UPSC 2021: Weekly GK and Current Affairs Quiz Oct 16 - Oct 22

1, 3, 4 and 5 only are correct. Pollutants monitored by SAFAR to measure the air quality are PM2.5, PM10, Ozone, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Benzene, Toluene, Xylene, and Mercury.

India is a member of all three groupings. India is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Eurasian Group (EAG) as well as Asia Pacific Group (APG).
India became an Observer at FATF in 2006. In 2010 India was taken in as the 34th country member of FATF. The Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG) was established on 6 October 2004 in Moscow by the decision of the Inaugural Conference and at the initiative of the Russian Federation, supported by the FATF, IMF, World Bank and several other countries. The EAG is an FATF-style regional body and became an Associate Member of the FATF in June 2010. Pakistan is not a member state of FATF. It is an FATF Associate Member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG). FATF Asia-Pacific Group is one of the regional affiliates of the Financial Action Task Force.

1 & 3 only are correct. In 2015, in partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNDP supported the Government of India to launch the electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN), an electronic logistics management information system (eLMIS) that uses smartphone and cloud-based technology to capture real-time data across the entire vaccine cold chain, from the zonal store depots to the last-mile health facilities. Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN) is an indigenously developed technology system that digitizes vaccine stocks and monitors the temperature of the cold chain through a smartphone application. It is being implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM) by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

• Aquaponics is an emerging technique in which both fishes, as well as plants, are grown in an integrated manner.
• Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponics.
  • Aquaculture is growing fish and other aquatic animals.
  • Hydroponics is growing plants without soil.

None of the statements is incorrect. Know more about the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction in the linked article.

Kastellorizo Island also known as Meis is located in the Eastern Mediterranean.

All three statements are correct. The Line of Credit is not a grant but a ‘soft loan’ provided on concessional interest rates to developing countries, which has to be repaid by the borrowing government. The LOCs also help to promote exports of Indian goods and services, as 75% of the value of the contract must be sourced from India.

1, 2, 3 and 5 only are correct. Pakistan is not a member state of FATF. It is an FATF Associate Member of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG). FATF Asia-Pacific Group is one of the regional affiliates of the Financial Action Task Force. India, China, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand Singapore and the United States are members of both APG as well as head FATF.

Statements 1 & 2 are incorrect. Antibiotics are strong medicines that treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics won’t treat viral infections because they can’t kill viruses. Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. Antibiotic resistance does not mean the body is becoming resistant to antibiotics; it is that bacteria have become resistant to the antibiotics designed to kill them. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be transmitted between humans and animals.

The Madrid Principles are one of the proposed peace settlements of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Minsk Group of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) consisting of Russia, France and the U.S. had put forward in 2007 the Madrid Principles as a guiding principle for a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

3, 4 and 5 only are correct. In 2019, the Indian Government had identified 13 beaches in the country for blue flag certification. The eight Indian beaches which have now been given this tag are Shivrajpur (Dwarka, Gujarat), Ghoghla (Diu), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden Beach (Puri, Odisha) and Radhanagar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands).

SVAMITVA stands for Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas. The scheme uses drone and satellite technology to map physical assets in rural areas and aims at digitisation of property records, easing the way for village dwellers to access institutionalised credit against property. It was launched to provide an integrated property validation solution for rural India.

2 only is correct. Article 222 of the Indian Constitution talks about the transfer of a Judge from one High Court to any other High Court. They may, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, transfer a Judge from one High Court to any other High Court. Only the transferred judge and no one else is entitled to file a case challenging such transfer.

Both are incorrect. OneWeb is a global communications company building a capability to deliver broadband satellite internet services worldwide by making use of low Earth orbit satellites. Its objective is the provision of internet services from the satellite to the ground stations.

Both are correct. The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) does not have the authority to declare any community as a minority. However, it can make recommendations to the central government. Only the central government has the authority to declare any community as a minority. In case of admission of the student, minority educational institutions can have a reservation of up to 50 per cent for the student of their own community.

2 & 3 only are correct. The IEA was founded in 1974 by industrialised countries – within the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – in response to the oil embargo. It is a Paris based body that advises industrialised nations on energy policies. IEA is made up of 30 member countries and eight associate nations. India is not a member of the IEA. In March 2017, India became an associate member. Membership in the IEA is restricted to advanced economy members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The World Energy Outlook is published by IEA.

Only 1 is correct. ‘Core Banking Solutions’ is a networking of a bank’s branches that enables customers to operate their accounts from any branch of the bank on its network regardless of where they open their accounts.

The G20 is an annual meeting of leaders from the countries with the largest and fastest-growing economies. It comprises 19 countries and the European Union. The G20 summit founded in 1999 is the premier forum for international cooperation on the most important aspects of the international economic and financial agenda. It brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies.

PM Gati Shakti is a national master plan for multimodal connectivity and integrated infrastructure development.

All the statements are incorrect. The Election Commission of India is responsible for conducting elections to the respective state legislatures. The state election commissions are responsible for conducting elections to the municipalities and panchayats within the state. The NRIs are allowed to vote in the parliamentary elections only when they are physically present in their voting constituency. Service voters in India are allowed to vote through proxy or postal ballots.

The dance form being talked about is Kuchipudi.

Only 2 & 3 are correct. Nandankanan Zoological Park is located in Odisha. It is the first zoo in India to become a member of the World Association of Zoos & Aquariums (WAZA). It is recognized as a leading zoo for the breeding of the Indian pangolin and white tiger.

Only 1 & 4 are correct. Know more about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

1 only is correct. Formosa Strait, also known as Taiwan Strait, separates Taiwan and mainland China. The strait is currently part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north.

1 & 2 only are correct. Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder commonly characterised by the abnormal production of haemoglobin in the body. Bone marrow transplant is the only cure available for the disease. Thalassemias are not contagious.

All the statements are correct. Read more about Retreating monsoons.

Phillip’s curve describes the relationship between inflation and unemployment. Phillips curve suggests there is an inverse relationship between inflation and unemployment.

Statements 1 & 2 are incorrect. The Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) program would be under the National Education Policy 2020. The project is partly funded by the World Bank. The project covers 6 States namely Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Odisha. The identified States will be supported by various interventions for improving the quality of education. It would be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Department of School Education and Literacy.

2 & 3 only are correct. Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) is an array of thirty fully steerable parabolic radio telescopes. It is located in Narayangaon, near Pune in India. It is operated by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

The Knesset is the unicameral national legislature of Israel. As the legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister (although the latter is ceremonially appointed by the President), approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government.