QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 12 May 2017

Solution: a.

A general (knowledge) question.

• According to the Constitution, when two or more states (same meaning as “more than one state”) pass resolutions requesting the Parliament to enact a law on a state subject, the Centre can do so, but the law would apply only to those states that passed the resolution.
• In the case of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, eleven states at the time had passed such a resolution.
• Improvisation: Centre-State relations, Indian Polity by Laxmikanth – “Some examples of laws passed under the above provision are Prize Competition Act, 1955; Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act, 1976; and Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994.”

Solution: b.

• Only Advocates-on-Record are entitled to file any matter or document before the Supreme Court. They can also file an appearance or act for a party in the Supreme Court.

In the news: “…Mr. Nedumpara responded that he was not able to file the writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution…as not a single advocate-on-record wanted to get involved…”

Chapter ‘Supreme Court’, Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth;

Solution: c.

• It is introduced in the Parliament to draw attention of the House to a definite matter of urgent public importance, and needs the support of 50 members to be admitted.
• As it interrupts the normal business of the House, it is regarded as an extraordinary device. It involves an element of censure against the government and hence Rajya Sabha is not permitted to make use of this device.
• The discussion on an adjournment motion should last for not less than two hours and thirty minutes.

Improvisation – In the news: “As many as 24 of the fever victims had succumbed to H1N1 influenza, the Minister said while replying to an adjournment motion moved by V.S. Sivakumar and others.”

Solution: d.

The same question was posted here a few months ago.

• The MJO can be defined as an eastward moving ‘pulse’ of clouds, rainfall, winds and pressure near the equator that typically recurs every 30 to 60 days. It’s a traversing phenomenon and is most prominent over the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
• The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), El Nino and MJO are all oceanic and atmospheric phenomena, which affect weather on a large scale. IOD only pertains to the Indian Ocean, but the other two affect weather on a global scale, up to the mid-latitudes.

Improvisation: Monsoon may arrive early;

Solution: b.

“Dalits, Adivasis and Muslims continue to be the worst-hit communities in terms of exclusion from access to public goods, according to the 2016 Indian Exclusion Report (IXR) released by the Centre for Equity Studies (CES) in New Delhi on Wednesday.”

TH: Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims worst off;

Solution: a.

“Bhishtis have been supplying businesses, pilgrims and passersby with swigs from their swollen canteens since the Mughals ruled India, an era before piped water sounded the death knell for their trade.”

Th: Country’s last water men fight the tide of history

Solution: c.

“Ministry of Culture commemorated the “Thrice blessed day of Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana”, falling on the auspicious full moon day of Vaisakhi…”

PIB: Buddha Jayanti Celebrations;

Solution: b.

• The Ministry of Minority Affairs was carved out of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and created on 29th January, 2006 to ensure a more focused approach towards issues relating to the notified minority communities namely Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikhs, Parsis and Jain.
• As per the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, the ministry also deals with “Matters relating to Linguistic Minorities and of the Office of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities” and the “National Commission for Socially and Economically Backward Sections among Religious and Linguistic Minorities”.

Improvisation: BS: Two schemes to be launched by Minority Ministry; TH: “The Union Minister for Minority Affairs announced the launch of a new scheme Tehreek-e-Taleem on the birth anniversary of late President APJ Abdul Kalam in 100 districts of the country to take the government’s educational programmes to minority communities. The USTTAD Samman Samaroh will be launched during Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya birth centenary under which the artisans and craftsmen of the Minorities will be honoured.”