Daily Current Affairs MCQ: 2nd May 2025 - UPSC MCQ

Statement 1 is correct. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was indeed enacted to address the problem of money laundering in India and includes provisions for the confiscation of the proceeds of crime to deter such activities.
Statement 2 is correct. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) acts as the primary enforcement agency under the PMLA. It is responsible for investigating cases of money laundering, attaching properties, and filing prosecution complaints.
Statement 3 is incorrect. The PMLA does facilitate international cooperation through treaties and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with foreign governments, enabling cross-border collaboration in combating money laundering.
Therefore, the correct answer is Option B: 1 and 2 Only.

The Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala is significant as it is the first port in India to be operated by the Adani Group. This partnership underlines the importance of private sector involvement in the development and operation of crucial infrastructure projects like ports. The Adani Group's role in managing the port's operations signifies a shift towards public-private partnerships (PPP) in enhancing India's maritime infrastructure and trade capabilities.

The main objective of the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 in India was to identify beneficiaries for various governmental schemes. This census aimed to assess the socio-economic status of households across urban and rural areas, going beyond standard demographic data to include parameters like health status and economic conditions. By collecting detailed caste data, the SECC helped in targeting welfare measures effectively and ensuring inclusive governance based on accurate and transparent information.

This question tests the understanding of the purpose and scope of the SECC 2011 in India, emphasizing the importance of collecting caste data for governmental programs and policies.

1. Section 3 of PMLA: Correct. Section 3 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act indeed defines money laundering as any attempt to disguise the origins of illegally obtained money to make it appear legitimate.
2. Adjudicating Authority: Correct. Under the PMLA, the Adjudicating Authority confirms the attachment of properties that have been seized or frozen by the Enforcement Directorate, ensuring compliance with legal procedures.
3. Fugitive Economic Offenders Act: Correct. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act was enacted in 2018 specifically to address cases where individuals evade the law by staying outside India, thereby avoiding legal proceedings.
4. ITER Project: Incorrect. While the ITER Project is indeed a significant international initiative focused on nuclear fusion, it is unrelated to the PMLA or economic offenses. Its goal is to demonstrate nuclear fusion as a feasible energy source, not directly related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act or its enforcement strategies.
The first three pairs are correctly matched to their descriptions, while the fourth pair is unrelated to the context of the question, which focuses on the PMLA and related legislative instruments.

Statement-I correctly mentions the purpose and enactment year of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), highlighting its role in combating money laundering and seizing illicit proceeds. Statement-II accurately reflects the Enforcement Directorate's activities under the PMLA, citing the number of investigations initiated and prosecution complaints filed by the ED as of 2024-25. However, Statement-II does not directly explain or elaborate on the content of Statement-I but rather provides additional information related to the implementation and enforcement of the PMLA. Hence, both statements are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I, making option (b) the accurate choice.

Statement-I correctly states that the last Mauryan ruler, Brihadratha, was indeed assassinated by his commander-in-chief, Pushyamitra Sunga. This event led to the decline of the Mauryan Empire and the rise of the Sunga dynasty.

Statement-II correctly mentions that the last Sunga king, Devabhuti, was assassinated by his Brahmana minister Vasudeva Kanva, who then usurped the throne. This event marked the end of the Sunga dynasty's rule.

While both statements are factually accurate in terms of historical events, Statement-II does not provide an explanation or a direct connection to Statement-I. Therefore, the correct answer is that both statements are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I, making option (b) the most suitable choice.

The Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) aims to combat money laundering and confiscate proceeds of crime. It defines money laundering as any attempt to present criminal proceeds as untainted assets. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) plays a crucial role in enforcing this act by initiating investigations, attaching properties, and filing prosecution complaints against offenders. By targeting the financial aspects of criminal activities, the PMLA serves as a key tool in fighting economic offenses and ensuring the integrity of India's financial system.

Statement-I correctly identifies the strategic focus areas of the IPMDA initiative, targeting maritime surveillance enhancement in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). This aligns with the key objectives of the IPMDA initiative to create a more effective maritime surveillance network across the Indo-Pacific.
Statement-II accurately describes the GHCI certification scheme in India, emphasizing the scheme's aim to ensure that hydrogen production meets stringent emissions standards and monitoring protocols. This certification framework seeks to verify that hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources while maintaining emissions below specified thresholds to qualify as "green" hydrogen.
Therefore, both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, with Statement-II providing additional context and explanation for the subject matter presented in Statement-I.

1. Statement 1: The SECC 2011 collected detailed caste data, but the government did not release this specific caste-wise population data publicly.
- This statement is correct. The SECC 2011 indeed collected detailed caste data; however, the caste-wise data was not released publicly. Instead, the data was collected for governmental use to inform policy decisions and target beneficiaries for various schemes.

2. Statement 2: The Census 2011 is designed to confidentially collect and publish comprehensive caste data for statistical purposes.
- This statement is incorrect. The Census 2011 was conducted for demographic purposes, and while it collected data on Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), it did not collect comprehensive caste data. The Census data is typically confidential and used for statistical purposes, but comprehensive caste data was not part of its scope.

3. Statement 3: The SECC 2011 data is used by the government to identify beneficiaries for welfare schemes, unlike the Census data, which is utilized solely for demographic statistics.
- This statement is correct. The SECC 2011 data was specifically designed to inform government welfare schemes by identifying socio-economic conditions of households, which includes identifying potential beneficiaries. In contrast, Census data is primarily used for general demographic analysis and statistical purposes.

Thus, statements 1 and 3 are correct, and Option C: 1 and 3 Only is the correct answer.

1. Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA): Incorrectly matched. The IPMDA is a Quad-led initiative, not launched by the United Nations. The Quad, composed of the United States, India, Japan, and Australia, focuses on enhancing maritime surveillance and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

2. Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India (GHCI): Correctly matched. The GHCI indeed requires that hydrogen be classified as "green" only if its non-biogenic greenhouse gas emissions are less than 2 kg CO₂ equivalent per kg of hydrogen, averaged over 12 months.

3. Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Tunnel T-8: Correctly matched. The tunnel is part of the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Broad Gauge Rail Link Project in Uttarakhand, and Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) are used for excavation, particularly in challenging geological conditions.

4. U.S. Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA): Incorrectly matched. The DSCA certifies potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to India, but it does not certify the IPMDA initiative. The DSCA's role is related to the sale of maritime surveillance technology, which is part of broader U.S. cooperation with India.

Pairs 2 and 3 are correctly matched, making Option B the correct answer.