QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 05 OCTOBER 2017

Solution: c.

Question based on yesterday’s data point from the Hindu, on which we had framed a question. Reproducing the same image here:

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Solution: d.

The Government has constituted a high-level committee for proper management of the water resources in the North Eastern Region (NER) under the Chairmanship of Vice-Chairman, Niti Aayog.

The Committee would facilitate optimising benefits of appropriate water management in the form of hydro-electric power, agriculture, bio-diversity conservation, reduced flood damage erosion, inland water transport, forestry, fishery and eco-tourism. Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) will serve as the coordinating point.

The Committee includes Secretaries from the Ministries of Development of North Eastern Region, Department of Border Management, Department of Space, Power, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and National Disaster Management Authority  and Chief Secretaries of all the 8 states in NER as Members.   The Committee may co-opt or invite as special invitees Secretaries of other Ministries / Departments as well as experts who have domain knowledge in the matter.

For the ToR of the Committee, refer source: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171377;

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Solution: c.

Both statements are correct.

Just like an online marketplace brings buyers and sellers on a single platform to transact, P2P lending marketplaces bring borrowers and lenders together. It is important to note that this is unsecured lending and hence carries high risk. P2P platforms look to attract those people who may not get a loan at a bank or a traditional non-banking finance company (NBFC).

The RBI recently recognised P2P lenders, and announced that they would be treated as NBFCs henceforth. This does not alter their nature; the only difference now is that such lenders’ activities will be regulated. On October 4, 2017, RBI issued specific directions (guidelines) for every Non-Banking Financial Company that carries on the business of a P2P Lending Platform. Going forward, no NBFC P2P shall commence or carry on the business of a P2P Lending Platform without obtaining a Certificate of Registration from the RBI.

Some other guidelines are:

• NBFC P2Ps shall NOT lend their own
• They shall not cross-sell any product except for loan-specific insurance products
• They shall not permit international flow of funds
• They will be expected to undertake due diligence on the participants
• They will be expected to render services for recovery of loans originated on the platform
• They will be expected to undertake documentation of loan agreements and other related documents
• The aggregate exposure of a lender to all borrowers (and the aggregate loans taken by a borrower) at any point of time, across all P2Ps, shall be subject to a cap of Rs 10,00,000.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/borrow/rbi-issues-directions-for-peer-to-peer-p2p-lending-platform/articleshow/60941846.cms;

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171381;

Solution: b.

The Ganges River dolphin, or susu, inhabits the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.

The Ganges River dolphin lives in one of the world’s most densely populated areas, and is threatened by removal of river water and siltation arising from deforestation, pollution and entanglement in fisheries nets. In addition, alterations to the river due to barrages are also separating populations.

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/river_dolphins/ganges_river_dolphin/;

Improvisation: http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=171361;

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Solution: b.

The same question was posted here earlier.

MTC is also referred to as ‘Interconnect Usage Charge’. This is a charge paid by the network from where a call originates to the one where it terminates. IUCs direct impact the call tariff.

Jio’s rivals (Airtel, Vodafone and Idea) are of the view TRAI’s reduction of MTC will negatively impact the industry and rural telecom expansion. They wanted IUCs to be doubled. Jio on the other hand wanted IUC to be reduced.

TRAI says that the reduction in MTC is likely to yield consumer benefits. According to it, such charges work as a disincentive for deployment of new technologies such as VoLTE, or Voice over Long-Term Evolution, and migration to Internet Protocol networks by operators, wherein there are no interconnection charges. It points out that the cost of voice turns out to be fraction of a paisa/minute on over-the-top applications such as Skype or WhatsApp and it will be virtually impossible for a telecom service provider to compete against these if additional cost in the form of MTC is imposed.

http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/cut-in-mobile-termination-charges-will-hit-sector/article19571006.ece;

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Solution: b.

SDG Target 8.7: “Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms”.

About the Walk Free Foundation and the Global Slavery Index:

In 2012, Australian mining billionaire Andrew Forrest founded the Walk Free Foundation (WFF) with the aim of eliminating modern slavery. Its first Global Slavery Index in 2013 ranked countries based on the prevalence of modern slavery. Subsequent reports also evaluated government response to the challenge.

The latest survey (released recently; Global Slavery Index 2016) ranked 167 countries based on the proportion of the population estimated to be in slavery. India came in fourth after North Korea, Uzbekistan and Cambodia.

In terms of the absolute numbers of people in slavery, India ranked first — ahead of China, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

In producing the report, the International Labour Organisation, a UN body, had joined hands with WFF.

The methodology of the Slavery Survey has been a subject of criticism in the past, and more recently our own IB has raised a red flag for a few reasons.

Read the following source article for complete information: http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/why-indian-intelligence-is-spooked-by-global-index-of-modern-slavery-4874701/