UPSC 2023: Weekly GK and Current Affairs Quiz Feb 25 - Mar 03

• Bioremediation is a process that uses mainly microorganisms, plants, or microbial or plant enzymes to detoxify contaminants in the soil and other environments.
  • Bioventing: Method of treating contaminated material by adding oxygen directly to a site of contamination.
  • Biosparging: Biosparging is an in-situ remediation technology that uses indigenous microorganisms to biodegrade organic constituents in the saturated zone.
  • Bioaugmentation: Biological augmentation is the addition of archaea or bacterial cultures required to speed up the rate of degradation of a contaminant.
  • Composting: Compost bioremediation refers to the use of a biological system of micro-organisms in a mature, cured compost to sequester or break down contaminants in water or soil. The contaminants are digested, metabolized, and transformed into humus and inert byproducts, such as carbon dioxide, water, and salts.

Rani Abbakka:

• Rani Abbakka Chowta was a Tuluva Queen of Ullal who fought the Portuguese in the 16th century.

Jhalkari Bai:

• Jhalkaribai was a woman soldier who played an important role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. She served in the women’s army of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.

Velu Nachiyar:

• Rani Velu Nachiyar was a queen of the Sivaganga estate. She was the first Indian queen to wage war with the East India Company in India.

The Nagarjuna Sagar Dam in India is the largest masonry dam in the world. Nagarjunasagar Dam located in Nalgonda District is built across River Krishna.

• Kathakali is a dance form popular in Kerala. It is an art which has evolved from many social and religious theatrical forms which existed in the southern region in ancient times. Chakiarkoothu, Koodiyattam, Krishnattam and Ramanattam are a few of the ritual performing arts of Kerala which have had a direct influence on Kathakali in its form and technique.
• Kathakali is a blend of dance, music and acting and dramatizes stories, which are mostly adapted from the Indian epics. It is a stylised art form, the four aspects of abhinaya – angika, aharya, vachika, satvika and the nritta, nritya and natya aspects are combined perfectly.
• Kathakali is a visual art where aharya, costume and make-up are suited to the characters, as per the tenets laid down in the Natya Shastra. The characters are grouped under certain clearly defined types like the pacha, kathi, thadi, kari or minukku. The face of the artist is painted over to appear as though a mask is worn.

• Keshab Chandra Sen was a social reformer from Bengal. He was a member of the Brahmo Samaj.
• In 1868 Keshab Chandra Sen laid the foundation stone of his mandir called the Tabernacle of New Dispensation.
• Keshab Chandra Sen was also a part of the Indian Reform Association. Its objectives involved creating public opinion against child marriage and the promotion of the status of women.
• The Calcutta Unitarian Committee, jointly founded by William Adam and Ram Mohan Roy in September 1821, sought to bring together prominent Brahmins who were friends of Roy’s and supporters of his agenda for the promotion of religious monotheism and social reform among Hindus.

• The ADGMIN is an annual meeting of Telecom Ministers of 10 ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) countries.
• The meeting discussed and deliberated various matters relevant to strengthening regional digital cooperation in the spirit of digital inclusion and integration.
• The Ministers’ meeting approved the India-ASEAN Digital Work Plan 2022.
• The work plan includes a system for combating the use of stolen and counterfeit mobile handsets, WiFi Access network interface and Communication Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, Advanced Satellite Communication, Cyber Forensics, etc.
• Hence both the Statements are Correct.

• A Free trade Agreement (FTA) is an agreement between two or more countries where the countries agree on certain obligations that affect trade in goods and services, etc.
• FTAs, a form of trade pacts, determine the tariffs and duties that countries impose on imports and exports with the goal of reducing or eliminating trade barriers, thus encouraging international trade.
• Such agreements include clauses on trade facilitation and rule-making in areas such as investment, intellectual property, government procurement, technical standards and sanitary and phytosanitary issues, etc.
• Hence Option D is correct.

• The Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines 1974 is a bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan facilitating Indian and Pakistani nationals to visit certain religious shrines in both countries. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
• It does not provide visa-free travel to the pilgrims. Hence Statement 2 is not correct.
• Under the 1974 protocol between countries, visits to religious shrines are being facilitated regularly. Hence Statement 3 is correct.

• Bandipur Tiger Reserve is situated in the contiguous landscape spread in the two revenue districts of Southern Karnataka namely Mysore and Chamarajanagar. Hence Statement 1 is not correct.
• It is considered to be the wildlife corridor that connects the Eastern Ghats to the Western Ghats which in turn facilitates gene flow between the population species inhabiting both the mountain ranges. Hence Statement 2 is correct.

