UPSC 2017: Weekly GK and Current Affairs Quiz - April 16 - 22

• Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana will be implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development.

As of now, the issue is unsettled.

 Recently, the EC delisted 255 political parties, which existed only on paper and had not contested any local or national elections since 2005. This is just the first such list from the EC; more parties could be added. According to the EC, it has delisted parties using using special powers, and the same could be subject to litigation. Section 29A of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951, empowers EC to register associations and bodies as political parties. However, there is no constitutional or statutory provision that empowers the EC to de-register political parties.

• The EC has been seeking powers to de-register. This has also been proposed in the suggestions made for electoral reforms. The Law Commission has endorsed the proposal. It would only be logical that the EC, which has the power to register, is also empowered to de-register. More so now, when the government is taking steps to check black money. Such entities, if not de-registered, will continue to enjoy exemptions under Section 13A of the Income-tax Act. This section allows tax-exemption to political parties for income from house property, voluntary contributions, capital gains and other sources.

Political parties may be formed merely for availing tax exemption. To ensure that delisted political parties do not enjoy tax benefits, the Commission had written to the Central Board of Direct Taxes.

Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana will be implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.

Pneumonia alone accounts for 18-19% of deaths of children under-5 years of age. While 25% of these deaths are caused by Hib pneumonia— addressed by pentavalent vaccine already under UIP—50% of the pneumonia related deaths are from pneumococcal pneumonia.PCV – Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine vaccine is going to target pneumococcal pneumonia.

Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) are also called white scavenger vulture or pharaoh’s chicken and are the smallest among all vultures. They are a globally endangered species on the IUCN Red List.

Pentavalent vaccine- The pentavalent vaccine is a combination of DPT (diphtheria, Pertussis/whooping cough and tetanus), Hepatitis B and Hib vaccines. DPT and Hepatitis B vaccines are already a part of the immunisation programme. They are being replaced by pentavalent vaccine in a phased manner in the country.

Under Khurki system, the British planters used to pay some money to the farmers (Raiyyat) by mortgaging their lands and houses and compelling them to sow indigo. The Neeley Britishers had confiscated more than one lakh crore fertile lands and set up their kothis(houses )there.

The China-Nepal exercise, “Sagarmatha Friendship – 2017” began on Sunday in Nepal Army’s paratraining school in Maharajganj and will continue for 10 days.

Both the statements are correct.

For advancing religious tourism, the IR proposed presenting Astha Circuit Trains and State Tirth Trains. While the previous will be worked by the IR at its own particular cost, the last will be keep running on demand from state governments at their cost.

The ECI administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice President in the country. State election commission conducts election to Panchayat Raj bodies.

The President of India (based on a recommendation from incumbent Govt of India) appoints the Chief Election Commissioner. Conventionally, senior-most Election Commissioner is appointed as CEC.

He has tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, Moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and Severe.  The proposed AQI will consider eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (up to 24-hourly averaging period) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.

“The basic point is that Iran has always potentially been the most important power in the region. It has a unique geopolitical location owing to its reach in Central Asia and Caucasus as well as in West Asia and the Persian Gulf. Because of its geography, Iran was historically an important arena of great power jostling for influence. From the last decades of the 19th century to the mid-20th century, the British and Russian empires vied for influence in Iran and eventually settled for a condominium.”

“The word Talamaddale is derived from the word ‘tala’ (Cymbal) and Maddale (the drum).” “Though Tala Maddale normally focusses on episodes from the epics, Bhagavata and puranas, episodes have also been created on other issues, including the Second World War, Tashkent Agreement, and even one against computerisation about a couple of decades ago called Ganakasura Kalaga.”

“A variation of yakshagana theatre, Talamaddale is not a well known art-form outside coastal karnataka. It is called Koota (gathering) as against the costumed performance ata (play). It is also called Baithak (sitting), prasanga (episode), odike (reading ) and Jagara (keep awake). To put it simply, Talamaddale is a Yakshagana minus dance,,costume and stage conventions. It has features which are a combination of puranapravachana (discourse), harikatha and Yakshagana. While the Yakshagana ata has speech, dance and costume and the ballet has dance and costume, talamaddale has only the spoken word. Music is common to all forms.”

14 gates of Babli project lifted

In the wake of torrential rains in Maharashtra, the Babli project gates were lifted letting 90,000 cusecs of water flow into the Sri Ram Sagar Project on Friday.

As many as 14 gates of the project built across the Godavari in Dharmabad taluk of Nanded district were raised following the orders of the Central Water Commission.

Water reached Kandakurthi, the entry point of Godavari in Telangana by 3 pm after the gates were lifted. People expressed happiness with water flowing in the river Godavari after several months. The river had gone completely dry in summer as there were no rains in the last two years. The authorities said that as of now there was 0.31 tmcf water in the Babli project.

