Current Affairs Quiz 18 February 2023
Current Affairs Quiz 18 February 2023 covers the major topics of 18th February 2023. The questions are designed as per the need of exams like UPSC, PCS, SSC, and major competitive exams in India.
1. Carbon trading formally started in 1997 under
(A) Montreal Protocol
(B) Nagoya Protocol
(C) Kyoto Protocol
(D) Stockholm Convention
Show Answer
Correct Answer: (C)
Why this question?
- Recently, the Indian Government has finalized activities for the trading of “Carbon Credit” under Article 6.2 mechanism of the Paris Agreement.
What is Carbon Trading?
- It is a market-based mechanism of buying and selling permits and credits that allow holders of the permit to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide (CO2).
What is Article 6 of the Paris Agreement?
- It allows countries to cooperate with each other voluntarily to achieve emission reduction targets set out in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
- Countries will be able to transfer their carbon credits earned from the reduction of greenhouse gases emission to help other countries to meet their climate commitments.
What is Kyoyo protocol?
- It is an international agreement signed in 1997 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce greenhouse emissions.
2. Consider the following statements regarding “Government Securities (G-Secs)”:
- It is a tradeable instrument issued by Centre or State Governments.
- Central Government can issue both Treasury bills and Dated securities while state governments can issue only Dated securities.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct:
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) 1 and 2
(D) Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: (C)
Why this question?
- Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) drafted new norms for lending and borrowing government securities (G-Sec) to facilitate wider participation in the Government Securities Lending (GSL) Market.
What are Government Securities (G-Sec)?
- These are tradeable instruments issued by both Centre and State Governments.
- G-Sec is to two types:
- Short-term securities: called treasury bills (T-bills) with maturities of less than 1 year.
- Cash Management Bills (CBMs) started in 2010 to meet the temporary mismatch in the cash flow of the Indian Government. CBMs have a maturity period of fewer than 91 days.
- Long-term securities: called Government bonds or dated securities with a maturity of one year or more.
- Dated G-Secs carry fixed or floating coupon rates and have tenors of 5 years to 40 years.
- Short-term securities: called treasury bills (T-bills) with maturities of less than 1 year.
- Central Government can issue both Treasury bills and Dated securities while state governments can issue only Dated securities.
- They are also called risk-free gilt-edged instruments because they have practically no risk of default.
New drafted norms for lending and borrowing government securities (G-Sec):
- G-Secs issued by Central Government excluding T-bILLS are eligible for trading and lending in GSL, while G-Secs issued by both Centre and States Government (including T-bills) shall be used as collateral under GSL.
- Securities borrowed under GSL transaction shall be eligible for SLR for borrower.
- Time period of GSL transactions: Minimum 1 day and maximum 90 days.
3. Consider the following statements regarding “Cheetah”:
- It is the world’s fastest mammal and keystone species of dry forests, scrub forests, and savannahs.
- IUCN status of the African tiger: Endangered
Which of the statements given above is/are correct:
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) 1 and 2
(D) Neither 1 nor 2
Show Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Why this question?
- Recently, 12 African Cheetahs were translocated from South Africa to India in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
- India and South Africa signed an MOU on Cooperation on the Re-introduction of Cheetahs to India. And there is a plan to translocate 12 Cheetah annually for the next 8 to 10 years.
- Translocation of Cheetahs is being made under “Project Cheetah” and is being implemented by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
About Cheetah
- It is the world’s fastest mammal and keystone species of dry forests, scrub forests, and savannahs.
- In India, Cheetah was declared extinct in 1952 due to habitat loss and overhunting.
- Cheetahs are protected under Appendix 1 of CITES.
- IUCN Status :
- Asiatic Cheetah: Critically Endangered
- African Cheetah: Vulnerable
4. In which case did, Supreme Court uphold the Election Commission’s authority to decide issues on a dispute of party name and symbol?
(A) Lily Thomas case 2000
(B) MC Mehta case 1986
(C) S. R. Bommai case (1994)
(D) Sadiq Ali case (1971)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: (D)
Why this question?
Recently, the Election Commission of India is hearing a dispute related to party name and symbol for Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
From where Election Commission derives the power to decide disputes among rival groups or sections of a recognized political party?
- Article 324 read with Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968 empowers ECI to recognize political parties, allocate symbols, and decide disputes.
- In Sadiq Ali Case 1971, Supreme Court upholds ECI’s authority to decide disputes and prescribes three test to arrive at a final decision.
- Test of Aims and Objectives of Party constitution
- Test of the party constitution
- Test of majority
5. Digital Service Act is enacted by
(A) USA
(B) EU
(C) India
(D) African Union
Show Answer
Correct Answer: (B)
Why this question?
Recently, various tech giants like Facebook, Google, etc have published their monthly active users report in compliance with European Union’s Digital Service Act (DSA).
What is Digital Service Act (DSA)?
- It is an act brought out by the EU to regulate the way in which content is moderated by intermediaries and promote transparency.
- It also harmonises the way the intermediaries are notified and takes subsequent actions on illegal content.
6. Bharathapuzha river flows through
(A) Kerala
(B) Odisha
(C) Andhra Pradesh
(D) Karnataka
Show Answer
Correct Answer: (A)
Why this question?
Efforts are being taken by Kerala Government to protect the riverbank ecosystem of the Bharathapuzha river.
About Bharathapuzha River
- It originates from Annamalai hill in the Western Ghat and drains into Arabian sea.
- It is Kerala’s second-longest river and is also known by the name of Nile (blue) in Central Kerala.
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