QUIZ – 2019: Insights Current Affairs Quiz, 13 December 2019

Solution: a)

In a move to improve measures for the safety and security of women, the Rachakonda Police inaugurated the exclusive bus service for women passengers in Hyderabad.

It is the latest technology-driven security system for all women passengers and an exclusive transport system for the working female professionals in the area.

‘She Shuttle’ is equipped with a well-monitored surveillance system with CCTV cameras, a lady security guard and a smartphone application for every passenger with a panic button.

Source

Solution: b)

RBI Deputy Governor MK Jain has expressed concerns over growing non- performing assets (NPAs) in Mudra category.

Why the concern?

• Non-performing assets ratio or bad loans as a percentage of MUDRA loans were at 2.68% in 2018-19, up 16 basis points from 2.52% in the previous year. These loan NPAs were at 2.89% in 2016-17.
• Of the 182.60 million MUDRA loans sanctioned, 3.63 million accounts defaulted as on 31 March.

The PMMY Scheme was launched in April, 2015. The scheme’s objective is to refinance collateral-free loans given by the lenders to small borrowers.

• The scheme, which has a corpus of Rs 20,000 crore, can lend between Rs 50,000 and Rs 10 lakh to small entrepreneurs.
• Banks and MFIs can draw refinance under the MUDRA Scheme after becoming member-lending institutions of MUDRA.
• Mudra Loans are available for non-agricultural activities upto Rs. 10 lakh and activities allied to agriculture such as Dairy, Poultry, Bee Keeping etc, are also covered.
• Mudra’s unique features include a Mudra Card which permits access to Working Capital through ATMs and Card Machines.

There are three types of loans under PMMY:

1. Shishu (up to Rs.50,000).
2. Kishore (from Rs.50,001 to Rs.5 lakh).
3. Tarun (from Rs.500,001 to Rs.10,00,000).

Source

Solution: c)

AMP 2026 is the collective vision of the government of India and the automotive industry on where the various segments of the automotive industry and auto component industry need to be by 2026 in terms of size and contribution to the overall Indian economy.

The objective of the Automotive Mission Plan 2026 includes:

1. To propel the Indian Automotive industry to become the engine of the “Make in India” programme.
2. To make the Indian Automotive Industry a significant contributor to the “Skill India” programme.
3. Promote safe, efficient and comfortable mobility for every person in the country, with an eye on environmental protection and affordability through both public and personal transport options.
4. To seek increase of net exports of the Indian Automotive industry several fold.
5. Promote comprehensive and stable policy dispensation for all regulations impacting the industry.

Solution: c)

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has released Global Food Policy Report-2019.

The report reviews the major food policy issues, developments, and decisions of 2018, and considers challenges and opportunities for 2019.

This year’s Report highlights the urgency of rural revitalization to address a growing crisis in rural areas.

Source

Solution: c)

The Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO), as it’s called, is a moving band of rain clouds that travels around the globe spanning 12,000–20,000 km across the tropical oceans. In its journey, it interacts with surface waters of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, the largest pool of warm water in the globe, and due to this the lifecycle of the MJO gets affected.

The MJO clouds on average are spending only 15 days, instead of 19, over the Indian Ocean.

Over the west Pacific, it increased by five days (from an average 16 days to 23 days). “It is this change in the residence time of MJO clouds that has altered the weather patterns across the globe.

When the MJO appears in the Indian Ocean during the monsoon months of June-September, it can increase rains over India. This year, India was poised to receive below normal monsoon rainfall in April but ended up with excessive rain partly due to the MJO.

Source