18 MARCH CURRENT AFFAIRS (MCQ)

Q1. Consider the following statements [Delhi edition Page: 9]

1. Mission Shakti will consist of the schemes and policies for the empowerment and protection of women.

2. Mission Vatsalya will be looking into the child welfare services and child protection services all over the country.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: (c)

Explanation:

Mission Shakti

● Mission Shakti will consist of the schemes and policies for the empowerment and protection of women.

● Schemes: Mission Shakti will cover schemes under two categories:

○ SAMBAL: This category will include schemes such as One Stop Centre, Mahila Police Volunteer, Women‟s Helpline, Swadhar, Ujjawala among others.

○ SAMARTHYA: This category will include schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana among others.

● Mission Shakti will run in convergence with the other two Umbrella Schemes.

Mission Vatsalya

● Mission Vatsalya will be looking into the child welfare services and child protection services all over the country.

● Schemes: Mission Vatsalya will include the Scheme for Child Protection Services, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

Q2. The United States has signed a historic deal with Taliban insurgents that could pave the way for ending the 18-year-war in Afghanistan. What is the agreement? [Delhi edition Page: 13]

1. Taliban agreement
2. US-Afghan deal
3. Doha agreement
4. None of the above

Solution: (c)

Q3. With reference to NFSA, consider the following [Delhi edition Page: 1]

1. Priority Household (PHH) ration cards are issued to households that meet the eligibility criteria set by their state government.

2. Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration cards are issued to “poorest of poor” households. Each AAY household is entitled to 35 kilograms of food grain per month.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: (c)

Explanation:

Ration card and food security

● Ration cards are an official document issued by state governments in India to households that are eligible to purchase subsidised food grain from the Public Distribution System under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

● They also serve as a common form of identification for many Indians.

● Under the NFSA, all state governments in India have to identify households that are eligible for purchasing subsidised food grain from the Public Distribution System and provide them with ration cards. There are two types of ration cards under NFSA:

○ Priority Household (PHH) ration cards are issued to households that meet the eligibility criteria set by their state government.

■ Each priority household is entitled to 5 kilograms of food grain per member per month.

○ Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration cards are issued to “poorest of poor” households. Each AAY household is entitled to 35 kilograms of food grain per month.

● Before the NFSA was enacted, there were three types of ration cards:

○ Above Poverty Line (APL) ration cards that were issued to households living above the poverty line (as estimated by the Planning Commission). These households received 15 kilogram of food grain (based on availability).

○ Below Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards that were issued to households living below the poverty line. These households received 25-35 kilograms of food grain.

○ Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) ration cards that were issued to “poorest of poor” households. These households received 35 kilograms of food grain.

Q4. What is NRIC? [Delhi edition Page: 1]

1. National Register of International Citizens
2. National Register of Indian Citizens
3. National Register of Indo-Bangladesh Citizens
4. None of the above

Solution: (b)

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding One Nation-One Ration Card [Delhi edition Page: 1]

1. It was started as an inter-State portability of ration cards in 2019.

2. It allows the migratory National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 beneficiaries to lift their entitled quota of food grains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice anywhere in the country.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: (c)

Explanation:

One Nation-One Ration Card

● It was started as an inter-State portability of ration cards in 2019.

● It allows the migratory National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013 beneficiaries to lift their entitled quota of food grains from any Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice anywhere in the country.

● This can be done by using their existing ration card with Aadhaar based authentication.

● With 24 States/UTs connected under the scheme, about 65 crore beneficiaries, comprising 80% of the total beneficiaries covered under the NFSA, can now get their subsidised ration from anywhere in these 24 states and union territories.

Q6. Which of the following are components of UBI? [Delhi edition Page: 1]

1. Universality
2. Periodic
3. Payments to individuals
4. Payments in cash
5. Unconditionality

1. 1, 2 and 3 only
2. 4 and 5 only
3. All the above
4. None of the above

Solution: (c)

Explanation:

Universal Basic Income

● To deal with the economic inequality, unemployment and poverty created by the Covid-19 pandemic, many advocate Universal Basic Income (UBI) programme to be a solution.

Idea of Universal Basic Income

● The Economic Survey of India 2016-17 has advocated the concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI) as an alternative to the various social welfare schemes in an effort to reduce poverty.

● Idea behind the Universal Basic Income is that every person should have a right to a basic income to cover his needs, just by virtue of being a citizen.

● The purpose of the UBI is to prevent or reduce poverty and increase equality among citizens.

● UBI has five components:

○ Universality- It is universal in nature.

○ Periodic- Payments at periodic regular intervals (not one-off grants)

○ Payments to individuals

○ Payments in cash (not food vouchers or service coupons).

○ Unconditionality- There are no preconditions attached with the cash transferred to the beneficiary.

Q7. The investments or the capital that the entrepreneurs receive from wealthy investors is called the [Delhi edition Page: 14]

1. Revenue Capital
2. Venture Capital
3. Both a and b
4. None of the above

Solution: (b)

Q8. Asset quality of banks, which saw some improvement in the second half of 2020, is likely to worsen during the first six months of 2021, are part of the 12th round of bankers‟ survey? Who made this survey? [Delhi edition Page: 14]

1. International Monetary Fund
2. World Economic Forum
3. FICCI-IBA
4. NITI Aayog

Solution: (c)

Q9. Name the committee set up by RBI for restructuring of loans impacted by COVID-19. [Delhi edition Page: 14]

1. Bimal Jalan Committee
2. V G Kannan Committee
3. K V Kamath Committee
4. Usha Thorat Committee

Solution: (c)

Q10. With reference to the Appropriation Bill 2021-22, consider the following statements: [Delhi edition Page: 9]

1. Under Article 72 of the Constitution, no amount can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund without the enactment of such a law by Parliament.

2. Both appropriation and finance bills are classified as money bills which do not require the explicit consent of the Rajya Sabha.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: (b)

Explanation:

The Lok Sabha cleared the Appropriation Bill 2021-22, allowing the Central government to draw funds from the Consolidated Fund of India for its operational requirements and implementation of various programmes.

• Under Article 114(3) of the Constitution, no amount can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund without the enactment of such a law by Parliament.
• After the Demands for Grants are voted by the Lok Sabha, Parliament’s approval to the withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund of the amounts so voted and of the amount required to meet the expenditure charged on the Consolidated Fund is sought through the Appropriation Bill.

Guillotine

• The Bill was passed after Speaker Om Birla put it through guillotine, a legislative mechanism to approve the fast-tracking of the passage of outstanding demands for grants without discussion.
• While guillotine literally is a large, weighted blade used for executing a condemned person, in legislative parlance, to ”guillotine” means to bunch together and fast-track the passage of financial business.
• It is a fairly common procedural exercise in Lok Sabha during the Budget Session.

Finance Bill

• The Lok Sabha will now discuss the Finance Bill, which essentially contains the government’s tax proposals. Once the Finance Bill is passed, the budget exercise is complete.
• Both appropriation and finance bills are classified as money bills which do not require the explicit consent of the Rajya Sabha. The upper house only discusses them and returns the bills.
• After passing the Finance Bill, it enters the statute as the Finance Act. Thus, the final Budget gets approved.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.