Test: March 2022 Weekly Current Affair- 3 - UPSC MCQ

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
Retail investors will be allowed to open retail direct gilt accounts (RDG) directly with RBI under Retail Direct Scheme

Statement 2
Correct
A dedicated online portal will provide registered users access to primary issuance of government securities and to Negotiated Dealing System-Order Matching system (NDS-OM)

Statement 3
Correct
Investments available to the user under this scheme are-

1. Government of India Treasury Bills. 
2. Government of India dated securities. 
3. Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB). 
4. State Development Loans (SDLs)

Context- RBI Retail Direct Scheme was launched

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
An Aurora is a display of light in the sky predominantly seen in the high latitude regions (Arctic and Antarctic). It is also known as a Polar light. € They commonly occur at high northern and southern latitudes, less frequent at mid-latitudes, and seldom seen near the equator

Statement 2
Incorrect
Auroras are caused when charged particles ejected from the Sun’s surface – called the solar wind – enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The typical aurora is caused by collisions between charged particles from space with the oxygen and nitrogen in Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Context- Recently, the UAE’s Hope spacecraft has captured images of glowing atmospheric lights in the Mars night sky, known as discrete auroras

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
The scheme will have a special focus on Northeast region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. But, there’s no focus on region surrounding tropical evergreen forests per se.

Statement 2
Correct
The Government of India will give a price assurance to the oil palm farmers for the FFBs. This will be known as the Viability Price (VP). This VP shall be the annual average CPO price of the last 5 years adjusted with the wholesale price index to be multiplied by 14.3 %.  This will be fixed yearly for the oil palm year from 1st November to 31st October

Statement 3
Incorrect
The scheme comes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Family Welfare

Context- NMEO – OP was launched recently

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
Governors can only pardon in the cases which are related to state’s law not the central law

Statement 2
Correct
Governor doesn’t have any power on matters related to military rules like court martial, however the president can pardon or alter them too.

Context- Previously, the governor cannot pardon the death sentence, which only the Indian President can do. But recently the Supreme Court held that the Governor of a State can pardon prisoners, including death row ones, even before they have served a minimum of 14 years of a prison sentence.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
The main purpose is to encourage MSMEs as they are vital to the economy in terms of creating jobs, fostering innovations and reviving the economy

Statement 2
Incorrect
The fund has been set up jointly by Exim Bank and SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) which will invest in the fund by way of equity and equity-like products in export-oriented units, in both manufacturing and services sectors

Statement 3
Incorrect
It has a corpus of Rs 250 crore with a green shoe option of Rs 250 crore

Context – The Ministry of Finance has launched ‘Ubharte Sitaare’ Alternative Investment Fund to facilitate debt and equity funding to export-oriented MSMEs (Micro Small and medium Enterprises

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
The Antarctic Treaty came into force on 23 June 1961 after ratification by the twelve countries then active in Antarctic science. Its objectives are simple yet unique in international relations. They are

1. To demilitarize Antarctica, 
2. To establish it as a zone free of nuclear tests and the disposal of radioactive waste, and to ensure that it is used for peaceful purposes only; 
3. To promote international scientific cooperation in Antarctica; to set aside disputes over territorial sovereignty

Statement 2
Incorrect
India signed this agreement in 1983 and has a consulting status.

Statement 3
Incorrect
India has established Bharati and Maitri research stations in Antarctica. Himadri is India’s first permanent research station in Arctic region.

Context – India Extended support for protecting Antarctic environment and for designating East Antarctica and Weddell Sea as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
It is a short-lived pollutant that is the second-largest contributor to warming the planet behind carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Statement 2
Correct
Primary sources of Black Carbon include emissions from diesel engines, cook stoves, wood burning and forest fires.

Context- A research was conducted on black carbon and its impacts on health

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
Heat domes occur in both the hemispheres.

Statement 2
Incorrect
Strong and high pressure atmospheric conditions combine with influences from La-Nina act like a dome

Statement 3
Correct
The phenomenon begins when there is a strong change (or gradient) in ocean temperatures. In the process known as convection, the gradient causes more warm air, heated by the ocean surface, to rise over the ocean surface.

Context- Recently, the Pacific Northwest and some parts of Canada recorded temperatures around 47 degrees, causing a “historic” heat wave.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
GSI is one of the oldest of such organisations in the world and the second oldest survey in India after Survey of India (founded in 1767), for conducting geological surveys and studies of India.

Statement 2
Correct
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) is a scientific agency of India. It was founded in 1851, is a Government of India organization under the Ministry of Mines

Statement 3
Incorrect
Geological Survey of India (GSI) declares geo heritage sites/ national geological monuments for protection and maintenance. GSI or the respective State governments take necessary measures to protect these sites.

Context- Twelve locations in Northeast are included in 32 approved geo-tourism or geo-heritage sites in the country

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
The scheme aims to make the skill development schemes accessible to the target groups of Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Safai Karamcharis.

Statement 2
Incorrect
It is implemented by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment 

Context- PM DAKSH portal and app was launched recently

All the applications given above are possible through quantum computing.
Context- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recently launched QSim – Quantum Computer Simulator Toolkit.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001. The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer States interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).
Context – 21st Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State took place 

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
KVIC is a statutory body established under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956. 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

Statement 2
Incorrect
It functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

Statement 3
Correct
Project BOLD was launched by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) & BSF in Jaisalmer to Prevent Desertification and Support Rural Economy. The objective of this project is to create bamboo-based green patches in arid and semi-arid land zones, To reduce desertification and provide livelihood and multi-disciplinary rural industry support.

