Daily Current Affairs MCQ- April 26, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, The Bombay High Court Friday quashed the write-off of Additional Tier-1 (AT1) bonds worth Rs 8,400 crore issued by Yes Bank Ltd, bringing relief to investors.

• These bonds are unsecured bonds that have perpetual tenors, are issued by banks and have no maturity date.
• They have a call option, which can be used by the banks to buy these bonds back from investors. These bonds are typically used by banks to bolster their core or tier-1 capital.
• These AT1 bonds are subordinate to all other debt and only senior to common equity.
• These bonds were introduced by the Basel accord after the global financial crisis to protect depositors.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently once again a proposal for assigning the official tag for the Mahabali frog to come up before the State Wildlife Advisory Board which was recommended by the Kerala Forest Department.

• The Mahabali frog is also known as the pignose frog.
• It is endemic to the Western Ghat.
• Habitat: These frogs prefer loose, damp and well-aerated soil close to ponds and ditches or streams.
• Specific Traits of this frog
• Unlike other frogs, it has very short hind legs, which do not allow it to leap from one spot to another.
• It buries itself all through the year and surfaces only one day to lay eggs.
• Conservation Status 
• IUCN - Near Threatened

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Recently, the Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) distributed live Bee Colonies, Bee-keeping equipment and 200 Bee-Boxes to the trained beneficiaries at Sulia at Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka under the RE-HAB Project.

• It is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, of 1956.
• The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organisation and implementation of programmes for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
• It works under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, a new study has found that several alien invasive plants growing together can have a detrimental effect on the biodiversities in tiger habitats in Kanha Tiger Reserve.

Key facts about Kanha Tiger Reserve

• It is nestled in the Maikal range of Satpuras in Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India that forms the central Indian highlands.
• This Tiger Reserve stretches over an area of 940 square km in the two districts Mandla and Balaghat in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
• Kanha is best known for its evergreen Sal forests.
• Fauna: Barasingha, Tiger, Leopard, Dhole, Bear, Gaur and Indian Python etc.

Hence both statements are correct.

Implementing a recent Supreme Court order on higher provident fund pensions, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has made a provision in the member’s portal so that retired workers can opt for higher pension.

About Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO):

• It is a statutory body under the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Act, 1952.
• It is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Labor and Employment.
• Structure of EPFO:
• The Act and all its schemes are administered by a tripartite board called the Central Board of Trustees.
• The board comprises representatives of the Government (both Central and State), employers, and employees.
• The board is chaired by the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Government of India.
• The Central Board of Trustees operates 3 schemes:
• The Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952 (EPF)
• The Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 (EPS)
• The Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976 (EDLI)
• EPFO is also the nodal agency for implementing Bilateral Social Security Agreements with other countries on a reciprocal basis.
• Coverage: The schemes offered by EPFO cover Indian workers and international workers (from countries with whom the EPFO has signed bilateral agreements).

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Supreme Court recently said that the chargesheet filed by investigating agencies in a criminal case in court is not a public document which could be directed to be put in public domain by uploading it on a website and also it cannot be revealed under Right to Information Act.

What is a Chargesheet?

• According to Section 173 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a charge sheet is a report generated by police officers after investigating a case.
• It contains all the stringent records right from the commencement of investigation procedure of lodging an FIR to till the completion of investigation and preparation of final report.
• It contains the names of the people brought in the custody, the charges they are brought in for and the identity of the accusers.
• Once the charge sheet has been submitted to a court of law, prosecution proceedings against the accused begin.
• Time limit for filing a Charge Sheet:
• It is to be filed within 60 days from the date of arrest of the accused in cases triable by lower courts and 90 days in cases triable by Court of Sessions.
• If the charge sheet is not filed within the prescribed time mentioned above, the accused has a right to default bail.
• A charge sheet is distinct from the First Information Report (FIR).

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Supreme Court said recently that it will set up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear pleas challenging the constitutional validity of polygamy and nikah halala practice among Muslims.

About Nikah halala:

• The expression “Nikah Halala” literally means a marriage to make something halal or permissible.
• As per Muslim Law, A man cannot remarry his wife after he divorced her, unless the wife is married to another man and gets divorced from that man (second husband) or after the death of the second husband.
• Thus the process of making the woman permissible for her first husband by giving her marriage to a third person with a pre-condition is known as Nikah Halala also known as Tahleel marriage.
• In this process, the third person consummates the marriage with the object to make the woman permissible for her first husband.
• Does the Quran permit this? There is no sanction in the holy Quran for such marriages.
• Legality of Nikah halala in India:
• The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 passed after the invalidation of triple talaq by the Supreme Court, is silent on nikah halala.
• The Act made instant triple talaq a criminal offence but steered clear of halala which takes place as a consequence of triple talaq.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Farmers in Rajasthan’s Barmer district were left baffled and agitated after the public sector Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC) has released paltry sums such as 4 paise, ₹1, ₹10 and ₹20 as compensation against claims for damage of kharif crops of 2021.

Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC):

• It was incorporated under the Indian Companies Act 1956 on 20th December, 2002.
• The company has an authorized capital of Rs. 1500 crore and paid-up share capital of Rs. 200 Crores.
• The Company is under administrative control of the Ministry of Finance.
• It is the biggest crop insurance company in the world (20 million farmers covered).
• It is headquartered at New Delhi, India.
• It is promoted by 6 Public Sector Financial Institution Viz. General Insurance Corporation, New India Assurance Company, Oriental Insurance Company, National Insurance Company, United India Insurance Company and NABARD.:
• AIC provides weather & yield-based crop insurance schemes in over 500 districts of India.
• AIC provides insurance cover to the farmers for financial losses arising from the failure of the crop (mentioned in insurance scheme) resulting from the pests, diseases, and natural calamities.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The 8th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) was recently inaugurated at the Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal.

About India International Science Festival:

• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Science of Government of India in association with Vijnana Bharati which is a science movement with Swadeshi spirit led by eminent scientists of the country.
• It is a festival to celebrate the achievements of India’s scientific and technological advancements with students, innovators, craftsmen, farmers, scientists and technocrats from India and abroad.
• ISF provides opportunities to people and scientific fraternity in the country and abroad to come together and work together.

IISF 2022:

• Location: Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
• It is the eighth edition since its inception in 2015.
• Theme: ‘Marching towards Amrit Kaal with Science, Technology, and Innovation’
• IISF 2022 is a four day festival and will feature 14 thematic events.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Assam Chief Minister recently said that the Central Government has decided to send a proposal to UNESCO nominating Charaideo Maidam of Ahom Kingdom as a World Heritage Site.

What is Charaideo Maidam?

• Charaideo commonly known as ‘Pyramids of Assam’ was the original capital of the Ahom Kings.
• Charaideo remained the symbolic center of Ahom Kingdom even though the capital of the kingdom moved many times.
• It was built by Chaolung Sukhapa the founder of the dynasty in about 1229 CE.
• Location: Located at the foothills of Nagaland, it’s situated at a distance of around 30 KM from the historical Sivsagar town in Assam.
• Why is Charaideo known as ‘Pyramids of Assam’?
• It contains sacred burial grounds of Ahom kings and queens and is also the place of the ancestral Gods of the Ahoms.
• Some 42 tombs (Maidams) of Ahom kings and queens are present at Charaideo hillocks.
• Architecture: It comprises a massive underground vault with one or more chambers having domical superstructure and covered by a heap of earthen mound and externally it appears a hemispherical mound.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.