Current Affairs: Passage of the Day - 20 May 2024 | Current Affairs & General Knowledge - CLAT PDF Download

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Perched on the brink of extinction, Manipuri Pony, the original polo pony long before the British created the modern polo based on Manipur’s traditional polo, known as ‘Sagol Kangjei’, now has a life-saving new home where it can graze and roam freely and rise again.
The number of this breed of pony, which is endemic to the northeast, particularly Manipur, is declining rapidly.
In 2013, the state govt also declared the Manipuri Pony as an endangered breed.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation publication on the World Watch List on Domestic Animal Diversity has also listed it as an endangered animal.
Chief minister N Biren Singh wrote on X, “To protect the endangered Manipuri Pony, they are now given a new home at the govt allotted 30 acres of grassy fields at Lamphelpat, Imphal West, where they can freely roam and graze.”
“The Manipur State Government has been taking up various measures to protect the Manipuri Pony which is closely tied to the state's history & culture. We gave the game of Morden polo to the world, and considering the importance of this animal, their preservation requires support from the masses. I also appreciate the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association for their initiative to save the precious yet endangered Manipuri Pony” Singh further added.
The Manipuri Pony Conservation and Development Policy of 2016 says that with the shrinkage of wetlands, its natural habitat, due to rapid urbanisation and encroachment, lack of polo playing areas in the rural areas, restriction of the use of ponies except in the game of polo, uncontrolled diseases and the exodus of ponies to the neighbouring states and countries are some of the attributing factors for the decline of the population of the pony in the state.
[Excerpt from Times of India “Manipur Takes Steps To Save Endangered Meitei Ponies” Dated 20/05/24]

Q1: What is the primary purpose of the Manipuri Pony Conservation and Development Policy (MPCDP)?
(a) To promote urbanization in Manipur
(b) To protect the Manipuri pony breed
(c) To encourage cross-border migration
(d) To develop industrial zones in rural areas

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Q2: What is one of the main factors contributing to the decline in the population of Manipuri Ponies?
(a) Increase in polo fields
(b) Disease
(c) Decrease in urbanization
(d) Cross-cultural exchange

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Q3: Which Indian state is home to the Manipuri pony?
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Manipur
(c) Gujarat
(d) Kerala

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Q4: What is the historical significance of Manipuri Ponies in Manipur?
(a) They were used for agriculture
(b) They were first bred for the game of Sagol Kangjei, which later became polo
(c) They served as transportation in urban areas
(d) They were employed in the construction industry

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Q5: Which government official emphasized the importance of Manipuri Ponies to Manipur's culture and discussed recent steps taken for their conservation?
(a) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
(b) Chief Minister N Biren Singh
(c) President Ram Nath Kovind
(d) Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar

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