UPSC Current Affairs Quiz : 15 June 2024

Ans: (c)

Explanation: PM Awas Yojana:

• It was initiated in 2015 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Scheme type PMAY is a centrally sponsored scheme (Both the Union and the State governments financially contribute to it)
• The scheme has two components: PMAY-Urban and PMAY-Rural, which cater to the urban and rural areas respectively
• Objective
  • Rehabilitation of slum dwellers with private developers’ participation
  • Promotion of affordable housing for the weaker sections through Credit Linked Subsidy Schemes (CLSS)
  • Providing subsidy for Beneficiary-led Construction (BLC).

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (b)

Explanation

• Global Economic Prospects Report: World Bank
• The report emphasizes boosting public investments in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs) to achieve development goals. Increasing public investment by 1% of GDP can spur GDP growth by over 1.5% and private investment by 2.2%. However, it may crowd out private investment in limited fiscal space scenarios.
• Recommendations include expanding fiscal space, improving efficiency, and enhancing global support for structural reforms.

Refer:https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Global Gender Gap Index

• By the World Economic Forum (WEF)
• India ranks 129th in the report. Produced annually since 2006, the index tracks progress toward closing these gaps over time.
• Parameters: It tracks gender disparities across four key parameters: (1) Economic participation and opportunity, (2) educational attainment, (3) Health and survival, and (4) Political empowerment. Countries are ranked on a scale from 0 to 1, with 1 representing complete gender equality and 0 indicating complete inequality.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1 is correct. The President exercises this power on the advice of the Council of Ministers, as per the established convention in the Indian constitutional framework.
• S2 is incorrect. The President’s power to pardon is not absolute and can be subjected to judicial review.
  • Kehar Singh vs. Union of India Case (1988): The exercise of power by the President is not subject to judicial review except where the presidential decision is arbitrary, irrational, mala fide, or discriminatory.
• S3 is correct. The President can pardon punishments awarded by both court-martial and ordinary courts, extending the scope of this power to a broad range of judicial decisions.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• S1 is incorrect because the ISS orbits the Earth approximately 15.5 times per day, not once every 24 hours. It travels at a speed of about 28,000 kilometers (17,500 miles) per hour.
• S2 is correct. The ISS is a multinational collaborative project involving NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). This collaboration has allowed for shared research and the pooling of resources and expertise.
• S3 is incorrect because the ISS is in low Earth orbit (LEO), approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) above the Earth’s surface, not in geostationary orbit. Geostationary orbit is much higher, at about 35,786 kilometers (22,236 miles) above the equator, and is used primarily for communication satellites.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1: Nitrous oxide is a major greenhouse gas: Nitrous oxide has a significant impact on global warming. It has a global warming potential approximately 298 times that of carbon dioxide over a 100-year period.
• S2: Nitrous oxide contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer: Nitrous oxide is now the leading ozone-depleting substance emitted by human activities, following the reduction of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) due to international regulations.
• S3: Nitrous oxide is produced by bacteria in soils and oceans through natural processes: Microbial processes, including nitrification and denitrification in soils and oceans, naturally produce nitrous oxide. These natural sources are supplemented by agricultural activities, which enhance microbial production of N₂O.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S1: Incorrect. Alzheimer’s disease is not a reversible condition; it is progressive and primarily affects older adults, not young adults.
• S2: Correct. The primary risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is increasing age. Most people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older, although it can occur in younger individuals in rare cases.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• S1 is Incorrect: Snow leopards are not found exclusively in the Himalayas. They inhabit a wide range of mountainous regions across Central and South Asia, including the Himalayas, the Altai Mountains, and the Tibetan Plateau.
• S2 is Incorrect: The snow leopard is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This indicates that it faces a high risk of endangerment in the wild.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• Hemis National Park is a high-elevation national park in Hemis in Leh district of Ladakh, India. It is approx. 50 km from Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Globally famous for its snow leopards, it is believed to have the highest density of them in any protected area in the world.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

• Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea, situated in the southern part of the Aegean Sea. It is bordered by the Sea of Crete to the north, the Libyan Sea to the south, the Myrtoan Sea to the west, and the Carpathian Sea to the east. The island features rugged mountains, with Mt. Ida (Psiloritis) being the highest point.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/06/14/upsc-current-affairs-14-june-2024/