DAY – 29 (InstaTest-29): Insta 75 Days Revision Plan-2022: Topic – GOVERNMENT SCHEMES, ORGANISATIONS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, Subject-wise Tests 10 & 29, Text Book Based Test 29, January 2022 CA – INSIGHTSIAS

Solution: C

Data Maturity Assessment Framework (DMAF):

Launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It is a framework to evaluate the data ecosystems of cities.

• This will support cities in the creation of a ‘culture of data’ under the DataSmart Cities initiative of the Smart Cities Mission.

The core objective of this framework is to enable cities to assess their own data maturity with respect to a standardized framework covering aspects of enabling policies, governance structures, data management, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement at the city level.

Solution: A

What is the ‘Pusa Decomposer’?

It is essentially a fungi-based liquid solution that can soften hard stubble to the extent that it can be easily mixed with soil in the field to act as compost.

This would then rule out the need to burn the stubble, and also help in retaining the essential microbes and nutrients in soil that are otherwise damaged when the residue is burned.

How long does it take for the decomposer to work?

The window of time required for the solution to work, which is currently the main concern of farmers, is around 20 to 25 days, as per the IARI.

Solution: C

India is a member of BIMSTEC and East Asia Summit.

India is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and not the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), free association of sovereign states that was formed in 1991 by Russia and 11 other republics that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) had its origins on December 8, 1991, when the elected leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus (Belorussia) signed an agreement forming a new association to replace the crumbling Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.). The three Slavic republics were subsequently joined by the Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, by the Transcaucasian republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, and by Moldova.

Solution: B

European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD)

1. international financial institution
2. founded in 1991
3. headquarter — London
4. uses investment as a tool to build market economies
5. established to help build a new, post-Cold War era in Central and Eastern Europe
6. Objectives

• furthering progress towards market-oriented economies
• promotion of private and entrepreneurial initiative

7. EBRD’s unique mandate

Uniquely for a development bank, the EBRD has a political mandate in that it assists only those countries ‘committed to and applying the principles of multi-party democracy [and] pluralism

8. EBRD serves the interests of all its shareholders – 66 countries from five continents plus the European Union and the European Investment Bank
9. US is the biggest shareholder
10. Besides Europe, member countries of the EBRD are also from other continents – North America (Canada and US), Africa (Morocco), Asia (Japan, China, South Korea) and Australia.
11. The Union Cabinet has approved India’s membership for EBRD and shareholders of EBRD also voted for India‘s full membership.

Solution: A

Indian Ocean Commission

Context: India was recently accepted as an observer in the Indian Ocean Commision, getting a seat at the table of the organization that handles maritime governance in the western Indian Ocean.

India’s entry is a consequence of its deepening strategic partnership with France as well as its expanding ties with the Vanilla Islands.

Significance of this status for India:

1. India will get an official foothold in a premier regional institution in the western Indian Ocean, boosting engagement with islands in this part of the Indian Ocean.
2. These island nations are increasingly important for India’s strategic outreach as part of its Indo-Pacific policy.
   This move would enhance ties with France which is the strong global power in the western Indian Ocean.
3. It lends depth to India’s SAGAR (security and growth for all in the region) policy unveiled by PM Modi in 2015.
4. The movewould lead to greater security cooperation with countries in East Africa.
5. The move also strengthens western flank of the Indo-Pacific and is a stepping stone to security cooperation with East Africa.

About IOC:

It is an intergovernmental organization created in 1982.

It was institutionalized in 1984 by the Victoria Agreementin Seychelles.

The COI is composed of five African Indian Ocean nations: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion (an overseas region of France), and Seychelles.

COI’s principal mission is to strengthen the ties of friendship between the countries and to be a platform of solidarity for the entire population of the African Indian Ocean region.

The Commission has a Secretariat which is located in Mauritius and headed by a Secretary General.

The Commission has four observers — China, EU, Malta and International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).

Solution: C

The Group of Five (G5) encompasses five nations which have joined together for an active role in the rapidly evolving international order. Individually and as a group, the G5 nations work to promote dialogue and understanding between developing and developed countries. The G5 seek to find common solutions to global challenges. In the 21st century, the G5 were understood to be the five largest emerging economies, and these are:

•  Brazil
•  China
•  India
•  Mexico
•  South Africa

Solution: B

Establishment:

The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on 15 June 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries signatories of the “Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries” issued at the end of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva. Beginning with the first “Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 in Algiers (Algeria) on 10 – 25 October 1967, which adopted the Charter of Algiers”, a permanent institutional structure gradually developed which led to the creation of Chapters of the Group of 77 with Liaison offices in Geneva (UNCTAD), Nairobi (UNEP), Paris (UNESCO), Rome (FAO/IFAD), Vienna (UNIDO), and the Group of 24 (G-24) in Washington, D.C. (IMF and World Bank).

