· ___1()

p”3zzzZ

MANTHAN
A General Awareness Weekly

3rd June to 9th June, 2024

1
a

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 1

PREFACE

Dear Students,

The ‘Current Affairs’ section is an integral part of any examination. This edition of Manthan has been developed by our
team to help you cover all the important events of the Week. This comprehensive bulletin will help you prepare the
section in a vivid manner. We hope that our sincere efforts will serve you in a better way to fulfill aspirations.

Happy Reading

Team CL

Page : 2 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
National

BJP wins 240 seats, Congress 99: EC declares results for all Lok Sabha constituencies
· The Election Commission of India has announced the results for all Lok Sabha constituencies. The BJP secured
240 out of 543 seats, while the Congress won 99 seats. Though the Lok Sabha has 543 members, counting
was conducted for 542 seats as BJP’s Surat candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed. With support
from key allies Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), which
won 16 and 12 seats in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, respectively, and other alliance partners, the NDA crossed
the halfway mark.
· As the Samajwadi Party kept the INDIA bloc’s morale high in Uttar Pradesh with 37 seats, the Trinamool
Congress (TMC), another key member of the opposition alliance, won 29 seats in West Bengal, higher than its
2019 tally of 22. The INDIA coalition outperformed expectations, securing 234 seats, 99 of which were won
by the Congress, garnering the party the Official Opposition status for the first time in 10 years. Seven
independents and ten candidates from non-aligned parties also won seats in the Lok Sabha.
· Here’s the full list of how political parties performed in the Lok Sabha polls. BJP – 240, Congress – 99,
Samajwadi Party – 37, Trinamool Congress – 29, DMK – 22, TDP – 16, JD(U) – 12, Shiv Sena (Uddhav
Balasaheb Thackrey) – 9, NCP (Sharad Pawar) 7, leading in 1, Shiv Sena – 7, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) –
5, YSRCP – 4, RJD – 4, CPI (M) – 4, Indian Union Muslim League – 3, AAP – 3, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha – 3,
Janasena Party – 2, CPI(ML)(L) – 2, JD(S) – 2, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi – 2, CPI – 2, RLD – 2, National
Conference – 2, United People’s Party, Liberal – 1, Asom Gana Parishad – 1, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)
– 1, Kerala Congress – 1, Revolutionary Socialist Party – 1, NCP – 1, Voice of the People Party – 1, Zoram
People’s Movement – 1, Shiromani Akali Dal – 1, Rashtriya Loktantrik Party – 1, Bharat Adivasi Party – 1,
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha – 1, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – 1, Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi
Ram) – 1, Apna Dal (Soneylal) – 1, AJSU Party – 1, AIMIM – 1 and Independent – 7.
General elections were held in India from 19 April to 1 June 2024 in seven phases, to elect all 543 members of
the Lok Sabha. Votes were counted and the result was declared on 4 June to form the 18th Lok Sabha. On 7 June
2024, Narendra Modi confirmed the support of 293 MPs to Droupadi Murmu, the President of India. This
marked Modi’s third term as Prime Minister and his first time heading a coalition government, with the Telugu
Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh and Janata Dal (United) of Bihar emerging as two main allies. More than 968 million
people out of a population of 1.4 billion people were eligible to vote, equivalent to 70 percent of the total population.
642 million voters participated in the election and 312 million of them were women, making it the highest ever
participation by women voters. This was the largest-ever election, surpassing the previous election, and lasted 44
days, second only to the 1951–52 Indian general election. Incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who
completed a second term, ran for a third consecutive term after his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had enjoyed an
absolute majority—a minimum of 272 seats—in the 2019 and 2014 elections. The primary opposition was the Indian
National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), a coalition formed by the Indian National Congress (INC) and
many regional parties in 2023. The INDIA coalition outperformed expectations, securing 234 seats, 99 of which
were won by the Congress, garnering the party the Official Opposition status for the first time in 10 years.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 3

Maharashtra: Pench Tiger Reserve Installs India’s First AI Forest Fire Detection System
· The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra has become the pioneer in India to implement an
Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based forest fire detection system. Covering over 350 square kilometres of the
reserve, this state-of-the-art technology marks a significant leap forward in forest management and wildlife
protection. The AI-powered platform, dubbed Pantera, integrates both camera feeds and satellite-based data to
deliver real-time alerts within a mere three minutes of detecting forest fires.
· The cornerstone of this initiative is the Um-grauemeio forest fire early warning detection system, a
technology renowned for its effectiveness in combating wildfires in the Amazon rainforest. The AI-powered
platform, dubbed Pantera, integrates both camera feeds and satellite-based data to deliver real-time alerts within a
mere three minutes of detecting forest fires. None of the country’s tiger reserves is using AI-based technology
to detect forest fires.
Pench Tiger Reserve or Pench National Park is one of the premier tiger reserves of India and the first one to
straddle across two states - Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The reference to Pench is mostly to the tiger
reserve in Madhya Pradesh. It is the same forest area portrayed in the famous “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling.

SKM sweeps Sikkim, BJP bags 3rd Arunachal term

· The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Arunachal Pradesh and the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM)
in Sikkim secured landslide victories in the assembly elections. BJP’s win was almost certain as the party had
bagged 10 seats unopposed. The ruling party was the only one that fielded candidates in all 60 seats.
· The Congress, which was the biggest party till the BJP took that position nearly a decade back, had put up
candidates in only 19 seats. In Sikkim, the SKM won 31 out of the 32 seats that went to polls, while the
opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) managed to secure only one seat.
Arunachal Pradesh (“land of dawn-lit mountains”) is a state in Northeast India. It borders the states
of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Myanmar in the
east, and a disputed border with China in the north at the McMahon Line. Itanagar is the state capital of
Arunachal Pradesh. Lieutenant General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik is the present Governor. Pema Khandu is
the current Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. He is the son of former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh
Dorjee Khandu. Since assuming the office of the Chief Minister in July 2016, he and his government have twice
changed their party affiliation; in September from the Indian National Congress to the Peoples Party of Arunachal,
and then in December 2016 to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Haryana government to launch Rs 10,000-crore project to combat air pollution

· The Haryana state government will soon roll out Rs. 10,000-crore project funded by the World Bank to
address air pollution. The Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development will be implemented in the
state in a phased manner with the first phase being implemented in the districts falling in the National Capital
Region (NCR) and replication in entire state later. The project targets promoting cleaner vehicles on roads by
electrifying public transportation fleets for intra-city and inter-city travel. It aims to incentivise the adoption
of electric vehicles (EVs) for private use, especially three-wheelers and four-wheeler taxis.
Haryana is a state in India located in the northern-part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East
Punjab on 1 November 1966 on a linguistic basis. The state capital is Chandigarh and the most populous city is
Faridabad, which is a part of the National Capital Region. The city of Gurgaon is among India’s largest financial
and technology hubs. Bandaru Dattatreya is serving as the current Governor of Haryana since 2021. Nayab
Singh Saini is serving as the current Chief Minister of Haryana. According to the 2011 Census, the lowest sex
ratio in India is in Haryana, where sex ratio is only 879 whereas the highest sex ratio is in Kerala (1084).

India Creates World Record with 64.2 Crore Voters Participating In Lok Sabha Polls
· Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that India has created a world record with 64.2 crore voters
participating in the Lok Sabha Polls. Mr Kumar said that the number is 1.5 times of the voters of all G7
countries – US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada.

Page : 4 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 · In this Lok Sabha polls, 31.2 crore women voters cast their votes which is also the highest ever in the world.
He also said, only 39 repolling were conducted in this election unlike 540 repolling in 2019 General Election. Mr
Kumar said, over 68 thousand monitoring teams and 1.5 crore polling and security personnel were involved in the
electoral exercise.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a constitutional body. It was established by the Constitution of India
to conduct and regulate elections in the country. Article 324 of the Constitution provides that the power of
superintendence, direction, and control of elections to parliament, state legislatures, the office of the president of
India, and the office of vice-president of India shall be vested in the election commission. Thus, the Election
Commission is an all-India body in the sense that it is common to both the Central government and the state
governments. The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, State
Legislative Councils and the offices of the President and Vice President of the country. The Election Commission
operates under the authority of Constitution per Article 324, and subsequently enacted Representation of the
People Act. Rajiv Kumar is the current as and the 25th Chief Election Commissioner of India.

Banaras railway station first in India to get JUSE certification

· Banaras Railway Station of North East Railway (NER) has become the first station of the Indian Railways
to receive the certification of international institution JUSE (Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers).
Banaras station has been developed as a green station for which the approval of the process for this work (consent
to operate) has been obtained from the Pollution Control Board of Uttar Pradesh.
· Banaras railway station has been developed as a green station by controlling water and air quality as per
the standards of National Green Tribunal (NGT). The station had received 5S certificate from international
organization (Quality Circle of India) QCFI three years ago and is maintaining that level.
Indian Railways (IR) is the fourth-largest railway network in the world by size. There are a total of 18 Railway
zones. South Coast Railway Zone is the newest and 18th railway zone, headquartered at Visakhapatnam,
Andhra Pradesh. Ashwini Vaishnaw is currently serving as the Minister of Railways and Commerce in the
Government of India. In June 2019, he became a member of the Parliament of India representing Odisha State in
the Rajya Sabha. The practice of a separate Railway Budget was started by the British in 1924 under the
recommendation of a 10-member Acworth Committee headed by British economist William Mitchell Acworth
in 1920-21. On 21 September 2016, Government of India approved the merger of the Railway Budget with the
Union budget of India, and thus came to end — a 92-year-old practice of separate rail and general budgets.

School Education Department Signs MoU with National Book Trust to Create Institutional
Framework for Rashtriya E-Pustakalaya
· The Department of School Education signed an MoU with the National Book Trust in New Delhi to create
an institutional framework for the Digital Library Platform, Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya. Secretary of the
Department of Higher Education K. Sanjay Murthy said that the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will be available round-
the-clock, irrespective of the geographic location of the readers, making books more accessible to them. He also
added that the problem of last mile presence of a library for many states will be solved with Rashtriya e-
Pustakalaya. He hoped that in the coming 2-3 years, there will be over 10 thousand books in more than 100
languages.
· A first-of-its-kind digital library, Rashtriya e-Pustakalya, will seek to instil a lifelong love of reading among
Indian children and youth by offering over 1,000 non-academic books to children and adolescents
published by over 40 reputed publishers in more than 22 languages besides English. It will be aimed at
facilitating the availability of quality books across geographies, languages, genres, and levels and providing
device-agnostic accessibility for children and adolescents in the country. The books will be categorized by four
age groups, as per NEP 2020, for readers aged 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years. The Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya
project will be a big step in bridging the digital divide and creating an inclusive atmosphere for everybody. The
books will thus be available to read anytime and anywhere. By signing this MoU, DoSEL and the National Book
Trust, India, will commit to collaborating to improve the educational environment.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 5

 The Ministry of Education (MoE), previously the Ministry of Human Resource Development (1985-2020), is
responsible for the implementation and formulation of the National Policy on Education approved by Union
cabinet of India and to ensure that it is implemented in letter and spirit. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad is the First
Minister of Education in the Indian. He is commonly remembered as Maulana Azad; the word Maulana is an
honorific meaning ‘Our Master’ and he had adopted Azad (Free) as his pen name. The current Union Minister
for Education is Dharmendra Pradhan since 7 July 2021. Shri Pradhan represents Madhya Pradesh in the
Rajya Sabha as Member of Parliament.