• One hundred and seven countries came to an agreement (adoption of an amendment to the 1989 Montreal Protocol) in Kigali, Rwanda, on Saturday, to substantially phase out a potent greenhouse gas (HFCs – which have a zero ozone depleting potential) by 2045 and move to prevent a potential 0.5 C rise in global temperature by 2050.

• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are a family of gases that are largely used in refrigerants in home and car airconditioners. They, however, substantially worsen global warming. On late Friday, India, China, the United States and Europe agreed on a timeline to reduce the use of HFC by 85% by 2045.
• The details of the agreement are yet to be made public and India’s Environment Ministry is yet to detail India’s road map for achieving this goal.
• “The CBDR….was retroactively incorporated into the Vienna Convention and Montreal Protocol on substances that destroy the ozone layer. Practically, it entails the deferral of developing countries’ compliance with the objectives of these environmental conventions.” Additionally, according to the Ozone Secretariat under the UNEP, “The Montreal Protocol embodies key guiding principles which are now recognized to be the cornerstones of sustainable development including: (i) the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities”.

As of March 2016, there are 24 Department-related Standing Committees (DRSCs). All of these have 31 members – 21 from Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation took a major step today towards making flying a reality for the small town common man. The Civil Aviation Minister Shri P Ashok Gajapathi Raju launched the Ministry’s much awaited Regional Connectivity Scheme “UDAN” (“Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik”) in New Delhi today. UDAN is an innovative scheme to develop the regional aviation market. It is a market-based mechanism in which airlines bid for seat subsidies. This first-of-its-kind scheme globally will create affordable yet economically viable and profitable flights on regional routes so that flying becomes affordable to the common man even in small towns.”

• “This month, in a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court said it had unfettered power to hear an appeal arising from a river water dispute tribunal under Article 136 of the Constitution.”
• “It has interpreted the ouster clause in the Inter-State Water Disputes Act as one that merely bars the court from entertaining an original complaint or suit on its own (no original jurisdiction), but not its power to hear appeals against a tribunal’s decisions.”

Appeal by Special Leave, Article 136:

• Notwithstanding anything in this Chapter, the Supreme Court may, in its discretion, grant special leave to appeal from any judgment, decree, determination, sentence or order in any cause or matter passed or made by any court or tribunal in the territory of India
• Nothing in clause (1) shall apply to any judgment, determination, sentence or order passed or made by any court or tribunal constituted by or under any law relating to the Armed Forces.

“Inter-community tensions, simmering for some time now, are boiling over in Manipur after the state government decided to increase the number of districts from nine to 16 on December 9…Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh may well have been looking to make a move that would make an immediate, visible impact before the assembly elections scheduled for early next year. However, the government did not make the process or the decision on the new administrative divisions a consultative one. The Hill Area Committees, meant to represent and safeguard tribal interests, have claimed they were not part of the decision.”

“…the government did not consult the Hill Area Committees before taking the decision. The Hill Area Committees are formed to protect the rights of hill people, and under Article 371(C) of Constitution, must be consulted on matters relating to tribal people.” 

In the Curative petition

The petitioner is required to aver specifically that the grounds mentioned therein had been taken in the review petition filed earlier and that it was dismissed by circulation. This has to be certified by a senior advocate. The Curative petition is then circulated to the three senior most judges and the judges who delivered the impugned judgement, if available. No time limit is given for filing Curative petition.

Review petition

• Under Supreme Court Rules, 1966 a review petition needs to be filed within 30 days from the date of judgement or order.
• It is also recommended that the petition should be circulated without oral arguments to the same bench of judges that delivered the judgement (or order) sought to be reviewed.

• Home Ministry is responsible for implementing Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)
• Kundankullam Power plant is located in Tamil Nadu.
• Who cannot accept Foreign Contribution?
• Election candidate.
• MP and MLAs.
• Newspaper: Correspondent, columnist, cartoonist, editor, owner, printer or publishers of a registered Newspaper.
• Public Servants: Judge, government servant or employee of any Corporation or any other body controlled on owned by the Government.

The Olympic flag has a white background, with five interlaced rings in the centre: blue, yellow, black, green and red. This design is symbolic; it represents the five continents of the world, united by Olympism, while the six colours are those that appear on all the national flags of the world at the present time.

What is SHC Scheme?

Government of India’s scheme promoted by the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation under the Ministry of Agriculture. It will be implemented through the Department of Agriculture of all the State and Union Territory Governments.  A SHC is meant to give each farmer soil nutrient status of his holding and advice him on the dosage of fertilizers and also the needed soil amendments, that he should apply to maintain soil health in the long run.

What is the SHC? It is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings. It will contain the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N,P,K (Macro-nutrients) ; S (Secondary- nutrient) ; Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro – nutrients) ; and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters).

How can a farmer use a SHC?

The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients needed. Further, it will advise the farmer on the fertilizers and their quantities he should apply, and also the soil amendments that he should undertake, so as to realize optimal yields.