[Mission 2024] QUED ( Questions from Editorials ) 14 October 2023

Solution: d)

In rural Bharat, DBT has allowed the government to provide financial assistance effectively and transparently to farmers with lower transaction costs – be it for fertilisers or any of the other schemes including the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, and PM Krishi Sinchayi Yojana — thus becoming the backbone for supporting the growth of the agricultural economy. The benefits received under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and Public Distribution System drive the rural demand-supply chain.

In urban India, the PM Awas Yojana and LPG Pahal scheme successfully use DBT to transfer funds to eligible beneficiaries. Various scholarship schemes and the National Social Assistance Programme use the DBT architecture to provide social security. DBT under rehabilitation programmes such as the Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers opens new frontiers that enable social mobility of all sections of society.

Solution: d)

Nagorno-Karabakh is a mountainous region officially recognised as part of Azerbaijan. But its 1.2 lakh population is predominantly ethnic Armenian, having close cultural, social, and historical ties with Armenia. Basically, Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan. The conclave is connected to Armenia through the 5-km Lachin Corridor.

Source

Solution: c)

Dual-member constituencies were introduced by the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952, to reserve seats with sizeable SC and ST populations. Seats with more than half the population belonging to SCs or STs were single-member constituencies. But after the first two Lok Sabha elections, in 1952 and 1957, the system was discarded through the Two-Member Constituencies (Abolition) Act, 1961.

Dual-membership faced major criticism after the 1957 election as 20 such constituencies saw winners from the same group, either SC or ST, and did not elect a general candidate.

Source

Solution: b)

The Arctic Ocean is located within the Arctic Circle and surrounds the North Pole. It is connected with the Pacific Ocean by a narrow stretch of shallow water known as berring strait.

Solution: d)

Section 3(b) in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940

“drug” includes—

(i) all medicines for internal or external use of human beings or animals and all substances intended to be used for or in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of any disease or disorder in human beings or animals, including preparations applied on human body for the purpose of repelling insects like mosquitoes;]

(ii) such substances (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the human body or intended to be used for the destruction of [vermin] or insects which cause disease in human beings or animals, as may be specified from time to time by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette;]