Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams (11 January 2023)

Current Affairs MCQs Quiz for UPSC, IAS, UPPSC/UPPCS, MPPSC. BPSC, RPSC & All State PSC Exams

Date: 11 January 2023

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the India-US bilateral trade and relations:

1. The US is the second largest contributor to India’s remittance income after Saudi Arabia.
2. India has had a trade surplus with the United States in the last few years.
3. India is part of the US's Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme.

Choose the CORRECT answer using the codes given below

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3 only

Answer: (B)

Explanation:

  • According to the Migration and Development Brief
  • In 2020-21, the U.S. had 23% share in India’s total remittance and surpassed Saudi Arabia to become India’s top source country for remittances. (Statement-1 is incorrect)
  • The US is one of the few countries with which India has had a trade surplus in the last few years.
  • India had a trade surplus of USD 32.8 billion with the US in 2020-21. (Statement-2 is correct)
  • India was part of the GSP scheme that allowed Indian exporters tariff benefits on a number of products, but was withdrawn by the Trump administration in 2019. (Statement-3 is incorrect)

Q2. Consider the following statements with respect to Joshimath:

1. Joshimath is the part of Garhwal Himalayas which lies in the state of Himachal Pradesh.
2. It falls in the Zone IV of the Seismic Zonation Map.
3. It is bounded by the rivers Karmanasa and Dhaknala streams on the west and the east and the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers on the south and the north.
4. Joshimath lies on the Vaikrita Thrust (VT), a tectonic fault line.

Which of the statement/s given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1 and 4 only

Answer: (C)

Explanation:

  • Joshimath, at an altitude of 1890 meters is a town in the Garhwal Himalayas which lies in the state of Uttarakhand. Thus, statement 1 is incorrect.
  • Joshimath falls in Zone V of the Seismic Zonation Map. Thus, statement 2 is also incorrect.
  • Joshimath is situated in the middle slopes of a hill bounded by the Karmanasa and Dhaknala streams on the west and the east and the Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers on the south and the north.
  • Joshimath almost sits on the Vaikrita Thrust (VT), a tectonic fault line. The town is also very close to main geological fault lines, Main Central Thrust (MCT), and Pandukeshwar Thrust (PT). Thus, statements 3 and 4 are correct.

Q3. Consider the following objective of SFURTI scheme:

1. To provide sustained employment for traditional industry artisans and rural entrepreneurs;
2. To enhance marketability of products of such clusters by providing support for new products, design intervention and improved packaging and also the improvement of marketing Infrastructure.
3. To equip traditional artisans of the associated clusters with the improved skills and capabilities through training and exposure visits.

Which of the statement/s given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (D)

Explanation: Revamped Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI) :

The main objectives of the scheme are to:

  • To organize the traditional industries and artisans into clusters in order to make them, competitive and provide support for their long term sustainability.
  • To provide sustained employment for traditional industry artisans and rural entrepreneurs. (Hence option 1 is correct)
  • To enhance the marketability of products of such clusters by providing support for new products, design intervention and improved packaging and also the improvement of marketing Infrastructure. (Hence option 2 is correct)
  • To equip traditional artisans of the associated clusters with the improved skills and capabilities through training and exposure visits. (Hence option 3 is correct)

As all the statements are correct so correct option is (d).

Q4. Regarding ‘Atal Pension Yojana’, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2016)

1. It is a minimum guaranteed pension scheme mainly targeted at unorganized sector workers.
2. Only one member of a family can join the scheme.
3. Same amount of pension is guaranteed for the spouse for life after the subscriber’s death.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (C)

Explanation:

  • Atal Pension Yojana (APY) addresses the old age income security of the working poor and the longevity risks among the workers in the unorganized sector. So, statement 1 is correct.
  • There is no bar on the number of members of a family joining the APY. So, statement 2 is incorrect.
  • The spouse of the subscriber shall be entitled to receive the same pension amount as that of the subscriber until the death of the spouse. So, statement 3 is correct.

Q5. The Kigali agreement is significant step that it proposes to amend which of the following protocol-

A. Kyoto Protocol
B. Montreal Protocol
C. Cartagena Protocol
D. Nagoya Protocol

Answer: (B)

Explanation:

  • On 1 January 2019 the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol came into force.
  • Under the Kigali Amendment countries promised to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by more than 80% over the next 30 years.