November 24-25 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect and statement 3 is correct

• The State Finance Commission (SFC) is an institution created by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (CAs) to rationalize and systematize State/sub-State-level fiscal relations in India.
• It is constituted under Article 243-I of the Constitution of India by the governor of a state –every five years.

Statement 2 is correct

• A State Finance Commission has functions similar to that of the Central Finance Commission. It has to review the financial position of the Panchayats and make recommendations to the Governor as to:
  • the principles which should govern;

    (i) the distribution between the State and the Panchayats of the net proceeds of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees leviable by the State, which may be divided between them under this Part and the allocation between the Panchayats at all levels of their respective shares of such proceeds;

    (ii) the determination of the taxes, duties, tolls and fees which may be assigned to, or appropriated by, the Panchayats;

    (iii) the grants-in-aid to the Panchayats from the Consolidated Fund of the State;

  • the measures needed to improve the financial position of the Panchayats;
  • any other matter referred to the Finance Commission by the Governor in the interests of sound finance of the Panchayats.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect but, statement 2 is correct

• Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) card, is a digital health ID for seamless access to medical records.
• It is not a health insurance card. Instead, it is a tool introduced by the Centre to provide patients with an easy way to access their medical records and consolidate important health information in one place.
• The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is the world’s largest health insurance scheme fully financed by the Government of India

Statement 3 is incorrect

• Every Indian citizen, regardless of income level, is allotted a 14-digit health ID and will also receive a dedicated email address, or ‘ABHA address’.

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

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Sikh Guru. He was born in Amritsar in 1621 and became leader of Sikhs from 1665 until his death in 1675.
• Guru Tegh Bahadur is revered as the ‘Protector of Humanity’ (Srisht-di-Chadar).
• He wrote extensively, and many of his hymns are part of Guru Granth Sahib.
• He built the city of Anandpur Sahib (in Rupnagar/Ropar district, on the edge of Shivalik Hills, near the Sutlej River, in Punjab).
• Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in Delhi mark the places of Guru Tegh Bahadur’s execution and cremation.
• He was publicly beheaded on the orders of Aurangzeb as he resisted the forced conversion to Islam.
• As per the Nanakshahi calendar released by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, his martyrdom is remembered as the Shaheedi Divas every year on 24 November.

Answer: (b) Guru Tegh Bahadur; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• Photochemical smog is also known as “Los Angeles smog”.
• Photochemical smog occurs most prominently in urban areas that have large numbers of automobiles (Nitrogen oxides are the primary emissions).
• Photochemical (summer smog) forms when pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (primary pollutant) and organic compounds (primary pollutants) react together in the presence of sunlight.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Sulfurous smog is also called “London smog,” (first formed in London). Resulting from a high concentration of sulfur oxides in the air and is caused by the use of sulfur-bearing fossil fuels, particularly coal, this type of smog is aggravated by dampness and a high concentration of suspended particulate matter in the air.
• Dampness and a high concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the air can actually reduce the formation and severity of photochemical smog, rather than aggravate it, as:
  • High humidity can lead to the formation of clouds, which can block sunlight and reduce the photochemical reactions that form smog.
  • High concentrations of SPM can scatter sunlight, reducing the amount of UV radiation available for photochemical reactions. This can, in turn, reduce the formation of photochemical smog.

Statement 3 is correct

• Photochemical smog results in the formation of ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant.
• Nitrogen Dioxide + Sunlight + Hydrocarbons = Ozone (Ozone in stratosphere it is beneficial, but near the earth’s surface it results in global warming as it is a greenhouse gas).

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• India plans to shift from using satellite-based live fire detection to monitoring burnt areas for counting farm fires, a major contributor to northern India’s severe air pollution.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Currently, India monitors farm fires through satellite data collected from two NASA satellites that pass over states twice daily, capturing fire incidents within a 90-second window.
• This data is utilized to estimate fire occurrences and plan timely interventions.

Statement 3 is correct

• Farmers burn crop stubble post-paddy harvest to clear fields quickly for wheat sowing, despite this practice being illegal under existing laws due to its environmental impact.
• The adoption of alternatives, such as subsidized harvesting machines, remains low due to high costs and limited rental availability.

Answer: (b) 1 and 2 only; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statements 1 and 3 are incorrect

• The Dunlin bird, classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, was recently spotted during the Kerala Bird Race.
• Dunlins breed on the Arctic tundra and spend their winters along coastlines in the Northern Hemisphere, typically staying close to coastal areas.
• They migrate late in the fall and tend to remain longer at higher latitudes compared to most other small shorebirds, showcasing unique migratory behavior.

Source: ebird

Statement 2 is correct

• This species is recognized for its distinctive droopy bill and rufous back during the breeding season.

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

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• Global Stock Take (GST) is a critical process under the Paris Agreement that reviews climate action progress and suggests course corrections every five years, enabling countries to adjust their strategies in combating climate change.
• COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, is grappling with a crisis as nations and blocs reject the latest draft negotiating text, primarily due to disagreements on finance and other climate-related issues.
• Points of Disagreement and Issues Raised:
  • Finance Issues: Finance was the main focus of COP29, but developing countries raised concerns regarding the draft text on financial commitments.
  • Mitigation & Adaptation: Disagreements arose on the approach to mitigation and adaptation measures.
  • Global Stock Take (GST) Disputes: The disagreement over how last year’s GST outcomes should influence this year’s negotiations created significant tension. The dispute centered on the section of the GST that called for actions like transitioning away from fossil fuels, reducing methane emissions, and phasing down coal.

Answer: (b) A process under the Paris Agreement that reviews progress in climate action and suggests course corrections every five years; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The Transit of Venus is a rare event where Venus moves directly between the Earth and the Sun.
• When this happens, Venus looks like a small black dot moving across the Sun’s bright face.
• It is much bigger than the moon, appears as a dot, and doesn’t cause an eclipse like the moon, as it is much farther away from Earth.

Statement 2 is correct

• Observations of the Transit of Venus have been historically important for measuring the astronomical unit (AU), which is the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
• In the 18th century, expeditions were organised worldwide to observe the transit and improve our understanding of the solar system’s scale.

Statement 3 is correct

• It happens in pairs, eight years apart, and then doesn’t happen again for over 100 years.
• The last ones were in 2004 and 2012. The next will be in 2117 and 2125.
• It helps scientists better understand our neighbouring planet’s atmosphere and learn more about the elements that layer above its surface.

Source:TH

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium