21 September 2022: Daily Current Affairs & GK for HAS/HPAS & Allied Services
Ques:1. Consider the
following statements about ‘Pusa bio-decomposer’:
1. It converts crop stubble
into bio-manure.
2. It is a bacteria-based
formulation.
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
Source : A
To control stubble burning and reduce air pollution during winter, the
Delhi government will spray a bio decomposer free of cost over 5,000 acres of
paddy fields in the city this year.
A bio-decomposer capsule, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research
Institute/ Pusa Institute, turns into a solution through a week long process,
after which it decomposes straw and stubble into manure.
The Pusa decomposer is made by extracting fungi strains that help the paddy
straw to decompose at a much faster rate than usual. The fungi helps to produce
the essential enzymes for the degradation process.
Ques:2. Consider the following
statements about spotted deer
1.
It is one of the threatened species as per IUCN red list categories.
2.
Also known as Chital, spotted deer has a very wide distribution across
India.
Which of the above
statement(s) is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer
Solution : B
Chital or the Spotted Deer is found in most parts of India.
IUCN status - Least Concern (LC)
Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has denied reports that chital from
Rajasthan are being ferried to the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh
for the newly acquired cheetahs to prey on them.
On Tuesday, several media outlets reported that members of the Bishnoi
community in Rajasthan, which is very active in wildlife conservation, had
written to Prime Minister, protesting against the alleged capture of chital by
Forest Department officials to bolster prey numbers in the Kuno reserve.
Sambar and chital would constitute preferred prey for the wild cat that is
currently being acclimatised to Indian conditions before they are let into the
wild.
As part of these relocations, chital were being moved to the Satpura
National Park, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the Nauradehi forest and the
KNP. These animals were also moved around because they would graze on standing
crop and cause losses to those who lived in the vicinity.
Ques:3. Consider the following
statements about Ethereum
1.
Ethereum is the world’s second most valuable cryptocurrency.
2.
Ethereum has now undergone ‘the Merge’ in which it shifted from a
‘proof-of-stake’ (PoS) mechanism to a ‘proof-of-work’ (PoW) one.
3.
The Merge will help reduce its energy consumption by nearly 99.95%.
How many of the given
statements is/are correct ?
a) 1 statement
b) 2 statements
c) 3 statements
d) No statements
Correct Answer
Solution : B
Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain/cryptocurrency with
smart contract functionality. Ethereum is the world’s second most valuable
cryptocurrency having 2nd longest blockchain (bitcoin is still the top)
Ethereum recently finalised “the Merge” which will help reduce its energy
consumption by nearly 99.95%, by switching from ‘proof-of-work’ (PoW) to a
‘proof-of-stake’ (PoS) mechanism.
Ques:4. Consider the following
statements regarding Criminal Procedure (Identification) Rules, 2022.
1.
The new rules enable police and central investigating agencies to collect,
store and analyse physical and biological samples including retina and iris
scans of arrested persons.
2.
These rules have been notified by central government under the Indian Penal
Code (IPC), 1860.
3.
The biometric measurements of criminals will be stored with Unique
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to be linked to demographic data.
Which of the above statements
is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 3 only
Solution : A
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has notified the rules governing The
Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 that would enable police and
central investigating agencies to collect, store and analyse physical and
biological samples including retina and iris scans of arrested persons.
The rules do not mention the procedure to be adopted for convicted persons.
The measurements of persons detained under various preventive detention laws
shall not be taken unless clubbed with a serious offence or ordered by a court.
“Measurements” includes finger-impressions, palm-print, foot-print,
photographs, iris and retina scan, physical, biological samples and their
analysis, behavioural attributes including signatures, handwriting etc.
National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) under the MHA will direct States on
how to collect and store the information.
Ques:5. Consider the following
statements regarding methyl isocyanate (MIC):
1.
MIC is used in the production of pesticides, polyurethane foam, and
plastics.
2.
It is a colourless highly flammable liquid that evaporates quickly when
exposed to the air.
3.
Babies born to women exposed to gas were significantly more likely to have
congenital malformations.
Which of the above statements
are correct ?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Solution : D
MIC caused Bhopal gas tragedy (1984)- known as the world's worst industrial
disaster.
The highly dangerous and toxic gas, Methyl Isocynate (MIC), escaped from a
plant of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL). It resulted in the death of 15,000
to 20,000 people.
Some half a million survivors suffered respiratory problems, eye irritation
or blindness, muscular dystrophy and other maladies resulting from exposure to
the toxic gas.
Babies born to women exposed to gas were significantly more likely to have
congenital malformations.
Methyl isocyanate is a colourless highly flammable liquid that evaporates
quickly when exposed to the air. It has a sharp, strong odour.
