30 APRIL CURRENT AFFAIRS (MCQ)

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI):

1. It is a multi-stakeholder initiative formed by the United States, Japan, India and Australia.
2. It mainly focuses to build and finance quality infrastructure projects in the Indo-pacific region.
   Which of the given above statements is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: d)

Explanation:
Correct answer is ‘d’.
In a move to counter China’s dominance of supply chain in the Indo-Pacific region, trade ministers of India, Japan and Australia have formally launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI).
The SCRI aims to create a virtuous cycle of enhancing supply chain resilience with a view to eventually attaining strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth in the region.
Initially, SCRI will focus on sharing best practices on supply chain resilience and holding investment promotion events and buyer-seller matching events to provide opportunities for stakeholders to explore the possibility of diversification of their supply chains.

Q2. Arrange the following islands located in the South China sea in the direction of North to South:

1. Paracel Islands
2. Spratly Islands
3. Scarborough Shoal
   Select the correct answer using the code below:
   a) 1-2-3
   b) 1-3-2
   c) 3-1-2
   d) 3-2-1

Solution: b)

Explanation:
Correct answer is ‘b’.
China lays claim to nearly all of the South China Sea, including the Paracel Islands.
However, Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also claim parts of the region, believed to hold valuable oil and gas deposits.
The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam.
The Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Philippines.
The Scarborough Shoal is claimed by Philippines, China and Taiwan.

Q3. Consider the following statements with reference to Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985:

1. Under the NDPS Act, it is illegal for a person to produce/manufacture/cultivate, possess, sell, purchase, transport, store, and/or consume any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance.
2. Under one of the provisions of the act, the State Governments are empowered to regulate the cultivation, production, manufacture, import, export, sale, consumption, use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
   Which of the given above statements is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: a)

Explanation:
Correct answer is ‘a’.
The Act is designed to fulfill India’s treaty obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
The Act 1985 sets out the statutory framework for drug law enforcement in India.
Under the Act, the cultivation, production, manufacture, possession, sale, purchase, transportation, warehousing, consumption, inter-State movement, transshipment and import and export of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is prohibited, except for medical or scientific purposes and in accordance with the terms and conditions of any license, permit or authorization given by the Government.
The Central Government is empowered to regulate the cultivation, production, manufacture, import, export, sale, consumption, use etc. of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
State Governments are empowered to permit and regulate possession and inter-State movement of opium, poppy straw, the manufacture of medicinal opium and the cultivation of cannabis excluding hashish.
The Central Government is empowered to declare any substance, based on an assessment of its likely use in the manufacture of narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances as a controlled substance.
Both the Central Government and State Governments are empowered to appoint officers for the purposes of the Act.

Q4. With reference to the Central farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute, Budni (MP), consider the following statements:

1. Central Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute, Budni (Madhya Pradesh) has recently tested the first-ever electric Tractor in the Institute.
2. It has recently obtained the NABL Certificate of Accreditation for CMVR Test Laboratory.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: c)

Explanation:
Central Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute, Budni (Madhya Pradesh) has tested the first-ever electric Tractor in the Institute.
• The institute received the application for an electric tractor under Confidential Test initially.
• Accordingly, the institute has tested the tractor & released the Draft Test Report in February, 2021.
• Central farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute, Budni (MP) has obtained the NABL Certificate of Accreditation for CMVR Test Laboratory on 30th March, 2021.
• Electric tractor will be more environment friendly than other types of tractors.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Q5. With reference to the Tianhe module, consider the following statements:

1. The Tianhe module will act as the management and control hub of the space station Tiangong.
2. The space station will be a T shape with the core module at the centre and a lab capsule on each side.
3. The station will operate in the low-Earth orbit at an altitude from 340 km to 450 km.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   a) 1 and 2 only
   b) 2 and 3 only
   c) 1 and 3 only
   d) 1, 2 and 3

Solution: d)

Explanation:
China launched the core module of its space station, kicking off a series of key launch missions that aim to complete the construction of the station by the end of next year.
• The Long March-5B Y2 rocket, carrying the Tianhe module, blasted off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of the southern island province of Hainan.

