INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 6 July 2020) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution prescribed that the total number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister, in the Council of Ministers in a State shall not exceed 15% of the total number of members of the Legislative Assembly of that State.
• This provision was introduced through the 91st Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2003.
• Exceptions: Provided that the number of Ministers, including the Chief Minister in a State shall not be less than twelve.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/strength-of-m-p-ministry-exceeds-constitutional-limit/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Stat1: The Indian voter ID card is an identity document issued by the Election Commission of India to adult domiciles of India who have reached the age of 18, which primarily serves as an identity proof for Indian citizens while casting their ballot in the country’s municipal, state, and national elections
• Stat2: It serves as general identity, address, and age proof for other purposes such as buying a mobile phone SIM card or applying for a passport. It also serves as a Travel Document to travel to Nepal and Bhutan by Land or Air.
• Stat3: It is also known as Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC). It was first introduced in 1993 during the tenure of the Chief Election Commissioner T. N. Seshan. Initially, voter IDs were printed with black ink on regular paper and laminated. Starting in 2015, the Indian government started rolling out a less perishable PVC colour version, compliant with the ISO/IEC 7810 size standard used by most payment and ATM cards.
• Stat4: On the front, the Elector Photo Identity Card contains the voter’s name, the name of a relative they have chosen (such as their father or mother), and the voter’s picture, along with the voter’s ID numbe
• On the back of the card, the voter’s home address is printed, along with an image of their Electoral Registration Officer’s signature. The back also mentions the voter’s electoral district and their assembly constituency. The newer series also contains a ‘part number’, which lets voters and election officials locate voters on their electoral roll.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/one-nation-one-voter-id/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• UPSC PYQ (2017)- Official Answer is “C”
• There is dispute whether the answer should be C or D.
• Case for Option C: Logically the answer seems to be C because Article 326 of constitution grants adult suffrage which implies the right to vote.
• Moreover, a democratic constitution loses its essence if it does not provide for a right to vote as a constitutional right.
• It is true that Representation of People’s Act also provides for a Right to Vote, but they may be considered qualifications (conditions) on the Right to Vote already granted by the constitution in A326.
• An analogy can be Child Labour Act or Bonded labour prohibition Act where these fundamental rights are separately enforced by law. So, the case for Option C looks strong.
• Option D: But, the Supreme Court is the final interpreter of the constitution and its view will prevail notwithstanding all arguments.
• The Supreme Court observed in PUCL vs. Union of India (2015), “No doubt, the right to vote is a statutory right but it is equally vital to recollect that this statutory right is the essence of democracy. Without this, democracy will fail to thrive. Therefore, even if the right to vote is statutory, the significance attached with the right is massive.”

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/one-nation-one-voter-id/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Stat1 is wrong because as per Calcutta HC decision Aadhar Card is not a proof of citizenship.
• Stat2 is wrong because UIDAI’s update policy version 2.3 (available on the official website uidai.gov.in) has provisions for deactivation of Aadhaar, which are given below:
  • If within 2 years of attaining age 5, the child’s biometrics are not updated in Aadhaar database, his/her Aadhaar number will be deactivated (no authentication permissible). It will be reactivated once biometrics are updated in database.
  • If within 2 years of attaining age 15, the child’s biometrics are not updated in Aadhaar database, his/her Aadhaar number will be deactivated (no authentication permissible). It will be reactivated once biometrics are updated in database.
  • If Resident has not biometrically authenticated in 5 years, his/her One Time Password (OTP) based authentication services will be deactivated. They will be re-activated once the resident biometrically authenticates

