MCQ - Current Affairs (May - 2019) - UPSC MCQ

There are both natural and human sources of methane emissions. The main natural sources include wetlands, termites and the oceans. Natural sources create 36% of methane emissions. Human sources include landfills and livestock farming. But the most important source being the production, transportation and use of fossil fuels. Human-related sources create the majority of methane emissions, accounting for 64% of the total. Methane levels have more than doubled over the last 150 years. This is because of human activities like fossil fuel use and intensive farming.
Since the Industrial Revolution, human sources of methane emissions have been growing. Fossil fuel production and intensive livestock farming have caused the current increase methane levels. Together these two sources are responsible for 60% of all human methane emissions. Other sources include landfills and waste (16%), biomass burning (11%), rice agriculture (9%) as well as biofuels (4%)

Formalin (formaldehyde in water) is a common adulterant in fish. Traders and suppliers use it to extend the storage life of fresh or chilled fish and artificially improve the sensory attributes.
Formalin is derived from formaldehyde which is a known cancer-causing agent. It is used to preserve bodies in mortuaries.
In June 2018, Kerala food safety department officials seized nearly 9,600 kg of fish preserved in formalin at a border check post in Kollam district. The seizure was part of ‘Operation Sagar Rani’ launched by the state.

Fall Armyworm is an insect native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. It was first detected in Central and Western Africa in early 2016 and has now spread across Sub-Saharan Africa and recently reached Yemen and India.
In the larval stage, the insect causes damage to crops, feeding on more than 80 plant species.
FAW primarily affects maize, but also rice and sorghum as well as cotton and some vegetables.
The moth can fly up to 100 km per night and the female moth can lay up to a total of 1000 eggs in her lifetime.
Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) has caused extensive damage to maize crops in Tiruchi, Karur, Perambalur and several other districts in Tamil Nadu.

UNNATI (Unispace Nanosatellite Assembly & Training) programme – The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) capacity-building programme on nanosatellite development.
Launched to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (UNISPACE 50), the programme aims to provide opportunities to the participating developing countries to become stronger in assembling, integrating and testing nanosatellites

There are currently 13 tiger range countries; Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Tiger range governments came together for the first time and decided that business-as-usual approaches were not working. All 13 tiger range governments committed to the most ambitious conservation goal set for a single species – to double the number of wild tigers by 2022.
Nepal is set to become the first country to double their wild tiger population.

Considered to be one of the premier space science programs of NASA, SOFIA is a joint project between NASA and the German Aerospace Centre, DLR. It features a 100-inch diameter telescope weighing up to 20 tons and is mounted on a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft. SOFIA’s first-generation cameras and spectrographs enable NASA to use it for a wide variety of missions. It will observe celestial magnetic fields, star-forming regions, comets, nebulae, and the galactic centre.
Sofia’s 2.5-meter diameter telescope allows astronomers to access the visible, infrared and sub-millimeter spectrum.  Being the world’s largest airborne astronomical observatory, the telescope has the ability to produce a higher resolution image, three times higher in quality than those captured by other observatories.

Right to Information (RTI) is act of the Parliament of India to provide for setting out the practical regime of the right to information for citizens and replaces the erstwhile Freedom of information Act, 2002.
It is an initiative taken by Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions to provide a– RTI Portal Gateway to the citizens for quick search of information on the details of first Appellate Authorities, PIOs etc.
Under the provisions of the Act, any citizen of India may request information from a “public authority” (a body of Government or “instrumentality of State”) which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days.
The Act covers the whole of India except Jammu and Kashmir, where J&K Right to Information Act is in force.  It covers all the constitutional authorities, including executive, legislature and judiciary; any institution or body established or constituted by an act of Parliament or a state legislature.
Private bodies are not within the Act’s ambit directly. privatised public utility companies fall within the purview of RTI. As of 2014, private institutions and NGOs receiving over 95% of their infrastructure funds from the government come under the Act.

The correct option is D.
The Kerch Strait is a strait connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea in the west from the Taman Peninsula of Russia's Krasnodar Krai in the east.

Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI) in the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is implementing the provisions of Agricultural Produce (Grading & Marking) Act, 1937. Standards notified as per the provisions of the Act are popularly called AGMARK Standards. These standards differentiate between quality and 2-3 grades are prescribed for each commodity. Grades help farmers to get prices for agricultural commodities as per the quality produced by them and consumers get the desired quality. Agricultural commodities that have been notified include fruits, Vegetables, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetable oils, ghee, spices, honey, creamery butter, wheat atta, besan, etc.
The DMI is implementing the scheme of certification of agricultural commodities for domestic trade and export. The Scheme is voluntary.
Consumers not satisfied with the quality of agricultural produce certified under Agmark, can make a complaint to the Agricultural Marketing Adviser.

1. Launched in 2000, Unesco Asia-Pacific awards for cultural heritage conservation programme is aimed at acknowledging the efforts taken to restore and conserve historical structures without affecting their heritage value in the region comprising 48 countries.
2. The awards are classified under four categories — Award of Excellence, Awards of Distinction, Awards of Merit and Award for New Design in Heritage Context.
3. They are being given to encourage the efforts of all stakeholders and the public in conserving and promoting monuments and religious institutes with rich heritage in the Asia-Pacific region.
Mumbai has won 19 recognitions since the inception of the awards in 2000 – the most for any city in India.

