Insights Revision Through MCQs – 14 November 2019

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Recently, The Supreme Court has held that office of the Chief Justice of India is a public authority under the transparency law, the Right to Information Act.
  • The landmark judgment was pronounced by five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
• Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) can file RTI applications to seek governance-related information, the government has said, correcting its earlier stand.
  • In response to a query in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh had on August 8, 2018 said NRIs were not eligible to file applications under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
  • The ministry corrected its stand after an activist, after RTI activist wrote to it pointing out that the transparency act allows every Indian to seek information.
• RTI is a fundamental Right, which derives its practical applicability and further real time credibility through the RTI Act.
• Right to Information is a part of fundamental rights under Article 19(1) of the Constitution.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/14/chief-justice-of-indias-office-under-rti-act/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• GCF was set up in 2010 under the UNFCCC’s financial mechanism to channel funding from developed countries to developing countries to allow them to mitigate climate change and also adapt to disruptions arising from a changing climate.
• It aims to deliver equal amounts of funding to mitigation and adaptation, while being guided by the Convention’s principles and provisions.
• During COP-16 in Cancun, the matter of governing the GCF was entrusted to the newly founded Green Climate Fund Board, and the World Bank was chosen as the temporary trustee.
• The Fund’s investments can be in the form of grants, loans, equity or guarantees.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/14/green-climate-fund/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• The Kerala State government is saying that it is taking all precautions to prevent the implementation of the Pamba-Achankovil-Vaippar river link project.
• Kerala is not allowing Pamba-Achankovil to be connected with the Vaippar river in Tamil Nadu under the inter-linking of rivers project. Kerala asserts that there is no excess water in rivers in the state.
• Vaippar is a river in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It originates from the Varushanadu hills bordering the state of Kerala, runs from Sivagiri and flows through Virudhunagar and Tuticorin districts before entering the Gulf of Mannar.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/14/pamba-achankovil-vaippar-river-link-project/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) is a UPI based payment interface.
  • Developed by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
  • Allows real time fund transfer.
  • Named after B. R. Ambedkar and Launched in December, 2016.
• BHIM allow users to send or receive money to or from UPI payment addresses, or to non-UPI based accounts (by scanning a QR code with account number and IFSC code or MMID (Mobile Money Identifier) Code).

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/14/bhim-upi-goes-international/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Indicative planning was adopted since 8 five year plan (1992-97).
• Indicative Planning – Here the planning authority sets the broad goals for the economy. The implementation of the plan requires the co-ordination of the various units in the economy
• It was characterized by an economy where the private sector is given a substantial role. State would turn its role into a facilitator from that of a controller and regulator.
• India’s Eighth Plan was unique in the sense that it attempted to manage the transition from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented economy without tearing the socio-cultural framework of the country, or to be more specific, our social commitments to the under- previliged sections. The Eighth Plan mentioned that planning would have to be reoriented so as to make it indicative.

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The aim of the 12th Five Year plan is to achieve “faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth”.
• Broad Objectives of 12th Five Year Plan
  • To reduce poverty
  • To improve regional equality across states and within states
  • To improve living conditions for SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities
  • To generate attractive employment opportunities for Indian youth
  • To eliminate gender gaps

Ans: (d)

Explanation: India has 7 disputes at WTO which are at different stages of settlement. India is defending its interest in these disputes with the help of experienced Law Firms.

• DS430 – Import of poultry and poultry products from United States, Complainant: India
• DS436 – Countervailing duty by United States on Indian steel products, Complainant: India
• DS456 – National Solar Mission dispute with United States, Complainant: United States
• DS510- United States Sub-Federal Renewable energy programme, Complainant: India
• DS518 – India-certain Measures on imports of iron and steel products from Japan, Complainant: Japan
• DS541- Export Subsidies measures of India, Complainant: United States,
• DS-547 – United States-Certain measures of Unites States on steel and aluminium products, Complainant: India.

Refer: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1558952

Ans: (d)

Explanation: UNispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training by ISRO (UNNATI)

• During the 54th session of Scientific & Technical Subcommittee of COPUOS at Vienna in February 2017, UNOOSA requested Member States to propose new initiatives for the benefit of member countries.
• In June 2018, the international community gathered in Vienna to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE+50).
• During this meet, India announced a capacity building training programme UNNATI (UNispace Nanosatellite Assembly &Training by ISRO) on Nanosatellites development through a combination of theoretical coursework and hands-on training on Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT).
• It is an ISRO initiative to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE+50).
• The Programme provides opportunities to the participants from developing countries to strengthen their capabilities in assembling, integrating and testing of nanosatellites.
• UNNATI is a capacity building programme on nanosatellite development.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/01/18/unnati-programme/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: Key provisions of the Accord:

• The Assam Accord (1985) was a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed between representatives of the Government of India and the leaders of the Assam Movement in New Delhi on 15 August 1985.
• The accord brought an end to the Assam Agitation and paved the way for the leaders of the agitation to form a political party and form a government in the state of Assam soon after.
• As per the Accord, those Bangladeshis who came between 1966 and 1971 will be barred from voting for ten years. The Accord also mentions that the international borders will be sealed and all persons who crossed over from Bangladesh after 1971 are to be deported.
• What does Clause 6 state?
  • Clause 6 of the Assam Accord “envisaged that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.”

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/01/03/assam-accord/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Pacifism preaches opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes.
• It covers a spectrum of views ranging from a preference for diplomacy in resolving international disputes to absolute opposition to the use of violence, or even force, in any circumstance. Pacifism may be based on principle or pragmatism.
• Principled pacifism springs from the belief that war, deliberate lethal force, violence or any form of coercion is morally wrong. Pragmatic pacifism does not adhere to such an absolute principle but holds that there are better ways of resolving a dispute than war, or considers the benefits of a war to be outweighed by the costs.
• ‘Dove’ or ‘dovish’ are informal terms used to describe people who seek to avoid war. The terms allude to the placid nature of the dove. Some people termed dovish would not view their position as pacifist, for they would consider war to be justifiable in some circumstances. The opposite of a dove is a ‘hawk’ or a warmonger.
• Some pacifists, while opposing war, are not opposed to all use of coercion, physical force against people or destruction of property. Anti-militarists, for example, are specifically opposed to the modern nation-states’ military institutions rather than to ‘violence’ in general. Other pacifists follow principles of non-violence, believing that only non-violent action is acceptable