UPSC Editorials Quiz : 9 January 2024

Solution: a)

Unlike laws governing other agencies, particularly the CBI, the PMLA allows the ED to take cognizance of any offence under its wide-ranging schedule across the country, with or without the consent of state governments.

It has, therefore, been able to register money laundering cases against politicians or activists based on FIRs filed by state police forces — something the CBI is unable to do unless requested by the state government, or ordered by a court or the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

Solution: b)

Keynesian economics is a macroeconomic theory of total spending in the economy and its effects on output, employment, and inflation. It was developed by British economist John Maynard Keynes during the 1930s in an attempt to understand the Great Depression.

The central belief of Keynesian economics is that government intervention can stabilize the economy. Keynes’ theory was the first to sharply separate the study of economic behavior and individual incentives from the study of broad aggregate variables and constructs.

Based on his theory, Keynes advocated for increased government expenditures and lower taxes to stimulate demand and pull the global economy out of the Depression.

Solution: b)

Statement 3 is incorrect.

ONGC Videsh Limited, a Miniratna Schedule “A” Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) of the Government of India under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, is the wholly owned subsidiary and overseas arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), the flagship national oil company (NOC) of India. The primary business of ONGC Videsh is to prospect for oil and gas acreages outside India, including exploration, development and production of oil and gas.

ONGC Videsh owns Participating Interests in 35 oil and gas assets in 15 countries and produced about 30.3% of oil and 23.7% of oil and natural gas of India’s domestic production. In terms of reserves and production, ONGC Videsh is the second largest petroleum company of India, next only to its parent ONGC.

Solution: c)

Under the Water act, one Central board and numerous State boards shall be appointed by notification in the Official Gazette called Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) respectively with effect from a date not later than six months of the commencement of this Act.

The State Boards shall investigate, assess, and monitor the issues of concern regarding the quality and pollution of the water resources available in their jurisdiction and shall report the same through quarterly and annual reports during board meetings to the Central Board.

The Central Board hereby shall look into the State Board’s reports and also monitor and handle major issues regarding national water resources.

The primary goal of the Central Board as stated in accordance with the Water Act shall be to promote cleanliness of streams and wells in different areas of the States.

Solution: a)

Rabi crops are sown in winter from October to December and harvested in summer from April to June. Some of the important Rabi crops are wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.

Moong, urad and cotton are the examples of Kharif crops. 

Though, these crops are grown in large parts of India, states from the north and north-western parts such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are important for the production of wheat and other rabi crops.  Availability of precipitation during winter months due to the western temperate cyclones helps in the success of these crops.