India names two new Wetlands of International Importance

· India has marked World Environment Day by designating Nagi Bird Sanctuary and Nakti Bird Sanctuary
as its newest wetlands of international importance. These “Ramsar Sites” are both man-made reservoirs
situated in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui District in Bihar, India.
· Nakti Bird Sanctuary was developed primarily for irrigation through the construction of Nakti Dam. In
1984, the wetland was designated as a Bird Sanctuary, highlighting its importance as a wintering habitat for
several migratory species, with over 20,000 birds congregating during winter months.
· The Nagi Bird Sanctuary (Site no. 2545) was created following the damming of the Nagi River, which
enabled the gradual formation of water bodies with clear water and aquatic vegetation. Due to its
importance for migratory bird species, the Site was recognized locally as a Bird Sanctuary in 1984, and
internationally as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. Threatened
migratory species that winter at the Site include the critically endangered Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri) and the
endangered steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis).
A Ramsar site is a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, which is also known as
the ‘Convention on Wetlands’ — an intergovernmental environmental treaty established by United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1971, and named after the city of Ramsar in Iran,
where the convention was signed that year. Ramsar Sites in India are wetlands or similar sites of international
significance to conserve and ensure sustainable use of its resources. India is one of the Contracting Parties to
Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it on 1st Feb 1982. During 1982 to 2013, a total
of 26 sites were added to the list of Ramsar sites, however, during 2014 to 2022, the country has added 49 new
wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites. There are a total of 82 Ramsar sites in India as of 17 June 2024.

BMC unveils India’s first climate budget, earmarks Rs. 10,224 cr

· On the occasion of World Environment Day the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) unveiled a
climate budget for the year 2024-25. BMC officers said that it was the first urban local body in the country
and fourth globally, after Oslo, New York and London, to have launched a climate budget. This isn’t a
budget separate from its existing financial budget and instead all the works being done in a climate relevant
manner have been incorporated in this budget. A research study in Dibru Saikhowa National Park and Panidehing
bird sanctuary in Assam reveals the importance of land use patterns in mitigating climate change effects, focusing
on carbon retention through natural forestation.
India lags behind 150 countries in representation of women in Lok Sabha
· India fared worse than 150 countries in the representation of women in parliament, according to data from
IPU-Parline, a global database on national parliaments. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, 74 women MPs were
elected, forming 13.6 per cent of the total number of members in parliament.
· 14 parties have women elected as MPs, with BJP leading the list with 31 women MPs. They are followed by
Congress with 13 women MPs and TMC with 11 women MPs. India falls short of the global average of 26.5 per
cent as well as the South and Central Asian average of 19 per cent women MPs. The country with the highest
number of women MPs, Rwanda, also has a 30 per cent reservation for women in elected positions.
· Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) -Parline, a free resource on national parliaments, published a ranking in
May 2024, that shows the representation of women in parliaments. In 2019, 14.7 per cent of MPs were women,
taking India’s ranking in the global index to 145. The number of women MPs in 2019, were the highest till
date in India. As of May 2024, the number of women MPs has dropped, leading India’s ranking to fall to 150.

Page : 6 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 · India falls short of the global average of 26.5 per cent as well as the South and Central Asian average of 19
per cent women MPs. India is outranked by countries like the UAE, South Africa, USA and the UK. Rwanda,
with women MPs comprising 61.3 per cent of parliament, ranks highest on the index. India’s neighbours in
Asia also fare better with Pakistan ranking at 116, China at 89 and Nepal at 55. In 2023, India passed the
Women’s Reservation Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), which will provide 33 per cent reservation to
women in Lok Sabha and assemblies. The bill will be enacted by 2029 at least due to delimitation and census
requirements.
Mamallapuram set to become India’s first Green Destination, adding new feathers to its
UNESCO World Heritage cap
· The fabled Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram, known for its UNESCO World Heritage site, is all set to
become India’s first Green Destination. The final award of Mamallapuram will be formally announced and
presented after an audit in a couple of months and this will make it the first World Heritage Site in the Asia
Pacific region to achieve this benchmark.
· Green Destinations based in The Netherlands is a Global Sustainable Tourism Council accredited
certification body which supports sustainable destinations, their businesses and their communities. So far, 122
destinations in the world have been awarded the certification by Global Destinations.
Himanta Biswa Sarma announces Choraideo Maidam’s World Heritage status, seeks UNESCO
support
· Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a step towards securing World Heritage
recognition for Choraideo Maidam. Sarma revealed that the Assam Government has decided to engage with
the Ambassadors of all member countries of UNESCO through the Ministry of External Affairs to garner
support for the prestigious status.
· Choraideo Maidam, known for its historical and architectural importance, holds immense cultural value in
the region. By engaging with UNESCO member countries through diplomatic channels, Assam aims to showcase
the unique heritage of Choraideo Maidam and secure global recognition for its preservation and conservation
efforts.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and is a specialised agency of
the United Nations (UN). It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences
and Culture. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. Political and economic arrangements of
governments are not enough to secure the lasting and sincere support of the peoples. Peace must be founded
upon dialogue and mutual understanding. Peace must be built upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity.
It is headquartered at the World Heritage Centre in Paris, France. Audrey Azoulay is a French civil servant
and politician who has been serving as the Director-General of the UNESCO since 2017, becoming the second
female leader of the organization.

NDA Leader Narendra Modi Stakes Claim to Form Government

· Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi met President Droupadi Murmu and staked claim to form the
government. The oath taking ceremony was held at Rashtrapati Bhawan and the President administered the
oath to Narendra Modi and his new cabinet.
· Earlier, an NDA delegation led by BJP President JP Nadda also met the President and submitted a letter
stating that Narendra Modi had been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party. Letters of support from
NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the President. President Droupadi Murmu appointed
Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India exercising powers vested in her under Article 75 (1)
of the Constitution. The President requested Mr Modi to advise her about the names of other persons to be
appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers, and indicate the date and time of the swearing-in-
ceremony to be held at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 7

 The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is a centre-right to right-wing conservative Indian political alliance led
by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It was founded on 15 May 1998 and currently controls the
government of India as well as the government of 19 Indian states and one Union territory. Its first chairman was
then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee. L. K. Advani, the former Deputy Prime Minister, took over
as chairman in 2004 and served until 2014, and Amit Shah has been the chairman since 2014. The coalition
ruled from 1998 to 2004. The alliance returned to power in the 2014 general elections with a combined vote share
of 38.5%. Its leader Narendra Modi was sworn in as Prime Minister of India on 26 May 2014. In the 2019
general election, the alliance further increased its tally to 353 seats with combined vote share of 45.43%. The alliance
lost 60 seats in the 2024 general election, but retained enough to form a coalition government, a first in over 10
years. On 7 June 2024, Modi confirmed the support of 293 MPs to Droupadi Murmu, the President of India.
This marked Modi’s third term as Prime Minister and his first time heading a coalition government, with the
Telugu Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh and Janata Dal (United) of Bihar emerging as two main allies.

Goa becomes India’s first state to launch Regenerative Tourism

· On the occasion of the sixty-second anniversary of the Liberation of Goa, Goa Tourism is thrilled to
announce the launch of a ground breaking model for regenerative tourism. Aligning itself to the values and
aspirations of the famous Manila Declaration of World Tourism of 1980 and the more recent G20 tourism
ministers working group meet in Goa that came up with the Goa roadmap for tourism as a vehicle for achieving
the sustainable development goals, the Department of Tourism in Goa promises to transform the state into a
model for regenerative tourism in India.
· “With the launch of the Ekadasha Teertha, we are giving Indian tourism a fresh look with an emphasis on
spirituality, indigeneity, cultural and civilisational nationalism, and conscious tourism. Through travel and
pilgrimage, the Indian people have expanded their geographical knowledge throughout millennia, freeing
themselves from the constraints of regionalism and parochialism.
The Annexation of Goa was the process in which the Republic of India annexed the former Portuguese Indian
territories of Goa, Daman and Diu, starting with the armed action carried out by the Indian Armed Forces in
December 1961. In India, this action is referred to as the “Liberation of Goa”. In Portugal, it is referred to as the
“Invasion of Goa”. The “armed action” was code named Operation Vijay (meaning “Victory”) by the Indian
Armed Forces. It involved air, sea and land strikes for over 36 hours, and was a decisive victory for India, ending
451 years of rule by Portugal over its remaining exclaves in India. Following the end of Portuguese rule in 1961,
Goa was placed under military administration headed by Kunhiraman Palat Candeth as Lieutenant Governor.
December 19 is observed as Goa Liberation Day to commemorate the role of India’s armed forces in liberating
Goa from Portuguese rule. Goa is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region,
geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is bound by the Indian states of
Maharashtra to the north, and Karnataka to the east and south, with the Arabian Sea in the west. Panaji is the state’s
capital, while Vasco da Gama is its largest city. It is India’s smallest state by area and fourth-smallest by
population. Pramod Pandurang Sawant is the current Chief Minister of Goa since 2019. P. S. Sreedharan Pillai
is currently serving as the 19th and current Governor of Goa since 2021.

TDP President Nara Chandrababu Naidu sworn-In as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister
· Telugu Desam Party National President N Chandrababu Naidu took oath as Chief Minister of Andhra
Pradesh on 12th June. The swearing-in ceremony takes place near Vijayawada. NDA senior leaders and Chief
Ministers of neighboring states were to attend the ceremony.
· This was the second time Mr Nara Chandrababu Naidu takes oath as the Chief Minister of Andhra
Pradesh post bifurcation in 2014 and first Telugu person to take oath as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for
the fourth time. NDA allies Telugu Desam Party, Janasena and Bharatiya Janata Party swept the assembly
polls winning 164 of the 175 assembly seats.
Nara Chandrababu Naidu commonly known as CBN is currently serving as the 13th Chief Minister of Andhra
Pradesh. He was democratically elected to this position with a landslide victory in 2024. Naidu has had a
distinguished political career, previously serving as Chief Minister from 1995 to 2004 before the state’s bifurcation
and again from 2014 to 2019 after the bifurcation. Naidu’s political career began in the 1970s with the Indian

Page : 8 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 National Congress. In 1978, he was elected to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, and from 1980 to
1982, he served as a minister in the state cabinet. Afterwards, he switched party allegiance and joined TDP,
which had been founded by Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao his father in law.

Navy gets first woman helicopter pilot

· After the IAF and Army, the Navy has now also begun inducting women as helicopter pilots, with Sub-
Lieutenant Anamika B Rajeev becoming the first to get the “golden wings” at the passing-out parade at the
naval air station INS Rajali at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu. In another milestone, Lieutenant Jamyang
Tsewang, the first officer from Ladakh to be commissioned into the Navy, also successfully graduated as a
qualified helicopter pilot.
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme
Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water
navy, it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region, the Horn of Africa, the Strait of Malacca, and routinely
conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar is
the current Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS). General Anil Chauhan is a four-star general of the Indian Army, who
is the current and 2nd Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces.

Modi 3.0 Cabinet: Ram Mohan Naidu becomes youngest ever Union Minister
· Srikakulam MP Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu (TDP) becomes the youngest ever member of the Central
Cabinet, being headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at age 36. This is his third consecutive victory
since 2014. Son of former Union Minister K. Yerran Naidu (the youngest Cabinet Minister in 1996) and
with graduation in electrical engineering from Purdue University and a Master’s Degree in Business
Administration from Long Island University, Mr. Ram Mohan Naidu was initially drawn to a career in Singapore
but fate led him back to his roots after his father’s death in a road accident in 2012.
Lok Sabha Secretariat Develops “Prerana Sthal” To Showcase Statues Of Great Leaders &
Freedom Fighters Of India
· Lok Sabha Secretariat is developing “Prerana Sthal” in the Parliament House Complex and all the statues
of great leaders and freedom fighters of the country are being installed in this. Earlier, these statues were
installed at different parts of the Complex. After the construction of the new Parliament Building, an action
plan has been made for landscaping and beautification of the Parliament Complex so that the Complex
could be made grand and attractive.
· The Prerana Sthal is being developed in such a way that the visitors coming to visit the Parliament complex
could easily see the statues of these leaders and take inspiration from their lives and philosophy. In this
Prerana Sthal, arrangements are also being made to provide detailed information to the visitors through modern
technology regarding the lives and contributions of these great freedom fighters.
The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature
composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha
(House of the People). The President in their role as head of the legislature has full powers to summon and
prorogue either house of Parliament or to dissolve the Lok Sabha. The president can exercise these powers only
upon the advice of the Prime Minister and their Union Council of Ministers. Those elected or nominated (by the
president) to either house of Parliament are referred to as members of Parliament (MPs). The members of parliament
of the Lok Sabha are directly elected by the Indian public voting in single-member districts and the members of
parliament of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the members of all state legislative assemblies by proportional
representation. The Parliament has a sanctioned strength of 543 in the Lok Sabha. Between 1952 and 2020, two
additional members of the Anglo-Indian community were also nominated by the President of India on the
advice of the Indian government, which was abolished in January 2020 by the 104th Constitutional Amendment
Act, 2019 and 245 in the Rajya Sabha including 12 nominees from the expertise of different fields of literature,
art, science, and social service. The Parliament meets at Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi.

