UPSC Quiz – 2020: IAS Daily Current Affairs Quiz Day 186

Solution (c)

Latakia – Syria

Hama – Syria

Al-Eiss – Syria

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/syria-war-idlib-turkey-recep-tayyip-erdogan-6282521/

Solution (c)

CMS is a treaty agreed by 129 countries plus the European Union, and functions under the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). It works for protection and conservation of species that migrate across frontiers and are facing threats of extinction or require urgent attention. CMS aims to bring together different countries that are part of range of a given species, and facilitate coherent conservation and protection regimes in a group of countries.

13th Conference of the Parties to the CMS (CMS COP13) was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The conference is being held in India for the first time.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-india-proposals-at-un-event-can-help-elephants-migratory-birds-6280493/

Solution (c)

Thai Magur fish was banned by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2000. The presence of Thai Magur in any water body destroys its ecological balance. Thai Magur is a cannibal species that impacts the indigenous biodiversity and in-turn reduces the food base for water birds. The Indian Magur does not engage in cannibalism like the Thai Magur. Thai Magur are fed rotten meat with spinach which pollutes the water bodies.  Thai Magurcarries diseases like Argulosis, commonly known as fish lice. Thai Magur is also believed to be carcinogenic.

Source: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/maha-govt-to-destroy-breeding-centres-of-thai-mangur-fish-120022100005_1.html

Solution (b)

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for 10,000 FPOs to be formed in five years period from 2019-20 to 2023-24 to ensure economies of scale for farmers. Support to each FPO be continued for 5 years from its year of inception.

Benefits – Small and marginal farmers do not have economic strength to apply production technology, services and marketing including value addition. Through formation of FPOs, farmers will have better collective strength for better access to quality input, technology, credit and better marketing access through economies of scale for better realization of income.

A new Central Sector Scheme titled “Formation and Promotion of Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs)” to form and promote 10,000 new FPOs with a total budgetary provision of Rs. 4496.00 crore for five years (2019-20 to 2023-24) with a further committed liability of Rs. 2369.00 crore for period from 2024-25 to 2027-28 towards handholding of each FPO for five years from its aggregation and formation.

Initially there will be three implementing Agencies to form and promote FPOs, namely Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium (SFAC), National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). States may also, if so desire, nominate their Implementing Agency in consultation with DAC&FW.

DAC&FW will allocate Cluster/States to Implementing Agencies which in turn will form the Cluster Based Business Organization in the States.

FPOs will be formed and promoted through Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) engaged at the State/Cluster level by implementing agencies. The CBBOs will have five categories of specialists from the domain of Crop husbandry, Agri marketing / Value addition and processing, Social mobilisation, Law & Accounts and IT/MIS.These CBBOs will be platform for an end to end knowledge for all issues in FPO promotion.

There will be a National Project Management Agency (NPMA) at SFAC for providing overall project guidance, data compilation and maintenance through integrated portal and Information management and monitoring.

Initially the minimum number of members in FPO will be 300 in plain area and 100 in North East & hilly areas. However, DAC&FW may revise the minimum number of membership based on experience/need with approval of Union Agriculture Minister.

Priority will be given for formation of FPOs in aspirational districts in the country with at least one FPO in each block of aspirational districts.

FPOs will be promoted under “One District One Product” cluster to promote specialization and better processing, marketing, branding & export by FPOs.

There will be a provision of Equity Grant for strengthening equity base of FPOs.

There will be a Credit Guarantee Fund of up to Rs. 1,000.00 crore in NABARD with equal contribution by DAC&FW and NABARD and Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs.500.00 crore in NCDC with equal contribution by DAC&FW and NCDC for providing suitable credit guarantee cover to accelerate flow of institutional credit to FPOs by minimizing the risk of financial institutions for granting loan to FPOs.

States/UTs will be allowed to avail loan at prescribed concessional rate of interest under Agri-Market Infrastructure Fund (AMIF) approved for set up in NABARD for developing agriculture marketing and allied infrastructure in GrAMs, by making marketing & allied infrastructure including Common Facilitation Centre / Custom Hiring Centre for FPOs as eligible category for providing assistance to States / UTs.

Adequate training and handholding will be provided to FPOs. CBBOs will provide initial training. Professional training of CEO / Board of Directors / Accountant of FPOs will be provided in organizational training, resource planning, Accounting / management, marketing, processing etc in reputed National / Regional training Institutes.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1603629

Solution (a)

India jumped five ranks in the Worldwide Educating for the Future Index (WEFFI) 2019, as per a report published by The Economist Intelligence Unit.

The index ranks countries based on their abilities to equip students with skill-based education. The report analyses education system from the perspective of skill-based education “in areas such as critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship, as well as digital and technical skills.”

India ranked 35th on the overall index in 2019 with a total score of 53, based on three categories – policy environment, teaching environment and overall socio-economic environment. The country ranked 40th with an overall score of 41.2 across categories in 2018.

Among the world’s largest economies, the US, UK, France and Russia all fell back in the index, while China, India and Indonesia took steps forward.

Source: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/education/india-jumps-5-ranks-to-35th-in-worldwide-education-for-the-future-index-2019/article30851541.ece#