19 JULY CURRENT AFFAIRS (MCQ)

Q1. It is a motion that has been admitted by the Speaker, but no date has been
fixed for its discussion. It can be moved in Rajya Sabha as well as Lok Sabha. It is

called-
a) Privilege Motion

b) No-Day Yet named Motion
c) Cut Motion
d) Motion of Thanks

Solution: b)
Explanation:
• It is a motion that has been admitted by the Speaker but no date has
been fixed for its discussion.
• It can be moved in Rajya Sabha as well as Lok Sabha.

Q2. With reference to Amazon Rainforests, consider the following statements-

1. They cover 80% of Amazon basin and a home to nearly one-fifth of world

species.

2. It comprises Brazil’s 40% geographical area.
   Which of the statements are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: c)
Explanation:
Amazon Rainforests
These are large tropical rainforests occupying the drainage basin of
the Amazon River and its tributaries in northern South America.

o Tropical forests are closed-canopy forests growing within 28
degrees north or south of the equator.
o They are very wet places, receiving more than 200 cm rainfall per
year, either seasonally or throughout the year.
o Temperatures are uniformly high – between 20°C and 35°C.

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o Such forests are found in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America,
Central America, Mexico and on many of the Pacific Islands.
• The Amazon rainforests cover about 80% of the Amazon basin and they
are home to nearly a fifth of the world’s land species and is also home
to about 30 million people including hundreds of indigenous groups and
several isolated tribes.
o The Amazon basin is huge with an area covering over 6 million
square kilometres, it is nearly twice the size of India.
o The basin produces about 20% of the world’s flow of
freshwater into the oceans.

• Comprising about 40% of Brazil’s total area, it is bounded by the Guiana
Highlands to the north, the Andes Mountains to the west, the Brazilian
central plateau to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

Q3. Which of the following statements are correct about Geological Survey of India?

1. It is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines.
2. It was set up in 1851 to find coal deposits for Railways.
3. Geo-scientific information updation and mineral resource assessment are its
   main functions.

Select the correct answer using the code below-
a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 only
c) 3 only
d) 1,2 and 3

Solution: d)
Explanation:
Geological Survey of India
• It was set up in 1851 primarily to find coal deposits for the Railways.
• Over the years, it has not only grown into a repository of geo-science
information required in various fields in the country but has also
attained the status of a geo-scientific organisation of international
repute.

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• The main functions of the GSI relate to creation and updation of
national geo-scientific information and mineral resource assessment.
• It is headquartered in Kolkata and has six regional offices located at
Lucknow, Jaipur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Shillong and Kolkata. Every state
has a state unit.
• Presently, GSI is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines.

Q4. With reference to PM-KUSUM scheme, consider the following statements-

1. After its implementation, farmers will be able to sell surplus electricity

through grid and earn income.

2. Its objective is to provide financial and water security to farmers
   Which of the statements are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: c)
Explanation:
KUSUM Scheme
• KUSUM stands for Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan
Mahabhiyan. It’s objective is to provide financial and water security to
farmers through harnessing solar energy capacities of 25,750 MW by
2022.
• The scheme consists of three components:
o Installation of ground mounted grid connected renewable power
plants in the rural areas.
o Installation of standalone solar powered agriculture pumps.
o Solarisation of grid-connected agriculture pumps to make farmers
independent of grid supply and also enable them to sell surplus
solar power generated to DISCOM.

Benefits
• Stable and continuous source of income to the rural landowners.

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• Availability of sufficient local solar/other renewable energy based
power for feeding rural load centres and agriculture pump-set loads.
• Reducing transmission losses.
• Save the expenditure incurred on diesel for running diesel pumps.
• Substantial environmental impact in terms of savings of CO2 emissions.

Q5. Consider the following statements-

1. Technical Textiles are functional fabrics that have application across various

sectors like healthcare, personal protection, Industrial safety.

2. India is the largest producer of technical textiles in world.
3. It contributes more than 10% in India’s export earnings.

Select the correct answer using the code below-
a) 1 and 3 only

b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1,2 and 3

Solution: a)
Explanation:
Significance of the Textiles Sector:
• It contributes 2.3% to Indian GDP, 7% of Industrial Output, 12% to the
export earnings of India and employs more than 21% of total
employment.
• India is the 6th largest producer of Technical Textiles with 6% Global
Share, largest producer of cotton & jute in the world.
o Technical textiles are functional fabrics that have applications
across various industries including automobiles, civil engineering
and construction, agriculture, healthcare, industrial safety,
personal protection etc.

Q6. With reference to Foreign Direct Investment, consider the following statements-

1. Gujarat has been the top destination for FDI in 2021-22 in India.
2. Singapore emerged as Top Investor with more than 33% of total investments.
3. Construction sector has received most of the FDI across all sectors.

