Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 7th September 2024 - UPSC MCQ

1. NCLAT Headquarters - Mumbai: Incorrect. The headquarters of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) is located in New Delhi, not Mumbai.

2. BPaLM Regimen - Includes Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid, and Rifampicin: Incorrect. The BPaLM regimen includes Bedaquiline, Pretomanid, Linezolid, and optionally, Moxifloxacin, not Rifampicin.

3. NCLAT Appeals - Against orders from National Financial Reporting Authority: Correct. NCLAT does consider appeals against orders from the National Financial Reporting Authority.

4. NTEP Goal - Eliminate TB by 2025: Correct. The National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) aims to eliminate TB in India by 2025.

Thus, the correctly matched pairs are pairs 3 and 4.

1. Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act - Introduced in 2006: Incorrect. The FRBM Act was introduced in 2003, not 2006.

2. Core Zones in Tiger Reserves - Areas where human activities are strictly prohibited: Correct. Core zones or critical tiger habitats are managed as inviolate areas where human activities are strictly prohibited.

3. Financialisation - Shift from industrial to financial activities: Correct. Financialisation entails a shift from traditional industrial activities to financial activities involving trading, management, and speculation of financial assets.

4. National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) - Established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Correct. The NTCA was indeed established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

So, three pairs are correctly matched.

1. Statement 1 is correct: The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) was indeed established under Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013. This statement accurately reflects the legislative basis for the creation of NCLAT.

2. Statement 2 is correct: NCLAT has the jurisdiction to hear appeals against the decisions made by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) under Sections 202 and 211 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016. This statement is therefore correct.

3. Statement 3 is incorrect: Decisions made by NCLAT can be challenged in the Supreme Court of India. This is a crucial aspect of the appellate process, providing a higher level of judicial review. Hence, the statement that NCLAT decisions cannot be challenged in any court is incorrect.

Thus, the correct answer is Option B

• Statement 1 is correct: La Niña is indeed associated with cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. This is a defining characteristic of the La Niña phenomenon.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: Contrary to the statement, La Niña years usually bring enhanced monsoon activity to India, often resulting in above-normal rainfall, not below-normal.
• Statement 3 is correct: La Niña years are known for increased cyclone activity in the north Indian Ocean, particularly during the months of May and November. This heightened activity leads to more frequent and intense cyclones.

Thus, the correct statements are 1 and 3.

La Niña is distinguished by cooler waters moving east-west in the Pacific, while El Niño is characterized by warmer waters spreading from west to east across the equatorial Pacific. This difference in sea temperature patterns influences global weather patterns, including impacts on ecosystems and agriculture. Understanding these contrasting phases of the ENSO cycle is crucial for predicting and managing climate-related events and their effects on various regions worldwide.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is primarily focused on implementing relocation plans for villagers residing in core tiger zones to ensure the protection and conservation of tigers and their habitats. This initiative aims to maintain the integrity of these critical areas and reduce human-wildlife conflicts, ultimately contributing to the preservation of India's tiger population.

- Statement 1: Correct. The 2024-25 Union Budget indeed projected a reduction of fiscal deficit to 4.5% of GDP by 2025-26.

- Statement 2: Correct. The budget also set a goal to ensure a declining path for central government debt as a percentage of GDP starting from 2026-27.

- Statement 3: Incorrect. The combined fiscal deficit of central and state governments is expected to reach 7.5% of GDP, not 10%.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option B.

The main objective of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) is to expedite the resolution of corporate disputes and improve transparency in corporate governance and insolvency matters in India. This objective aligns with the broader goal of ensuring efficient and effective processes within the corporate legal framework. By streamlining appeals processes and providing a platform for addressing disputes, the NCLAT plays a crucial role in enhancing the overall corporate environment in the country.

1. El Niño: Incorrectly matched. El Niño is the warm phase of ENSO characterized by warmer waters in the eastern Pacific, not cooler waters.

2. La Niña: Correctly matched. La Niña is the cool phase of ENSO characterized by cooler waters in the eastern Pacific and warmer waters being pushed to the western Pacific.

3. Neutral Phase: Correctly matched. The neutral phase is when there are no significant temperature anomalies in the Pacific.

4. Cyclogenesis: Correctly matched. La Niña years are associated with increased cyclone activity in the north Indian Ocean.

Pairs 2, 3, and 4 are correctly matched.

Statement-I correctly describes La Niña as the cool phase of the ENSO, characterized by cooler waters moving east-west in the Pacific.
Statement-II accurately explains the process during La Niña when strengthened trade winds push more water towards the western Pacific, leading to cooler eastern waters. This process contributes to the cooling effect associated with La Niña, making both statements correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I.