2023-October 17-24

1. Which organisation has recently (in Oct ‘23) approved a USD 181 million loan to build
quality infrastructure and services toward improving urban livability and mobility in the
periurban areas of Ahmedabad, Gujarat?
1) United Nations Development Programme 2) International Monetary Fund
3) World Bank 4) Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 5) Asian
Development Bank
2. Name the personality from India who has been recently appointed as the next
Ambassador/Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations (UN).
1) Saurabh Kumar 2) Arindam Bagchi 3) Sanjay Verma 4) Ausaf Sayeed 5) Vinay Kwatra
 Arindam Bagchi, Additional Secretary and Spokesperson of the Ministry of
External Affairs (MEA) has been appointed the next Ambassador/Permanent
Representative of India to the United Nations (UN)
 Arindam Bagchi is set to take over the post from Indra Mani Pandey, the
incumbent Indian envoy to the UN in Geneva. Pandey has been holding the
position since September 2020.
3. Which of the following points are ‘correct’ with respect to the Electoral Bonds?
A) An Electoral Bond is like a promissory note that may be purchased by a person who is
a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India.
B) State Bank of India is authorized to issue and encash these bonds.
C) Electoral Bonds would have a life of only 15 days during which it can be used for
making donation only to the political parties registered under section 29A of the
Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951 (43 of 1951).
1) Only A 2) Only A & B 3) Only B & C 4) Only A & C 5) All A, B & C
4. Sri Lanka took over as Chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for the period 2023
to 2025 during the 23rd Council of Ministers’ (COM) meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim
Association (IORA) held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
 Sri Lanka took over from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the current Chair of
IORA (2021 to 2023).
 India assumed the Vice–Chair role of IORA for 2023–25. India is set to take over the
chairmanship of IORA during 2025-27.
 IORA Founded: 1997
 Headquarters: Ebene, Mauritius
 Present Member states: 23
 2023-October 17-24

5. Who has been recently (in Oct ‘23) awarded with “Best Central Bank Award 2023” for
being ranked ‘A+’ in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023?
1) Thomas J. Jordan, the Governor of Swiss National Bank (SNB)
2) Nguyen Thi Hong, the Governor of State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)
3) Shaktikanta Das (India)
4) All of the above
5) None
 The Central Banker Report Cards recognize central bank governors who have
developed and implemented original, creative, and tenacious strategies that
have outperformed their peers.
 Global Finance was founded in 1987 and headquartered in New York, United
States of America (USA).
6. Daniel Noboa became the youngest President elect of ____________ (country).
1) Venezuela 2) Ecuador 3) Brazil 4) El Salvador 5) Chile
 Capital– Quito Currency– United States Dollar (US Dollar)

7. Christopher Luxon has been elected as the 42nd Prime Minister (PM) of New Zealand.
He belongs to (and the leader of) the central-right National Party of New Zealand.
 Capital – Wellington, Currency – New Zealand Dollar
8. Name the spacecraft that has been recently (in Oct ‘23) launched by the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to an interplanetary transfer orbit by
using the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Florida, United States of America (USA).
1) Lander spacecraft 2) Orbiter spacecraft 3) Rover spacecraft 4) Flyby Spacecraft 5)
Psyche Spacecraft
 Psyche is a giant metal rich asteroid, discovered by Italian astronomer Annibale
de Gasparis in 1852, Psyche is also called as 16 Psyche, as it was the 16th
asteroid to be discovered.
 It is made up of a mixture of rock and metal, with metal composing 30% to 60%
of its volume.
 ‘Psyche’ is orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
 2023-October 17-24

