24 AND 25 AUGUST CURRENT AFFAIRS (MCQ)

Q1. Consider the following statements:

1. Saroop is a physical copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
2. Guru Granth Sahib is a compendium of hymns written by ten Sikh gurus.
   Which of the above statements is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2
   Solution: a)
   Explanation:
   Saroop is a physical copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, also called Bir in Punjabi. Every Bir has 1,430
   pages, which are referred to as Ang. The verses on every page remain the same. 1 is correct.
    The Sikhs consider the saroop of Guru Granth Sahib a living guru and treat it with utmost
   respect.
   Guru Granth Sahib
    It is a compendium of hymns written by six Sikh gurus, 15 saints, including Bhagat Kabir,
   Bhagat Ravidas, Sheikh Farid and Bhagat Namdev, 11 Bhatts (balladeers) and four Sikhs. 2
   is incorrect.
    The verses are composed in 31 ragas.
   Q2. ‘Yuktdhara’ portal has been launched by
   a) Ministry of Finance
   b) Ministry of Defence
   c) Ministry of Science and Technology
   d) Ministry of Rural development
   Solution: d)
   Explanation:
   Recently, the Ministry of Rural development has launched a new geospatial planning portal,
   ‘Yuktdhara’ that will help in facilitating new MGNREGA assets using remote sensing and geographic
   information system-based data.
   Key points:
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    Made by: ISRO and Ministry of Rural development towards realising a G2G service for rural
   planning in support of decentralized decision making.
    Objectives: It will facilitate planning of new MGNREGA assets using Remote Sensing and GIS
   based information.
   Q3. Consider the following statements1. Pakistan and India are the only countries where Polio is still endemic.
3. The Polio Virus can be transmitted through people-to-people mainly through fecal route.
4. It largely affects women and children.
   Select the correct answer using the code belowa) 1 only
   b) 2 and 3 only
   c) 2 only
   d) 1, 2 and 3
   Solution: c)
   Explanation:
   Statement 1 and 3 are not correct.
   Recently, India has decided to vaccinate Afghanistan returnees against Polio for free as a preventive
   measure against the Wild Polio Virus.
   Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries in the world where polio is still Endemic.
    Spread:
   o The virus is transmitted by person-to-person mainly through the faecal-oral
   route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, through contaminated
   water or food).
   o It largely affects children under 5 years of age. The virus multiplies in the intestine,
   from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
   Recent Outbreaks:
   In 2019, polio outbreaks were recorded in the Philippines, Malaysia, Ghana, Myanmar, China,
   Cameroon, Indonesia and Iran, which were mostly vaccine-derived in which a rare strain of the virus
   genetically mutated from the strain in the vaccine.
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   According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), if the oral vaccine-virus is excreted and allowed
   to circulate in an unimmunised or under-immunised population for at least 12 months, it can mutate
   to cause infections.
   India & Polio:
    India received polio-free certification by the WHO in 2014, after three years of zero cases.
    This achievement has been spurred by the successful Pulse Polio Campaign in which all
   children were administered polio drops.
    The last case due to wild poliovirus in the country was detected on 13th January 2011.
   Q4. With reference to “Global Remittances Report” released by World Bank, consider the following
   statements1. India maintained its 1st position receiving the most remittances from the world.
5. Remittance outflow was maximum from China.
6. U.S received most remittances after Mexico and India.
   Select the correct answer using the code belowa) 1 and 2 only
   b) 2 and 3 only
   c) 3 only
   d) 1 only
   Solution: d)
   Explanation:
   Statement 2 and 3 are not correct.
   According to the latest edition of the World Bank’s Migration and Development Brief, despite Covid19, remittance flows remained resilient in 2020, registering a smaller decline than previously
   projected.
   Remittance Inflow of India:
    India being at top, received over USD 83 billion in remittances in 2020, a drop of just 0.2 per
   cent from the previous year, despite a pandemic that devastated the world economy.
    India’s remittances fell by just 0.2% in 2020, with much of the decline due to a 17% drop in
   remittances from the United Arab Emirates, which offset resilient flows from the United
   States and other host countries.
    In 2019, India had received USD 83.3 billion in remittances.
   Global Remittances
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   China is second in terms of global remittances in 2020.
   China received USD 59.5 billion in remittances in 2020.
   India and China are followed by Mexico, the Philippines, Egypt, Pakistan, France and Bangladesh.
