QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz,08 May 2018

Solution: d.

The leaders of 44 African countries have signed a deal to create one of the world’s largest free trade blocs. 10 countries, including Nigeria – Africa’s largest economy, have refused to sign the deal, and it will need to be ratified by all the signatories’ national parliaments before the bloc becomes a reality.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) would remove barriers to trade, like tariffs and import quotas, allowing the free flow of goods and services between its members.

Trade between African countries is relatively low. It accounts for only 10% of all commerce on the continent – compared with 25% in south-east Asia – according to news agency Reuters.

TH;

BBC;

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Solution: b.

Those arriving in the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries have been labelled the Windrush generation. This is a reference to one of the many ships – MV Empire Windrush – which brought workers from caribbean countries, as a response to post-war labour shortages, to the UK.

“Along with others from the Commonwealth, they and their families were encouraged to Britain to help meet acute labour shortages, whether in the National Health Service (NHS) or beyond… Toughening of immigration rules has led to them being penalised and wrongly treated as undocumented illegal immigrants. Shocking stories of families being separated, unable to return to Britain from holidays abroad, denials of life-saving treatment have abounded in recent weeks. While the stories have mostly centred on those from the Caribbean, there are fears that migrants from across the Commonwealth will inevitably have been impacted.”

TH; TH;

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Solution: c.

GSTN is a Section 8 (under new companies Act, not for profit companies are governed under section 8), non-Government, private limited company. It was incorporated in 2013. The Government of India holds 24.5% equity in GSTN and all States of the Indian Union, including NCT of Delhi and Puducherry, and the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers (EC), together hold another 24.5%. Balance 51% equity is with non-Government financial institutions.

About GSTN;

In the news (TH): The Goods and Services Tax Council in its latest meet decided to convert the GST Network into a 100% government enterprise.

Solution: a.

Vidya Lakshmi Portal (by NSDL e-Gov) is a first of its kind portal for students seeking Education Loans. It provides a single window electronic platform for students to access information and access applications for Educational Loans and Government Scholarships.

NSDL e-Gov works closely with various Government agencies for designing, managing and implementing e-Governance Projects. It has also established the Service Centre network across the country which serve as access points for the general public and are efficiently used by Governments to deliver quality services in a user friendly and transparent manner to the citizens. It is not a government-owned enterprise.

The company was established in 1996, when it started out as the country’s first depository. In 2013, the company was demerged into two entities — National Securities Depository Limited and NSDL e-Governance. While NSDL handles the depository activities, NSDL e-Governance manages a host of corporate and retail services.

NSDL e-Governance is also at the forefront for issuing Aadhaar cards and is the largest non-state registrar for the unique identity number. Till date, it has processed more than 900 million Aadhaar cards.

Pradhan Mantri Vidya Lakshmi Karyakram; About Vidya Lakshmi Portal;

About NSDL e-Gov;

TH;

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Solution: b.

Improvisation/In the news (PIB): The Government of India signed a loan deal worth $ 200 million with the World Bank today for the National Nutrition Mission (POSHAN Abhiyaan).

From March (PIB):  e-ILA is an online system where programme functionaries will become more effective by learning to plan and execute each task correctly and consistently through methodical and ongoing capacity building… Under POSHAN Abhiyaan, ‘Swasth Bharat Preraks’ will be deployed one in each district for coordinating with district officials and enabling fast and efficient execution of the Abhiyaan across the country.

Recap: POSHAN Abhiyaan was launched in March 2018. It aims to reduce stunting, under-nutrition, anaemia (among young children, women and adolescent girls) and reduce low birth weight by 2%, 2%, 3% and 2% per annum respectively.The target of the mission is to bring down stunting among children in the age group 0-6 years from 38.4% to 25% by 2022.

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