Context: Recently Project BOLD was launched by KVIC & BSF.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
The Constitution provides that the office of the Speaker should never be empty. Article 93 for Lok Sabha and Article 178 for state Assemblies state that these Houses “shall, as soon as may be”, choose two of its members to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The Constitution neither sets a time limit nor specifies the process for these elections. It leaves it to the legislatures to decide how to hold these elections.

Statement 2
Correct
The Constitution of India requires the Speaker to be a member of the House. z Although there are no specific qualifications prescribed for being elected the Speaker, an understanding of the Constitution and the laws of the country is considered a major asset for the holder of the Office of the Speaker.

Statement 3
Incorrect
The Speaker holds Office from the date of his/her election till immediately before the first meeting of the next Lok Sabha (for 5 years). Whenever the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Speaker does not vacate his office and continues till the newly-elected Lok Sabha meets

Context- Maharashtra had been without a Speaker since February, 2021 while Lok Sabha and several State Assemblies are without a Deputy Speaker.

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
Flow of warm, salty water in the upper layers of the ocean northwards from the Gulf of Mexico .This is made up of the “Gulf Stream” to the south and the “North Atlantic Current” further north

Statement 2
Incorrect
Cooling of water in the high latitudes of the Atlantic, which makes the water denser. This denser water then sinks and returns southwards towards tropics and then to the South Atlantic as a bottom current.

Context- It is very likely that AMOC will decline over the 21st century, according to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affair (MoHUA) launched ‘SonChiraiya’ – (A brand and logo) for marketing of urban Self-Help Group (SHG) products. It will increase visibility and global access for products made by urban SHG women.
Context- It was recently launched 

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
A conjugate vaccine is a type of subunit vaccine which combines a weak antigen with a strong antigen as a carrier so that the immune system has a stronger response to the weak antigen.

Statement 2
Incorrect
The method of vaccine delivery is intramuscular that is in vivo. Ex vivo is not possible in conjugate vaccines.

Context- Recently, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has launched Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) immunisation drive for infants.

Early harvest scheme is a precursor to an FTA between two trading partners. This is to help the two trading countries identify certain products for tariff liberalisation pending the conclusion of FTA negotiation. It is primarily a confidence building measure.
Context – India is keen to conclude an “early harvest” trade deal with some countries

‘Right to be forgotten’ is an intrinsic part of Article 21. In 2017, the Right to Privacy was declared a fundamental right (under Article 21) by the Supreme Court in its landmark verdict (Puttuswamy case).
Context- A celebrity has approached Delhi High Court seeking removal of his videos, photographs and articles from the internet citing ‘Right to be forgotten’

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
The scheme shall provide a medium – long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support

Statement 2
Incorrect
It is a Central Sector Scheme called Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (National Agriculture Infra Financing Facility). Loans will have interest subvention of 3% per annum up to a limit of Rs. 2 crore. This subvention will be available for a maximum period of seven years.

Statement 3
Correct
Eligible Beneficiaries are Farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS), Marketing Cooperative Societies, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Start-ups, and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored PPP Projects. Eligibility has been extended to State agencies and Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs), as well as federations of cooperative organisations, FPOs and SHGs

Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet approved some modifications in the Central Sector Scheme of Financing Facility under ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund’

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
The scheme will have a special focus on Northeast region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. But, there’s no focus on region surrounding tropical evergreen forests per se.

Statement 2
Correct
The Government of India will give a price assurance to the oil palm farmers for the FFBs. This will be known as the Viability Price (VP). This VP shall be the annual average CPO price of the last 5 years adjusted with the wholesale price index to be multiplied by 14.3 %.  This will be fixed yearly for the oil palm year from 1st November to 31st October

Statement 3
Incorrect
The scheme comes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Family Welfare

Context- NMEO – OP was launched recently

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Correct
The Asian elephant is the largest living land animal in Asia.

Statement 2
Incorrect
Elephants are crepuscular. i.e, one that is active primarily during the twilight period being matutinal, vespertine, or both. They are generalist feeders, and are both grazers and browsers. They browse more in the dry season with bark constituting a major part of their diet in the cool part of that season

Statement 3
Correct
There are around 32 Elephant Reserves in India. Karnataka has the highest number of elephants, followed by Assam

Context- On occasion of World Elephant Day, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change has announced joint exercise for the All-India elephant and tiger population estimation in 2022

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
In India, preventive detention is for a maximum period of three months, a limit which can be changed by the Parliament. According to Preventive Detention Act 1950, it can be extended beyond three months up to a total of twelve months, only on the favourable recommendation of an advisory board, made up of High Court judges or persons eligible to be appointed High Court judges

Statement 2
Incorrect
India is one of the few countries in the world whose Constitution allows for preventive detention during peacetime without safeguards that elsewhere are understood to be basic requirements for protecting fundamental human rights.

Statement 3
Incorrect
India’s National Security Act of 1980 empowers the Central Government and State Governments to detain a person to prevent him/her from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of India, the relations of India with foreign countries, the maintenance of public order, or the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community it is necessary so to do

Context – There was a Telangana High Court judgement on Preventive Detention

Statement Analysis:
Statement 1
Incorrect
The office of Deputy Speaker is mentioned in Article 93 and Article 94 of the Constitution

Statement 2
Incorrect
The post of deputy speaker (since Morarji Desai Government) is conventionally given to the biggest opposition party in the house, with few exceptions.

Context – Delhi High Court sought Lok Sabha Secretariat reply to a petition on the vacant post of deputy speaker for over 2 years

The European Commission adopted a proposal for a new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism which will put a carbon price on imports (Carbon Border Tax) of a targeted selection of products so that ambitious climate action in Europe does not lead to ‘carbon leakage’.
Context- European Union’s recent proposal on the first of its kind carbon border tax.