December 18 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect

• Credit Guarantee Scheme for e-NWR-based Pledge Financing scheme allows farmers to secure loans b electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (e-NWRs) after depositing their commodities in Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) accredited warehouses.
• Administering Body: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution (MoCAFPD).
• Loan Coverage: Provides loans up to Rs 75 lakhs for agricultural purposes and up to Rs 200 lakhs for non-agricultural purposes.
• Eligible Borrowers: Targeted beneficiaries include small and marginal farmers, women, SC/ST/PwD farmers, MSMEs, traders, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and farmer cooperatives.

Statement 3 is correct

• Eligible Institutions: All scheduled and cooperative banks are eligible to participate.
• Risks Covered: The scheme addresses credit and warehouseman risks.
• Guarantee Coverage: It offers 85% coverage for loans up to Rs 3 lakh and 80% coverage for loans between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 75 lakh for small and marginal farmers, women, and SC/ST/PwD borrowers. It provides 75% coverage for other borrowers.

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

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• SC recently invoked the Henderson Doctrine in a contempt petition (Celir LLP vs. Mr. Sumati Prasad Bafna & Ors 2024), underscoring its importance in curbing repetitive litigation.
• Henderson Doctrine: Requires comprehensive litigation addressing all issues from the same subject matter in one proceeding, barring re-litigation of claims that could have been raised earlier.

Answer: (c) Comprehensive litigation addressing all issues from a subject matter in one proceeding, barring re-litigation of claims; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

All the options are correct

• The Arctic tundra, a frozen biome storing carbon for millennia, has become a source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like CO2 and CH4, per USA’s NOAA Arctic Report Card, 2024.
• Arctic Tundra’s Carbon Storage:
  • Carbon Sequestration Process: Plants absorb CO2 through photosynthesis. Due to extreme cold, organic matter decomposes slowly, trapping carbon in permafrost.
  • Permafrost Storage: Permafrost, ground frozen for at least two years, traps organic remains for thousands of years, preventing CO2 release.
  • Carbon Storage: Arctic soils store 1.6 trillion metric tons of carbon — double the atmospheric carbon.

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• The Dibru Saikhowa National Park in Assam is the only place in India with a population of feral horses.
• Feral horses have survived in the wild for about 80 years and were believed to be descendants of war horses from World War II or China’s Przewalski’s horse (IUCN status: EN) species.
• Feral horses are not covered under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and hence, they are not legally recognized as wild animals.
• Feral horses mostly prefer grassy river flats, forests and woodlands. They use open areas where predators can be seen from a distance. They are found within a 5–6 km range of water sources.
• The Feral horse is not a true wild horse; The Takhi is the only true wild horse left in the world.
• Australia has the largest population of feral horses in the world.

Answer: (a) Dibru-Saikhowa National Park; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct and Statement 2 is incorrect

• India sets up its first diabetes biobank in Chennai. The repository contains blood samples of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes.
• Set up by: A joint collaboration of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF), Chennai.
• Diabetes biobank could help in the identification of novel biomarkers for early diagnosis and the development of personalised treatment strategies.
• It will also support longitudinal studies to track the progression of diabetes and its complications over time, leading to better management and prevention strategies.

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

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), part of Coal India in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh, has started the ‘CHARAK’ scheme. This is a CSR project aimed at improving health.
• The scheme aims to provide free treatment at NCL’s dedicated hospitals or empanelled hospitals across the country for patients suffering from identified life-threatening diseases, especially those from economically weaker sections in the Singrauli region.
• Eligibility Criteria: Residents of Singrauli and Sonbhadra districts with an annual family income below Rs. 8 Lakhs from all sources are eligible for benefits under this scheme.
• Diseases Covered: It covers a range of diseases, including Tuberculosis (TB), HIV, Cardiovascular diseases, Organ Transplants, Multisystem disorders, Connective Tissue disorders, sudden vision loss, etc.

Answer: (b) A CSR project aimed at improving healthcare for low-income families; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is correct

• The Khiamniungan tribe is one of the major tribes among the Nagas, inhabited in India and Myanmar.
• Festivals of Khiamniungan tribe:
  • Tsokum: Celebrated in September or the first part of October, invokes blessings for a rich harvest. It includes dancing, singing, cleaning, road repair, and outdoor cooking and eating.
  • Khaotzao Sey Hok-ah sumai: Marks the end of all agricultural activities for the year. It is a time to rest and thank God for a bountiful harvest and triumph over adversities throughout the year.
  • Miu: The Khiamniungan people traditionally practised jhum cultivation (slash and burn agriculture) and celebrated the Miu festival at the time of sowing. They offer prayers for a good harvest.
• Language: Patsho Khiamniungan. Music Instrument: Log Drum.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Hydroxy–methane–sulphonate (HMS) is a secondary aerosol, a byproduct formed through the chemical interaction of formaldehyde and sulphur dioxide in the presence of liquid water, particularly in aerosol particles.
• Supercooling in extremely low temperatures (less than 30o C) allows water to remain liquid, a site for HMS formation.
• At normal temperature, Ammonium ions in gaseous form balance the Sulphate ions. However, at lower temperatures, Ammonium ions cannot escape the liquid aerosol particles, providing a fertile site for HMS.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct

• Environmental Impacts of Hydroxymethanesulphonate:
  • Air pollution: HMS is a component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which worsens air quality.
  • Influences cloud formation: It affects the formation and properties of clouds, which can alter weather patterns and climate.
  • Radiative properties: Changes in cloud properties can influence the Earth’s radiative balance, potentially impacting climate change.

Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Hard