October 22 2024 Current Affairs MCQs

Explanation

Option (d) is correct

• The All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey for 2021-22 was released by NABARD.
• Key findings of the survey are as follows:
  • Average monthly income of households: It saw a substantial rise of 57.6% over five years, increasing from Rs. 8,059 in 2016-17 to Rs. 12,698 in 2021-22.
  • Sources of Livelihood: Self-employment, including farming, government/ private service, and casual wage labour, were three prominent income-generating activities.
  • Increase in Savings: 66% of households reported saving in 2021-22, compared to 50.6% in 2016-17.
  • Insurance Coverage: About 86% of agricultural households and 73% of non-agricultural households reported being covered under any routine type of insurance.
  • Financial literacy: Overall, only 10% of individuals from rural areas and close to 13% from semi-urban areas reported having been exposed to any session on financial education or training.
• Agriculture related findings:
  • 57% of rural households in the country were “agricultural”.
  • Average size of land possessed by agricultural households works out to 0.7 ha.
  • All-India average monthly income of agricultural households, at Rs 13,661 in 2021-22, was more than the Rs 11,438 for non-agricultural rural households. The contribution of cultivation and animal husbandry to total income was over 45% in 2021-22, up from 43.1% in 2016-17.
  • Kisan Credit Card (KCC): 44% of agricultural households possessed a valid KCC.

Answer: (d) NABARD; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statements 1 and 3 are correct

Credits: The Metro Rail Guy

• It is part of the Zojila tunnel project, which aims to provide all-weather connectivity from Srinagar to Ladakh throughout the year. Originally conceived by the Border Roads Organisation in 2012.
• It acquired its name from the Z-shaped road stretch where the tunnel is being constructed. The stretch is situated at an altitude of over 8,500 feet and is prone to snow avalanches in the winter, leading to its closure for most of the winter.
• The Z-Morh Tunnel is a 6.5 km long 2-lane road tunnel between Gagangair and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in India.
• The Z-Morh tunnel connects the Sonmarg health resort with Kangan town in Ganderbal, Kashmir.
• Strategic importance of the Z-Morh tunnel:
  • Provide quick access for military personnel to the border areas of Ladakh.
  • Provide safe connectivity between Srinagar, Dras, Kargil and Leh regions.
  • Lessen the dependence on air maintenance of the forward locations of the Army through the transport of aircraft of the Indian Air Force, thus reducing expenditure on aircraft use.

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only; Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• A study shows that the carbon dioxide emissions from forest fires increased by 60% between 2001-23.
• The study divides the world into distinct fire regions, called ‘pyromes,’ based on environmental, human, and climatic factors that influence fire patterns. Grouping forests into pyromes enabled isolating climate change’s impacts from other influencing drivers, such as land use and vegetation.
• Key Findings:
  1. Fire emissions spanning boreal forests in Eurasia and North America almost tripled between 2001-23.
  2. Extratropical forest fire carbon emissions have increased significantly due to climate change.
  3. Carbon combustion rate, a measure of fire severity based on how much carbon is emitted per unit of area burned, increased by almost 50% across forests globally between 2001 and 2023.
• Major causes of increased forest fires in these areas are:
  • Anthropogenic climate change causes favourable weather, known as ‘fire weather’.
  • Increased lightning frequency.
  • Increased hot and dry conditions caused by heatwaves and droughts
  • Rapid warming in high northern latitudes

Option (b) is incorrect

• A biome is a large geographical area with distinct climate and biodiversity.

Option (c) is incorrect

• Pyrones are a class of heterocyclical chemical compounds containing an unsaturated six-member lactone ring known for their anti-fungal properties against pathogens like Botrytis cinerea.

Option (d) is incorrect

• Pyrophytes are plants which have adapted to tolerate fire.

Answer: (a) Distinct fire regions in the world classified based on environmental, human and climate factors; Difficulty Level: Easy

Explanation

Option (b) is correct

• NAFED was established on October 2, 1958, on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Registration: Registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Key Functions:
  • Facilitate the marketing and trade of agricultural produce and forest resources.
  • Implement price stabilisation measures under schemes like Operation Greens.
  • Procure oilseeds, pulses, and copra under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) in collaboration with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state governments like PM-AASHA.
• The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme and the Agriclinic and Agribusiness Centres (ACABC) scheme are implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India
• The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme is implemented by the ministry in partnership with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and MANAGE.
• The ACABC scheme is implemented by the ministry with NABARD acting as subsidy channelizing agency.
• Agri-Clinics are envisaged to provide expert advice and services to farmers on various aspects to enhance productivity of crops/animals and increase the incomes of farmers while Agri-Business Centres are commercial units of agri-ventures established by trained agriculture professionals.