Although the members of the G-77 have increased to 134 countries, the original name was retained due to its historic significance.

Aims:

The Group of 77 is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations, which provides the means for the countries of the South to articulate and promote their collective economic interests and enhance their joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues within the United Nations system, and promote South-South cooperation for development.

A Chairman, who acts as its spokesman, coordinates the Group’s action in each Chapter. The Chairmanship, which is the highest political body within the organizational structure of the Group of 77, rotates on a regional basis (between Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean) and is held for one year in all the Chapters. Currently the Co-operative Republic of Guyana holds the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 in New York for the year 2020.

Solution: C

Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)

Background

• Government of India has approved the introduction of a new credit linked subsidy programme called Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) by merging the two schemes that were in operation till 31.03.2008, namely Prime Minister’s Rojgar Yojana (PMRY) and Rural Employment Generation Programme (REGP) for generation of employment opportunities through establishment of micro enterprises in rural as well as urban areas.

PMEGP is a central sector scheme administered by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME).

At the national level, the Scheme is being implemented by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), a statutory organization under the administrative control of the Ministry of MSME as the single nodal agency.

• At the State level, the Scheme will be implemented through State KVIC Directorates, State Khadi and Village Ind ustries Boards (KVIBs) and District Industries Centres (DICs) and banks.
• The Government subsidy under the Scheme will be routed by KVIC through the identified Banks for eventual distribution to the beneficiaries / entrepreneurs in their Bank accounts.
• The Implementing Agencies, namely KVIC, KVIBs and DICs will associate reputed Non Government Organization (NGOs)/reputed autonomous institutions/Self Help Groups (SHGs) / National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) / Udyami Mitras empanelled under Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojana (RGUMY), Panchayati Raj institutions and other relevant bodies in the implementation of the Scheme, especially in the area of identification of beneficiaries, of area specific viable projects, and providing training in entrepreneurship development.

Salient features of the scheme

• The Scheme is implemented through KVIC and State/UT Khadi & V.I. Boards in Rural areas and through District Industries Centres in Urban and Rural areas in ratio of 30:30:40 between KVIC / KVIB / DIC respectively.
• No income ceiling for setting up of projects.
• Assistance under the Scheme is available only to new units to be established.
• Existing units or units already availed any Govt. Subsidy either under State/Central Govt. Schemes are not eligible.
• Any industry including Coir Based projects excluding those mentioned in the negative list.
• Per capita investment should not exceed Rs. 1.00 lakhs in plain areas and Rs. 1.50 lakhs in Hilly areas.
• Maximum project cost of Rs. 25.00 lakhs in manufacturing sector and Rs. 10.00 lakhs in Service Sector.

Solution: B

Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act:

Context: US House panel passes bill to promote legacies of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. Hence, option (b) is correct.

It was authored by John Lewis, the civil rights leader Democratic member of the House who passed away last week.

Key provisions:

• It will establish annual scholar and student exchange programs for Indians and Americans to study the leaders’ legacies and visit historic sites in India and the U.S., relevant to the India’s freedom struggle and the U.S.’s civil rights movement.
• The bill also seeks to establish the Gandhi-King Global Academy, a conflict resolution initiative based on the principles of nonviolence.
• It proposes the establishment of the United States-India Gandhi-King Development Foundation set up by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the government of India, organized under Indian law.

Solution: C

International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Advocates for Justice and Human Rights

Since 1952 the ICJ has performed a unique and prominent role as a nongovernmental organization (NGO) defending human rights and the rule of law worldwide.

The ICJ’s peerless reputation rests on these pillars:

• 60 eminent judges and lawyers – from all parts of the world and all legal systems – with unparalleled knowledge of the law and human rights;
• Cooperating with governments committed to improving their human rights performance;
• Effective balance of diplomacy, constructive criticism, capacity building, and if necessary, ‘naming and shaming’;
• Unmatched direct access to national judiciaries implementing international standards and improved legislation impacting millions;
• Guiding, training and protecting judges and lawyers worldwide to uphold and implement these standards;
• Working for access to justice for victims, survivors and human rights defenders, in particular from marginalized communities;
• Following a strict result based management in performance of its projects.

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) is an international human rights non-governmental organization. It is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists—including senior judges, attorneys and academics—who work to develop national and international human rights standards through the law.

Solution: a)

Justification:  A Money Bill cannot be introduced in the legislative council.

The Constitution lays down a special procedure for the passing of Money Bills in the state legislature.

After a Money Bill is passed by the legislative assembly, it is transmitted to the legislative council for its consideration. The legislative council has restricted powers with regard to a Money Bill.

It cannot reject or amend a Money Bill. It can only make recommendations and must return the bill to the legislative assembly within 14 days. The legislative assembly can either accept or reject all or any of the recommendations of the legislative council.