9. Which of the following points is/are “correct” with respect to the recent initiatives
launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) in
October 2023?
A) The MoEF&CC launched 2 new initiatives; Green Credit Program (GCP) and the
Ecomark Scheme to encourage sustainable practices rooted in tradition and
conservation and promote the ideas of ‘LiFE’ – ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ movement.
B) The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) will be the
administrator responsible for implementing the Green Credit Rules, 2023, notified by
MoEF&CC .
C) Ecomark Scheme provides accreditation and labeling for household and consumer
products that meet specific environmental criteria while maintaining quality standards
as per Indian norms.
1) All A, B & C 2) Only A & B 3) Only B & C 4) Only A & C 5) Only A
Green Credit Program (GCP): Incentivizing Environmental Actions
 To promote positive actions through market based mechanism and generate
green credit. These credits are tradable and can be made available for trading on
a domestic market platform.
 Dehradun, Uttarakhand-based Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
(ICFRE), a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, is the
administrator of the Green Credit Rule 2023.
 In its initial phase, the GCP focuses on two key activities: water conservation and
afforestation. Overall, it will cover 8 types of activities viz. tree plantation, water
management, sustainable agriculture, waste management, air pollution
reduction, and mangrove conservation and restoration
 To earn Green Credits, one needs to register the activity at app/website
www.moefcc-gcp.in. The Administrator will verify it, using designated agencies
or self-verification for small projects. After verification, Green Credit certificate
will be granted
 GCP is independent of the carbon credit provided under the Carbon Credit
Trading Scheme, 2023 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.
 2023-October 17-24

 Ecomark Scheme: Promoting Eco-Friendly Products

 Ecomark Scheme notified on 11th October 2023 succeed the previous rules notified
in 1991. It provides accreditation and labelling for household and consumer
products that meet specific environmental criteria while maintaining quality
standards as per Indian norms
 The scheme under the Ecomark Certification Rules, 2023, enables labelling of
products with minimal environmental impact, and encouraging consumers and
manufacturers to choose eco-friendly options. These rules ensure products meet
 2023-October 17-24

environmental standards, focusing on factors like climate change impact, energy

use, waste generation, pollution, and hazardous substances.
 The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) administers the Ecomark Scheme in
partnership with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is the national body for
standards and certification.
10. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) notified the Green Hydrogen
Standard for India which sets emission limits for hydrogen production to be considered
‘Green,’ indicating it comes from renewable sources.
 As per this, Green Hydrogen is now defined as ‘having a well-to-gate emission (i.e.,
including water treatment, electrolysis, gas purification, drying and compression of
hydrogen) of not more than 2 kg CO2 equivalent / kg H2.’
 The scope of the definition encompasses both electrolysis-based and biomass-based
hydrogen production methods.
 With this notification, India becomes one of the first few countries in the world to
announce a definition of Green Hydrogen.
 The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power will be the Nodal Authority
for accreditation of agencies for the monitoring, verification and certification for
Green Hydrogen production projects.
11. Name the company that has recently (in Oct ‘23) partnered with National Skill
Development Corporation (NSDC) to launch the Super Power Retailer Program under
the Skill India Mission.
1) Dabur India Limited 2) Coca-Cola India 3) Varun Beverages Limited 4)
Orient Beverages Limited 5) ITC Limited
 This will empower the retailer community in the states of Odisha and Uttar
Pradesh (UP).
 Under the partnership, NSDC will also assist Coca-Cola India in expanding the
Skill India Digital (SID) program by developing industry-specific training content,
recruiting trainers, and providing necessary training infrastructure for a seamless
learning experience.
 Super Power Retailer will empowerSmall and micro retailers with training to
expand businesses and enhance consumer experiences.
12. Which of the following points is/are “correct” with respect to the visit of President of
Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan in October 2023?
A) During the visit of President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan, Indian & Tanzania
signed six agreements including MoU between Cochin Shipyard Ltd. of India and Marine
Services Company Limited (MSCL) of Tanzania on Cooperation in Maritime Industry.
B) A MoU was signed between National Sports Council of Tanzania and Sports Authority
of India on cooperation in the field of sports.
 2023-October 17-24

C) Samia Suluhu Hassan, the first female President of Tanzania, received an honorary
doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
1) Only A 2) Only A & B 3) Only B & C 4) Only A & C 5) All A, B & C
 Capital – Dodoma Currency – Tanzanian shilling

