Current Affairs Quiz — 21 December 2024
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
To what rate did the 55th GST Council (December 2024) recommend reducing GST on Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK)?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 5%
PIB (Finance Ministry): the 55th GST Council recommended reducing the GST rate on Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK), classifiable under 1904, to 5%.
The 55th GST Council recommended raising the GST rate on the sale of all old and used vehicles, including EVs (other than those already at 18%), from 12% to:
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 18%
PIB (Finance Ministry): the Council recommended increasing the GST rate from 12% to 18% on the sale of all old and used vehicles, including EVs, other than those already specified at 18%.
According to the 55th GST Council's clarification, Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (ACC) blocks containing more than 50% fly ash attract GST at:
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 12%
PIB (Finance Ministry): the Council clarified that ACC blocks containing more than 50% fly ash content fall under HS 6815 and attract 12% GST.
Consider the following recommendations of the 55th GST Council held in Jaisalmer in December 2024: 1. Gene therapy to be fully exempted from GST. 2. Contributions by general insurance companies from third-party motor premiums to the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund to be exempted. 3. The new rule linking the GST rate on restaurant services in hotels to the actual value of supply of rooms to take effect from 1 January 2025. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — 1 and 2 only
PIB (Finance Ministry): statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong because the changes to restaurant services in hotels are to be effective from 1 April 2025 (01.04.2025).
According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, what share of India's geographical area is under forest and tree cover?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 25.17%
PIB (MoEFCC): ISFR 2023 puts India's total forest and tree cover at 8,27,357 sq km, which is 25.17% of the geographical area (forest cover 21.76%, tree cover 3.41%).
As per ISFR 2023, which State/UT has the highest forest cover as a percentage of its geographical area?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Lakshadweep
PIB (MoEFCC): Lakshadweep (91.33%) has the highest forest cover in percentage terms, followed by Mizoram (85.34%) and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (81.62%).
Which State showed the maximum increase in forest cover (242 sq km) in ISFR 2023?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Mizoram
PIB (MoEFCC): the top three States showing maximum increase in forest cover are Mizoram (242 sq km), Gujarat (180 sq km) and Odisha (152 sq km). Chhattisgarh led the increase in combined forest and tree cover (684 sq km).
Consider the following statements about the India State of Forest Report 2023: 1. It is brought out by the Forest Survey of India on a biennial basis since 1987. 2. It is the 18th report in the series. 3. It was released at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun. Which of the statements given above are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 1 and 2 only
PIB (MoEFCC): statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong because ISFR 2023 was released at the Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun.
Where was the 72nd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council held on 21 December 2024?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Agartala
PIB (MHA): Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the 72nd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala, Tripura, on 21 December 2024.
At the 72nd NEC Plenary, the Union Home Minister said how many insurgents had surrendered in the North East in the last 10 years?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 10,574
PIB (MHA): Amit Shah said that in the last 10 years 10,574 insurgents had surrendered, alongside a 71% reduction in violent incidents and an 86% decrease in civilian deaths in the North East.
At the 12th NESAC Society meeting in Agartala (December 2024), how many waterways were said to have been built with the help of NESAC?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 20
PIB (MHA): at the 12th meeting of the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) Society, it was stated that 20 waterways have been built with the help of NESAC.
In which district of Gujarat was the Climate Smart Agro-Textile Demonstration Center launched on 21 December 2024?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Navsari
PIB (Ministry of Textiles): the Ministry of Textiles, with SASMIRA, launched the Climate Smart Agro-Textile Demonstration Center in Navsari, Gujarat, in the presence of Union Minister C. R. Patil.
Which research association will maintain the Navsari agro-textile demonstration centre?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — SASMIRA
PIB (Ministry of Textiles): the centre was launched with the Synthetic & Art Silk Mills' Research Association (SASMIRA), which will maintain it for three years.
For how long will the Navsari agro-textile demonstration centre be maintained, as stated by the Ministry of Textiles?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Three years, covering eight crop cycles
PIB (Ministry of Textiles): spread across 15,000 sq m, the centre will be maintained by SASMIRA for three years, covering eight crop cycles.
