DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam –21st July 2023

Syllabus

• Prelims –Economy

Context: Recently, a review meeting on the Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme was held.

Background:-

• The Secretary, of the Department of Financial Services exhorted the banks to expeditiously clear the sanction and disbursement pendency of applications.
• He further urged banks to devise a strategy and step up the efforts to increase the digital onboarding of street vendors and scale up their digital payments.

About PM SVANidhi scheme:-

IMAGE SOURCE: makspay.com

• Launched in 2020. (UPSC CSE: PM SVANidhi scheme)
• Ministry: Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
• Implementation agency: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
• Objective: Providing affordable Working Capital loans to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
• The scheme intends to facilitate collateral-free working capital loans of up to INR10,000/- of one-year tenure, to approximately 50 lakh street vendors.
• It is a Central Sector Scheme.
  • Central sector schemes: schemes with 100% funding by the Central government and implemented by the Central Government machinery.
• Duration of the scheme: The duration of the scheme initially was until March 2022. It has been extended till December 2024.

 Features of the scheme:-

• Loan limit: Vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to Rs. 10,000.This loan is repayable in monthly instalments for the tenure of one year.
• No collateral is required to avail of the loan.
• Processing fee: There is no processing fee to apply for the scheme, making it cost-effective for street vendors.
• Loan repayment period: one year.
• Interest subsidy: On timely/ early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy @ 7% per annum. It will be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfers on a quarterly basis.

 Eligibility Criteria:-

The eligible vendors are identified as per the following criteria:-

• Certificate of Vending/Identity Card: Street vendors in possession of a Certificate of Vending/Identity Card issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
  • The vendors, who have been identified in the survey but have not been issued a Certificate of Vending/Identity Card; Provisional Certificate of Vending would be generated for such vendors through an IT-based Platform.
• Urban Local Bodies(ULBs) are encouraged to issue such vendors the permanent Certificate of Vending and Identification Card immediately and positively within a period of one month
• Letter of Recommendation: Street Vendors, left out of the ULB-led identification survey or who have started vending after completion of the survey and have been issued a Letter of Recommendation (LoR) to that effect by the ULB/Town Vending Committee (TVC).

Advantages of the scheme:-

• The scheme promotes digital transactions through cash-back incentives up to an amount of Rs. 100 per month.
• The scheme encourages entrepreneurship.
• It also helps to create employment opportunities. (UPSC CSE: Programme of Socio-Economic Profiling of PM SVANidhi launched)

MUST READ: SVANidhi se Samriddhi program

SOURCE: AIR

 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under the Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy: (2023)

1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for preschool children, adolescents and pregnant women.
2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of childbirth.
3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents.
4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with a special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Q.2) Consider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana: (2023)

1. It is a safe motherhood intervention of the State Health Departments.
2. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality among poor pregnant women.
3. It aims to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women.
4. Its objective includes providing public health facilities to sick infants up to one year of age.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. All four

Syllabus

• Prelims –Governance

Context: Recently, the Government set the target for building more than one crore houses by the end of 2024 under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)

About Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U):-

• Launched in 2015. (UPSC CSE: PMAY-U)
• Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• Objective: to improve the affordability of land and property amidst the continuous surge in prices.
• It is a Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) and is also known by the name “Housing for All by 2022″.
• Individuals availing loans to buy residential property or land or to construct homes would be eligible for interest subsidies on the said credit.

Eligibility under the scheme:-

• Economically Weaker Section (EWS): households with annual income up to ₹ 3, 00,000.
• Low-Income Group (LIG): households with annual income between ₹ 3, 00,001 and ₹ 6, 00,000.
• Middle Income Group-1 (MIG-1): households with annual income between ₹ 6, 00,001 and ₹ 12, 00,000.
• Middle Income Group-2 (MIG-2): households with annual income between ₹ 12, 00,001 and ₹ 18, 00,000.
• The applicant or his/her family members must not own a pucca house in any part of the country.
• The town/city in which the family resides must be covered under the scheme.
• The family MUST NOT have previously availed the benefits of any housing-related schemes set up by the Government of India.

