[Mission 2023] Current Affairs Quiz ,21 November 2022

Solution: b)

The 103rd Amendment inserted Articles 15(6) and 16(6) in the Constitution to provide up to 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections (EWS) among non-OBC and non-SC/ST sections of the population. In other words, the amendment had changed the Constitution and introduced a quota for the poor among the so-called ‘forward castes’ or ‘general category’.

Where is this quota for the ‘general category’ poor available?

The quota is available in admissions to higher educational institutions, and in initial recruitment in central government jobs. The amendment also empowered state governments to provide reservation on the basis of economic backwardness.

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Solution: b)

What is the Federal Funds Rate (FFR) and how does the US Fed tweak it?

The FFR is the interest rate at which commercial banks in the US borrow from each other overnight. Arguably, if banks borrow at higher rates from each other, they will also lend the money to consumers at a higher rate.

Now, unlike in India, where the RBI decides what the repo rate (or the interest rate at which RBI lends money to banks) will be, in the US, the Fed can’t directly specify the FFR. Instead, it tries to “target” the FFR by controlling the money supply. So when the Fed wants to raise the prevailing interest rates in the US economy, it reduces the money supply. This forces every bank in the economy to charge higher interest rates. The process starts with commercial banks charging higher interest rates to lend to each other for overnight loans.

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Solution: d)

Many farmers this year said that they are not burning the paddy stubble completely and are instead resorting to partial burning or burning only the loose straw.

What is partial stubble burning?

After harvesting, farmers opting for partial burning let the loose straw dry for a couple of days and then they set these dumps on fire to prepare the field for the next crop. In such cases, the standing stubble, which is mostly green, does not get burnt fully but it gets scorched close to those places in the field where loose straw is burnt.

Even after having three main machines such as Happy Seeder, Smart Seeder and Super seeder, many farmers are resorting to partial burning, officials said. The three machines ensure that there is no need for partial burning even after harvesting as stubble clearing is not required to sow wheat.

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Solution: b)

As per the Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines laid down by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under Section 38(O) of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, there are three ways to deal with orphaned or abandoned tiger cubs.

The first is to make an effort to reunite the abandoned cubs with their mother.

Second, if a reunion of the cub with its mother is not possible, then shift the cub to a suitable zoo.

Third, reintroduction of the cub into the wild after a certain time when it appears that the cub is capable of surviving in the wild independently. This is what is known as ‘re-wilding’.

Re-wilding is not limited to cats. There have been efforts to reintroduce other endangered species, including scavengers, into the wild after rearing them in captivity.

Solution: c)

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is a subsidiary body of the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA) responsible for helping to facilitate international trade and investment.

Established by the UNGA in 1966, UNCITRAL’s official mandate is “to promote the progressive harmonization and unification of international trade law” through conventions, model laws, and other instruments that address key areas of commerce, from dispute resolution to the procurement and sale of goods.

UNCITRAL carries out its work at annual sessions held alternately in New York City and Vienna, where it is headquartered.

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