10 PM Daily Current Affairs Quiz : February 3 2021

Statement 1 is incorrect. India has 15,106.7 Km of land border and a coastline of 7,516.6 Km including island territories. The length of our land borders with neighboring countries is:

Statement 2 is correct. Integrated Check Post (ICP) Moreh is located on NH-39 on the India-Myanmar border in the Tengnoupal district at about 110 Km. from Imphal, the State capital of Manipur. Tamu is the corresponding town in Myanmar opposite to Moreh.

Both statements are correct.
The metro rail system being developed at present is of high capacity which is required for bigger cities with very high ridership and Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic (PHPDT).
The Ministry of Housing & Uran Affairs released specifications for a system named Metro Neo in November 2020, which will be at much lesser cost, rail guided, rubber tyred electric coaches powered by overhead traction system running on a road slab (elevated/at-grade).
It can have a Peak Hour Peak Direction Traffic upto 8,000 and 25% of cost of conventional metro system.
‘Metroneo’ would also act as feeder system to high-capacity Metro. In addition to less capital cost, the operation and maintenance cost of Metroneo would also be less making the system more viable.
# It is being adopted for the first time in the country in Nashik, Maharasthra.

The Washington Consensus refers to a set of broadly free market economic ideas, supported by prominent economists and international organisations, such as the IMF, the World Bank, the EU and the US.
The ten specific principles originally set out by John Williamson in 1989:
–Low government borrowing. Avoidance of large fiscal deficits relative to GDP;
–Redirection of public spending from subsidies (“especially indiscriminate subsidies”) toward broad-based provision of key pro-growth, pro-poor services like primary education, primary health care and infrastructure investment;
–Tax reform, broadening the tax base and adopting moderate marginal tax rates;
–Interest rates that are market determined and positive (but moderate) in real terms;
–Competitive exchange rates;
–Trade liberalization: liberalization of imports, with particular emphasis on elimination of quantitative restrictions (licensing, etc.); any trade protection to be provided by low and relatively uniform tariffs;
–Liberalization of inward foreign direct investment;
–Privatization of state enterprises;
–Deregulation: abolition of regulations that impede market entry or restrict competition, except for those justified on safety, environmental and consumer protection grounds, and prudential oversight of financial institutions;
–Legal security for property rights.

Statement 1 and 2 are correct. Finance Minister in Budget 2021-22 announced a JAL JEEVAN MISSION (URBAN) which has been designed to provide universal coverage of water supply to all households through functional taps in all 4,378 statutory towns in accordance with SDG Goal- 6. Providing coverage of sewerage/septage management in 500 AMRUT cities is the other focus area.
Rejuvenation of water bodies to augment sustainable fresh water supply and creating green spaces and sponge cities to reduce floods and enhance amenity value through an Urban Aquifer Management plan are other key areas of the Mission.
Statement 3 is incorrect. For Union Territories, there will be 100% central funding. For North Eastern and Hill States, central funding for projects will be 90%. Central funding will be 50% for cities will less than 1 lakh population, one third for cities with 1 lakh to 10 lakh population and 25% for cities with million plus population.
Mission will be monitored through a technology-based platform on which beneficiary response will be monitored along with progress and output-outcome.
Funding from Government for projects will be in three tranches of 20:40:40. Third instalment onwards will be released based on outcomes achieved and credible exclusion will be exercised while funding.

Statement 1 is incorrect. In order to promote medicinal plants sector, the Government of India set up National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB) in 2000. Currently the board is located in Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha & Homoeopathy), Government of India.
The primary mandate of NMPB is to develop an appropriate mechanism for coordination between various ministries/ departments/ organizations in India and implements support policies/programs for overall (conservation, cultivation, trade and export) growth of medicinal plants sector both at the Central /State and International level.
Statement 2 is correct. The National Medicinal Plants Bard (NMPB), under its Central Sector Scheme on ‘Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants’ is supporting research & development projects on various aspects of medicinal plants to government as well as private universities/research institutions/organizations across the country.

Statement 1 is correct. KRITAGYA- Nationala level hackathon on agriculture technology aimed to promote innovation in agriculture and allied sectors in the country.
Advantages of organising Agri-Hackathon are to give opportunity to the students along with faculties, innovators for showcasing their innovative approaches & technologies in agriculture and allied sector
# KRI-TA-GYA explains, KRI for Krishi (Agriculture), TA for Taknik (Technology) and GYA for Gyan (Knowledge).
Statement 2 is incorrect. The hackathon was organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Several innovations selected under this initiative focused on robotic harvesting of coconut/oil palm, real time detection of plant diseases and simultaneous site-specific application of pesticides and Women friendly equipment for small farm operations especially for sericulture and fish cutting.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Consumer Welfare Fund has been setup under section 57 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017.
# Earlier, the Central Excise and Salt Act, 1944 was amended in 1991 to enable the Central Government to create a Consumer Welfare Fund (CWF).
Statement 2 is correct. Financial assistance from CWF is given to various Institutions including Universities, Voluntary Consumer Organization (VCOs) and States to promote and protect the welfare and interests of the consumers, create consumer awareness and strengthen consumer movement in the country.

A National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) has been established, which provides guidance on all aspects of COVID-19 vaccination including prioritization of population groups, procurement and inventory management, vaccine selection, vaccine delivery and tracking mechanism etc.
NEGVAC is chaired by Member (Health), NITI Aayog and co-chaired by Secretary (H&FW). NEGVAC has representation of Secretaries from Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Expenditure, Dept. of Biotechnology, Dept. of Health Research, Dept. of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, representative from five State Governments and technical experts.

Statement 1 is correct. The Department in association with State/UT Governments is implementing ‘One Nation One Ration Card’ (ONORC) plan for nation-wide portability of ration cards under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA). So far, the facility has been enabled in 32 States/UTs covering nearly 69 Crore beneficiaries, almost 86% of NFSA population of the country.
Under ONORC, the beneficiaries, if desire, can lift their entitled food grains from any ePoS (electronic Point of Sale device) enabled Fair Price Shop (FPS) of their choice by using their same/existing ration cards with biometric authentication on the ePoS device at the time of lifting the food grains through portability.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The scheme enables portability using the existing ration cards and no direction has been given to States/UTs for issuance of new ration cards to beneficiaries under ONORC.
However, for the sake of uniformity under ONORC operations, States/UTs have been advised to adopt a standard bi-lingual format for ration cards whenever they decide to issue/print new ration cards under NFSA in the future.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Chauri Chaura incident occurred at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the United Province, (modern Uttar Pradesh) in British India on 4 February 1922, when a large group of protesters, participating in the Non-cooperation movement, clashed with police, who opened fire. In retaliation the demonstrators attacked and set fire to a police station, killing all of its occupants.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The incident led to the deaths of three civilians and 23 policemen. Mahatma Gandhi, who was strictly against violence, halted the Non-cooperation Movement on the national level on 12 February 1922, as a direct result of this incident.