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Select the correct answer using the code below-
a) 1 only

b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1 and 2 only

Solution: d)
Explanation:
In the Financial Year 2020-21, India sees growth of 10% (to $82 bn) in
FDI equity investments rise 19% to $60 billion.
• Top Investors:
o Singapore emerged as the top investor with almost a third of all
investments, followed by the US which accounted for 23% of
FDI and Mauritius from where 9% of the foreign capital flows
originated.

• Sharpest Growth from Saudi Arabia:
o The sharpest growth among the top 10 FDI-origin countries was
recorded from Saudi Arabia.
o Investments jumped from $90 million in 2019-20 to $2.8 billion
in 2020-21.
• FDI Equity:
o FDI equity flows from the US more than doubled during the year
compared with 2019-20, while investments from the UK surged
44%.

• Top FDI Destinations;
o Gujarat was the top FDI destination in 2020-21, accounting for
37% of the foreign equity inflows, followed by Maharashtra
(2nd) which got 27% of the equity inflows.
o Karnataka (3rd) accounted for another 13% of the equity
investments.
• Top Sectors:
o Computer software and hardware has emerged as the top sector
during 2020-21 with about 44% share of the total FDI equity
inflow.

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o These are followed by construction (infrastructure)
activities (13%) and services sector (8%), respectively.

Q7. With reference to Commercial Farming in India, consider the following

statements-

1. India is the second largest producer of silk in the world.
2. India is the world’s largest producer of jute and jute goods in the world.
3. In cotton production, India is 3rd largest producer.

Select the correct answer using the code below-
a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 3 only

Solution: a)
Explanation:
Statement 3 is not correct.
• World’s leading jute producing countries are India , Bangladesh , China
and Thailand . India is the world’s largest producer of raw jute and jute
goods , contributing to over 50% and 40% respectively of global
production.
• The cultivation of jute in India is mainly confined to the eastern region
of the country . The jute crop is grown in seven states – West Bengal ,
Assam , Orissa , Bihar , Uttar Pradesh , Tripura and Meghalaya . West
Bengal alone accounts for over 50% of the total raw jute production.
• To promote and popularize jute diversification work, National Jute
Board, Ministry of Textiles, acts as the apex body for promotion of the
products in India and abroad.
• India is the world’s largest producer of cotton in world.
• India is second largest producer of silk in world followed by China.

Q8. “Al-Aqsa” Mosque has been frequently seen in news is in-
a) Afghanistan

b) Israel

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c) Palestine
d) Iraq

Solution: c)
Explanation:
Al-Aqsa is the name of the silver-domed mosque inside a 35-acre compound
referred to as al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, by Muslims, and as the
Temple Mount by Jews. The compound lies in the Old City of Jerusalem, which has
been designated a World Heritage site by the United Nations cultural agency,
UNESCO, and is important to the three Abrahamic religions.
The site has been the most contested piece of territory in the Holy Land since Israel
occupied East Jerusalem, including the Old City, in 1967, along with the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. However, the conflict dates even further back, to before the
creation of Israel.

Q9. Which of the following commodities are sold in Fair Price Shops?

1. Wheat
2. Rice
3. Sugar
4. Oil
5. Matchbox
6. Books

Select the correct answer using the code below-
a) 1,2 and 4 only

b) 2,3,4,5 and 6 only
c) 1,2,3,4,5 and 6
d) None of the above

Solution: c)
Explanation:
• Fair Price Shops are the part of public distribution system. Operated by
government it offers daily food products like rice, oil, sugar, wheat,
flour, match box, exercise books, soap, shampoo and lot more other
daily useful commodities in mush lower price than the market price.

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• FPS can be locally found. One needs to issue a ration card on his and
his entire family’s name to buy products from ration shops. The cards
need to be updated every time they buy something from the FPS.
• The products under fair price shop come from the government.
Technically the government of India buys the commodities from the
farmers directly in their desirable prices and sell them through FPS in
half price so that people who are unable to buy things from market due
to high price can avail these necessary products.
• The biggest advantage of fair price shop is it never increases the price
of the products. As the shops offer necessary products at subsidised
price, they never raise the price of any good. This is the reason why it
is called fair price shops.

Q10. The term “moriculture” is related to which of the following-
a) Sugarcane cultivation

b) Silk cultivation
c) Cotton cultivation
d) Jute cultivation

Solution: b)
Explanation:
Moriculture can be defined as the process of cultivating mulberry plants in order
to obtain feed for silkworms. In India, close to 3,00,000 hectares of farmland is
known to be committed to the cultivation of mulberry plants. Initially, the
approximate yield of each hectare was known to range from 12000 to 15000
kilograms of mulberry leaves. However, advancements in the field of agricultural
technology have brought about a great increase in the productivity of these
farmlands. For example, the plantation of high yielding varieties of the mulberry
plant and the proper maintenance of the mulberry plantation can result in each
hectare offering a yield ranging from 25000 to 35000 kilograms of mulberry leaves