Q6. Covaxin is a
a) Live vaccine
b) Inactivated vaccine
c) Both a and b
d) None of the above

Solution: b)

Explanation:
Covaxin is a fully indigenous product with the viral strain isolated at the ICMRNational Institute of Virology.
 It is developed by Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad in collaboration with the Indian
Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Virology, Pune.
 Covaxin is an inactivated vaccine.
 An inactivated vaccine is one which is developed by inactivating (killing) the
live microorganisms that cause the disease.

Q7. Vaccine maitri is a
a) Diplomatic initiative
b) International effort to fight Ebola virus
c) Scientific research for Polio vaccine
d) None of the above

Solution: a)

Explanation:
Vaccine Diplomacy: It is the use of vaccines to increase a country’s diplomatic
relationship with other countries.
Vaccine Maitri
 India has started the supply of COVID vaccines to its neighbouring and key
partner countries.
 Bhutan and Maldives were the first to get the vaccines followed by
Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles.
 Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Mauritius also got doses.
 Pakistan is not named in this initiative.
 Vaccine will be Supplied to the partner countries in a phased manner,
keeping in mind the demand.

Q8. Van Dhan Scheme has been launched by
a) Ministry of Tribal Affairs
b) Ministry of Rural Development
c) Ministry of Environment and Climate Change
d) None of the above

Solution: a)

Explanation:
Van Dhan Scheme
The scheme has been launched by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and TRIFED (Tribal
Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India )
 Aims Economic development of tribals involved in the collection of
Minor Food Produces (MFPs) by helping them in optimum utilization
of natural resources and providing them a sustainable livelihood.
o It also aims at building upon traditional knowledge and skillsets of
tribals by adding technology & IT for value addition.
Key points :
 10 Self Help Groups of 30 Tribal gatherers will be trained and provided
with working capital to add value to the products collected from the forests.
 Setting-up of a tribal community owned Van Dhan Vikas Kendras in
predominantly forested tribal districts.
 The SHGs can supply their stock after primary processing to State
Implementing Agencies or can directly tie-up with a corporate secondary
processor.
 Involvement of Corporates under the PPP model for creating secondary
level value addition facility at the district level and tertiary level value
addition facility at the state level.
 The PPP model will be based on utilising Private entrepreneur skills in
processing and marketing of the produce.
The Central/ State Government will support by developing infrastructure and
providing an enabling environment for undertaking value addition in a scientific
and systematic manner.

Q9. The Karen and the Kachin are two of the bigger minority groups in which
of the following country?
a) Myanmar
b) Syria
c) Yemen
d) Saudi Arabia

Solution: a)

Explanation:
Ethnic Karen guerrillas said they captured a Myanmar army base today near the
border with Thailand.
 The KNU, which controls territory in eastern Myanmar near the Thai border, is a
close ally of the resistance movement against the military takeover that ousted the
elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Its armed wing is called the Karen
National Liberation Army.
 There is a similar situation in northern Myanmar, where the Kachin minority
claims to have captured several government outposts and been the target of air
attacks.
 The Karen and the Kachin are two of the bigger minority groups that have been
seeking greater autonomy for decades, during which there have been periods of
armed conflict punctuated by ceasefires.
 The Karen are an ethnolinguistic group of Sino-Tibetan language-speaking peoples.
These Karen groups reside primarily in Kayin State, southern and southeastern
Myanmar.
 Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

Q10. With reference to the recent changes announced by Securities and
Exchange Board of India, consider the following statements:

1. A minimum 20% of the compensation of mutual fund managers and other key
   personnel in an asset management company (AMC) should be in the form of units
   of the mutual fund schemes they manage.
2. The compensation of fund managers at least the variable pay component is
   linked to performance.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution: c)

Explanation:
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has said that a minimum 20%
of the compensation of mutual fund managers and other key personnel in an asset
management company (AMC) should be in the form of units of the mutual fund
schemes they manage.
 Key personnel here refers to the likes of chief executive officer, chief investment
officer, research head and their direct reporters.
 The compensation of fund managers — at least the variable pay component — is
linked to performance. What SEBI has done here is crystallise the rules and extend
it beyond fund managers to so-called key employees. Moreover, SEBI has specified
the rules of allocation of this 20% by saying that is should be proportional to the
assets under management of the schemes in which an employee has a role or
oversight.
 The regulator has also specified that these units offered by way of compensation
are locked-in for three years.
 Hence both statements are correct.