Daily Current Affairs MCQ- December 29, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 7th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of AIIB via video conference.

• The theme of this year’s Annual Meeting was “Sustainable Infrastructure Toward a Connected World”.
• What is AIIB? AIIB is a multilateral development bank that aims to improve economic and social outcomes in Asia.
• Headquarters: Beijing, China.
• Board of Governors: All powers of the Bank are vested in our Board of Governors, which is the highest decision-making body under our Articles of Agreement.
• Membership: AIIB has 105 members. China is the AIIB’s largest shareholder with a 26.5% voting share. India is the second-largest, with 7.5%, followed by Russia, which has a 5.97% voting share.
  • India is a Founding Member of AIIB. India also has the largest project portfolio within AIIB.

Hence both statements are is correct.

Last date to submit applications for National Means cum Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) is 31st October, 2022 on National Scholarship Portal (NSP).

About:

• What it is? Under the Scheme, scholarships are awarded to meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue their education at secondary stage.
  • This is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme.
• NMMSS is boarded on the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) - a one stop platform for scholarship schemes given to students.
• Features:
  • The scholarships are disbursed directly into the bank accounts of selected students by electronic transfer through Public Financial Management System (PFMS) following DBT mode.
  • One lakh fresh scholarships are awarded to selected students from class IX every year and their continuation / renewal in classes X to XII for students studying in State Government, Government-aided and local body schools. The amount of scholarship is Rs. 12000/- per annum
• Eligibility
  • Students whose parental income from all sources is not more than Rs. 3,50,000/- per annum.
  • The students must have minimum of 55% marks or equivalent grade in Class VII examination for appearing in the selection test for award of scholarship (relaxable by 5% for SC/ST students).

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the Union government to print images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh on new currency notes for the country’s “economic prosperity.

Role of RBI in issuing notes

• Section 22 of The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, gives RBI the “sole right” to issue banknotes in India.
• Section 25 states that “the design, form, and material of bank notes shall be such as may be approved by the Central Government after consideration of the recommendations made by the [RBI’s] Central Board”.
• The RBI’s Department of Currency Management has the responsibility of administering the core function of currency management. If the design of a currency note has to change, the Department works on the design and submits it to RBI, which recommends it to the central government. The government gives the final approval.

Minting of coins

• The Coinage Act, 2011 gives the central government the power to design and mint coins in various denominations. In the case of coins, the role of the RBI is limited to the distribution of coins that are supplied by the central government.
• The government decides on the quantity of coins to be minted on the basis of indents received from the RBI on a yearly basis. Coins are minted in four mints owned by the Government of India in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Noida.

Types of notes issued so far

• Ashoka Pillar Banknotes: The first banknote issued in independent India was the Re 1 note issued in 1949. It replaced the portrait of King George with the symbol of the Lion Capital of the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath in the watermark window.
• Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Series, 1996
• Mahatma Gandhi series, 2005
• Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series, 2016

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Two Indian beaches, Minicoy Thundi beach and Kadmat beach, located in Lakshadweep, have received the International eco-label ‘Blue Flag’.

• With the new additions, the number of beaches certified under the Blue Flag Certification is twelve.
• The other Indian beaches in the blue list are Shivrajpur-Gujarat, Ghoghla-Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri-Karnataka, Kappad-Kerala, Rushikonda- Andhra Pradesh, Golden-Odisha, Radhanagar- Andaman and Nicobar, Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry beaches.

Blue Flag’ certification

• The Blue Flag programme was started in France in 1985 and in areas out of Europe in 2001. It promotes sustainable development in freshwater and marine areas through four main criteria: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety.
• It can be obtained by a beach, marina, or sustainable boating tourism operator, and serves as an eco-label.
• The certification is awarded by the Denmark-based non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). It is awarded annually to beaches and marinas in FEE member countries.
• Forty-eight countries currently participate in the program, and 5042 beaches, marinas, and boats have this certification.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar visited Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) at Amritsar.

• Guru Ramdas Sahib, the 4th of 10 Sikh gurus, started the construction of the temple and its pool in the 1500s as a place of worship for all.
• The temple has been renovated many times, adding features such as the marble inlays along the floor.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire of India (1799-1849) had the temple's upper floors covered in 750 kilos of pure gold.
• The Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, is housed within the golden temple of Harmandir Sahib.

Hence both statements are correct.

Saudi Aramco executive spent a week in Chamoli jail for carrying satellite phone.