13. Which of the following points is/are “correct” with respect to the Forbes (New Jersey,
the United States of America) India’s 100 Richest 2023 List released in October 2023?
A) Mukesh Ambani, the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Ltd.
topped the Forbes India’s 100 Richest 2023 List with USD 92 Billion, With a net worth of
USD 68 Billion, Gautam Adani of Adani Enterprises slipped to the second rank from the
first in 2022 and Shiv Nadar of HCL Technologies ranked 3rd with a net worth of USD
29.3 Billion
B) Savitri Jindal of the O.P. Jindal Group is India’s richest woman with a net worth of USD
24 billion. She ranked 4th in the list with a net worth of USD 24 Billion.
C) Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of the trading platform Zerodha, is the youngest billionaire
at the age of 37 & ranked at 40th position along with his Brother Nithin(44 years old)
with a net worth of USD 5.5 Billion.
1) Only A 2) Only A & B 3) Only B & C 4) Only A & C 5) All A, B & C
 The minimum net worth to enter the list has reached an all-time high of USD 2.3
billion.
 Totally 9 women were featured in Forbes India’s 100 richest list in 2023.
14. Forbes World’s Best Employers 2023:
 NTPC Limited, formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation ranked
261st out of the top 700 companies in the Forbes “World’s Best Employers 2023”
list .
 Top 3 employers in world: Samsung, Microsoft, Aphabet
 Top 3 employers in India: Reliance (70), Aditya Birla Group(253), NTPC(261)
 Top 3 Financial Companies In india: Axis Bank(310), HDFC Bank(317), LIC(354)
 2023-October 17-24

15. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, gave its approval for the creation of an autonomous
organization known as “Mera Yuva Bharat” (MY Bharat). In response to the changing
landscape of rapid communication, social media, digital opportunities, and emerging
technologies, the government is creating an autonomous entity called ‘Mera Yuva
Bharat’ (MY Bharat), guided by a ‘whole of government approach’ to engage and
empower the youth.
 The Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) will be launched on 31st October, 2023 on
National Unity Day.This day also remarks the birth anniversary of Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel.
 The autonomous body will use technology to enable equitable youth
development, contributing to the growth of a ‘Vikshit Bharat’ across government
domains
 MY Bharat, as an autonomous entity, will primarily cater to young individuals
aged 15-29, aligning with the definition of ‘Youth’ in the National Youth Policy.
 Objective: MY Bharat aims to become a comprehensive government platform
for youth development, with young people acting as ‘Yuva Setu’ connecting the
government and citizens, utilizing their energy for nation building.
 The government’s technology-driven platform empowers youth to contribute to
India’s development, aligning with the nation’s goal of becoming a developed
country by 2047.
16. The Mahila thana of _________ (city) became the first women-centric police station
across the entire India to be certified with the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland) 9001:2015 certificate.
1) Noida, Uttar Pradesh 2) Patna, Bihar 3) Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 4) Berhampore,
West Bengal 5) Thane, Maharashtra
 With this certification, Mahila Thana has become the 2nd ISO-certified police
station in Bhopal. In May 2023, Misrod police station became the first ISO
9001:2015 certified police station of Bhopal.
 ISO Certification specifies the requirement of an ideal Quality Management
System (QMS) and provides a framework for organisations to improve efficiency,
enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve continual improvement.
 The ISO certificate is issued for 3 years.
17. The Department of public Enterprise (DPE) under the Ministry of Finance has been
granted Navratna status to two Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) namely Ircon
International Limited (IRCON) and RITES Limited (RITES) under the Ministry of Railways
(MoR).
 2023-October 17-24

