09 September 2022: Daily Current Affairs & GK for HAS/HPAS & Allied Services
Ques:1 Which of the following organisations is NOT an official partner of COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX)?
a) Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI)
b) Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)
c) United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
d) United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Correct Answer
Solution : D
COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as COVAX, is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by the GAVI vaccine alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the World Health Organization (WHO), alongside key delivery partner UNICEF. Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) or Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) is a public–private global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunization in poor countries. In 2016, Gavi channeled more than half of total donor assistance for health, and most donor assistance for immunization, by monetary measures. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the founders of GAVI and GAVI is a partner of COVAX.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-outline-of-an-essential-global-pandemic-treaty/article65867346.ece
Ques:2 Which of the following statement(s) regarding James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is/are correct?
- It is the successor to Hubble Space Telescope.
- This space programme was a joint mission of NASA and ISRO.
- JWST is the largest, most powerful infrared space telescope ever built yet.
Select the correct option using the code given below:
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer
Solution : C
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). JWST is the result of an international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency which was launched in December 2021. It is currently at a point in space known as the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, approximately 1.5 million km beyond Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Lagrange points are in any revolving two-body system like Earth and Sun, marking where the gravitational forces of the two large bodies cancel each other out. JWST is the largest, most powerful infrared space telescope ever built. It can see backwards in time to just after the Big Bang by looking for galaxies that are so far away that the light has taken many billions of years to get from those galaxies to our telescopes.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/explained-nasas-sonification-project-translating-james-webb-telescope-images-into-sound/article65856718.ece
Ques:3 Which of the following statement(s) regarding Human Development Index (HDI) is/are correct?
- It is published by Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).
- India’s rank in HDI 2021-22 has improved marginally to 130 from the previous rank of 132 in 2020.
Select the correct option using the code given below:
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer
Solution : D
India has ranked 132 of 191 countries on the 2021/22 Human Development Index (HDI), a report by United Nation Development Program (UNDP) said on Thursday. In 2020, India was at 130.
Human Development Index (HDI) emphasizes that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone.
HDI is based on three Basic Dimensions of Human Development:
1. A long and healthy life (life expectancy)
2. Access to knowledge (education)
3. A decent standard of living It is calculated using four indicators —
1. life expectancy at birth
2. mean years of schooling
3. expected years of schooling
4. Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-ranks-132-out-of-191-in-undps-human-development-index/article65866108.ece
Ques:4 Crime in India report is published by—
a) National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
b) National Investigative Agency (NIA)
c) Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
d) National Statistics Office (NSO)
Correct Answer Ans: A
Crime in India Report is a biennial flagship report of National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB).
NCRB was set up in 1986 to function as a repository of information on crime and criminals. It was established on the recommendations of the Ashok Tandon Committee.
NCRB was entrusted with the responsibility for monitoring, coordinating and implementing the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) project that connects 15000+ police stations and 6000 higher offices of police in the country.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/states-not-booking-human-trafficking-under-relevant-laws-mha/article65865147.ece
Ques:5 Consider the following statements about Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)
- If a PMI is above 0, it represents an expansion when compared with the previous month, and a negative score means contraction.
- It is released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer Ans: D
Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) is an economic indicator derived from the monthly survey of the private sector companies. PMI aims in providing information regarding the current and future conditions of a business to the decision-makers, analysts and investors of the company.
PMI focuses mainly on the 5 major Survey Areas:
1. Employment
2. New orders
3. Production
4. Inventory levels
5. Supplier deliveries
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) weighs all of these five surveys equally.
The headline PMI is a number which ranges from 0 to 100. If a PMI is above 50, it represents an expansion when compared with the previous month.
If the PMI value falls below 50, it indicates a contraction while a PMI value of 50 indicates no change.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/india-7-plus-annual-growth-and-the-realities/article65858194.ece
Ques:6 Which of the following rivers flow through India and Bangladesh
- Kushiyara river
- Feni River
- Teesta
- Barak river
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct Answer Solution : (D)
There are more than 50 common rivers between India and Babgladesh , water sharing of some of the river is major issues between both the nations.
