QUIZ – 2016: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 17 November 2016

Solution: b.

General Question based on the recent demonetisation move.

Demonetisation in 1946 (Before Independence):

• The background was World War II, which had just got over, but during which businessmen in India were supposed to have made huge fortunes supplying the Allied war effort and were concealing their profits from the tax department.
• The Indian nationalist leaders, who hadn’t been party to the decision, sounded dubious about its effects.

Demonetisation in 1978:

• On April 20, 1965, the Finance Minister TT Krishnamachari replied in Parliament that “demonetisation was neither feasible nor would produce results.”
• Yet the demand never went away. In 1970, it got a boost of sorts when neighbouring Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) conducted a truly radical demonetisation. So when the Janata Party came to power, demonetisation…..was put into effect with speed and secrecy.
• On January 16 it was announced that Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 notes were being withdrawn from circulation. As with Modi’s announcement on November 8, the next day was declared a public holiday to allow banks to prepare for the onslaught. The public was given just three days to exchange their notes.
• “…the middle class and lower middle class were not affected at all considering the notes were all high value…”

In both the events, the RBI Governors at the time were skeptical of the move, the RBI notes show (as mentioned in articles whose links have been given below).

Sources: Economic Times; ToI; IE;

Solution: d.

Some Fortificants include:

• Iron
• Vitamin A, B (B12 and other B vitamins), C and D
• Folate (Folic Acid)
• Calcium
• Selenium
• Fluoride
• Zinc
• Iodine

WHO Guidelines (We are just providing the source; this need NOT be read/opened)

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Improvisation: http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/fssai-food-safety-rules-packaged-food-fortification-4379323/

Solution: b.

• Strictly speaking, the ISA agreement is separate from the United Nations-mandated climate change talks that are held every year. But it was proposed by our PM at the Paris Climate Conference last year, and has become a reality at the Marrakesh meeting now, in the process getting linked closely with the UN climate process.
• More than 120 countries are geographically located in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, either fully or partially. These places get ample sunlight throughout the year, making solar energy an easily available resource.
• These countries also happen to be the ones in which the most growth in energy demand is expected in the years to come, considering that these are areas where current production is woefully short of requirement.
• The ISA is an effort to ensure that as these countries rapidly ramp up their electricity production, they should predominantly use solar energy and avoid fossil fuels.

http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/paris-climate-agreement-global-warming-us-elections-marrakesh-4379496/

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Solution: d.

The ISA seeks to do three things to bring down the costs of technology as well as of finance needed for a solar project:

• It seeks to boost global demand, which will result in further reduction in the prices of solar energy deployment.
• It seeks to promote standardisation in the use of equipment and processes for generating electricity. Standardisation will make the manufacturing of equipment and other hardware cheaper.
• Finally, it seeks to boost research and development, particularly in areas of efficient storage systems.

http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/paris-climate-agreement-global-warming-us-elections-marrakesh-4379496/

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Solution: b.

“An opening ceremony of the sixth India China Joint Training Exercise “Hand – in – Hand 2016” was held at the parade ground in Aundh Military Camp, Pune.”

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=153701

Solution: b.

Both statements have been framed from this sentence from today’s editorial (click HERE): “Many of the infrastructure and energy projects that are part of CPEC, worth an estimated $46 billion, are already under way. Of this, $35-38 billion is committed in the energy sector, in gas, coal and solar energy across Pakistan.”

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Solution: a.

• Under Section 2(q) of the 2005 Act, a complaint can be made only against an “adult male person”, thereby insulating women from being accused of offences mentioned under the law. But a bench of Justices Kurian Joseph and Rohinton F Nariman ruled Thursday that this provision frustrated the objective of the legislation since “perpetrators and abettors of domestic violence” can be women too.
• The Supreme Court has struck down the words “adult male” from the pertinent provision in the Domestic Violence Act to lay down that a woman can also file a complaint against another woman, accusing her of domestic violence.

Opinion Piece: The Hindu

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October News: IE