29 OCT CURRENT AFFAIRS (MCQ)

Q1. Consider the following statements:

1. All over India, only an agriculturist can purchase agricultural land.2. NRIs and PIOs can’t purchase agricultural land in India. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 onlyb) 2 onlyc) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2
Solution : b)

Explanation :-Various states follow different procedures for the purchase of agricultural land. In certain states only an agriculturist can purchase such land whereas there are no restrictions in other states. All over India, NRIs and PIOscan’t purchase agricultural land/plantation property/farm houses. They can, however, inherit agricultural lands.
Q2. Consider the following statements about Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 :

1. The Act assigns absolute power to the central government and state governments by way of which they can declare unlawful activities.

2. Following the 2019 amendment, “terrorist act” was added to the list of offences.Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2
Solution : d)

Explanation :-Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 • The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (‘Act’) is meant to outlaw and penalize unlawful and terrorist activities, which pose a threat to the integrity and sovereignty of India..• The UAPA was originally passed in 1967 under the then Congress government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.• The Act assigns absolute power to the central government, by way of which if the Centre deems an activity as unlawful then it may, by way of an Official Gazette, declare it so.• Till 2004, “unlawful” activities referred to actions related to secession and cession of territory. o Following the 2004 amendment, “terrorist act” was added to the list of offences.• The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment (UAPA), also passed in 2019, o Who may commit terrorism: Under the Act, the central government may designate an organisation as a terrorist organisation if it: (i) commits or participates in acts of terrorism, (ii) prepares for terrorism, (iii) promotes terrorism, or (iv) is otherwise involved in terrorism.  The Bill additionally empowers the government to designate individuals as terrorists on the same grounds. • Allows an National Investigation Agency officer to conduct raids, and seize properties that are suspected to be linked to terrorist activities without taking prior permission of the Director General of Police of a state. o The investigating officer only requires sanction from the Director General of NIA.
Q3. With reference to the ‘Parampara Series 2020- National Festival of Music & Dance’, consider the following statements:

1. It was organised by Natya Tarangini in partnership with the United Nations.

2. This festival was organized to coincide with the World Day for Audio-visual Heritage.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 onlyb) 2 onlyc) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2
Solution : c)

Explanation :-Vice President of India launched the festival of ‘Parampara Series 2020- National Festival of Music & Dance.’• It was organised by Natya Tarangini in partnership with the United Nations. Natya Tarangini is organising the ‘Parampara Series’ continuously since past 23 years.• This festival was organized to coincide with the World Day for Audio-visual Heritage.• ‘Parampara’ means ‘tradition’, the transmission of cultural treasure house from one generation to the next.• Natya Tarangini Performing Arts Centre, was founded initially as a Kuchipudi Dance Institute by India’s legendary dancing couple Dr.(s) Raja Radha and Kaushalya Reddy in the year 1976 in New Delhi.• Hence both statements are correct.
Q4. Which of the following documents announced during the 3rd India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue?

1. MoU for Technical Cooperation in Earth Observations and Earth Sciences.

2. Agreement for the Electronic Exchange of Customs Data between the Postal Operators.

3. Arrangement extending the duration of the Memorandum of Understanding between India and the USA.Select the correct answe
r using the code given below:

a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3
Solution : d)

Explanation :-External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held the third edition of the 2+2 talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.Documents announced during the 3rd India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue:1. Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement between the Ministry of Defence, Government of India and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Department of Defence of United States of America.2. MoU for Technical Cooperation in Earth Observations and Earth Sciences.3. Agreement for the Electronic Exchange of Customs Data between the Postal Operators.4. Arrangement extending the duration of the Memorandum of Understanding between India and the USA.5. Letter of Intent between the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, New Delhi and the Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Cancer Institute, Government of the USA for cooperation in the field of Ayurveda and Cancer Research.• USA is the top export destination for India (~17%) which is also reflected in exchange of goods through postal channel.• In 2019, around 20% of outbound EMS and 30% of Letters & Small Packets transmitted by India Post were destined to USA whereas 60% of the Parcels received by India Post were originated from USA.• Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.
Q5. With reference to the Nrityanjali, consider the following statements:

1. Nrityanjali is an online festival of documentary films on the life and work of some of the leading Indian classical dance exponents.

2. Nāṭya Śāstra is a Sanskrit treatise attributed to sage Vyasa Muni.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2
Solution : a)Explanation :-The Films Division of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is organizing the concluding part of ‘Nrityanjali’, an online film festival on Indian classical dance and its maestros from October 28 to 30.• Nrityanjali is an online festival of documentary films on the life and work of some of the leading Indian classical dance exponents.• The festival will be streamed on Films Division website and its YouTube channel. All films will be streamed live, simultaneously, for three days.• Indian Classical Dance is an umbrella under which various performing arts whose theory and practice can be traced to the Sanskrit text, Natya-Shastra, the foundational treatise by Bharata Muni.• Prominent traditional dance forms like Bharat Natyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathakali, Sattriya, Manipuri and Mohini Aattam, include music and recitation in the local language or Sanskrit and they represent a unity of core ideas in a diversity of styles, costumes and expression.Hence only statement 1 is correct.
Q6. Consider the following statements:

1. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) was formed in 2004 by the Government of India to focus on enhancing employability of skills.