 IRCON International Limited is a specialized construction company that covers

the entire range of construction activities and services in the infrastructure
sector. It is now the 15th company to be granted Navratna status.
 IRCON Chairman & Managing Director(CMD – Add.charge) – Brijesh Kumar
Gupta Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi , Established in – 1976
 RITES Limited which is a multidisciplinary engineering and consultancy
organization is the 16th Navratna amongst CPSEs.
 RITES Limited is entering its 50th year of incorporation (2024).
 RITES Chairman & Managing Director(MD) – Rahul Mithal Headquarters –
Gurugram, Haryana, Established in – 1974
 This year new Maharatna(As of Oct 2023 Total Number:13) Company: OIL
 This Year New Navaratna’s(As of Oct 2023: 16) in 2023:
o Rail Vikas Nigam Limited
o ONGC Videsh Ltd
o Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited
o IRCON International Limited
o RITES Limited.
 The Navratna scheme was launched in 1997 to identify and support CPSEs with
comparative advantages in becoming global giants.
 Granting the navratna status enhances financial autonomy to invest up to 1000
crores without any approval from the central government. To establish financial
joint ventures and wholly owned subsidiaries in India or abroad with the
stipulation that the equity investment of the CPSE should be limited to the
following:-
 Rs 1000 crore in any one project
 15 % of the net worth of the CPSE in one project
 30 % of the net worth of the CPSE in all joint ventures/subsidiaries put together
18. Indian Army (Siachen Warriors) in collaboration with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
(BSNL) installed the first-ever BSNL Base Transceiver Station (BTS) on the world’s highest
battlefield, ‘Siachen Glacier’ in ___________ (state/UT).
1) Jammu and Kashmir 2) Uttarakhand 3) Ladakh 4) Himachal Pradesh 5) Sikkim
 The tower will provide mobile communication services to soldiers at an altitude
of over 15,500 feet.
 A radio transceiver that links mobile devices to a cellular network is known as a
base transceiver station (BTS).
19. Which of the following points is/are “correct” with respect to the Federation
Internationale des Echecs/International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Junior Under
20(U-20) Rapid & Blitz Championships 2023?
 2023-October 17-24

A) The Inaugural edition of the FIDE World Junior Under 20(U-20) Rapid & Blitz
Championships 2023 was in Pula (Sardinia), Italy in October 2023.
B) India’s GrandMaster (GM) Raunak Sadhwani won the FIDE World Junior Rapid Chess
Championship 2023 title in the open category & Govhar Beydullayeva from Azerbaijan
won the FIDE World Junior Girls U20 Rapid Chess Championship 2023 title.
C) GM Mahammad Muradli of Azerbaijan won the FIDE World Junior Blitz
Championship title and India’s Raunak Sadhwani won the silver medal in the Open
category.
1) Only A 2) Only A & B 3) Only B & C 4) Only A & C 5) All A, B & C

Live Chess has three different ratings based on different time controls:

 Bullet rating - For games under 3 minutes.

 Blitz rating - For games over 3 minutes but under 10 minutes.
 Rapid rating - For games 10 minutes and longer.
 Rapid games are usually played with a 20 or 25 min each clock time for the whole game
with probably 10 sec increment for each move. The game usually ends in an hour. Blitz
games have 5 min or 3 min per each player for the game and 2–5 sec increment per
move. A blitz game end within 15 minutes usually.
 Note: The Indian team won the 3rd Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for
Prisoners in the youth section by defeating the defending champions Serbia in the final.
20. Odisha Chief Minister(CM) Naveen Patnaik launched the Location Accessible Multimodal
Initiative (LAccMI) Yojana in Malkangiri district of Odisha. The LAccMI scheme aims to
offer reliable and affordable public transit (bus service) throughout Odisha, with a focus
on rural areas.
21. According to the 15th annual Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index (MCGPI 2023)
released in October 2023, India is ranked _______ out of 47 countries, while _________
(country) tops the list.
1) 40th; Iceland 2) 45th; Netherlands 3) 43rd; Denmark 4) 45th; Iceland
5) 43rd; Netherlands
 The 2023 Index is topped by the Netherlands with overall index value of 85.0,
followed by Iceland (83.5) and Denmark (81.3).
 With the lowest index value of 42.3, Argentina is ranked 47th in MCGPI 2023.
 The MCGPI 2023 compares 47 retirement income systems across the globe and
covers 64% of the world’s population.
 2023-October 17-24

 Singapore is ranked 7th out of 47 in the MCGPI 2023 and retained its top spot
among Asian countries.
 Out of 11 countries from Asia, Hong Kong SAR (21st) and Japan (30th) have
secured the 2nd and 3rd spot, India 10th spot, Philippines 11th spot.
 The Global Pension Index uses the weighted average of the sub-indices of
adequacy, sustainability and integrity to measure each retirement system.

