NOVEMBER 1 CURRENT AFFAIRS (MCQ)

Q1. Consider the following statements:

1. Puducherry along with Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, was transferred to India in 1954 by the
   French.
2. Goa along with Dadra & Nagar Haveli was liberated from the Portuguese in 1974.
3. Nagaland was separated from Arunachal Pradesh and is the 16th state in India.
   Identify the Incorrect statement(s).
   (a) 1 only
   (b) 2 only
   (c) 1 and 3 only
   (d) 2 and 3 only
   Solution: d
   Explanation:
   Formation of States in India post independence
    Goa, Puducherry, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Sikkim were not a part of India at the time of
   independence.
    Puducherry along with Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, was transferred to India in 1954 by the
   French.
    Dadra & Nagar Haveli was liberated in 1954 from the Portuguese.
    Similarly, Goa was liberated from Portuguese occupation in 1961.
    Sikkim became a part of India in 1974.
   State Formation in Chronological Order
    1953: Andhra Pradesh carved out of Madras
    1960: Gujarat separated out of Bombay
    1963: Nagaland separated out of Assam and is the 16th state.
    1966: Haryana separated out of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh (HP) separated as Union
   Territory (UT)
    1971: HP converted into state from UT
    1972: Manipur converted to state from UT
    1972: Tripura converted to state from UT
    1972: Meghalaya converted to state from sub state in Assam
    1975: Sikkim from being a protectorate of India became a full state
    1987: Mizoram converted to state from UT
    1987: Arunanchal Pradesh converted to state from UT
    1987: Goa converted to state from UT
    2000: Chhattisgarh
    2000: Uttarakhand
    2000: Jharkhand
    2014: Telangana
   Daily Current Affairs Multiple Choice Questions
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   Q2. Consider the following statements, with respect to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel:
4. He earned the title ‘Sardar’ in the Kheda Satyagraha.
5. He was the president of the Indian National Congress in its Karachi Session in 1931.
6. The statue of Unity built in memory of him is on the banks of river Narmada.
   Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
   (a) 1 and 2 only
   (b) 2 and 3 only
   (c) 1 and 3 only
   (d) 1, 2 and 3
   Solution: b
   Explanation:
   Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
    Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and a prominent
   figure in the Indian Freedom Struggle.
    He later became India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and first Home Minister.
    Sardar Patel’s contribution in integrating 565 princely states into a newly independent India is
   unforgettable.
    Vallabhbhai Patel was born in Nadiad, Gujarat; on October 31, 1875 (His birth anniversary is
   now observed as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas).
    The meeting with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in Godhra (1917) fundamentally changed
   Patel’s life.
    Patel joined the Congress and became the secretary of the Gujarat Sabha that became a
   Congress stronghold later.
    On Gandhi’s call, Patel quit his hard-earned job and joined the movement to fight for
   exemption of taxes in Kheda at the time of plague and famine (1918).
    It was the Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928 which earned Vallabhbhai Patel the title of ‘Sardar’ and
   made him popular throughout the country.
    After the signing of the Gandhi–Irwin Pact, Patel was elected president of Congress for its 1931
   session (Karachi).
    Few princely states like Travancore, Hyderabad, Junagadh, Bhopal and Kashmir were averse to
   joining the state of India.
    Sardar Patel worked tirelessly to build a consensus with the princely states but did not hesitate
   in employing methods of Sama, Dama, Dand and Bhed where ever necessary.
    Sardar Patel was of the opinion that we will not have a united India if we do not have a good
   all-India Service.
    The statue of unity depicts Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first Home Minister, wearing a
   traditional dhoti and shawl, towering over the Narmada River.
   Q3. Consider the following statements with respect to Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
   Guarantee Act (MGNREGA):
7. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is the nodal agency for the implementation of the
   Scheme.
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8. This act was introduced with an aim of improving the employment status of the rural people.
   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: d
   Explanation:
   Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)
    The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), also known as
   Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) is Indian
   legislation enacted on August 25, 2005.
    The MGNREGA provides a legal guarantee for one hundred days of employment in every
   financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related
   unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage.
    The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), Government of India is monitoring the entire
   implementation of this scheme in association with state governments.
    This act was introduced with an aim of improving the purchasing power of the rural people,
   primarily semi or un-skilled work to people living below poverty line in rural India.
   Q4. Consider the following statements with respect to Sikhism:
9. The travels made by Guru Nanak are documented in texts called ‘Janamsakhis’.
10. Guru Nanak visited hundreds of interfaith institutions by foot and it is called ‘Udasis’.
    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: c
    Explanation:
    Guru Nanak Dev
     He is a philosopher, poet, traveler, political rebel, social leveler, mass communicator and a
    spiritual master- on whose teachings the religion of Sikhism is founded.
     Guru Nanak Dev (1469-1539) was born in a village, Talwandi Rai Bhoe, near Lahore.
