April 12 2025 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Article 200 (Governor’s Role in Bills): Empowers Governor to assent, withhold assent, or reserve Bills for the President; subject to aid and advice of Council of Ministers.
• The Constitution does not permit Governor to indefinitely withhold assent (absolute veto) or take no action at all (pocket veto) on a Bill passed by State Legislature.

Statement 2 is correct

• Governor can reserve a Bill only under exceptional circumstances, such as when it affects the powers of the High Court or involves constitutional issues.
• Article 163 (Governor’s Discretionary Powers): Governor to act on aid and advice of Ministers; discretionary powers are limited and exceptional.
• Once the State Legislature has re-enacted a Bill without changes, the Governor cannot refer it again to the President.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Strict Timeframe for Governor’s Action on Bills:
  • 1 month: To grant assent or reserve the Bill for the President, based on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
  • 3 months: To withhold assent when acting against the Cabinet’s advice.
  • 1 month: To grant assent after a Bill is re-passed by the State Legislature.
  • 3 months (maximum): To reserve a Bill for the President, only if constitutionally justified.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Options 1 and 3 are correct, but option 2 is incorrect

• Repo Rate is the rate at which the RBI lends short-term funds to banks against government securities. A lower repo rate makes borrowing cheaper.
• Economic Implications of Rate Cut:
  • Cheaper Loans: Loans to become more affordable, supporting consumer demand and investments.
  • Boost to Infra. & Industry: Lower borrowing costs could spur industrial activity & infrastructure development.
  • Lower Deposit Returns: Depositors may see reduced interest income on savings and fixed deposits.

Answer: (b) Only two; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 2 is incorrect and statement 1 is correct

• Desert rose is a succulent evergreen or drought-deciduous perennial shrub in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae) native to desert regions of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
• Also known as Sabi star, kudu, mock azalea & impala lily. It is a poisonous species of flowering plant.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Least Concern.

Answer: (b) 2 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 and 2 are incorrect

• The 1^st ever Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Baseline Report for FY 2022-23 was released by the Ministry of Panchayat Raj.
• What is the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI)?
  • Aim: To assess and measure the progress made by grassroots-level institutions in achieving localised SDGs, thereby contributing to the attainment of SDG 2030.
  • Indicators: It is a compilation based on 435 unique local Indicators (331 mandatory and 104 optional) across nine themes of LSDGs aligned with the National Indicator Framework (NIF) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
  • Themes (9): Poverty-Free & Enhanced Livelihoods, Healthy Panchayat, Child-Friendly Panchayat, Water-Sufficient Panchayat, Clean & Green Panchayat, Panchayat with Self-Sufficient Infrastructure, Socially Just &Socially Secured Panchayat, Panchayat with Good Governance, Women-Friendly Panchayat.
  • Rankings: The panchayats were then scored on a scale of 0-100 based on the above indicators and ranked in one of 5 categories: Achiever (90-100), Front Runner (75-90), Performer (60-75), Aspirant (40-60) and Beginner (below 40).

Statement 3 is correct

• Key Findings:
  • Of the 2.16 lakh panchayats, 699 (0.3%) Panchayats emerged as Front Runners, 77,298 (35.8%) were Performers, 1,32,392 (61.2%) were Aspirants, while 5,896 (2.7%) were at the Beginner Level.
  • Among Front Runners, 346 are from Gujarat, followed by Telangana (270) and Tripura (42).
  • None of the panchayats has been ranked in the Achievers (90-100) category.

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

Explanation

Statement-I is correct

• Government Initiatives to Promote Active Mobility in India:
  • National Urban Transport Policy: Advocates people-centric urban mobility by prioritising walking, cycling, and public transport over private vehicles.
  • Smart Cities Mission: Encourages cities to create safe, inclusive road infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, as seen in Chennai and Pune.
  • AMRUT: Aims to build walkable, NMT-friendly infrastructure in 500 mission cities to enhance urban mobility and service delivery.
  • National Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Policy: Promotes compact, walkable development around transit hubs, integrating active mobility with public transport.
  • Public Bicycle Sharing Systems: Cities like Mysuru and Pune use PBS schemes to boost last-mile connectivity and promote cycling.
  • Streets for People Challenge: MoHUA initiative to transform urban streets into safe, vibrant public spaces through city-led pilots.
  • Cycles4Change Challenge: Promotes cycling culture and infrastructure via community engagement under the Smart Cities Mission.

Statement-II is incorrect

• Cleaner Air: Shifting to walking and cycling can curb vehicular emissions; road transport contributes 12% of India’s energy-related CO₂ emissions.

Answer: (c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• Located in the north-central region of Negros Island in the Philippines, Kanlaon is a prominent stratovolcano and the highest peak on the island.
• It lies within the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire and ranks as the 42nd tallest mountain situated on an island globally.
• Since 1866, Kanlaon’s recorded eruptions have primarily involved phreatic explosions of small to moderate intensity, often resulting in minor ashfalls in the surrounding areas.
• Kanlaon serves as a habitat for a wide range of plant and animal species including Giant golden-crowned flying fox, Philippine tube-nosed fruit bat, Visayas warty pig etc…
• Its forested slopes act as crucial watersheds that feed major river systems across Negros Island.
• At its summit, Kanlaon has a large, elongated northern caldera that contains a crater lake, alongside a smaller yet higher southern crater that has been historically active.

Answer: (b) Philippines; Difficulty Level: Easy