ENGLISH QUIZ 20.06.2020

1.Which state government has set up a labour commission to ensure social and economic security for migrant workers?

A. Uttar Pradesh

B. Jharkhand

C. Bihar

D. West Bengal

2.According to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2020 what is the position of India as recipient of the foreign direct investment in 2019?

A. 7th largest

B. 9th largest

C. 12th largest

D. 15th largest

3.Which institute has launched a national health care supply chain portal called ‘Aarogyapath’?

A. DRDO

B. AIIMS

C. CSIR

D. Ministry of AYUSH

4.The Karnataka’s Authority for Advanced Ruling (AAR) has decided to impose how much GST on Parotal?

A. zero

B. 5 percent

C. 10 percent

D. 18 percent

5.Prime Minister Narendra Modi going to launch a massive rural public works scheme, Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan in how many states of India?

A. 6

B. 7

C. 10

D. 15

6.Which country’s Prime Minister Abylgaziev resigned?

A. Afghanistan

B. Kyrgyzstan

C. Pakistan

D. Spain

7. Who was nominated for the Khel Ratna Award?

A. Sahina Nehwal

B. Sania Mirza

C. Hima Das

D. None of these

8.Consider the following statements related to ‘Jet Zero’ scheme:

1.The U.K. aims to drive down greenhouse gas emissions from aviation to make carbon-free                            transatlantic flights possible within a generation, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

2.Aviation emissions currently account for more than 2% of global greenhouse gases, and have risen           by 80% since 2005.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

9.Consider the following statements:

1.Nepal Parliament approves new map that includes land India claims.

2.Six months after India published its new map in November 2017, Nepal released its political and                administrative map only last month.

3.Nepal in its new map has shown three places of strategically important frontier of Indian territory,            Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its territory.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. 1 and 2 are correct

B. 1 and 3 are correct

C. 2 and 3 are correct

D. All of the above

10.Consider the following statements:

1.India elected non-permanent member of UN Security Council.

2.There were 192 Member States present for voting and the 2/3 required majority was 128. India                    garnered 184 votes. Canada lost the elections.

Which of the above statement/statements are correct?

A. 1 only

B. 2 only

C. Both 1 and 2

D. Neither 1 nor 2

ANSWERS:-

Answer: 1)A

Explanation

The Yogi Adityanath government has set up Uttar Pradesh Labour (Employment Exchange and Job) Commission to ensure social and economic security for migrant workers who have been hit hard by the covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown. With over 35 lakh migrant labourers returning to Uttar Pradesh during lockdown, the state government has decided that district administrations will submit monthly reports on the functioning of the Labour Commission to the minister in-charge and also to the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the region.”The objective of the Commission is to provide maximum employment to the workers at the local level in private and non-government sector as per their skill and employment opportunities.

The workers in the state will be given access to employment opportunities by skill development and it will also help the economy of the state gain momentum,” said a senior cabinet minister of Uttar Pradesh in the know of development.

Answer: 2)B

Explanation

India became the world’s 9th largest recipient of the foreign direct investment in 2019 scoring deals worth $51 billion. World Investment Report 2020 is the 30th edition of the annual report. The United States is the largest recipient of FDI in 2019 at $246 billion. China, Singapore, Netherlands and Ireland are the top 5 largest recipients of FDI in 2019 respectively.

Answer: 3)C

Explanation

A CSIR National Healthcare Supply Chain Portal named as “Aarogyapath” has been launched. “Aarogyapath” is an information platform developed by CSIR in partnership with Sarvodaya Infotech and institutional users and manufacturers / authorized suppliers of healthcare essentials. The portal has been launched with a vision of “providing a path which leads one on a journey towards Aarogya (healthy life)”. The platform is expected to fill the critical gaps in last-mile delivery of patient care within India via improved availability and affordability of healthcare supplies.

