10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: July 1, 2020

During first, second and third centuries A.D. several Buddhist pilgrims and scholars traveled to China on the historic silk route.

Kashyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna made the White Horse monastery at Luoyang, China their abode. Monk-scholars such as Kumarajiva, Bodhidharma and Dharmakshema contributed to the spread of Buddhism in China. (Source: MEA brief of India-China)

Bodhidharama(5^th-6^th century) is credited as the transmitter of Chan Buddhism to China.

Kumarajiva (3^rd-4^th century) is mostly remembered for the prolific translation of Buddhist texts written in Sanskrit to Chinese he carried out during his later life.

Statement 1 is correct. The COVID-19 RT-PCR test is a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) test for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2 in upper and lower respiratory specimens (such as nasal, nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swabs, sputum, lower respiratory tract aspirates, bronchoalveolar lavage, and nasopharyngeal wash/aspirate or nasal aspirate) collected from individuals suspected of COVID-19.

Statement 2 is correct. COVID-19 disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is an RNA virus. They rely on infiltrating healthy cells to multiply and survive. Positive results are indicative of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

In order for a virus like the COVID-19 virus to be detected early in the body using real time RT–PCR, the RNA is converted to DNA in RT-PCR testing. This is a process called ‘reverse transcription’. Scientists amplify a specific part of the transcribed viral DNA many times to have a large enough quantity of the target sections of viral DNA to accurately confirm that the virus is present.

Both statements are incorrect.

South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) is an agreement reached on January 6, 2004, at the 12th SAARC summit in Islamabad, Pakistan. The agreement came into force in 2006, succeeding the 1993 SAARC Preferential Trading Arrangement.

India and Pakistan both have ratified the agreement. Afghanistan became 8^th member of SAARC in 2007 and joined SAFTA in 2011.

The agreement allows parties to notify sensitive (negative) list and concessional tariffs for the least developed countries.

Both statements are correct.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) has launched eSanchit (e-Storage and Computerized Handling of Indirect Tax documents) for paperless processing, uploading of supporting documents and to facilitate the trading across Borders. It has already been made available to importers and exporters in the country and as a next step; CBIC is extending this facility to PGA (Participating Government Agencies).

ICEDASH is an Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) monitoring dashboard of the Indian Customs, putting out the daily Customs clearance times of import cargo at various ports and airports. This dashboard has been developed by CBIC in collaboration with NIC. ICEDASH can be accessed through the CBIC website.

Both statements are correct.
The ‘State of World Population 2020: Against my will’ highlighting the state of female population statuts in the world has been released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
As per the report one in three girls missing globally due to sex selection, both pre- and post-natal, is from India — 46 million out of the total 142 million.
“Missing females” are those whose numbers are reflected in sex ratio imbalances at birth as a result of gender-biased (prenatal) sex selection, combined with excess female mortality stemming from postnatal sex selection.

Statement 1 is incorrect. SARS-CoV-2 is a type of coronavirus and not an influenza virus. Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that are common in both humans and animals that usually cause mild-to-moderate respiratory illnesses.

There are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C and D. Human influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics of disease (known as the flu season).

Statement 2 is correct. The influenza A and B viruses that routinely spread in people (human influenza viruses) are responsible for seasonal flu epidemics each year. Influenza type C infections generally cause mild illness and are not thought to cause human flu epidemics. Influenza D viruses primarily affect cattle and are not known to infect or cause illness in people.

Swine flu is caused by the H1N1 Influenza A virus strain.

Both statements are correct.

As per RBI release on “India’s External Debt as at the end of March 2020”: US dollar denominated debt continued to be the largest component of India’s external debt, with a share of 53.7 per cent at end-March 2020, followed by the Indian rupee (31.9 per cent), yen (5.6 per cent), SDR (4.5 per cent) and the euro (3.5 per cent).

Commercial borrowings remained the largest component of external debt, with a share of 39.4 per cent, followed by non-resident deposits (23.4 per cent) and short-term trade credit (18.2 per cent).

Table: External Debt – Outstanding  (data in US$ billion).

R: Revised. PR: Partially Revised. P: Provisional.

Statement is correct. The monthly Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) is a production volume index. ICI measures collective and individual performance of production in selected eight core industries viz. Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement and Electricity.

It is compiled and released by Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), and Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The Eight Core Industries comprise 40.27 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

Statement 1 is correct. The Environment Impact Assessment rules are notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for imposing certain restrictions and prohibition on the undertaking some projects or expansion or modernization of such existing projects entailing capacity addition in any part of India.

Statement 2 is correct. Projects operating in violation of the Environment Act will now be able to apply for clearance.

The draft guidelines provide that the Appraisal Committee shall stipulate the implementation of Environment Management Plan, comprising remediation plan and natural and community resource augmentation plan corresponding to the 1.5 times the ecological damage assessed and economic benefit derived due to violation in case of the suo moto applications.

Two times the ecological damage assessed and economic benefit derived due to violation in cases reported by any Government Authority or found during the appraisal of Appraisal Committee or during the processing of application if any by the Regulatory Authority, as a condition of Environment Clearance.

Both statements are correct.

PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana was launched in March, 2020 for three months in view of the hardships faced by the lower strata of population due to economic closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has now been extended till November 2020.

During this period, more than 80 crore people will be provided 5 kg wheat/rice per month along with 1 kg whole chana will also be provided to each family per month free of cost by the Government of India.