This is the current affairs of 19 to 25 December 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Whom did the President appoint as the new Governor of Bihar?
a. Ajay Kumar Bhalla
b. VK Singh
c. Arif Mohammad Khan
d. Hari Babu Kambhampati
Answer: c. Arif Mohammad Khan
– He has been appointed in place of Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
– Arif Mohammad Khan was previously the Governor of Kerala.
– During his tenure as the Governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammad Khan was in the news quite a lot.
– Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan accused him of not approving several of his bills, even though these bills had already been passed by the state assembly.
– Vijayan even went to the Supreme Court against Arif Mohammad Khan.
– On November 20, 2023, the court issued a notice to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan’s office.
Bihar
– Capital – Patna
– Chief Minister – Nitish Kumar
– Neighboring States – Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal
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2. Name the new Governor of Mizoram?
a. Ajay Kumar Bhalla
b. VK Singh
c. Raghuvar Das
d. Hari Babu Kambhampati
Answer: b. VK Singh
– He has been appointed in place of Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, while Hari Babu Kambhampati has been sent to Odisha.
– General VK Singh has been the 26th Chief of the Indian Army.
– VK Singh was also involved in the India-Pakistan war of December 16, 1971.
– He served as the Minister of State for External Affairs twice in the Modi government, from 2014-2019, and later as the Minister of State for Civil Aviation (Independent Charge) from 2019-2024.
Mizoram
– Capital: Aizawl
– Chief Minister: Lalduhoma
– Neighboring States: Manipur, Tripura, Assam
– Borders with: Bangladesh and Myanmar
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3. Who became the new Governor of Manipur?
a. Ajay Kumar Bhalla
b. Vinod Khanna
c. Raghuvar Das
d. Hari Babu Kambhampati
Answer: a. Ajay Kumar Bhalla
– Before him, Lakshman Acharya was serving as the acting Governor.
– Ajay Kumar Bhalla has previously served as the Home Secretary.
– During his service, the central government extended his tenure four times.
– He has extensive administrative experience.
– His appointment in Manipur is significant because ethnic violence began in Manipur in May 2023, which is still ongoing.
– The Manipur violence has now lasted more than 600 days.
– During this time, more than 237 people have died.
– Over 1,500 people have been injured, and 60,000 people have left their homes to live in relief camps.
– So far, 11,000 FIRs have been registered, and 500 people have been arrested.
– Approximately 40,000 personnel from 288 companies of the Central Armed Forces have been deployed across the state.
Manipur
– Capital – Imphal
– CM – N Biren Singh
– Neighboring states – Nagaland, Assam and Mizoram
– Border with which country – Myanmar
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4. Name the new governor of Odisha?
a. Laxman Acharya
b. Mohan Bhagwat
c. Rahul Chakraborty
d. Hari Babu Kambhampati
Answer: d. Hari Babu Kambhampati
– He has replaced Raghubar Das, who resigned.
– Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati has served as the Governor of Mizoram from 2021 to December 25, 2024.
– Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati was an Associate Professor at Andhra University.
– In 1993, he took voluntary retirement and became fully active in politics.
– In 2014, he served as the Member of Parliament from the Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat.
Odisha
– Governor: Bhubaneswar
– Chief Minister: Mohan Charan Manjhi
– Neighbouring States: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh
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5. Who did the President appoint as the new Governor of Kerala?
a. Mithur Chakraborty
b. RK Sinha
c. Rajesh Verma
d. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
Answer: d. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
– He replaced Arif Mohammad Khan.
– He has been the Governor of Bihar and Himachal Pradesh.
– He is also the former Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly.
