December 09 2023 Current Affairs MCQs

Questions

• The questions below are based on PMF IAS Daily Current Affairs – December 2023.

Q1. {S&T – IT} Consider the following statements:

1. ONDC will enable local commerce across segments to be discovered and engaged by any network-enabled application.
2. Ministry of Electronics and IT is the Nodal Ministry for ONDCs Application.
3. ONDCs shortcoming is that it doesn’t offer logistics platforms that handle deliveries.
4. ONDCs aim is to promote open networks for All aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All

Q2. {IE – Industry} Consider the following statements:

1. There is no Formal Definition of a Gig Worker in India.
2. As per NITI Aayog’s latest estimates, Highest number of Gig Workers are in Low Skilled Jobs.
3. Gig workers are not entitled to any social security benefits other than a health insurance.
4. Gig workers do not have legal protection.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only One
2. Only Two
3. Only three
4. All

Q3. {A&C – Initiatives} Consider the following statements with respect to Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar:

1. It has been initiated by the Ministry of Rural development in coordination with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
2. The main objective of project is to culturally map pan India villages on a comprehensive virtual platform.
3. Detailed Field Surveys were carried out under the Ministry of Electronics and IT.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only One
2. Only Two
3. All
4. None

Q4. {Social Sector – Health – Diseases} Consider the following statements with respect to Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome:

1. DRESS Syndrome is a type of drug allergy that can occur as a hypersensitivity reaction to a large variety of medications.
2. DRESS syndrome causes a diverse array of clinical symptoms, anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks after initiating the offending drug.
3. It is a serious drug syndrome affecting the skin and other organs, with a mortality rate of up to 60%.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All
4. None

Q5. {Polity – IC – Governor} Which of the following are the discretionary powers given to the Governor of a State?

1. Sending a report to the President of India for imposing the President’s rule.
2. Appointing the Ministers.
3. Reserving certain bills passed by the State Legislature for consideration of the President of India.
4. Making the rules to conduct the business of the State Government.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are Correct ?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All

Q6. {IE – Industry} Consider the following statements with respect to Special Economic Zones (SEZ):

1. The SEZ is a territory within a country that is typically duty-free and has same business and commercial laws to encourage investment and create employment.
2. The SEZ is exempted from various taxes like Income Tax, minimum alternate tax and GST.
3. The Board of Approval is the apex body and is headed by the Minister of Commerce and Industry.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct ?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All
4. None

Questions with their Answers and Explanation.

Q1. {S&T – IT} Consider the following statements:

1. ONDC will enable local commerce across segments to be discovered and engaged by any network-enabled application.
2. Ministry of Electronics and IT is the Nodal Ministry for ONDCs Application.
3. ONDCs shortcoming is that it doesn’t offer logistics platforms that handle deliveries.
4. ONDCs aim is to promote open networks for All aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• ONDC is an open-source network set up to enable buyers and sellers to transact with each other irrespective of the e-commerce platform on which either of them are registered.
• ONDC will enable local commerce across segments, such as mobility, grocery, food order and delivery, hotel booking and travel, among others, to be discovered and engaged by any network-enabled application.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• ONDC is an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• ONDC comprises of buyer-side apps where consumers can place orders, seller-side apps that onboard merchants and display their listings, and logistics platforms that handle deliveries.

Statement 4 is correct

• ONDCs Aim is,
  • To promote open networks for all aspects of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks.
  • To create new opportunities, curb digital monopolies and by supporting micro, small and medium enterprises and small traders and help them get on online platforms.
• It seeks to democratize digital or electronic commerce, moving it from a platform-centric model to an open-network.

Answer: (b) Only two | Difficulty Level: Medium

Q2. {IE – Industry} Consider the following statements:

1. There is no Formal Definition of a Gig Worker in India.
2. As per NITI Aayog’s latest estimates, Highest number of Gig Workers are in Low Skilled Jobs.
3. Gig workers are not entitled to any social security benefits other than a health insurance.
4. Gig workers do not have legal protection.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only One
2. Only Two
3. Only three
4. All

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• According to the Code on Social Security, 2020 (India), “A gig worker is a person who performs work or participates in work arrangements and earns from such activities, outside of the traditional employer-employee relationship.”
• They are independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers and temporary workers.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• A NITI Aayog study on “India’s Booming Gig and Platform Economy” has estimated that at present, about 47 per cent of the gig work is in medium-skilled jobs, about 22 per cent in high skilled, and about 31 per cent in low-skilled jobs.
• These figures clearly indicate the importance of the gig working community in the Indian economy.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Gig workers are not entitled to social security benefits like regular employees, such as health insurance, pension, and employee provident fund.

Statement 4 is correct

• Gig workers do not have legal protection, which can make it difficult for them to seek justice if they are exploited or mistreated by their employers.

