Current Affairs MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams (26 August 2022)

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

Date: 26 August 2022

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding fiscal federalism in India:

1. States bear more than 62% of expenditure responsibilities but are given only 37% of revenue raising power.
2. The Union government owns 63% of revenue raising power to spend on 38% of its expenditure responsibilities.
3. The share of cesses and surcharges, as percentage of gross tax revenue, has more than doubled.
4. The Center’s debt burden has shot up from Rs 53 lakh crore to Rs 136 lakh crore since 2015.

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

a) 1, 2 and 3
b) 1, 2 and 4
c) 2, 3 and 4
d) 1, 2,3 and 4

Answer: (D)

Explanation:

  • As per the 15th Finance Commission, states bear more than 62 per cent of expenditure responsibilities but are given only 37 percent of revenue raising power
  • Whereas the Union government owns 63 per cent of revenue raising power to spend on 38 percent of its expenditure responsibilities.
  • The share of cesses and surcharges, as percentage of gross tax revenue, has more than doubled - from 6.26 percent in 2010-11 to almost 20 per cent in 2021-22.
  • Despite the last two successive Finance Commissions pegging the share of states in gross taxes to over 40 per cent, the actual transfer never reached this prescribed level.
  • The peak was 36.6 per cent in FY19 and it fell to a meager 29 per cent subsequently.
  • The Center’s debt burden has shot up from Rs 53 lakh crore to Rs 136 lakh crore since 2015.
  • The Center’s record is even worse on the fiscal deficit front and off-budget borrowing.

Q2. Consider the following statements about the Telemedicine Practice Guidelines issues by the Health ministry:

1. Only registered medical practitioners enrolled in the State Register or the National Register can practise telemedicine.
2. All RMPs will need to complete the course within three years of notification of the guidelines to provide consultation via telemedicine.
3. The telemedicine consultation should be anonymous.

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

a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) All of the above

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

  • According to the guidelines, only registered medical practitioners (RMP) enrolled in the State Register or the National Register under the Indian Medical Council Act 1956, can practise telemedicine, but after completing an online course.
  • All RMPs will need to complete the course within three years of notification of the guidelines to provide consultation via telemedicine.
  • The telemedicine consultation should not be anonymous. The RMP should ensure that there is a mechanism for a patient to verify the credentials and contact details and for issuing a prescription, the RMP needs to explicitly ask the age of the patient.

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding Indian Economy:

1. Depreciation of rupee is bad for the exporters as exports become less competitive.
2. Sudden inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) leads to the quick appreciation of the rupee.
3. India’s current account has been in deficit in all the quarters for the last 3years.
4. Widening current account deficit (CAD) of a country indicates that the country has become uncompetitive, and investors may not be willing to invest there.

Which of the statement/s given above is/are Not correct?

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

Answer: (C)

Explanation:

  • Depreciation of rupee is good for the exporters as exports become cheaper and thus more competitive.
  • Sudden inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) will not lead to quick appreciation of rupee although it may lead to appreciation in rupee.
  • Sudden inflow of Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) will lead to a quick effect on the rupee and thus causing appreciation.
  • India’s current account has been in SURPLUS in a few quarters of FY-20-21 and FY_21-22.
  • Although overall year wise there has been a deficit in the current account in the last 3 years.
  • Widening current account deficit (CAD) of a country indicates that the country has become uncompetitive, and investors may not be willing to invest there.

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC):

1. It is an initiative aiming at promoting open networks for all aspects of the exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks.
2. It is an initiative of a consortium of e-commerce giants such as Amazon, Flipkart, etc.

Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (A)

Explanation:

  • ONDC is an initiative aiming at promoting open networks for all aspects of the exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks.
  • ONDC is to be based on open-sourced methodology, using open specifications and open network protocols independent of any specific platform.
  • It is an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Q5. Arrange the following state of India in descending order of their forest cover area?

a) Madhya Pradesh
b) Arunachal Pradesh
c) Odisha
d) Chhattisgarh

Choose the correct option:

a) a-b-c-d
b) b-a-c-d
c) a-b-d-c
d) A-c-d-b

Answer: (C)

Explanation: Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.