INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 13 August 2020) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Both statements are not related to this scheme.
• The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry recently said over 5 lakh applications had been received under the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme for street vendors since it started on July 2 and 1 lakh loans had been sanctioned already.
• Implementing agency:
  • Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs signed MoU with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) in order to engage SIDBI as the Implementation Agency for the scheme.
  • SIDBI will manage the credit guarantee to the lending institutions through Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).
• Overview of the scheme:
  • It is a special micro-credit facility plan to provide affordable loan of up to ₹10,000 to more than 50 lakh street vendors, who had their businesses operational on or before 24 March 2020.
  • The the scheme is valid until March 2022.
  • Small Industries Development Bank of India is the technical partner for implementation of this scheme.
  • It will manage the credit guarantee to the lending institutions through Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises.
• Loans under the scheme:
  • Under the scheme, vendors can avail working capital loan of up to  ₹10,000, which is repayable in monthly instalments within one year.
  • On timely/early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy of 7% per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) on six-months basis.
  • There will be no penalty on early repayment of loan.
• Eligibility:
  • The scheme is applicable to vendors, hawkers, thelewalas, rehriwalas, theliphadwalas in different areas/contexts who supply goods and services. Street vendors belonging to the surrounding peri-urban/rural areas are also included.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/pm-street-vendors-atmanirbhar-nidhi-pm-svanidhi-2/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare virtually launched the Krishi Megh (National Agricultural Research & Education System -Cloud Infrastructure and Services).
• What is it?
  • Krishi Megh is the data recovery centre of ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research).
• Details:
  • Krishi Megh has been set up under the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP).
  • The data recovery centre has been set up at National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/krishi-megh/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP):

• The project is funded by both the government of India and the World
• The overall objective of the project is to provide more relevant and high-quality education to the agricultural university students that is in tune with the New Education Policy – 2020.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/krishi-megh/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• MCA21 Mission Mode Project (MCA21) is the e-governance initiative from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.
• It is one of the 31Mision Mode Projects of the National e-Governance Plan.
• Objective
  • The MCA21 application is designed to fully automate all processes related to the proactive enforcement and compliance of the legal requirements under the Companies Act, 1956, New Companies Act, 2013 and Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008. This will help the business community to meet their statutory obligations.
• Service offered: https://vikaspedia.in/e-governance/national-e-governance-plan/mission-mode-projects/mca-21

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/what-is-business-responsibility-reporting/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Genome sequencing is figuring out the order of DNA nucleotides, or bases, in a genome—the order of As, Cs, Gs, and Ts that make up an organism’s DNA.
• State 1: Currently available newborn screening (genome) for childhood diseases allows detection of rare disorders that can be prevented or better treated by early detection and intervention.
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whole-genome-sequencing-predict-disease/
• Stat 2: Naturally if the gene potential can be identified by screening and sequencing, it will help in better genetic engineering.
• Stat 3: This can be reasoned logically based on the above.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/csir-moots-mega-labs-to-boost-covid-19-testing/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has put calls for proposals to the One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative on hold till further notice.
• About the initiative:
  • OSOWOG initiative was proposed by India to set up a framework for facilitating global cooperation which aims at building a global ecosystem of interconnected renewable energy resources that can be easily shared.
• Details of the initiative:
  • Parent Body: The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
  • Objective: To build global consensus about sharing solar resources among more than 140 countries of West Asia and South-East Asia.
  • The vision is ‘The Sun Never Sets’ and is a constant at some geographical location, globally, at any given point of time.
  • This grid shall be interconnected with the African power pools also at the later stage.
  • It has been taken up under the technical assistance program of the World Bank.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/one-sun-one-world-one-grid-osowog-initiative/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• National Tiger conservation authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and climate change.
• It was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger task force.
• It was constituted under enabling provisions of the wildlife (protection) act 1972, as amended in 2006.
• The Minister for Environment & Forests is the Chairperson of the Authority, and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment & Forests is its Vice-Chairman.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/how-the-tiger-can-regain-its-stripes/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Stat1: Asian elephants are listed as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
  • Indian Elephant has also been listed in the Appendix I of the Convention of the Migratory species in the recently concluded Conference of Parties of CMS 13 at Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat in February 2020.
  • Elephant is the Natural Heritage Animal of India.
  • India has the largest number of wild Asian Elephants, estimated at 29,964 according to the 2017 census by Project Elephant. The figure amounts to about 60% of the species’ global population.
• Stat2: Elephant census, is conducted once in 5 years under the aegis of Project elephant.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/forest-ministry-releases-guide-to-managing-human-elephant-conflict/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• It is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Located between two IBAs, Itanagar Wildlife Sanctuary to the east and Pakke Wildlife Sanctuary to the west.
• The Reserve Forest forms part of the Eastern Himalayas Endemic Bird Area.
• Why in News?
  • A study based on satellite data has flagged a high rate of deforestation in this area which is also a major hornbill habitat in Arunachal Pradesh.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/08/13/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-13-august-2020/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Hepatitis B has a vaccine that is recommended for all infants at birth and for children up to 18 years. It is also recommended that adults in high-risk groups be vaccinated.
• See https://www.hepb.org/prevention-and-diagnosis/vaccination/

Source: UPSC CSE 2019