Answer: (a) Only one | Difficulty Level: Tough

Q3. {A&C – Initiatives} Consider the following statements with respect to Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar:

1. It has been initiated by the Ministry of Rural development in coordination with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
2. The main objective of project is to culturally map pan India villages on a comprehensive virtual platform.
3. Detailed Field Surveys were carried out under the Ministry of Electronics and IT.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only One
2. Only Two
3. All
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar has been initiated by the Ministry of Culture not by ministry of Rural development in coordination with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
• In this cultural asset mapping, villages have been broadly divided into seven-eight categories based on mythological, ecological, developmental and scholastic importance.

Statement 2 is correct

• It’s Aim is to develop a comprehensive database of art forms, artists and other resources across the country.
• The main objective of project is to culturally map India’s 6.5 lakh villages, spanning 29 States and 7 Union Territories, on a comprehensive virtual platform.

Statement 3 is correct

• Detailed field surveys were carried out by joint teams of the Culture Ministry and the Common Services Centres (CSC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Answer: (b) Only Two | Difficulty Level: Easy

Q4. {Social Sector – Health – Diseases} Consider the following statements with respect to Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome:

1. DRESS Syndrome is a type of drug allergy that can occur as a hypersensitivity reaction to a large variety of medications.
2. DRESS syndrome causes a diverse array of clinical symptoms, anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks after initiating the offending drug.
3. It is a serious drug syndrome affecting the skin and other organs, with a mortality rate of up to 60%.

Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• DRESS) Syndrome is a type of drug allergy that can occur as a hypersensitivity reaction to a large variety of medications.
• DRESS syndrome has 4 types of hypersensitivity reaction that includes various symptoms across body, fever, abnormalities in blood and inflammation of organs.

Statement 2 is correct

• It includes skin rash, fever, lymphadenopathy, hematological abnormalities and internal organ involvement, which shows between 2 and 6 or 8 weeks after taking the drug.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• It is a serious drug syndrome affecting the skin and other organs, with a mortality rate of up to 10%.
• Patients also have a visceral involvement (hepatitis, pneumonitis, myocarditis, pericarditis, nephritis, and colitis) which is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in this syndrome.

Answer: (b) Only two | Difficulty Level: Medium

Q5. {Polity – IC – Governor} Which of the following are the discretionary powers given to the Governor of a State?

1. Sending a report to the President of India for imposing the President’s rule.
2. Appointing the Ministers.
3. Reserving certain bills passed by the State Legislature for consideration of the President of India.
4. Making the rules to conduct the business of the State Government.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are Correct ?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, the Governor of a State can send a report to the President of India recommending imposition of President Rule in the State. This is a discretionary power being conferred upon Governor.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• He appoints the Chief Minister (CM) and other ministers. They also hold office during his pleasure. The appointment of ministers in State cabinet is not at the discretion of Governor. He only formally approves the appointment. The discretion comes under CM.

Statement 3 is correct

• Governor can reserve certain bills passed by the State legislature for the consideration of the President. In one case such reservation is obligatory, that is, where the bill passed by the State legislature endangers the position of the State High Court.
• In addition, the Governor can also reserve the bill if it is against the provisions of the Constitution, opposed to the Directive Principles of State Policy, against the larger interest of the country, of grave national importance, etc.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• He makes rules for the more convenient transaction of the business of a State government and for the allocation among the ministers of the said business. But this power is not under Governor’s discretion. He acts on the advice of Council of Ministers.

Answer: (b) Only two | Difficulty Level: Easy (Conceptual)

Q6. {IE – Industry} Consider the following statements with respect to Special Economic Zones (SEZ):

1. The SEZ is a territory within a country that is typically duty-free and has same business and commercial laws to encourage investment and create employment.
2. The SEZ is exempted from various taxes like Income Tax, minimum alternate tax and GST.
3. The Board of Approval is the apex body and is headed by the Minister of Commerce and Industry.

How many of the above statement(s) is/are correct ?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in a country that is subject to different economic regulations than other regions within the same country.
• Duty free import and domestic procurement of goods for the development, operation, and maintenance of your company/SEZ unit.

Statement 2 is correct

• Exemptions given to SEZs,
  • 100% income tax exemption on export income for first five years, 50% for five years thereafter, and 50% of the export profit reinvested in the business for the next five years.
  • Exemption from GST and levies imposed by state government (supplies to SEZs are zero rated under the IGST Act, 2017, meaning they are not taxed).
  • Exemption from Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT).
  • Exemption in electricity duty and tax on sale of electricity by certain states in India.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The Board of Approval is the apex body and is headed by the Secretary, Department of Commerce. The Approval Committee at the Zone level deals with approval of units in the SEZs and other related issues.

Answer: (a) Only one | Difficulty Level: Medium