10 PM Current Affairs Quiz: June 20, 2020

All statements are correct regarding Gig Economy.

A gig economy is characterized by market where temporary, flexible jobs are commonplace and companies tend toward hiring independent contractors and freelancers instead of full-time employees.

The gig economy is based on flexible, temporary, or freelance jobs rather than conventional full-time paid employment therefore it does not guarantee consistent incomes to Gig workers.

Contract or part-time employment though has been a feature of economies in past as well but the digital revolution and easy access to internet has provided boost to Gig works whereby people at distant places can work together on single project. The result is cheaper, more efficient services, such as Uber, Airbnb etc. powered by internet.

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha in July 2019 and then refereed to standing committee. The standing committee submitted its report in February 2020. The Bill is yet to be passed.

Statement 1 is correct. The Code applies to establishments employing at least 10 workers, and to all mines and docks. It does not apply to apprentices. Establishments covered by the Code are required to register with registering officers, appointed by the central or state governments.

Statement 2 is correct. It subsumes and replaces 13 labour laws including the Factories Act, 1948; Mines Act, 1952; Dock Workers Act, 1986; Contract Labour Act, 1970; and Inter-State Migrant Workers Act, 1979.

Statement 3 is correct. The Code bars civil courts from hearing matters under the Code.

The 38th north parallel formed the border between North and South Korea prior to the Korean War. After the Armistice agreement 1953, demarcation line between the two countries crosses the 38th parallel.

All other options fall north of 38 north parallel.

All are the provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.

Section 18(7) of the act provides “persons with mental illness living below the poverty line whether or not in possession of a below poverty line card, or who are destitute or homeless shall be entitled to mental health treatment and services free of any charge and at no financial cost at all mental health establishments run or funded by the appropriate Government and at other mental health establishments designated by it.”

Act provides right of confidentiality to the patients, section 23(1) states “a person with mental illness shall have the right to confidentiality in respect of his mental health, mental healthcare, treatment and physical healthcare.”

The act decriminalized the attempt to suicide; Section 115(1) states “notwithstanding anything contained in section 309 of the Indian Penal Code any person who attempts to commit suicide shall be presumed, unless proved otherwise, to have severe stress and shall not be tried and punished under the said Code.”

During COVID-19 Pandemic, it is natural to experience a wide variety of mental health concerns. To get help related to mental health, call toll-free number 080-4611-0007 (NIMHANS helpline for Psychosocial support).

Statement 1 is correct. Members of the Electoral College can vote according to their wish and are not bound by any party whips. The voting is by secret ballot. Therefore, Party whip does not apply in this election and Anti-Defection Law is not applicable in Presidential elections.

Statement 2 is correct. The Anti-defection law allows a party to merge with another party provided that at least two-thirds of its legislators are in favour of the merger. Neither the members who decide to merge, nor the ones who stay with the original party face disqualification in such case.

Statement 3 is correct. As per the law; a person who has been elected to the office of the Speaker/Deputy Speaker of the House of the People or the Deputy Chairman of the Council of States or the Chairman/Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council of a State or the Speaker/Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of a State, shall not be disqualified under this Schedule-

(a) if he, by reason of his election to such office, voluntarily gives up the membership of the political party to which he belonged immediately before such election and does not, so long as he continues to hold such office thereafter, rejoin that political party or become a member of another political party; or

(b) if he, having given up by reason of his election to such office his membership of the political party to which he belonged immediately before such election, rejoins such political party after he ceases to hold such office.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region has been published by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).

Statement 2 is correct. India’s average temperature has risen by around 0.7°C during 1901–2018. This rise in temperature is largely on account of GHG-induced warming, partially offset by forcing due to anthropogenic aerosols and land use and land cover changes.

Report states that average surface air temperatures over India could rise by up to 4.4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century as compared to the period between 1976 and 2005.

Statement 1 is correct. The Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), previously the Bangkok Agreement, is a preferential tariff arrangement. Its current Members are Bangladesh, China, India, Republic of Korea, Lao PDR and Sri Lanka. Mongolia has concluded its bilateral negotiations on tariff concessions with the current Participating States and will become seventh member to agreement.

Statement 2 is correct. APTA recognizes the special needs of LDCs and calls for concrete preferential measures in their favour (Article 3). Participating States may grant special concessions to LDC members (Article 7).

Statement 1 is incorrect. India is a member to the agency since 1957.

The Agency’s genesis was U.S. President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” address to the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The Nobel Committee selected the IAEA and its Director General Mohamed ElBaradei as the recipients of the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize due to “their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes and to ensure that nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is used in the safest possible way”.

Statement 2 is incorrect. India is not signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and neither is it mandatory for the membership of IAEA.

Statement 1 is incorrect. India is home to three crocodilian species: the mugger or marsh crocodile (Crocodylus palustris), the estuarine or saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and the gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).

Statement 2 is correct. Crocodiles including the Estuarine or saltwater crocodile (Crocodilus porusus and Crocodilus palustris) and Gharial (Gravialis gangeticus) are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

Option 1 is incorrectly matched. Hypothalamus: major hormones are anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), oxytocin and various hormones that stimulate the pituitary gland. They influence the nervous and hormonal systems.

Option 2 is correctly matched. Pancreas: major hormones released are insulin, glucagon, somatostatin; that influence blood sugar control in body.

Option 3 is incorrectly matched. Adrenal glands: major hormones released are adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, aldosterone; they influence the stress response and blood pressure/salt control.