SFIO is a multi-disciplinary organization under Ministry of Corporate Affairs, consisting of experts in the field of accountancy, forensic auditing, law, information technology, investigation, company law, capital market and taxation for detecting and prosecuting or recommending for prosecution white-collar crimes/frauds.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), or the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty, is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, with the goal of leading towards their total elimination. It was passed on 7 July 2017. In order to come into effect, signature and ratification by at least 50 countries is required. For those nations that are party to it, the treaty prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as assistance and encouragement to the prohibited activities. For nuclear armed states joining the treaty, it provides for a time-bound framework for negotiations leading to the verified and irreversible elimination of its nuclear weapons programme.

India’s First District cooling system will come up in Amravati, capital of the Andhra Pradesh.
1. District cooling systems produce chilled water, steam or hot water at a central plant and then pipe that energy out (either underground or over rooftops) to buildings for air conditioning, space heating and water heating. As a result, these buildings don’t require their own chillers, air conditioners, boilers or furnaces.
2. They are considered to be highly efficient to address each of the challenges like high Capital and operating costs, reliability, flexibility and environmental sustainability while meeting their comfort and process cooling and heating needs.
3. District cooling uses only 50% of primary energy consumption for cooling urban building n compared to other cooling systems. This also reduces carbon emissions.

1. Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY), is a pension scheme exclusively for senior citizens aged 60 years and above.
2. The Scheme can be purchased offline as well as online through Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India which has been given the sole privilege to operate this Scheme.
3. Scheme provides an assured return of 8% p.a. for 10 years.
4. Pension is payable as per the frequency of monthly/ quarterly/ half-yearly/ yearly as chosen by the pensioner at the time of purchase.
5. The scheme is exempted from Service Tax/ GST.
6. On survival of the pensioner to the end of the policy term of 10 years, Purchase price along with final pension instalment shall be payable.
7. Loan upto 75% of Purchase Price shall be allowed after 3 policy years (to meet the liquidity needs). Loan interest shall be recovered from the pension instalments and loan to be recovered from claim proceeds.
8. The scheme also allows for premature exit for the treatment of any critical/ terminal illness of self or spouse. On such premature exit, 98% of the Purchase Price shall be refunded.
9. On death of the pensioner during the policy term of 10 years, the Purchase Price shall be paid to the beneficiary.

National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP), the largest and one of the most significant initiatives in Automotive sector so far, represents a unique joining of hands between the Government of India, a number of State Governments and Indian Automotive Industry to create a state of the art Testing, Validation and R&D infrastructure in the country.
The Project aims at creating core global competencies in Automotive sector in India and facilitate seamless integration of Indian Automotive industry with the world as also to position the country prominently on the global automotive map.

India’s recently released, National Clean Air Program (NCAP)provides a roadmap to prevent, control, and reduce unhealthy air pollution.
Overall objective of the NCAP is comprehensive mitigation actions for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution besides augmenting the air quality monitoring network across the country and strengthening the awareness and capacity building activities.
The NCAP will be a mid-term, five-year action plan with 2019 as the first year.
The NCAP will be institutionalized by respective ministries and will be organized through inter-sectoral groups, which include, Ministry of Road Transport and Highway, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, NITI Aayog, CPCB, experts from the industry, academia, and civil society. The program will partner with multilateral and bilateral international organizations, and philanthropic foundations and leading technical institutions to achieve its outcomes.
City specific action plans are being formulated for 102 non-attainment cities identified for implementing mitigation actions under NCAP.

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is a multilateral treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons.
The ATT is an attempt to regulate the international trade of conventional weapons for the purpose of contributing to international and regional peace; reducing human suffering; and promoting co-operation, transparency, and responsible action by and among states.
The treaty was negotiated in New York City at a global conference under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) from 2–27 July 2012. On 2 April 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted the ATT.
Conventional weapons covered by the UN Arms Trade Treaty include tanks and other armored combat vehicles, artillery, attack helicopters, naval warships, missiles and missile launchers, and small arms.
It also establishes common international standards for the regulation of the international trade in ammunition, weapons parts, and arms components.
The treaty does not regulate the domestic sale or use of weapons in any country. It also recognizes the legitimacy of the arms trade to enable states to provide for their own security.

1. SDRF has been constituted by each state under the provisions of Disaster Management act 2005.
2. It was constituted based on the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission.
3. Funding: The government of India contributes 75% and 90% of the total yearly allocation of SDRF to general states and special category states respectively.
4. Heads: The state executive committee headed by the Chief Secretary is authorized to decide on all matters relating to the financing of the relief expenditure from the SDRF.
Disaster (s) covered under SDRF: Cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood, tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, frost and cold waves.
Local Disaster: A State Government may use up to 10 percent of the funds available under the SDRF for providing immediate relief to the victims of natural disasters that they consider to be ‘disasters’ within the local context in the State and which are not included in the notified list of disasters of the Ministry of Home Affairs subject to the condition that the State Government has listed the State specific natural disasters and notified clear and transparent norms and guidelines for such disasters with the approval of the State Authority, i.e., the State Executive Authority (SEC).