Involvement of manufacturers, suppliers & customers:

• This public platform will help customers in tackling a stock of issues such as dependence on limited suppliers, time-consuming processes to identify good quality products, limited access to suppliers who can supply standardized products at affordable prices within a time period, lack of awareness about the latest product launches, etc.
• Further this platform will help manufacturers & suppliers to bridge the gap
• between them and key demand centers like nearby pathological laboratories, medical stores, hospitals, etc and to last reach of customers through their wide network.
• It will also support business expansion, create awareness about the demand for newage technologies & will reduce wastage of resources due to inefficient forecasting and excess manufacturing.

Answer: 4)D

Explanation

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) in a series of tweets clarified that the Authority of Advance Ruling (AAR) has decided that frozen (and preserved) wheat parota and Malabar parota available in ambient and frozen form with a shelf life of three-seven days is not plain roti but a distinct product. Ready-to-eat parotas, unlike rotis, need to be further processed for human consumption and hence are liable for 18 per cent GST, the AAR has said.

Bengaluru-based ID Fresh Foods had approached the Karnataka bench of the Authority of Advance Ruling (AAR) on whether preparation of whole wheat parota and Malabar parota can be classified under Chapter 1905 attracting 5 per cent GST. The AAR in its ruling said that parotas are neither rotis or khakhras and hence cannot be taxed at 5 per cent.

Answer: 5)A

Explanation

Centre is set to launch ‘Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan’ to empower and provide livelihood opportunities to migrant workers and rural citizens. It will be launched from Telihar village of Bihar through virtual medium by Prime Minister. Villages across 116 districts in 6 states (Bihar, UP, MP, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha) will join. It is a 125 days campaign that will work in mission mode involving employment generation as well as infrastructure creation in rural regions.

Answer: 6)B

Explanation

Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev has resigned from the post. He resigned due to citing an ongoing criminal investigation into the assignment of national radio frequencies. The Kyrgyz parliament raised the issue of the offer of radio frequencies, which was trailed by various representatives requesting Abylgaziev demonstrate his honesty against charges of debasement. He was delegated as a leader by President Sooronbai Jeenbekov in April 2018.

Capital of Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek.

The currency of Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyzstani som

Answer: 7)C

Explanation

India’s sprinter Hima Das (Dhing Express) has been nominated for the prestigious Khel Ratna award. She is one of the youngest nominee for this award. She is India’s first track athlete to win global title at U20 World Championship. She won 400m silver, 4X400 mixed relay gold and women’s 4X400m gold at the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018.She is holding the current Indian national record in 400 mtrs with a timing of 50.79 s. Hima is already a recipient of Arjuna Award.

Answer: 8)A      

Explanation

The U.K. aims to drive down greenhouse gas emissions from aviation to make carbon-free transatlantic flights possible within a generation, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

Key Points

• The Jet Zero aims to bring down greenhouse gas emissions from aviation to make carbon-free transatlantic flights possible within a generation.
• A transatlantic flight is the flight of an aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe, Africa, or the Middle East to North America, Central America, or South America, or vice versa.
• To achieve its target of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, it is important to cut transport emissions.
• Aviation emissions currently account for more than 2% of global greenhouse gases, and have risen by 70% since 2005.
• The International Civil Aviation Organization forecasts that the emissions will rise another 300% by 2050 in the absence of measures to bring them down.
• The U.K. government is also funding Velocys (aviation biofuels making company) in support of its plans to build a major jet biofuel plant in Lincolnshire.

Jet Zero Council

• A group called ‘Jet Zero Council’ has been formed by the U.K. government by bringing together leaders from the aviation sector, environmental groups and government.
• This group has been given charge for making net zero emissions possible for future flights.

Contribution to GHGs emissions:

• In the year 2018, the aviation sector contributed 2.4 percent of the total CO2 emissions.
• Although this emission volume appears to be lower than other industrial operations, the commercial aviation sector contributes 5 percent of the total global warming.
• Passenger transport contributes 81 percent to GHGs emissions and the remaining 19 percent to freight.

