Daily Current Affairs MCQ- October 28, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 7th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of AIIB via video conference.

• The theme of this year’s Annual Meeting was “Sustainable Infrastructure Toward a Connected World”.
• What is AIIB? AIIB is a multilateral development bank that aims to improve economic and social outcomes in Asia.
• Headquarters: Beijing, China.
• Board of Governors: All powers of the Bank are vested in our Board of Governors, which is the highest decision-making body under our Articles of Agreement.
• Membership: AIIB has 105 members. China is the AIIB’s largest shareholder with a 26.5% voting share. India is the second-largest, with 7.5%, followed by Russia, which has a 5.97% voting share.
  • India is a Founding Member of AIIB. India also has the largest project portfolio within AIIB.

Hence both statements are is correct.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the Union government to print images of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh on new currency notes for the country’s “economic prosperity.

Role of RBI in issuing notes

• Section 22 of The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, gives RBI the “sole right” to issue banknotes in India.
• Section 25 states that “the design, form, and material of bank notes shall be such as may be approved by the Central Government after consideration of the recommendations made by the [RBI’s] Central Board”.
• The RBI’s Department of Currency Management has the responsibility of administering the core function of currency management. If the design of a currency note has to change, the Department works on the design and submits it to RBI, which recommends it to the central government. The government gives the final approval.

Minting of coins

• The Coinage Act, 2011 gives the central government the power to design and mint coins in various denominations. In the case of coins, the role of the RBI is limited to the distribution of coins that are supplied by the central government.
• The government decides on the quantity of coins to be minted on the basis of indents received from the RBI on a yearly basis. Coins are minted in four mints owned by the Government of India in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Noida.

Types of notes issued so far

• Ashoka Pillar Banknotes: The first banknote issued in independent India was the Re 1 note issued in 1949. It replaced the portrait of King George with the symbol of the Lion Capital of the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath in the watermark window.
• Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Series, 1996
• Mahatma Gandhi series, 2005
• Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series, 2016

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar visited Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) at Amritsar.

• Guru Ramdas Sahib, the 4th of 10 Sikh gurus, started the construction of the temple and its pool in the 1500s as a place of worship for all.
• The temple has been renovated many times, adding features such as the marble inlays along the floor.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire of India (1799-1849) had the temple's upper floors covered in 750 kilos of pure gold.
• The Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, is housed within the golden temple of Harmandir Sahib.

Hence both statements are correct.

Saudi Aramco executive spent a week in Chamoli jail for carrying satellite phone.

• He was arrested under sections of the Indian Telegraph Act and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act.

Rules regarding Satellite phones in India

• It’s not legal to carry satellite phone in India unless you have permission. Visitors to the country are specifically advised not to carry a satellite phone without permission.
• Restrictions on the possession and use of these phones were tightened after the Pakistani terrorists who attacked Mumbai in November 2008 used these devices to keep in touch with their Lashkar-e-Taiba handlers.
• A notification on the website of the Department of Telecommunications says: “Satellite phones are permitted:
  • (i) With specific permission/ NOC from Department of Telecommunications, Government of India; or
  • (ii) As provisioned by M/s BSNL in accordance with license granted to M/s BSNL for provision and operation of satellite based service using Gateway installed in India.”

Hence only statements 1 is correct.

The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has recently fined the Hindi TV channel News18 India Rs 50,000 for turning a news debate on hijab into a “communal issue” and not adhering to guidelines.

• It is an independent body set up by the News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA).
• It serves as a representative of private television news, current affairs and digital broadcasters.
• Funded entirely by its members, the NBDA has 26 news and current affairs broadcasters (comprising 119 news and current affairs channels) as its members.
• Various senior members of Indian media organisations serve on its Board of Directors.
• It carries out activities “to promote, protect and secure the interests including the right of freedom of speech and expression of the news broadcasters, digital news media and other related entities”.

Composition:

• The body includes a Chairperson who is to be an eminent jurist, and other members such as news editors, and those experienced in the field of law, education, literature, public administration, etc. nominated by a majority of the Board.
• Former Supreme Court judge and jurist AK Sikri is currently serving as the Chairperson.

Function:

• The Authority may initiate proceedings on its own and issue notice or take action in respect to any matter which falls within its regulations.
• This can also be through complaints referred to the Authority by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting or any other governmental body, or by anyone else via its website.

Hence both statements are correct.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Vadodara transport aircraft manufacturing facility on October 30.

