Economy Current Affairs Quiz — All time
Daily news by your exam, state and topic — each with a short summary, key facts and MCQs.
At NCDC's 91st General Council meeting on 23 November 2024, Amit Shah proposed a five-year plan to raise the funding of which sector to ₹25,000 crore?
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Correct answer: B — Sugar mills
PIB (Cooperation): Amit Shah proposed a comprehensive five-year plan to boost the financial capacity of sugar mills, with a target of increasing their funding to ₹25,000 crore.
Consider the following statements made at NCDC's 91st General Council meeting (23 November 2024): 1. NCDC's disbursement has crossed ₹60,000 crore. 2. NCDC is the implementing agency of the Cooperative Intern scheme. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PIB (Cooperation): NCDC's disbursement crossed ₹60,000 crore, and the Ministry of Cooperation introduced the Cooperative Intern scheme with NCDC as the implementing agency. Both are correct.
According to the Coal Ministry on 22 November 2024, how many coal blocks had been successfully auctioned since the launch of commercial coal mining?
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Correct answer: C — 104
PIB (Coal): the event marked the successful auctions of 104 coal blocks till date since the launch of commercial coal mining.
Which company was among the successful bidders whose coal block agreements were executed on 22 November 2024?
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Correct answer: B — Hindalco Industries Limited
PIB (Coal): the successful bidders for Meenakshi and Rampia & Dip Side of Rampia include Hindalco Industries Limited and Jhar Mineral Resources Private Limited.
Consider the following statements about the Coal Ministry's announcements of 22 November 2024: 1. Agreements were executed for the Meenakshi, Rampia and Dip Side of Rampia coal blocks. 2. Two coal blocks were auctioned on the second day of the 10th round of commercial auctions. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PIB (Coal): agreements were executed for Meenakshi, Rampia and Dip Side of Rampia, and day 2 of the 10th round saw 2 blocks auctioned. Both are correct.
Which organisation prepared the 'Jobs at Your Doorstep' report launched in New Delhi on 22 November 2024?
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Correct answer: A — World Bank
PIB (Education): Dharmendra Pradhan and Mansukh Mandaviya launched the 'Jobs at Your Doorstep' report by the World Bank.
Which of the following states is NOT among the six STARS states covered by the 'Jobs at Your Doorstep' report?
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Correct answer: B — Gujarat
PIB (Education): the STARS states are Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan; Gujarat is not among them.
How many coal mines were put up for auction on the first day (21 November 2024) of the 10th round of commercial coal mine auctions?
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Correct answer: D — 5
PIB (Coal): on the first day, 5 coal mines were put up for auction; forward e-auctions for nine mines commenced from 21.11.2024.
According to telecom subscription data as on 30 September 2024 (released 21 November 2024), how many active wireless subscribers were there in September 2024?
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Correct answer: A — 1,059.97 million
PIB: the number of active wireless subscribers (on the date of peak VLR) in September 2024 was 1,059.97 million; 1,039.11 million is the cumulative MNP requests.
According to EPFO's provisional payroll data released on 20 November 2024, what was the net member addition in September 2024?
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Correct answer: D — 18.81 lakh
PIB (Labour Ministry): EPFO recorded a net addition of 18.81 lakh members in September 2024, 9.33% higher year on year.
Which state led in net EPFO member additions in September 2024?
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Correct answer: C — Maharashtra
PIB (Labour Ministry): Maharashtra led by adding 21.20% of net members during the month.
How many new employees were added under the ESI Scheme in September 2024, according to ESIC's provisional payroll data?
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Correct answer: D — 20.58 lakh
PIB (Labour Ministry): ESIC's provisional payroll data shows 20.58 lakh new employees added in September 2024.
How many new establishments were brought under the ESI Scheme in September 2024?
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Correct answer: A — 23,043
PIB (Labour Ministry): 23,043 new establishments were brought under the ESI Scheme in September 2024.
Which is India's first coastal industrial corridor, as described by DPIIT?
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Correct answer: B — East Coast Economic Corridor
PIB (DPIIT): the East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) is India's first coastal corridor.
Which was India's first industrial corridor, before the four corridors approved in November 2016?
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Correct answer: D — Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor
PIB (DPIIT): India's first corridor was the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
According to the PLFS Quarterly Bulletin for July-September 2024, what was the urban unemployment rate for persons aged 15 years and above (CWS)?
