10 PM Current Affairs Quiz : February 3, 2018

It is also called a wetland under the Ramsar Convention which has listed the lake in November 2002, as a Ramsar Site for undertaking conservation measures on the basis of its biological and environmental importance. Thus, statement 1 is correct.

It is a permanent freshwater lake, in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River, to the south of the main river. Thus, statement 2 is incorrect.

Jallikattu has been known to be practiced during the Tamil classical period (400-100 BC). It was common among the ancient people Aayars who lived in the ‘Mullai’ geographical division of the ancient Tamil country. Thus, statement 1 is correct.
On 7 May 2014, the Supreme Court of India struck down the state law and banned Jallikattu altogether. The Supreme Court noted that any flouting of the ban should result in penalties for cruelty to animals under The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Thus, statement 2 is correct.

Bhutan became the second country after Bangladesh to open a consulate in Guwahati. Thus, statement 1 is incorrect.

Bhutan has had a consulate in Kolkata for years besides a High Commission in New Delhi. Thus, statement 2 is correct.

Statement 1 is correct.   The objective of this agreement is to enhance connectivity within Eurasian region and synchronize it with other transport corridors within that region including the International  North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).The agreement aims to develop a shortest trade route between Central Asian countries and Iranian and Omani ports.

Statement 2 is incorrect. India formally joined Ashgabat agreement on 2nd February 2018.Indian government on March 23, 2016 has requested approval for acceding to the agreement. India’s intention to accede to the Ashgabat Agreement would now be conveyed to the Depository State (Turkmenistan). India got the consent of the founding members of the agreement [Turkmenistan,Oman,Ujbekistan and Iran] and got the formal entry to the Ashgabat agreement on 3 February 2018. The Ashgabat Agreement has Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as founding members. Kazakhstan has also joined this arrangement subsequently. In October 2016, Pakistan also formally joined the Ashgabat Agreement.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The initiative aims to step up investments in research and related infrastructure in premier educational institutions, including health institutions.

Statement 2 is correct. Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) would be suitably structured for funding this initiative. The manner in which investment in institutions is provided is likely to be the same as is practised in HEFA, but there may be different windows for different institutions. The Union Cabinet had approved HEFA in September 2016 as a Special Purpose Vehicle with a public sector bank (Canara Bank).

Statement 1 is incorrect. The award is given by Sahitya Akademi to books of outstanding merit and annual prizes for outstanding translations in the 24 languages recognised by it.

Statement 2 is correct. Magahi writer Shesh Anand Madhukar, who has been working extensively for the development of the language, has been honoured with this year’s Sahitya Akademi Bhasha Samman award.