INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 23 November 2020) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Punjab accord, also known as the Rajiv-Longowal Accord, is an accord signed by Rajiv Gandhi and Harcharan Singh Longowal on 24 July 1985.
• The main provisions of the Punjab Accord were as given below :
  • Chandigarh would be transferred to Punjab.
  • A separate commission would be appointed to resolve the border dispute between Punjab and Haryana.
  • For more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajiv%E2%80%93Longowal_Accord

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/why-punjabs-claim-over-chandigarh-is-stronger-than-that-of-haryana/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1: Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-produced molecules engineered to serve as substitute antibodies that can restore, enhance or mimic the immune system’s attack on cancer cells.
• S2: Monoclonal antibodies are used to treat many diseases, including some types of cancer.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/experimental-drug-given-to-trump-to-treat-covid-19-wins-fda-clearance/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Durand Line, boundary established in the Hindu Kush in 1893 running through the tribal lands between Afghanistan and British India, marking their respective spheres of influence; in modern times it has marked the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/at-unsc-india-calls-for-immediate-ceasefire-in-afghanistan/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The mission proposes to explore the deep ocean similar to the space exploration started by ISRO about 35 years ago.
• The focus of the mission will be on deep-sea mining, ocean climate change advisory services, underwater vehicles and underwater robotics related technologies.
• Two key projects planned in the ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ report include a desalination plant powered by tidal energy and a submersible vehicle that can explore depths of at least 6,000 metres.
• Significance:
  • The mission will give a boost to efforts to explore India’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf.
  • The plan will enable India to develop capabilities to exploit resources in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB).
• Potential:
  • India has been allotted 75,000 square kilometres in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) by UN International Sea Bed Authority for exploration of poly-metallic nodules.
  • CIOB reserves contain deposits of metals like iron, manganese, nickel and cobalt.
  • It is envisaged that 10% of recovery of that large reserve can meet the energy requirement of India for the next 100 years.
• What are PMN?
  • Polymetallic nodules (also known as manganese nodules) are potato-shaped, largely porous nodules found in abundance carpeting the sea floor of world oceans in deep sea.
  • Composition: Besides manganese and iron, they contain nickel, copper, cobalt, lead, molybdenum, cadmium, vanadium, titanium, of which nickel, cobalt and copper are considered to be of economic and strategic importance.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/india-set-to-launch-deep-sea-mission/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• The Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite is designed to monitor oceans.
• It was recently launched from California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
• This is a part of the next mission dedicated to measuring changes in the global sea level.
• What is the mission?
  • The mission is called the Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS) mission.
  • It is designed to measure the height of the ocean, which is a key component in understanding how the Earth’s climate is changing.
  • It has been developed jointly by the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat), the USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the EU, with contributions from France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES).
• What will the satellite do?
  • Provide measurements of global sea-level rise.
  • Send pulses to the Earth’s surface and measure how long they take to return to it, which will help scientists measure the sea surface height.
  • Measure water vapour along this path and find its position using GPS and ground-based lasers.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/what-is-the-sentinel-6-satellite-and-why-is-it-important/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Article 19 guarantees to all citizens the six rights. These are:
  • Right to freedom of speech and expression.
  • Right to assemble peaceably and without arms.
  • Right to form associations or unions or co-operative societies.
  • Right to move freely throughout the territory of India.
  • Right to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India.
  • Right to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business.
• These six rights are protected against only state action and not private individuals. Moreover, these rights are available only to the citizens and to shareholders of a company but not to foreigners or legal persons like companies or corporations, etc.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/keralas-new-118a-law/

Ans: (d)

Explanation: About the Frontier Highway Project:

• It is also called as the Arunachal Frontier Highway and Mago-Thingbu–Vijaynagar Border Highway.
• The 2,000-kilometre-long road follows the McMahon Line.
• It accompanies the Trans-Arunachal Highway (through the middle) and the Arunachal East-West Corridor (in the foothills along the Assam border) as major highways spanning Arunachal Pradesh, pursuing the Look East connectivity concept.
• The highway will intersect with the proposed East-West Industrial Corridor Highway in the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh from Bhairabkunda, the tri-junction of Bhutan, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to Ruksin in East Siang district.
• The highway will cross the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary, which may raise environmental issues.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/frontier-highway-project/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the eight wildlife sanctuaries of Arunachal Pradesh, India
• It is located fully or partly within Dihang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/frontier-highway-project/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: SITMEX-20:

• It is a trilateral naval exercise between India, Thailand and Singapore.
• The latest edition was held in the Andaman sea.
• The exercise was conducted as a ‘non-contact, at sea only’ exercise in view of COVID-19 pandemic.
• It highlights growing synergy, coordination and cooperation in the maritime domain between the three friendly navies and maritime neighbours.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-23-november-2020/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Awas Diwas and Awas Week:
  • To commemorate the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G), which aims to provide “Housing for All” by 2022, it was decided to celebrate 20th November every year as “Awaas Diwas”.
  • The program envisages the completion of 2.95 crore PMAY-G houses with all basic amenities by the year 2022.
• Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin was launched to address the housing gaps existing in the rural areas.
• PMAYG aims to provide pucca houses with basic facilities along with a hygienic kitchen to those living in kutcha houses.
• The houses built under the PMAYG scheme, are low-cost and disaster-resilient. The minimum size of the houses built under the PMAYG scheme has been increased from 20 sq.mt to 25 sq.mt.
• The current unit assistance in plain areas is ₹20 Lakh and in hilly areas is ₹ 1.30 Lakh. The cost of assistance is shared by the Central and State governments at a ratio of 90:10 in the hilly areas and 60:40 in the plain areas.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/11/23/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-23-november-2020/