Adequacy

How much do you get?

#1 Portugal
#2 Netherlands
#3 Iceland
Sustainability

Can the system keep delivering?

#1 Iceland
#2 Israel
#3 Denmark
Integrity

Can the system be trusted?

#1 Finland
#2 Belgium
#3 Norway
 2023-October 17-24

 Note:
HDFC Pension Management Company Limited has launched a first-of-its-
kind ‘National Pension System (NPS) Preference Index’ on the occasion of 2nd
edition of NPS Diwas which was observed on 1st October 2023.

22. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s 1st first–
ever global estimation of the impact of disasters on agricultural production report
released in October 2023, the Global aggregate losses for the past 30 years (1991-2021)
due to disaster events amounts to USD ____________. (About USD 123 billion per year.)
1) 3.2 trillion 2) 2.6 trillion 3) 3.8 trillion 4) 4.0 trillion 5) 2.8 trillion
 The disaster events include floods, droughts, insect infestations, storms, disease and
war.
23. ________________ became the first Russian bank to register with the Securities and
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as a foreign portfolio investor (FPI) for a Category I FPI
License.
1) Gazprombank 2) Sberbank 3) Alfa Bank 4) VTB Bank 5)
Promsvyazbank
 Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) involves an investor purchasing foreign
financial assets to access equities, bonds, derivatives, mutual funds, and
guaranteed investment certificates among others.
 2023-October 17-24

 Category I FPI license is only given to government or government related

foreign investors or regulated entities such as banks, sovereign wealth funds,
investments trusts, pension funds, asset management companies.
 With Sberbank’s registration as FPI, the total number of Russia-based FPIs in
India increased to 5 and the other 4 are non-banks including Alfa Capital
Management, First Asset Management, Igor Noskov, and Vesvolod Rozanov.
 Note: Moscow-headquartered Sberbank got approval from the Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) in May 2010 to set up a branch in India(New Delhi, Delhi) and
commenced its banking business in January 2011.
24. Bharti Group entered into a binding agreement with its Joint Venture (JV) partner AXA
to acquire its _______ stake in Bharti AXA Life Insurance.
1) 45% 2) 51% 3) 35% 4) 49% 5) 64%
 Presently, Bharti AXA Life Insurance has a 51% stake from Bharti Group and
49% stake from AXA, in line with the regulatory framework on ownership in
the Insurance sector.
25. Name the actor who will receive the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the
54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa in November 2023.
1) Bernardo Bertolucci 2) Martin Scorsese 3) Wong Kar-wai 4) Michael
Douglas 5) Krzysztof Zanussi
 American actor and producer Michael Douglas will be honoured with the Satyajit
Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the 54th International Film Festival of India
(IFFI) to be held in Goa from 20th to 28th November, 2023.
 He has received several awards including 2 Academy Awards (Oscars) and a
Primetime Emmy Award.
 Information and Broadcasting Ministry said that ‘Aattam will be the Opening
Feature Film while ‘Andro Dreams in Manipuri language will be the Opening Non-
Feature Film.
26. Louise Elisabeth Glück, Nobel laureate & Jewish-American poet passed away in
October 2023? In which year did she receive the Nobel prize for literature?
 2023-October 17-24