-------------

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 9

 International

US military completes major exercise in Africa and works to deepen partnerships

· The U.S. and top African allies conducted the African Lion military exercise in Morocco, addressing new
challenges in volatile regions. The exercise showcased joint military operations and emphasized a holistic
approach to instability issues beyond military solutions. High-ranking military officials from the U.S. and its
top African allies watched intently as dust and flames shot up from pieces of the Sahara Desert hit by tank
and artillery fire. They looked up as pilots flew F-16s into formation.
· And they listened intently as Moroccan and American personnel explained how they would set up beachheads to
defend the Atlantic coastline in the event of a potential invasion. The practice scenario was among those
discussed during African Lion, the United States’ largest annual joint military exercise on the continent,
which concluded in Morocco.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America,
is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district. It is the world’s
third-largest country by both land and total area. The national capital is Washington, D.C., and the most
populous city and financial center is New York City. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is the 46th and current
President of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 47th vice president
from 2009 to 2017 under Barack Obama and represented Delaware in the United States Senate from 1973 to
2009. Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris defeated incumbent president Donald Trump and vice
president Mike Pence in the 2020 presidential election. He is the oldest president and the first to have a female
vice president. The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States and several other countries.

Maldives has become the first country to ban Israeli citizens from entering its borders
· Maldives has become the first country to ban Israeli citizens from entering its borders, citing solidarity
with Palestine over the ongoing Gaza conflict. President Mohamed Muizzu has initiated the process to amend
the law, formally announcing the decision. This decision comes amid heightened tensions and global outrage over
recent Israeli strikes in Rafah.
Maldives is a South Asian country, located in the Indian Ocean, situated in the Arabian Sea. Male is the capital
and most populated city, traditionally called the “King’s Island” for its central location. Maldivian rufiyaa is the
currency of the Maldives. Mohamed Muizzu is the President of the Maldives. The Maldives rejoined the
Commonwealth on 1 February 2020 after showing evidence of functioning democratic processes and popular
support.

Claudia Sheinbaum becomes Mexico’s first female President

· Mexico’s projected presidential winner Claudia Sheinbaum will become the first woman president in the
country’s 200-year history. The National Electoral Institute’s president said Sheinbaum had between 58.3% and
60.7% of the vote. This was the first time in Mexico that the two main opponents were women.
Mexico is a country in the southern portion of North America. Mexico City is the capital. It is bordered to the
north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and
the Caribbean Sea; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico. The Mexican peso is the currency of Mexico.

Page : 10 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

India joins U.S.’s Red Flag air and RIMPAC naval exercises
· Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy are taking part in two mega multinational war games hosted by
their U.S. counterparts. The IAF has deployed Rafale fighter jets for the two-week multinational air exercise
Red Flag which commenced in Alaska.
· On the other hand, the Indian Navy is deploying the indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik for Ex RIMPAC
(Rim of the Pacific) scheduled to be held in Hawaii from June 25 to August 2. “Onwards and Upwards. An IAF
contingent arrived at the Eielson AF Base of US airforce, at Alaska, US, to participate in the upcoming edition of
the multi-national exercise Red Flag 24.
· Ably supported by its IL-78 air-to-air refuellers and the C-17 transport aircraft, the IAF Rafale fighters
took a transatlantic flight with staging halts at Greece and Portugal”. Aimed to integrate aircrew in a
multinational environment, Ex Red Flag is a two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise.
The Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) is the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise.
RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii, with the
exception of 2020 where it was held in August. It is hosted and administered by the United States Navy’s Indo-
Pacific Command, headquartered at Pearl Harbor, in conjunction with the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and
Hawaii National Guard forces under the control of the Governor of Hawaii. The first RIMPAC, held in 1971,
involved forces from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US).
Australia, Canada, and the US have participated in every RIMPAC since then.

South Korea to suspend a military deal with North Korea after tensions over North’s balloons
· South Korea’s government approved the suspension of a contentious military agreement with North Korea
a step that would allow it to take tougher responses to North Korean provocations. The development came
as animosities between the rival Koreas rose sharply recently after North Korea launched trash-carrying balloons
across the border in reaction to previous South Korean civilian leafletting campaigns.
· South Korea’s Cabinet Council passed a proposal aimed at suspending the 2018 inter-Korean agreement
on lowering down frontline military tensions. The proposal will formally take effect when it’s signed by
President Yoon Suk Yeol. The military agreement — reached during a short-lived era of reconciliation between
the Koreas — requires the two countries to cease all hostile acts against each other at their border areas such as
live firing drills, aerial drills and psychological warfare.
South Korea is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land
border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eastern border is defined by the
Sea of Japan. The South Korean won is the official currency of South Korea. Yoon Suk-Yeol is the current
President of South Korea. 38th parallel, popular name given to latitude 38° N that in East Asia roughly
demarcates North Korea and South Korea.

India to drag Australia to WTO arbitration on services trade commitments

· In a first, India has dragged Australia to arbitration at the World Trade Organization (WTO) as Canberra
is making changes to its commitments which New Delhi believes could impact its services trade. India has
initiated WTO arbitration against Australia over concerns regarding changes in its services trade
commitments. These changes, which address licensing and qualification requirements, are part of new
regulations on services domestic regulation aimed at reducing global trade costs.
· These changes address licensing and qualification requirements and are part of new disciplines on services
domestic regulation, expected to lower global trade costs by over US$125 billion. India, identifying itself as
an “affected member,” argues that these changes might restrict its service providers’ market access. “India and
Australia entered into negotiations with a view to reaching an agreement…However, no agreement could be
reached,” India informed the WTO. While the new rules are intended to benefit all WTO members on a most-
favoured nation (MFN) basis, Australia is adhering to its commitments under a Joint Statement Initiative
(JSI). Under a WTO agreement to facilitate non-goods trade among themselves and extend similar benefits
to all other members of the organization, over 70 nations, including the UK and the UAE, have consented
to take on additional commitments in the services sector.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 11

Australia opens military to non-citizen residents from Five Eyes
· Australia will allow non-citizens to join its armed forces, as the sparsely populated nation struggles to meet
recruitment targets. Defence Minister Richard Marles said that from July, looser eligibility criteria would allow
“permanent residents who have been living in Australia for 12 months” to serve. Citizens from Britain, Canada,
New Zealand and the United States are being favoured, he added. Australia has a coastline that would stretch one-
and-a-bit times around the Earth, but a population of just 26 million.
Australia is the largest country in Oceania and the world’s sixth-largest country by total area. Australia’s
capital is Canberra, and its largest city is Sydney. Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George) is King of the
United Kingdom and 14 other Commonwealth realms. He acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022 upon the
death of his mother, Elizabeth II: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan,
and Ceylon. The Australian dollar is the currency of Australia. Anthony Albanese is the current Prime Minister
of Australia.

Spain to join South Africa’s genocide ICJ case over Israel’s actions in Gaza
· Spain will ask a United Nations court for permission to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide
in Gaza. Spain is the first European country to take the step after South Africa filed its case with the
International Court of Justice late last year.
· It alleged that Israel was breaching the genocide convention in its military assault that has laid waste to large
swaths of Gaza. Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Libya and the Palestinians have already requested to join the case.
The court has ordered Israel to immediately halt its military offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah
but stopped short of ordering a cease-fire for the enclave. Israel has not complied.
Spain is a country located in Southwestern Europe, with parts of its territory in the Atlantic Ocean, the
Mediterranean Sea and Africa. Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. Pedro Sanchez has been
Prime Minister of Spain since June 2018. Felipe VI is the King of Spain. The Euro is the official currency of it.

Meloni joins cultural elite celebrating Italian opera’s recognition as a world treasure
· Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni joined top political and cultural figures at Verona’s ancient Arena
amphitheater for an open-air celebration of Italian lyric opera’s recognition by UNESCO as a global cultural
treasure.
· Conductor Riccardo Muti presided over an orchestra of 170 musicians from Italy’s 14 opera houses, joined
by over 314 choral singers and a cast of global star opera stars who delivered a greatest hits of Italian opera from
Verdi to Puccini, Donizetti to Bellini for an appreciative crowd. La Scala’s two star dancers, Roberto Bolle and
Nicoletta Manni, also performed.
Giant step for Somalia with UN Security Council seat
· Somalia has won a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council - hailed as a significant step
for the war-torn nation. It will be the first time the country, which descended into civil war more than 30
years ago, has held the position since the 1970s. The top table at the UN determines how the organisation
should respond to conflicts around the world. Somalia’s battle to bring an end to its turmoil and its fight against
Islamist militants will help inform the UN’s decisions. Somalia was elected along with Denmark, Greece,
Pakistan and Panama to serve for two years from January next year. It bagged the seat allocated to the East
Africa region unopposed and went on to win 179 votes in a secret ballot in the 193-member General Assembly.
Somalia is a country in the Horn of Africa. Mogadishu is the capital and most populous city of Somalia. The
Somali shilling is the official currency of Somalia. The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali
Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa. It is composed of Ethiopia, Eritrea,
Somalia and Djibouti. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is the current the President of Somalia since May 2022. Hamza
Abdi Barre is currently serving as the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia. Somalia has the
longest coastline on Africa’s mainland.

--------------

Page : 12 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 ECONOMY AND FINANCE

India receives highest FDI from Singapore in 2023-24

· India received the highest foreign direct investment (FDI) from Singapore in 2023-24 even as overseas
capital inflows into the country contracted by about 3.5% due to global economic uncertainties, according
to the latest government data.
· Though FDI from Singapore has dipped by 31.55% to $11.77 billion in 2023-24, India has attracted the
maximum inflows from that country, the data showed. During the last fiscal, FDI equity inflows decreased from
major countries, including Mauritius, Singapore, the U.S., the U.K., UAE, Cayman Islands, Germany, and
Cyprus. However, investments increased from the Netherlands and Japan. Since 2018-19, Singapore has been the
largest source of such investments for India. In 2017-18, India attracted the maximum FDI from Mauritius.
According to experts, after the India-Mauritius tax treaty amendment, Singapore has emerged as the preferred
jurisdiction for investment in India.
FDI stands for Foreign Direct Investment and refers to investment made by a foreign company in another
country’s company. The purpose of the investment is to gain long-lasting control or influence over the foreign
company. FII stands for Foreign Institutional Investor. FIIs are a group of investors who pool their money to
invest in foreign assets. FII is a quick way for investors to make money and includes institutions such as banks,
mutual funds, insurance companies, and hedge funds. FDI involves a direct investment in a company with the
intention of acquiring management control or influence, while FII involves investment in securities or assets of
a foreign company. FDI results in a long-term interest in the investee company, whereas FII investment is
usually short-term and focused on the secondary market. FDI is subject to stricter regulations compared to
FII, which allows for a relatively easy entry and exit from investment. FDI brings in not just finance, but also
technical knowledge and direct involvement in the day-to-day operations of the foreign company, while FII
investment primarily provides financial benefits. FDI is considered a more stable form of foreign investment as
compared to FII, which is known as “hot money” due to its quick entry and exit from investments.