It is used in the production of pesticides, polyurethane foam, and
plastics.
MIC is safe when maintained properly. The chemical is highly reactive to
heat. When exposed to water, the compounds in MIC react with each other causing
a heat reaction.
Ques:6. With reference to Enforcement Directorate
(ED), consider the following statements
1.
It
is a statutory body which works It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
2.
It is mandated
with the task of enforcing the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act
and Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
3.
The minimum tenure
of director of Enforcement Directorate is two years which can be extend up to
five years.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 only
Solution : C
Statement 1 is not correct: Enforcement
Directorate (ED) is not a statutory body and it works under Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
Statement 2 is correct:
The statutory functions of the Directorate include enforcement of following
Acts:
1.
The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA): It is a criminal law enacted
to prevent money laundering. ED has been given the responsibility to
enforce the provisions of the PMLA by conducting investigation to trace the
assets derived from proceeds of crime, to provisionally attach the property and
to ensure prosecution of the offenders and confiscation of the property by the
Special court.
2.
The Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA): It is a civil law under
which ED has been given the responsibility to conduct investigation into
suspected contraventions of foreign exchange laws and regulations, to
adjudicate and impose penalties on those adjudged to have contravened the law.
3.
The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 (FEOA): This law was enacted to
deter economic offenders from evading the process of Indian law by remaining
outside the jurisdiction of Indian courts
Statement 3 is correct:
The tenure of director of Enforcement Directorate is minimum two years
which can be extend upto five years by extension
of the tenure by up to one year at a time.
Source : https://enforcementdirectorate.gov.in/
Ques:7. La Nina is
suspected to cause floods in Australia. How is La Nina different from El Nino?
1. La Nina is characterised by
unusually cold ocean temperature in equatorial Indian Ocean, whereas El Nino is
characterised by unusually warm ocean temperature in the equatorial Pacific
Ocean
2. El Nino has adverse effect
on South- West monsoon in India, but La Nina has no effect on monsoon
climate.
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
Solution : (D)
Statement 1 is not correct: Both La Nina and El Nino
are associated with the Pacific Ocean. La Nina is the name given to the
situation when the West equatorial Pacific becomes exceptionally warm and the
East Equatorial Pacific becomes exceptionally cold. It is the opposite of the El
Nino situation.
Statement 2 is not correct: La Nina has an effect
on the Indian monsoon. It is associated with excess rainfall during the monsoon
season.
Source : https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-climate/india-monsoon-the-triple-dip-la-nina-8162945/
Ques:8. With reference to
the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of India, consider the
following statements:
1.
It is a statutory body under the Ministry
of Home Affairs
2.
It is empowered to investigate and prosecute offences committed
within and outside India.
3.
The cases investigated by NIA are dealt by Special NIA
Courts whose judges are appointed by the Central Government on the
recommendation of the Chief Justice of the supreme court.
Which of the statements given
above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Solution : (A)
Statement 1
is correct. The National
Investigation Agency (NIA) is a statutory body which was constituted under
the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, 2008 in the wake of the 26/11
Mumbai terrorist attacks.
NIA is
functioning as the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency of India
which functions
under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Statement 2
is correct NIA
Act, 2008 empowers the NIA to investigate and prosecute to investigate and prosecute
offences within India and NIA (Amendment)
Act, 2019 empowered the agency to investigate offences
committed outside India, subject to international treaties and domestic laws of
other countries.
Statement 3
is not correct: The
investigated cases by NIA are trailed under special courts whose
judges are appointed by the Central government on the recommendation of the
Chief Justice of the High Court with
jurisdiction in that region.
The NIA can also make an
application to the Chief Justice of the High Court for appointment of a Judge
to preside over the Special Court.
Ques:9. Which of the
following are the supervisory tools under
the Prompt Corrective Action Framework (PCAF) of Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
1.
Minimum Regulatory Capital
2.
Net NPA
3.
Leverage ratio
Select the correct answer
using the code given below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Correct Answer
Solution : (D)
The PCA norm is a supervisory tool and is imposed when a
bank breaches certain regulatory thresholds norms such as Minimum
Regulatory Capital, Net NPA and Leverage ratio.
https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/BS_PressReleaseDisplay.aspx?prid=54395
Ques:10
All-India Consumer Price Index
Number for Agricultural Labourers is released by
a) Ministry of Labour &
Employment
b) Ministry of Agriculture
& Farmers' Welfare
c) Ministry of Statistics
& Programme Implementation
d) Ministry of Rural
Development
Solution : (A)
All-India
Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers
(Base: 1986-87=100) is released by Ministry of Labour & Employment.
Source : https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1860901