     Guru Nanak Dev initiated inter-faith dialogue way back in the 16th century and had
    conversations with most of the religious denominations of his times.
     Guru Nanak Dev travelled far and wide during the 15th and 16th centuries.
     From Mecca to Haridwar, from Sylhet to Mount Kailash, Guru Nanak visited hundreds of
    interfaith sites related to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Jainism throughout his journeys (also
    called udaasis).
     His travels were documented in texts called ‘Janamsakhis’.
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     These sites are now spread across nine nations as per current geographical divisions — India,
    Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, China (Tibet), Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan — and
    some are even inaccessible due to travel restrictions or being located in conflict zones.
     Guru Nanak Dev, along with his companion Bhai Mardana, undertook most part of his journeys
    on foot.
     The founder of Sikhism, made walking an integral part of the “Sikh culture”.
     Each gurdwara now has “parikrama”.
    Q5. Consider the following statements with respect to Indian Dolphins:
11. Indus dolphins are the State aquatic animal of Himachal Pradesh.
12. Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary is in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
13. Gangetic dolphins are generally blind and catch their prey using ultrasonic sound.
    Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
    (a) 1 and 2 only
    (b) 2 and 3 only
    (c) 3 only
    (d) 1 and 3 only
    Solution: c
    Explanation:
    Indian Dolphins
    Gangetic Dolphins
     Gangetic dolphins in general are blind and catch their prey using ultrasonic sound waves.
     Killing the Gangetic River Dolphin is a punishable offence under the Wildlife Protection Act,
    1972.
     Ganges river dolphins live in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river
    systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
     The Ganges river dolphin can only live in freshwater and is essentially blind.
     It has been declared endangered under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature
    (IUCN).
     Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is in the state of Bihar.
    Indus Dolphins
     Indus river dolphins are one of only four river dolphin species and subspecies in the world that
    spend all of their lives in freshwater.
     The Indus river dolphin is the second most endangered freshwater river dolphin.
     At present, there are only around 1,800 of these in the Indus in Pakistan. Their population in
    the Beas River is between 8 to 10.
     IUCN status: Endangered.
     Punjab Government has declared the Indus river dolphin as Punjab’s state aquatic animal in
    2019.
    Q6. Whose travels were documented in texts called ‘janamsakhis’?
    (a) Guru Nanak Dev
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    (b) Lord Buddha
    (c) Lord Mahavira
    (d) Guru Tegh Bahadur
    Solution: a
    Explanation:
    In a meeting with state transport minister, Amarinder Raja Warring, recently on Road Safety, Punjab
    Police’s ADGP (traffic), Dr Sharad Satya Chauhan, proposed that the birth anniversary (Gurpurab) of
    Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev be declared as ‘World Pedestrian Day’. A written proposal in this
    regard may be sent to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways soon.
     To spread the message of oneness and to break barriers across faiths by engaging in spiritual
    dialogues, the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, travelled far and wide during the 15th and 16th
    centuries.
     From Mecca to Haridwar, from Sylhet to Mount Kailash, Guru Nanak visited hundreds of interfaith
    sites related to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Jainism throughout his journeys (also called
    udaasis).
     At some sites, gurdwaras were constructed to commemorate his visit.
     Later his travels were documented in texts called ‘janamsakhis’. These sites are now spread across
    nine nations as per current geographical divisions — India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, China (Tibet),
    Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan — and some are even inaccessible due to travel
    restrictions or being located in conflict zones.
     It is believed that during those times, when early modes of transport were limited and were mostly
    restricted to boats, animals (horses, mules, camels, bullock carts), Guru Nanak Dev, along with his
    companion Bhai Mardana, undertook most part of his journeys on foot.
     Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.
    Q7. With reference to the Climate Equity Monitor, consider the following statements:
14. It is aimed at monitoring the performance of Annex-I Parties under the UNFCCC (developed
    countries) based on the “foundational principles” of the Climate Convention.
15. It was conceptualised and developed by Greenpeace International.
    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:
    A day ahead of the commencement of the 26th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) in
    Glasgow, Scotland, India has officially endorsed a website by the name of Climate Equity Monitor,
    (https://climateequitymonitor.in), made by Indian climate experts, that lists the historical carbon
    dioxide emissions of developed countries.
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     The Climate Equity Monitor is aimed at monitoring the performance of Annex-I Parties under the
    UNFCCC (developed countries) based on the “foundational principles” of the Climate Convention.
    The performance and policies of the Non Annex-I Parties (developing countries) will be provided for
    comparison.
     The website was conceptualised and developed by the Climate Change Group at the M.S.
    Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Department
    at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru, with other independent researchers.
     The database aims to highlight the disparity between the emissions of developed and developing
    countries with countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia and those in Western
    Europe shown as having a net carbon debt while developing countries such as India and China having
    net credit.
     Hence only statement 1 is correct.