Adani third Indian business house to cross $10-b mark in operating profit
· The Adani Group has become only the third Indian conglomerate after the Tata Group and Mukesh
Ambani’s Reliance Group to log $10 billion in annual operating profit, having reached that milestone in FY24
despite higher policy rates, global business volatility, and a stock rout spawned by misgovernance allegations.
· The infrastructure conglomerate’s Ebitda, or profit from regular business operations excluding costs such as
interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation, climbed 45% year-on- year in FY24, showed a group
presentation shared with top investors.
Gautam Shantilal Adani is an Indian billionaire industrialist. He is the chairman and founder of Adani Group,
an Ahmedabad-based multinational conglomerate involved in port development and operations in India. Adani
is also the president of Adani Foundation, which is primarily led by his wife, Priti Adani. As of 7 September 2022,
according to Forbes, with a net worth of US$148.4 billion, he is the richest person in India and Asia, and the
fourth richest person in the world. Adani subsequently lost more than $104 billion of market capitalization
after fraud and market manipulation allegations by short-seller firm Hindenburg Research.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 13

State Bank of India’s market cap crosses Rs. 8 lakh crore, stocks surge to all-time high
· The market capitalisation of the State Bank of India (SBI) crossed the ₹8 lakh crore mark after the bank’s
shares surged to a record high of ₹907. SBI is now the third-largest bank in India by market cap, very close to
ICICI Bank which is second largest.
· The bank’s market cap milestone was reached as shares rose over 9% during a rally in the stock market,
hitting an all-time high of ₹909. Notably, SBI’s shares have increased by more than 50% in the last six months.
State Bank of India (SBI) is an Indian multinational public sector bank and financial services statutory body
headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The bank descends from the Bank of Calcutta, founded in 1806 via
the Imperial Bank of India, making it the oldest commercial bank in the Indian Subcontinent. The Government
of India took control of the Imperial Bank of India in 1955, with Reserve Bank of India (India’s central bank)
taking a 60% stake, renaming it State Bank of India. SBI is the 43rd largest bank in the world and ranked 221st in the
Fortune Global 500 list of the world’s biggest corporations of 2020, being the only Indian bank on the list. It is a
public sector bank and the largest bank in India with a 23% market share by assets and a 25% share of the
total loan and deposits market. On 16th Aug 2022 an attempt to facilitate and support start-ups in the country, the
State Bank of India (SBI) announced the launch of its first “state-of-the-art” dedicated branch for start-ups in
the country in Bengaluru. YONO (You Only Need One) is an integrated digital banking platform offered by
State Bank of India (SBI) to enable users to access a variety of financial and other services such as flight, train,
bus and taxi bookings, online shopping, or medical bill payments. Five associates and the Bharatiya Mahila Bank
became part of the State Bank of India (SBI), catapulting the country’s largest lender to among the top 50
banks in the world. State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (SBBJ), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH), State Bank of
Mysore (SBM), State Bank of Patiala (SBP) and State Bank of Travancore (SBT), besides Bharatiya Mahila
Bank (BMB), merged with SBI with effect from April 1, 2017.

Sebi launches Saa₹thi 2.0 mobile app on personal finance

· Market regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) launched ‘Saa₹thi 2.0’ mobile app in
Mumbai. The updated Saa₹thi app has introduced a user-friendly interface with comprehensive tools aimed at
simplifying complex financial concepts.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is the regulatory body for securities and commodity
market in India under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It was established on 12
April 1988 and given Statutory Powers on 30 January 1992 through the SEBI Act, 1992. SEBI has its
headquarters at the business district of Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. Madhabi Puri Buch is the
chairperson of the securities regulatory body Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). She is the first
woman chairperson to lead SEBI.

A’Bank Clinic’ to guide you on complaints

· The Bank Clinic is an initiative by the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) to help customers
address their grievances amid rapid expansion in technology and a series of Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
guidelines on retail banking. A customer can fill out the details of her/his complaint, create a ticket, and receive a
reply in five working days on the remedies available and information on what the RBI guidelines prescribe on that
matter.
Volvo to issue world’s first EV battery passport ahead of EU rules
· Volvo Cars is launching the world’s first EV battery passport recording the origins of raw materials,
components, recycled content and carbon footprint for its flagship EX90 SUV, which is about to start
production. The passport was developed by Volvo, which is owned by China’s Geely, in partnership with U.K.
startup Circulor, which uses blockchain technology to map supply chains for companies, and took over five years
to develop. Battery passports will be mandatory for electric vehicles (EVs) sold in the European Union from
February 2027 showing the composition of batteries, including the origin of key materials, their carbon
footprint and recycled content.

Page : 14 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

Netherlands emerges as India’s 3rd largest export destination in 2023-24
· The Netherlands has emerged as India’s third largest export destination after the U.S. and UAE during
2023-24, even as the country’s merchandise shipments dipped by over 3%. The main commodities which
registered healthy exports growth in the Netherlands include petroleum products ($14.29 billion), electrical goods,
chemicals, and pharmaceuticals in the last fiscal.
· India’s trade surplus with the Netherlands has increased to $17.4 billion in the last fiscal from $13 billion in
2022-23. The Netherlands has taken over major destinations such as the U.K., Hong Kong, Bangladesh and
Germany. India’s exports to the Netherlands rose by about 3.5% to $22.36 billion in 2023-24 as against $21.61
billion in 2022-23.
QS World Rankings: IIT Delhi ranked 150; University of Delhi stands at 328
· The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi was ranked 150 in the latest edition of the QS World
University Rankings 2025 released. With an improvement of 47 positions from last year’s 197th rank, this is the
highest rank that IIT Delhi has achieved.
· Delhi’s Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) has been recognised with the ‘Rising Star’
award for showing incredible improvement in 12 months since the university’s debut in the last edition.
· “Delhi IIT is among the top 100 world universities with respect to employer reputation, a QS parameter
designed to evaluate the perceptions of global employers on which the institutions are providing the most job-
ready graduates,” said an IIT official.
· IIT Delhi has also been featured among the top 150 universities with respect to academic reputation and
citations per faculty as in the average number of citations per faculty which is an estimate of the impact and
quality of the scientific work produced by the university.
· Meanwhile, University of Delhi (DU) has been ranked as the top university among central universities from India
and 328th worldwide, according to the QS World University Rankings. DU was ranked 407 internationally
last year.
India to host global airlines in 2025
· India will host next year’s annual gathering of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which
represents over 330 airlines worldwide. Next year’s AGM will be the third time that the world’s airline leaders
gather in India. The country has hosted the AGM in 1983 and 1958.
· The IATA also announced that IndiGo’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, has taken charge of the Chair of the IATA
Board of Governors (BoG). His one-year term begins at the conclusion of the 80th IATA Annual General
Meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 3 June. Mr. Elbers is the 82nd Chair of the IATA BoG.
· He served earlier on the BoG between 2016 and 2022 as KLM’s President and CEO and was reappointed to the
Board in 2022 shortly after he became IndiGo’s CEO. He succeeds RwandAir CEO Yvonne Manzi Makolo
who will continue to serve on the BoG.
NCLT gives nod for Vistara-Air India merger
· The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) granted its approval for the merger of Vistara with Air
India allowing a period of nine months for the dissolution of the former. Tata Sons Private Limited will hold
73.38% stake in the merged entity, and Singapore Airlines 25.1%.
· The remaining 1.52% will be held by SBICAP Trustee Limited on behalf of Air India Employee Settlement
Trust. The anti-competition trusts of India and Singapore have already granted their nod for the integration. Next,
the DGCA will have to approve the transfer of Vistara’s crew, operations and aircraft to Air India. Vistara’s
CEO Vinod Kannan has said that the airline aims to complete the merger by December 2024.
· The Tata Sons also fully own Air India Express which was merged with erstwhile AirAsia India,
rechristened as Air India Connect after Malaysian airline group AirAsia sold its entire stake of 16.33% in
2022. While Air India is a full-service carrier under the Tata Group, Air India Express is its low-cost arm that will
compete with IndiGo. The Tata Sons bought Air India and Air India Express from the government and took
its ownership in January 2022.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 15

RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for 8th time in a row
· The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep the policy rate unchanged for the eighth time in a row,
saying it will maintain a tight vigil on inflation. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) recently concluded its second meeting of FY25, maintaining the repo rate unchanged
at 6.5%. This decision comes amidst projections of India’s GDP growth at 7.2%. The MPC, comprising six
members including RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, plays a crucial role in determining the nation’s benchmark
interest rate, impacting borrowing costs and loan rates. Historically, the repo rate was last changed in
February 2023, rising from 6.25% to 6.5%. This marked a 250 basis point increase between May 2022 and
February 2023, influencing borrowing costs for banks and, consequently, interest rates on loans for businesses
and individuals.
· In terms of inflation and economic growth, CPI inflation for FY25 continues its disinflationary trend,
holding steady at 4.5%. However, food inflation remains elevated due to price pressures in key categories. Core
inflation, excluding food and fuel, eased to 3.2% in April, the lowest in the current CPI series. The Statutory
Liquidity Ratio (SLR) and bank rates also remain at 6.75%, with real GDP growth projected at 7.2%, up from 7%
previously. The MPC’s decision to maintain the repo rate at 6.5% may disappoint those expecting lower
loan EMIs. Despite concerns over food inflation, recent election results have complicated potential rate cuts. The
RBI’s focus on balancing inflation control with economic growth has led to the repo rate remaining unchanged for
the eighth consecutive meeting.
The Monetary Policy Committee is responsible for fixing the benchmark interest rate in India. The meetings of
the Monetary Policy Committee are held at least 4 times a year (specifically, at least once a QUARTER) and it
publishes its decisions after each such meeting. The committee comprises six members - three officials of
the Reserve Bank of India and three external members nominated by the Government of India. The Governor
of Reserve Bank of India is the chairperson ex officio of the committee. Decisions are taken by majority with
the Governor having the casting vote in case of a tie. The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 was amended
by Finance Act (India), 2016 to constitute MPC which will bring more transparency and accountability in
fixing India’s Monetary Policy. The current mandate of the committee is to maintain 4% annual inflation until
31 March 2026 with an upper tolerance of 6% and a lower tolerance of 2%. The committee is answerable to
the Government of India if the inflation exceeds the range prescribed for three consecutive quarters.

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) offers India’s first biometric-enabled

self-bag drop facility
· Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) offers India’s first biometric-enabled self-bag drop
facility, enhancing the travel experience for domestic flyers of Tata Group Airlines. The innovative system
uses DigiYatra and facial recognition technology to streamline the baggage drop process, reducing check-in
queues and providing a convenient solution for passengers.
· DigiYatra users can drop their bags with the airlines using facial recognition at Bengaluru Airport. For
this, users have to select the “scan your face biometric for baggage drop” option and follow the prompts. After
that, users have to look directly into the camera for a quick scan, and the machine will retrieve their flight details.
RBI Proposes To Bring Auto-Replenishment Facility For UPI Lite Wallet
· The Reserve Bank has proposed to bring an auto-replenishment facility for UPI Lite wallet. RBI plans to
bring UPI Lite within the e-mandate framework. Accordingly, if the balance in the UPI wallet goes below a
threshold amount set by the customer, the fund will move from his/her account to the wallet without additional
authentication or pre-debit notification.
· RBI has said the move will enable customers to use the UPI Lite seamlessly, adding that the change in rules is
based on the feedback received from various stakeholders. The UPI Lite facility currently allows a customer to
load his UPI Lite wallet up to Rs 2,000 and make payments up to Rs 5,000. UPI Lite was introduced in
September 2022 to enable small value payments in a quick and seamless manner through an on-device
wallet. RBI has said that related guidelines in this regard will be issued shortly.

-------------

Page : 16 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Inventions/Discoveries
India, S. Korea, US, Japan, EU launch Biopharmaceutical Alliance
· South Korea, India, the United States, Japan, and the European Union (EU) have come together to launch
an alliance to put joint efforts into building a resilient supply chain in the biopharmaceutical sector, the
South Korean presidential office said in Seoul.
· The inaugural meeting of the Biopharmaceutical Alliance, held in San Diego during the Bio International
Convention 2024, had representatives from government officials and bio and pharmaceutical companies from the
participating countries. The participants emphasised the importance of a reliable and sustainable supply
chain and agreed to coordinate the respective countries’ bio policies, regulations, and research and
development support measures.
· They acknowledged that the production of essential raw materials and ingredients is concentrated in a few
countries and agreed to work together to build a detailed pharmaceutical supply chain map. The alliance was
launched in response to the drug supply shortages experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. South
Korea and the U.S. agreed to form the alliance during their dialogue on core emerging technologies in
December and expanded it to include Japan, India and the EU.
The Indian pharmaceutical industry is among the largest in the world. It is the largest producer of vaccines and
the largest manufacturer and exporter, by volume, of generic drugs. India is known for providing quality-
assured affordable medicines worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry demonstrated resilience
and is now known as the pharmacy of the world.

