Daily Current Affairs MCQ- July 5, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a government resolution for establishing the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB).

FSIB is established in place of the Banks Board Bureau (BBB), to select the chiefs of public sector banks (PSBs) and insurance companies.

Banks Board Bureau (BBB):

• It is an autonomous recommendatory body of the Government of India, which started functioning from April 01, 2016.
• Its genesis lies in the recommendations of the J. Nayak Committee (2014), whose mandate was to ‘Review Governance of Boards of Banks in India.’
• The amendment to the Nationalised Banks (Management and Miscellaneous Provisions) Scheme, 1980 provides for the legal framework for composition and functions of the BBB.
• It is tasked to search and select suitable persons for the Board of PSBs, Public Sector Financial Institutions and Public Sector Insurance Companies.
• Following approval from the Finance Ministry, the names recommended by the BBB would be sent to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and the Prime Minister's Office for approval.
• It also recommends measures to improve Corporate Governance in these institutions.Hence both statement  are correct.

Researchers led by those from the National Centre of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru (NCBS-TIFR), have found a new pathway that regulates nitrate absorption in plants.

• The gene MADS27, which regulates nitrate absorption, root development and stress tolerance, is activated by the micro-RNA, miR444, therefore offers a way to control these properties of the plant.
• The researchers studied this mechanism in both rice (monocot) and tobacco (dicot) plants. The research is published in Journal of Experimental Botany.

Role of Nitrates

• Nitrogen is one of the most important macronutrients needed for development of a plant. It is a part of chlorophyll, amino acids and nucleic acids, among others. It is mostly sourced from the soil where it is mainly absorbed in the form of nitrates and ammonium by the roots.
• Nitrates also play a role in controlling genome-wide gene expression that in turn regulates root system architecture, flowering time, leaf development, etc.
• Thus, while a lot of action takes place in the roots to absorb and convert nitrogen into useful nitrates, the absorbed nitrates in turn regulate plant development apart from being useful as a macronutrient.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently a powerful earthquake of magnitude 5.9 on the Richter scale struck a remote town in Afghanistan, killing over a thousand and injuring many more.

• According to the theory of plate tectonics, the Earth’s crust and upper mantle are made of large rigid plates that can move relative to one another. Slip on faults near the plate boundaries can result in earthquakes.
• The point inside the Earth where the earthquake rupture starts is called the focus or hypocentre. The point directly above it on the surface of the Earth is the epicentre.

What are seismic waves?

• Any elastic material when subjected to stress, stretches in a proportional way, until the elastic limit is reached. When the elastic limit is crossed, it breaks.
• Similarly, the Earth also has an elastic limit and when the stress is higher than this limit, it breaks. Then there is a generation of heat, and energy is released. Since the material is elastic, the energy is released in the form of elastic waves.
• These propagate to a distance determined by the extent of the impact. These are known as seismic waves.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Following the brutal on-camera killing of tailor Kanhaiyalal Teli in Udaipur by two men, the Rajasthan government imposed a ban on Internet services.

• Shutting down the Internet as an administrative or law-and-order measure has been a common step taken across India — for a range of reasons and by almost all political parties and governments.
• According to the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC), a legal services organisation working in this field in India, since 2012 there have been 665 Internet shutdowns in India to date.
• Here, ‘shut downs’ mean a total ban on mobile (3G, 4G/LTE), or fixed-line (dial-up, wired/wireless broadband) Internet, both or either of which may be shut down.
• According to Internet freedom and tech policy organisations, India is the leading country (by number) for Internet disruption incidents and frequency of shutdowns. This year, 59 shutdowns have been enforced, according to SFLC, which determines shutdowns based on government orders and media reports.
• Internet shutdowns are not always officially announced, so it might be difficult to know if your phone is simply not working properly, or if a shutdown is in place.
• Jammu and Kashmir has had more than 411 shutdowns since 2012, and the longest one went on for more than 552 days after the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile state.