• He was arrested under sections of the Indian Telegraph Act and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act.

Rules regarding Satellite phones in India

• It’s not legal to carry satellite phone in India unless you have permission. Visitors to the country are specifically advised not to carry a satellite phone without permission.
• Restrictions on the possession and use of these phones were tightened after the Pakistani terrorists who attacked Mumbai in November 2008 used these devices to keep in touch with their Lashkar-e-Taiba handlers.
• A notification on the website of the Department of Telecommunications says: “Satellite phones are permitted:
  • (i) With specific permission/ NOC from Department of Telecommunications, Government of India; or
  • (ii) As provisioned by M/s BSNL in accordance with license granted to M/s BSNL for provision and operation of satellite based service using Gateway installed in India.”

Hence only statements 1 is correct.

The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has recently fined the Hindi TV channel News18 India Rs 50,000 for turning a news debate on hijab into a “communal issue” and not adhering to guidelines.

• It is an independent body set up by the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA).
• It serves as a representative of private television news, current affairs and digital broadcasters.
• Funded entirely by its members, the NBDA has 26 news and current affairs broadcasters (comprising 119 news and current affairs channels) as its members.
• Various senior members of Indian media organisations serve on its Board of Directors.
• It carries out activities “to promote, protect and secure the interests including the right of freedom of speech and expression of the news broadcasters, digital news media and other related entities”.

Composition:

• The body includes a Chairperson who is to be an eminent jurist, and other members such as news editors, and those experienced in the field of law, education, literature, public administration, etc. nominated by a majority of the Board.
• Former Supreme Court judge and jurist AK Sikri is currently serving as the Chairperson.

Function:

• The Authority may initiate proceedings on its own and issue notice or take action in respect to any matter which falls within its regulations.
• This can also be through complaints referred to the Authority by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting or any other governmental body, or by anyone else via its website.

Hence both statements are correct.

Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan has recently attended the 8th Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa. 

• This is the first time that India participated at the Ministerial level in the event. 
• It was formerly known as the Dakar Peace and Security Forum.
• It annually brings together many African Heads of State and Government, international partners, as well as multiple actors of Peace and Security.
• It was launched during the 2013 Élysée Summit organized by France.
• The first edition of the forum was held in December 2014 in Dakar under the high patronage of Macky SALL, President of the Republic of Senegal.

Hence both statements are correct.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Vadodara transport aircraft manufacturing facility on October 30.

• This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. 
• 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition and 40 will be manufactured in India by the Indian Aircraft Contractor, TATA Consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Tata Consultancy Services.
• In September 2021, Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space S.A.
• The first 16 fly-away aircraft are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025.
• The first Made in India aircraft is expected in September 2026.
• The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes also.
• All 56 aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare suite of Indian DPSUs – Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited.
• After completion of delivery of 56 aircraft to IAF, M/s Airbus Defence & Space will be allowed to sell the aircraft manufactured in India to civil operators and export to countries which are cleared by the Government of India.

C-295MW:

• C-295MW is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF.
• It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo.
• It can carry around 40-45 paratroopers or around 70 passengers.
• Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features.
• The aircraft will strengthen the logistic capabilities of the IAF.

Hence both statements are correct.

The UNSC's counter-terrorism meeting will be hosted in Mumbai and Delhi on 28 and 29 October, respectively.

• This will be the first such meeting of the UNSC-CTC in India since its establishment in 2001.
• The Permanent Representative of India to the UN serves as the Chair of the CTC for 2022.
• The overarching theme of the meeting would be 'countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes’.

Counter-Terrorism Committee:

• The Counter-Terrorism Committee was established by Security Council resolution 1373 adopted unanimously on 28 September 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US.
• The Committee was tasked with monitoring implementation of resolution 1373 which requested countries to implement a number of measures aimed at enhancing their legal and institutional ability to counter terrorist activities at home and around the world.  
• This includes taking steps to criminalize the financing of terrorism, freezing any funds related to persons involved in acts of terrorism, deny all forms of financial support for terrorist groups, suppress the provision of safe haven, sustenance or support for terrorists and share information with other governments on any groups practicing or planning terrorist acts.
• Besides, the Committee monitors steps taken to cooperate with other governments in the investigation, detection, arrest, extradition and prosecution of those involved in terror acts and criminalizes active and passive assistance for terrorism.

Hence both statements are correct.