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

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is correct

• The Global Family Farming Forum (GFFF) is a joint initiative between the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
• It was launched at the World Food Forum.
• It highlights the contribution of family farmers in creating sustainable agrifood systems and addressing the challenges posed by the climate crisis.
• GFFF also commemorated the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 halfway point.
• Family farms comprise over 90% of farms globally, with 550 million farms worldwide. They produce 70-80% of the world’s food in value terms. They are critical in maintaining crop biodiversity and responsibly managing natural resources.

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

Explanation

Option (a) is correct

• Egypt is located in the northeastern corner of Africa and extends into southwest Asia via the Sinai Peninsula.
• It shares borders with Libya to the west, Sudan to the south, and Israel and the Gaza Strip to the northeast.
• It also has coastlines along the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east.
• From the above list, only Libya borders with Egypt.

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

Explanation

Option (c) is correct

• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): This scheme provides monthly pensions to BPL elderly (60+) to ensure basic financial security.
• Other Government Initiatives for the Aging Population:
  • National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP),1999: Promotes senior citizens’ health, safety, and well-being through financial security, healthcare, and shelter. It also focuses on family as a support system.
  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): Provides physical aids (vision, hearing, mobility devices) to elderly BPL citizens with age-related disabilities.
  • Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY): Pension scheme offering guaranteed returns for senior citizens, ensuring post-retirement financial security.
  • Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana (VPBY): Monthly pension scheme for citizens aged 60+, offering regular income as a social security measure.
  • Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY): Consolidates elderly welfare programs, focusing on helplines, healthcare access, and reducing social isolation.
  • National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE), 2010: Provides specialised healthcare for the elderly, focusing on chronic disease management and geriatric healthcare units.
  • Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC): Offers financial aid to NGOs for old-age homes, daycare centers, and mobile healthcare for the elderly in underserved areas.
  • Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY): Provides free secondary and tertiary healthcare services for senior citizens.

Answer: (c) Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS); Difficulty Level: Medium

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct

• By 2030, India intends to have 450 gigawatts (GW) of installed renewable energy capacity, focusing on solar, wind, and other green technologies.
• India needs ₹16.8 lakh crore, essential for reducing fossil fuel reliance and fulfilling international climate commitments.

Statement 2 is correct

• At the 2021 COP26 summit, India announced its goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.
• Achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 will require about ₹850 lakh crore, underscoring the need for sustained climate financing across various sectors.

Statement 3 is incorrect

• The projected costs of climate-related disasters in India are estimated to be around ₹3.2 lakh crore annually by 2030.
• Other climate finance requirements:
  • Green Hydrogen Production: To produce 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually, India requires approximately ₹8 lakh crore for infrastructure development, critical for decarbonising.
  • Electric Vehicle (EV) Purchases: India needs an estimated ₹16 lakh crore to support the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, with an aim of 30% of all vehicles being electric by 2030.
  • Sustainable Agriculture Practices: Investment in climate-resilient agricultural practices is essential for food security, as agriculture contributes 17-18% to India’s GDP.
  • International Climate Commitments: To meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, including a 33-35% reduction in emissions intensity from 2005 levels by 2030.

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

Explanation

Option (d) is correct

• Nilgiri tit butterfly was noted to lay its eggs on the inflorescence (complete flower head) of the larval host plant, Eulophia epidendrum, a terrestrial orchid species.
• It is the first known record of the butterfly using this particular species of plant as its host.
• It is an endemic species, first described in 1884 from Coonoor in the Nilgiris. It has also been recorded in Sri Lanka. It is classified under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act.
• This butterfly is predominantly found in forested areas, providing the humid and rocky slopes it prefers.
• It has also been recorded in various locations across the Western Ghats, including the Geddai slopes of the Nilgiris district, Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, TamilNadu, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala and Silent Valley National Park, Kerala.

Option (a) is incorrect

• The Kentish plover (Anarhynchus alexandrinus) is a small wader of the family Charadriidae that breeds on the shores of saline lakes, lagoons, and coasts, populating sand dunes, marshes, semi-arid desert, and tundra.
• Both male and female birds have pale plumages with a white underside, grey/brown back, dark legs and a dark bill.
• Additionally the male birds also exhibit very dark incomplete breast bands, and dark markings either side of their head, therefore the Kentish plover is regarded as sexually dimorphic.

Option (b) is incorrect

• The salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae) is a subaquatic herbivorous insect native to Brazil.
• This insect is an effective classical biological control agent used in several countries to control the invasive aquatic plant giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta).

Option (c) is incorrect

• Mimetus spinatus is a new species of spider discovered from the southern Western Ghats.
• These spiders are known to infiltrate the webs of other spiders, mimicking the vibrations of prey or mates to deceive and kill the host spider.
• Characteristics:
  • Medium size with pale yellow head and dull grey-white abdomen with scattered light green mottling.
  • A long, black, flattened spine-like hairs on the dorsal head.

  Answer: (d) Nilgiri Tit Butterfly; Difficulty Level: Medium