INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 6 May 2021) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• S2: The National Center for Seismology, Ministry of Earth Sciences is a nodal agency of the Government of India dealing with various activities in the fields of seismology and allied disciplines.
• S1: Based on the past seismic history, Bureau of Indian Standards grouped the country into four seismic zones namely Zone-II, Zone-III, Zone-IV and Zone-V. Of all these four zones, Zone-V is the most seismic active region whereas Zone-II is the least.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/05/06/what-is-a-lineament/

Ans: (d)

Explanation: the Mandal Commission (1980)

• headed by B.P. Mandal.
• It was asked to determine the criteria to identify the socially and educationally backward classes in India and recommend steps to be taken for their advancement. The Commission gave its Report in 1980 and made many recommendations.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/05/06/maratha-quota-unconstitutional-says-sc/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The first amendment to the Indian Constitution added the Ninth Schedule to it. It was introduced by the Nehru Government, on 10 May 1951 to address judicial decisions and pronouncements especially about the chapter on fundamental rights.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/05/06/maratha-quota-unconstitutional-says-sc/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• What is LTRO?
  • The LTRO is a tool under which the central bank provides one-year to three-year money to banks at the prevailing repo rate, accepting government securities with matching or higher tenure as the collateral.
• How is it different from LAF and MSF?
  • While the RBI’s current windows of liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) and marginal standing facility (MSF) offer banks money for their immediate needs ranging from 1-28 days, the LTRO supplies them with liquidity for their 1- to 3-year needs. LTRO operations are intended to prevent short-term interest rates in the market from drifting a long way away from the policy rate, which is the repo rate.
• Why is it important?
  • As banks get long-term funds at lower rates, their cost of funds falls.
  • In turn, they reduce interest rates for borrowers.
  • LTRO helped RBI ensure that banks reduce their marginal cost of funds-based lending rate, without reducing policy rates.
  • LTRO also showed the market that RBI will not only rely on revising repo rates and conducting open market operations for its monetary policy, but also use new tools to achieve its intended objectives.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/05/06/rbi-measures-to-protect-small-and-medium-businesses-from-pandemic-impact/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Global Innovation Partnership (GIP):

• Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to MoU between India and UK on Global Innovation Partnership (GIP).
• GIP will support Indian innovators to scale up their innovations in third countries thereby helping them explore new markets and become self-sustainable.
• GIP innovations will focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) related sectors thereby assisting recipient countries achieve their SDGs.
• Through seed funding, grants, investments and technical assistance, the Partnership will support Indian entrepreneurs and innovators to test, scale up and take their innovative development solutions to select developing countries.
• GIP will also develop an open and inclusive e-market place (E-BAAZAR) for cross border innovation transfer and will focus on results based impact assessment thereby promoting transparency and accountability.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2021/05/06/insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-06-may-2021/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• West Nile Virus (WNV) can cause neurological disease and death in people. WNV is commonly found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America and West Asia. WNV is maintained in nature in a cycle involving transmission between birds and mosquitoes. Humans, horses and other mammals can be infected.
• West Nile Virus (WNV) is a member of the flavivirusgenus and belongs to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of the family Flaviviridae.
• Birds are the natural hosts of West Nile virus.
• Culex mosquitos, which spread the infection. This viral infection is most often the result of mosquito bites. Mosquitoes are infected when they feed on birds, which circulate the virus.
• It may also be transmitted through contact with other infected animals, their blood, or other tissues. Symptoms of the virus infection include cold, fever, fatigue and nausea.
• West Nile virus is a disease which spreads from birds to humans through the bite of an infected culex mosquito. It was first documented WNV case in Kerala.
• This microbe is serologically similar to the Japanese Encephalitis virus, which means a goto test, ELISA, often fails to differentiate JE antibodies from WNV antibodies.

Refer: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/west-nile-virus

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• The Kerala Government is planning to arrest the rampant growth of Senna spectabilis, in the forest areas of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), including the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
• It is a deciduous tree native to tropical areas of America.
• It grows up to 15 to 20 metres in a short period of time and distributes thousands of seeds after flowering.
• It is an invasive species.
• Concerns: The thick foliage of the tree arrests the growth of other indigenous tree and grass species. Thus, it causes food shortage for the wildlife population, especially herbivores. It also adversely affect the germination and growth of the native species.
• It is categorised as ‘Least Concern’ under IUCN Red List.

Refer: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/forest-department-worried-about-spread-of-senna-spectabilis-trees-in-mudumalai/article29461892.ece

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• UN Environment Programme (UNEP) member states adopted the “Colombo Declaration” which calls for tackling global nitrogen challenge.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/10/26/unep-colombo-declaration/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• A number of wild animal and bird species have been listed in various schedules of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Similarly, these species are also categorized under IUCN Red List, CITES and Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). This database provides information on categorization of species under these legal instruments.  
• Insects
• Reptiles      
• Fishes
• Birds
• Mammals

Refer: https://legislative.gov.in/sites/default/files/A1972-53_0.pdf

Ans: (d)

Explanation: To qualify as a hotspot a region must meet two strict criteria:

• It must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (> 0.5% of the world’s total) as endemics, and
• It has to have lost at least 70% of its original habitat.

Refer: https://www.conservation.org/priorities/biodiversity-hotspots