QUIZ – 2020: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 4 May 2020

Solution: a)

The Central Statistics Office is responsible for co-ordination of statistical activities in the country, and evolving and maintaining statistical standards. Its activities include National Income Accounting; conduct of Annual Survey of Industries, Economic Censuses and its follow up surveys, compilation of Index of Industrial Production, as well as Consumer Price Indices for Urban Non-Manual Employees, Human Development Statistics, Gender Statistics, imparting training in Official Statistics;

The WPI is published by the Economic Adviser in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Solution: d)

The Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH) is an initiative by National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

Given the impact of COVID-19 globally and in India, the need of the hour is to support R&D efforts in this direction and end any further damage to the economy. Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India is supporting innovations offering comprehensive solutions for through the startup-ecosystem.

DST has nominated Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT B to implement Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH) to source and support startups having solutions to fight pandemic COVID-19 by way of funding. SINE will be supported by Indian STEPs and Business Incubator Association (ISBA) in implementation of the program.

CAWACH supports innovations in the areas of diagnostics, devices, informatics including bio-informatics & information management systems, any intervention for the control of COVID-19 and/or startup ideas to address/mitigate various challenges faced by country / society due to severe impact of COVID-19.

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Solution: c)

Which taxes at the Centre and State level are being subsumed into GST?

At the Central level, the following taxes are being subsumed:

1. Central Excise Duty,
2. Additional Excise Duty,
3. Service Tax,
4. Additional Customs Duty commonly known as Countervailing Duty, and
5. Special Additional Duty of Customs.

At the State level, the following taxes are being subsumed:

1. Subsuming of State Value Added Tax/Sales Tax,
2. Entertainment Tax (other than the tax levied by the local bodies), Central Sales Tax (levied by the Centre and collected by the States),
3. Octroi and Entry tax,
4. Purchase Tax,
   e. Luxury tax, and
5. Taxes on lottery, betting and gambling.

Taxes not subsumed under GST include Basic Custom Duty, Central Excise on Petroleum Products, Anti-Dumping Duty, VAT on alcohol for human consumption, Stamp Duty, Property Tax (levied by local bodies),

Professional Tax.

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Solution: b)

The National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) has been constituted under Section 171 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 to ensure that the reduction in rate of tax or the benefit of input tax credit is passed on to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices.

Further, the following steps have been taken by the NAA to ensure that customers get the full benefit of tax cuts:

• Holding regular meetings with the Zonal Screening Committees and the Chief Commissioners of Central Tax to stress upon consumer awareness programmes;
• Launching a helpline to resolve the queries of citizens regarding registration of complaints against profiteering.
• Receiving complaints through email and NAA portal.
• Working with consumer welfare organizations in order to facilitate outreach activities.

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Solution: b)

• IUCN status: critically endangered.
• Found in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and in the CMS Convention and in Appendix I of CITES.
• Identified as one of the species for the recovery programme under the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• Project Great Indian Bustard by the state of Rajasthan — identifying and fencing off bustard breeding grounds in existing protected areas as well as provide secure breeding enclosures in areas outside protected areas.
• Protected areas: Desert National Park Sanctuary — Rajasthan, Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary – Andhra Pradesh and Karera Wildlife Sanctuary– Madhya Pradesh.

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