QUIZ – 2017: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 30 August 2019

Solution: c)

Gogabeel, an ox-bow lake in Bihar’s Katihar district, has been declared as the state’s first ‘Community Reserve’.

Gogabeel is formed from the flow of the rivers Mahananda and Kankhar in the north and the Ganga in the south and east. It is the fifteenth Protected Area (PA) in Bihar.

“Gogabeel is a permanent waterbody, although it shrinks to some extent in the summer but never dries completely.

More than 90 bird species have been recorded from this site, of which, about 30 are migratory.

Source

Solution: b)

Gharial prefers deep fast flowing rivers, however adult gharial have also been observed in still water branches (jheel) of rivers.

Historically, gharial was found in the river system of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and southern part of Bhutan and Nepal. Today they survive only in the waters of India and Nepal. The surviving population can be found within the tributaries of the Ganges river system: Girwa (Uttar Pradesh), Son (Madhya Pradesh), Ramganga (Uttarakhand), Gandak (Bihar), Chambal (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) and Mahanadi (Orissa).

Listed in Schedule I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and as Critically Endangered on IUCN Red List.

Odisha is the only State in India having all three species — gharial, mugger and saltwater crocodile.

Source Source

            Solution: c)

Ministerial meeting of Coordinating Bureau of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was held recently in Caracas, capital of Venezuela.

About NAM:

• Founded in 1961 in Belgrade.
• It was created by the heads of Yugoslavia, India, Egypt, Ghana and Indonesia.
• The Non-Aligned Movement was formed during the Cold War as an organization of States that did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral.
• The movement represented the interests and priorities of developing countries. The Movement has its origin in the Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955.

Solution: d)

The Union Cabinet, has approved National Mineral Policy 2019.

Benefits:

The New National Mineral Policy will ensure more effective regulation.  It will lead to sustainable mining sector development in future while addressing the issues of project affected persons especially those residing in tribal areas.

The National Mineral Policy 2019 includes provisions which will give boost to mining sector such as

• introduction of Right of First Refusal for RP/PL holders,
• encouraging the private sector to take up exploration,
• auctioning in virgin areas for composite RP cum PL cum ML on revenue share basis,
• encouragement of merger and acquisition of mining entities and
• transfer of mining leases and creation of dedicated mineral corridors to boost private sector mining areas.
• The 2019 Policy proposes to grant status of industry to mining activity to boost financing of mining for private sector and for acquisitions of mineral assets in other countries by private sector
• It also mentions that Long term import export policy for mineral will help private sector in better planning and stability in business
• The Policy also mentions rationalize reserved areas given to PSUs which have not been used and to put these areas to auction, which will give more opportunity to private sector for participation
• The Policy also mentions to make efforts to harmonize taxes, levies & royalty with world benchmarks to help private sector

Solution: a)

Kajin Sara lake in Manang district of Nepal which was discovered only recently is all set to become popular as the world’s highest lake. Once it happens, the Kajin Sara Lake will replace Tilicho lake, which is also located in Manang, from the number one spot.

Source