10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: June 17, 2020

Under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), each MP has the choice to suggest to the District Collector for works to the tune of Rs.5 Crores per annum to be taken up in his/her constituency.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Nominated Members of the Parliament may select any one or more Districts from any one State in the Country for implementation of their choice of work under the scheme.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Generally, a vacancy caused prematurely due to resignation, death, etc. of an elected/nominated MP is filled up by election/nomination for the remaining term of the MP vacating the seat. Under the scheme guidelines the new MP will be treated as a successor of the MP vacating the seat prematurely and balance funds are transferred to MPLADS Account of the successor MP.

Statement 1 is correct.  Constitution (Ninety-seventh Amendment) Act, 2011 made formation of cooperative societies a fundamental right under article 19(1)(c).

Statement 2 is correct. People having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of Literature, science, art, co-operative movement and social service are nominated to the legislative council (one-sixth) by the Governor.

Statement 3 is correct. ‘Cooperative Societies’ is a State Subject under List II of Seventh Schedule to Constitution.

Galwan River valley is Union territory of Ladakh near the Line of Actual Control with China.

Nelong Valley, part of the Gangotri National Park is in Uttarakshi, Uttarakhand.

Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Himalayas in East Sikkim district. It connects the Indian state of Sikkim with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Constitution does not prescribe any such limit, in Indra Sawhney vs Union of India, 1992; the Supreme Court capped caste-based reservation to 50 percent.

Statement 2 is correct. Article 16(4A) empowers the State to make any provision for reservation in matters of promotion, with consequential seniority, to any class or classes of posts in the services under the State in favor of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes which, in the opinion of the State, are not adequately represented in the services under the State.

Statement 3 is correct. Article 335 provides that the claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration, consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of appointments to services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is a Special Purpose Vehicle under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Statement 2 is correct. The National Public Procurement Portal—Government e Marketplace is a dedicated e-market for different goods & services procured by Government Organizations / Departments / PSUs.

Statement 3 is correct. The purchases through GeM by Government users have been authorized and made mandatory by Ministry of Finance through General Financial Rules, 2017.

Statement 1 is correct. The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) was established by NCDC Act, 1962 as a statutory Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

Statement 2 is correct. Its functions include planning, promoting and financing programmes for production, processing, marketing, storage, export and import of agricultural produce, food stuffs, certain other notified commodities; supply of consumer goods and collection, processing, marketing, storage and export of minor forest produce through cooperatives.

Both statements are correct.

Dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, is similar to a natural hormone produced by adrenal glands. It relieves inflammation (swelling, heat, redness, and pain) and is used to treat certain forms of arthritis; skin, blood, kidney, eye, thyroid, and intestinal disorders (e.g., colitis); severe allergies; and asthma.

Corticosteroids (adrenal cortical steroids) are natural hormones made by the adrenal cortex which are important in maintaining good health. They are mainly of two types, the glucocorticoids and the mineralocorticoids. Synthetic pharmaceutical drugs with corticosteroid-like effects are used in a variety of conditions.

Initial clinical trial results from the United Kingdom (UK) that show dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, can be lifesaving for patients who are critically ill with COVID-19.

Both statements are incorrect.

Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 therapy (RECOVERY) is a national clinical trial in United Kingdom that aims to identify treatments that may be beneficial for people hospitalised with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. It is not a vaccine trial, it is looking at the effects of Lopinavir-Ritonavir, Dexamethasone, Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin, Tocilizumab and Convalescent plasma (collected from donors who have recovered from COVID-19 and contains antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus).

This trial is supported by a grant to the University of Oxford from UK Research and Innovation/National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Statement 1 is correct. Each year the General Assembly elects five non-permanent members (out of 10 in total) for a two-year term. The 10 non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis as follows: five for African and Asian States; one for Eastern European States; two for the Latin American and Caribbean States; and two for Western European and other States.

Statement 2 is correct. Article 42 of the United Nations Charter gives the Security Council the authority to take action by air, sea or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.

A rating agency is a company that assesses the financial strength of companies and governments. A credit rating can be assigned to any entity that seeks to borrow money—an individual, corporation, state or provincial authority, or sovereign government.

Globally, Standard & Poor’s (S&P), Moody’s and Fitch group are recognized as the Big Three credit rating agencies.

CRISIL is an Indian analytical company providing ratings and is a subsidiary of American company S&P Global.