INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 9 July 2020) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (b)

Explanation: here directive word is incorrect!!

• Stat1: Equalisation levy at 6% has been in force since 2016 on payment exceeding Rs 1 lakh a year to a non-resident service provider for online advertisements.
  • The amendments to the Finance Act, 2020 had expanded the ambit of the equalisation levy for non-resident e-commerce operators involved in supply of services, including online sale of goods and provision of services, with the levy at the rate of 2% effective April 1, 2020.
• Stat2: Equalisation Levy is a direct tax, which is withheld at the time of payment by the service recipient. The two conditions to be met to be liable to equalisation levy:
  • The payment should be made to a non-resident service provider;
  • The annual payment made to one service provider exceeds Rs. 1,00,000 in one financial year.
• Stat3: Currently, not all services are covered under the ambit of equalisation Levy. The following services covered:
  • Online advertisement;
  • Any provision for digital advertising space or facilities/ service for the purpose of online advertisement;
• As and when any other services are notified will be included with the aforesaid services.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/equalisation-levy-on-foreign-e-com-firms/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• A group of retired judges, former bureaucrats and others have written to the newly constituted Committee for Reforms in Criminal Laws, questioning the lack of diversity in the committee and asking for more transparency in its functioning.
• Background:
  • This committee was first announced by home minister Amit Shah in parliament in December 2019.
  • The panel would look into required amendments to the Indian Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure to deal with the issue of mob lynching.
  • The Committee was constituted through a Ministry of Home Affairs notification on May 4, 2020. The chairperson is Ranbir Singh (vice-chancellor, National Law University Delhi).

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/criminal-law-reforms/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Madhav Menon Committee: It submitted its report in 2007, suggesting various recommendations on reforms in the Criminal Justice System of India (CJSI).
• Malimath Committee Report: It submitted its report in 2003 on the Criminal Justice System of India (CJSI).

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/criminal-law-reforms/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay is said to be the chief architect of codifications of criminal laws in India.
• The Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the official criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. The code was drafted on the recommendations of first law commission of India established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833 under the Chairmanship of Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay.
• It came into force in British India during the early British Raj period in 1862. However, it did not apply automatically in the Princely states, which had their own courts and legal systems until the 1940s. The Code has since been amended several times and is now supplemented by other criminal provisions.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/criminal-law-reforms/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Context: Sri Lanka’s Fishermen along the northern coast of Jaffna Peninsula, especially Point Pedro, have complained to northern Fisheries authorities about their nets being found damaged in the sea, after being caught under the large Indian trawlers that were reportedly in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/indian-trawlers-in-sri-lanka-and-issues-associated/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: What is Open Sky policy?

• The agreement will not only encourage connectivity and passenger travel between the two countries, but will also result in reduction in airfares on these routes.
• The National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016, allows the government to enter into an ‘open sky’ air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries beyond a 5,000 kilometre radius from New Delhi.
• It implies that nations within this distance need to enter into a bilateral agreement and mutually determine the number of flights that their airlines can operate between the two countries.
• India has already signed open sky agreements with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/uae-keen-on-open-sky-policy-with-india/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: About Agriculture Infrastructure Fund:

• It is a new pan India Central Sector Scheme.
• The scheme shall provide a medium – long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.
• The duration of the Scheme shall be from FY2020 to FY2029 (10 years).
• Eligibility:
• Under the scheme, One Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Marketing Cooperative Societies, FPOs, SHGs, Farmers, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Startups etc.
• Interest subvention:
• All loans under this financing facility will have interest subvention of 3% per annum up to a limit of Rs. 2 crore. This subvention will be available for a maximum period of seven years.
• Credit guarantee:
  • Credit guarantee coverage will be available for eligible borrowers from this financing facility under Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for a loan up to Rs. 2 crore.
  • The fee for this coverage will be paid by the Government.
  • In case of FPOs the credit guarantee may be availed from the facility created under FPO promotion scheme of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DACFW).
• Management of the fund:
  • It will be managed and monitored through an online Management Information System (MIS) platform.
  • The National, State and District level Monitoring Committees will be set up to ensure real-time monitoring and effective feed-back.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/agriculture-infrastructure-fund-launched/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• Foreign funding of voluntary organizations in India is regulated under FCRA act and is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Under the Act, organisations require to register themselves every five years.
• As per the amended FCRA rules, all NGOs registered or granted prior permission under FCRA are now required to upload details of foreign contributions received and utilized by them every three months on their website or the FCRA website.
• NGOs now need to file their annual returns online, with the hard copy version dispensed with. The annual returns must be placed quarterly on the NGO’s website or the FCRA website maintained by the home ministry.
• Who can accept Foreign Contribution?
• A person having a definite cultural, economic, educational, religious or social programme can accept foreign contribution after getting registration or prior permission from the Central Government.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/foreign-contribution-regulation-act-fcra/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Stat1: The Big Bang Nucleosynthesis theory predicts that roughly 25% the mass of the Universe consists of Helium. It also predicts about 0.01% deuterium, and even smaller quantities of lithium.
• Stat2: Lithium was first produced in the Big Bang, around 13.7 billion years ago when the universe came into being, along with other elements.
• While the abundance of other elements grew millions of times, the present abundance of lithium in the universe is only four times the original [Big Bang] value.
• Stat3:

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/07/09/production-of-lithium-in-stars/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Stat1: The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) is set up at both central and state levels for expeditious and transparent utilisation of funds released for forest land diverted for non-forest purpose.
• See http://egreenwatch.nic.in/Public/AboutCAMPA.aspx

Stat2: There is no such provision in the act. Even the term “participation” does not occur in the said Act. See http://www.ukcampa.org.in/Docs/CAMPA%20Act%202016.pdf