Kerala
– Capital – Thiruvananthapuram
– CM – P Vijayan
– Neighbouring states – Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
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6. State: New Governor
– Manipur: Ajay Kumar Bhalla (Former Union Home Secretary)
– Mizoram: Retired General VK Singh (Former Army Chief and Union Minister)
– Bihar: Arif Mohammad Khan (Former Governor of Kerala)
– Kerala: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (Former Governor of Bihar)
– Odisha: Hari Babu Kambhampati (Former Governor of Mizoram)
Governors and Chief Ministers of States
Himachal Pradesh
Capital: Shimla
Governor: Shiv Pratap Shukla
Chief Minister: Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu
Punjab
Capital: Chandigarh
Governor: Gulab Chand Kataria
Chief Minister: Bhagwant Mann
Haryana
Capital: Chandigarh
Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
Chief Minister: Nayab Singh Saini
Uttarakhand
Capital: Dehradun and Gairsain
Governor: Lieutenant General Gurmeet Singh
Chief Minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami
Uttar Pradesh
Capital: Lucknow
Governor: Anandiben Patel
Chief Minister: Yogi Adityanath
Bihar
Capital: Patna
Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar
Jharkhand
Capital: Ranchi
Governor: Santosh Gangwar
Chief Minister: Hemant Soren
West Bengal
Capital: Kolkata
Governor: Dr CV Anand Bose
Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee
Sikkim
Capital: Gangtok
Governor: Om Prakash Mathur
Chief Minister: Prem Singh Tamang
Assam
Capital: Dispur
Governor: Laxman Prasad Acharya
Chief Minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma
Arunachal Pradesh
Capital: Itanagar
Governor: (Retired) Lieutenant General Kaivalya Trivikram Parnaim
Chief Minister: Pema Khandu
Nagaland
Capital: Kohima
Governor: La Ganesan
Chief Minister: Neiphiu Rio
Manipur
Capital: Imphal
Governor: Ajay Kumar Bhalla
Chief Minister: N Biren Singh
Mizoram
Capital: Aizawl
Governor: Retired General VK Singh
Chief Minister: Lalduhoma
Tripura
Capital: Agartala
Governor: Indra Sena Reddy Nallu
Chief Minister : Manik Saha
Meghalaya
Capital : Shillong
Governor : CH Vijayshankar
Chief Minister : Conrad Sangma
Rajasthan
Capital : Jaipur
Governor : Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde
Chief Minister : Bhajanlal Sharma
Gujarat
Capital : Gandhinagar
Governor : Acharya Devvrat
Chief Minister : Bhupendra Patel
Madhya Pradesh
Capital : Bhopal
Governor : Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel
Chief Minister : Mohan Yadav
Chhattisgarh
Capital : Raipur
Governor : Ramen Deka
Chief Minister : Vishnudev Sai
Odisha
Capital : Bhubaneswar
Governor : Hari Babu Kambhampati
Chief Minister : Mohan Charan Majhi
Maharashtra
Capital : Mumbai, Nagpur (Winter)
Governor : CP Radhakrishnan
Chief Minister : Devendra Fadnavis
Telangana
Capital: Hyderabad
Governor: Jishnu Dev Verma
Chief Minister: Anumula Revanth Reddy
Andhra Pradesh
Governor: S Abdul Nazir
Chief Minister: N. Chandrababu Naidu
Karnataka
Capital: Bengaluru
Governor: Thaawar Chand Gehlot
Chief Minister: Shri Siddaramaiah
Tamil Nadu
Capital: Chennai
Governor: R.N. Ravi
Chief Minister: MK Stalin
Kerala
Capital: Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram)
Governor: Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
Chief Minister: P Vijayan
Goa
Capital: Panaji
Governor: PS Sreedharan Pillai
Chief Minister: Pramod Sawant
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7. When is Vijay Diwas celebrated?
a. 16 December
b. 17 December
c. 18 December
d. 19 December
Answer: a. 16 December
– It is celebrated to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war and to salute the bravery of Indian soldiers.
– On this day, in 1971, Pakistan’s Lieutenant General A.A.K. Niazi signed the surrender document in Dhaka.
– With this, about 93000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered to the Indian Army.
– After India’s victory, East Pakistan became Bangladesh.
– This historic moment was made possible under the leadership of Indian leaders like Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, and Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Arora.
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8. Between India and which countries the trilateral air exercise “Desert Knight” was organized in December 2024?
a. Sri Lanka and UAE
b. France and UAE
c. Germany and France
d. None of these
Answer: b. France and UAE
– The purpose of this military exercise is to enhance trilateral defense cooperation and its capabilities between India, France, and the UAE.
– Where it took place: About 350-400 kilometers southwest of Karachi, over the Arabian Sea.
Which aircraft participated:
– India: Sukhoi-30MKI, Jaguar, IL-78 mid-air refuelers, and AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) system flew from Jamnagar on the western coast.
– France: Rafale jets, which took off from the UAE’s Al Dhafra Airbase.
– UAE: F-16 fighter jets, which participated from the Al Dhafra Airbase.