India, US, 12 others inked pact to meet climate financing goal

· The US and 13 other nations in Asia and the Pacific signed agreements on an economic pact key to
Washington’s strategy to build clout in the region. Partners of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework signed
the clean economy and fair economy agreements, US Secretary for Commerce Gina Raimondo told reporters in
a briefing in Singapore at the end of the two-day forum. The agreements represent two of the so-called “four
pillars” that the pact rests on. The agreement signed at a Singapore meet, focuses on improving market conditions
and reducing barriers for low-carbon projects. While the pact is in its final stages of approval, experts caution
against allowing imports of genetically modified seeds and foods under the guise of food security.
· In the world of climate finance, it is not just about dollars but the value that is placed on saving our planet.
At global climate summits—from the Ad Hoc Work Programme (AHWP) of the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that was recently discussed in Colombia to the annual Conference
of Parties (COP)—’climate finance’ is a recurring topic of discussion. In line with the needs of developing
countries, India has called for developed countries to provide at least USD 1 trillion per year from 2025,
composed primarily of grants and concessional finance, urging them to take a proactive stance towards
fulfilling their climate finance commitments. As COP28 last year deferred most finance issues to COP29, the
agreement on a New Collective Quantified Goal—a new global climate finance goal—replacing the USD
100 billion commitment will serve as the guiding star for future climate action.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 17

ISRO develops PraVaHa software for aerodynamic design and analysis
· The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
software named Parallel RANS Solver for Aerospace Vehicle Aero-thermo-dynamic Analysis (PraVaHa).
This software was developed in ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). It can simulate external and
internal flows on launch vehicles, winged and non-winged re-entry vehicles.
· According to ISRO, initial aerodynamic design studies for launch vehicles demand evaluation of a large
number of configurations. Any aerospace vehicle while moving through the Earth’s atmosphere during launch
or re-entry is subjected to severe aerodynamic and aerothermal loads in terms of external pressure and heat flux.
· Understanding the airflow around aircraft, rocket bodies, or Crew Module (CM) during earth re-entry is
essential to design the shape, structure, and Thermal Protection System (TPS) required for these bodies.
The unsteady part of aerodynamics contributes to serious flow issues around such rocket bodies and creates
significant acoustic noise during the mission.
· Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is one such tool to predict the aerodynamic and aerothermal loads
which solve numerically the equations of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy along with the equation
of state. PraVaHa has been used extensively in the Gaganyaan program for aerodynamic analysis of human-
rated launch vehicles, viz, HLVM3, Crew Escape System (CES), and CM.
ISRO is the space agency of India headquartered in the city of Bangalore. ISRO was formed in 1969. ISRO built
India’s first satellite, Aryabhata, which was launched by the Soviet Union on 19 April 1975. S Somanath is
current the chairperson of the ISRO. Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) or Sriharikota Range (SHAR) is a
rocket launch centre operated by ISRO. It is located in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Sreedhara Panicker
Somanath from Kerala is an Indian aerospace engineer serving as the chairman of the Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO). Under his chairmanship, ISRO carried out the third Indian lunar exploration mission named
Chandrayaan-3. Somanath served as the director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and
director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Thiruvananthapuram.

Proposal for IIM in Assam’s Kamrup gets Centre nod

· The union government has given the go-ahead for setting up an Indian Institute of Management at
Marabhita in Assam’s Kamrup district following a proposal submitted by the state government. Assam
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the Ministry of Education has given “in-principle approval”
to the proposal and appointed IIM Ahmedabad as the mentor institute for the new IIM.
Lunar Timekeeping: How Nasa plans to synchronize moon missions
· NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are collaborating to develop a standardized time system for
the moon as part of the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface. The initiative
addresses the need for a unified timekeeping system to coordinate missions from different countries and private
entities. The moon’s day-night cycle, lasting about 29.5 Earth days, complicates timekeeping. Unlike Earth’s
24-hour day, this prolonged cycle necessitates a different approach to maintaining a consistent time reference.
NASA and ESA are working on technologies to ensure accurate timekeeping and synchronization for lunar
missions.
· These efforts are crucial for the success of the Artemis program and future lunar exploration. “The
synchronization of time will be vital for various aspects of lunar operations, including navigation, communication,
and scientific experiments”. The Artemis program, led by NASA, aims to land the first woman and the next
man on the moon by 2024. Establishing a lunar time zone is a significant step towards fostering international
collaboration and ensuring the success of multi-national lunar missions.
India launches nation’s 1st 3D-printed rocket engine
· Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos successfully launched the nation’s first 3D-printed rocket engine,
paving the way for reduced time and costs associated with building rockets and boosting the country’s
spacefaring capabilities. The maiden flight was also the country’s second private rocket launch and the first to
demonstrate the use of a semi-cryogenic engine.

Page : 18 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 · Unlike cryogenic engines that require heavy tanks to hold pressurized liquid hydrogen and oxygen at very
low temperatures, semi-cryogenic engines replace the liquid hydrogen with refined kerosene. As a result,
such engines require lesser storage space and normal temperatures, allowing for increased payload capacity as
well as higher thrust.
Chile to install world’s largest astronomy camera on the edge of Atacama desert
· With a resolution above 3.2 gigapixels, a nearly three-ton weight and the ambitious task of carrying out an
unprecedented decade-long exploration, the largest digital camera ever built for optical astronomy is ready to
be installed under the clear skies of northern Chile.
· The pieces required to assemble the Vera C. Rubin Observatory - which includes a ground-based telescope
and the camera - traveled in several vehicles to the summit of Cerro Pachón in the Coquimbo region, on the
edge of the Atacama desert, some 565 kilometers north of Santiago.
· “Everything that we needed for operations now on the summit and ready for checkout and hopefully for
installation a little bit later this year,” said Stuartt Corder, chief science officer of the AURA association of
universities and deputy director of the NOIRLab center, which will operate the observatory.
· According to its website, the Rubin Observatory is a complex, integrated system consisting of an eight-meter
wide-field ground-based telescope, the camera, and an automated data processing system. It will generate
approximately 20 terabytes of data per night and its ten-year exploration will produce a catalog database of 15
petabytes.
· The goal of the exploration will be to understand the nature of dark energy and dark matter in the universe
- of which only a small part is known - as well as studying the possibility of Earth colliding with asteroids, or
stars and planets close to the sun.
· AURA is a consortium of 47 U.S. institutions and three international affiliates that operate astronomical
observatories for the National Science Foundation and NASA. It is responsible for managing, among others, the
NOIRLab center. Chile hosts much of the world’s investment in astronomy thanks to the clear skies of its
Atacama Desert, the driest desert on earth.
World’s first bird flu human death recorded in Mexico
· The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the first human death from bird flu after an
alarming increase in cases. The victim, a resident of Mexico, succumbed to the illness after suffering from
symptoms of avian influenza A (H5N2). The specific strain and details surrounding the case and its impact on
humans are still being investigated; however, the incident has now alerted the global health organisation.
· It’s important to highlight that the strain responsible for the first reported death differs from the bird flu
strain currently circulating in livestock in the US. In the United States, the H5N1 strain was detected in dairy
herds in March, leading to confirmed cases in three dairy workers. Although all three workers at farms with
infected cows have been diagnosed with bird flu, the illnesses were considered mild. Reports indicate instances of
avian influenza subtype A(H5N2) in poultry across Mexico.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for
international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as “the attainment by all peoples of
the highest possible level of health”. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, it has six regional offices and 150
field offices worldwide. The WHO was established on 7 April 1948. The first meeting of the World Health
Assembly (WHA), the agency’s governing body, took place on 24 July of that year. The current director-
general is Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia.

Boeing launches NASA astronauts for the first time after years of delays
· Boeing launched astronauts for the first time belatedly joining SpaceX as a second taxi service for NASA. A
pair of NASA test pilots blasted off aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule for the International Space Station, the first
to fly the new spacecraft.
· The trip by Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams was expected to take 25 hours. They will spend just over a
week at the orbiting lab before climbing back into Starliner for a remote desert touchdown in the western U.S.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 19

Mysterious ‘hole’ on Mars excites enthusiasts, could shelter humans during expeditions
· Dust storms and temperature swings are said to be common on Mars. As humans aim to explore the planet, a
mysterious pit on the side of an ancient volcano on Mars has generated excitement amongst space enthusiasts.
Captured by the High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA’s Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), the pit, located on the side of the now-extinct Arsia Mons volcano and
only a few metres wide, was found in August of 2022.
Mars is the fourth planet and the furthest terrestrial planet from the Sun. The reddish color of its surface is
due to finely grained iron(III) oxide dust in the soil, giving it the nickname “the Red Planet”. Mars’s radius is
second smallest among the planets in the Solar System at 3,389.5 km. The Martian dichotomy is visible on the
surface: on average, the terrain on Mars’s northern hemisphere is flatter and lower than its southern hemisphere. Mars
has a thin atmosphere made primarily of carbon dioxide, and two irregularly shaped natural satellites: Phobos and
Deimos. Like the other planets in the Solar System, Mars was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago. The Mars
Orbiter Mission (MOM), unofficially known as Mangalyaan was a space probe orbiting Mars since 24
September 2014. It was launched on 5 November 2013 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It
was India’s first interplanetary mission and it made ISRO the fourth space agency to achieve Mars orbit, after
Roscosmos, NASA, and the European Space Agency. It made India the first Asian nation to reach the Martian
orbit and the first nation in the world to do so on its maiden attempt.

ISRO all set for third reusable launch vehicle landing experiment
· Taking its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) programme one more step closer to reality, the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to carry out the third and final RLV landing experiment (RLV
LEX). Mission Readiness Review (MRR cleared the mission for the first half of June, subject to weather
conditions, at the Aeronautical Test Range at Chitradurga, Karnataka.
· RLV-LEX missions involve taking an unmanned winged prototype, christened Pushpak, to a designated
height and releasing it to land safely under varying conditions. In LEX-03, Pushpak will be carried to a height
of 4.5 km and 500 metres to one side of the runway using an IAF Chinook helicopter. In LEX-02, the second
mission, the altitude was the same but the lateral distance from the runway was 150 metres.
Giant viruses feeding on algae could slow ice melting
· Researchers have discovered giant viruses living on algae-blackened ice in the Arctic, which could be
harnessed to reduce ice melting. Ice in the Arctic is melting at an alarming rate. Now, researchers from Aarhus
University (Denmark) have found a potential biocontrol: giant viruses. The researchers suspect that giant
viruses feed on the algae found on ice sheets, which increase the rate of ice melting. While more research is
needed, the researchers hope the viruses could be used to reduce the rate at which ice melts. During spring in the
Arctic, the days lengthen, and the sun rises higher in the sky, bringing life back to the area.
· This includes algae, which begin to bloom and blacken large areas of the ice. When the ice blackens, its ability to
reflect the sun is limited, accelerating the ice’s melting. This increased melting contributes to the worsening of
global warming. To investigate the phenomenon, the researchers used metagenomic and metatranscriptomic
techniques to analyze samples from dark ice, red snow and melting holes (cryoconite). They found signatures
of active giant viruses, which is the first time they’ve been found on surface ice and snow that contains a high
concentration of pigmented microalgae.
Viruses are non-cellular entities with genetic material enclosed in a protein coat called capsid. The viral
genome is usually either RNA or DNA. Outside the host, viruses remain inert. But once inside host cells, they utilise
the cell machinery to make copies of themselves, often destroying the host cell. Viruses are parasitic entities lacking
cells, making them unclassifiable within any specific kingdom. They are sub-microscopic infectious agents that
can only replicate inside host cells of living organisms. They range from 20 to 400 nm and can infect all life
forms - humans, animals, plants, bacteria. They are found in almost every ecosystem and environment on Earth.
Though not classified as living organisms, viruses exhibit biological properties when inside a host cell. Many fatal
epidemics throughout history like smallpox, influenza, HIV/AIDS, Coronavirus, etc. have been caused by viruses.

