20 September 2022: Daily Current Affairs & GK for HAS/HPAS & Allied Services
Ques:1 ‘PM PRANAM’ scheme of the Government of India, is related to which____?
b) Providing financial assistance to senior citizen
c) Providing nutrients food in tribal area
d) None of the above
Correct Answer
- Solution : (A)
- PM PRANAMs stands for PM Promotion of Alternate Nutrients for Agriculture Management Yojana, scheme intends to reduce the subsidy burden on chemical fertilisers which is expected to increase to Rs 2.25 lakh crore in 2022-2023, which is 39% higher than the previous year’s figure of Rs 1.62 lakh crore.
- Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/what-is-the-pm-pranam-scheme-fertilisers-8160344/
Ques:2 Which of the following animals are categorised as ‘Critically Endangered’ under IUCN red list
- Kashmir Stag
- Pygmy hog
- Great Indian Bustard
- Asiatic cheetah
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2, 3 and 4 only
d) 2 and 4 only
Correct Answer
- Solution : (A)
- The Kashmir stag (Cervus hanglu hanglu), also called hangul, is a subspecies of Central Asian red deer endemic to Kashmir and surrounding areas. It is listed as Critically Endangered species under IUCN red list.
- Pygmy hog is native to alluvial grasslands in the foothills of the Himalayas at elevations of up to 300 meters. The only known population lives in Northwest Bengal, and Assam. As they estimate the population at less than 250 mature individuals, it is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- Great Indian Bustard is listed under Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red. Its habitat Dry grasslands and scrublands on the Indian subcontinent; its largest populations are found in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
- Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) is a subspecies of the cheetah and is slightly smaller and lighter than its African counterpart, It is recognized as critically endangered species under IUCN red list.
Ques:3 Tulip Revolution was started in which country?
b) Kyrgyzstan
c) Tunisia
d) France
Correct Answer
Solution : (B)
- Tulip Revolution: Also called the First Kyrgyz Revolution, the movement led to the ouster of Kyrgyzstan’s President Askar Akayev in early 2005. These protests were in response to the parliamentary elections in February, in which Akayev’s allies and family members won.
- Jasmine Revolution: The popular uprising that occurred between December 2010 to January 2011 in Tunisia was in response to the underlying corruption, unemployment, inflation and lack of political freedoms in the country.
- Orange Revolution: It refers to a series of protests that occurred in Ukraine between November 2004 and January 2005.
Ques:4 Consider the following statements about ‘National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)’
- It is set up as an attached office of the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals
- It fixes and revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and monitors the prices of decontrolled drug.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
a) Certain features of the Constitution are so essential to it that they cannot be abrogated.
Correct Answer
The correct answer is (C)
Statement 1 is correct: National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority was set up as an attached office of the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (now Department of Pharmaceuticals since July, 2008) on 29th August 1997.
Statement 2 is correct: It fix/revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the country, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995.
Source : https://pharmaceuticals.gov.in/national-pharmaceutical-pricing-authority
Ques:5 The basic structure theory of the Constitution of India implies that ?
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
a) Parboiled whole rice
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 certain features of the Constitution are so essential to it that they cannot be abrogated.
- Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/fali-s-nariman-supreme-courts-basic-structure-doctrine-new-context-8160302/
Ques:6 Currently, Indian government has put a blanket ban on the export of which of the following rice?
b) Basmati whole rice
c) Non-basmati whole rice
d) Broken rice
Correct Answer
- Solution : D
- Recently, the Ministry of Finance notified the slapping of a 20% duty on exports of rice other than parboiled and basmati rice while the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry imposed a blanket ban on broken rice exports.
- Exports of basmati rice and parboiled non-basmati rice –are still freely allowed.
- The curbs are only for the export of other two types of rice: raw (white) and broken non-basmati rice.
- India has a 40% share of the world’s total rice exports. The curbs announced will affect just under half of India’s rice exports in terms of quantity and over a third by value.
- The possibility of India’s rice production declining significantly because of deficient monsoon rainfall in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Gangetic West Bengal.
- Government is worried about their depletion in the event of a sub-par kharif harvest.
- Government also is looking to continue the free-foodgrains scheme (Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana) beyond September 2022.
- Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/agri-business/explained-the-ban-on-the-export-of-broken-rice/article65906053.ece
Ques:7. Consider the following statements regarding the inclusion and exclusion of scheduled tribes in the ST list:
- Constitutional provisions for the same are given in Articles 245 and 246.
- They can be added to or removed from the ST list by President
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer
- Solution: B
- Article 342: Scheduled Tribes (STs):
- (1) The President may with respect to any State or Union territory, and where it is a State, after consultation with the Governor thereof, by public notification, specify the tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities which shall for the purposes of this Constitution be deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in relation to that State or Union territory, as the case may be.
- (2) Parliament may by law include in or exclude from the list of Scheduled Tribes specified in a notification issued under clause any tribe or tribal community or part of or group within any tribe or tribal community.
- Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/explained-the-process-of-inclusion-or-exclusion-from-the-scheduled-tribes-list/article65906246.ece
Ques:8. Recently, the central government added 4 tribes to the ST list. In this context, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Hatti tribe of Chhattisgarh and Binjhia tribe of Himachal Pradesh were added.
- One of the criteria for inclusion in ST list is Ethnological traits
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
a) 1 only
Correct Answer
Solution : B
As part of the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2022, the Union cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister approved the inclusion of several communities to the list of Schedule Tribes in four states so that they can avail of benefits meant for STs, including reservation.
Tribes included:
- Hatti tribe (Trans-Giri area of Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh)
- Narikoravar(hill tribe of Tamil Nadu)
- Kuruvikaran(hill tribe of Tamil Nadu)
- Binjhia(Chhattisgarh)
Criteria for inclusion:
- Ethnological traits
- Traditional characteristics
- Distinctive culture
- Geographical isolation
- Backwardness
Source:
Ques:9. Which of the following statements about the doctrine of essential religious practice (ERP) is/are correct?
- It is defined in the Indian Constitution.
- Only those practices deemed essential to a religion are protected while the judiciary may strike down other religious practices if they violate individuals' fundamental rights.
Select the correct option from the code given below:
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer
Source : B
- Essential religious practice (ERP) test is a doctrine evolved by the supreme court (SC) to protect only such religious practices under fundamental rights, which are essential and integral to religion. The doctrine of “essentiality” was invented by the SC in the Shirur Mutt case in 1954.
- Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-hijab-case-and-the-essential-practices-doctrine/article65910967.ece
Ques:10. International Finance Corporation (IFC) is an arm of —
b) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
c) World Bank
d) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Correct Answer
Solution : C
World Bank Group:
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) provides loans, credits, and grants.
- International Development Association (IDA) provides low- or no-interest loans to low-income countries.
- International Finance Corporation (IFC) provides investment, advice, and asset management to companies and governments.
- Multilateral Guarantee Agency (MIGA) insures lenders and investors against political risk such as war.
- The International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) settles investment disputes between investors and countries.
