Daily G.K Bits:- 05-09-2015

1. How much FDI’s India received due to Modi’s visits to foreign countries in the financial year 2014-15? (4)

1. $ 12bn
2. $ 5.7 bn
3. $ 10.8bn
4. $ 19.78 bn
5. None

Expl:- India received 19.78 billion dollars Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from 12 countries visited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in financial year 2014-15. During the period, Indian companies invested USD 3.42 billion in these countries which include Bhutan, Brazil, Nepal, Japan, the US, Myanmar, Australia, Fiji, Seychelles, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Singapore. The total outflow and inflow of foreign investment in general for 2014-15 fiscal was USD 6.42 billion and USD 75.71 billion, respectively, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.  In 2014-15, FDI in India increased by 27 percent to USD 30.93 billion

2. Foxconn, the world’s largest contract manufacturing firm for consumer electronics, has set up a production unit in which state? (3)

1. Gujarat
2. Andhra Pradesh
3. Maharashtra
4. Tamilnadu
5. Odisha

Expl:- Foxconn, the world’s largest contract-manufacturing firm for consumer electronics, on 8^th August signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government to invest $5 billion over three years, for setting up a manufacturing unit in the state. The company said it was yet to identify a site for its proposed production unit. At present, the company contract-manufactures devices like Apple iPhone, BlackBerry, Kindle e-reader, and Playstation video game consoles. It is not immediately known for which brands Foxconn will manufacture devices at its Maharashtra unit. The state government will provide 1,500 acres of land somewhere between Mumbai and Pune. The location could be Khopoli on Mumbai-Pune road or Talegaon industrial estate, Fadnavis added. The signing of the MoU took place after nearly two month of parleys and five-six meetings between Terry and Fadnavis.

3. Which Indian scheme was placed in Guinness book? (1)

1. Pahal
2. MGNREGA
3. CDP
4. Roshni
5. None of these

Expl:- A milestone on 13^th August was that the ‘Pahal’ scheme has been acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest cash transfer program (households). The government launched the ‘Pahal’ scheme in 54 districts of the country on November 15, 2014, and in remaining districts of the country on January 1, 2015. As on August 13, 2015, 13.9 crore LPG consumers have joined the Pahal scheme. LPG consumers, who join the Pahal scheme, will get the LPG cylinders at market price and receive LPG subsidy (as per their entitlement) directly into their bank accounts. This scheme has enabled substantive savings in subsidy. The scheme was formally launched as Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme for LPG subsidy in 2013 in 291 districts under the aegis of Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The scheme was modified and named as Pahal in November 2014 and was then again launched in 54 districts. Later it was extended nationwide on 1 January 2015.

4. POSCO, has tied up with Uttam Galva group to set up an integrated steel manufacturing, facility in which state? (5)

1. Odisha
2. Jharkhand
3. Asom
4. Telanagna
5. Maharashtra

Expl:- The $2-billion Uttam Galva Group has roped in Korean giant Posco to set up an integrated 3 million tonne per annum steel manufacturing facility in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra at a cost of $3 billion (Rs 19,000 crore).  This will be Posco’s first steel plant in the country, with its plan to set up own greenfield unit in Odisha being delayed by almost 10 years due to environmental and land clearances. It is also the fourth big investment announcement in Maharashtra in a week, and will be the Korean giant’s second facility in the state. Earlier this year, the company had inaugurated a state-of-the-art $709-million cold-rolling mill in Mangaon with a capacity of 1.8 mtpa. Interestingly, another global steel major, Arcelor Mittal, has already acquired a stake in Uttam Galva Steels, the flagship of the Uttam Galva Group.