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Correct answer: D — 6.4%
PIB (MoSPI): urban UR for persons aged 15+ decreased from 6.6% in July-September 2023 to 6.4% in July-September 2024.
When was the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) launched by the National Statistics Office?
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Correct answer: A — April 2017
PIB (MoSPI): the NSO launched the PLFS in April 2017.
With which organisation did the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways organise 'Sagarmanthan – The Great Oceans Dialogue' in November 2024?
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Correct answer: A — Observer Research Foundation
PIB (MoPSW): the ministry organised the two-day event in collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation.
With which country's maritime minister did Sarbananda Sonowal hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of Sagarmanthan on 18 November 2024?
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Correct answer: C — Greece
PIB (MoPSW): Sonowal held bilateral talks with Greece's Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Christos Stylianides.
What penalty did the Competition Commission of India impose on Meta on 18 November 2024 over WhatsApp's 2021 privacy policy update?
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Correct answer: C — ₹213.14 crore
PIB (CCI): the Commission imposed a penalty of ₹213.14 crore on Meta for abusing its dominant position.
In the Meta-WhatsApp case decided on 18 November 2024, in which relevant market did the CCI find Meta (through WhatsApp) dominant?
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Correct answer: D — OTT messaging apps through smartphones in India
PIB (CCI): the CCI delineated two relevant markets and found Meta, through WhatsApp, dominant in the market for OTT messaging apps through smartphones in India.
Panipat, where Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh met the industry on 18 November 2024, is recognised as a Town of Export Excellence for which product?
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Correct answer: A — Woollen blankets
PIB (Textiles): Panipat has been recognised as a Town of Export Excellence under the Foreign Trade Policy for export of woollen blankets.
By what percentage did the all-India average retail price of tomato fall between 14 October and 14 November 2024, as per the Department of Consumer Affairs?
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Correct answer: B — 22.4%
PIB (Consumer Affairs): the price fell from ₹67.50/kg to ₹52.35/kg, a 22.4% decline. The almost 50% fall was in Azadpur mandi modal prices.
As per the third advance estimate cited by the Department of Consumer Affairs in November 2024, India's tomato production in 2023-24 was:
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Correct answer: D — 213.20 lakh tonnes
PIB (Consumer Affairs): 213.20 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, 4% more than 204.25 lakh tonnes in 2022-23.
Modal prices of tomato fell by almost 50% between 14 October and 14 November 2024 at which mandi, as per the Department of Consumer Affairs?
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Correct answer: A — Azadpur
PIB (Consumer Affairs): modal prices at Azadpur mandi fell from ₹5,883 to ₹2,969 per quintal.
What was the annual WPI-based inflation rate (provisional) for October 2024?
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Correct answer: B — 2.36%
PIB (Commerce): WPI inflation was 2.36% (provisional) in October 2024. 0.97% was the month-on-month change.
What is the base year of India's Wholesale Price Index used for the October 2024 data?
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Correct answer: C — 2011-12
PIB (Commerce): the WPI release for October 2024 uses base year 2011-12.
By what percentage did India's merchandise exports grow in October 2024 over October 2023?
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Correct answer: D — 17.23%
PIB (Commerce): merchandise exports were USD 39.20 billion in October 2024 against USD 33.43 billion in October 2023, growth of 17.23%.
India's overall exports (merchandise and services) for April-October 2024 were estimated at:
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Correct answer: A — USD 468.27 billion
PIB (Commerce): overall exports for April-October 2024 were estimated at USD 468.27 billion, against USD 436.48 billion a year earlier.
Which edition of the India International Trade Fair was inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam on 14 November 2024?
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Correct answer: C — 43rd
PIB (Commerce): Piyush Goyal inaugurated the 43rd edition of IITF.
Which state was the 'State of focus' at IITF 2024?
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Correct answer: B — Jharkhand
PIB (Commerce): Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were partner states, and Jharkhand was the state of focus.
What was the theme of the 43rd India International Trade Fair (14-27 November 2024)?
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Correct answer: B — Viksit Bharat @2047
PIB (Commerce): this year's theme was 'Viksit Bharat @2047'.
The Union Cabinet approved the Mines Ministry's MoU with the International Energy Agency on critical minerals on:
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Correct answer: C — 3 October 2024
PIB (Mines): approval for signing the MoU was accorded by the Union Cabinet on 3 October 2024; it was signed on 13 November 2024.
Who signed the November 2024 critical minerals MoU with India on behalf of the International Energy Agency?
