08 DEC CURRENT AFFAIRS (MCQ)

Q1. Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), recently in news, is being released by
a) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
b) Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)
c) The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
d) None of the above

Solution : d)
Explanation :- About CCPI:
• It is an independent monitoring tool for tracking the country’s climate protection performance.
• It has been published annually since 2005 by Germanwatch, a Germany based nonprofit organisation.
• It helps to access and judge countries’ climate policy, their recent development, current levels and well-below-2 degrees celsius compatibility of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, renewable energies, energy use and their targets for 2030.
• The climate change performance is therefore assessed under four categories: GHG emissions, renewable energy, energy use and climate policy.

Q2. Consider the following statements with respect to the Invest India

1. It is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India, operationalized in early 2010, and acts as the first point of reference for investors in India.
2. It is set up as a public joint venture company between the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and State Governments of India. Which of the above statement/s is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 and 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution : a)
Explanation :- Invest India:
• It is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India, operationalized in early 2010, and acts as the first point of reference for investors in India.
• It is set up as a nonprofit venture under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India.
• It is set up as a joint venture company between the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) (35% equity), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) (51% equity), and State Governments of India (0.5

Q3. Consider the following statements about the Tharus:

1. The Tharus live in both India and Nepal.
2. Tharu women have weaker property rights than is allowed to women in mainstream North Indian Hindu custom.
   Which of the above statement/s is/are correct?
   a) 1 only
   b) 2 only
   c) Both 1 & 2
   d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution : a) Explanation :- Tharus
• The Tharus live in both India and Nepal. In the Indian terai, they live mostly in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
• The community belongs to the Terai lowlands, amid the Shivaliks or lower Himalayas. Most of them are forest dwellers, and some practice agriculture.
• According to the 2011 census, the Scheduled Tribe population in Uttar Pradesh was more than 11 lakh; this number is estimated to have crossed 20 lakh now.
• The biggest chunk of this tribal population is made up of Tharus.
Tharu language, food, and culture
• They speak various dialects of Tharu, a language of the Indo-Aryan subgroup, and variants of Hindi, Urdu, and Awadhi.
• In central Nepal, they speak a variant of Bhojpuri, while in eastern Nepal, they speak a variant of Maithili.
• Tharus worship Lord Shiva as Mahadev, and call their supreme being “Narayan”, who they believe is the provider of sunshine, rain, and harvests.
• Tharu women have stronger property rights than is allowed to women in mainstream North Indian Hindu custom.

Q4. AlphaFold 2 is in the news. It is a
a) Bacteria
b) Laser bomb
c) Aircraft
d) Deep learning system

Solution : d) Explanation :-
• AlphaFold is an artificial intelligence program developed by Google’s DeepMind which performs predictions of protein structure.
• The program is designed as a deep learning system that is built to predict folded protein structures to the width of an atom.
• In November 2020, a version of the program titled AlphaFold 2 took part in the 14th edition of the biennial Critical Assessment of Techniques for Protein Structure Prediction (CASP) competition, in which it achieved a level of accuracy much higher than any other computational method.

Q5. Bangladesh signed its first Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with which of the following country, allowing duty free access to a range of goods between the two countries?
a) Nepal
b) India
c) China
d) Bhutan

Solution : d) Explanation :-
Bangladesh signed its first Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bhutan allowing duty free access to a range of goods between the two countries.
• This is the first PTA Bangladesh has signed with any country in the world.
• The agreement was signed on the occasion marking the 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
• In 1971, Bhutan was the first country in the world, followed by India as the second, to recognise Bangladesh as an independent country.
• Under the PTA 100 Bangladeshi products will get duty free access to Bhutan. At the same time, 34 items from Bhutan will get duty free access into Bangladesh. Further items can be added in the list later on the basis of discussion between the two countries.
• Bangladesh is expected to sign 11 more PTAs and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with countries like Indonesia and Nepal by June next year.
Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

Q6. HAL-IISc Skill Development Centre is located in:
a) Mumbai
b) Challakere
c) Udupi
d) Cuttack

Solution : b) Explanation :-
HAL-IISc Skill Development Centre in Challakere of Chitradurga district in Karnataka launched its first training programme offering five courses in virtual mode.
• The programmes offered are in the niche engineering areas of aerospace, mechanical, electrical and electronic sectors.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had formally inaugurated the Skill Development Centre in Challakere this year.
• The Centre is located in IISc’s new 1500 acre campus in Challakere, projected as a Science and Technology city. It is well equipped with modern labs, class rooms, auditorium and residential accommodation for 250 trainees and faculty members.
• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defence company headquartered in Bangalore, India. It is governed under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence.
Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.

