UPSC EXAM QUIZ 12.11.2024

Explanation:

• Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Vidyalaxmi scheme, designed to provide financial assistance to meritorious students for higher education.
• Objective: It aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to provide collateral-free, guarantor-free loans to students.
• Eligibility Criteria: Students enrolled in institutions ranked within the top 100 by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), and those in the 101-200 range from state government and all central government governed institutions.

Explanation:

• UN-Habitat’s “World Cities Report 2024: Cities and Climate Action” report presented important findings about urban areas being affected by the climate crisis and the greenhouse gas emissions they generate.
• Key findings of World Cities Report 2024
• Vulnerability to climate change: It is estimated that more than 2 billion people living in urban areas may be vulnerable to an additional temperature increase of up to 5°C by 2040.
• Lack of funding: Urban areas need $5-5.4 trillion per year to build climate-resilient systems, but currently only $831 billion in funding is available.
• Shrinking green cover: The share of green cover in urban areas was 20% in 1990, which has declined to 14% in 2020.

Explanation:

• Government of India has recently approved equity of ₹10,700 crore for Food Corporation of India (FCI), which will be used as working capital in the financial year 2024-25.
• It aims to boost the country's agriculture sector and ensure the welfare of farmers.

Financing and Challenges of FCI Operations

• FCI procures food grains from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the central pool and releases these through the Public Distribution System (PDS) at the central issue price fixed by the government.
• Issue prices often do not cover the total cost of procurement, movement, storage, and distribution, necessitating consumer subsidies, which are paid to FCI by the government.

Explanation:

• Supreme Court ruled that persons holding a light motor vehicle (LMV) driving licence can drive transport vehicles weighing up to 7,500 kg.
• The Supreme Court upheld its 2017 judgment that allowed light motor vehicle licence holders to drive transport vehicles with a gross weight of less than 7,500 kg.
• The 2017 judgment was accepted by the Central Government, resulting in amendments to the Motor Vehicles Rules, 2017.
• According to Section 2(21) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a light motor vehicle is a transport vehicle, omnibus, motor car, tractor or road-roller whose gross vehicle weight or unladen weight does not exceed 7,500 kg.
• The Supreme Court judgment challenged the practice of insurance companies of rejecting claims in accidents involving transport vehicles driven by persons holding light motor vehicle licences.

Explanation:

• Justice Sanjiv Khanna sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India.
• On November 11, Justice Sanjiv Khanna formally took over as the Chief Justice of India (CJI), with his swearing-in ceremony taking place at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• The swearing-in ceremony presided over by President Draupadi Murmu, who administered the oath of office to Justice Khanna.
• Justice Khanna replaced Justice Dhananjaya Yashwant Chandrachud, who retired on November 10 after a distinguished tenure.
• The appointment of the Justice Khanna as the 51st Chief Justice was confirmed through a formal notification by the Government of India.
• He will serve a term of six months as Chief Justice.
• In 1983, Justice Khanna started his legal journey as an advocate with the Delhi Bar Council.
• In 2005, Justice Khanna was appointed as an additional judge of the Delhi High Court and became a permanent judge by 2006.
• He was elevated to the Supreme Court in January 2019, where he served until his appointment as Chief Justice.
• H. J. Kania was the first Chief Justice of India. He served as the Chief Justice of India from 1950 to 1951.