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Correct answer: A — Dr Fatih Birol
PIB (Mines): the MoU was signed by Mines Secretary V L Kantha Rao and IEA Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol.
According to WIPO's World Intellectual Property Indicators 2024, where does India rank globally for patent applications?
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Correct answer: C — Sixth
PIB (Commerce): India ranks sixth globally for patents with 64,480 applications.
By how much did India's patent applications grow in 2023, the fastest among the top 20 origins, as per WIPI 2024?
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Correct answer: B — 15.7%
PIB (Commerce): India recorded the fastest growth in patent applications (+15.7%) in 2023 among the top 20 origins. 36.4% is design growth, 6.1% trademark growth and 55.2% the resident share.
In WIPI 2024, India ranked where globally in trademark filings?
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Correct answer: D — Fourth
PIB (Commerce): India ranked fourth globally in trademark filings, with a 6.1% increase in 2023. (Its trademark office holds the second-largest number of active registrations.)
All-India year-on-year CPI inflation for October 2024, released on 12 November 2024, was:
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Correct answer: A — 6.21%
PIB (MoSPI): year-on-year CPI inflation for October 2024 is 6.21%; 6.68% is the rural rate.
Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) inflation for October 2024 (provisional) was:
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Correct answer: D — 10.87%
PIB (MoSPI): all-India CFPI inflation for October 2024 is 10.87% (provisional); 11.09% is the urban rate.
What was the gross NPA ratio of public sector banks as of September 2024?
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Correct answer: A — 3.12%
PIB (Finance): gross and net NPA stood at 3.12% and 0.63% as on September 2024.
What was the combined net profit of public sector banks in H1 FY 2024-25?
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Correct answer: C — ₹85,520 crore
PIB (Finance): net profit for H1 FY25 was ₹85,520 crore (25.6% YoY growth); ₹1,50,023 crore was the operating profit.
As of September 2024, the CRAR of public sector banks was 15.43% against a regulatory requirement of:
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Correct answer: D — 11.5%
PIB (Finance): CRAR stood at 15.43% in September 2024 against the regulatory requirement of 11.5%.
As per Quick Estimates released on 12 November 2024, India's IIP grew by how much in September 2024?
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Correct answer: A — 3.1%
PIB (MoSPI): the IIP growth rate for September 2024 is 3.1%, against (-)0.1% in August 2024.
In September 2024, the manufacturing sector of the IIP grew by:
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Correct answer: C — 3.9%
PIB (MoSPI): mining, manufacturing and electricity grew 0.2%, 3.9% and 0.5% respectively in September 2024.
The Integrated Manufacturing Cluster at Gaya, Bihar, for which agreements were signed on 12 November 2024, is a node of which industrial corridor?
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Correct answer: D — Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor
PIB (Commerce): IMC Gaya is a node under the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC).
What area will the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster at Gaya cover?
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Correct answer: B — 1,670 acres
PIB (Commerce): IMC Gaya will cover 1,670 acres.
Consider the following about IMC Gaya: 1. It has an investment potential of ₹16,524 crore. 2. It is expected to create about 1,09,185 jobs. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
PIB (Commerce): IMC Gaya has an investment potential of INR 16,524 crore and is expected to create approximately 1,09,185 jobs. Both are correct.
Untied Grants of the Fifteenth Finance Commission for rural local bodies can be used across the subjects listed in which Schedule of the Constitution?
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Correct answer: D — Eleventh Schedule
PIB (Panchayati Raj): Untied Grants are for location-specific needs across the 29 subjects in the Eleventh Schedule, except salaries and establishment costs.
Consider the following about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's meeting with the AIIB delegation on 11 November 2024: 1. The delegation comprised 11 officials of the AIIB Board of Directors from 9 constituencies. 2. The Finance Minister is an Alternate Governor on the AIIB Board. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
PIB (Finance): the delegation had 11 officials from 9 constituencies, and the Finance Minister is Governor (not Alternate Governor) on the AIIB Board. So only 1 is correct.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank delegation that met the Finance Minister on 11 November 2024 was drawn from the bank's:
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Correct answer: B — Board of Directors
PIB (Finance): the delegation comprised 11 officials of the Board of Directors of AIIB from 9 different constituencies.
Coal production from captive and commercial mines from 1 April to 8 November 2024 stood at:
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Correct answer: D — 100.08 MT
PIB (Coal): production during 1 April – 8 November 2024 was 100.08 MT, against 75.05 MT in the same period of FY 2023-24.
