General Awareness Questions

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia.

The BIMSTEC nations are

Trick : MBBS IN Thailand

M : Myanmar
B : Bangladesh
B : Bhutan
S : SriLanka

I  : India
N : Nepal

T : Thailand

In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, Reserve Bank of India directs that with effect from April 1, 2012, banks should not make payment of cheques/drafts/pay orders/banker’s cheques bearing that date or any subsequent date, if they are presented beyond the period of three months from the date of such instrument. Accordingly, cheques, Drafts, Pay Orders and Banker’s Cheques are “valid for 3 months from the date of instrument”, with effect from 01.04.2012. 

The Union Ministry of Shipping has extended period of Coastal Berth scheme of flagship Sagarmala Programme for three years upto March, 2020. Besides, its scope was also expanded to cover capital dredging at Major Ports and preparation of detailed project report (DPR) for coastal berth project. The projects under Coastal Berth Scheme are distributed over eight states with highest number of projects in Maharashtra (12 projects), Andhra Pradesh and Goa (10 projects), Karnataka (6 projects), Kerala and Tamil Nadu (3 projects), Gujarat (2 projects) and West Bengal (1 project).

Masala bonds are bonds issued outside India but denominated in Indian Rupees, rather than the local currency. Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board have listed 21.5 billion rupees ($305 million) of Masala bonds on the London Stock Exchange.