July 26-2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Both statements are correct

• The oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, the Barabar Caves in Bihar dating from the Mauryan Empire, were made for Ajiviks and Jains to retreat and meditate.
• Barabar caves are a set of 7 rock-cut-caves dating back to the third century BC.
• These are located on the twin hills of Barabar and Nagarjuni.
• Each of the Barabar caves, 4 in Barabar and 3 in Nagarjuni, are carved out of granite and feature two chambers each along with a highly polished surface, completely missing any kind of sculpture or embellishments.
• Barabar caves are also known for their architecture and these are the very caves which saw the use of the Chaitya Arch in stone for the first time.
• The inscription in the Sudama cave informs that the four caves on Barabar hill were assigned by King Ashoka to Ajivika monks. Another inscription on the Nagarjuni hill is of the grandson of King Ashoka, Dasaratha Maurya, which tells that the Ajivikas continued to enjoy imperial Mauryan patronage for long.

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

Explanation

• On July 23, 2024, the Prime Minister commemorated Chandra Shekhar Azad on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

Option (c) is correct

• In order to take revenge for Lala Lajpat Rai’s murder, Chandra Shekhar Azad took part in the Kakori Train Robbery in 1925, the shooting of John P. Saunders in Lahore in 1928, and finally in the attempt to attack the Viceroy of India’s train in 1929.
• In order to accomplish the objective of an independent India based on socialist principles, Azad clandestinely restructured the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) in 1928 alongside Bhagat Singh and other rebels, renaming it as the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).

The Assassination of Plague Commissioner W.C Rand is not associated with Chandra Shekhar Azad

• Walter Charles Rand and his military escort, Lt. Charles Egerton Ayerst, were shot by the Chapekar brothers on 22 June 1897.
• When the Bubonic plague struck the district of Pune (Maharashtra) in 1896, the British government formed a Special Plague Committee, chaired by Walter Charles Rand, an Indian Civil Services (ICS) officer, to deal with the threat and control the spread of the disease.

Answer: (c) Only three; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• It will transfer water from the Ken River (Madhya Pradesh) to the Betwa River (Uttar Pradesh).
• It will have Phase I (Daudhan dam) & Phase II (Lower Orr dam, Bina complex and Kotha barrage).
• It will generate hydroelectricity along with water supply.
• Significant areas of the Panna tiger reserve (Ken River passes through it) of Madhya Pradesh will be impacted by the project.
• Ken and Betwa are tributaries of the Yamuna River.

Statement 2 is correct

• It aims to connect the Kosi River, known as ‘the sorrow of Bihar’, and divert its surplus water to the Mechi, a tributary of the Mahananda River.
• For this, a new 76.2 km long canal will be constructed to link the Kosi to the Mechi.
• It is the second river linking project in the country after the Ken-Betwa scheme in Madhya Pradesh.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• ‘Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi’ initiative was launched in 2023 under Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme to bring focus of Anganwadi system to early childhood care and education.
• It aims to transform Anganwadi centres into a learning centre with high-quality infrastructure and well-trained Anganwadi workers.

Statements 2 and 3 are correct

• It focuses on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to stimulate the creative, social, emotional and cognitive development of children under six years of age including divyang children.
• The programme contains two curriculum frameworks:
  • “Navchetana – For Early Childhood Stimulation for Children from Birth to Three Years, 2024” – For holistic early stimulation through responsive caregiving & opportunities for early learning.
  • “Aadharshila– For Early Childhood Care and Education for Children from Three to Six Years 2024” – Covers all domains of development, including physical/motor, cognitive, language and literacy, socio-emotional, cultural/aesthetic, as well as positive habits.
• Screening, inclusion and referrals for Divyang children are also given special focus.

Answer: (d) None; Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Long-term gains on all financial and non-financial assets to attract a 12.5 per cent rate, while short-term gains shall attract a rate of 20 per cent on certain financial assets.
• To classify assets into long-term and short-term, there will only be two holding periods – for listed securities, it is one year, for all other assets, it is two years. The 36-month holding period has been removed.
• The holding period of immovable property remains the same as earlier i.e. 24 months.

Statement 2 is correct

• The indexation benefit previously available on sale of long-term assets, has now been done away with.
  • Indexation is a method used to adjust the purchase price of an asset for inflation over the years.
  • The adjusted price is then used to calculate the capital gains.

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