• This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India by a private company. 
• 16 aircraft will be delivered in flyaway condition and 40 will be manufactured in India by the Indian Aircraft Contractor, TATA Consortium of Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Tata Consultancy Services.
• In September 2021, Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space S.A.
• The first 16 fly-away aircraft are scheduled to be received between September 2023 and August 2025.
• The first Made in India aircraft is expected in September 2026.
• The aircraft can be used for civilian purposes also.
• All 56 aircraft will be fitted with indigenous Electronic Warfare suite of Indian DPSUs – Bharat Electronics Ltd and Bharat Dynamics Limited.
• After completion of delivery of 56 aircraft to IAF, M/s Airbus Defence & Space will be allowed to sell the aircraft manufactured in India to civil operators and export to countries which are cleared by the Government of India.

C-295MW:

• C-295MW is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of IAF.
• It has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo.
• It can carry around 40-45 paratroopers or around 70 passengers.
• Short take-off/land from semi-prepared surfaces is another of its features.
• The aircraft will strengthen the logistic capabilities of the IAF.

Hence both statements are correct.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister recently said that National Investigation Agency (NIA) agency to have offices in all states by 2024.

• National Investigation Agency (NIA) is the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency of India.
• Parent agency: Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Establishment: NIA was created after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008.
• Jurisdiction:
  • The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states.
  • A State Government may request the Central Government to hand over the investigation of a case to the NIA, provided the case has been registered for the offences as contained in the schedule to the NIA Act.
• NIA special courts:
  • Various Special Courts have been notified by the Govt. of India for trial of the cases arising out of offences committed in various states of the Union.
  • These are presided over by a judge appointed by the Central Government on the recommendation of the Chief Justice of the High Court with jurisdiction in that region.
• Offices: 
  • It is headquartered in Delhi.
  • Branches: Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur, Jammu, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Chennai and Imphal.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya received 1,15,161 visitors upto 30th September, 2022. The Sangrahalaya was opened for public on 21st April 2022.

• The Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya is a tribute to every Prime Minister of India since Independence, and a narrative record of how each one has contributed to the development of our nation over the last 75 years. 
• The logo of the Sangrahalaya shows hands holding the dharma chakra, symbolising the nation and democracy.
• The Sangrahalaya will also include the Nehru Museum. 
• It is located at the iconic Teen Murti complex.

Display:

• From the freedom struggle to the framing of the Constitution, the museum will have displays that showcase stories of how the respective Prime Ministers steered the nation.
• Personal items, gifts and memorabilia like medals, commemorative stamps, speeches of PMs and anecdotal representations of ideologies will be on display at the museum.

History:

• The Teen Murti Bhawan, the site of the new museum, was the official residence of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
• The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) was set up in his memory on its premises as an autonomous institution under the Union Culture Ministry.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Union Government to launch Swadesh Darshan 2 with chosen destinations from 15 States.

• Fifteen States are part of the first phase which include Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. 
• The initiative is being taken as part of the first phase of the ‘Swadesh Darshan 2’.
• Some of the prominent places identified are Jhansi and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, Gwalior, Chitrakoot and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh and Ajanta and Ellora in Maharashtra.
• It is promoted as part of India’s new domestic tourism policy which moves away from theme-based tourist circuits and focuses on revving up destination tourism.

Swadesh Darshan Scheme:

• The Swadesh Darshan Scheme was launched by the Centre in 2014-15 for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.
• Under the scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance to State governments, Union Territory Administrations or Central Agencies for development of tourism infrastructure in the country.
• The Swadesh Darshan scheme is 100% centrally funded. 

Tourism Sector:

• According to the third Tourism Satellite Account for 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20, the contribution of tourism to the employment of the country is 14.78%, 14.87 % and 15.34 % respectively. 
• The total jobs generated by the by tourism are 72.69 million (2017-18), 75.85 million (2018-19) and 79.86 million (2019-20).   

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports  in collaboration with Ministry of Home Affairs recently organised 14th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme for the development of Tribal Youth in New Delhi.

• Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan has been organizing Tribal Youth Exchange Programme since 2006 for the development and main streaming of Tribal Youth in collaboration and financial support from Department of Left Wing Extremism (LWE), Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India.
• During this financial year 2022-23, 26 Tribal Youth Exchange Programmes are being organized by NYKS across the country.
• The aim of this  programme is to sensitize LWE Tribal Youth to Rich Cultural Heritage of India.
• It also aims to enable them to appreciate the concept of unity in diversity, expose them to development activities and industrial advancement and at help the tribal youth to develop emotional linkages with their peer groups in other part of the country and enhance their self-esteem.

Hence both statements are correct.