• The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) was constituted under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006. PNGRB is not the first regulatory body set up by the Government of India. Hence Statement 1 is not correct.
• PNGRB Objectives: –
  • To protect the interests of consumers and entities engaged in specified activities relating to petroleum, petroleum products and natural gas.
  • To promote competitive markets and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
• Currently, the electricity sector has state-level regulatory commissions:
  • The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the first level of appeal for regulatory disputes.
  • Appeals against the PNGRB order go to the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity.
  • Hence Statement 3 is correct.

• The Juvenile Justice Act (JJA) pertains to provisions for children found in conflict with the law in India. It also gives provisions for children in need of care and protection.
• No child in conflict with law shall be sentenced to death or for life imprisonment without the possibility of release, for any such offense, either under the provisions of  Juvenile Justice Act (JJA) or under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code or any other law for the time being in force. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
• As per the act, the child who is found to be in conflict with law is sent to a place of safety till he attains the age of twenty-one years and thereafter, the person shall be transferred to a jail. Hence Statement 2 is incorrect.

• The golden triangle provides full protection to individuals from any encroachment upon their rights.
• Article 14 (Right to Equality), 19 (Right to Freedom) and 21 (Right to Life and Liberty) are popularly known as the ‘golden triangle’ of the Indian Constitution.
• They are of prime importance and breathe vitality in the concept of the rule of law.
• Hence Option C is correct.

Know more About ‘Golden triangle’ of the Indian Constitution

• The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) refers to a series of meetings held every two years. Hence Statement 1 is correct. 
• IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008 to enhance maritime cooperation among Navies of the littoral states of the IOR. Hence Statement 2 is incorrect.
• The 24 member states of the IONS are classified under four sub-regions, namely the South Asian sub-region, the West Asian sub-region, the South-East Asian and Australian sub-region, and the East African sub-region. Hence Statement 3 is correct. 

• The Ten Degree Channel is a channel that separates the Andaman Islands and Nicobar Islands from each other in the Bay of Bengal.
• Barren Island, a possession of India in the Andaman Sea, is the only historically active volcano along the N-S-trending volcanic arc extending between Sumatra and Burma.
• Hence Both Statements are correct.

• A lender of last resort (LoR) is an institution, usually a country’s central bank, that offers loans to banks or other eligible institutions that are experiencing financial difficulty or are considered highly risky or near collapse.
• Lender of last resort does not lend money to trade and industry bodies when they fail to borrow from other sources. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect. 
• In India, RBI is the lender of last resort. The Reserve Bank extends this facility to protect the interest of the depositors of the bank and to prevent possible failure of the bank which can have an adverse impact on the economy. Hence, statement 2 is correct. 
• RBI does lend to governments to finance budget deficits but it does not come under Lender of last resort. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect. 

• The National Commission for Women was set up as statutory body in January 1992 under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 to :
  • review the Constitutional and Legal safeguards for women ;
  • recommend remedial legislative measures ;
  • facilitate redressal of grievances and
  • advise the Government on all policy matters affecting women.
• While investigating and examining the matters relating to the safeguards provided for women under the constitution, NCW enjoys the powers of a civil court.
• The Commission shall consist of :-
  • A Chairperson, committed to the cause of women, to be nominated by the Central Government.
  • five Members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing who have had experience in law or legislation, trade unionism, management of an industry potential of women, women’s voluntary organisations ( including women activist ), administration, economic development, health, education or social welfare; Provided that at least one Member each shall be from amongst persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes respectively;
  • a Member-Secretary to be nominated by the Central Government who shall be :-
    • an expert in the field of management, organisational structure or sociological movement, or
    • an officer who is a member of a civil service of the Union or of an all-India service or holds a civil post under the Union with appropriate experience
• There is no exclusive provision mandating that the chairperson and member secretary be only women.

1. Kulik Bird Sanctuary – West Bengal
2. Kitam Bird Sanctuary – Sikkim

• The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. It is a scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India for holistic development of fisheries sector including welfare of fishers.
• The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. (PMMSY) is designed to address critical gaps in fish production and productivity, quality, technology, post-harvest infrastructure and management, modernisation and strengthening of value chain, traceability, establishing a robust fisheries management framework and fishers‟ welfare.
• PMMSY is being implemented in all the States and Union Territories for a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
• The PMMSY is an umbrella scheme with two separate Components namely (a) Central Sector Scheme (CS) and (b) Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).
• The ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana’ is a revamped version of the SAMPADA (Scheme For Agro-Marine Processing And Development Of Agro-Processing Clusters) scheme.