    Q8. With reference to the 2021 G20 Rome summit, consider the following statements:
16. No time-bound agreements were reached as leaders of the world’s top economies ended the
    summit in Rome, recommitting to providing $100 billion a year to counter climate change, and
    pushing for greater vaccine equality to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
17. All G20 countries decided to mandatorily reduce coal power generation by 2025.
    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:
    India pushed for “safeguarding the interests of the developing world” as Prime Minister Narendra
    Modi addressed the G-20 summit at sessions on climate change and sustainable development, said
    G-20 Sherpa and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
     No time-bound agreements were reached as leaders of the world’s top economies ended the
    summit in Rome, recommitting to providing $100 billion a year to counter climate change, and
    pushing for greater vaccine equality to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
     G-20 countries also committed to ending international financing for all new coal plants by the end
    of 2021, but made no mention of domestic commitments on ending coal power generation.
     The final communique, agreed upon after negotiations overnight, spoke only of the “key relevance
    of achieving global net zero” on carbon emissions “by or around mid-century”.
     Amongst the other highlights of the statement was a decision to pursue the recognition of more
    vaccines by the World Health Organization under a “One Health approach” for the world, and
    providing finances and technology for vaccine production at “mRNA Hubs” in South Africa, Brazil
    and Argentina, and to mobilise more international public private financing for “green” projects.
     UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the failure of the G-20 summit to set a specific date for
    countries to achieve “Net Zero” carbon emissions had left his hopes “unfulfilled” but “not buried”,
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    as the joint communique set the stage for tough negotiations at the COP26 Climate Change summit
    in Glasgow that begins recently.
     The 2021 G20 Rome summit was the sixteenth meeting of Group of Twenty (G20), that took place
    in Rome, the capital city of Italy, on 30–31 October 2021.
     Hence only statement 1 is correct.
    Q9. With reference to a research report by SBI on informal economy, consider the following
    statements:
18. The share of the informal economy may have shrunk to no more than 20% of the economic output
    from about 52% in 2017-18.
19. The report estimated that about ₹1.2 lakh crore of cash usage has been formalised since the
    COVID-19 pandemic.
    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:
    Signalling a greater shift towards formalisation of the economy, the share of the large informal
    sector in overall economic activity dipped sharply in 2020-21 even as informal workers continue to
    bear the brunt of the pandemic’s adverse effects, the SBI said in a research report.
     The share of the informal economy may have shrunk to no more than 20% of the economic output
    from about 52% in 2017-18.
     There are wide variations in the formalisation levels in different sectors but the SBI estimated that
    the informal economy is possibly at a maximum of 15% to 20% of formal GDP in 2020-21.
     The SBI projections suggest that the informal agriculture sector has shrunk from 97.1% of the
    sector’s GVA in 2017-18 to just 70%-75% in 2020-21, driven by the increased penetration of credit
    through Kisan credit cards. Real estate has also seen a significant dip in informal activity from 52.8%
    in 2017-18 to 20%-25% last year.
     The report estimated that about ₹1.2 lakh crore of cash usage has been formalised since the COVID19 pandemic.
     Formal agriculture credit flows have grown ₹4.6 lakh crore between 2017-18 and 2020-21, with
    digital payments for petrol and diesel rising around ₹1 lakh crore in the same period.
    Informal sector
     The informal sector consists of “own-account” or unorganised enterprises employing hired workers,
    with the highest share of such unorganised activity being in agriculture where holdings are small
    and fragmented.
     As per a National Sample Survey (NSS) of 2014, around 93% of the workforce earned their
    livelihoods as informal workers.
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     An IMF policy paper earlier this year estimated that the share of India’s informal economy in the
    Gross Value Added (GVA) was at 53.9% in 2011-12 and improved only marginally to 52.4% in 2017-
    18.
     Hence both statements are correct.
    Q10. With reference to the Indus river dolphin, consider the following statements:
20. It is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
21. It was declared the State aquatic animal of Punjab in 2019.
    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:
    The census of one of the world’s most threatened cetaceans, the Indus river dolphin (Platanista
    gangetica minor) — a freshwater dolphin that is found in river Beas, is all set to commence in the
    winter as part of a project by the Centre.
     However, Punjab’s wildlife preservation wing has gone a step ahead to not only protect the dolphins
    but also their natural habitat.
     The Indus river dolphin is classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation
    of Nature (IUCN) and, until recently, it was believed that these dolphins were endemic to Pakistan.
     But in 2007, a remnant but viable population of Indus dolphins was discovered in Punjab’s Harike
    wildlife sanctuary and in the lower Beas river.
     Since its discovery, research is being done by Punjab’s Department of Forests and Wildlife
    Preservation in partnership with WWF-India on the current distribution, habitat use and population
    abundance of the mammal.
     The Indus river dolphin was declared the State aquatic animal of Punjab in 2019.
     Extension programmes will be held in Punjab to develop a group of dedicated individuals, called
    ‘Beas-Dolphin Mitras’ [friends and protectors] of the river Beas.
     Hence only statement 2 is correct.