Britain has pledged £4 million to support the Modern Slavery Innovation Fund (MSIF). The funding will also be used to run workshops on modern slavery in South Africa, improve support for survivors in India, and develop an online data hub to boost anti-slavery policies.
It aims to tackle the root causes of modern slavery, strengthening efforts to combat slavery and reduce vulnerability, and build an evidence base to better understand what works in the future.

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure access to financial services, namely, Banking/ Savings & Deposit Accounts, Remittance, Credit, Insurance, Pension in an affordable manner. In addition, the beneficiaries would get RuPay Debit card having inbuilt accident insurance cover of र 1 lakh. The scheme provides life cover of Rs. 30,000/- payable on death of the beneficiary, subject to fulfillment of the eligibility condition.
The plan also envisages channeling all Government benefits (from Centre / State / Local Body) to the beneficiaries accounts and pushing the Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT) scheme of the Union Government.
Overdraft facility upto Rs.5000/- is available in only one account per household, preferably lady of the household.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched the ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India’ – a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control – in order to prioritise, plan and scale up research to eliminate the disease from India by 2030.
Over the past two decades, India has made impressive progress in malaria control. The malaria burden has declined by over 80 per cent, 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39 million in 2018, and malaria deaths by over 90 per cent, 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018.
This success has provided a strong foundation for the commitment from the leadership of the government of India to eliminate malaria from India by 2030.
National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has developed a comprehensive framework to achieve the overarching vision of “Malaria free India by 2030“.
NVBDCP’s National Strategic Plan clearly recognises the critical role of research to support and guide malaria elimination efforts.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sold its entire stakes in National Housing Bank. The government now holds a 100 per cent stake in NHB.
NHB is an All India Financial Institution (AIFl), set up in 1988, under the National Housing Bank Act, 1987.
It is an apex agency established to operate as a principal agency to promote housing finance institutions both at local and regional levels and to provide financial and other support incidental to such institutions and for matters connected therewith.
NHB has been established to achieve, inter-Alia, the following objectives –
1. To promote a sound, healthy, viable and cost-effective housing finance system to cater to all segments of the population and to integrate the housing finance system with the overall financial system.
2. To promote a network of dedicated housing finance institutions to adequately serve various regions and different income groups.
3. To augment resources for the sector and channelise them for housing.
4. To make housing credit more affordable.
5. To regulate the activities of housing finance companies based on regulatory and supervisory authority derived under the Act.
6. To encourage augmentation of supply of buildable land and also building materials for housing and to upgrade the housing stock in the country.
7. To encourage public agencies to emerge as facilitators and suppliers of serviced land, for housing.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sold its entire stakes in the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (NABARD). The decision to divest its entire stake was taken based on the recommendations of the second Narasimham Committee.
The government now holds a 100 per cent stake in NABARD.
NABARD is an apex development and specialized bank established on 12 July 1982 by an act by the parliament of India.
1. Its main focus is to uplift rural India by increasing the credit flow for elevation of agriculture & rural non farm sector.
2. It was established based on the recommendations of the Committee set up by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the chairmanship of Shri B. shivaraman.
3. It replaced the Agricultural Credit Department (ACD) and Rural Planning and Credit Cell (RPCC) of Reserve Bank of India, and Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation (ARDC).
4. It has been accredited with “matters concerning policy, planning and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas in India”.
5. NABARD is active in developing financial inclusion policy.
6. Serves as an apex financing agency for the institutions providing investment and production credit for promoting the various developmental activities in rural areas
7. International associates of NABARD include World Bank-affiliated organisations and global developmental agencies working in the field of agriculture and rural development. These organizations help NABARD by advising and giving monetary aid for the upliftment of the people in the rural areas and optimising the agricultural process.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched the ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India’ – a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control – in order to prioritise, plan and scale up research to eliminate the disease from India by 2030.
• Over the past two decades, India has made impressive progress in malaria control. The malaria burden has declined by over 80 per cent, 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39 million in 2018, and malaria deaths by over 90 per cent, 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018.
• This success has provided a strong foundation for the commitment from the leadership of the government of India to eliminate malaria from India by 2030.
• National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has developed a comprehensive framework to achieve the overarching vision of “Malaria free India by 2030“. 
• NVBDCP’s National Strategic Plan clearly recognises the critical role of research to support and guide malaria elimination efforts.

IEPF Authority is set up under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India as a statutory body under Companies Act 2013.
It aims to administer the Investor Education and Protection Fund with the objective of promoting Investor’s Education, Awareness and Protection.
The Authority takes various initiatives to fulfil its objectives through Investor Awareness Programmes and various other mediums like Print, Electronic, Social Media, and Community Radio etc.
Composition: Secretary Ministry of Corporate Affairs is the Chairperson of the Authority. Joint Secretary Ministry of Corporate Affairs is the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority.