INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 15 February 2021) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/kailash-range/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• According to the data of FAO about global pulses trade, Canada is a leading country in world pulses export with its export amount of 5 million tons. After Canada, Australia comes with 1,4 million tons, Myanmar with 1,3 million tons, USA with 1,1 million tons and China with 841 thousand tons.
• India is the biggest producer and consumer of pulses in the world and it has almost achieved self-sufficiency in pulses.
  • India accounted for 62% of world’s total pulses production in 2019-20.
  • In the last five-six years, India has increased pulses production from 140 lakh tonnes to more than 240 lakh tonnes.
  • India’s shift from being the largest importer of pulses has affected world trade: Cindy Brown GPC President

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/world-pulses-day/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• What is a Soil Health Card?
  • S1: SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings. It will contain the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N,P,K (Macro-nutrients); S (Secondary- nutrient); Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro – nutrients); and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.
• How can a farmer use a SHC?
  • The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients needed. Further, it will advise the farmer on the fertilizers and their quantities he should apply, and also the soil amendments that he should undertake, so as to realize optimal yields.
• Benefits of the Soil Health Card Scheme
  • The scheme will monitor the soil of the farmers well and will give them a formatted report. So, they can decide well which crops they should cultivate and which ones they should skip.
  • S2: The authorities will monitor the soil on a regular basis. One in every 3 years, they will provide a report to farmers. So, farmers need not worry if the nature of the soil changes due to certain factors. Also, they will always have updated data about their soil.
  • The work of the government does not stop at listing down measures required to improve the quality of the soil. In fact, they will also employ experts to help farmers in carrying out the corrective measures.
  • Farmers will get a proper soil health record, thanks to the Soil Health Card Scheme. Also, they can study the soil management practices. Accordingly, they can plan the future of their crops and land.
  • Generally, in government schemes, the person carrying out the study for a particular farmer gets changed. But in the Soil Health Card Scheme, the government is paying attention that the same person carries out soil analysis for a farmer. This will further enhance the effectiveness of the scheme.
  • The soil card will give the farmers a proper idea of which nutrients their soil is lacking. And hence, which crops they should invest in. they will also tell which fertilizers they need. So, ultimately, the crop yield will see a rise.
  • S3: The main aim behind the scheme was to find out the type of particular soil. And then provide ways in which we can improve it. Even if a soil has some limitations, we can do something to get the most out of it. And that is what the government is trying to do with the help of this scheme.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/soil-health-card-scheme/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• About the scheme:
  • One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) will ensure all beneficiaries especially migrants can access PDS across the nation from any PDS shop of their own choice.
• Under the ONORC plan, beneficiaries can lift their entitled foodgrains from any ePoS (electronic Point of sale device) enabled Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice by using their same/existing ration cards with biometric authentication on the ePoS device at the time of lifting the foodgrains through portability.
• “No direction has been given to states/UTs for issuance of new ration cards to beneficiaries under ONORC. However, for the sake of uniformity under ONORC operations, States/UTs have been advised to adopt a standard bi-lingual format for ration cards whenever they decide to issue/print new ration cards under NFSA in the future,”

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/one-nation-one-ration-card-scheme-5/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• S1: The space segment consists of the IRNSS constellation of eight satellites, NavIC. Three satellites are located in suitable orbital slots in the geostationary orbit and the remaining four are located in geosynchronous orbits with the required inclination and equatorial crossings in two different planes.
• S2: It is designed to provide accurate position information service to users in India as well as the region extending up to 1500 km from its boundary, which is its primary service area.
• S3: There are long term plans to extend it to SAARC region, but not by 2022.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/isro-announces-bhuvan/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• India became the fourth country in the world to have its independent regional navigation satellite system recognised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as a part of the World Wide Radio Navigation System (WWRNS).
• The IRNSS is an independent regional navigation satellite system developed by India. It is designed to provide accurate position information service to assist in the navigation of ships in the Indian Ocean waters. It could replace the US-owned Global Positioning System (GPS) in the Indian Ocean extending up to approximately 1500 km from the Indian boundary.
• NavIC based trackers are compulsory on commercial vehicles in India and it is planned to become available in consumer mobile phones in the first half of 2020.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/isro-announces-bhuvan/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• India’s coal industry was predominantly driven by the private sector after Independence until the Indira Gandhi government decided to transfer all coal holdings to Coal India through the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973. See https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/canary-in-coal-mine/article22838759.ece
• S2 is done on an auction basis. See http://www.pib.nic.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1566734
• India is still import-dependent for coal supply.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/national-coal-index/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1: FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
• S2: It employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner.
• S3: It is affixed on the windscreen of the vehicle and enables to drive through toll plazas without stopping for transactions. The tag can be purchased from official Tag issuers or participating Banks and if it is linked to a prepaid account, then recharging or top-up can be as per requirement.
• The payment method is a part of the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) programme. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) collects the payments.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/fastags-2/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: Dickinsonia:

• Researchers have discovered three fossils of the earliest known living animal — the 550-million-year-old ‘Dickinsonia’ — on the roof of the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, about 40 km from Bhopal.
• Dickinsonia is an extinct genus of a basal animal that lived during the late Ediacaran period. The fossils are known only in the form of imprints and casts in sandstone beds.
• Ediacaran Period is a geological period that spans 94 million years from the end of the Cryogenian Period 635 million years ago to the beginning of the Cambrian Period 541 million years ago.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-15-february-2021/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Bhimbetka owes its name to the characters of the Mahabharata. It is believed that when the five brothers, called Pandavas, were banished from their kingdom, they came here and stayed in these caves, the massive rocks seating the gigantic frame of Bhima, the second Pandava.
• The rock paintings have numerous layers belonging to various epochs of time, ranging from the Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic Age to the protohistoric, early historic and medieval periods. The most ancient scenes here believed to be commonly belonging to the Mesolithic Age.
• Animals such as bison, tiger, rhinoceros, wild boar, elephants, monkeys, antelopes, lizards, peacocks etc. have been abundantly depicted in the rock shelters. Popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/02/15/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-15-february-2021/