10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: April 21, 2020

Switzerland has expressed solidarity with India in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic by projecting the tri-colour on the Matterhorn Mountain in the Swiss Alps. The Matterhorn is a mountain of the Alps situated on the border of Switzerland and Italy. It is the sixth highest mountain in the Alps and in Europe.

Trimeresurus Salazar is a new species of green pit viper discovered in the Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh. Pakke Tiger Reserve is also known as Pakhui Tiger Reserve. It lies in the Eastern Himalayas of Arunachal Pradesh surrounded by the Nameri National Park of Assam in the south, Pakke River to the east and Kameng River to the west.

India has a total of 13 intangible cultural heritages included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. These include: Kutiyattam, the tradition of Vedic chanting, Ramlila, Ramman, Mudiyettu, Kalbelia folk songs and dances, Chauu Dance, Buddhist chanting of Ladakh, Sankritana, Craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Nowruz, Yoga, and Kumbh Mela.

Statement 1 is correct: Leatherback sea turtles are the largest turtles on Earth. They are named for their shell, which is leather-like rather than hard, like other turtles.

Statement 2 is incorrect: They are distributed across the globe with nesting sites on tropical sandy beaches and foraging ranges that extend into temperate and sub-polar latitudes.

Statement 3 is incorrect: According to IUCN they are Vulnerable.

Statement 1 is Incorrect: Minor Forest Produce (MFP) is a subset of forest produce. The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 defines minor forest produce as all non-timber forest produce of plant origin.

Statement 2 is correct: MFP include bamboo, brushwood, stumps, canes, cocoon, honey, waxes, Lac, tendu leaves, medicinal plants and herbs, roots among others.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Civil Services Day on 21st April is celebrated to commemorate the day when the first Home Minister of Independent India, SardarVallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi; he referred to civil servants as the ‘steel frame of India’.

Statement 2 is correct. Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration are presented to Districts/Implementing Units for implementation of Priority programme  and innovation categories.

Statement 1 is incorrect. India has not allowed FDI in inventory-driven models of e-commerce, though 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the marketplace model of e-commerce, which is a tech platform that connects buyers and sellers is allowed.

Statement 2 is correct. FDI is prohibited in: Atomic Energy Generation, Any Gambling or Betting businesses, Lotteries (online, private, government, etc), Investment in Chit Funds, Nidhi Company, Cigars, Cigarettes, or any related tobacco industry and few other sectors.

Statement 1 is correct. Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus, i.e. it is transmitted from animals to humans but it can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people.

Statement 2 is correct. There is no treatment or vaccine available for either people or animals. The primary treatment for humans is supportive care.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The Nipah virus was first recognized in 1999 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia. In 2018 an outbreak of the Nipah virus was seen in Kerala, India; it was traced to the fruit bats in the area.

Option 1 is correct. Ways & Means advances is a temporary short term loan facility offered by RBI to the government where the term of loan is just 90 days.  Interest rate for WMA is currently charged at the repo rate. The limits for WMA are mutually decided by the RBI and the Government of India.

Option 2 is correct. Under Statutory Liquidity Ratio, banks invest in government securities like treasury bills and dated securities; therefore the government borrows through this sale of securities and may offer interest on maturity

Bogibeel Bridge: A road and rail bridge over the Brahmaputra River in Assam between Dhemaji district and Dibrugarh district.

Col ChewangRinchenSetu: Between Leh’sDarbuk with Daulat Beg Oldi across the Shyok river.

BhupenHazarikaSetu: The Dhola–Sadiya Bridge, connecting the northeast states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh over the Lohit River, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra River.

Statement 1 is incorrect. GST is a destination based tax, i.e. the goods & services will be taxed at the place where they are consumed and not at the origin. So, the state where they are consumed will have the right to collect GST. Integrated GST (IGST) would be levied on all inter-state supplies by the Centre and then transferred to the Destination State.

The origin based tax on other hand is levied where goods or services are produced not where consumed.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Input tax credit is the most important mechanism of Goods & Services tax being a value added taxation system. It means that at the time of paying tax on output, one can claim the reduction in the tax that has already been paid for the inputs/raw materials.

Statement 1 is incorrect. There is no provision in the constitution mandating a review of the working of the constitution.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The National Commission to review the working of the Constitution (NCRWC) also known as Justice M. N.RaoVenkatachaliah Commission was set up in 2000. It was to; in light of the experience of the past fifty years, suggest how best the Constitution can respond to the changing needs of an efficient, smooth and effective system of governance.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The ICRC is an independent, neutral organization ensuring humanitarian protection and assistance for victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence. It is not under the United Nations.

Statement 2 is correct. It has been awarded with three Nobel Peace Prizes in 1917, 1944, and 1963.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The act is not gender neutral with respect to the aggrieved persons. Only a female can be the aggrieved person under the act.

Statement 2 is correct. Act covers physical, sexual, verbal/emotional and economic abuse of the aggrieved person. Economic abuse is defined as including deprivation of financial resources required for survival of the victim and her children.

Statement 1 is correct. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder characterized by less oxygen-carrying protein (hemoglobin). Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The disorder results in large numbers of red blood cells being destroyed, which leads to anemia.

Statement 2 is correct. Some people with severe cases of thalassemia; usually with thalassemia major; need regular blood transfusions (transfer of blood from one person into the veins of another) because their body makes such low amounts of hemoglobin.