What was the year-on-year growth in coal production from captive and commercial mines (1 April – 8 November 2024)?
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Correct answer: A — 33%
PIB (Coal): 100.08 MT against 75.05 MT indicates year-on-year growth of 33%.
On 9 November 2024, the Finance Minister set a target for banks and NBFCs to provide additional MSME credit in FY 2024-25 of:
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Correct answer: C — ₹1.54 lakh crore
PIB (Finance): the FM set a target for all scheduled commercial banks and NBFCs to provide additional MSME credit of ₹1.54 lakh crore in FY 2024-25.
How many new SIDBI branches in Karnataka did the Finance Minister virtually inaugurate on 9 November 2024?
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Correct answer: D — Six
PIB (Finance): six new SIDBI branches at Tumakuru, Raichur, Shivamogga, Kalaburagi, Mangaluru and Vijayapura (plus four Nari Shakti branches of Union Bank of India).
About how many MSME clusters were connected virtually for the launch of the National MSME Cluster Outreach Programme?
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Correct answer: A — 150
PIB (Finance): around 150 MSME clusters were connected virtually for the launch.
The Integrated Manufacturing Clusters at Agra and Prayagraj (agreements of 8 November 2024) are being developed under which industrial corridor?
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Correct answer: B — Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor
PIB (Commerce): the Agra and Prayagraj IMCs are under the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC).
The Integrated Manufacturing Cluster in Agra is spread over about how many acres?
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Correct answer: A — 1,058 acres
PIB (Commerce): the Agra IMC is located across 1,058 acres along the city's Inner Ring Road; the Prayagraj IMC spans 352 acres.
The Integrated Manufacturing Cluster at Prayagraj under AKIC spans:
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Correct answer: C — 352 acres
PIB (Commerce): the Prayagraj IMC spans 352 acres.
The pilot run of EPFO's Centralized Pension Payments System (October 2024) covered pensioners of which regions?
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Correct answer: B — Jammu, Srinagar and Karnal
PIB (Labour): about ₹11 crore was disbursed to more than 49,000 EPS pensioners of the Jammu, Srinagar and Karnal regions.
EPFO's Centralized Pension Payments System is to be fully rolled out by January 2025 as part of which IT modernisation project?
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Correct answer: D — CITES 2.01
PIB (Labour): CPPS will be fully rolled out as part of the Centralized IT Enabled System (CITES 2.01) by January 2025.
On full rollout, the Centralized Pension Payments System is expected to benefit about how many EPS pensioners?
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Correct answer: A — More than 78 lakh
PIB (Labour): the new CPPS will benefit more than 78 lakh EPS pensioners of EPFO.
How many critical mineral blocks were successfully auctioned under Tranche IV (announced 7 November 2024)?
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Correct answer: D — 8
PIB (Mines): the Ministry concluded the auction of 8 critical mineral blocks under Tranche IV.
Which state had the largest number of successfully auctioned blocks in Tranche IV of the critical mineral auctions?
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Correct answer: B — Arunachal Pradesh
PIB (Mines): four of the eight successful blocks (Depo, Endolin-Isholin, Phop, Radhpu) are in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Centre auctions critical mineral blocks using its power to grant concessions for minerals listed in which part of the MMDR Act, 1957?
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Correct answer: A — Part D of the First Schedule
PIB (Mines): the auction under the MMDR Act, 1957 uses the Central Government's authority for key minerals listed in Part D of the First Schedule.
The Notice Inviting Tender for Tranche IV of critical mineral block auctions was issued on 24 June 2024 for how many blocks?
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Correct answer: C — 21
PIB (Mines): the NIT was issued on 24 June 2024 for 21 mineral blocks; 10 advanced to e-auction and 8 were successfully auctioned.
On 7 November 2024, Piyush Goyal launched which anniversary celebrations of EEPC India?
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Correct answer: C — 70th year
PIB (Commerce): Piyush Goyal launched EEPC India's 70th year celebrations and unveiled its logo.
What engineering exports target by 2030 did the Commerce Minister cite for EEPC India in November 2024?
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Correct answer: B — $300 billion
PIB (Commerce): 'EEPC India's target to achieve $300 bn exports by 2030 represents courage and conviction of new India.'
Who was the Chairman of EEPC India at its 70th year launch event in November 2024?
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Correct answer: D — Arun Kumar Garodia
PIB (Commerce): EEPC India Chairman Arun Kumar Garodia spoke at the event.