[MISSION 2023] RTM(Revision through MCQs)- 6 Mar 2023

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• S1: The term Lokpal and Lokayukta were coined by Dr. L. M. Singhvi.
• S2: Lokpal is a multi-member body that consists of one chairperson and a maximum of 8 members. Out of the maximum eight members, half will be judicial members. Minimum fifty per cent of the Members will be from SC / ST / OBC / Minorities and women. The judicial member of the Lokpal should be either a former Judge of the Supreme Court or a former Chief Justice of a High Court.
• S3: The term of office for Lokpal Chairman and Members is 5 years or till the age of 70 years.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/karnataka-bjp-mla-and-sons-bribery-scandal-history-powers-of-the-states-lokayukta/

Ans: (d)

Explanation;

• S3: the Ministry of Environment notified that states which have a forest land of more than 75% of their geographical area need not provide non-forest land for compensatory afforestation. Instead, land can be taken up in states with lesser forest cover. Further, it was also notified that the minimum area of compensatory land should be five hectares if the land is not contiguous to a forest.
• S1: According to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, each time forest land is diverted, the project proponent has to pay the state to undertake plantation and for the ecosystem services lost due to diverting forest land, called Net Present Value (NPV). Whenever forest land is diverted for non-forest purposes, it is mandatory under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 that an equivalent area of non-forest land has to be taken up for compensatory afforestation.
• S2: As per the rules, 90% of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund money is to be given to the states while 10% is to be retained by the Centre.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/unused-funds-unsuitable-land-the-problems-with-compensatory-afforestation-in-india/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Preservation of forest areas in India under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 has been continuously monitored by the Supreme Court since the Godavarman case judgment in 1996.
• While the concept of deemed forests has not been clearly defined in any law including the Forest Conservation Act of 1980.
• Deemed forests, which comprise about 1% of India’s forest land, are a controversial subject as they refer to land tracts that appear to be a “forest”, but have not been notified so by the government or in historical records.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/unused-funds-unsuitable-land-the-problems-with-compensatory-afforestation-in-india/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:About Bamboo:

• Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial flowering grasses (it is no longer considered a ‘tree’ in India). Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of bamboo in India. More than 50% of the bamboo species are found in northeast India alone. China has the largest diversity (India’s the 2nd largest) and is the largest producer of Bamboo in the world.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-06-march-2023/

• Salar de Uyuni, amid the Andes in southwest Bolivia, is the world’s largest salt flat.
• It contains more than half of the planet’s lithium reserves.
• A salt flat forms from a natural water body whose recharge rate is lower than the evaporation rate. The underlying soil is highly saline: even if the water table is shallow, the groundwater is too salty for humans to drink.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/04/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-04-march-2023/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• all statements are correct.
• https://www.insightsonindia.com/international-relations/important-international-institutions-agencies-and-further-structure-mandate-etc/world-bank/

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-06-march-2023/

Ans: (c )

Explanation: About the Catch the Rain campaign (“Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls”)

• It encourages all stakeholders to create rainwater harvesting structures(RWHS) from March 22 to November 30 (from Pre Monsoon to Post Monsoon Period).
• Implementation: National Water Mission(NWM), Ministry of Jal Shakti
• Coverage: In both rural and urban areas.
• States have been requested to open Rain Centers in each district, to provide technical guidance in the Rainwater harvesting system (RWHS).

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-06-march-2023/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Investment Fund I is a social impact fund specifically formed for completing stressed and stalled residential projects.
• The Fund is sponsored by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, and is managed by SBICAP Ventures Ltd., a State Bank Group company.
• The fund considers first-time developers, established developers with troubled projects, developers with a poor track record of stalled projects, customer complaints and NPA accounts, and even projects where there are litigation issues
• It is considered the lender of last resort for distressed projects.
• The Fund’s presence in a project often acts as a catalyst for better collections and sales primarily in projects that were delayed for years.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-06-march-2023/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), which operates gold and silver hallmarking scheme in India, defines hallmarking as the “accurate determination and official recording of the proportionate content of precious metal in precious metal articles.” So, it is a “guarantee of purity or fineness” of precious metal articles.
• However, a certain category of jewellery and items are exempted from the mandatory requirement of hallmarking.
• “Export and re-import of jewellery as per Trade Policy of Government of India — Jewellery for international exhibitions, jewellery for government-approved B2B domestic exhibitions are exempted from mandatory Hallmarking.”
• Watches, fountain pens and special types of jewellery such as Kundan, Polki and Jadau are exempted from hallmarking.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-06-march-2023/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments.
• Even though participation is voluntary, the member countries have agreed to be bound by the Convention known as the Parties.
• CITES are legally binding on the Parties but it does not take the place of national laws.

Refer: facts for prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/03/06/mission-2023-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-06-march-2023/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Statement 1: Presently it is a three member body, one CEC and two other ECs.
• Statement 2: ECI decides this schedule.
• Statement 3: Splits, mergers and alliances have frequently disrupted the compositions of political parties.
• This has led to a number of disputes over which section of a divided party gets to keep the party symbol, and how to classify the resulting parties in terms of national and state parties.
• The Election Commission has to resolve these disputes, although its decisions can be challenged in the courts.
• http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/the_function.aspx#splitsandmergers

Refer: UPSC CSE 2017