Daily Prelims Practise Questions (PPQs) – November 09 2023

Questions

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

Q1. {Polity – IC – Elections} Consider the following statements regarding the Electoral Bond scheme:

1. Electoral bonds allow unlimited funding by the Corporations to the political parties.
2. Electoral bonds have a life of only 15 days, after which the amount would be deposited in the Consolidated Fund of India.
3. Once purchased, it cannot be cancelled, and no amount will be refunded to the Purchaser.
4. It can be bought from any nationalised bank in India.

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

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

Q2. {Envi – RE} Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Production Gap Report, 2023’:

1. It is released by the World Economic Forum.
2. The report analyses emissions trends for all the fossil-fuel-producing countries which are signatories to the UNFCCC programme.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q3. {Schemes} Regarding the ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi Programme’, consider the following statements:

1. The programme was launched by the Ministry of Education to strengthen Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).
2. The programme provides for mother tongue as the medium for instruction.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q4. {Infra – Dams} Consider the following statements:

1. Subansiri River is a trans-Himalayan River that originates in Bhutan.
2. Subansiri River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
3. The Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Power (LSHEP) Project is located on the Arunachal Pradesh-Bhutan border.
4. LSHEP is will be India’s largest hydroelectric project once completed.

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

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

Q5. {IR} India has launched the ‘Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)’ in partnership with which country?

1. USA
2. France
3. Australia
4. Britain

Q6. {S&T – Biotech} Consider the following statements regarding Gene editing:

1. BT cotton and BT brinjal has been approved for commercial cultivation in India.
2. ‘DMH 11’ is a Herbicide-tolerant mustard variety.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None

Q7. {Envi – Air Pollution} Consider the following statements with reference to Smog Tower:

1. It is a large-scale air purification device that uses filters like High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) and activated carbon to capture and remove pollutants from the surrounding air.
2. They clean the air within a radius of a few hundred meters only.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None

Q8. {Envi – CC Impact} Consider the following statements:

1. Climate change affects the native species less than the invasive species.
2. Native species have high genetic diversity making them more resilient to extreme weather conditions.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Questions With Solution and Explanation

Q1. {Polity – IC – Elections} Consider the following statements regarding the Electoral Bond scheme:

1. Electoral bonds allow unlimited funding by the Corporations to the political parties.
2. Electoral bonds have a life of only 15 days, after which the amount would be deposited in the Consolidated Fund of India.
3. Once purchased, it cannot be cancelled, and no amount will be refunded to the Purchaser.
4. It can be bought from any nationalised bank in India.

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

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

Explanations

Statement 1 is correct

• Electoral Bonds are an interest-free instrument like a Promissory Note.
• The amendment in the Companies Act removed the cap on corporate donations. Earlier, the company could donate up to 7.5% of the average net profits of the company in the last three years.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Electoral Bonds have a life of only 15 days. After 15 days, it can’t be encashed; instead, the amount will be deposited in the PM Relief Fund.

Statement 3 is correct

• Once purchased, it cannot be cancelled, and no amount will be refunded to the Purchaser.
• Such bonds are sold in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh, and Rs 1 crore.

Statement 4 is incorrect

• SBI is the sole authorised bank for selling Electoral Bonds in Indian Rupees only.

Answer: (b) Only two

Q2. {Envi – RE} Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Production Gap Report, 2023’:

1. It is released by the World Economic Forum.
2. The report analyses emissions trends for all the fossil-fuel-producing countries which are signatories to the UNFCCC programme.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The report is prepared by the:
  1. Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI),
  2. Climate Analytics, E3G,
  3. International Institute for Sustainable Development and
  4. United Nations Environment Programme
  • According to the recently released Production Gap Report, governments worldwide have planned to double their production capacity of fossil fuels in 2030. This contrasts with the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 °C under the Paris Agreement.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The report analyses emissions trends for 20 major fossil-fuel-producing countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE, UK & USA.