---------------

Page : 20 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 SPORTS

Sports Personalities in News

UEFA Champions League Final: Real Madrid Clinch Record-Extending 15th Title
· Real Madrid withstood a Borussia Dortmund barrage to win the Champions League for the 15 th time as
Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior struck late in a 2-0 win at Wembley. Madrid have now won their last nine
European Cup finals and won the competition six times in the last 11 seasons. However, not for the first time in
that run, they had to rely on some good fortune as underdogs Dortmund were left to bitterly regret not making the
most of their first-half chances.
ICC announce record prize money for 2024 T20 World Cup, winners to receive $2.45 million
· The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the record-breaking prize money for the ongoing
T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies. The world cricket governing body shared that the
total prize fund for the marquee tournament is $11.25 million (93.5 Cr INR), out of which the winning side
will receive $2.45 million (20.3 Cr INR).
· This is a jump of close to $850,000 from the last T20 World Cup, in 2022 in Australia, where the winners,
England, pocketed $1.6 million. The total prize money for the tournament has more than doubled: from $5.6
million in 2022 to $11.25 million dollars in this year’s 20-team tournament.
T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma becomes first batter to hit 600 sixes in international cricket
· India captain Rohit Sharma hit another milestone during India’s 2024 World Cup opener against Ireland
in New York. Finishing with four fours and three sixes in his innings of 52, Rohit became the first batter to hit
600 sixes in international cricket. Rohit’s tally has been constructed from a total of 499 games across formats.
Behind him in the all-time list are Chris Gayle (553 maximums), Shahid Afridi (553), Brendon McCullum (478),
and Martin Guptill (398).
Sarabjot Singh shoots gold at Munich World Cup
· Sarabjot Singh secured India’s first gold at the ISSF World Cup in the men’s 10m air pistol event,
outshooting top competitors with a score of 242.7 in the final. He narrowly edged out Bu Shuaihang of China.
The 22-year-old’s stellar performance, marked by consistent shooting and nerve under pressure, earned him his
second individual ISSF World Cup medal.
French Open: Iga Świątek Wins Women’s Singles Title, 3rd Time in A Row
· In the French Open Tennis Women’s singles final, World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland overcame an early
wobble to beat first-time Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 at Roland Garris. She became only the third woman
in the Open era to clinch three straight French Open titles.
· In her first appearance in the final of a Grand Slam, 12 th seed Jasmine Paolini, on her way defeated Bianca
Andreescu, Elena Rybakina and the starlet Mirra Andreeva. In men’s singles final match, Carlos Alcaraz will
compete against Germany’s Alexander Zverev, in his first French Open final after an impressive five-set semi-
final victory over Jannik Sinner. Alcaraz aims to join the prestigious list of Spanish champions at Roland Garros,
as he appears in the title clash.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 21

Sift Kaur Samra Bags Bronze Medal in Women’s 50m Rifle 3-Position in ISSF Rifle Pistol World
Cup
· Women’s 50m rifle 3-positions specialist Sift Kaur Samra won a bronze medal on the concluding day of the
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Munich, as India ended the competition
with two medals.
· Sarabjot Singh had won gold in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol. Sift shot 452.9, to give up silver by an agonizing
0.1 to China’s Han Jiayu, the reigning Air Rifle Women’s World Champion. World No. 1 Seonaid Mcintosh of
Great Britain won gold with a score of 466.7.
Puja Tomar is India’s first MMA fighter to win a bout in UFC
· Puja Tomar, scripted history as she became the first-ever Indian to win a bout at the Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC) in UFC Louisville 2024. Tomar won by the split decision of 30-27, 27-30, 29-28, beating
Rayanne Amanda dos Santos.
Magnus Carlsen claims victory in Norway Chess 2024; Ju Wenjun wins women’s event
· Magnus Carlsen won the Norway Chess 2024 tournament after defeating Fabiano Caruana in the
Armageddon with white pieces. The duo had played out 52 moves in the Armageddon format before Caruana
threw in the towel. Their classical game had meandered into a draw after 25 moves with a three-fold repetition on
the board.
· Carlsen’s victory was confirmed by Praggnanandhaa holding World No 2 Hikaru Nakamura to a draw in
the classical portion. Praggnanandhaa returned in the Armageddon format to take down Nakamura to hand the
American his second defeat in the Armageddon format in two days. Meanwhile, in the women’s section of
Norway Chess, Ju Wenjun claimed the title with 19 points ahead of Anna Muzychuk who was three points behind
her in second place.

--------------

Page : 22 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 MISCELLANEOUS
Gujarat’s First Blue Flag Beach
· Shivrajpur Beach, the first in Gujarat to receive the Blue Flag certification, offers clear water, serene sunset
views, and boating activities. This certification marks a significant achievement for the region, enhancing its
appeal as a tourist destination.
Karnataka gets first-of-its-kind WhatsApp chatbot for snakebite awareness
· To bring more awareness about snakebite prevention as well as to prevent snake persecution, a first-of-its-
kind WhatsApp chatbot has been launched in Mysuru. Karnataka also became the first state in India to declare
snakebite as a notifiable disease.
· The chatbot, launched by Humane Society International (HSI) India in collaboration with The Liana
Trust, an organisation that engages in conservation efforts by educating people, provides easily accessible
information about snake species found in Mysuru. They also provide lifesaving snakebite first-aid, snakebite
prevention tips, and myth-busting around misinformation about snakes that can lead to acts of cruelty.

---------------

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 23

 PERSONS IN NEWS
Arjun Rampal Becomes The First Indian Celebrity To Raise $1.5 Million USD For CRY India
· Arjun Rampal has always been known for his captivating screen presence and remarkable acting talent.
However, beyond the glitz and glamour of the film industry, Arjun is also known for his philanthropic deeds.
· He recently emerged as a passionate advocate for children’s rights, championing the cause with
unwavering dedication. In 2024, his commitment to making a difference reached new heights as he became the
first Indian celebrity to raise an astounding $1.5 million for CRY America, a non-profit organisation dedicated to
ensuring every child’s right to a happy, healthy, and educated life.
· His involvement in the galas hosted in various parts of America significantly elevated the events, drawing
high-net-worth individuals and generous donors who contributed to this remarkable fundraising feat.
Chandrika Ravi becomes first Indian woman to host American radio show
· India-origin Australian actress Chandrika Ravi will soon be seen on an American talk show. She will host
an American talk show called ‘The Chandrika Ravi Show’. In this show, she will be seen sharing her experiences
and struggles. Inspired by her struggle, Rooks Avenue Radio founder Sammy Chand has given her this
opportunity. Being behind the camera is a new experience compared to my years of acting. People will be able to
see me in my real form”.

---------------

Page : 24 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 AWARDS
Sonu Nigam honoured with prestigious UK Fellowship for musical achievements
· Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam, who was in the UK for a concert series, has been awarded an Honorary
Fellowship by a leading Indian diaspora students’ organisation for his worldwide impact in the field of
music. The National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK conferred Nigam with the Fellowship
during his packed performance at Wembley Arena in London. It was presented on stage by veteran British Indian
Labour MP Virendra Sharma and Professor Rachel Dwyer, Emeritus Professor of Indian Culture at the School of
Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Ashutosh Gowariker becomes first Indian producer to receive ‘Saint Tropez Medal’
· Producer Ashutosh Gowariker has become the first Indian filmmaker to be honoured with the ‘Saint
Tropez Medal’. A ceremony was organised in the city of Saint Tropez, France for excellence in cinema. Where
Ashutosh was honoured with the prestigious ‘Saint Tropez Medal’ at the Nirvana Indian Culture and Cinema
Festival. Indian filmmaker Leena Yadav’s ‘Parched’ and Jude Anthony Joseph’s ‘2018 - Everyone is a Hero’
were also screened at the event. Gowariker’s ‘Swades’ was also shown in St. Tropez. During this time, along with
the screening of films, many cultural programs related to Indian food, fashion, music, dance and yoga were also
held.
Vellayan Subbiah, chairman of Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Co, wins EY World
Entrepreneur of the Year award
· Vellayan Subbiah, executive vice-chairman of Tube Investments of India and chairman of Cholamandalam
Investment & Finance Co, has won the EY World Entrepreneur of The Year 2024 title. Subbiah was chosen
from nearly 5,000 businesspeople worldwide. India’s fourth win in 24 years solidifies its status as the only
country across EY regions to achieve this feat. Subbiah’s leadership in his family’s business and his
transformation of TII, a 70-year-old manufacturing company, demonstrate his humble and personable approach to
leadership.
Sebi Wins ‘Best Business Regulator’ Award in Asia Pacific
· Sebi has been given ‘Best Conduct of Business Regulator’ award in Asia Pacific by The Asian Banker for
its role in enhancing the regulatory framework for securities markets in India. The award was received by
Sebi’s Whole Time Member Kamlesh Chandra Varshney in a ceremony held in Hong Kong.
· “This authority (Sebi) has been actively working towards instantaneous settlement. In 2021, T+1 settlement was
introduced in a phased manner, which was fully implemented from January 2023. This move has provided
investors with faster access to their funds following trade execution and settlement, enhancing market efficiency
and liquidity”.
Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais Presents ‘Plastic Export Excellence Award’
· Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais highlighted the global success of the Indian plastic industry and
urged the sector to establish “Brand India” through research, innovation, and excellence. He presented the
‘Plastic Export Excellence Award’ given by the Plastics Export Promotion Council under the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry of the Government of India in Mumbai. P. Tapadia received the Lifetime Achievement
Award, and Arvind Goenka, former president of the council, was given a special honour. In total, 75 plastic
exporters were awarded

---------------

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 25

 IMPORTANT DAYS
World Milk Day
· World Milk Day is an international day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations to recognize the importance of milk as a global food. It has been observed on June 1 each year since
2001. World Milk Day was first designated by the FAO in 2001. June 1 was chosen as the date because many
countries were already celebrating a milk day during that time of year.
· The theme for this year’s World Milk Day focuses on the significance of dairy in providing nutrition and
nourishing the world. The best way to spend the day is by attending a World Milk Day event and learning more
about milk and other dairy products.
· National Milk Day is observed on 26 November to highlight the importance of milk and its benefits. On 1st
June every year, World Milk Day is also celebrated which was established by the Food and Agricultural
Organisation. India is the largest producer of milk.
· Verghese Kurien is known as the “Father of the White Revolution” in India. He was a social entrepreneur
whose vision of the “Billion-Litre Idea”, Operation flood, made dairy farming India’s largest self-sustaining
industry and the largest rural employment sector providing a third of all rural income. This made India the
largest producer of milk in the world.
World Bicycle Day 3 June
· In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day. This year’s theme
is “Promoting Health, Equity, and Sustainability through Cycling,” emphasizing the broad benefits of
cycling.
World Environment Day 2024
· On June 5 each year, World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated. The United Nations Environment
Program (UNEP) founded the WED in 1972. Environment Day is one of the greatest global events for the
environment. This day acts as a platform to bring issues to light about the ecological issues faced by our planet.
his year (2024), the theme of the World Environment Day says, “Land Restoration, Desertification, and
Drought Resilience.” It’s tied in with bringing back healthy land, keeping desserts from developing, and
managing water shortages. Trees, healthy soil, and clean water are imperative for a solid planet.
UN Russian Language Day
· UN Russian Language Day is observed annually on June 6. The event was established by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2010. UN Russian Language Day coincides with the birthday
of Alexander Pushkin, a Russian poet who is considered the father of modern Russian language.
World Food Safety Day
· World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2024 will draw attention to food safety incidents. This year’s theme is
“Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected.” As per the WHO, “This year’s theme underlines the importance
of being prepared for food safety incidents, no matter how mild or severe they can be”.
World Oceans Day 8 June
· World Ocean Day is an international day that takes place annually on 8 June. The concept was originally
proposed in 1992 by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development and the Ocean Institute of
Canada at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
“Awaken New Depths” is the theme for World Oceans Day 2024.

