GK Quiz | 14 November 2020

Q1: With reference to the Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana, consider the following statements:

1. Under the yojana, government will provide subsidy for provident fund contribution for adding new employees to establishments registered with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
2. Employers with over 1,000 employees will get employees’ contribution of 5% of wages, for two years.
3. The scheme will be operational till 2030.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. None

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Statements 1, 2 and 3: About Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana:

• It is aimed at incentivising the creation of new employment opportunities during the COVID-19 economic recovery phase.
• Establishments registered with EPFO will be eligible for the benefits if they add new employees compared to the reference base of employees as in September 2020.

• Establishments, with up to 50 employees, would have to add a minimum of two new employees.
• The organisations, with more than 50 employees, would have to add at least five employees

• Under the scheme, the Government will provide subsidy for provident fund contribution for adding new employees to establishments registered with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).

• Employers with over 1,000 employees will get employees’ contribution (12% of wages), for two years.
• The organisations of up to 1000 employees would receive employee’s contribution (12% of wages) & employer’s contributions (12% of wages), totaling 24% of wages, for two years.
• The subsidy amount under the scheme will be credited upfront only in Aadhaar-seeded EPFO accounts (UAN) of new employees.

• It will be effective from 1^st October, 2020 and operational till 30^th June 2021.
• Target Beneficiaries under the scheme - Those who left their job between 1^st March and 30^th September and are employed on or after 1^st October, any new employee joining employment in EPFO registered establishments on monthly wages less than Rs. 15,000. 

So, statement 1 is correct and statements 2 and 3 are incorrect. Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q2: Arrange the following countries from South to North:

1. Laos
2. Brunei
3. Philippines
4. Indonesia

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 4-3-2-1
2. 4-2-3-1
3. 2-4-1-3
4. 3-4-1-2

Solution: B)

Explanation: The correct sequence of the countries from South to North- Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Laos

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q3: Pneumonia, a lung infection, can be caused by-

1. Bacteria
2. Viruses
3. Fungi

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 only
2. 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Solution: D)

Explanation:

About Pneumonia:

• It is a lung infection that affects the air sacs at the end of the airways.
• Symptoms include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever and difficulty breathing
• It is due to infections caused primarily by bacteria or viruses and less commonly by fungi and parasites.
• Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Vaccines to prevent certain types of pneumonia are available. It believed to be due to bacteria is treated with antibiotics. Oxygen therapy may be used if oxygen levels are low.

Hence, option D is correct.

 

Q4: With reference to the Pneumonia and Diarrhoea Progress Report, consider the following statements:

1. It is released annually by the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. India’s immunization coverage against pneumococcal pneumonia decreased from 15% in 2018 to 6% in 2019.
3. India has achieved the global target of 90% coverage for three of the five vaccines whose coverage is monitored in the report.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statements 1, 2 and 3: Pneumonia and Diarrhoea Progress Report is released annually by the International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC).

Key findings of the report:

• India has made significant progress in its vaccination coverage to prevent child pneumonia and diarrhoea deaths.
• India’s coverage of the rotavirus vaccine for diarrhoea increased from 35% in 2018 to 53% in 2019.
• India’s immunization coverage against pneumococcal pneumonia increased 6% in 2018 to 15% in 2019.
• Although overall the world’s health systems are falling short of ensuring that children have access to prevention and treatment services, India has achieved the global target of 90% coverage for three of the five vaccines whose coverage is monitored in the report.
• These vaccines are Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus (DPT) vaccine, Measles-containing-vaccine first dose, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), and rotavirus vaccine.
• India has also completed the “100-day agenda” — an unprecedented national scale-up of rotavirus vaccine. This landmark vaccine expansion will help protect 26 million children born each year against life-threatening cases of rotavirus diarrhoea.
• However, India failed to reach all four targets for treatment- breastfeeding, immunisation, care-seeking and antibiotics, oral rehydration solution (ORS), and zinc supplementation.

So, statements 1 and 2 are incorrect and statement 3 is correct. Hence, option C is correct.

 

Q5: Consider the following statements with reference to the Energy Efficient Smart Screen which has recently been developed by the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Science (CeNS):

1. It has been developed from cellulose based smart screen from discarded ground nutshells.
2. It will help in preserving privacy and energy conservation by controlling light and heat passing through it and reducing air conditioning load.
3. It could be developed from any agricultural waste.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are incorrect?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 3 only
3. 1 and 2 only
4. None

Solution: D)

Explanation:

Statements 1, 2 and 3: Recently, energy efficient smart screens have been developed by the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Science (CeNS).

About Smart Screens:

• These have been developed from groundnut shells.
• It could help not only in preserving privacy but also in energy conservation by controlling light and heat passing through it and reducing air conditioning load.
• The device could be developed from any cellulose or agricultural waste, due to certain properties of groundnut waste, the smart screen developed from groundnut waste has been found to be most efficient.
• Apart from the original intention of targeted privacy creation, it can be employed for a whole range of possible applications, especially in energy conservation by controlling the amount and window of infrared light that is permitted to pass.

So, all statements are correct and hence, option D is correct.

 

Q6: Consider the following statements about Kalvari Class of submarines:

1. Submarine INS Vagir is third among the six Kalvari class submarines.
2. Their design is based on Scorpene class of submarine with technology transfer from Russia.
3. These submarines are built under Project 75.

Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?

1. 3 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. None

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Statements 1, 2 and 3: Recently, Indian Navy’s fifth Kalvari-class Diesel Electric attack submarine INS Vagir was launched recently at Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai. The other vessels in this class are- INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela and INS Vagsheer.

About Kalvari Class of submarines:

• This class of submarines has Diesel Electric transmission systems.
• These are primarily attack submarines or ‘hunter-killer’ type which means they are designed to target and sink adversary naval vessels.
• Their design is based on Scorpene class of submarine with technology transfer from France.
•  These submarines are built under Project 75.
• They can be used in anti-warship and anti-submarine operations, intelligence gathering and surveillance and naval mine laying

Statements 1 and 2 are incorrect and statement 3 is correct and hence, option A is correct.