10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: July 14, 2020

Option 1 and 3 do not relate to the CHAMPIONS platform.

Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing the Output and National Strength (CHAMPIONS) portal was launched recently basically for making the smaller units big by solving their grievances, encouraging, supporting, helping and handholding.

Objectives of CHAMPIONS:

–Grievance Redressal: To resolve the problems of MSMEs including those of finance, raw materials, labor, regulatory permissions etc.;

-To help them capture new opportunities:  including manufacturing of medical equipment and accessories like PPEs, masks, etc. and supply them in National and International markets;

-To identify and encourage the sparks:  i.e. the potential MSMEs who are able to withstand the current situation and can become national and international champions.

All of the above programs provide benefits to MSME operations in India.

Priority Sector Lending is a mandate to the banks for providing a specified portion of the bank lending to few specific sectors. Priority Sector includes the following categories: Agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Export Credit, Education, Housing, Social Infrastructure, Renewable Energy and others.

Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS): The objective of TReDS is to create Electronic Bill Factoring Exchanges which could electronically accept and settle bills so that MSMEs could encash their receivables without delay.

MSMEs often face constraints in obtaining adequate finance, one big factor which affects the ability of MSMEs to convert trade receivables into liquid funds are slow paying invoices. To address these issues, RBI in 2014 introduced the concept of TReDS, a mechanism of trade receivables financing for MSMEs on a secure digital platform.

The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme is a specific response to the unprecedented situation COVID-19. It provides 100% guarantee coverage by NCGTC to MLIs on GECL of up to Rs. 3 lakh crore to eligible MSMEs.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) is an investment plan for enhancing infrastructure in identified sectors is a first-of-its-kind exercise to provide world-class infrastructure across the country and improve the quality of life for all citizens. The endeavor of the NIP would be to make this happen in an efficient manner.

NIP aims to improve project preparation, attract investments (both domestic and foreign) into infrastructure, and will be crucial for target of becoming a $5 trillion economy by FY 2025. It is estimated to have an investment of Rs 102 lakh crore.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The NIP consists of 39 per cent projects each by the Centre and states and the balance by 22 per cent by private sector.

The Task Force on National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) submitted its Final Report on NIP for FY 2019-25 in April 2020. The NIP project database would be hosted on India Investment Grid (IIG).

The World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 has been released recently by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) emphasizing the threat that wildlife trafficking poses to nature and the biodiversity of the planet. It is the second report since 2016 report by UNODC.

– The report notes that pangolins, which were identified as a potential source of coronaviruses, are the most trafficked wild mammals in the world, with seizures of pangolin scales having increased tenfold between 2014 and 2018.

-The report outlines key global wildlife crime trends and analyses markets for illicit rosewood, ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales, live reptiles, big cats and European eel.

-Trade in wildlife and wildlife products have also expanded into the digital sphere. Sales of certain products, like live reptiles and tiger bone products, have shifted to online platforms.

Both statements are correct.

Rainfall decreases from the east to the west in Northern India because as the moisture bearing winds of the Bay of Bengal branch of the south west monsoon move further inland, the moisture content gradually decreases.

In Peninsular India, the windward side of the Western Ghats receives most of the rainfall, while the leeward side gets little rainfall. Further the, South-west monsoon branch moves parallel to the Eastern Ghats, which cause less rainfall in the Eastern Ghats. Tamil Nadu is an exception as it receives rainfall from retreating monsoons during winter season.

Spatial Variations in the Rainfall:

-Areas of Heavy Rainfall (Over 200cm): The highest rainfall occurs in west coast, on the Western Ghats as well as the Sub-Himalayan areas in North East and Meghalaya Hills, Assam, West Bengal, and Southern slopes of eastern Himalayas.

-Areas of Moderately Heavy Rainfall (100-200 cm): Moderate rainfall occurs in Southern parts of Gujarat, East Tamil Nadu, North-eastern Peninsular, Western Ghats, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and the middle Ganga valley.

-Areas of Less Rainfall (50-100 cm): Upper Ganga valley, eastern Rajasthan, Punjab, Southern Plateau of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu experience less rain.

-Areas of Scanty Rainfall (Less than 50 cm): Northern part of Kashmir, Western Rajasthan, Punjab and Deccan Plateau get scanty rainfall.

Two significant features of India’s rainfall are in the north India, rainfall decreases westwards and in Peninsular India, except Tamil Nadu, it decreases eastward

Apoptosis is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms. It removes cells during development and eliminates the potentially harmful, cancerous and infected cells.

Necrosis is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue.

Senescence or biological aging is the gradual deterioration of functional characteristics; loss of a cell’s power of division and growth.

Mitosis is a type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus, typical of ordinary tissue growth.

Statement 1 is correct. Private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) includes final consumption expenditure of households and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) like temples, gurdwaras.

The final consumption expenditure of households relates to outlays on new durable as well as non‑durable goods (except land) and on services.

Statement 2 is correct. Growth in the Indian economy, for long, has been dominated by consumption (PFCE), followed by investments (GFCF), government expenditure (GFCE) and net exports (NEX). Further PFCE forms largest component of GDP.

Table below: MoSPI

Both statements are incorrect.

Lion Census is carried out every five years; with last one carried out in 2015. The 2015 Census had counted 523 lions, up from 411 in 2010. Lion Census was due on June 5-6 this year, but was postponed after the lockdown was announced.

Poonam Avlokan is generally a monthly in-house exercise in protected area, carried out every full moon. In order to develop an understanding of the current population status and distribution of Asiatic Lions in the Asiatic Lion Landscape, the Gujarat Forest Department conducted an exercise familiarly called Poonam Avlokan on 05-06 June, 2020 using the Direct Beat Verification also known as the Block Count method.

The observation results point out that the population of Asiatic Lions has shown a steady increase with a population of 674 individuals with an increase rate of 28.87% (one of the highest growth rates so far) from the previous growth of 27% during 2015 (523 lions).

Statement 1 is incorrect. ‘State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 (SOFI 2020)’ joint report is issued annually by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, UNICEF, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization. It presents the latest estimates on food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition at the global and regional levels.

Statement 2 is correct. Asia remains home to the greatest number of undernourished (381 million). Africa is second (250 million), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (48 million).

-The global prevalence of undernourishment – or overall percentage of hungry people – has changed little at 8.9 percent, but the absolute numbers have been rising since 2014. This means that over the last five years, hunger has grown in step with the global population.

-In percentage terms, the prevalence of undernourishment in the total population in India declined from 21.7 per cent in 2004-06 to 14 per cent in 2017-19.

-The two subregions showing reductions in undernourishment—eastern and southern Asia—are dominated by the two largest economies of the continent—China and India.

All are correctly matched.

Kyaukpyu is a major town in Rakhine State, in western Myanmar. It has major Chinese investment.

Changi is in the East Region of Singapore; it is a naval base of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). India and Singapore signed a bilateral agreement that will allow Indian Navy ships limited logistical support, including refueling, at CNB.

Chabahar Port is a seaport in Chabahar located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman. India has major investments in development of Chabahar port facility.

Guam is a U.S. island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific having US naval base.