--------------

Page : 26 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 QUESTIONS
1. Recently, The U.S. and top African allies conducted the African Lion military exercise in _________.
(a) Mozambique (b) The Gambia (c) Morocco (d) Algeria

2. Which tiger reserve in India has become the pioneer in India to implement an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based
forest fire detection system?
(a) Kanha Tiger Reserve (b) Pench Tiger Reserve
(c) Manas Tiger Reserve (d) Ranthambore Tiger Reserve

3. Which of the following countries has become the first to ban Israeli citizens from entering its borders in solidarity
with Palestine over the ongoing Gaza conflict?
(a) Turkey (b) Iran (c) Maldives (d) Qatar

4. The Bank Clinic is an initiative by the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) to help customers address
their grievances amid rapid expansion in technology and a series of _________ guidelines on retail banking.
(a) Ministry of Finance (b) NABARD (c) State Bank of India (d) Reserve Bank of India

5. Which of the following countries provided the highest foreign direct investment (FDI) to India in 2023-24?
(a) Mauritius (b) Singapore (c) United States (d) Maldives

6. Which of the following institutes has been appointed as the mentor for the new IIM in Assam?
(a) IIM Bangalore (b) IIM Calcutta (c) IIM Ahmedabad (d) IIM Lucknow

7. Which of the following teams recently won the UEFA Champions League for the 15th time?
(a) Manchester City (b) Real Madrid (c) Bayern Munich (d) Borussia Dortmund

8. World Milk Day is an international day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
and is observed on _________ each year since 2001.
(a) May 25 (b) May 31 (c) June 1 (d) June 5

9. Which of the following political parties secured a landslide victory in the Sikkim assembly elections, and how
many seats did they win?
(a) Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), 31 seat
(b) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 31 seats
(c) Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), 31 seats
(d) Indian National Congress (INC), 19 seats

10. Which of the following Indian Business Groups has recently become only the third Indian conglomerate to log $10
billion in annual operating profit, having reached that milestone in FY24?
(a) Adani Group (b) Tata Group (c) Reliance Group (d) Godrej Group

11. Who among the following recently became the first Indian filmmaker to receive the ‘Saint Tropez Medal’ of
France?
(a) Sanjay Leela Bhansali (b) Ashutosh Gowariker
(c) Karan Johar (d) Anurag Kashyap

12. Name the Bollywood singer who has been recently awarded an Honorary Fellowship by a leading Indian diaspora
students’ organisation of UK for his worldwide impact in the field of music.
(a) Kumar Sanu (b) Sonu Nigam (c) Arijit Singh (d) Shaan

13. What is the name of the indigenous stealth frigate deployed by the Indian Navy for Exercise RIMPAC in Hawaii?
(a) INS Vikrant (b) INS Talwar (c) INS Shivalik (d) INS Kolkata

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 27

14. Which of the following recently launched the ‘Saa₹thi 2.0’ mobile app, and where was it launched?
(a) Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in New Delhi
(b) Ministry of Finance in Chennai
(c) Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in Mumbai
(d) Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in Kolkata

15. Who is projected to become Mexico’s first woman president in the country’s 200-year history?
(a) Claudia Sheinbaum (b) Margarita Zavala (c) Rosario Robles (d) Beatriz Paredes

16. The United Nations General Assembly had declared _________ as World Bicycle Day.
(a) May 29 (b) June 1 (c) June 3 (d) June5

17. Which of the following Indian state governments will soon roll out Rs 10,000-crore project funded by the World
Bank to address air pollution?
(a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Haryana (c) Rajasthan (d) Himachal Pradesh

18. What recent milestone did the State Bank of India (SBI) achieve in terms of market capitalization?
(a) ₹6 lakh crore (b) ₹7 lakh crore (c) ₹8 lakh crore (d) ₹9 lakh crore

19. According to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar how many voters participated in the Lok Sabha 2024
Polls and created a world record?
(a) 49.9 crore (b) 55.4 crore (c) 64.2 crore (d) 69.7 crore

20. Recently, The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
software named
(a) DhaRA (b) PraVaHa (c) ShuDDH (d) ShaNT

21. Which railway station of the Indian Railways became the first to receive certification from the Union of Japanese
Scientists and Engineers (JUSE)?
(a) Charbagh Railway Station (b) Gorakhpur Central Railway Station
(c) Banaras Railway Station (d) Prayagraj Central Railway Station

22. Recently, The Department of School Education signed an MoU with the _________ in New Delhi to create an
institutional framework for the Digital Library Platform, Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya.
(a) Ministry of Education (b) CBSE
(c) NCERT (d) National Book Trust

23. Which of the following countries recently approved the suspension of a contentious military agreement with North
Korea a step that would allow it to take tougher responses to North Korean provocations?
(a) South Korea (b) Thailand
(c) Singapore (d) Japan

24. Which of the following international organizations is India utilizing to address its concerns regarding Australia’s
changes to its commitments?
(a) International Monetary Fund (IMF) (b) World Health Organization (WHO)
(c) World Trade Organization (WTO) (d) United Nations (UN)

25. Which of the following developed the world’s first EV battery passport for flagship EX90 SUV?
(a) Geely (b) ESA
(c) European Union (d) Volvo

26. Which country is not among the top three countries that emerged as India’s largest export destination?
(a) The Netherlands (b) U.S.
(c) Mauritius (d) UAE

Page : 28 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

27. NASA and the _________ are collaborating to develop a standardized time system for the moon as part of the
Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface.
(a) Indian Space Research Organisation (b) European Space Agency
(c) Japan Space Agency (d) ROSCOSMOS

28. Which of the following Indian space startups successfully launched the nation’s first 3D-printed rocket engine?
(a) ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) (b) Agnikul Cosmos
(c) Reliance Space Technologies (d) SpaceX India

29. World Environment Day is celebrated annually on _________ and encourages awareness and action for the
protection of the environment.
(a) 1 June (b) 3 June (c) 5 June (d) 9 June

30. Name the first Indian celebrity to raise $1.5 Million USD for CRY India?
(a) Arjun Rampal (b) Hrithik Roshan (c) Amitabh Bachchan (d) Ajay Devgan

31. The UN Russian Language Day is observed annually on _________.

(a) June 2 (b) June 4 (c) June 6 (d) June 9

32. Name the first urban local body in the country to have launched a climate budget.
(a) Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (b) Surat Municipal Corporation
(c) New Delhi Municipal Corporation (d) Patna Municipal Corporation

33. Which of the following countries’ citizens are being favored for joining the Australian armed forces under the new
eligibility criteria?
(a) Germany, France, USA and Germany
(b) China, India, New Zealand, and the United States
(c) Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States
(d) Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru

34. Which of the following countries hosts much of the world’s investment in astronomy, due to the clear skies of its
Atacama Desert, the driest desert on earth?
(a) Peru (b) Brazil (c) Argentina (d) Chile

35. Which two locations in India have been recently designated as Ramsar Sites?
(a) Sundarbans and Kaziranga National Park
(b) Nagi Bird Sanctuary and Nakti Bird Sanctuary
(c) Jim Corbett National Park and Gir Forest National Park
(d) Keoladeo National Park and Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

36. Who recently became the first batter to hit 600 sixes in international cricket?
(a) Virat Kohli (b) David Warner
(c) Martin Guptill (d) Rohit Sharma

37. Recently, The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the first human death from bird flu in _________.
(a) Mexico (b) Fiji (c) Ghana (d) Canada

38. Which of the following Asian countries will host next year’s annual gathering of the International Air Transport
Association (IATA), which represents over 330 airlines worldwide?
(a) China (b) Japan (c) India (d) Indonesia

39. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework agreement is likely to be signed at the two-day clean economy investor
forum meet in _________.
(a) Bangkok (b) Manila (c) Singapore (d) London

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 29

40. Which IIT was ranked 150 in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings 2025 released recently?
(a) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi
(b) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur
(c) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi
(d) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras

41. Which of the following political party’s president is sworn in as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh for the record
fourth time?
(a) Indian National Congress (b) Telugu Desam Party
(c) Jana Sena Party (d) Bharatiya Janata Party

42. Who among the following recently secured India’s first gold at the ISSF World Cup in the men’s 10m air pistol
event?
(a) Sarabjot Singh (b) Nitesh Kumar Singh (c) Jitesh Sharma (d) Vipul Ranjan Kheterpal

43. Who is not in the alliance to put joint efforts into building a resilient supply chain in the biopharmaceutical sector?
(a) South Korea (b) Australia (c) United States (d) European Union

44. World Food Safety Day on _________ 2024 will draw attention to food safety incidents.
(a) 5 June (b) 7 June (c) 9 June (d) 11 June

45. Which of the following European countries is the first to request to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of
genocide in Gaza?
(a) France (b) Spain (c) Germany (d) Italy

46. Which of the following political parties in India has the highest number of women MPs elected in the 2024 Lok
Sabha elections?
(a) Congress (b) BJP (c) TMC (d) Samajwadi Party

47. What percentage of stake will Tata Sons Private Limited hold in the merged entity of Vistara and Air India?
(a) 73.38% (b) 25.1% (c) 1.52% (d) 100%

48. What was the duration of the expected trip for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard Boeing’s Starliner
capsule?
(a) 10 hours (b) 15 hours (c) 25 hours (d) 48 hours

49. Name first Indian airport to offer India’s first biometric-enabled self-bag drop facility, enhancing the travel
experience for domestic flyers of Tata Group Airlines.
(a) Kempegowda International Airport
(b) Netaji Subhash Cahandra Bose International Airport
(c) Indira Gandhi International Airport
(d) Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

50. Recently, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep the policy rate of _________ unchanged for the eighth
time in a row, saying it will maintain a tight vigil on inflation.
(a) 3.7% (b) 4.8% (c) 5.9% (d) 6.5%

51. Name the Indian UNESCO World Heritage site that is set to become India’s first Green Destination.
(a) Hill Forts of Rajasthan (b) Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus
(c) Mamallapuram, or Mahabalipuram (d) Konark

52. Which of the following Indian states became the first to recently launch Regenerative Tourism?
(a) Goa (b) Maharashtra
(c) Uttarakhand (d) Himachal Pradesh

Page : 30 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

53. Which of the following countries is not elected to serve for two years from January next year as non-permanent
member on the United Nations Security Council?
(a) Pakistan (b) Panama (c) Greece (d) Zimbabwe

54. Recently, President Droupadi Murmu appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India exercising
powers vested in her under _________ of the Constitution.
(a) Article 56 (1) (b) Article 72 (1) (c) Article 74 (3) (d) Article 75 (1)

55. Who has recently proposed to bring an auto-replenishment facility for UPI Lite wallet?
(a) RBI (b) Ministry of Finance (c) UPI (d) NPCI

56. Who recently won Women’s singles final in French Open?

(a) Jasmine Paolini (b) Anna Simmer
(c) Alexandara Switachekech (d) Iga Swiatek

57. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a spacecraft designed to search for the existence of water on Mars and provide
support for missions to Mars, as part of _________ Mars Exploration Program.
(a) JAXA’s (b) ISRO’s (c) ROSCOSMOS’s (d) NASA’s

58. World Ocean Day is an international day that takes place annually on _________.
(a) 3 June (b) 5 June (c) 8 June (d) 11 June

59. Recently, which of the following Indian states announced a step towards securing World Heritage recognition for
Choraideo Maidam?
(a) Karnataka (b) Nagaland (c) Assam (d) Sikkim

60. Who among the following recently won a bronze medal in Women’s 50m rifle 3-position in International Shooting
Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Munich?
(a) Sift Kaur Samra (b) Maneka Ranjan
(c) Dilpreet Sayal Khanna (d) Kanak Bijlani

61. Who recently won the Norway Chess 2024 tournament?

(a) Fabiano Caruana (b) R Praggnanandhaa (c) Magnus Carlsen (d) David Wiese

62. Who among the following recently became the first-ever Indian to win a bout at the Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC) in UFC Louisville 2024?
(a) Puja Tomar (b) Anita Yadav (c) Sushmita Sen (d) Divya Rana

63. Shri. Nara Chandrababu Naidu took oath as Chief Minister of _________.
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Telangana (c) Odisha (d) Tamil Nadu

64. The first state in India to declare snakebite as a notifiable disease is _________.
(a) Kerala (b) Maharashtra (c) Karnataka (d) Tamil Nadu

65. The first woman helicopter pilot of Indian Navy is _________.

(a) Sub-Lieutenant Dhruvi Rana (b) Sub-Lieutenant Alankrita Bannerjee
(c) Sub-Lieutenant Abhilasha Prakash (d) Sub-Lieutenant Anamika B Rajeev

66. Who has been recently given ‘Best Conduct of Business Regulator’ award in Asia Pacific?
(a) SEBI (b) NSE (c) BSE (d) SIDBI

67. The youngest-ever Union Cabinet Minister in Narendra Modi Cabinet 3.0 is ________.
(a) Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani (b) Jitin Prasad
(c) Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu (d) Harsh Malhotra

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 31

68. Giorgia Meloni is the current Prime Minister of _________.
(a) Italy (b) France (c) Spain (d) Bulgaria

69. The Lok Sabha Secretariat is developing _________ in the Parliament House Complex and all the statues of great
leaders and freedom fighters of the country are being installed in this.
(a) “Mahaan Sthal” (b) “Prabhaav Sthal”
(c) “Prerak Sthal” (d) “Prerana Sthal”

70. Who among the following recently won the EY World Entrepreneur of The Year 2024 title?
(a) Vellayan Subbiah (b) Isha Ambani
(c) Binny Bansal (d) Anand Piramal

Page : 32 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

 ANSWER KEY AND EXPLANATION
1. c The U.S. and top African allies conducted the African Lion military exercise in Morocco, addressing new
challenges in volatile regions.

