QUIZ – 2016: Insights Current Affairs Quiz – August 23, 2016

Solution: c.

“Ms. Swaraj discussed areas of possible collaboration such as power with the Myanmarese leadership. India is already supplying 3 MW electricity to Myanmar through the Moreh-Tamu link. This can be further upgraded, Mr. Swarup said.”

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sushma-in-myanmar-holds-talks-with-suu-kyi/article9017423.ece

Solution: c.

Only statement in option ‘c’ is correct.

Criteria based only on seats secured to the LS: The combination for the first option is 2–3. Two per cent seats in a general election and these candidates must be elected from three states.

Or, Criteria based on percentage of valid votes secured: The combination for the second option is 6–4–4. Six percent valid votes in at least four states and in addition wins four LS seats from any number of states.

Or, Criteria based on status as a state party: It is recognised as a state party in at least four states.

“In a major reprieve to three political parties which faced the possibility of losing their “national party” status and all the benefits associated with it, the Election Commission on Monday amended the rules under which it will now review the status of political parties every 10 years, instead of five. According to the new rule, a recognised national or State party will not lose its status despite not having met the criteria in one general or Assembly election. “For instance, the status of a party — that did not perform up to the mark in 2014 – will be reviewed in 2024,” explained an official. However, the eligibility criteria for recognition will remain the same.”

Ch-64, Political Parties, Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth 4^th Edition

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/reprieve-for-bsp-cpi-as-ec-amends-rules/article9018406.ece

Solution: d.

The notification is a directive not for Good Samaritans, but for how to protect them. A “Good Samaritan” is one who voluntarily declares himself to be an eyewitness.

“Any disclosure of personal information or offer to be a witness, in the event of the Good Samaritan also being an eyewitness to an accident, ought to be voluntary. Further, the examination of such a volunteer as a witness shall be done only on a single occasion and without harassment or intimidation.”

“The affidavit of Good Samaritan, if filed, shall be treated as a complete statement by the police official while conducting the investigation. In case, the statement is to be recorded, the complete statement shall be recorded in a single examination,” the notification added.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-notifies-good-samaritan-sops/article9018399.ece

Solution: c.

“The Sports Ministry on Monday confirmed the awarding of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna to Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik and P.V. Sindhu along with shooter Jitu Rai and gymnast Dipa Karmakar for their exceptional performances.”

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-sports/ministry-to-present-khel-ratna-to-sindhu-and-sakshi-also/article9019169.ece

Solution: d.

“Scientists have found a low-cost and environment-friendly method to recycle used rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, with the help of fungi….. Now, a team of researchers at the University of South Florida in the U.S. is turning to fungi to drive an environmentally friendly recycling process to extract cobalt and lithium from tonnes of discarded batteries. While other methods exist to separate lithium, cobalt and other metals, they require high temperatures and harsh chemicals.”

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/three-strains-of-fungi-to-help-recycle-rechargeable-batteries/article9018161.ece

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus#Human_use

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Solution: d.

“The Act is the first of its kind in granting intellectual property rights not only to the plant breeders but also to the farmers by protecting new, extant and farmers’ varieties.”

• The Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers Right Act, 2001 (PPVFR Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to provide for the establishment of an effective system for protection of plant varieties, the rights of farmers and plant breeders, and to encourage the development and cultivation of new varieties of plants.
• The PPV&FR Act, 2001 was enacted to grant intellectual property rights to plant breeders, researchers and farmers who have developed any new or extant plant varieties.
• Community of farmers who have engaged in conservation, improvement and preservation of genetic resources of economic plants and their wild relatives particularly in areas identified as agro-biodiversity hotspots are awarded annually from Gene Fund. The name of the award is Plant Genome Saviour Community Award and the amount is INR 10,00,000 for each community.
• The Authority also confers Plant Genome Savior “Farmer Reward” and “Farmer Recognition” to the farmers engaged in the conservation of genetic resources of land races and wild relatives of economic plants and their improvement through selection and preservation.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=149072

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protection_of_Plant_Varieties_and_Farmers%27_Rights_Act,_2001