata. In the National Tansen Award ceremony, honorarium of Rs. 5 lakh, citation and shawl-shriphal were presented. Established by the Madhya Pradesh government in honor of Music Emperor Tansen, this award is the highest national recognition in the field of Indian classical music. The "Raja Mansingh Tomar Samman" for the year 2023 was conferred upon Sanand Nyas, an institution of Indore. This institution has been working in the field of classical music, drama and cultural festivals in Indore for the last 35 years. 2 / 10 Q2. Which Indian educationist was honored by Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel with the ‘Bura Marp’ (red scarf) and ‘Patang’ (ceremonial sword) during the 117th Bhutanese National Day celebrations? Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar Arun Kapur Dr. Kiran Bedi Sunita Narain Explanation: Bhutan’s royal honor conferred to Indian educationist Arun Kapur. On December 17, Renowned Indian educationist Arun Kapur, who established schools in India, Bhutan, and Oman, has been honored by Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel. He was conferred the ‘Bura Marp’ (red scarf) and ‘Patang’ (ceremonial sword) during the 117th Bhutanese National Day celebrations at Thimphu’s Changlimathang Stadium. This honour is rarely given to non-Bhutanese residents and is accompanied by the honorific title 'Dasho', which is otherwise used for senior officials. In 2019, the ‘Druk Thuksey’ was also awarded to Mr. Kapur for his work in establishing The Royal Academy school and developing the Bhutan Baccalaureate educational system. In October 2024, Mr. Kapur was appointed by King Jigme Khesar to the GMC to oversee the training and upskilling of Bhutanese people to lead institutions in the country. In India, Mr. Kapoor has taught at several educational institutions, and is the founder of the NGOs Ritinjali and the Pallavan Schools Network. Earlier in 2024, the ‘Order of Druk Gyalpo’ was also conferred to PM Narendra Modi by Bhutan in recognition of India’s support during the COVID-19 pandemic. 3 / 10 Q3. Which village in Gujarat's Banaskantha district became India's first solar border village? Masali Village Kutch Village Bhuj Village Surat Village Explanation: Masali village of Gujarat in Banaskantha district has become the country’s first solar border village. Masali village is located 40 kilometres from the Pakistan border. Masali has become a 100 percent solar-powered village in the country. Under PM Suryaghar Yojana, solar rooftops have been installed on a total of 119 houses in Masali village having a population of 800 people. The houses of this village generate more than 225 kilowatts of electricity. Under the Border Development Project, the administration has also taken the initiative to make 11 border villages. 4 / 10 Q4. Which health scheme was launched by the Delhi government to provide free healthcare to residents aged 60 and above? Arogya Yojana Sanjeevani Yojana Sanjeevani Yojana Elder Care Scheme Explanation: Arvind Kejriwal announced a new health scheme for the elderly population. Sanjeevani Yojana has been launched by the Delhi government to provide free healthcare to Delhi residents aged 60 and above. Under this scheme, if a necessary procedure cannot be performed at a government facility or has a long wait time, patients will be referred to private hospitals at no cost. The main aim of the scheme is to provide free healthcare facilities for elderly people. All medical expenses in both government and private hospitals, with no income restrictions, will be covered under this scheme. The state government has also expanded its old-age pension scheme, with an additional 80,000 beneficiaries. 5 / 10 Q5. As of December 17, the gross direct tax revenue for 2024-25 grew 20.32% year-on-year to how many lakh crores? 19.21 lakh crore 20.21 lakh crore 21.21 lakh crore 22.21 lakh crore Explanation: As of December 17, gross direct tax revenue for 2024–25 had increased by 20.32% year over year to ₹19.21 lakh crore. Higher refunds of ₹3.39 lakh crore contributed to a 16.45% increase in net collection in 2024–25 as on December 17 to ₹15.82 lakh crore. As of December 17, 2024, gross corporate tax revenue for FY 2024–25 was ₹9,24,693 crore, representing an annual growth of 16.92%. As of December 17, 2023, corporate refunds increased 70.32% to ₹1,82,086 crore from ₹1,06,904 crore in FY2024. Compared to ₹7,81,737 crore in the same period previous year, gross non-corporate tax increased by just over 22% to ₹9,53,871 crore in 2024–25 (up to December 17). Individual income tax revenue is primarily included in gross non-corporate tax. In 2024–2025, the tax department issued refunds of ₹1,56,792 crore. Compared to the ₹1,30,901 crore that was reimbursed during the same period previous year, this represents a rise of almost 19.78%. As of December 17, 2024–2025, the net non-corporate tax had increased 22.47% to ₹7,97,080 crore. Compared to November 2023, when gross GST income stood at ₹1,67,929 crore, November 2024 saw an 8.5% increase to ₹1,82,269 crore. After refunds, net collection increased by 11.1% to ₹1,63,010 crore from ₹1,46,786 crore. 6 / 10 Q6. Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding TRAI’s framework that ensures the traceability of all commercial SMS? 1. TRAI has successfully created and implemented a framework that ensures the traceability of all commercial SMS. 2. This is a significant step towards developing a more secure and spam-free messaging ecosystem. Which of the above statement/statements are correct? 