Daily Current Affairs Quiz: September 16, 2023

Ans. 1 Option B is correct Explanation
• Judges of the higher judiciary are appointed through the collegium system.
• Appointment of subordinate judiciary is not done through collegium. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The collegium, consisting of the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, decides on appointments, elevations, and transfers of Judges. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The term “collegium” is not mentioned in the Indian Constitution but has been established through judicial pronouncements. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Ans. 2 Option C is the correct Explanation
• The Jal Jeevan Mission is the foundation of the Rashtriya Jal Jeevan Kosh. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It was launched in 2019 with the aim to supply 55 liters of water per person per day to every rural household through Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It comes under the Jal Shakti Ministry. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Objective: Rainwater harvesting and water conservation are also the most important aspects of the mission.

Ans. 3 Option D is the correct Explanation
• Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT): It is a bilateral agreement in which two countries sit together and decide the conditions for private investments by citizens and firms of the two countries. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA): It is a trade pact between two or more countries which establishes a framework for expanding trade and resolving outstanding disputes between countries. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

Ans. 4 Option B is correct Explanation
• The Central Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017, Section 109 mandates the constitution of a GSTAT and its Benches. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The GSTAT will be the specialized appellate authority for resolving disputes under the GST laws. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The GST Tribunal will have one principal bench in New Delhi.
• It will have as many benches or boards in states as decided by each state subject to approval of the council. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• North-eastern states could opt for one bench for 2-3 states and an additional bench for very far-flung areas.
• The principal bench and state boards would have two technical and two judicial members each, with equal representation from the Centre and states.

Ans. 5 Option D is correct Explanation
• It is a collaborative digital public good that provides open access to key geospatial datasets pertinent to climate-resilient agriculture. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It is curated by UNDP and partner organizations to inform public investments in agriculture and already provides intelligence on climate resilience for 50 million hectares of farmland across India. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It is guided by the public good principles of open access, open software, open code, and open APIs.
• It uses cutting-edge data science and machine learning to identify farms that are resilient to climate change and those that are highly vulnerable.
• NABARD will host and maintain the DiCRA platform. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• It uses its key geospatial datasets for policymaking, research, and development activities, with UNDP’s technical support.
• This five-year technical cooperation is envisaged to foster collective climate action and create innovative platforms and new product offerings to enhance economic empowerment in rural India.
• Such open data innovations can highlight best practices, optimize agriculture investments, and shelter populations from risk.

Ans. 6 Option B is correct Explanation
• The International Organisation of Legal Metrology is an international standard-setting body in the field of legal metrology. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It develops model regulations, standards, and related documents for use by legal metrology authorities and industry.
• It plays a crucial role in harmonizing national laws and regulations on the performance of measuring instruments.
• Headquarters: Paris
• Recently, India became an OIML certificate-issuing authority.
• Other certificate-issuing countries: Australia, Switzerland, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, and Slovakia. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect

Ans. 7 Option D is correct Explanation
• Millet is a collective term referring to a number of small-seeded annual grasses grown as cereal and fodder crops. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• These are cultivated as grain crops, primarily on marginal lands in dry areas in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions.
• The earliest evidence for these grains has been found in Indus civilization and was one of the first plants domesticated for food.
• Millets are drought-resistant, require less water, and can grow in poor soil conditions. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Millets are a good source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
• Millets are naturally gluten-free, making them suitable for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
• Millets are low on the Glycemic Index making them Diabetes friendly. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Millets can be grown in a variety of soils and climates, making them a versatile crop option
for farmers.
• Millets are often grown using traditional farming methods, which are more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Ans. 8 Option D is correct Explanation Current Account Deficit
• The current account records exports and imports in goods and services and transfer payments. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It represents a country’s transactions with the rest of the world and, like the capital account, is a component of a country’s Balance of Payments (BOP). Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• There is a deficit in the Current Account if the value of the goods and services imported exceeds the value of those exported. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Major components are Goods, Services, and Net earnings on overseas investments (such as interests and dividends) and net transfer of payments over a period of time, such as remittances.
• It is measured as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Hence, statement 4 is correct.
• The formulae for calculating Current Account Balance is:
• Current Account Balance = Trade gap + Net current transfers + Net income abroad.
• Trade gap = Exports – Imports

Solution: option A.)

Ans. 9 Option A is the correct Explanation
• Genetically Modified (GM) Crops are types of plants whose DNA has been modified through genetic engineering to embed a new trait of the plant that does not occur naturally in the species. Hence, Option A is correct
• It aims to transcend the genus barrier by introducing an alien gene in the seeds to get the desired effects and the alien gene could be from a plant, an animal or even a soil bacterium.
• All GM crops in India require approval from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) for use in commercial production.

Ans. 10 Option A is the correct Explanation
• PM-JAY is the world’s largest health insurance scheme fully financed by the government. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Launched in February 2018, it offers a sum insured of Rs.5 lakh per family for secondary care and tertiary care. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Health Benefits Packages cover surgery, medical and daycare treatments, cost of medicines, and diagnostics.
• It is an entitlement-based scheme that targets the beneficiaries as identified by the latest Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• The funding for the scheme is shared – 60:40 for all states and UTs with their own legislature, 90:10 in Northeast states and Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand, and 100% Central funding for UTs without legislature.
• The National Health Authority (NHA) has been constituted as an autonomous entity under the Society Registration Act, 1860 for effective implementation of PM-JAY in alliance with state governments.