   Remittance outflow:
   Remittance outflow was the maximum from the United States.
   Q5. Consider the following statements1. Corals are made up of genetically identified organisms called polyps.
7. They share a predatory relationship with algae.
8. They help in reduction of shoreline erosion.
   Select the correct answer using the code belowa) 1 and 2 only
   b) 2 only
   c) 2 and 3 only
   d) 1 and 3
   Solution: d)
   Explanation:
   Statement 2 is not correct.
   Corals are made up of genetically identical organisms called polyps. These polyps have microscopic
   algae called zooxanthellae living within their tissues.
   The corals and algae have a mutualistic relationship.
   The coral provides the zooxanthellae with the compounds necessary for photosynthesis. In return,
   the zooxanthellae supply the coral with organic products of photosynthesis, like carbohydrates,
   which are utilized by the coral polyps for the synthesis of their calcium carbonate skeletons.
   In addition to providing corals with essential nutrients, zooxanthellae are responsible for the unique
   and beautiful colors of corals.
   They are also called the “rainforests of the seas”.
   There are two types of corals:
   Hard, shallow-water corals—the kind that builds reefs.
   Soft corals and deepwater corals that live in dark cold waters.
   Benefits of Coral:
   Habitat:
   Corals are home to over 1 million diverse aquatic species, including thousands of fish species.
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   Income:
   Coral reefs and related ecosystems have a global estimated value of USD 2.7 trillion per year, or
   2.2% of all global ecosystem service values’, this includes tourism and food.
   Coastal Protection:
   Coral reefs reduce shoreline erosion by absorbing energy from the waves. They can protect coastal
   housing, agricultural land, and beaches.
   Medicine:
   Reefs are home to species that have the potential for treatments for some of the world’s most
   prevalent and dangerous illnesses and diseases.
   Q6. Consider the following statements about Tiger Conservation in India –
9. National Tiger Conservation Authority was created in 1975 under Wildlife protection Act, 1972.
10. More than half on India’s tiger are in Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.
11. Project Tiger is a centrally sponsored scheme.
    Select the correct answer using the code belowa) 1 only
    b) 2 and 3 only
    c) 1 and 2 only
    d) 3 only
    Solution: d)
    Explanation:
    Statement 1 and 2 are not correct.
    National Tiger Conservation Authority
     National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of
    Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
     It was established in 2005 following the recommendations of the Tiger Task Force.
     It was constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as
    amended in 2006, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions
    assigned to it.
    Project Tiger
     Project Tiger is an ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment,
    Forests and Climate Change providing central assistance to the tiger States for tiger
    conservation in designated tiger reserves.
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     India now has as many as 2,967 tigers in the wild, with more than half of them in Madhya
    Pradesh and Karnataka, according to the latest tiger estimation report for 2018.
     The population of tigers have increased by 33% since the last census in 2014 when the total
    estimate was 2,226.
    Q7. “Panjshir Valley” sometimes, seen in news is ina) Iraq
    b) Uzbekistan
    c) Pakistan
    d) None of the above
    Solution: d)
    Explanation:
    The Taliban has sent hundreds of its fighters to the Panjshir Valley, one of the few parts of
    Afghanistan not yet controlled by the group.
    Panjshir Valley
     Located 150 km north of Kabul, the Valley is near the Hindu Kush Mountain range.
     It’s divided by the Panjshir river and ringed by the Panjshir mountains in the north and the
    Kuhestan mountains in the south.
     The mountain tops are covered by snow throughout the year.
     This difficult terrain makes the Valley a nightmare for invaders.
    Why is it significant?
     The Valley has repeatedly played a decisive role in Afghanistan’s military history, as its
    geographical position almost completely closes it off from the rest of the country.
     The only access point to the region is through a narrow passage created by the Panjshir River,
    which can be easily defended militarily.
     Famed for its natural defenses, the region tucked into the Hindu Kush mountains never fell
    to the Taliban during the civil war of the 1990s, nor was it conquered by the Soviets a decade
    earlier.
     Panjshir Valley was among the safest regions in the country during the time of the NATObacked government from 2001 to 2021.
     The valley is also known for its emeralds, which were used in the past to finance the
    resistance movements against those in power
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    Q8. Which of the following statements are correct about Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation
    of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES)?