Hence both statements are correct.

Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA)

• Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs amended certain provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). Hence statement 1 is not correct.
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs had made the FCRA rules tougher in November 2020, making it clear that NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) which may not be directly linked to a political party but engage in political action like bandhs, strike or road blockades will be considered of political nature if they participate in active politics or party politics.
• According to the law, all NGOs receiving funds have to register under the FCRA.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs as told Delhi High Court that all non-government organisations (NGOs), except one, have been granted permission to open bank accounts with the State Bank of India (SBI) in New Delhi under the amended Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2020. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• The FCRA was enacted during the Emergency in 1976 in an atmosphere of apprehension that foreign powers were interfering in India’s affairs by pumping in funds through independent organisations.
• These concerns had been expressed in Parliament as early as 1969.
• The law sought to regulate foreign donations to individuals and associations so that they functioned “in a manner consistent with the values of a sovereign democratic republic”.

• As provided under Section 6 of the Act, State governments can refer the cases pertaining to the scheduled offences registered at any police station to the Central government (Union Home Ministry) for NIA investigation.
  • After assessing the details made available, the Centre can then direct the NIA to take over the case. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• The jurisdiction of NIA extends to the whole of India and also applies to Indian citizens outside the country.
  • People in the service of the government wherever they are posted.
  • Persons on ships and aircraft registered in India wherever they may be.
  • Persons who commit a scheduled offence beyond India against the Indian citizen or affecting the interest of India. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

• Recently, a report titled-Take Home Ration-Good Practices throughout the State/Union Territories was released by NITI Aayog and the World Food Program (WFP).
• The WFP is the largest humanitarian organisation in the world
• The WFP was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It was founded in 1961 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) with its headquarters in Rome, Italy. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It is also a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), a coalition of UN agencies and organisations aimed at fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• The Vice President is the second highest constitutional office in India. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• He/She serves for a five-year term but can continue to be in office irrespective of the expiry of the term, until the successor assumes office. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• The Vice President may resign his office by submitting his resignation to the President of India. The resignation becomes effective from the day it is accepted.
• The Vice President can be removed from office by a resolution of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), passed by a majority of its members at that time and agreed to by the House of the People (Lok Sabha). A resolution for this purpose may be moved only after notice of at least a minimum of 14 days has been given of such an intention.
• The Vice President is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and does not hold any other office of profit.
• Eligibility:
  • Should be a citizen of India.
  • Should have completed 35 years of age.
  • Should be qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
  • Should not hold any office of profit under the Union government or any state government or any local authority or any other public authority.
• Electoral College: As per Article 66 of the Constitution of India, the Vice-President is elected by the members of the Electoral College.
  • Electoral College consists of:
    • Elected members of Rajya Sabha.
    • Nominated members of Rajya Sabha.
    • Elected members of Lok Sabha. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

India hit out at the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for its “biased” and “inaccurate” comments.

US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF):

• USCRIF is a U.S. federal government commission created by International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
• The commission has nine commissioners out of which three are appointed by US president, four by the opposition and two by the ruling party.
• Its principal responsibilities are to
  • review the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and
  • make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress.

Hence both statements are correct.

Iran has submitted an application to become a member of the BRICS.

• Iran, which holds the world’s second-largest gas reserves, wants to join the BRICS group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
• The term BRIC was coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill in 2001 to describe the startling rise of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. The BRIC powers had their first summit in 2009 in Russia. South Africa joined in 2010.
• Argentina had also applied to join. Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, currently in Europe, has in recent days reiterated his desire for Argentina to join BRICS.

Statistics

• China has by far the largest economy in the BRICS grouping, accounting for more than 70 of the group’s collective 27.5 trillion US dollars in economic might. India accounts for about 13 per cent, with Russia and Brazil each accounting for about seven per cent, according to IMF data.
• BRICS account for more than 40 per cent of the world’s population and about 26 per cent of the global economy.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.