National (Current Affairs – UPSC) (Part-III)

Total Questions: 63

41. Withreferenceto Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the following statements : [2018-1]

1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

2. It among other things, will also impart training in soft skills, entrepreneurship, financial and digital literacy.

3. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National Skill Qualification Framework.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 & 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 2 & 3 only
(d) 1, 2 & 3

Correct Answer: (c) 2 & 3 only

Solution:PMKVY is the flagship outcome-based skill training scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). So, #1 is wrong.

Ministry of Skill Development is created with core focus on converging all skill development initiatives in the country under one National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF). So, #3 ought to be right. Thus by elimination we get the answer C: 2 and 3 only.

42. Consider the following: [2018-1]

1. Areca nut

2. Barley

3. Coffee

4. Finger millet

5. Groundnut

6. Sesamum

7. Turmeric

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affair, has announced the Minimum Support Prick for which of the above?

(a) 1, 2, 3 & 7 only
(b) 2, 4, 5 & 6 only
(c) 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7

Correct Answer: (b) 2, 4, 5 & 6 only

Solution:Government announces MSP on 23 crops. These include seven cereal crops (paddy, wheat, jowar, bajra, maize, ragi and barley), five pulse crops (gram, tur, moong, urad and lentil), seven oilseeds (groundnut, sunflower seed, soyabean, rapeseed, mustard, safflower, nigerseed and seasmum), copra (dried coconut), cotton, raw jute and sugarcane.

So, Coffee is not in the list, #3 is wrong, by elimination we get correct answer (B).

43. As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following statements is correct? [2018-1]

(a) Waste generator has to segregate waste into 5 categories.
(b) The Rules are applicable to notified urban local bodies, notified towns and all industrial township only.
(c) The Rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities.
(d) It is mandatory on the part of waste generator that the waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district.

Correct Answer: (c) The Rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities.

Solution:Every waste generator shall segregate and store the waste generated by them in three separate streams namely biodegradable, non-bio-degradable and domestic hazardous wastes in suitable bins. So #A is wrong.

Rules are now applicable beyond Municipal areas and extend to urban agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships, areas under the control of Indian Railways, airports, airbase, Port and harbour, defence establishments, special economic zones etc. So, #B is wrong.

The rules specifies criteria for site selection, development of facilities at the sanitary landfills, specifications for land filling operations and closure on completion of landfilling, pollution prevention, Closure and Rehabilitation of Old Dumps, specifies Criteria for special provisions for hilly areas. So, C is correct.

There is no mention of district requirement, so D is wrong.

44. Consider the following Statements : [2019-1]

As per the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central (Amendment) Rules, 2018:

1. If rules for fixed-term employment are implemented, it becomes easier for the firms/companies to lay off workers.

2. No notice of termination of employment shall be necessary in the case of temporary workman.

Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 & 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Correct Answer: (c) Both 1 & 2

Solution:As per the the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Central (Amendment) Rules, 2018:

No workman employed on fixed term employment basis shall be entitled to any notice or pay, if his services are terminated by non-renewal of contract. So, #1 is right.

No notice of termination of employment shall be necessary in the case of temporary workman. So, #2 is right. Answer C: both correct

45. What was the purpose of the Inter-Creditor Agreement signed by Indian banks and financial institutions recently? [2019-1]

(a) To lessen the Government of India's perennial burden of fiscal deficit and current account deficit.
(b) To support the infrastructure projects of Central and State Governments.
(c) To act as independent regulator in case of applications for loans of 50 crore or more.
(d) To aim at faster resolution of stressed assets of₹ 50 crore or more which are under consortium lending.

Correct Answer: (d) To aim at faster resolution of stressed assets of₹ 50 crore or more which are under consortium lending.

Solution:Project Sashakt by Finance Ministry: It has 5 Pronged approach to resolve the NPA problem in time bound manner for Public Sector Banks. Approach #2: For Mid-sized bad loans 50-500cr: Intercreditor pact. So, D is the correct choice.

46. With reference to the cultivation of Kharif crops in India in the last five years, consider the following statements: [2019-1]

1. Area under rice cultivation is the highest.

2. Area under the cultivation of jowar is more than that of oilseeds.

3. Area of cotton cultivation is more than that of sugarcane.

4. Area under sugarcane cultivation has steadily decreased.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 & 3 only
(b) 2, 3 & 4 only
(c) 2 & 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 & 4

Correct Answer: (a) 1 & 3 only

Solution:Area under cultivation: Jowar: 5.1 million ha, while Oilseeds is 26.2. So, statement#2 is wrong, by elimination we arrive at answer A: 1 and 3 only.

47. Among the agricultural commodities imported by India, which one of the following accounts for the highest imports in terms of value in the last five years? [2019-1]

(a) Spices
(b) Fresh fruits
(c) Pulses
(d) Vegetable oils

Correct Answer: (d) Vegetable oils

Solution:From the data released by the Commerce Ministry:

Import in Cr.	2017	2018
Vegetable Oil	5432.96	5103.64
Pulses	1357.44	976.37
Fruits & vegetables	1329.03	1309.25

Export data of spices is given but import data is not given, which points out that we are importing either NIL/negligible amount of spices.

48. The word 'Denisovan' is sometimes mentioned in media in reference to : [2019-1]

(a) fossil of a kind of dinosaurs
(b) an early human species
(c) a cave system found in North-East India
(d) a geological period in the history of Indian subcontinent

Correct Answer: (b) an early human species

Solution:Denisovan culture was discovered in 2010 and still awaits taxonomic classification. Aboriginal Australians have significant Denisovan genetic material. So, it ought to be B- a human species.

49. Consider the following statements: [2020-1]

1. Aadhaar metadata cannot be stored for more than three months.

2. State cannot enter into any contract with private corporations for sharing of Aadhar data.

3. Aadhaar is mandatory for obtaining insurance products.

4. Aadhar is mandatory for getting benefits funded out of the Consolidate fund of India.

Which of the statements give above is/are correct?

(a) 1 & 4 only
(b) 2 & 4 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 & 3 only

Correct Answer: (b) 2 & 4 only

Solution:As per the Aadhar Act, 2016, read together with the Supreme Court Judgment of 2018, the Aadhar Metadata can be stored for a maximum period of 6 months. (Hence, 1st statement is incorrect).

In the 2018 judgment, Supreme Court held that Aadhar is not mandatory to purchase the insurance products however, it can be voluntarily used for KYC of the insurance products. Even IRDAI has made the similar rules. Hence, statement 3 is also incorrect.

Also, the Supreme Court ruled that any welfare scheme, driving funds out of the Consolidated Fund of India, would require Aadhar to deliver the benefits to the intended beneficiaries. (Hence, 4th Statement is correct)

50. With reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements: [2020-1]

1. A substantial saving in seed material is when 'bud chip settings' are raised in a nursery and transplanted in the main field.

2. When direct planting of setts is done, the germination percentage is better with single-budded setts as compared to setts with many buds.

3. If bad weather conditions prevail when setts are directly planted,single-buddedsettshavebettersurvivalascompared to large setts.

4. Sugarcane can be cultivated using settings prepared from tissue culture.