INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 23 January 2021) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The Speaker is elected by the assembly itself from amongst its members. Usually, the Speaker remains in office during the life of the assembly.
• However, he vacates his office earlier in any of the following three cases: 1. if he ceases to be a member of the assembly; 2. if he resigns by writing to the deputy speaker; and 3. if he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the assembly. Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days advance notice.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/kerala-assembly-rejects-motion-to-remove-speaker/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• S1: Usually, the speaker remains in office during the life of the assembly. However, he vacates his office earlier in any of the following cases:
  • If he ceases to be a member of the assembly
  • If he resigns by writing to the deputy speaker and;
  • If he is removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the assembly. Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days advance notice
• S2 is incorrect because the Speaker holds office from the date of her election till immediately before the first meeting of the Legislative assembly after the dissolution of the one to which she was elected. She is eligible for re-election. On the dissolution of the Legislative assembly, although the Speaker ceases to be a member of the House, she does not vacate her office.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/kerala-assembly-rejects-motion-to-remove-speaker/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: About the PLI scheme:

• To make India a manufacturing hub, the government had initially announced the PLI scheme for mobile phones, pharma products, and medical equipment sectors.
  • Notified on April 1, 2020 as a part of the National Policy on Electronics.
  • It proposes a financial incentive to boost domestic manufacturing and attract large investments in the electronics value chain.
• In November 2020, the Union Cabinet gave its approval to introduce the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme in 10 more sectors for enhancing India’s manufacturing capabilities and exports (Atmanirbhar Bharat).

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/pli-scheme/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• S1: The Commission for Air Quality Management was formed by an ordinance in October 2020, the “Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance 2020”.
• S2: CAQM will supersede all existing bodies, including the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), as well as state governments in matters of air pollution mitigation.
• S3: Only the National Green Tribunal (NGT), and not civil courts, is authorised to hear cases where the Commission is involved.
• Composition:
  • Chairperson: To be chaired by a government official of the rank of Secretary or Chief Secretary.
  • It will be a permanent body and will have over 20 members.
  • The Commission will be a statutory authority.
  • The Commission will supersede bodies such as the central and state pollution control boards of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan.
  • It will have the powers to issue directions to these state governments on issues pertaining to air pollution.
• Jurisdiction:
  • Exclusive jurisdiction over the NCR, including areas in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, in matters of air pollution, and will be working along with CPCB and ISRO, apart from the respective state governments.
• Will this new body also have penal powers?
  • Yes, the Commission will have some teeth. If its directions are contravened, through say, the setting up of an industrial unit in a restricted area, the Commission will have the power to impose a fine of up to Rs 1 crore and imprisonment of up to 5 years.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/commission-for-air-quality-management-caqm/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Link: S1: NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will be the first-ever mission to “touch” the Sun. The spacecraft, about the size of a small car, will travel directly into the Sun’s atmosphere about 4 million miles from the surface. Parker Solar Probe launched aboard a Delta IV-Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Aug.
• S2: The solar corona is the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere that extends millions of kilometres into outer space.
• S3: Sunspots are temporary phenomena on the Sun’s photosphere that appear as spots darker than the surrounding areas. They are regions of reduced surface temperature caused by concentrations of magnetic field flux that inhibit convection. Sunspots usually appear in pairs of opposite magnetic polarity. Their number varies according to the approximately 11-year solar cycle. Individual sunspots or groups of sunspots may last anywhere from a few days to a few months, but eventually decay.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/parker-solar-probe-2/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: About Arctic council:

• 1996 – Ottawa declaration.
• It is an Intergovernmental forum which addresses issues faced by the Arctic governments and people living in the Arctic region
• It is Not a treaty-based international organization but rather an international forum that operates on the basis of consensus.
• The decisions, recommendations or guidelines of the Arctic Council are non-enforceable and strictly the prerogative of the individual state.
• Its mandate explicitly excludes military security.
• Organization structure:
  • a) Chairmanship: rotated every two years once
  • b) Secretariat:
    • Rotated biennially with the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council
    • It supports the Chair of the Arctic Council
    • It manages logistics related to the biennial member states’ meetings and the more frequent SAO meetings.
  • c) SAO ( Senior Arctic Official): a government representative, usually from a member states’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. SAO guides and monitors Arctic Council activities in accordance with the decisions and instructions of the Arctic Council Foreign Ministers.
• Who takes part?
  • The Ottawa Declaration lists the following countries as Members of the Arctic Council: Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States.
  • In addition, six organizations representing Arctic indigenous peoples have status as Permanent Participants. The category of Permanent Participant was created to provide for active participation and full consultation with the Arctic indigenous peoples within the Council. They include: the Aleut International Association, the Arctic Athabaskan Council, Gwich’in Council International, the Inuit Circumpolar Council, Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North and the Saami Council.
• Observer status in the Arctic Council is open to non-Arctic states, along with inter-governmental, inter-parliamentary, global, regional and non-governmental organizations that the Council determines can contribute to its work. Arctic Council Observers primarily contribute through their engagement in the Council at the level of Working Groups.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/india-proposes-to-expand-research-tourism-in-the-arctic/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The draft personal data protection Bill 2018, submitted by the Justice B.N. Srikrishna-headed expert panel has proposed that critical personal data of Indian citizens be processed in centres located within the country.
• The right to privacy is a fundamental right which necessitates protection of personal data as an essential facet of informational privacy says the draft Personal Data Protection bill, 2018.
• The much-awaited bill is under the government’s review and has been made public for inviting suggestions

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/new-whatsapp-policy-and-related-privacy-issues/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• About FATF:
  • The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 on the initiative of the G7.
  • It is a “policy-making body” which works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in various areas.
  • The FATF Secretariat is housed at the OECD headquarters in Paris.
• Roles and functions:
  • Initially it was established to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering.
  • In October 2001, the FATF expanded its mandate to incorporate efforts to combat terrorist financing, in addition to money laundering.
  • In April 2012, it added efforts to counter the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/pakistan-risks-fatf-blacklisting/

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Spices Board:

• Spices Board is a body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• It was constituted in 1987 under the Spices Board Act, 1986 by merging the Cardamom Board and the Spices Export Promotion Council.
• The Spices Board is one of the five commodity boards functioning under the Commerce Ministry.
• It is an autonomous body responsible for the promotion of the 52 scheduled spices and the development of small and large cardamom.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-23-january-2021/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• What Is FATF Grey List?
  • FATF grey list contains Countries that are considered as safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering are put in the FATF grey list. The inclusion in the grey list serves as a warning to the country that it might enter the blacklist if strict actions against terrorism and money laundering are not taken.
• What Is Black List?
  • Countries that are knowns as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs) are put in the blacklist. Countries in this list support terror funding and money laundering activities. The FATF revises the blacklist regularly, adding or deleting entries.
• Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body that was established in the year 1989 during the G7 Summit by the Ministers of its Member jurisdictions. The major objectives of the FATF are to set standards and also promote the effective implementation of legal regulatory and operational measures in order to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other such threats to the integrity of the global financial system. The FATF is an organization that works to generate the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms in the aforementioned areas. The FATF Secretariat is housed at the Organisation Economic Co-operation and Development headquarters in Paris, France.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/01/23/pakistan-risks-fatf-blacklisting/