UPSC 2021: Weekly GK and Current Affairs Quiz Aug 21 - Aug 27

Statements 1 and 2 only are correct. River Teesta is a tributary of the River Brahmaputra. The Teesta River originates in the Himalayas and flows through the Indian States of Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, where it flows into the Brahmaputra. Flowing through the length of Sikkim, the Teesta River is considered to be the lifeline of the state. The Teesta River dispute is one of the most contentious issues between India and Bangladesh.

1 and 2 only are released by the IMF. World Development Report and Ease of Doing Business Report are released by the World Bank while the Global Risks Report is released by the World Economic Forum.

Statements 1 and 2 only are correct. Read more on the International Solar Alliance in the link.

The Barakah nuclear power plant is on the Gulf coast west of Abu Dhabi. It is located in the UAE.

Statement 3 is incorrect. In cells, Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the nucleic acid that functions as the original blueprint for the synthesis of proteins.
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a nucleic acid that is directly involved in protein synthesis. Ribonucleic acid is an important nucleotide with long chains of nucleic acid present in all living cells. Its main role is to act as a messenger conveying instructions from DNA for controlling protein synthesis. Both DNA and RNA are made up of nucleotides. DNA is double-stranded and RNA is single-stranded. Both DNA and RNA contain Adenine, Guanine and Cytosine. The fourth base is Thymine in DNA and Uracil in RNA.

All the above statements are correct. Read more on the Election Commission.

• Three orders of architectural features of the temples of Odisha are:
  • Rekhapida (Rekha Deula): Tall straight building (looking like a shikhara) covering the garbhagriha.
  • Pidhadeul: It is the mandapa, a square building where worshippers are present and also where dancing takes place.
  • Khakra (Khakra Deula): Rectangular building with a truncated pyramid-shaped roof. Temples of Shakti are usually in this type.

Both statements are correct.

India House was the centre of revolutionary activities for Indian independence outside India. The organisation was liquidated after the assassination of an army officer Curzon Wyllie by its member Madan Lal Dhingra. Curzon Wyllie was assassinated on 1 July 1909 in London by the Indian revolutionary Madan Lal Dhingra.

Swachh Survekshan is meant to monitor the performance of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The extensive sanitation survey is commissioned by the Ministry of Urban Development and carried out annually by the Quality Council of India. The survey was introduced by the government with the objective of generating large-scale participation in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

All six are correct. The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India allows for the formation of autonomous administrative divisions which have been given autonomy within their respective states. The list contains 10 Autonomous Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura. Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao and Bodoland are from Assam. Chakma, Lai and Mara are from Mizoram.

Statements 3 and 4 are incorrect. Both Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) and PM CARES fund are chaired by the Prime Minister. PM-CARES Fund does not get any budgetary support and consists entirely of voluntary contributions from individuals or organizations. Spending from both the PM CARES Fund and the PMNRF does not require approval from Parliament. A separate account for receiving donations from foreign countries has been opened. This enables PM CARES Fund to accept donations and contributions from individuals and organizations based in foreign countries. Foreign donations in the PM CARES Fund would also get exemption under the FCRA.

The Maitree super thermal power project is a 1,320MW coal-fired power station under construction in Rampal, Bangladesh. The power plant is being developed by Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company (BIFPCL), a 50:50 joint venture between India’s state-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

Article 129 declares the Supreme Court a court of record and it further provides that the Supreme Court shall have all the powers of such a court including the power to punish for contempt of itself.

Stagflation or recession-inflation is a situation in which the inflation rate is high, the economic growth rate slows, and unemployment remains steadily high. Deflation is a decrease in the general price level of goods and services. Disinflation is a decrease in the rate of inflation – a slowdown in the rate of increase of the general price level of goods and services in a nation’s gross domestic product over time.

Both statements are correct. A T cell is a type of lymphocyte, which develops in the thymus gland and plays a central role in the immune response. T cell is a type of leukocyte (white blood cell). T cells are one of the major components of the adaptive immune system. Their roles include directly killing infected host cells, activating other immune cells, producing cytokines and regulating the immune response. T cells are one of two primary types of lymphocytes—B cells being the second type—that determine the specificity of an immune response to antigens (foreign substances) in the body.

Both are correct. Manipuri dance, also known as Jagoi, is one of the major Indian classical dance forms. It is named after the region of its origin – Manipur. It is particularly known for its Hindu Vaishnavism themes, and exquisite performances of love-inspired dance drama of Radha-Krishna called Raslila, However, the dance is also performed to themes related to Shaivism, Shaktism and regional deities such as Umang Lai during Lai Haraoba.

Statements 2 and 3 only are correct. Kolam is a traditional way of drawing practised across south India.

Restructured assets or loans are those loans which got an extended repayment period, reduced interest rate, converting a part of the loan into equity, providing additional financing, or some combination of these measures.

Tiwa is an indigenous (Tibeto-Burman race) community inhabiting the states of Assam and Meghalaya and some parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.

Both statements are correct. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country’s borders in a specific time period (generally annual). Central Statistics Office (CSO) is responsible for the compilation of GDP and National Account Statistics.

Andhra Pradesh

Rama Chiluka or rose-ringed parakeet is the state bird of Andhra Pradesh.

Statements 2 and 3 only are correct.

• Anthracite: It is the highest grade of coal containing a high percentage of fixed carbon. It is hard, brittle, black and lustrous. In India, Anthracite is found only in Jammu and Kashmir and that too in small quantity.
• Bituminous: It is a medium grade of coal having high heating capacity. It is the most commonly used type of coal for electricity generation in India. Most of the bituminous coal is found in Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh.
• Subbituminous: It is black in colour, dull (not shiny) and has a higher heating value than lignite.
• Lignite: It is the lowest grade coal with the least carbon content. It is found in the regions of Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Jammu & Kashmir.

All the statements are correct. Ganga Vriksharopan Abhiyan was initiated as part of the Forest Interventions in Ganga (FIG) component of the Namami Gange Programme. Under the program, plantation activities are being carried out, all along the banks of the River Ganga with the participation of local people. It is being organised in five main stem Ganga basin states – Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Statement 1 is only correct. Indian Gaurs (Bos gaurus) is the state animal of Goa. It is classified as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. Indian Gaurs are found on the forested hills and grassy areas of South to South-east Asia. They are found in India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

Basel Convention, also known as the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movement of hazardous waste between nations.

Both are correct.

The partition of Pakistan and India in 1947 resulted in communal riots. In 1950, an estimated one million people — Hindus from East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) and Muslims from West Bengal — crossed the borders. The two Prime Ministers Liaquat Ali Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru met in Delhi on, April 2, 1950, to sign an agreement to safeguard the rights of the minorities. This pact came to be known as the Liaquat-Nehru Pact. Some of the objectives of this pact were to lessen the fear of religious minorities, to put an end to communal riots and to create an atmosphere of peace. This pact agreed to guarantee full rights to their minorities and to accord them the status of citizens.

The Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary occupies the southeastern portion of Gariaband Taluka of Raipur District, Chattisgarh. To its east lies the state of Odisha.

All the statements are correct.