• SilverLine is a semi-high-speed railway project that would run trains at 200 km/h between Kerala’s northern and southern ends of Kasargod and Thiruvananthapuram.

• The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is less than the amount of groundwater.
• The amount of water in polar ice caps and glaciers is more than the amount of groundwater.

• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is an Indian statutory body established by an Act of Parliament, the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005. It was set up in March 2007.
• The Commission’s mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years age group.
• The Commission works under the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• The commission consists of the following members namely:
  • A chairperson who, is a person of eminence and has done outstanding work for promoting the welfare of children; and
  • Six members, out of which at least two are woman, are appointed by the Central Government from amongst persons of eminence, ability, integrity, standing and experience.

• The Collegium system has evolved through judgments of the Supreme Court and is not backed by an Act of Parliament or by a provision of the Constitution.
• ‘Collegium System’ for the appointment and transfer of judges in the higher judiciary evolved from the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association Vs Union of India, 1993 case judgment.
• As per the SC guidelines in the third judges’ case, the sole, individual opinion of the CJI does not constitute consultation. The CJI can only make a recommendation to appoint a judge of the Supreme Court and to transfer a Chief Justice or puisne judge of a High Court in consultation with the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.

• The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.
• South Sudan is not a signatory of the NPT. Other non-signatory countries include India and Pakistan.

• The NCAP launched in 2019, has set a target of reducing key air pollutants PM10 and PM2.5 (ultra-fine particulate matter) by 20-30% by 2024, taking the pollution levels in 2017 as the base year.

• Part IV of the Constitution of India deals with Directive Principles of State Policy.
• ‘Directive Principles of State Policy’ are the constitutional instructions or recommendations to the State in legislative, executive and administrative matters. The Directive Principles resemble the ‘Instrument of Instructions’ enumerated in the Government of India Act of 1935. They seek to establish economic and social democracy in the country.
• The Directive Principles are non-justiciable in nature, that is, they are not legally enforceable by the courts. Therefore, the government (Central, state and local) cannot be compelled to implement them. Nevertheless, the Constitution (Article 37) itself says that these principles are fundamental in the governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws.

• Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.
• Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is an embodiment of all that is progressive about India’s socio-cultural, political and economic identity.
• The Ministry of Culture is the nodal agency for “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
• Hence Option A is correct.

• Alternate Minimum Tax is a tax levied on ‘adjusted total income’ in an FY wherein tax on normal income is lower than AMT on Adjusted total income. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
• Companies pay the tax at the rate of 15 per cent. To provide a level playing field between co-operative societies and companies, AMT is reduced to 15 percent. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
• Alternate Minimum Tax is applicable to all companies, including foreign companies that have established their presence in India. Hence Statement 3 is not correct.

• Cess and surcharge constitute types of taxes a Union Government levies on its citizens to gain revenue for government functioning. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
• Cess taxes and surcharges go to the Consolidated Fund of India. Hence Statement 2 is correct.
• State Governments cannot share Cess & Surcharge. Hence Statement 3 is correct.

• An IFSC caters to customers outside the jurisdiction of the domestic economy. Such centres deal with flows of finance, financial products and services across borders. Hence Statement 1 is correct.
• Gujarat International Finance Tec-City Co. Ltd is being developed as the country’s first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). Hence Statement 2 is correct.
• The SEZ Act 2005 allows setting up an IFSC in an SEZ or as an SEZ after approval from the central government. Hence Statement 3 is correct.

• Rajya Sabha has equal powers with Lok Sabha in the amendment of the constitutional bill.
• Unlike the money bill, the constitutional amendment bill has to be approved by both the Houses of Parliament with a special majority.
• There is no provision of a Joint Session in case of disagreement, so, Lok Sabha cannot override the decision of the Rajya Sabha. However, in the matters of formation and removal of the government, the Rajya Sabha has unequal status with respect to Lok Sabha.
• Similarly, Rajya Sabha has less power in matters of finance like making cut motions, passing money bills, etc. vis-a-vis Lok Sabha.
• The Rajya Sabha has been given some special powers which it enjoys exclusively. This includes the power to authorize the Parliament to create new All-India Services common to both the centre and states (Article 312) by passing a resolution.
• Hence Option B is correct.