April 04 2025 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

All are correct

• BIMSTEC is an economic bloc established in June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration.
• Founding members: Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
• Nepal joined as an observer in 1998 and later became a full member along with Bhutan in February 2004.
• The current members of BIMSTEC are: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan.
• The Permanent Secretariat of BIMSTEC is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
• The 6th BIMSTEC summit host: Thailand.

Answer: (d) All five; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Both statements are incorrect

• Deep sea mining is the process of extraction of mineral-rich nodules, sulphides, and crusts from the deep seabed below 200m depth (covers about 2/3rd of the total seafloor).
• Resources Targeted: Elements essential for EVs, solar panels, wind turbines and electronics.
• Distribution: Richest deposits found in Clarion-Clipperton Zone (Pacific Ocean); Also located near hydrothermal vents and seamounts.
• Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ):
  • CCZ, also known as Clipperton Fracture Zone, is a vast, mineral-rich geological submarine fracture zone with unique deep-sea biodiversity in the northern Pacific Ocean.
  • It is being researched for deep-sea mining due to the abundant presence of manganese nodules.
  • It is a habitat for cetaceans, including blue whales (EN), baleen, and toothed whales.
  • and other volcanic features. They comprise cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese, and other metals.

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Pair 2 is correct

• Juno is a space probe of NASA which orbits the planet Jupiter.
• Juno’s mission aims to study Jupiter’s composition, gravitational and magnetic fields, and its polar magnetosphere. It also seeks to uncover insights into the planet’s formation, including the presence of a rocky core, the amount of water in its deep atmosphere, mass distribution, and the nature of its deep winds, which can reach speeds of up to 620 km/h (390 mph).
• Juno is the second spacecraft to enter orbit around Jupiter, following the Galileo orbiter, which operated from 1995 to 2003 using nuclear power.

Pairs 1 and 3 are incorrect

• ESA’s Juice Mission:
  • Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) was launched in 2023 to study Jupiter and its moons (Ganymede, Callisto and Europa) to examine their habitability & analyse Jupiter’s magnetosphere and at-mosphere.
  • NASA is partnering with ESA for the JUICE mission to provide instruments and components.
  • JWST observations guide Juice’s instrument calibration and help refine its atmospheric study ap-proach.
• NASA’s Europa Clipper:
  • To assess Europa’s habitability with a detailed reconnaissance of the moon’s ice shell & subsurface ocean.
  • Launched by NASA on October 14, 2024.

Answer: (a) Only one; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Definition: Farm mechanization refers to the development and use of machines that can replace human and animal power in agricultural processes.
• It includes the application of tools, equipment, and automation in processes like plowing, sowing, irrigation, harvesting, and post-harvest handling.

Statement 2 is correct and statement 3 is incorrect

• Present Status of Farm Mechanization in India:
  • About 47% of agricultural operations in India are mechanised, which is lower compared to developing counterparts like China (60%) and Brazil (75%).
  • In 2023, it was predicted that achieving 75–80% mechanisation in the country would take approximately 25 years.
  • State-wise Variation: Punjab, Haryana, and Western UP have high mechanisation due to large farm sizes. States like Bihar, Odisha, and Northeast India have lower mechanisation.

Answer: (c) 1 and 3; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the UN and is considered the apex of the UN system.
• It is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.
• The UNSC is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions on member states.

Statement 2 is correct

• It consists of fifteen members, and each member has one vote.
  • Permanent Members: Five (China, France, Russia, UK, and US) (P5).
  • Non-permanent members: Ten.
• India is not a permanent member of the UNSC.
• In 2021, India was elected as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the eighth time.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Each year, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) elects five non-permanent members by a two-thirds majority for two years on a regional basis.
• A retiring member is not eligible for immediate re-election.
• The five permanent members have veto power — opposition from any of these five Countries blocks the resolution regardless of international support.

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

• Green Credit Program (GCP):
  • Launched in 2023 at the UN Climate Conference in Dubai as a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC); Notified under Green Credit Rules.
  • Objective: Incentivise “pro-planet” actions aligned with Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment).
  • Nodal Administrator: Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, an autonomous body under MoEFCC.

Statement 1 is correct

• Green Credit Allocation: 2 years after plantation, following evaluation by ICFRE, each planted tree will be worth one ‘green credit.’
• Green Credits: Tradable units that can be used for compliance or sustainability reporting.
  • Exchange Mechanism: Credits can be traded on a domestic market platform.
  • Compensatory Afforestation: Credits can be used for legal obligations like compensatory afforestation under the Forest Conservation Act.
  • Corporate Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Compliance: Listed companies can use credits under SEBI’s Business Responsibility & Sustainability framework or to fulfill CSR requirements.
• Application Process: Individuals and companies can apply to ICFRE to pay for forest restoration.
• Density Criteria: Minimum density of 1,100 trees per hectare, with one grown tree equating to one green credit.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Identification: Forest departments of states and UTs identify land parcels like degraded land, open forests, scrublands, wastelands, and catchment areas (minimum 5 hectares). (not necessarily on private non-forest lands)
• Execution: Afforestation will be carried out by State Forest Departments.

Answer: (a) 1 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• The New Pamban Bridge is a railway bridge in Tamil Nadu that will connect the town of Mandapam in mainland India with Rameswaram on Pamban Island.
• Pamban Island (Rameswaram Island) is an island located between peninsular India and Sri Lanka.
• It will replace the century-old original Pamban Bridge. It is considered an engineering marvel with the tag of becoming India’s First Vertical Lift Railway Sea Bridge.
• The new 2.08-kilometre-long structure stands three meters higher than the old Pamban Bridge.

Answer: (a) Tamil Nadu; Difficulty Level: Easy