Q Source: Chapter on State Legislature: Indian Polity: M Laxmikanth

Solution: c)

Justification:  He is the first law officer of the government of India and acts as top advocate for Union Government. He is responsible for giving advice to President/ Union Government upon legal matters.

Attorney General of India is not a full time Government servant. He is an advocate of the government and is allowed to take up private practice, provided the other party is not the state. Further, without permission of the government he cannot defend the accused persons in criminal matters.

He has the right to speak and take part in proceedings of both the houses of parliament including joint sittings. But cannot vote in parliament.

He can also be made a member of any parliamentary committee but in the committee also, he has no power to vote. He has all the powers and privileges that of a member of parliament.

Q Source: Revision: Indian Polity: M Laxmikanth

Solution: c)

Justification:  The election of the President shall be held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting shall be by secret ballot.

The same goes for the Vice President’s election as well.

The ballot paper does not contain any election symbol.

Q Source: Revision: Polity

Solution: c)

Learning: The responsibility of conducting the decennial Census rests with the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India under Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Census Organisation was set up on an ad-hoc basis for each Census till the 1951 Census.

The Census Act was enacted in 1948 to provide for the scheme of conducting population census with duties and responsibilities of census officers.

Q Source: Revision: Schemes

Solution: b)

Justification: IDA funds are allocated to the recipient countries in relation to their income levels and record of success in managing their economies and their ongoing IDA projects. IDA’s lending terms are highly concessional, meaning that IDA credits carry no or low interest charges.

The financing terms are determined with reference to recipient countries’ risk of debt distress, the level of GNI per capita, and creditworthiness for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) borrowing. Recipients with a high risk of debt distress receive 100 percent of their financial assistance in the form of grants and those with a medium risk of debt distress receive 50 percent in the form of grants. Other recipients receive IDA credits on regular or blend terms with 38-year and 30-year maturities respectively. Small states receive IDA financing on small economy terms with 40-year maturity.

Q Source: https://ida.worldbank.org/en/financing  

Solution: D

Solution:

In a bid to boost the Retail Payment System (‘RPS’), Reserve Bank of India (‘RBI’) had come up with the proposal of “New Umbrella Entities” (‘NUE’), similar to Unified Payments Interface (UPI). While NUEs promote private participation, it became pertinent to ensure that consumer data is secured. Further, it is essential that sustainable financial principles are followed so that the motto of de-risking payments ecosystem is achieved in essence. NUE is seen as an alternative mechanism to India’s flagship processor, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Solution: B

Solution:

Solution: B

Solution:

Emissions Gap Report 2021 was recently released by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Solution: A

Solution

Solution: C

Solution:

India’s largest statue of the Reclining Buddha is being installed at the Buddha International Welfare Mission temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar.

Answer D

The base year for the NCI is Financial Year 2017-18.

NCI is composed of a set of five sub-indices 3 for non coking coal and 2 for coking coal

Answer B

India is largest importer of coking coal

The recently formed Inter-Ministerial Committee including industry stakeholders to strategise augmentation of coking coal production in India has submitted it recommendations.  Based on this,the Ministry of Coal has set up Mission Coking Coal to evolve a road map for increasing production and utilization of domestic coking coal

Answer A

The main purpose of SDF is to reduce the excess liquidity of Rs 8.5 lakh crore in the system, and control inflation.

In 2018, the amended Section 17 of the RBI Act empowered the Reserve Bank to introduce the SDF – an additional tool for absorbing liquidity without any collateral.

Answer B

The Ministry of Labour on Wednesday released a new series of Wage Rate Index (WRI) with base year 2016, being compiled and maintained by the Labour Bureau, an attached office of the ministry.

The new series of WRI has increased the scope and coverage in terms of number of industries, sample size, occupations under selected industries, weightage of industries etc

The new WRI series would be compiled twice a year on point-to-point half-yearly basis, as on January 1 and July 1 of every year

Answer B

Answers A

The Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellite

the program is to support national and sub-national economies in the areas of agriculture, soils,water resources (surface and ground), forestry and ecology, geology and mineral resources, cartography, rural and urban development, marine fisheries, watersheds, coastal and disaster management.

Answer: Option D

Explanation:

Average of 20 numbers = 0.

∴Sum of 20 numbers (0 x 20) = 0.

It is quite possible that 19 of these numbers may be positive and if their sum is a then 20th number is (-a).

Q4. Ans D

According to the passage

1. Male have a pressure to get back to their jobs sooner because there is expectation from them to be dedicated and also a male who prefers family-work balance is stigmatised, this is essentially because male @is expected to be more dedicated to job since there is norm that he should be a breadwinner than a person who enjoys with family
2. The passage clarifies the work culture is such that there is pressure and also stigma for men taking paternity leave
3. There is no relation logically or as per the passage between professional standards and use of legally permissible paternity leave. Hence 3 is wrong.