Where did the Ministry of Mines hold a roadshow on 21 December 2024 for the auction of India's first-ever offshore areas mineral blocks?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Porbandar
PIB (Ministry of Mines): the Ministry organised an exclusive roadshow at Porbandar, Gujarat, on 21 December 2024 to unveil the auction process for India's first-ever Offshore Areas Mineral Blocks.
At the Porbandar roadshow, the Mines Secretary described offshore lime-mud as a vital raw material for which industry?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Cement
PIB (Ministry of Mines): Secretary V. L. Kantha Rao underscored the critical role of lime-mud, a vital raw material for cement manufacturing, in diversifying the industry's resource base.
Which body proclaimed 21 December as World Meditation Day, first observed in 2024?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — UN General Assembly
United Nations: the General Assembly proclaimed 21 December as World Meditation Day; PIB records the Prime Minister's message on the day on 21 December 2024.
What was India's role in the UN resolution that proclaimed World Meditation Day?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Member of the core group of countries that led its adoption
United Nations and The Hindu: India was a member of the core group of Member States that led the adoption of the resolution on World Meditation Day.
Which two facilities did Union Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurate at the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, on 21 December 2024?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — An Advanced Facility for Pashmina Certification and a Next Generation DNA Sequencing Facility
PIB (MoEFCC): Bhupender Yadav inaugurated the Advanced Facility for Pashmina Certification and the Next Generation DNA Sequencing Facility at WII, Dehradun.
What did the Pashmina Certification Centre (PCC) at WII issue when it was inaugurated a year before the December 2024 facilities?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Its first unique ID barcode and certificate
PIB (MoEFCC): the new facilities build on the foundation laid the previous year, when the Minister inaugurated the Pashmina Certification Centre (PCC) and issued its first unique ID barcode and certificate.
Where was the Association of NPS Intermediaries (ANI) launched on 21 December 2024?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — Insurance Institute of India, Mumbai
PIB (Finance Ministry): ANI was officially launched at a conference titled 'Securing Tomorrow, With Pension' held at the Insurance Institute of India, Mumbai.
According to the PFRDA Chairperson at the ANI launch (December 2024), the combined assets under management of NPS and APY exceed:
Show answer
Correct answer: B — ₹13.8 lakh crore
PIB (Finance Ministry): Deepak Mohanty stated that with AUM exceeding ₹13.8 lakh crore, NPS and APY have a total subscriber base of 8 crore.
Who unveiled the logo of the Association of NPS Intermediaries at its launch?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — PFRDA Chairperson Deepak Mohanty
PIB (Finance Ministry): on the occasion, the association's logo was unveiled by the Chairperson of PFRDA, Dr. Deepak Mohanty.
India's first bio-bitumen-based National Highway stretch, inaugurated in December 2024, is on NH-44 at:
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Mansar, Nagpur (Maharashtra)
Mathrubhumi (ANI) and CNBC-TV18: Nitin Gadkari inaugurated India's first bio-bitumen-based National Highway stretch on NH-44 at Mansar, Nagpur, Maharashtra (the Nagpur–Mansar bypass).
The bio-bitumen used on the Nagpur–Mansar stretch of NH-44 is based on which natural polymer?
Show answer
Correct answer: D — Lignin
Mathrubhumi (ANI) and CNBC-TV18: the stretch was developed using lignin-based bio-bitumen technology by Praj Industries with CSIR-CRRI, NHAI and Oriental.
Reports on the bio-bitumen highway stretch said imports account for roughly what share of India's bitumen supply?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 50%
Mathrubhumi (ANI) and CNBC-TV18: lignin bio-bitumen aims to reduce India's dependence on imports, which constitute about 50% of the total bitumen supply.
Which edition of the Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar was conferred at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 21 December 2024?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 69th
PIB (Railways): Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw conferred the 69th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar on 101 railway officials at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
How many railway officials received the 69th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar in December 2024?
Show answer
Correct answer: C — 101
PIB (Railways): the 69th Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar was conferred on 101 railway officials, and 22 shields were given to the best-performing zones.
In the Railway Minister's December 2024 announcement on rewarding zones, what does 'SMQT' stand for?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Safest, Maintenance, Quality and Training
PIB (Railways): Vaishnaw said financial rewards along with shields would be given from next year for excellent SMQT (Safest, Maintenance, Quality and Training) practices.