[Mission 2023] Current Affairs Quiz , 11 May 2023

Solution: c)

What is the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission?

According to European Space Agency (ESA) website, the Juice “will make detailed observations of the giant gas planet and its three large ocean-bearing moons — Ganymede, Callisto and Europa”, by using remote sensing, geophysical and in situ instruments.

Scientists for quite some time have known that these three moons of Jupiter possess icy crusts, which they believe contain oceans of liquid water underneath, making them potentially habitable. Juice will help probe these water bodies by creating detailed maps of the moons’ surfaces and enable the scientists, for the first time, to look beneath them.

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Solution: c)

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered a case against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) India under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) for alleged foreign exchange violation.

What is the aim of the FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act)?

FEMA came in 1999 as a successor to the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act or FERA of 1973, with changing economic conditions in a post-liberalisation India. 

So what changed with the FEMA?

Reflecting the major change in mindset was the decision to make offences or violations under this law a civil offence rather than criminal one, and making transactions that are part of the current account, such as travelling abroad for tourism, education, etc., a matter of right while putting in place restrictions on the capital account.

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Solution: b)

April 13 saw celebrations for the Sikh festival of Baisakhi, which marks the onset of Spring and the harvest of winter crops. Simultaneously, the movement for independence from British rule had been steadily gaining ground.

By 4 pm, many gathered for a public meeting against the arrest of Dr Satyapal and Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew for opposing the Rowlatt Act.

Without giving the crowd any warning to disperse, Dyer ordered his troops to fire.

Indian leaders expressed their anger and protested in response to the killings. Notably, Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore gave up his knighthood.

A Committee named Hunter Committee was set up to investigate the Jallianwala bagh incident.

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Solution: d)

What is the ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’?

Comprehensive development of villages of blocks on northern border thus improving the quality of life of people living in identified border villages.  This will help in encouraging people to stay in their native locations in border areas and reversing the outmigration from these villages adding to improved security of the border.

Under this centrally sponsored scheme, 2,967 villages in 46 blocks of 19 districts have been identified for comprehensive development. These villages abut the border in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

The aims of the scheme are to identify and develop the economic drivers based on local, natural, human and other resources of the border villages. Development of growth centres on the “Hub and Spoke Model” through promotion of social entrepreneurship, empowerment of youth and women through skill development is also one of the objectives of VVP.

Moreover, the programme also intends to leverage tourism potential through promotion of local, cultural, traditional knowledge and heritage in the border areas, thus increasing the employment opportunities of the people and, as a result, stemming migration. Development of sustainable eco-agribusinesses on the concept of “One village-One product” through community-based organisations, cooperatives, SHGs, NGOs etc is also aimed at.

The district administration will prepare action plans with the help of Gram Panchayats for the identified villages to ensure 100 per cent saturation of Central and state schemes.

The scheme envisages that drinking water, 24×7 electricity, connectivity with all weather roads, cooking gas, mobile and internet connectivity be made available in the border areas. Special attention will be given to solar and wind energy, tourist centres, multi-purpose centres and health infrastructure and wellness centres.

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Solution: c)

The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 amended Section 5 of the erstwhile Act to allow 26 weeks of paid leave after childbirth, although only to biological mothers.

The amendment also inserted Section 5(4) which said that adoptive or surrogate mothers legally adopting a child below three months will be entitled to a maternity benefit period of 12 weeks from the date the child is handed over to the mother.

The Act is applicable to all establishments employing 10 or more than 10 persons in Factories, Mines, Plantation, Shops & Establishments and other entities. Establishments employing 50 or more employees are also required to provide crèche facilities, either separately or along with common facilities within a prescribed distance.

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