Benefits under the scheme:-

• Slum rehabilitation: of eligible Slum Dwellers with the participation of private developers using land as a resource.
• Promotion of Affordable Housing: through Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS).
• Affordable Housing in Partnership with Public & Private Sectors: Central Assistance per EWS house in projects where 35% of houses are for EWSs.
• Subsidy for Beneficiary-Led individual house construction /enhancement: For individuals of the EWS category requiring individual houses (separate project for such beneficiaries)

MUST READ: Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHCs) as a sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban (PMAY-U)

SOURCE: AIR

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Atal Innovation Mission is set up under the (2019)

1. Department of Science and Technology
2. Ministry of Labour and Employment
3. NITI Aayog
4. Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Q.2) Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India: (2019)

1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

1. 1, 2 and 3
2. 2, 3 and 4
3. 1, 2 and 4
4. 1, 3 and 4

Syllabus

• Prelims –Important Institutions

Context: As per recent announcements, Universal Postal Union will evaluate the UPI platform for cross-border remittances using the global postal network.

Background:-

• The Director General of Universal Postal Union (DG UPU) Masahiko Metoki, is on a three-day visit to India for the inauguration of UPU Regional Office.
• He appreciated India’s expansion of physical post offices riding on the waves of digital infrastructure and agreed to evaluate the UPI platform for integrating it with cross-border money remittance through postal channels.

About Universal Postal Union:-

• Establishment: 1874 under the Treaty of Bern of 1874.
• HQ: Berne, Switzerland.
• Objective: to coordinate postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system.(UPSC CSE: World Postal Day: 9th of October)
• Members: It has 192 member countries.
• Eligibility of membership: Any member country of the United Nations may become a member of the UPU.
  • Any non-member country of the United Nations may become a UPU member provided that its request is approved by at least two-thirds of the member countries of the UPU.
  • India joined the UPU in

Structure of UPU:-

It consists of four bodies:-

The Congress

• Congress is the supreme authority of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and meets every four years.

The Council of Administration

• The Council ensures the continuity of the UPU’s work between Congresses supervises its activities and studies regulatory, administrative, legislative and legal issues.

The Postal Operations Council

• The Postal Operations Council (POC) is the technical and operational mind of the UPU and consists of 48 member countries, elected during Congress.

The International Bureau

• Fulfilling a secretariat function, the International Bureau provides logistical and technical support to the UPU’s bodies.

Functions of UPU:-

• It is a United Nations specialized agency and the postal sector’s primary forum for international cooperation.
• It is the second oldest international organization worldwide.
• It is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players.
• It helps to ensure a truly universal network of up-to-date products and services.
• It plays an advisory, mediating and liaison role.
• It provides technical assistance where needed.
• It sets the rules for international mail exchanges.
• It makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail, parcel and financial services volumes and improve the quality of service for customers.

MUST READ: India to take over the leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU)

SOURCE: THE ECONOMIC TIMES

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to Central Bank digital currencies, consider the following statements: (2023)

1. It is possible to make payments in a digital currency without using the US dollar or SWIFT system.
2. A digital currency can be distributed with a condition programmed into it such as a timeframe for spending it.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.2) Consider the following statements: (2023)

Statement-I:

Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the Trade and Technology Council’.

Statement-II:

The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and Technology

Context: Recently, during a close Mercury flyby, the BepiColombo spacecraft collected data that showed how electrons raining down on the planet’s surface are triggering X-ray auroras.

Background:-

• According to the Europlanet Society, this is the first time the process of X-ray auroras on the planet has been explained.
• Auroras: a natural electrical phenomenon characterized by the appearance of streamers of reddish or greenish light in the sky, especially near the northern or southern magnetic pole.
• The effect is caused by the interaction of charged particles from the sun with atoms in the upper atmosphere.

About BepiColombo spacecraft:-

• Launched in 2018 (UPSC CSE: Mercury’s iron heart)
• Scheduled to begin orbiting Mercury: 2025.
• Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5
• Launch Site: Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana.
• BepiColombo is an international joint mission by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
• ESA’s Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) will study the planet’s surface and interior.
• JAXA’s Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MIO) will study the planet’s magnetic field.
• These are the first Mercury missions for the ESA and JAXA.
• Only two other spacecraft have visited Mercury: NASA’s Mariner 10 and MESSENGER.(UPSC CSE: International Space Station (ISS))
• Naming: BepiColombo is named after Professor Giuseppe (Bepi) Colombo (1920-1984) from the University of Padua, Italy, a mathematician and engineer.
  • He was the first to determine that an unsuspected resonance is responsible for Mercury’s habit of rotating on its axis three times for every two revolutions it makes around the Sun.
• BepiColombo made its first flyby of Mercury on Oct. 1, 2021, and sent back several images.

