[MISSION 2023] INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS (3 August 2022 ) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• India is a signatory and party to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)with Head Quarters at The Hague, Netherlands.
• The Convention is a universal, non-discriminatory, multi-lateral, disarmament treatywhich prohibits the development, production, stock-piling and use of chemical weapons and monitors its elimination in order to secure chemical weapons free world.
• India signed the treaty at Paris on 14th day of January 1993. India, pursuant to provisions of the Convention enacted the Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2000. As on date, 193 countries are parties to the Convention (Four UN states are not party: Egypt, Israel, North Korea and South Sudan).
• India was the First State Party to secure the distinction of chemical weapon free state Party by destructing all its stockpile of its chemical weapons amongst all State Parties of the Convention.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/parliament-passes-bill-to-ban-funding-of-weapons-of-mass-destruction/

Ans: (b)

Explanation: National Ayush Mission:

• The National Ayush Mission is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2014 by the Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Now, it is implemented by the Ministry of Ayush.
• The scheme involves expansion of the AYUSH sector to promote holistic health of Indians.
• The Mission addresses the gaps in health services through supporting the efforts of State/UT Governments for providing AYUSH health services/education in the country, particularly in vulnerable and far-flung areas.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/budget-allocation-and-utilization-of-funds-under-the-national-ayush-mission/

Ans: (a)

Explanation: Indra Sawhney v. Union of India (1992) case:

• The court examined the scope and extent of Article 16(4).
• The Court has said that the creamy layer of OBCs should be excluded from the list of beneficiaries of reservation, there should not be reservation in promotions; and total reserved quota should not exceed 50%.
• The Court dwelled on the interrelationship between Articles 16(1) and16(4) and declared that Article 16(4) is not an exception to article 16(1), rather an illustration of classification implicit in article 16(1).

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-3-august-2022/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• The Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)were established in 1975 under the provisions of the Ordinance promulgated on 26th September, 1975 and Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976 with a view to developing the rural economy by providing, for the purpose of development of agriculture, trade, commerce, industry and other productive activities in the rural areas, credit and other facilities, particularly to small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans and small entrepreneurs, and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.
• What are RRBs?
  • Regional Rural Banks were set up on the basis of the recommendations of the Narasimham Working Group (1975), and after the legislation of the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.
  • The first Regional Rural Bank “Prathama Grameen Bank”was set up on 2nd October, 1975.
  • The equity of a regional rural bank is held by the Central Government, concerned State Government and the Sponsor Bank in the proportion of 50:15:35.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-3-august-2022/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Statement 1: It is a standard aim of GST.
• Statement 2: It may reduce the fiscal deficit in the long-run and may place CAD favourably due to better foreign investment climate owing to an improved tax structure. But, the word ‘drastically’ is extreme and so the statement is incorrect.
• Statement 3: This is also an extreme statement and wrong.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-3-august-2022/

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: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-3-august-2022/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• ‘Agriculture’is a state subject

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-3-august-2022/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Launched in 2020
• Van will be maintained by State Government
• Funding: CAMPA Fund (under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act 2016)
• Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change
• Warje Urban Forest in Pune (Maharashtra) will be considered a role model for the Scheme.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-3-august-2022/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• The US military used its ‘secret weapon’ — the Hellfire R9X missile(‘Ninja missile’)– to kill Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri on the balcony of a safe house in Kabul.
• Better known in military circles as the AGM-114 R9X, the Hellfire R9X is a US-origin missile known to cause minimum collateral damage while engaging individual targets.
• It weighs about 45 kg and the missile can also be launched from helicopters, aircraft and Humvees. The range of these missiles varies from 500 metres to 11 km.
• Hellfire means Heliborne, Laser, Fire and Forget Missile
• Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian surgeon who had a $25 million bounty on his head, had helped coordinate September 11, 2001, attacks that had killed nearly 3,000 people.

Refer: : facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2022/08/03/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-3-august-2022/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Statement 1:TaḷḷapākaAnnamācārya (or Annamayya) was a 15th-century Hindu saint and is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called sankirtanas in praise of the god Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu. Hence S1 is incorrect.
• Statement 2:Tyagaraja took music training from SontiVenkataramayya. But that didn’t stop him from taking musical inspirations from various earlier poets. He was an ardent devotee of lord Rama. In his praise and honour he wrote numerous musical operas, and about twenty four thousand songs, a claim that has been speculated among music historians. Hence, S2 is correct.
• Statement 3:Tyagaraja was born on 14th May 1767 in the village of Thiruvayaru in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu whereas TaḷḷapākaAnnamācārya (or Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was a 15th-century Hindu saint. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
• Statement 4:TaḷḷapākaAnnamācārya (or Annamayya) (22 May 1408 – 4 April 1503) was a 15th-century Hindu saint and is the earliest known Indian musician to compose songs called sankirtanas in praise of the god Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu. Hence, S4 is correct.

Refer: UPSC CSE 2018