• River Ganga flows through both India and Bangladesh. It is known as Padma in Bangladesh.
o The utilisation of water from River Ganga and its proper channelizing is in talks between India and Bangladesh.
• Teesta, which begins its journey in Sikkim, flows through north Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
• The Barak River flows 900 kilometres (560 mi) through the states of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam in India and further it enters Bangladesh
• Feni River is a trans-boundary river in southeastern Bangladesh and Tripura state of India.
Source : https://www.mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/35680/India++Bangladesh+Joint+Statement+during+the+State+Visit+of+Prime+Minister+of+Bangladesh+to+India
Ques:7 Consider the following statements. With respect to recently announced PM SHRI scheme
- It is a centrally sponsored scheme
- It aims to develop more than 30,000 schools across the country as PM SHRI Schools
- Under the scheme, targeted Schools will be developed as green schools
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer Solution : ( C)
Statement 1 is correct: On the occasion of Teacher's Day today, Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved a new centrally sponsored scheme - PM SHRI Schools (PM ScHools for Rising India).
Statement 2 is not correct: : It aims to develop more than 14500 schools across the country as PM SHRI Schools by strengthening select existing schools being managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies
Statement 3 is correct: The targets schools will be developed as green schools, incorporating environment friendly aspects like solar panels and LED lights, nutrition gardens with natural farming, waste management, plastic free, water conservation and harvesting, study of traditions/practices related to protection of environment, climate change related hackathon and awareness generation to adopt sustainable lifestyle.
Source : https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1857409#:~:text=Scheme%20of%20PM%20SHRI%20schools%20(PM%20ScHools%20for%20Rising%20India,%2D23%20to%202026%2D27
Ques:8 10% reservation to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) was permitted through which Indian constitutional amendment Act (CAA)
a) 42 CAA 1976
b) 69 CAA 1971
C) 61 CAA 1981
d) 101 CAA 2019
Correct Answer
Solution : (D)
• Option (B) is not correct: 69 Constitutional Amendment Act of 1991 accorded a special status to the Union Territory of Delhi by designing it as the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The amendment also provided for the creation of a 70-member legislative assembly and a 7-member council of ministers for Delhi
• Option (c) is correct: In India, the voting age has been reduced from 21 years to 18 years by the 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988. It comes into force by amending Article 326.
• Option (D) is correct: 14 January 2019, the One Hundred and Third Amendment of the Constitution of India amended articles 15(6) and 16(6) of the Constitution of India to permit 10% reservations to the EWS category.
Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/india/10-quota-for-ews-sc-says-will-examine-if-law-violates-basic-structure-8139697/
Ques:9 The basic structure theory of the Constitution of India implies that?
a) Certain features of the Constitution are so essential to it that they cannot be abrogated.
b) Fundamental rights cannot be abridged or taken away.
c) The Constitution cannot be amended except in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Article 368.
d) The Preamble of the Constitution cannot be amended for it is not a part of the Constitution
Correct Answer
Solution : (A)
In the Kesavananda Bharati case)1973), the Supreme court said that the Parliament has the power to abridge or take away any of the Fundamental Rights. However, it also said that the Parliament under Article 368 cannot alter the Basic Structure of the Constitution.
This means that the Parliament cannot amend or abrogate those features of the Constitution which are a part of its Basic Structure as they Certain features of the Constitution are so essential to it that they cannot be abrogated.
Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/india/10-quota-for-ews-sc-says-will-examine-if-law-violates-basic-structure-8139697/
Ques:10 Consider the following statements, with respect to human development Index (HDI)
1. It published by the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP annually.
2. HDI rank of India have improved slightly during last five years.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer
Solution : (A)
Statement 1 is correct: Human Development Index (HDI) is a summary measure of average achievement in key dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable and have a decent standard of living. The HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of the three dimensions. It is published by the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) annually.
Statement 2 is not correct: Recently, Human Development Report 2021-22 was released, As per the report India’s rank on the Human Development Index has slipped from 130 in 2020 to 132 in 2021, in line with a global fall in HDI scores in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source : https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/human-development-index#/indicies/HDI https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-slips-two-places-on-hdi-as-covid-19-reverses-global-gains-8139750/