Objectives of BepiColombo:-

• To study the planet’s composition, geophysics, atmosphere, magnetosphere, and history.
• Investigating Mercury’s surface and composition.
• Measuring Mercury’s exosphere (a thin atmosphere) and understanding its composition and dynamics.
• Conducting experiments to test certain principles of general relativity.
• Improve our understanding of gravity.

MUST READ: Space Economy of India

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) With reference to the Earth’s atmosphere, which one of the following statements is correct? (2023)

1. The total amount of insolation received at the equator is roughly about 10 times that received at the poles.
2. Infrared rays constitute roughly two-thirds of insolation.
3. Infrared waves are largely absorbed by water vapour that is concentrated in the lower atmosphere.
4. Infrared waves are a part of the visible spectrum of electromagnetic waves of solar radiation.

Q.2) Which one of the following countries has its own Satellite Navigation System? (2023)

1. Australia
2. Canada
3. Israel
4. Japan

Syllabus

• Prelims –Science and Technology

Context: A recent study of IISc reveals that picolinic acid can block viruses causing SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A.

About picolinic acid:-

• It is a natural compound produced by mammalian cells.
• It is a pyridinemonocarboxylic acid.
  • Pyridinemonocarboxylic acid: in which the carboxy group is located at position 2.
• It is an intermediate in the metabolism of tryptophan.
  • Tryptophan: an essential amino acid used to make proteins.
• It has a role as a MALDI matrix material and a human metabolite.
  • MALDI matrix materials: are crystalline compounds with a fairly low molecular weight.
• It is a conjugate acid of a picolinate.
  • Conjugate acids: the acids that lose or gain protons.
• It is known to help in the absorption of zinc and other trace elements from our gut.
• It stays inside the body only for a short duration and is usually excreted out quickly.

Key Findings of the study:-

• The study describes the compound’s remarkable ability to disrupt the entry of enveloped viruses into the host’s cell and prevent infection.
• Animal testing results:-
  • When the compound was tested in SARS-CoV-2 and influenza animal models, it was found to protect the animals from infection. (UPSC CSE: COVID-19 : Antigen Detection Test)
  • It was also found to reduce viral load in the lungs when given to infected animals. (UPSC CSE: Global Impact of COVID-19)
  • In addition, the researchers found that picolinic acid led to an increase in the number of immune cells in the animals.
• Inference: It is effective against a variety of enveloped viruses, including flaviviruses like the Zika virus and the Japanese encephalitis virus.

MUST READ: COVID-19 & Herd Immunity

SOURCE:THE HINDU

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 2 (Polity and Governance)

Context: Recently, Delimitation Commission finalize the Delimitation Order for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

About Delimitation Commission of India:

• The Delimitation Commission of India, also known as the Boundary Commission of India, is a commission established by the Indian government under the provisions of the Delimitation Commission Act.
• The commission’s principal responsibility is to redraw the borders of the various assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies based on a recent census.
  • During this practice, the representation from each state remains constant.
• Delimitation is the process of redrawing boundaries of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies based on a recent census to ensure that each seat has an almost equal number of voters.
• The Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India.
• Composition:
  • Retired Supreme Court judge
  • Chief Election Commissioner
  • Respective State Election Commissioners
• Delimitation Commissions have been set up four times — 1952, 1963, 1973 and 2002 under the Acts of 1952, 1962, 1972 and 2002.
• The first delimitation exercise was carried out by the President (with the help of the Election Commission) in 1950-51.

History:

• The last delimitation exercise that changed the state-wise composition of the Lok Sabha was completed in 1976 and done based on the 1971 census.
• The Constitution of India mandates that the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha should be based on the population of each state so that the ratio of seats to population is as close as possible to being equal across all states.
• It is intended to ensure that each person’s vote carries roughly the same weight, regardless of which state they live in.
• However, this provision meant that states that took little interests in population control could end up with a greater number of seats in Parliament.
• To avoid these consequences, the constitution was amended 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 froze the allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha to the states and the division of each state into territorial constituencies till the year 2000 at the 1971 level.
• The 84th Amendment Act of 2001 empowered the government to undertake readjustment and rationalization of territorial constituencies in the states based on the population figures of 1991 census.
• The 87th Amendment Act of 2003 provided for the delimitation of constituencies based on 2001 census and not 1991 census.
• However, this can be done without altering the number of seats allotted to each state in the Lok Sabha.

Constitutional Provisions:

• Under Article 82, the Parliament enacts a Delimitation Act after every Census.
• Under Article 170, States also are divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.

