October 11 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect

• The MLA-LAD Scheme is the state-level counterpart to the central government’s Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD).
• Its primary objective is to address local needs by creating public infrastructure and utility assets while reducing regional development imbalances.
• Coverage: Both rural and urban areas within a state.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• Fund Allocation: MLAs do not receive direct financial transfers under this scheme. Instead, the government allocates funds directly to local authorities responsible for executing projects.

Statement 3 is correct

• Role of MLAs: Legislators can only recommend specific developmental works within their constituencies, adhering to a set of pre-established guidelines provided by the state. District authorities manage the execution of these projects, ensuring compliances.
• Varying Fund Allocation: The amount allocated to each MLA varies from state to state.
• Guideline Differences: Each state may define its own guidelines for using MLA-LAD funds.

Answer: (a) Only one | Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• The World Development Report 2024 by the World Bank highlights the “middle-income trap,” where growth rates slow as incomes increase. It emphasises adopting a “3i” Approach (Investment, Infusion of new technologies, and Innovation).
• Middle-Income Trap refers to a situation in which a country’s growth slows after reaching middle-income levels, preventing it from achieving high-income status.
• This happens because the easy gains from cheap labour and low-hanging industrialisation fade as countries climb out of poverty.

Answer: (c) A situation in which a country’s growth slows after reaching middle-income levels, preventing it from achieving high-income status | Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statements 1 is correct

• The Kaladan Multi Modal Transit project was conceived in 2008 jointly by India and Myanmar.
• It is aimed at connecting the port of Kolkata with the port of Sittwe in Rakhine or Arakan State which would then be connected to Mizoram by road and the Kaladan river which flows by Paletwa.

Statement 2 is incorrect

• The project is be entirely funded by India and the Inland Waterways Authority of India has been appointed as project development consultant.
• Components: Involves sea, river, and road transportation:
  • Sea Route: From Kolkata to Sittwe (539 km).
  • River Route: Sittwe to Paletwa via the Kaladan River (158 km).
  • Road Component: Paletwa to Indo-Myanmar border (110 km), and further into Mizoram.

Answer: (a) 1 only | Difficulty Level: Hard

Explanation

• A Recent Study underscores the increasing prevalence of myopia (shortsightedness), particularly in East Asia, and stresses the significance of outdoor activities in mitigating this trend.

Statement I is correct

• Key Findings:
  • Global Impact: By 2050, a third of children & adolescents could face difficulties reading without glasses.
  • Gender Disparity: Women are more affected than men.
  • Age Groups: Nearly half of adolescents and high school students could suffer from myopia.

Statement II is incorrect

• Myopia, also known as near-sightedness or shortsightedness, is a common vision condition where close objects are seen clearly, but distant objects appear blurry.
• It occurs when the eye grows too long from front to back (axial length) or the cornea is too curved.

Answer: (c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect | Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 and 3 are incorrect

• OpenSAFELY platform will enable access to people’s health records in the U.K. without compromising individual privacy.
• OpenSAFELY does not move patient data outside its secure environments.

Statement 2 is correct

• It is a secure, transparent, open-source software platform for analysis of electronic health records data.

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

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• Mutiny Memorial, Ajitgarh was originally built in 1863 to honour the British and Indian soldiers who fought in the Delhi Field Force during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
• Renaming: In 1972, on the 25th anniversary of India’s independence, the Indian government renamed the memorial Ajitgarh (meaning “Place of the Unvanquished”).
• Architectural Features: Gothic architecture, constructed with red sandstone. A four-tiered building with an octagonal base. The lowest tier has seven faces with memorial plaques engraved with the names and ranks of the soldiers. The memorial was designed to be taller than the nearby Ashoka Pillar.

Answer: (a) First War of Independence (1857) | Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• The words terror or terrorist are not defined, but Section 15 defines a terrorist act.
• A terrorist act is any act committed with intent:
  • To threaten the unity, integrity, security, economic security, or sovereignty of India.
  • To strike terror in the people or any section of the people in India or in any foreign country.
• The central government can designate an individual as a “terrorist” if involved in an act of terror.
• Conditions for bail are stringent:
  • To deny bail under the UAPA, the court must be satisfied that a “prima facie” case exists against the accused.
  • Provisions of the act leave very little room for judicial reasoning and make the grant of bail virtually impossible under UAPA.
  • In 2019, the SC defined “prima facie” as simply looking at the overall case presented by the state without analysing individual evidence or circumstances.

Statement 2 is correct

• The Supreme Court in 2023 stated that mere membership in an unlawful organisation is a UAPA offence.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• UAPA amendment 2019:
  • The central government can designate an individual as a “terrorist” if involved in an act of terror.
  • Earlier, only organisations could be designated as terrorist organisations.
  • Earlier, an investigating officer had to obtain prior permission from the DGP of a state to conduct raids and seize properties suspected to be linked to terrorist activities.
  • The amendment removes this requirement if the investigation is conducted by an officer of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The investigating officer only requires sanction from the Director General of NIA.
  • Earlier, only officers of the rank of Deputy Superintendent or Assistant Commissioner of Police of the NIA shall have the power to investigate offences under the UAPA law.
  • The amendment allowed NIA officers of Inspector rank to carry out investigations

Answer: (b) Only two | Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• World Development Report is released by World Bank.
• The World Development Report 2024 highlights the “middle-income trap,” where growth rates slow as incomes increase. It emphasises adopting a “3i” Approach (Investment, Infusion of new technologies, and Innovation).

Answer: (c) World Bank | Difficulty Level: Medium