2. The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) was notified by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on 5th December 2018.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2
Solution : b)

Explanation :-Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) in collaboration with their unified regulator— National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) unveiled guidelines for the Awarding Bodies (AB) and Assessment Agencies (AA) over a digital conference.• The guidelines and operation manuals have been developed for the recognition and regulation of these two entities, key elements of skilling ecosystem.• The guidelines aim at establishing quality, improved outcomes and standardizing the processes under Skill India Mission.• Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) was formed on November 9, 2014 by the Government of India to focus on enhancing employabil
by 2050, heralding a bolder approach to tackling the climate emergency by the world’s third-biggest economy.• Japan had come under pressure to strengthen its climate commitments after initially saying that it would achieve an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 followed by carbon neutrality “as soon as possible” in the second half of the century.• The policy shift brings Japan into line with the European Union, which set itself a similar target last year, while China recently announced it would become carbon-free by 2060.• Japan’s current energy plan, set in 2018, calls for 22-24% of its energy to come from renewables, 20-22% from nuclear power and 56% from fossil fuels.• Suga, who replaced Shinzo Abe in mid-September, did not provide details on how Japan would reduce carbon emissions to zero.Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.
Q6. With reference to Goods and Services Tax (GST), consider the following statements:

1. Currently petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, natural gas and crude oil fall outside India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.

2. Bringing natural gas under the GST regime would lead to a reduction in the cascading impact of taxes on industries such as power and steel, which used natural gas as an input.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2d) Neither 1 nor 2
Solution : c)

Explanation :-Global energy majors have called on the Government of India to bring natural gas under the GST regime at the India energy Forum being held this week.• Currently petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, natural gas and crude oil fall outside India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime.• Government officials have also indicated that the government is considering bringing natural gas under the ambit of the GST regime.• Bringing natural gas under the GST regime would lead to a reduction in the cascading impact of taxes on industries such as power and steel, which used natural gas as an input.• it would do away with the central excise duty and different value added taxes imposed by states.• This would lead to an increase in the adoption of natural gas in line with the government’s stated goal to increase the share of natural gas in the country’s energy basket from 6.3% to 15%.Hence both statements are correct.

.• Under its flagship programme, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 2016-2020, the Ministry has trained more than 92 lakh candidates so far.• The National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) was notified by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on 5th December 2018. The NCVET acts as an overarching skills regulator which regulates the functioning of entities engaged in vocational education and training.Hence only statement 2 is correct.
Q7. With reference to interest waiver on loans, consider the following statements:1. The Reserve Bank of India has asked all lending institutions to credit the interest waiver on loans upto two crore rupees for the six months moratorium period beginning March 1, 2020.2. Under the scheme, the lending institutions have been mandated to grant ex-gratia payment to certain categories of borrowers through crediting the difference between simple interest and compound interest for the period between March 1- August 31, 2020.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2
Solution : c)

Explanation :-The Reserve Bank of India has asked all lending institutions to credit the interest waiver on loans upto two crore rupees for the six months moratorium period beginning March 1, 2020.• The government announced the scheme for grant of ex-gratia payment of difference between compound interest and simple interest for six months to borrowers in specified loan accounts.• Under the scheme, the lending institutions have been mandated to grant ex-gratia payment to certain categories of borrowers through crediting the difference between simple interest and compound interest for the period between March 1- August 31, 2020.• The lending institutions shall credit the difference between compound interest and simple interest with regard to the eligible borrowers in respective accounts for the said period irrespective of whether the borrower availed the moratorium on repayment of loan or not.• The government has asked banks to credit the amount to borrowers by 5th of November.• Post payment, lenders can claim the amount from the central government.• The scheme will cover education, housing, automobile loans, MSME loans, personal loans to professionals, credit card dues, consumer durable loans and consumption loans.• Hence both statements are correct.
Q8. Chittagong is large port city on the southeastern coast of which of the following country?

a) Myanmar b) Bangladesh c) Nepal d) Maldives
Solution : b)

Explanation :-Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the 1.8 kilometre long Feni bridge connecting Sabrum in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh will be completed by December this year.• Feni Bridge is known as Maitree Setu in Chattogram.• The bridge is being built over the Feni River and will connect Tripura with Chittagong port of Bangladesh.• The foundation of the bridge was laid in 2015 jointly by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The project is scheduled to be completed by April next year.• The bridge is being constructed by the National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd of Ministry of Road and Transport highways, Government of India.• It is being developed as a corridor for trade and commerce between India’s North-East and Bangladesh.• It will provide direct road connectivity between South Tripura and Chittagong allowing India to use Chittagong as a “port of call” and promoting trade, tourism and people-to-people ties.• The bridge will facilitate carrying of heavy machines and goods to and from the north-eastern states and the rest of India via Bangladesh through Chattogram.Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.
Q9. Which of the following country’s prime minister has recently said that the country will become carbon neutral by 2050?

a) Australia b) Japan c) China d) Turkey
Solution : b)

Explanation :-Japan’s Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, has said the country will become carbon neutral