1) 2022 2) 2018 3) 2021 4) 2019 5) 2020

 She won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1993 for “The Wild Iris”
27. Name the Institute that has recently signed an MoU with the National Institute of
Communication Finance (NICF: New Delhi, Delhi) to promote the exchange of
knowledge and resources for conducting research, training capacity building and
advocacy
1) Indian Institutes of Technology Bombay
2) Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
3) Indian Institutes of Technology Delhi
4) Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (Gurugram, Haryana)
5) Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
 The MoU covers a wide range of topics, including finance, restructuring,
turnaround, competition law, corporate law, corporate governance, Insolvency
and Bankruptcy law, leadership, organizational effectiveness, telecommunication
policies, and spectrum auction.
 IICA is an autonomous institution established by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs
(MCA).
 NICF is high level training institute which offers training to Indian Posts and
Telecom Accounts and Finance Service (IP&TAFS) officers.It works under
Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications
28. The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH HQ: Paris, France) approved India’s
self declaration of freedom from ______________ (diseases), in certain poultry
compartments (approved farms) in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and
Chhattisgarh.
1) Enzootic bovine leukosis Influenza
2) Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu)
3) Bovine ephemeral Influenza
4) Acute hepatopancreatic Influenza
5) Avian paramyxovirus Influenza
 2023-October 17-24

 This recognition is composed to boost India’s poultry industry by enhancing the

export potential of poultry products, such as meat and eggs.
 The self-declaration approved by WOAH coincided with World Egg Day on 13
October 2023.
29. Which autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Education has recently developed a
web portal ‘Apna Chandrayaan’ for school students that was launched by Union
Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan?
1) National Council for Teacher Education 2) National Assessment and Accreditation
Council 3) National Council of Educational Research and Training 4) All
India Council for Technical Education 5) National Testing Agency
 The modules encompass scientific, technological, and social aspects as well as
the emotional journey and team spirit of the scientists involved in the mission.
 The portal features activity-based support material such as interactive quizzes,
puzzles for school students in Foundational, Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary
level on Mission Chandrayaan-3.
30. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has recently approved India’s first-ever
indigenously developed Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC) Combined
Charging connector standard for Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs). The new standard is
based on ________ (company’s) charging connector.
1) Mahindra Last Mile Mobility 2) Olectra Greentech 3) Greaves Cotton 4)
Ather Energy 5) Greaves Electric Mobility
 It is also the world’s 1st charging standard that combines AC and DC charging
for small EVs, such as electric scooters, motorcycles, three-wheelers, and
quadricycles, and is designed and engineered in India.
 The difference between AC charging and DC charging is the location where the
AC power gets converted; inside or outside the car. Unlike AC chargers, a DC
charger has the converter inside the charger itself. That means it can feed power
directly to the car's battery and doesn't need the onboard charger to convert it.
 2023-October 17-24

31. Which of the following points is/are “correct” with respect to the 141st Session of the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) held in October 2023?
A) The 141st Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was hosted by India
in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
B) The 141st session of IOC approved the proposal of Los Angeles 2028 Organising
Committee of Olympics and Paralympic Games for the inclusion of 5 additional sports
including Cricket (T20-Twenty20), Softball/Baseball, flag football, lacrosse (sixes) and
squash.
C) IOC has suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) for violating the Olympic
charter with immediate effect and until further notice after it incorporated Ukrainian
sports bodies.
1) Only A 2) Only A & B 3) Only B & C 4) Only A & C 5) All A, B & C
32. Which Foundation/company has recently launched ‘Igniting Collective Goodness:
MKB@100’, a book on Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s monthly radio programme
Mann ki Baat?
1) BlueKraft Digital Foundation 2) Pan Macmillan India 3) Hay House
India 4) Asian Educational Services 5) National Book Trust India
 The book captures the journey of Prime Minister Modi’s 100 episodes of Mann Ki
Baat and its impact on Indian society.
33. In which state, Kati Bihu also known as Kongali bihu festival 2023 was celebrated on
18th October 2023? (Kati Bihu is celebrated during the time of relocation of the rice
sapling which is observed with great enthusiasm and fervor.)
 2023-October 17-24

34. The Chief Minister (CM) of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, unveiled an emblem of Karnataka
Sambrama50 in a programme organised by the Department of Kannada in Bengaluru,
Karnataka.
 The launch of the emblem marks the golden jubilee of the renaming of Mysore State
as Karnataka on 1st November, 1973.
 The renaming of Mysore State as Karnataka was made by then Chief Minister (CM)
D. Devaraj Urs.
 Yearlong Celebration: To mark 50 years of renaming the government of Karnataka
decided to hold year-long celebrations from 1st November 2023 to 1st November
2024.

