Daily Current Affairs MCQ- March 25, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are gearing up for a review of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that may see discussions towards the integration of key portals of both nations to boost trade.

• It is a type of free trade pact that covers negotiation on the trade in services and investment, and other areas of economic partnership.
• CEPA also looks into the regulatory aspect of trade and encompasses an agreement covering the regulatory issues.
• Free Trade Agreement: It is an agreement in which two or more countries agree to provide preferential trade terms, tariff concession etc. to the partner country. Here a negative list of products and services is maintained on which the terms of FTA are not applicable.
• Preferential Trade Agreement: In this, two or more partners give preferential right of entry to certain products. This is done by reducing duties on an agreed number of tariff lines. India signed a PTA with Afghanistan.
• Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement: It is more comprehensive than an FTA. CECA/CEPA also looks into the regulatory aspect of trade.
• Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement: CECA generally covers negotiation on trade tariffs and TQR rates only. It is not as comprehensive as CEPA. India has signed CECA with Malaysia.

Hence both statements are not correct.

Recently, the Union Minister of Minority Affairs informed Lok Sabha about the Seekho Aur Kamao scheme.

• Seekho Aur Kamao is a skill development scheme for the youth of the 14 - 35 years age group.
• It aims at providing employment and employment opportunities, improving the employability of existing workers, school dropouts etc.
• The scheme ensures 75% placement, out of which 50% should be in the organized sector.
• As per scheme guidelines, the implementing organizations will be required to establish linkages with placement services.
• For the candidates interested in self-employment after availing the training, the organization shall arrange easy microfinance/ loans for them through financial institutions, National Minority Development Finance Corporation (NMDFC), banks etc.
• Post-placement support of Rs. 2000/- per month is provided to placed trainees for two months as placement assistance.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Recently, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment informed Rajya Sabha about the PENCIL portal and implementation of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme.

• Full Name: Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCIL).
• Objective: It is a separate online portal to ensure effective enforcement of the provisions of the Child Labour Act and smooth implementation of the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme. 
• What are the Components? The PENCIL Portal has various components, namely Child Tracking System, Complaint Corner, State Government, National Child Labour Project and Convergence. 
• Features of the portal
• The Portal connects Central Government to State Government(s), District(s), all Project Societies and the General public. 
• Further, online complaints regarding child labour can also be filed by anybody on the Pencil Portal. The complaint gets assigned to the concerned Nodal Officer automatically by the system for further necessary action. 

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways launched the ‘Green Tug Transition Programme’ (GTTP).

• India’s first National Centre of Excellence in Green Port & Shipping (NCoEGPS) was inaugurated in Gurugram, Haryana.
• In the event ‘Green Tugs Transition Programme (GTTP)’ was launched for operating green tugs in all major ports by 2025.
• Nodal Entity: NCoEGPS will act as the nodal entity for this programme.
• India aims at becoming a ‘Global Hub for Green Ship’ building by 2030 with the launch of the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP).
• ‘Green Hybrid Tugs’ will be powered by Green Hybrid Propulsion systems. These Green hybrid tugs will subsequently adopt non-fossil fuel solutions like (Methanol, Ammonia, and Hydrogen).
• At least, 50% of all the Tugs are likely to be converted into Green Tugs by 2030.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

2 only

Explanation:
Exercise Vayu Prahar is a joint exercise conducted by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, not the Indian Navy. The exercise aims to validate joint plans for synergized multiple-domain operations, enhancing the interoperability and coordination between the two forces. So, the statement 2 is correct, while statement 1 is incorrect.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping (MoPSW), and Waterways recently launched the Sagar Manthan dashboard.

About Sagar Manthan dashboard:

• It is the real-time performance monitoring dashboard of MoPSW.
• It will have all the integrated data related to the ministry and other subsidiaries.
• The platform has been developed completely in-house under the guidance of the Secretary, MoPSW, in the span of fewer than 1.5 months.
• Features of the dashboard:
• Data visualization;
• Real-time monitoring;
• Improved communication;
• Data-driven decision-making;
• Increased accountability;
• It also promotes real-time project tracking, risk management, resource allocation, and progress reporting.
• The dashboard in the future would further be integrated with Input from the CCTV camera, Live streaming from Drones, and AI-based Algorithms.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Central Government has recently made MUDRA loans given to joint liability group micro enterprises eligible for the Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units.

About MUDRA Loans:

• MUDRA Loan is offered under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY).
• PMMY was launched in 2015 with the aim to help small-scale businesses expand and attain success. 
• Support under the scheme: It provides loans of up to 10 lacks to non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises. 
• Purpose of loan: To start a new business, enhance existing or meet working capital requirements, and for business expansion purposes
• These loans are classified as MUDRA loans under PMMY. 
• Eligibility: Any Indian Citizen who has a business plan for a non-farm sector income-generating activities such as manufacturing, processing, trading, or service sector.
• These loans are given by Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks, MFIs, and NBFCs. 
• Types of loans:
• Shishu - Covering loans up to Rs 50,000; 
• Kishor - Covering loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh; 

Tarun - Covering loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Supreme Court of India recently ruled that mere membership in an unlawful association is sufficient to constitute an offense under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967.

About Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA):

• The UAPA was enacted in 1967.
• It lays down the definitions and rules for designating an organization as an "unlawful association" if it is engaged in certain types of activities.
• ‘Unlawful activity’ is defined as any action taken by an individual or association – through an act, words, spoken or written, or by signs or visible representation – which is intended to, or supports a claim to, bring about the cession of a part of the territory of India, or the secession of a part of the territory of India from the Union, or which incites any individual or group of individuals to bring about such cession or secession.
• It covers activities which disclaim, question, disrupt or are intended to disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, and which cause or intend to cause disaffection against India.
• In 2004, the UAPA was amended, and 'terrorist activities' were brought within its fold, under which 34 outfits, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad, were banned.
• Under the Act, the central government may designate an organization as a terrorist organization if it:
• commits or participates in acts of terrorism;
• prepares for terrorism;
• promotes terrorism;
• is otherwise involved in terrorism;
• The 2019 Amendment gave the Home Ministry the power to designate individuals as terrorists.
• The Act extends to the whole of India.
• It also applies to citizens of India who are abroad, persons in service of the Indian government, and persons on ships and aircraft registered in India.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently announced that its rate-setting panel, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), will meet six times in the next financial year (FY24).

About Monetary Policy Committee (MPC):

• The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (RBI Act) has been amended by the Finance Act, 2016  to provide for a statutory and institutionalized framework for a MPC.
• Under Section 45ZB of the amended RBI Act, 1934, the central government is empowered to constitute a six-member MPC.
• Function: The MPC is entrusted with the task of fixing the benchmark policy rate (repo rate) required to contain inflation within the specified target level. 
• Composition:
• MPC will have six members - the RBI Governor (Chairperson), the RBI Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy, one official nominated by the RBI Board, and the remaining three members would represent the Government of India.
• The external members hold office for a period of four years.
• The quorum for a meeting shall be four Members, at least one of whom shall be the Governor and, in his absence, the Deputy Governor, who is the Member of the MPC.
• The MPC takes decisions based on a majority vote. In case of a tie, the RBI governor will have the second or casting vote.
• The decision of the MPC would be binding on the RBI.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.