UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 08 January 2024

Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.

The Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) has overturned the Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi) fine on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in the dark-fibre case.

The investigation focused on potential violations of regulations and circulars related to fraudulent and unfair trade practices.

About Dark Fiber:

• Dark fibre, also known as unlit fibre, is unused fibre-optic cable and infrastructure. It’s available for purchase or rent from network service providers.
• Dark fibre is used for private networking, internet access, and internet infrastructure networking. It’s typically used for telecom and network communications.
• Dark fibre is different from “lit fibre” which refers to cables that are actively being used. Dark fibre is inactive because no information is passed through it, so no light pulse is transmitted.

Source

Solution: c)

The Dare to Dream Contest, initiated in memory of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, is an annual initiative by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Launched in 2019, the contest provides a unique opportunity for start-ups, innovators, entrepreneurs, and individuals above 18 years old to address key challenges in emerging technologies, ultimately contributing to enhancing India’s defence and aerospace capabilities.

Source

Solution: d)

Logistics refers to the management and coordination of the flow of goods, services, and information from the point of origin to the point of consumption. It involves various activities such as transportation, storage, handling, and distribution to ensure the efficient movement of products within the supply chain.

India has ranked 38 out of 139 countries in the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index 2023 (2018 rank of India was 44)

The unorganized sector amounts to over 90% of the logistics sector.

Source

Solution: b)

Statement 1 is incorrect.

• Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) program, a collaborative effort between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), was recently launched in Saint Lucia.
• India has been selected as the Partner Administrationand will contribute Tax Experts to the 12-18-month initiative. This marks the seventh TIWB program supported by India through the provision of Tax Experts.
• Aim: The program’s focus is on the effective use of automatic exchange of information under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) framework. TIWB will facilitate the transfer of tax audit knowledge and skills to developing country tax administrations using a practical, “learning by doing” approach.

Source

Solution: d)

Cropping pattern: It is a dynamic concept because it changes over space and time. It can be defined as the proportion of area under various crops at a point of time. In other words, it is a yearly sequence and spatial arrangement of sowing and fallow on a given area. In India, the cropping pattern determined by rainfall, climate, temperature, soil type and technology.