1 only 2 only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Explanation: TRAI has successfully created and implemented a framework that ensures the traceability of all commercial SMS. This is a significant step towards developing a more secure and spam-free messaging ecosystem. This program represents a key milestone in the TRAI's continuous efforts to protect consumers against spam. At the same time, the transparency and accountability of commercial messaging platforms are improving. All major principal entities have registered their message transmission chains with access providers. SMS communication received through unregistered channels was denied beginning December 11th, 2024. This framework required all principal entities to declare and register their message transmission pathways using blockchain-based distributed ledger technology. All principal entities include corporations, banks, and government bodies, as well as their telemarketers. This chain declaration and binding method enables end-to-end traceability of all messages, from origin to delivery, without jeopardising data security or slowing SMS delivery. 7 / 10 Q7. Which scheme, fully funded by the West Bengal government, was launched by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on 17 December? Kanyashree Prakalpa Swasthya Sathi Banglar Bari Banglar Bari Explanation: Banglar Bari' housing scheme launched by the West Bengal Government. On 17 December, 'Banglar Bari,' a housing scheme fully funded by the West Bengal government, was launched by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She accused the Centre of not sending funds for the 'Awas Yojana' to the state for the last three years. The survey conducted by the state for the 'Banglar Bari' scheme has identified more than 28 lakh genuine beneficiaries, for which a total of Rs 1.2 lakh will be transferred to them by next December. The Chief Minister said that an amount of Rs 60,000 was transferred to the bank accounts of 12 lakh beneficiaries as the first installment. She said the state will have to bear a total expenditure of Rs 14,773 crore for this purpose. If the central government does not make the payment, the state government will make the payment to the remaining 16 lakh families. Of these, the state government will make the payment to eight lakh people by May-June and to the remaining eight lakh people by December in two installments. Banerjee said the Centre owes Rs 24,000 crore for this purpose. 8 / 10 Q8. Where was the Indian Army AI Incubation Centre (IAAIIC), aimed at enhancing technological capabilities, launched by the Indian Army on 18 December? New Delhi Bengaluru Pune Hyderabad Explanation: AI Incubation Centre unveiled by the Indian Army to lead in technological innovation and warfare. Taking a significant step towards enhancing its technological capabilities, the Indian Army AI Incubation Centre (IAAIIC) was launched by the Indian Army in Bengaluru on 18 December. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi led the virtual inauguration, marking a pivotal moment in the Army’s ongoing transformation as it embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize its operational capabilities. IAAIIC is part of the Indian Army's broader strategy to modernise and stay ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of military technology. The centre seeks to enhance decision-making, increase efficiency, and equip the Army to handle the challenges of future warfare by promoting the development of AI-driven solutions. This development has come against the backdrop of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and unrest in the West Asia region. The centre, developed in partnership with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), will benefit from BEL's strong infrastructure and IT support, with personnel from the Indian Army managing its operations. IAAIIC will bring together academia, startups, and experts to develop AI solutions for the specific needs of the Indian Army. 9 / 10 Q9. The central government and the Asian Development Bank signed a loan of 42 million dollars to promote coastal preservation in which of the following states? Gujarat Kerala Tamil Nadu Maharashtra Explanation: Central government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a loan of 42 million dollars. This financing is intended to promote coastal preservation and boost community resilience in Maharashtra. ADB funding will contribute to the restoration and stabilisation of Maharashtra's coastline. ADB funding will also contribute to the protection of coastal populations' livelihoods. ADB will assist the Maharashtra Maritime Board in increasing its capability for shore management planning, including the development of a coastal infrastructure management unit. The initiative will help stakeholders build capacity in gender equality and social inclusion, coastal management, and livelihood activities. 10 / 10 Q10. India has partnered with which of the following countries to set up the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum? Germany Japan Australia France Explanation: India has partnered with France to set up the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum. India has partnered with France Museums Développement to set up the Yuga Yugeen Bharat National Museum. This project is a key component of the Central Vista Redevelopment Project. This project will cover roughly 1 lakh 55 thousand square meters over New Delhi's iconic North and South Blocks. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat attended the signing ceremony between the National Museum and France Museums Developpement in New Delhi. As part of this agreement, India and France will work together on a complete feasibility assessment that includes museum case studies, interpretive planning, and building programming. France's recognised expertise in museum development, as demonstrated by the Grand Louvre, will be critical in designing this project. Grand Louvre refers to project started in 1981 of expanding and remodeling the Louvre. Louvre is a national art museum in Paris, France. It is one of most famous museums in world. It is situated on the right bank of the Seine River. Your score is LinkedIn Facebook Twitter VKontakte Post navigation UPSC EXAM QUIZ 21.12.2024 UPSC EXAM QUIZ 23.12.2024
