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Daily MCQ UPSC Current Affairs

Daily MCQs for UPSC Current Affairs | 14TH DECEMBER 2022

/ EDEN Daily MCQ UPSC Current Affairs December 2022, EDEN Daily Prelims

Question 7: AGMARK is a certification mark for agricultural produce given for which of the following agricultural commodities:

  1. Fruits
  2. Vegetables
  3. Cereals
  4. Pulses
  5. Oilseeds
  6. Ghee
  7. Spices

Which of the following statements is/are true?

  1. 1, 2, 3, and 6
  2. 2, 3, 4, and 7
  3. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7
  4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7

Correct Answer: D

Explanation

  • AGMARK is a certification mark for agricultural produce, assuring that they conform to a grade standard notified by Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI), Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare under Agricultural Produce (Grading Marking) Act, 1937.
  • These standards differentiate between quality and 2-3 grades are prescribed for each commodity. Till date, grade standards for 222 agricultural commodities have been notified. These include fruits, Vegetables, cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetable oils, ghee, spices, honey, creamery butter, wheat, atta, Besan, etc.
  • The starting point of quality control in India was the enactment of Agricultural Produce (Grading & Marking) Act, AGMARK,1937. Agricultural Produce (Grading & Marking) Act, 1937 provides for the grading and marking of agricultural and other produce.
  • While the certification scheme is essentially voluntary, Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sale) Regulations 2011 have prescribed mandatory certification under AGMARK for certain products viz. Blended Edible Vegetable Oil, Fat Spread. In case of Til Oil, Carbia Callose, Honey dew, Tea and Ghee FSSAI has prescribed few conditional restrictions.

Question 8: Consider the following statements with respect to Black Naped Pheasant pigeon:

  1. Bird usually lives around hilly areas and lower mountain areas.
  2. It is found in the primary rainforests of New Guinea and nearby islands.
  3. It is classified as vulnerable as per IUCN status.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

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

Correct Answer: A

Explanation

Black Naped Pheasant pigeon:

  • It is a large, ground-dwelling pigeon with a broad tail.
  • Bird usually lives around hilly areas and lower mountain areas and can also be found in It is found in the primary rainforests of New Guinea and nearby islands.
  • IUCN status: Critically Endangered.

Question 9: Consider the following statements with respect to Project Unnati for upgrading skill base of MGNREGS workers:

  1. It aims to train one adult member (18-45 years) of a household that has completed 100 days of work under MGNREGA.
  2. Candidates undergoing training are paid a stipend for a maximum period of 100 days and for one program per household as per the wage rate prevailing.
  3. Full expenditures towards a stipend, against wage loss compensation, are entirely borne by Central Government.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

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

Correct Answer: D

Explanation

  • Project Unnati was launched, by Ministry of Rural Development, for upgrading skill base of MGNREGS workers to help them transition from partial employment to full employment and improving their livelihoods.
  • Since its inception in 2020, just a little over 25,000 persons have been trained (against a target of 2 lakhs).
  • Project was slated to end in March 2022 but has now been extended by two years.

Key features of the project 

  • Aims to train one adult member (18-45 years) of a household that has completed 100 days of work under MGNREGA.
  • Household continues to enjoy 100 days of work under MGNREGA.
  • Candidates undergoing training are paid a stipend for a maximum period of 100 days and for one program per household as per the wage rate prevailing.
  • Candidates are skilled using three established programs Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushal Yojana, Rural Self Training Institute and Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
  • Full expenditures towards a stipend, against wage loss compensation, are entirely borne by Central Government.

Question 10: Consider the following statements:

  1. In the term of percentage of export to Australia, India exports more services than goods.
  2. 75% of India’s imports from Australia consist of coal, with 70% of coal being coking coal.

Which of the following statements is/are true?

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

Correct Answer: B

Explanation

  • India’s merchandise imports from Australia consist largely of raw materials, minerals and intermediate goods.
  • 3/4th of India’s imports from Australia consists of coal, with 70% of coal being coking coal.

Question 11: Consider the following statements:

  1. India and Australia have signed an interim Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement.
  2. Australia has not granted transition period of more than 8 years in any of its FTAs signed so far.
  3. Australia is also the third OECD country with which India has signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Which of the following statements is/are true?

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

Correct Answer: D

Explanation

  • India and Australia have signed a historic interim Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (INDAUS ECTA), which will give a fillip to India’s exports in the textiles, leather, gems, and Jewellery sector Down Under.
  • There is a bilateral safeguard mechanism built into this agreement. India can enhance the rate of duty to MFN level on goods in respect of which there has been surge in imports from Australia due to reduction or elimination of duty. This mechanism would be available for use for the transition period i.e., a period of fourteen years from the date of tariff elimination or completion of tariff reduction. For example, if tariff elimination period for a particular product is 10 years, then bilateral safeguard for that product can be imposed up to 24 years from the date of entry into force of the agreement.
  • Australia has not granted transition period of more than 8 years in any of its FTAs signed so far. This is the first time Australia has agreed for transition period of 14 years for application of bilateral safeguard mechanism.
  • For India, the ECTA with Australia is the first agreement with a large, developed economy of the world after more than a Australia is also the third OECD country after Japan and South Korea with which India has signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
  • The two sides will be negotiating for a full-fledged Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

Question 12: Which of the following are part of Supply chain resilience initiative:

  1. India
  2. Australia
  3. USA
  4. South Korea
  5. Japan

Which of the following statements is/are true?

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

Correct Answer: C

Explanation

  • India has entered into the trilateral Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) arrangement with Australia and Japan.