35. Which of the following points is/are “correct” with respect to the cabinet approvals in
October 2023?
A) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a project on Green
Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II – Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) for the 13 GW
renewable energy project in Ladakh. For power distribution, a transmission line will
extend through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, linking with the National Grid in Kaithal,
Haryana.
B) The Union Cabinet has granted approval for an increase in the Minimum Support
Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi crops in the Marketing Season 2024–25, including
the highest increase for lentils (masur) about 7.1% at Rs. 425 per quintal from Rs.6000
per quintal to Rs.6425
 2023-October 17-24

C) MSP is the minimum rate at which the grain is purchased by the government
procurement agencies.
36. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated
Nagaland’s first Medical College - Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (
NIMSR), at Phreibagei in Kohima.
37. In October 2023, Droupadi Murmu, President of India, appointed Raghubar Das as the
26th Governor of __________ (state) and IndraSena Reddy Nallu as __________
Governor of Tripura.
1) Telangana; 24th 2) Jharkhand; 20th 3) Odisha; 23rd 4) Jharkhand;
24th 5) Odisha; 20th
 Raghubar Das will succeed Ganeshi Lal who has been serving as the Governor of
Odisha since 2018.
 Indra Sena Reddy Nallu will succeed Satyadeo Narain Arya who has been serving
as the Governor of Tripura since 2021.
38. According to ‘The On-Time Performance Monthly Reports – Airports for September
2023’ released by the Cirium in October 2023, which Indian airport has been recognised
as the world’s most punctual Airport for the past 3 consecutive months (July, August,
and September 2023)?
1) Indira Gandhi International Airport 2) Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
International Airport 3) Chennai International Airport 4) Kempegowda
International Airport 5) Sardar VallabhBhai Patel International Airport
 KIA maintained an on-time departure experience for passengers, with 87.51%
punctuality in July, 89.66% in August, and 88.51% in September.
 As per the report, on-time departure ranking measures the percentage of flights
that departed within 15 minutes of the scheduled time
39. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) initiated a pilot program for the wholesale segment
namely ‘Digital Rupee-Wholesale (e-W)’ of its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in
the interbank call money market. Which of the following banks is not part of the
wholesale CBDC in government securities pilot program?
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1) IDFC First Bank 2) City Union Bank 3) Kotak Mahindra Bank 4) Union Bank of India 5)
State Bank of India
 e-rupee call money pilot is the second test of wholesale CBDC, after the
government securities market in November 2022.
 9 banks: State Bank of India(SBI), Bank of Baroda(BoB), Union Bank of India(UBI),
HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank, IDFC First Bank and HSBC
were part of the wholesale CBDC in government securities pilot program.
 Most participating banks remain the same from the wholesale e-rupee pilot for
the government securities market with Federal Bank replacing HSBC in the call
money pilot.
40. Which Department of the GoI under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry &
Dairying (MoFAH&D) has recently conducted a National level meeting on ‘Ghar-Ghar
Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Abhiyaan’?
1) Department of Fisheries 2) Department of Health and Family Welfare
3) Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare 4) Department of
Commerce 5) Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities
 The ‘Ghar-Ghar KCC Abhiyaan’ initiative aims to ensure KCC Access for Fish
Farmers including fishermen and fish vendors to achieve universal financial
inclusion and to avail KCC facilities for all eligible fish farmers.
 KCC scheme was introduced in 1998 to avail loan facilities to the farmers for
their cultivation and other needs.
41. Google has partnered with the Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE)
to take down illegal digital lending apps on Play Store in India.
 FACE is an industry association and self-regulatory organization for digital
lenders.
 Under this partnership, FACE will supply Google with market intelligence to
identify and take action against non-compliant predatory personal loan apps in
India that are non-compliant with Play Store’s policies.
 2023-October 17-24

