July 24-2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Both statements are correct

• The Government of India under the Ministry of Culture has initiated the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM).
• Aims and Objectives of the Project are as follows:
  • To create awareness about the strengths of cultural heritage and its interface with development and cultural identity.
  • Cultural Mapping of 6.5 Lakh villages along with their geographical, demographic profiles, and creative capitals.
  • Creation of National Registers of Artists and Art practices.
  • Development of a web portal and mobile app to function as a National Cultural Work Place (NCWP).
• The project aims to cover all the inhabited villages of India which is marked as ‘village’, in the Census List, 2011 published by the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India, including all the inhabited villages of Bihar. Therefore, all the villages of Bihar will be covered under Cultural Mapping.

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

Explanation

Statement 3 is incorrect

• NDB formally came into existence as a legal entity in 2015 on the eve of the Ufa summit.
• It was established by BRICS member states in 2016.
• It has its headquarters in Shanghai, China.
• In 2018, the NDB received observer status in the UN General Assembly.
• Its objective is to support the infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies, as well as in developing countries.
• The NDB President is elected on a rotational basis from one of the founding members, and there are four Vice Presidents from each of the other four founding members.
• K.V. Kamath from India was the first elected president of the NDB.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct

• All members of the United Nations could be members of the bank; however, the share of the BRICS nations can never be less than 55% of voting power.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• It is an assessment of forest cover and tree cover (small patches outside the forests) carried out biennially by Forest Survey of India (FSI).
  • Forest Survey of India (FSI) was established in 1981 to assess and monitor the forest resources of India.
  • It is headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand and functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
  • It serves as a nodal agency to collect, compile, store and disseminate forest resource datas.
  • It supports state and union territory forest departments in conducting surveys, mapping, and inventory assessments.
• The first survey was published in 1987, and 2021 report is the 17th report of FSI.

Statement 2 is correct

• Features of the 2021 report:
  • Included a new chapter related to the assessment of forest cover in the Tiger Reserves, Corridors and Lion conservation area of India.
  • Estimated the ‘Above Ground Biomass’ (part of vegetation above the ground e.g. stumps, tree, deadwood, litter and foliage).

Statement 3 is correct

• Findings of the report
  • India has the tenth-largest forest area in the world. Russia stands first.
  • India ranks third globally in terms of average annual net gain in forest area, an increase of 2261 sq km in the total forest and tree cover from 2019.
  • The total forest and tree cover of the country is 80.9 million hectare which is 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.
  • Area-wise, Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
  • Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%) leads in forest cover as percentage of total geographical area.
  • Top five states showing increase in forest cover are Andhra Pradesh (647 sq km), Telangana (632 sq km), Odisha (537 sq km), Karnataka (155 sq Km) and Jharkhand (110 sq. Km).
  • Total mangrove cover and stock of Bamboo in the country has increased.
  • An increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of country which amounts to 7204 million tonnes in total.

Answer: (c) All three; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

• Unemployment refers to the state of being without a job, despite actively seeking one and having the necessary qualifications, skills, and willingness to work.
• Types of Unemployment
  • Frictional unemployment: Temporary unemployment when individuals are between jobs or changing careers.
  • Structural unemployment: Arises from a mismatch between job seekers’ skills and the available job opportunities, often due to technological changes or shifts in the economy.
  • Cyclical unemployment: Results from downturns in the business cycle, leading to reduced demand for goods and services and subsequent job losses.
  • Seasonal unemployment: Occurs in industries or occupations where demand fluctuates based on seasonal factors, such as agriculture or tourism.
  • Long-term unemployment: Refers to individuals who have been unemployed for an extended period, typically six months or longer.
  • Disguised unemployment: Exists when individuals appear employed but make negligible contributions to production, often seen in informal sectors.

• Underemployment refers to workers who are employed but working fewer hours than they would like, or working at a job that is below their skill level.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• It is a statutory body under Ministry of Labour and Employment by Employee Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provision Act, 1952.

Statement 2 is correct

• It administers:
  • Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF): Both the employee and employer contribute a fixed percentage of the employee’s basic salary and dearness allowance. The accumulated amount, along with interest, is paid to the employee at the time of retirement or withdrawal.
  • Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS): A part of the EPF contribution is allocated to this scheme, which provides a monthly pension to eligible employees upon retirement.
  • Employees’ Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI): This scheme provides life insurance coverage with the insured amount linked to the employee’s provident fund balance.

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