Q7. Shaheed Ashfaque Ullah Khan Prani Udyaan is located in:
a) Gorakhpur
b) Nalanda
c) Amritsar
d) Bikaner

Solution : a) Explanation :-
At the 37th General Body meeting of Central Zoo Authority chaired by Union Minister for Environment, two new zoos the Rajgir Zoo Safari in Nalanda, Bihar and Shaheed Ashfaque Ullah Khan Prani Udyaan in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh were granted recognition. Rajgir Zoo Safari, Nalanda, Bihar
• The zoo is established exclusively comprising on only safari enclosures which, on contrary to conventional enclosure, offer larger space for captive animals.
• The zoo is located close to the historically important Nalanda.
Shaheed Ashfaque Ullah Khan Prani Udyaan, Gorakhpur, U.P.
• With the establishment of this zoo, the state of Uttar Pradesh has a total of 9 zoos.
• The zoo is situated in the spiritual land of Gorakhpur and has a high visitation. Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

Q8. With reference to the Vanchit Ikai Samooh aur Vargon ki Aarthik Sahayta (VISVAS) Yojana, consider the following statements:

1. It is an Interest subvention Scheme of Ministry of Finance for financial empowerment of economically marginalized OBC/SC SHGs & Individuals.
2. The scheme will benefit OBC/SC SHGs with loans/borrowings up to Rs.4.00 Lakh and OBC/SC individuals with loan/borrowing up to Rs.2.00 Lakh with a quick interest subvention benefit of 5% directly into the standard accounts of borrowing SHGs/beneficiaries. 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 : b) Explanation :-
National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and National
Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) under M/O Social Justice & Empowerment entered in to MoA With Central Bank of India for implementation of Vanchit Ikai Samooh aur Vargon ki Aarthik Sahayta (VISVAS) Yojana.
• It is an Interest subvention Scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment for financial empowerment of economically marginalized OBC/SC SHGs & Individuals.
• The scheme will benefit OBC/SC SHGs with loans/borrowings up to Rs.4.00 Lakh and OBC/SC individuals with loan/borrowing up to Rs.2.00 Lakh with a quick interest subvention benefit of 5% directly into the standard accounts of borrowing SHGs/beneficiaries. Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Q9. With reference to the United Nations Investment Promotion Award 2020, consider the following statements:

1. The United Nations (UNCTAD) has declared Invest India- the National Investment Promotion Agency of India- as a winner of the 2020 United Nations Investment Promotion Award.
2. The award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements and best practices of Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) across the globe.
   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 United Nations (UNCTAD) has declared Invest India- the National Investment Promotion Agency of India- as a winner of the 2020 United Nations Investment Promotion Award.
• The award ceremony took place on 7th December 2020 at UNCTAD Headquarters in Geneva.
• The award recognizes and celebrates the outstanding achievements and best practices of Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) across the globe.
• This United Nations Investment Promotion Award is the most coveted award for Investment Promotion Agencies.
• UNCTAD is a central agency that monitors performance of IPAs and identifies global best practices. Germany, South Korea and Singapore have been some of the past winners of the award.
Hence both statements are correct.

Q10. Consider the following statements about Proteins

1. Protein is a macronutrient that is essential to building muscle mass.
2. Protein is composed of amino acids, which are organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, oxygen or sulfur.
   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 : a) Explanation :- Proteins:
• Protein is a macronutrient that is essential to building muscle mass.
• It is commonly found in animal products, though is also present in other sources, such as nuts and legumes.
• Chemically, protein is composed of amino acids, which are organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and proteins are the building blocks of muscle mass,
• The human body consists of around 100 trillion cells. Each cell has thousands of different proteins.

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