QUIZ – 2020: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 8 February 2021

Solution: d)

A global collaboration for the world’s largest radio telescope took formal shape with the constitution of an Intergovernmental Council. The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) project, spanning two continents and involving the participation of 20 countries, is expected to be ready for carrying out observations towards the end of this decade.

Headquartered and controlled from the UK, the SKA is not a single telescope but will be an array of antennas strategically designed and set up in South Africa and Australia.

SKA will allow astronomers to look deeper into the universe and unravel secrets about its evolution. Among its goals are: studying the universe and its evolution, the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism, and dark energy and evolution of galaxies. Scientists are also optimistic that the SKA will be able to detect very weak extra-terrestrial signals and search for molecules that support life.

Unlike optical telescopes, radio telescopes can detect invisible gas and, therefore, they can reveal areas of space that may be obscured by cosmic dust.

India is participating in SKAO. through the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST). 

The Indian team was among the first to submit and get the design approval of a highly sophisticated Telescope Manager (TM), nicknamed “nervous system”, of the SKA observatory. The Indian team has now been chosen to lead the construction of the TM system, which will be responsible for end-to-end operations of SKAO.

Source                  Source

Solution: b)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently said that it will give small investors direct access to its government securities trading platform.

What are government securities, or g-secs?

These are debt instruments issued by the government to borrow money. The two key categories are treasury bills – short-term instruments which mature in 91 days, 182 days, or 364 days, and dated securities – long-term instruments, which mature anywhere between 5 years and 40 years.

But can’t retail investors already invest in g-secs?

Small investors can invest indirectly in g-secs by buying mutual funds or through certain policies issued by life insurance firms.

So what is the need for the current proposal, then?

The g-sec market is dominated by institutional investors such as banks, mutual funds, and insurance companies. These entities trade in lot sizes of Rs 5 crore or more.

So, there is no liquidity in the secondary market for small investors who would want to trade in smaller lot sizes.

Like bank fixed deposits, g-secs are not tax-free.

They are generally considered the safest form of investment because they are backed by the government. So, the risk of default is almost nil.

However, they are not completely risk free, since they are subject to fluctuations in interest rates.

Source

Solution: d)

Eravikulam National Park is located along the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala.

The terrain consists of high-altitude grasslands interspersed with sholas. Anamudi, 2,695 meters, the highest peak in south India is inside this park.

The Grasshopper Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is initiating the Red List Assessment of grasshoppers in India for the first time.

The assessment will include a new species of grasshopper discovered recently in the Eravikulam National Park in Kerala’s Idukki district.

So far, none of the Indian grasshopper species have been listed in the Red Data Book. The Red List of Threatened Species, founded in 1964, is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.

Source

Solution: b)

Oman is towards the side of Persian Gulf and Jordan is landlocked.

Solution: c)

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament (Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956). In April 1957, it took over the work of former All India Khadi and Village Industries Board.

Functions: It is an apex organization under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, with regard to khadi and village industries within India, which seeks to – “plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.”

The Commission has three main objectives which guide its functioning. These are:

• The Social Objective – Providing employment in rural areas.
• The Economic Objective – Providing salable articles.
• The Wider Objective – Creating self-reliance amongst people and building up a strong rural community spirit.

Establishing a major khadi industry in every village is not a listed objective and may not be economically feasible as well.