 This collaboration supports Google’s safety initiative, DigiKavach, aimed at

protecting people from online financial scams.
42. HDFC ERGO General Insurance launched Optima Secure, a health insurance policy that
offers four times the coverage at no extra cost. The policy covers medical expenses
incurred within India and comes with an optional global health cover.
 Health insurance is a financial arrangement that provides coverage for medical
expenses and healthcare services.
43. Which bank has recently developed ‘XpressWay,’ a digital banking platform to offer a
range of financial products and services?
1) Axis Bank 2) YES Bank 3) HDFC Bank 4) IndusInd Bank 5) ICICI Bank
 HDFC Bank has developed ‘XpressWay,’ a digital banking platform that offers a
range of financial products and services, providing customers with a fast and
convenient banking experience.
 XpressWay provides a variety of services such as Xpress Personal Loans, Xpress
Business Loans, Xpress Car Loans, Xpress Home Loans, Xpress Loan on Cards,
Xpress Credit Card, and Xpress Savings Accounts.
44. Name the village of India that has recently featured in the 3rd edition of Best Tourism
Villages 2023 list released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
1) Bankhedi, Madhya Pradesh 2) Gandikota, Andhra Pradesh 3) Madla
village, MP 4) Kumbalangi, Kerala 5) Dhordo village, Gujarat
 While, Madhla village from Madhya Pradesh’s Panna district has been picked
for the UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages Upgrade Programme.
 The village of Pochampally (added to UNWTO Best Tourism village list in
2021) has many attractions, including the world famous traditionally hand-
woven IKAT products, or the various attractions of pilgrimage, ecotourism, local
cultural heritage, performing arts, handicrafts, and other indigenous products
that showcase unique techniques. This village is located in an ideal settlement on
the outskirts of a large city, Hyderabad.
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 In this third edition 54 villages from all regions were selected. A further 20
villages have joined the Upgrade Programme, and all 74 villages are now part of
the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Network.
 All 74 villages were named during the UNWTO General Assembly in Samarkand,
Uzbekistan. They are now part of the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages Network,
which currently includes 190 villages from around the world.
45. Name the bank that has recently received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
to acquire 100% of the issued and paid up capital in Sonata Finance Private Limited
(SFPL) for Rs 537 crore.
1) Kotak Mahindra Bank 2) Axis Bank 3) ICICI Bank 4) YES Bank 5) HDFC Bank
 Sonata Finance will act as a wholly-owned business correspondent (BC)
subsidiary of KMB after the completion of the transaction.
 Sonata Finance, established in 2006, is a Microfinance company registered as
Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC)-Microfinance institutions (MFI) (Non-
Deposit taking).
46. ____________ became the first district in India to officially designate its official tree,
flower, bird and species.
1) Indore, Madhya Pradesh 2) Kodagu, Karnataka 3)
Anjaw, Arunachal Pradesh 4) Kasaragod, Kerala 5) Karimnagar,
Telangana
47. Sargaalaya Arts and Crafts Village at Iringal, in __________ (state) was selected as one
of the best 100 tourist destinations in the world at the ‘Green Destination Congress’,
held at Tallinn, Estonia.
1) Andhra Pradesh 2) Tamil Nadu 3) Karnataka 4) Kerala 5) Telangana
48. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the appointment of Ashok Vaswani as the
next Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ___________ Bank
for a period of 3 years.
1) IndusInd Bank 2) Kotak Mahindra Bank 3) YES Bank 4) ICICI Bank 5) Axis Bank
 2023-October 17-24

 Uday Kotak who stepped down from the post in September 2023, Dipak Gupta,
the Joint MD of KMB, who is serving as the interim MD & CEO of KMB until
December 31, 2023.
49. Who has been recently appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the
Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)?
1) Sanjay Kumar Jain 2) Vinay Kumar Sharma 3) Devendra Pal Bharti 4)
Kamlesh Kumar Mishra 5) Lokiah Ravi Kumar