5. In Order to protect farmers due to deficit rains, how much amount allocated by Union Government under various initiatives? (3)

1. Rs 100 crore
2. Rs 200 crore
3. Rs 300 crore
4. Rs 400 crore
5. Rs 500 crore

Expl:- The Centre decided to launch a series of farmer friendly interventions to deal with the challenges of a deficient monsoon. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Agriculture Ministry’s plans for immediate remedial measures to be initiated by State governments. The measures include implementation of diesel subsidy scheme for protective irrigation of crops, enhancement of ceiling on seed subsidy, additional allocation of Rs. 150 crore under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, and implementation of Additional Fodder Development Programme as a sub-scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana with an allocation of Rs. 50 crore during 2015-16 for ensuring availability of fodder. A total of Rs. 300 crore has been allocated for these schemes.

6. The BRICS business forum will held in which of the following country? (3)

1. Russia
2. Brazil
3. Dubai
4. India
5. South Africa

Expl:- In a bid to bolster economic relations between the five-nation grouping, for the first time ever, a business forum of BRICS nations will take place at Dubai Multi Commodities Centre on September 9. The forum has been initiated and supported by embassies and consulates of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. In order to improve the capacity to innovate and compete in the markets, the forum will facilitate all BRICS companies in UAE with opportunities to exchange technical knowledge and establish collective action plans. The forum is organized by RBC along with the Indian Professional and Business Council, Indian Trade and Exhibition Centre, Chinese Business Council, South African Business Council and the Brazilian Trade Mission in the UAE.

7. As per new policy, the US will slash carbon emissions from the power sector by 32% to ____  by the year 2030 (5)

1. 6%
2. 24%
3. 15%
4. 22%
5. 9%

Expl:- United States President Barack Obama formally unveiled his administration’s ramped-up plan to cut carbon emissions from power plants. He also declared climate change as the greatest threat facing the world.  The aim of the revised Clean Power Plan is to cut greenhouse gas emissions from US power stations by nearly a third within 15 years. The measures will place significant emphasis on wind and solar power and other renewable energy sources. The revised Clean Power Plan will seek to slash carbon emissions from the power sector by 32 percent by year 2030 from 2005 levels and it shows a 9 percent increase over a previous proposal. The regulation is aimed at ushering in a sweeping transformation of the U.S. electricity sector, encouraging an aggressive shift toward more renewable energy away from coal-fired electricity. Industry groups and some lawmakers from states that have relied on coal-based energy have vowed to challenge the Clean Power Plan in the courts and through Congressional maneuvers, accusing the administration of a regulatory assault that will drive up energy prices.

8. With which country, Suez canal is associated? (4)

1. Afghanistan
2. Israel
3. Palaestine
4. Egypt
5. Britain

Expl:- Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on 6^th August opened a new USD 9 billion Suez Canal amid lavish celebrations as Egypt unveiled its ‘gift to the world’, a historic waterway that will run parallel to the existing one amid hopes of boosting the country’s ailing economy. The President earlier boarded the monarchy-era Al Mahrousa yacht — the first ship to pass through the Suez Canal after the historic waterway was opened in November, 1869 — as part of the opening ceremony in which he crossed the 72-kilometre new extension flanked by air and naval forces

9. The UNSC has adopted a resolution at identifying chemical weapon attackers in…? (2)

1. Indonesia
2. Syria
3. Iran
4. Iraq
5. Ukraine

Expl:- The U.N. Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution aimed at identifying those responsible for using chlorine and other chemical weapons in attacks in Syria that have killed and injured a growing number of civilians. While Russia and the United States have failed to agree on a way to end the Syrian conflict, now in its fifth year, they have agreed on eliminating the chemical weapons.  The Security Council’s vote on 7^th August came just two days after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reached agreement on the final text of the resolution. None of the 13 other council members raised objections.

10. Which country is largest in robot market? (1)

1. China
2. Japan
3. USA
4. South Korea
5. Russia

Expl:- China has retained its rank as the world’s largest robot market for the second successive year, media reported on 7^th August. According to data issued by the China Robot Industry Alliance (CRIA) on 6^th August, the sales of robots in the Chinese market during 2014 at 57,000 units accounted for one-fourth of the world’s total. This was also an increase of 54.6 percent over the previous year, the People’s Daily reported. Of the total sales in the Chinese market during 2014, 17,000 units — worth 3 billion yuan (about $483 million) — were manufactured in China