Significance of Delimitation Commission:

Independent Body:

• The Delimitation Commission operates independently of the executive branch and political parties, ensuring its impartiality and non-partisan nature.
• This independence is crucial for the credibility and integrity of the delimitation process.

Finality of Decisions:

• Once the Delimitation Commission issues its final order, its decisions are considered binding and cannot be challenged in court or overturned through legislative means. This ensures stability and avoids unnecessary disputes regarding constituency boundaries.

Equitable Distribution:

• The commission’s focus on equal population representation in constituencies helps prevent disparities and ensures that every vote has an equal impact. It enhances the democratic fabric of the country by promoting fair representation and preventing concentration of power.

Reliance on Census Data:

• The Delimitation Commission bases its decisions on the most recent census data. By using reliable and accurate demographic information, it ensures that constituency boundaries are redraw

Concerns Related to Delimitation:

Regional Disparity:

• Disparity in representation between north and southern part of India in the Lok sabha due to population as a deciding factor.
• The delimitation based solely on population disregards the progress made by the southern states in population control and may lead to disparities in the federal structure.
• Despite having only 18% of the country’s population, the southern states contribute 35% to the country’s GDP.
• The northern states, which did not prioritize population control, are expected to benefit in the delimitation process due to their higher population growth.

Inadequate Funding:

• After the 15th Finance Commission used the 2011 Census as a basis for its recommendation, concerns were raised about southern states losing funding and representation in parliament.
• Previously, the 1971 Census was used as the base for funding and tax devolution recommendations to states.

Affecting the Reservations for SCs/ STs:

• The scheduled delimitation and reallocation of seats may result in not only a loss of seats for southern states but also an increase in power for political parties with their base of support in the north.
• This could potentially lead to a shift of power toward the north and away from the south.
• The exercise will also affect the division of seats reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) in each state (under Articles 330 and 332).

Way Forward:

The current process of delimitation has been successful in ensuring democratic representation in India though there are certain concerns. To address the concerns and further reform the process an independent committee should be set up to review the process involving all stakeholders and suggest reforms and should ensure fair representation of people in the electoral process and promotion of democracy.

Source:   The Hindu

Syllabus

• Mains – GS 1 (Society) and GS 2 (Governance and Social Justice)

Context: Recent research on technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) indicate that, online abuse disproportionately affected young women.

About Technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV):

• Technology-facilitated sexual violence can take many forms, such as morphed images, sexualised blackmailing and bullying, digital flashing, rape threats, and explicit comments and messages.
  • It pervades every social media and messaging platform, but Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp are the ones especially culpable.
• It is a growing problem, especially affecting college students across India.
  • A private survey on 400 students from 111 Indian higher education institutions found that a staggering 60% of women experienced some form of TFSV compared to only 8% of men.

Features of TFSV

• Morphed Images: Manipulated or altered images where someone’s face is placed onto explicit or inappropriate content without their consent.
  • Photoshopping someone’s face onto a pornographic image and sharing it online.
• Sexualized Blackmailing: Using explicit material to coerce or manipulate someone into doing something against his or her will.
  • Threatening to distribute intimate photos unless the victim engages in sexual acts or pays a certain amount of money.
• Bullying: Harassing, intimidating, or humiliating someone based on his or her gender or sexuality using technology.
  • Sending derogatory messages, spreading rumours, or creating hate pages targeting a person for their sexual orientation.
• Digital Flashing: Sending unsolicited explicit images or videos to someone without their consent.
  • Forwarding explicit photos to someone’s inbox or social media accounts without their permission.
• Rape Threats: Explicit messages or comments threatening someone with sexual violence or rape.
  • Sending a message stating, “I will find you and rape you.” to intimidate and instill fear in the recipient.
• Explicit Comments and Messages: Sending sexually suggestive or vulgar content or messages without consent.
  • Sending graphic sexual content or explicit language to someone via direct messages on a social media platform without their invitation or interest.

Concerns associated with TFSV:

• Various Forms: TFSV can take many forms, such as morphed nude images, sexualised blackmailing and bullying, digital flashing, rape threats, and explicit comments and messages.
• High Penetration: It has its penetration over every social media and messaging platform.
• Forever Presence: Abuse is linked to an individual’s name and online profile, and can remain on the Internet forever.
• Mental Illness: Many survivors experience depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
• Tangible Consequences: Many survivors experience loss of academic or career prospects, social isolation, and violence and rejection by one’s own family.
  • Meanwhile, abusers hide behind anonymity.
• Ambiguity in Legislation: India’s IT Act of 2000 criminalizes some forms of TFSV, but ambiguities in the law can deter survivors from reporting.