About the exercise:
– The “Desert Night” exercise is based on the trilateral framework established by the foreign ministers of India, France, and the UAE in 2022.
– This partnership includes cooperation in various sectors such as defense, technology, energy, and the environment, as outlined in an ambitious roadmap.
– The joint military exercise helps prepare for changing global security circumstances and assists in the defense of vital regions like the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf.
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9. Where did ICMR establish India’s first diabetes biobank?
a. Delhi
b. Mumbai
c. Chennai
d. Lucknow
Answer: c. Chennai
– The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established it in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).
What is the Diabetes Biobank:
– It is a repository of biological samples.
– It will collect, process, and distribute biological samples for scientific research.
– Specifically, blood samples of different types of diabetes, such as Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes in youth, have been stored for future studies and research.
India has one-quarter of the world’s diabetes patients:
– A research paper published in The Lancet reported that over 800 million adults are affected by diabetes, and more than half of them do not receive treatment.
– Of these 800 million, more than one-quarter, or 212 million, live in India, and 148 million diabetes patients reside in China.
– This report highlights the increasing global disparities in diabetes.
– In low and middle-income countries, the number of young diabetes patients is rising sharply.
– This disease poses lifelong complications, such as heart disease, kidney damage, and vision impairment.
– A major issue is that the young population, which is considered a human resource for any country, is becoming ill. This can affect the development of the country.
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10. When is the National Minorities Rights Day celebrated?
a. 13 December
b. 12 December
c. 18 December
d. 19 December
Answer: c. 18 December
– The Government of India celebrates Minority Rights Day on December 18 to protect the rights of the country’s minority communities and raise awareness.
– The event is organized by the National Commission for Minorities.
– This day was first celebrated in the year 2013.
National Commission for Minorities:
– Established – 1992
– Chairman – Iqbal Singh Lalpura
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11. Which country tested the Dark Eagle anti-missile system (LRHW- Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon)?
a. India
b. USA
c. Germany
d. Russia
Answer: b. USA
– Type of Anti-Missile System: LRHW – Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon
– Name of the Hypersonic Missile System: Dark Eagle
– Speed: 3,800 miles per hour (Mach 5), five times the speed of sound. Due to this speed, the enemy’s missile or aircraft can be immediately shot down, and the missile cannot be intercepted by the enemy.
– Where the test was conducted: Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida
– Where the U.S. will deploy it: The U.S. Navy plans to deploy this system on Zumwalt-class destroyers and submarines.
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12. When is the Liberation Day of Goa celebrated?
a. 13 December
b. 12 December
c. 18 December
d. 19 December
Answer: d. 19 December
– Goa Liberation Day is celebrated every year on December 19.
– On this day in 1961, Goa was freed from Portuguese rule.
– On December 18, 1961, under Operation Vijay, India launched a military operation to liberate Goa, in which all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces (Indian Navy, Air Force, and Army) participated.
– After this operation, Goa was freed from Portuguese rule on December 19, 1961.
Goa:
– Capital: Panaji
– Governor: P. S. Sreedharan Pillai
– Chief Minister: Pramod Sawant
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13. Indian cinema legend Shyam Benegal passed away on 23 December 2024, when did he receive the Padma Bhushan Award?
a. 1981
b. 1986
c. 1991
d. 2022
Answer: c. 1991
– Shyam Sundar Benegal was born on December 14, 1934, in Hyderabad.
– He passed away at the age of 90 due to a kidney-related illness.
– He studied economics and later took up photography.
– In Bollywood, he is considered the father of art cinema.
– When he was twelve years old, he made his first film with a camera given to him by his photographer father, Sridhar B. Benegal.
– In addition to making documentaries on Jawaharlal Nehru and Satyajit Ray, he also directed television series like Yatra, Katha Sagar, and Bharat Ek Khoj for Doordarshan.
– He directed 24 films, 45 documentaries, and 15 ad films. He directed several excellent films like Zubeida, The Making of the Mahatma, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, Mandi, Arohan, and Welcome to Sajjanpur.
– Shyam Benegal’s films gave Indian cinema some of its best actors, including Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri, Amrish Puri, Anant Nag, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, and cinematographer Govind Nihalani.
– His first film Ankur was made in 1974, and his last film Mujib was made in 2023.
Awards:
– Padma Shri in 1976
– Padma Bhushan in 1991
– He won 18 National Awards, holding the record for the most National Awards won.
