QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz,11 July 2018

Solution: b.

“… in eastern Uttar Pradesh, there is a place called Maghar. It is here that Sant Kabir Das ji attained Samadhi. Do you know why Kabir Das ji chose to go to Maghar? In those days it was believed that death in Maghar was a roadblock in one’s pathway to heaven.  On the contrary, breathing one’s last in Kaashi was a guarantee for entry into heaven. Maghar was considered unholy but Sant Kabirdas never subscribed to that view. He toiled relentlessly to quell many such superstitions and evil social customs of his times. That is why he went to Maghar and chose to attain Samadhi there..”

PIB;

Solution: c.

Commander Abhilash Tomy of the Indian Navy is all set to head off on a unique voyage. The officer is the only invitee from Asia to participate in the prestigious Golden Globe Race (GGR) that commences from Les Sables d’Olonne harbour in France today. The participants are required to sail around the world, single-handed and non-stop. The uniqueness of the race is that boat designs and technology newer than 1968 is not permitted, hence use of Global Positioning System (GPS), satellite communication, navigational aids, etc is forbidden.

The Golden Globe Race is being conducted by Sir Robin Knox Johnston of UK to commemorate 50 years since the world’s first solo non-stop circumnavigation undertaken by him in 1968 onboard the Indian built boat, Suhaili. Commander Abhilash Tomy is sailing on a replica of Suhaili, an indigenously built sailing vessel called the ‘Thuriya’.

PIB;

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Solution: a.

• Cape Horn refers to the steep rocky headland on Hornos Island, Tierra del Fuego Archipelago in southern Chile. It is located off the southern tip of mainland South America.
• Cape Leeuwin is the most south-westerly mainland point of the Australian continent, in the state of Western Australia.

Improvisation: PIB;

GGR Route;

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Solution: c.

“To develop a consensus, we passed the Constitution amendment enabling the GST unanimously. All legislations enabling the GST were passed unanimously. The rules were put before the GST Council. The have been approved unanimously. We have held 27 meetings of the GST Council so far where every decision has been taken by consensus and unanimity. All the rates are fixed through consensus on the recommendation of the Rates Committee. Whenever there are contrarian views in the Council, a representative Group of Ministers of the State is constituted to work out a via media and we try to evolve consensus one way or the other. I do realise that the delicate federal balance in India has to be maintained. The GST Council is India’s first experience at cooperative-federalism based decision-making authority. We cannot afford to risk a failure and, therefore, it is functioning as to arouse confidence amongst all States. The meetings have always been consensus based. The only area where unanimity seems to be lacking is the television bites that some Ministers’ give after the meeting, which may be necessary for their own political positon. I am willing to live with the experience of a healthy debate and unanimity within the Council and a show of dissent outside the Council meetings..”

PIB;

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Solution: c.

PIB:  ‘Assistance for Deep-Sea Fishing’ under ‘Blue-Revolution’: Under this, the traditional fishermen and their societies / associations can avail financial assistance to the extent of Rs. 40 lakh per vessel for purchase of deep sea fishing vessel including equipments to increase fish production. The unit cost per vessel is Rs. 80 lakh, wherein the DADF provides 50 % of the Unit cost with a ceiling of Rs. 40 lakh as Central subsidy and the remaining cost of the vessel has to be borne by the respective State Government / beneficiary / financial institutions.

Fish production in India is estimated at 11.4 million tonnes, out of which 68% is registered from inland fisheries sector and the remaining 32% from marine sector. It is expected that the indigenous fish requirement by 2020 would be 15 million tonnes as against the production of 11.4 million tonnes. This gap of 3.62 million tonnes is expected to be made up by Inland Aquaculture and also through mariculture.

PIB;

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