Government initiatives:

• Specific provisions in IT Act for cybercrime against women:
  • Violation of privacy (section 66E)
  • Obscene material (section 67)
  • Pornography & sexually explicit act (section 67A)
  • Child pornography (section 67B)
• Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021:
• Definition of Digital Media:
  • It will cover digitized content that can be transmitted over the internet or computer networks.
  • It also includes intermediaries such as Twitter and Facebook, and publishers of news and current affairs content.
  • It also includes so-called curators of such content.
  • Publishers of news and current affairs content will cover online papers, news portals, news agencies, and news aggregators.
• Self-regulation: Industry regulatory body headed by a former judge of the Supreme Court and High Court with additional members from an Information and Broadcasting ministry approved panel.
  • Oversight mechanism that includes an inter-ministerial committee with the authority to block access to content.
  • The Inter-ministerial Committee can also take suo motu cognizance of an issue, and any grievance flagged by the ministry.
• The “Digital Literacy and Online Safety Programme“:
  • It aims to train 60,000 women in universities across major cities of India regarding safe use of internet, social media and email that will enable them to differentiate between the credible and questionable information available online.

Suggestive measures:

• Awareness:  Raising widespread awareness of TFSV and implementing solutions is vital while the problem is still within our control.
  • Grassroots solutions like hosting regular workshops, safety training, facilitated discussions, and designating student organizations to lead education and response efforts.
  • Legal regulations already mandate that IHEs conduct gender sensitization programmes and empower students to engage their community.
• Discussions: Openly discussing TFSV without shaming or blaming survivors is an essential step to improve India’s levels of sexual violence to remove the barrier of stigmatization.
• Anonymous Helplines: Schools must provide anonymous helplines and reporting options, mental health services from trained counsellors.
• Legislation backing: With the upcoming Digital India Act, the government has an opportunity to strengthen its regulations for technology platforms and compel social media companies to take accountability.
• Adequate funding: The implementation of related measures should be prioritized with adequate allocation of funds.
• Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs): All IHEs must have Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) to investigate incidents of sexual harassment with strict implementation, transparency and accountability.

The ability to safely access the Internet is crucial to women’s agency, mobility, and economic development. With the government showing regard for the issue of women’s safety online, it is important to look after matters such as the nature of technology-facilitated abuse,  capturing what this means, understanding how cases impact individuals as well as communities, the language needed to capture such offences and the punishment — penalties, jail or even rehabilitation programmes for perpetrators.

Source:   The Hindu

PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Q.1) Consider the following statements (2023)

1. Carbon fibers are used in the manufacture of components used in automobiles and aircraft.
2. Carbon fibers once used cannot be recycled.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.2) In the context of vaccines manufactured to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic, consider the following statements (2023)

1. The Serum Institute of India produced a COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using an mRNA platform.
2. Sputnik V vaccine is manufactured using a vector-based platform.
3. COVAXIN is an inactivated pathogen-based vaccine.

Which of the statements given above is correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q1) Consider the following statements

Statement-I:

Picolinic acid is an intermediate in the metabolism of tryptophan.

Statement-II:

It stays inside the body for a long duration.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Q2) Consider the following statements

Statement-I:

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) was launched in 2019.

Statement-II:

Households with non-agricultural enterprises registered with the Government are excluded from this scheme.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

1. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
2. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
3. Statement-I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
4. Statement-I is incorrect but Statement II is correct

Q3) Consider the following pairs:

Spacecraft                                       Agency

1. MESSENGER:                          NASA
2. BepiColombo :                       ESA and JAXA
3. Mariner 10 :                             ESA

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. None

Mains Practice Questions

Q.1) Evaluate the role of the Delimitation Commission in promoting equitable distribution and preventing concentration of political power. Discuss its impact on maintaining the principle of ‘one person, one vote’ in a democratic society. (250 Words)

Q.2) Technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) has emerged as a significant issue, disproportionately impacting children and young women in India, especially on social media platforms. Evaluate the consequences of TFSV and the challenges in addressing this problem. Examine the role of government initiatives in combating TFSV and suggest additional measures to create a safer digital space for women. (250 Words)

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’ 21st July 2023 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – d

Q.3) – d