2. b The Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Maharashtra has become the pioneer in India to implement an Artificial
Intelligence (AI)-based forest fire detection system.

3. c The Maldives has taken a significant stance by becoming the first country to ban Israeli citizens from entering its
borders. This decision, announced by President Mohamed Muizzu, is a gesture of solidarity with Palestine amid the
ongoing Gaza conflict.

4. d The Bank Clinic is an initiative by the All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) to help customers address
their grievances amid rapid expansion in technology and a series of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines on
retail banking.

5. b Even though FDI from Singapore decreased by 31.55% to $11.77 billion, it still remained the highest source of FDI
for India during the mentioned fiscal year.

6. c IIM Ahmedabad has been appointed as the mentor institute for the new IIM in Assam.

7. b Real Madrid withstood a Borussia Dortmund barrage to win the Champions League for the 15 th time as Dani
Carvajal and Vinicius Junior struck late in a 2-0 win at Wembley.

8. c World Milk Day is an international day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
to recognize the importance of milk as a global food. It has been observed on June 1 each year since 2001.

9. c In the Sikkim assembly elections, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) won 31 out of the 32 seats, demonstrating
a landslide victory. The opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) managed to secure only one seat, indicating
SKM’s dominance in the elections.

10. a The Adani Group has become only the third Indian conglomerate after the Tata Group and Mukesh Ambani’s
Reliance Group to log $10 billion in annual operating profit, having reached that milestone in FY24 despite higher
policy rates, global business volatility, and a stock rout spawned by misgovernance allegations.

11. b Ashutosh Gowariker was honored with the prestigious ‘Saint Tropez Medal’ at the Nirvana Indian Culture and
Cinema Festival in the city of Saint Tropez, France.

12. b Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam, who was in the UK for a concert series, has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship
by a leading Indian diaspora students’ organisation for his worldwide impact in the field of music.

13. c The Indian Navy is deploying the indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik for Ex RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific),
which is scheduled to be held in Hawaii. This exercise involves participation in a major multinational maritime
warfare training event.

14. c The ‘Saa₹thi 2.0’ mobile app was launched by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in Mumbai. This
regulatory body aims to provide a platform with user-friendly tools to help simplify complex financial concepts for
the public.

15. a Claudia Sheinbaum is projected to become Mexico’s first woman president. This is a significant milestone in the
country’s history, which spans 200 years.

16. c In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 33

17. b The state government will soon roll out a Rs 10,000-crore project funded by the World Bank to address air
pollution. The Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development will be implemented in the state in a phased
manner with the first phase being implemented in the districts falling in the National Capital Region (NCR) and
replication in entire state later.

18. c The State Bank of India’s market capitalization crossed the ₹8 lakh crore mark after the bank’s shares surged to a
record high of ₹907. This milestone highlights the significant growth in the bank’s market value, driven by the
recent rally in its stock price.

19. c Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said that India has created a world record with 64.2 crore voters
participating in the Lok Sabha Polls.

20. b The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software
named Parallel RANS Solver for Aerospace Vehicle Aero-thermo-dynamic Analysis (PraVaHa). This software was
developed in ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

21. c Banaras Railway Station of North East Railway (NER) is the first station of the Indian Railways to receive
certification from the international institution JUSE (Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers). This recognition
highlights the station’s adherence to high standards of quality and efficiency.

22. d The Department of School Education signed an MoU with the National Book Trust in New Delhi to create an
institutional framework for the Digital Library Platform, Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya.

23. a South Korea’s government approved the suspension of a contentious military agreement with North Korea a step
that would allow it to take tougher responses to North Korean provocations.

24. c India’s decision to take Australia to arbitration indicates its utilization of the World Trade Organization’s dispute
settlement mechanism to address concerns about changes to Australia’s commitments that could affect services
trade.

25. d While the partnership with Geely and Circulor was instrumental in the development process, Volvo Cars took the
lead in developing the EV battery passport for its flagship EX90 SUV.

26. c The Netherlands has emerged as India’s third largest export destination after the U.S. and UAE during 2023-24,
even as the country’s merchandise shipments dipped by over 3%.

27. b NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are collaborating to develop a standardized time system for the
moon as part of the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the lunar surface.

28. b Agnikul Cosmos, an Indian space startup, achieved this milestone by successfully launching the nation’s first 3D-
printed rocket engine.

29. c World Environment Day is celebrated annually on 5 June and encourages awareness and action for the protection
of the environment. It is supported by many non-governmental organizations, businesses, government entities, and
represents the primary United Nations outreach day supporting the environment.

30. a Arjun Rampal Becomes The First Indian Celebrity To Raise $1.5 Million USD For CRY India.

31. c UN Russian Language Day is observed annually on June 6.

32. a On the occasion of World Environment Day the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) unveiled a climate
budget for the year 2024-25. It was the first urban local body in the country and fourth globally, after Oslo, New
York and London, to have launched a climate budget.

Page : 34 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

33. c Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and the United State countries’ citizens are being favored according to the
information provided.

34. d Chile hosts much of the world’s investment in astronomy thanks to the clear skies of its Atacama Desert, the driest
desert on earth.

35. b Nagi Bird Sanctuary and Nakti Bird Sanctuary. These two sites, located in the Jhajha forest range of Jamui District
in Bihar, India, have been designated as Ramsar Sites on World Environment Day.

36. d India captain Rohit Sharma hit another milestone during India’s 2024 World Cup opener against Ireland in New
York. Finishing with four fours and three sixes in his innings of 52, Rohit became the first batter to hit 600 sixes in
international cricket.

37. a The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the first human death from bird flu after an alarming
increase in cases. The victim, a resident of Mexico, succumbed to the illness after suffering from symptoms of
avian influenza A (H5N2).

38. c India will host next year’s annual gathering of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which
represents over 330 airlines worldwide.

39. c India, the US, and a dozen other nations are poised to sign a Clean Economy Agreement under the Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework, aimed at meeting climate objectives through collaborative financing.

40. a The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi was ranked 150 in the latest edition of the QS World University
Rankings 2025 released. With an improvement of 47 positions from last year’s 197th rank, this is the highest rank
that IIT Delhi has achieved.

41. b N Chandrababu Naidu, the president of the Telugu Desam Party, is scheduled to take the oath as the chief minister
of Andhra Pradesh for the fourth time on June 12.

42. a Sarabjot Singh secured India’s first gold at the ISSF World Cup in the men’s 10m air pistol event, outshooting top
competitors with a score of 242.7 in the final.

43. b South Korea, India, the United States, Japan, and the European Union (EU) have come together to launch an
alliance to put joint efforts into building a resilient supply chain in the biopharmaceutical sector.

44. b World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2024 will draw attention to food safety incidents.

45. b Spain is the first European country to take the step of requesting to join South Africa’s case after it was filed with
the International Court of Justice.

46. b According to the provided data, BJP has 31 women MPs elected in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, making it the
party with the highest number of women MPs.

47. a Tata Sons Private Limited will hold a 73.38% stake in the merged entity of Vistara and Air India.

48. c The trip aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, from launch to docking at the International Space Station, was expected
to take approximately 25 hours. This duration includes the time required for the spacecraft to rendezvous with the
ISS and dock safely.

49. a Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) offers India’s first biometric-enabled self-bag drop facility,
enhancing the travel experience for domestic flyers of Tata Group Airlines.

50. d The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep the policy rate unchanged at 6.5% for the eighth time in a row,
saying it will maintain a tight vigil on inflation.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 35

51. c The fabled Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram, known for its UNESCO World Heritage site, is all set to become
India’s first Green Destination.

52. a Goa becomes India’s first state to launch Regenerative Tourism.

53. d Somalia was elected along with Denmark, Greece, Pakistan and Panama to serve for two years from January next
year.

54. d President Droupadi Murmu appointed Narendra Modi to the office of Prime Minister of India exercising powers
vested in her under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution.

55. a The Reserve Bank has proposed to bring an auto-replenishment facility for UPI Lite wallet. RBI plans to bring UPI
Lite within the e-mandate framework.

56. d In the French Open Tennis Women’s singles final, World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland overcame an early wobble to
beat first-time Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 at Roland Garris.

57. d The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is a spacecraft designed to search for the existence of water on Mars and provide
support for missions to Mars, as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program.

58. c World Ocean Day is an international day that takes place annually on 8 June.

59. c Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a step towards securing World Heritage recognition for
Choraideo Maidam. Sarma revealed that the Assam Government has decided to engage with the Ambassadors of all
member countries of UNESCO through the Ministry of External Affairs to garner support for the prestigious status.

60. a Women’s 50m rifle 3-positions specialist Sift Kaur Samra won a bronze medal on the concluding day of the
International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Munich, as India ended the competition
with two medals.

61. c Magnus Carlsen won the Norway Chess 2024 tournament after defeating Fabiano Caruana in the Armageddon with
white pieces.

62. a Puja Tomar, scripted history as she became the first-ever Indian to win a bout at the Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC) in UFC Louisville 2024.

63. a Telugu Desam Party National President Nara Chandrababu Naidu takes oath as Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
on 12th June at 11:27 am.

64. c To bring more awareness about snakebite prevention as well as to prevent snake persecution, a first-of-its-kind
WhatsApp chatbot has been launched in Mysuru. Karnataka also became the first state in India to declare snakebite
as a notifiable disease.

65. d After the IAF and Army, the Navy has now also begun inducting women as helicopter pilots, with Sub-Lieutenant
Anamika B Rajeev becoming the first to get the “golden wings” at the passing-out parade at the naval air station
INS Rajali at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu.

66. a Sebi has been given ‘Best Conduct of Business Regulator’ award in Asia Pacific by The Asian Banker for its role
in enhancing the regulatory framework for securities markets in India.

67. c The TDP MP from Andhra’s Srikakulam Lok Sabha constituency is the youngest-ever Minister in Modi Cabinet
3.0. Srikakulam MP Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu (TDP) is all set to become the youngest ever member of the
Central Cabinet, being headed by Prime Minister - designate Narendra Modi, at age 36.

Page : 36 A General Awareness Weekly, 2024

68. a Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni joined top political and cultural figures at Verona’s ancient Arena amphitheater for
an open-air celebration of Italian lyric opera’s recognition by UNESCO as a global cultural treasure.

69. d Lok Sabha Secretariat is developing “Prerana Sthal” in the Parliament House Complex and all the statues of great
leaders and freedom fighters of the country are being installed in this.

70. a Vellayan Subbiah, executive vice-chairman of Tube Investments of India and chairman of Cholamandalam
Investment & Finance Co, has won the EY World Entrepreneur of The Year 2024 title.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2024 Page : 37