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/one-nation-one-voter-id/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Bhutan’s foreign ministry has issued a demarche to the Chinese embassy in New Delhi for the claims made by Beijing over Sakteng Wildlife sanctuary, situated in eastern Bhutan.
• Where is Sakteng wildlife sanctuary?
  • Sakteng is based in Eastern Bhutan, or Trashigang Dzongkhag (district) that borders Arunachal Pradesh.
  • It protects several endemic speciesincluding the eastern blue pine and the black-rumped magpie.
  • It was created in part to protect the migoi, a yeti-like cryptid whose existence has not been scientifically confirmed, but in which the local population strongly believes.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/bhutan-demarches-china-on-its-claim-to-sakteng-sanctuary/

Ans: (d)

Explanation: About GEF:

• Established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems.
• It is an international partnership of countries, international institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector that addresses global environmental issues.
• GEF funds are available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet the objectives of the international environmental conventions and agreements.
• The World Bank serves as the GEF Trustee, administering the GEF Trust Fund.
• The GEF also serves as financial mechanism for the following conventions:
  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
  • United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
  • Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
  • Minamata Convention on Mercury
• The GEF, although not linked formally to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (MP), supports implementation of the Protocol in countries with economies in transition.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/bhutan-demarches-china-on-its-claim-to-sakteng-sanctuary/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Kaguya, originally named SELENE (Selenological and Engineering Explorer) was Japan’s second mission to Explore the Moon from orbit.
  • Kaguya created the most detailed topographical model to date.
  • Kaguya is Japanese for “Moon Princess.”
  • The mission carried to small satellites: Okina and Ouna, which mean “honorable elderly man” and “honorable elderly woman,” respectively.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/nasa-research-says-the-moon-is-more-metallic-than-thought-before/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Stat2: NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft has found evidence that the Moon’s subsurface might have greater quantities of metals such as iron and titanium than thought before.
  • The findings raise the possibility that the dielectric constant increased in larger craters because the meteors that created them dug up dust containing iron and titanium oxides from beneath the Moon’s surface.
  • It is known that Earth’s crust has lesser amounts of iron oxide than the Moon– a finding that scientists have been trying to explain.
  • Now, the new discovery of even greater quantities of metal on the Moon makes their job even more difficult. It really raises the question of what this means for our previous formation hypotheses.
• Stat1: The moon is the only natural satellite of the earth. Like the origin of the earth, there have been attempts to explain how the moon was formed. In 1838, Sir George Darwin suggested that initially, the earth and the moon formed a single rapidly rotating body. The whole mass became a dumb-bell-shaped body and eventually it broke. It was also suggested that the material forming the moon was separated from what we have at present the depression occupied by the Pacific Ocean.
• However, the present scientists do not accept either of the explanations. It is now generally believed that the formation of moon, as a satellite of the earth, is an outcome of ‘giant impact’ or what is described as “the big splat”. A body of the size of one to three times that of mars collided into the earth sometime shortly after the earth was formed. It blasted a large part of the earth into space. This portion of blasted material then continued to orbit the earth and eventually formed into the present moon about 4.44 billion years ago.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/nasa-research-says-the-moon-is-more-metallic-than-thought-before/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Stat1 & 2: Indian Council of agricultural research (ICAR) is an autonomous body Responsible for coordinating agricultural education and research in India.
  • It reports to the Department of agricultural research and education, Ministry of agriculture.
  • The union minister of agriculture serves as its president.
  • It is the largest network of agricultural research and education institutes in the world.
  • National innovations of climate resilient agriculture (NICRA) has been launched by ICAR in 2011
• Stat3: Kisanrath: it is an app launched by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare.
  • Developed by the National Informatics Centre.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-6-july-2020/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• This initiative is created by MeitY in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission – Niti Aayog.
• The challenge is for techies around India and the start-up community for creating world class ‘Made in India’ apps.
• The challenge will run in two tracks:
  • Promotion of existing apps.
  • Development of new apps.
  • The outcome of this challenge will be to give better visibility and clarity to existing apps to achieve their goals, and to create tech products to find solutions to tech conundrums with the help of mentorship, tech support and guidance during the entire life-cycle.
  • To recognise good apps, there will be “various cash awards and incentives”.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/06/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-6-july-2020/