12. It is flagship program of Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change.
13. Brazil, China, Mexico and South Africa are also part of this project.
14. National Capital Accounting covers accounting of individual environment assets or resources.
    Select the correct answer using the code belowa) 1 and 2 only
    b) 2 only
    c) 2 and 3 only
    d) 1, 2 and 3
    Solution: c)
    Explanation:
    Statement 1 is not correct.
    Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of the Ecosystem Services (NCAVES) India Forum-2021 is
    being organised by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) in virtual
    format.
    The MoSPI has taken up several initiatives under the project “Natural Capital Accounting and
    Valuation of Ecosystem Services (NCAVES)” which aims to advance the theory and practice of
    ecosystem accounting in India.
    About the Project:
    The NCAVES Project, funded by the European Union, has been jointly implemented by the United
    Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the
    Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD).
    India is one of the five countries taking part in this project – the other countries being Brazil, China,
    South Africa and Mexico.
    In India, the NCAVES project is being implemented by the MoSPI in close collaboration with
    the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the National Remote
    Sensing Centre (NRSC) under the Department of Space.
    Natural Capital Accounting (NCA):
    It is an umbrella term covering efforts to make use of an accounting framework to provide a
    systematic way to measure and report on stocks and flows of natural capital.
    Natural capital is another term for the stock of renewable and non-renewable resources that
    combine to yield a flow of benefits to people.
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    NCA covers accounting for individual environmental assets or resources, both biotic and abiotic
    (such as water, minerals, energy, timber, fish), as well as accounting for ecosystem assets (e.g.
    forests; wetlands), biodiversity and ecosystem services, in both physical and monetary terms.
    Q9. Which of the following writers have authored their work in Sanskrit?
15. Ashva Ghosha
16. Sudraka
17. Kalidasa
    Select the correct answer using the code below
    a) 1 only
    b) 1 and 2 only
    c) 2 only
    d) 1, 2 and 3
    Solution: d)
    Explanation:
     Important Authors and Works in Sanskrit:
    o Bhāsa (for example, his Svapnavāsvavadatta – Vāsavadatta in a Dream), who is
    assigned widely varying dates but definitely worked prior to Kālidāsa, who mentions
    him.
    o Kālidāsa, dated anywhere from the 1st century BCE to the 4th century CE, whose
    works include Śakuntalā, Vikramorvaśīya, Kumārasambhava and Raghuvaṃśa.
    o Śūdraka and his Mṛcchakatika (“Little Clay Cart”), possibly dating to the 3rd century
    CE.
    o Ashvaghosha’s Buddhacarita is one of the finest examples of Buddhist literature.
    o Bhāravi and his Kirātārjunīya (“Arjuna and the Kirāta”), from approximately the
    7
    th century.
    o Māgha, whose Śiśupālavadha (“The Slaying of Śiśupāla”) dates to the late
    7
    th century.
    o The two epics Rāmāyaṇa (“Life of Rāma”) and Mahābhārata (“Great Tale of the
    Bhāratas”) were also composed in Sanskrit, and the former is esteemed as the first
    poetic work (ādikāvya) of India.
    Q10. Recently, “Jan Shikshan Sansthan” was in news, which of the statements are correct?
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18. Jan Shiksha Sansthan impart vocational training at doorstep.
19. Women, SC/ST’s and OBC are prioritized in this program.
20. Jan Shikshan Sansthan are registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860.
    Select the correct answer using the code belowa) 1 and 2 only
    b) 2 only
    c) 2 and 3 only
    d) 1, 2 and 3
    Solution: d)
    Explanation:
    All statements are correct.
    Recently, the Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) has brought high-speed internet to some of the remotest
    tribal hamlets deep inside the Nilambur jungle in Kerala.
    About:
    The Scheme of JSS formerly known as Shramik Vidyapeeth was a unique creation of the Government
    of India and has been implemented through Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the country
    since 1967.
    The scheme was renamed as JSS in 2000.
     The JSSs are imparting vocational skill training programmes at the doorstep of the
    beneficiaries with a minimum cost and infrastructure.
     JSSs are unique in the sense that they do not provide only vocational skills but also include
    an element of life skills which can help the beneficiary in day to day life.
     At present, 233 JSSs in 25 States and 3 Union Territories are functional.
     The annual coverage of the beneficiaries is around 4 lakh, out of which 85% are women.
    Mandate:
    To provide vocational skills in non-formal mode to non-literate, neo-literates, persons with
    rudimentary level of education upto 8th and school drop-outs upto 12th standard in the age group
    of 15-45 years.
    The priority groups are women, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, minorities and other backward
    sections of the society.