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14. When is International Human Solidarity Day celebrated?
a. 23 December
b. 22 December
c. 21 December
d. 20 December
Answer: d. 20 December
– International Human Solidarity Day is celebrated worldwide every year on December 20.
– To spread the message of unity in the world, the United Nations declared this day in 2005.
– Its first observance was held in the year 2006.
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15. Which country’s team won the title of Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2024?
a. India
b. China
c. Bangladesh
d. Sri Lanka
Answer: a. India
– The Indian Women’s Junior Hockey Team won the Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2024 by defeating China.
– India had also won the 2023 title.
– Where it was held: Muscat, Oman
When it was held: December 7 to 10, 2024
– Organized by: Asian Hockey Federation
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16. Which country’s President Javier Milei was granted citizenship by Italy?
a. Germany
b. France
c. Uganda
d. Argentina
Answer: d. Argentina
On what policy was citizenship granted?
– Descendants of Italian immigrants were granted citizenship under the citizenship law.
– This law gives Italian descendants the opportunity to claim citizenship.
– The law is based on the principle of jus sanguinis (right of blood).
– Critics believe that this policy, while granting citizenship to distant descendants, does injustice to those who were born and raised in Italy but whose parents were not Italian.
Political and Economic Response between Argentina and Italy:
– It is believed that the decision to grant citizenship was made to improve international relations.
– Before granting citizenship, there were several meetings between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Millei.
– Both leaders agreed on an action plan for 2025-2030.
– This plan will focus on deepening cooperation between the two countries in judicial, security, and economic sectors.
Argentina:
– Continent: South America
– Capital: Buenos Aires
– President: Javier Milei
– Currency: Argentine Peso
– Neighboring Countries: Chile, Bolivia, – Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay
– Sea: Argentine Sea
Italy:
– Continent: Europe
– Capital: Rome
– President: Sergio Mattarella
– Prime Minister: Giorgia Meloni
– Currency: Euro
– Neighboring Countries: France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia
– Sea: Mediterranean Sea
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17. When is Pensioners Day celebrated in India?
a. 17 December
b. 18 December
c. 19 December
d. 22 December
Answer: a. 17 December
This day reminds us of the historic decision of the Supreme Court in 1982, which ensured equality and justice for retired officials.
– What is the name of the new pension scheme for central employees? – Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)
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18. Who has been appointed by the President as the Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in December 2024?
a. DY Chandrachud
b. V. Ramasubramanian
c. Arun Mishra
d. Vijaya Bharti Sayani
Answer: b. V. Ramasubramanian (Former Supreme Court Judge)
– He is the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
– He replaced Vijaya Bharti Sayani, who was serving as the acting chairperson.
– The position of NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) Chairman had been vacant since the retirement of Justice Arun Kumar Mishra on June 1, 2024. However, NHRC member Vijaya Bharti Sayani was appointed as the acting chairperson.
About the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC):
– It is the central human rights institution, consisting of a chairperson and five members.
– The chairperson of the commission must be a retired judge of the Supreme Court.
– One member should be a sitting or retired judge of the Supreme Court, and one should be a sitting or retired Chief Justice of a High Court.
– Two other members should have knowledge or experience related to human rights.
– There must also be one woman member in the commission.
– In addition to these members, there are four other ex-officio members, who are the chairpersons of the National Commission for Minorities, National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, and National Commission for Women.
– The appointment of the chairperson and members is made by the President based on the recommendations of a six-member committee formed under the leadership of the Prime Minister.
– The committee consists of the Prime Minister, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament, and the Union Home Minister.
– The term of office for the chairperson and members is five years or until they turn 70 years old (whichever comes first).
Change in Appointment Rules in 2019:
– In 2019, Parliament amended the eligibility rules for the position of NHRC Chairperson.
– Previously, only a retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court could hold the position. However, the amended law allows other retired judges of the Supreme Court to be eligible for appointment to this position.
NHRC:
– Formation: October 12, 1993
– It is an independent body of the Government of India, established with the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights.
– It was established under the ‘Human Rights Protection Act’ in 1993.
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19. The Central Government has ended the ‘No Detention Policy’, what does this mean?
a. Not promoting students if they fail from 5th to 8th class
b. Provision of not taking children into custody
c. Compulsory to get 50% marks in 5th to 8th class
d. None of these
Answer: a. Not promoting students if they fail from 5th to 8th class
– The central government made this decision on December 23, 2024.