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Q3. {Schemes} Regarding the ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi Programme’, consider the following statements:

1. The programme was launched by the Ministry of Education to strengthen Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).
2. The programme provides for mother tongue as the medium for instruction.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The Ministry of Women & Child Development launched the ‘Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi Programme’ to strengthen the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) at anganwadis nationwide.
  • The ECCE is planned under the New Education Policy and is essential to Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.
  • The National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) trains the Anganwadi workers.

Statement 2 is correct

• The programme provides for
  1. Mother tongue as primary teacher instruction medium.
  2. Different types of teaching-learning material (visual aids, audio aids, audio-visual and bodily-kinesthetic aids) to Anganwadi Sevikas.

Answer: (b) 2 only

Q4. {Infra – Dams} Consider the following statements:

1. Subansiri River is a trans-Himalayan River that originates in Bhutan.
2. Subansiri River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River.
3. The Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Power (LSHEP) Project is located on the Arunachal Pradesh-Bhutan border.
4. LSHEP is will be India’s largest hydroelectric project once completed.

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

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• Subansiri River (Chayul Chu in Tibet) is a trans-Himalayan river that originates in Tibet.

Statement 2 is correct

• The Subansiri River is a tributary of the Brahmaputra River.

Statement 3 is correct

• The Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Power (LSHEP) is located on the Subansiri River on the Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border.
• It is a run-of-the-river project by the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC).

Statement 4 is correct

• This 2,000MW project started in 2005 and was due to be completed in 2010.
• However, the project was delayed due to opposition over its potential environmental impact.
• Once completed, it will be India’s largest hydroelectric project.

Answer: (c) Only three

Q5. {IR} India has launched the ‘Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)’ in partnership with which country?

1. USA
2. France
3. Australia
4. Britain

Explanation

• Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) is launched by the National Security Advisor of India and his American counterpart.
• iCET is a platform to accelerate strategic convergence in critical and emerging technologies.
• It is headed by the National Security Council of both the United States and India.

Answer: (a) USA

Q6. {S&T – Biotech} Consider the following statements regarding Gene editing:

1. BT cotton and BT brinjal has been approved for commercial cultivation in India.
2. ‘DMH 11’ is a Herbicide-tolerant mustard variety.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• GM crops in India: BT cotton, BT Brinjal, DMH 11 Mustard.
  1. BT cotton is India’s only genetically modified (GM) crop approved for commercial cultivation.

Statement 2 is correct

• GM Mustard- Dhara Mustard Hybrid 11 (DMH 11):
  1. It is a Herbicide Tolerant crop.
  2. It is developed by the Delhi University.
  3. It uses soil bacterium, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

Answer: (b) 2 only

Q7. {Envi – Air Pollution} Consider the following statements with reference to Smog Tower:

1. It is a large-scale air purification device that uses filters like High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) and activated carbon to capture and remove pollutants from the surrounding air.
2. They clean the air within a radius of a few hundred meters only.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• A smog tower draws in polluted air from the surrounding environment. Advanced filtration systems, such as High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) and activated carbon filters, capture air pollutants. Then, the cleaned air is released back into the environment.

Statement 2 is correct

• One of the major limitations of smog towers is the limited coverage area. They typically clean air only within a radius of a few hundred meters.

Answer: (c) Both

Q8. {Envi – CC Impact} Consider the following statements:

1. Climate change affects the native species less than the invasive species.
2. Native species have high genetic diversity making them more resilient to extreme weather conditions.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Extreme weather from climate change may disproportionately harm native species over non-native species, according to a new analysis.
• Examples of Climate Change Affecting Native Species
  1. Coral bleaching
  2. Mountaintop extinctions: Rising temperatures push high-altitude species uphill.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Native Species Do Not Fare Well in Extreme Conditions because of:
  1. Limited genetic diversity: Native species often adapt to a specific climate and have a limited genetic pool.
  2. Co-evolved relationships: Native species have co-evolved relationships, like plants relying on specific insects for pollination. Climate change disrupts such relationships, endangering survival.
  3. Competition from non-native species
  4. Habitat loss

Answer: (a) 1 only