Major emitters of GHGs

• CO2 accounts for about 70% of the total aviation emissions and produces a positive effect on ‘global warming’.
• Its second major emitter is water vapor resulting from consumption of jet fuel. These watersports soon form the nucleus of ‘ice crystals’. Due to which Cirrus clouds are formed.
• Cirrus clouds are small, isolated, hair-like clouds found at high altitudes. And they absorb infrared rays which have a 3 times higher heating effect than CO2.

International Civil Aviation Organization

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations, which was established in 1944 by the states to manage the operation and administration of the International Civil Aviation Convention (Chicago Convention).
• One of its objectives is to promote the planning and development of international air transport to ensure the safe and orderly growth of international civil aviation worldwide.
• It is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Answer: 9)B

Explanation

The upper house of Nepal’s parliament  passed a constitutional amendment to give legal backing to a new map that depicts Kalapani region as part of Nepalese territory, a move that could exacerbate a border row with India.

The National Assembly or upper house unanimously voted to endorse the new political map issued last month that shows the disputed areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as part of Nepal.

Nepal shows three Indian regions in its territory

• India had recently termed this ‘artificially demarcated’ expansion of Nepal as unacceptable.
• Six months after India published its new map in November 2019, Nepal released its political and administrative map only last month.
• Nepal in its new map has shown three places of strategically important frontier of Indian territory, Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its territory.

Bill passed unanimously

• To give national recognition to this map, the Constitution Amendment Bill was unanimously passed by the High House of Nepali Parliament on 18 June 2020. National Assembly President Ganesh Timilasina said that all 57 members present in the house voted in favor of this bill.
• All 258 MPs present in the lower house of Nepal voted in favor of the amendment bill.
• There was not a single vote against the proposal. After the passage of the bill from the lower house of the Nepali Parliament, the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs, Anurag Shrivastava had said that we have clarified our stand in this matter.
• The Nepalese cabinet has approved this new map only on 18 May 2020.

Disputed border between Nepal and India

• The Lipulekh Pass is a remote western location near Kalapani, the disputed border between Nepal and India. Both India and Nepal call Kalapani an integral part of their border. India calls it part of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, while Nepal describes it as part of Dharchula district.

What is the Kalapani controversy?

• Kalapani is an area of ​​about 35 square kilometers and is a part of Pithoragarh district.
• On the other hand, the Nepal government claims that this area falls in its Darchula district. Since the war between India and China in the year 1962, this area is occupied by the ITBP personnel of India.
• Kalapani area on the triangular border of India-China-Nepal is strategically important.
• The Government of Nepal claims that according to the Sugauli Treaty signed between it and the then East India Company in 1816, Kalapani is its area.

Answer: 10)C      

Explanation

India was elected as non-permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council for a two-year term , winning 184 votes in the 193-member General Assembly. Along with India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway also won the Security Council elections held .There were 192 Member States present for voting and the 2/3 required majority was 128. India garnered 184 votes. Canada lost the elections.

United Nations Security Council (UNSC)

• The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful and one of the six major organs of the United Nations. Protection of international peace and security is its primary responsibility under the United Nations Charter.
• It consists of 15 members, including five permanent countries with veto power. The five permanent members are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• 10 non-permanent members are elected for two years. Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action through UNSC resolutions.
• It is a United Nations body with the authority to issue binding resolutions of member states.
• The UNSC is responsible for determining threats against peace and responding to aggression.
• It also makes efforts to find peaceful means of resolving conflicts or disputes between states.
• It also recommends the appointment of the UN Secretary-General to the UN General Assembly and the entry of new members to the United Nations.

When was India elected as a temporary member

• India was elected a temporary member of the Security Council for the eighth time. Prior to this, India has taken up this responsibility in 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92 and 2011-12.

Distribution of temporary seats is done on regional basis

• The distribution of 10 temporary seats is done on regional basis.
• It has five seats set for Asian and African countries, one for Eastern European countries, two for South American and Caribbean countries, and two for Western European and other countries.

Need two-thirds majority to be elected

• To be elected to the council, the candidate countries need a two-thirds majority of the ballots of member states present and voting in the General Assembly.