[MISSION 2024] RTM(Revision through MCQs)- 29 June 2023

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: A study quoted by the World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch reveals that tropical areas experienced a significant decline in forest cover in 2022.
• Global Forest Watch (launched 2014) is an open-source web application to monitor global forests in near real-time. GFW is an initiative of the World Resources Institute, with partners including Google, USAID, the University of Maryland, Esri, Vizzuality and many other academic, non-profit, public, and private organizations.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/global-forest-watch/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: Following the Union Budget 2023-24 announcement, the MoEFCC notified the draft ‘Green Credit Programme (GCP)’ implementation rules 2023.
• About the Green Credit Programme (GCP):
  • Under this, individuals, industries, FPOs, ULBs, gram panchayats and private sectors, etc., will be able to earn “green credit” for undertaking environment-friendly actions.
  • The green credits will be tradable on a proposed domestic market platform.
  • It follows the principle of LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment – to encourage sustainable lifestyles by driving consumers/communities towards behavioural changes to incentivise environment-friendly practices.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/indias-green-credit-programme/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• The correct answer is (A). Nepotism is the practice of showing favoritism to family members or friends, especially in giving them jobs or other favors. In this case, the CEO is showing favoritism to his son by hiring him for a job that he is not qualified for. The other options are examples of favoritism, but they are not examples of nepotism.
• Option (B): This is an example of favoritism because the government official is giving her cousin a government contract, even though the cousin’s company is not the most qualified bidder.
• Option (C): This is an example of favoritism because the teacher is giving her best friend’s child a better grade on a test than he deserves.
• Option (D): This is an example of favoritism because the manager is giving his favorite employee a promotion, even though the employee is not the most productive employee in the department.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/examples-of-ethics-2/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: The article discusses how socialist tendencies can have unintended consequences, concentrating wealth rather than spreading it and favouring inheritors over entrepreneurs.
• In a socialist system, individuals do not have complete freedom to accumulate unlimited wealth. Socialism often places limitations on individual wealth accumulation in order to promote economic equality. The focus is on meeting the needs of all members of society rather than allowing individuals to amass vast amounts of wealth at the expense of others.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/socialism/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S1 is a protocol under UNTOC, and S3 is wrong as UNCAC has that provision.
• The United Nations Convention against Corruption is the only legally binding international anti-corruption multilateral treaty
• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is mandated by its Member States to assist in the implementation of both Conventions, which along with the UN Drug Conventions of 1961, 1971 and 1988 underpin all the operational work of UNODC.
• See https://www.unodc.org/southasia/en/frontpage/2011/may/indian-govt-ratifies-two-un-conventions.html

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/unodc-world-drug-report-2023/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: India has been ranked 40th on the latest world competitiveness ranking released by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD).
• Although India has slipped three spots from the previous year, it has improved from its 43rd rank in 2019-2021.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/2023-global-competitiveness-index/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Context: Union Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs has unveiled the first-ever report on “Critical Minerals for India.”
• What are Critical Minerals?
  • Critical minerals are a group of minerals that are essential for various industrial sectors and have strategic importance for a country’s economy and security. These minerals are characterized by their scarcity, high economic value, and criticality in the production of advanced technologies and defence systems.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/critical-minerals-list/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Global Environment Facility (GEF):
  • The Global Environment Facility was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summitto help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems.
  • It is an international partnership of 184 countries, international institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector that addresses global environmental issues.
  • GEF funds are available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet the objectives of the international environmental conventions and agreements.
  • The World Bank serves as the GEF Trustee, administering the GEF Trust Fund.
• It is a FINANCIAL MECHANISM for five major international environmental conventions:
  • Minamata Convention on Mercury,
  • Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs),
  • United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD),
  • United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/global-environment-facility-gef/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• With an area of 147,181 sq. km and a population of 29 million, Nepal shares a border of about 1850 km with five Indian States – Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/06/29/nepal/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Deposits are a liability on a commercial bank, since it must return its lenders the amount it owes them. Answer is B.
• Loans and Advances form assets of the bank. Also, Investments form the second largest component in the assets side of banks’ balance sheets after loans and advances as per a recent RBI report, see https://rbi.org.in/scripts/PublicationsView.aspx?Id=18743 (sec 2.4)
• So, the assets of the commercial bank in India are Cash in hand, Investments, Loans, Advances, Bills discounted and purchased, while the liabilities are Capital and Reserves, Deposits, Borrowings, and other liabilities.

Refer: UPSC CSE-2019