– Under the ‘No Detention Policy,’ students failing the exams in 5th and 8th grades were promoted to the next class.
– However, this policy has now been discontinued.
– Under the new decision, students failing will be given a chance to retake the exam within two months. If they fail again, they will not be promoted.
– The aim of the new policy is to improve students’ learning abilities.
– The government has also added a provision that children up to 8th grade will not be expelled from school.
– The central government’s new policy will affect more than 3,000 schools, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Sainik Schools.
– 16 states and 2 Union Territories (Delhi and Puducherry) had already abolished the No-Detention Policy.
– According to the Ministry of Education, school education is a state subject, and therefore, states can make their own decisions regarding this matter.
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20. Which country gave its highest honor ‘Order of Mubarak Al Kabir’ to PM Modi?
a. Iran
b. Syria
c. Kuwait
d. Lebanon
Answer: c. Kuwait
– During his visit to Kuwait on December 22, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the ‘Order of Mubarak Al Kabir.’
– This honor was presented to him by the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.
– This is the highest honor of Kuwait.
– Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to receive this honor.
– This award is given as a symbol of friendship to heads of state, foreign rulers, and members of foreign royal families.
– This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Kuwait in the last 43 years. The last Indian Prime Minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi, who went in 1981.
– During this visit, discussions took place between the two countries on defense, trade, and other areas.
India-Kuwait Relations
– The last Indian Prime Minister to visit Kuwait was Indira Gandhi in 1981.
– India is one of Kuwait’s top trading partners.
– During the year 2023-24, trade between the two countries exceeded 10 billion US dollars.
– Kuwait is a reliable energy partner for India.
– The capital and largest city of Kuwait is ‘Kuwait City.’
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21. In which country did PM Modi inaugurate the ‘Arabian Gulf Cup’ football championship?
a. Iran
b. Syria
c. Kuwait
d. Lebanon
Answer: c. Kuwait
– The Arabian Gulf Cup, in which eight countries including the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Iraq, and Yemen participated.
– The countries participating in this include Bahrain, UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.
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22. When is ‘National Farmers Day’ celebrated in the memory of the fifth Prime Minister of India, Chaudhary Charan Singh?
a. 23 December
b. 24 December
c. 25 December
d. 26 December
Answer: a. 23 December
– On this day, in 1902, Chaudhary Charan Singh was born.
– He is regarded as the biggest leader of farmers.
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23. Which Indian has been appointed as the President of ‘UN Internal Justice Council’ (IJC)?
a. Justice Madan B Lokur
b. Justice DY Chandrachud
c. Justice Anand Parsai
d. Justice UU Lalit
Answer: a. Justice Madan B Lokur
– The UN General Assembly established the Internal Justice Council (IJC) to improve the administration of the United Nations’ justice system.
– Members of the IJC are appointed by the UN Secretary-General.
– Justice Madan Lokur retired from the Supreme Court on December 31, 2018, after a tenure of over six years.
– In May 2019, he was appointed as a judge in the Supreme Court of Fiji. He was appointed to the expatriate panel for a three-year term, which was extended for another three years in 2022.
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24. Former Chief Minister of which state, Om Prakash Chautala, passed away on 20 December 2024?
a. Punjab
b. Rajasthan
c. Delhi
d. Haryana
Answer: d. Haryana
– He was 89 years old.
– He was an Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader.
– Chautala was the Chief Minister of the state five times and his last term was from 1999 to 2005.
– Om Prakash Chautala was born on January 1, 1935.
– He was the son of Chaudhary Devi Lal, popularly known as ‘Tau’, the 6th Deputy Prime Minister of India and two-time Chief Minister of Haryana.
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25. Name the country’s first ‘Border Solar Village’, which is in Gujarat?
a. Masali
b. Sohan
c. Maampuri
d. Adnatti
Answer: a. Masali
– This village is located in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat.
– It has become the country’s first solar-powered border village.
– The village, with a population of around 800, has installed solar rooftops on all 119 houses.
– A total of ₹1.16 crore was spent to complete this project.
– The village now receives 225.5 kW of electricity, which is sufficient to meet the needs of every household.
India’s First Solar Energy-Powered Village
– In 2022, the village of Modhera in Gujarat was declared India’s first solar-powered village. Over 1,300 homes in Modhera have solar panels installed.
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