GK Quiz | 19 October 2020

Q1.  Consider the following statements

1. The main aim of Jal Jeevan Mission is to provide piped water supply to all household by 2030.
2. Punjab has become the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ State in the country.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: D)

Explanation:

Statement 1 and 2: Goa has recently become the first ‘Har Ghar Jal’ State in the country as it successfully provided 100% Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) in the rural areas covering 2.30 lakh rural households.

About Jal Jeevan Mission:

• Mission was announced in August 2019, with an objective to provide piped water supply (Har Ghar Jal) to all rural households by 2024.
• It focuses on integrated demand and supply-side management of water at the local level.
• It is based on a community approach to water.
• It looks to create a jan andolan for water, thereby making it everyone’s priority.
• The fund sharing pattern between the Centre and states is 50:50 for states, 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States and 100% for Union Territories. Thus, it is a centrally sponsored scheme.
• Central sector schemes are the schemes that are directly and entirely funded and executed by the central government. The financial resources are not shifted to states.
• Every village should have Village Action Plan (VAP) which will have the following components:

• Water supply and greywater management
• Water source & its maintenance

• For the implementation of JJM, there will be National Jal Jeevan Mission (NJJM) at the Central level, State Water and Sanitation Mission (SWSM) at the State level, District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) at the District level and Village Water Sanitation Committee (VWSC) at Village level.
• Ministry of Jal Shakti is the nodal ministry for the implementation of the mission.

So, both statements are incorrect and hence, option D is correct.

 

Q2. Which of the statement(s) is/are incorrect about National Security Guard?

1. NSG came into existence in 1986 through the National Security Guard Act, 1986.
2. It is modelled on the elite anti-terror forces GSG-9 of Germany and SAS of the United Kingdom.
3. It is currently used to provide security to VIPs.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statement 1,2 and 3: About National Security Guard (NSG):

• It is an anti-terrorist force which came into being from September 22, 1986 through the National Security Guard Act, 1986.
• It is modelled on the elite anti-terror forces GSG-9 of Germany and SAS of the United Kingdom.
• Because of their menacing, all-black uniforms, they are also informally referred to as the ‘Black Cats’.

A decision was taken in January 2020 to remove the NSG from providing security to VIPs, a task which it was not supposed to perform when it was originally formed.

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

 

Q3. Arrange the following Islands from South to North:

1. Paracel Islands
2. Natuna Islands
3. Spratly Islands

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

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

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Paracel Islands are located in the South China Sea, almost equidistant from China and Vietnam. Since 2012, China, Taiwan and Vietnam have attempted to reinforce their claims on these islands.

Sparatly Islands is a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea. There is a territorial dispute between China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia concerning the ownership of these Islands.

The Natuna Islands are a 272-island archipelago of Indonesia, located in the Natuna Sea between Borneo to the east and Peninsular Malaysia to the west.

Correct arrangement of Islands from South to North – Natuna Island, Sparatly Islands, Paracel Islands.

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding Open Market Operations (OMO):

1. It is one of the qualitative monetary policy tools.
2. Reserve Bank of India carries out the OMO through direct dealing with the public.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither  1 nor 2

Solution: D)

Explanation:

Statements 1 and 2: About Open Market Operations (OMO):

• OMO is the simultaneous sale and purchase of government securities and treasury bills by RBI.
• It is one of the quantitative tools that RBI uses to smoothen the liquidity conditions throughout the year and minimize its impact on the interest rate and inflation rate levels.
• Its main aim is to regulate the money supply in the economy.
• These operations are carried out by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through commercial banks, not through direct dealing with the public.

So, both statements are incorrect and hence, option D is correct.

 

Q5. Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) Working Group, recently seen in news, is related to-

1. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
2. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
3. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
4. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)

Solution: A)

Explanation:

Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) is a quality system, which has been evolved by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to ensure that safety data generated on various chemicals like industrial chemicals, agrochemicals, cosmetic products, pharmaceuticals (Human and Veterinary), food/ feed additives, and medical devices, etc., can be relied upon by regulatory authorities.

Hence, option A is correct.

 

Q6. Consider the following statements with reference to chapter proceedings:

1. They are preventive actions taken by the police.
2. In this, the police can issue notices under sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure to ensure that the person is aware that creating nuisance could result in action against him.

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

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statement 1 and 2: About chapter proceedings

• They are preventive actions taken by the police if they fear that a particular person is likely to create trouble and disrupt the peace in society.
• Under sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the police can issue notices to ensure that the person is aware that creating nuisance could result in action against him, which includes paying a fine, in the absence of which, he could be put behind bars.
• A person has a legal option to appeal against the notice before the courts.

So, both statements are correct and hence, option C is correct.

 

Q7. Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct regarding Gupkar declaration?

1. Its goal is to prevent the infiltration of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to India.
2. The first Gupkar declaration was signed before the abrogation of Article 370.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Statement 1 and 2: About Gupkar declaration:

• It is a new grouping comprising various political parties and its goal is to fight for Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
• The first Gupkar declaration was signed on 4^th August 2019, before the abrogation of Article 370.
• To collectively fight against the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the six political parties of Jammu and Kashmir signed a statement titled as ‘Gupkar Declaration II’ on 22^nd August 2020.

So, statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is correct. Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q8. Consider the following statements about Taiwan Strait:

1. It connects to the East China Sea to the South.
2. It separates Philippines from the island of Taiwan.
3. Currently, it is a part of South China Sea.

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

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

Solution: C)

Explanation:

Statements 1,2 and 3: About Taiwan Strait:

• It is a part of the South China Sea that separates mainland China and Taiwan.
• It is a 180-kilometer wide strait and also known as the Formosa Strait.
• It borders the south eastern part of China and runs along the eastern part of China’s Fujian Province.
• It connects to the East China Sea to the north.

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

 

Q9. ‘Buldhana Pattern’ of water conservation, recently seen in news, is related to which state?

1. Tamil Nadu
2. Maharashtra
3. Kerala
4. Gujarat

Solution: B)

Explanation:

Recently, Maharashtra’s ‘Buldhana Pattern’ of water conservation has won national recognition and NITI Aayog is in the process of formulating a National Policy on water conversation based on it.

By using soil from the water bodies, nallas and rivers, synchronisation of national highway construction and water conservation was achieved for the first time in Buldhana district. This consequently led to the increase in capacity of water storage across the water-bodies in Buldana district and it came to be known as ‘Buldhana Pattern’.

Hence, option B is correct.

 

Q10. Which of the following states does not share their border with Mizoram?

1. Assam
2. Meghalaya
3. Tripura
4. Manipur
5. Arunachal Pradesh

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

1. 1,3 and 4 only
2. 2,3 and 5 only
3. 1,2,3 and 4 only
4. 1,4 and 5 only

Solution: A)

Explanation:

About Mizoram:

• It is a landlocked state in North East India
• It shares its border with neighboring countries of Bangladesh and Myanmar as well as with other northeast states like Manipur, Tripura, and Assam.
• Previously, it was a part of Assam until 1972 when it was carved out as a Union Territory
• With the Fifty-Third Amendment of the Indian Constitution, 1986, it became the 23^rd state of India on 20 February 1987.

Hence, option A is correct.