Solution (c)

AUKUS is a new trilateral security partnership for the Indo-Pacific between Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. (AUKUS). The grouping is security focused.

A central feature of the partnership would involve a trilateral 18-month effort to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines which are quieter, more capable and can be deployed for longer periods, needing to surface less frequently. 

The partnership would also involve a new architecture of meetings and engagements between the three countries and also cooperation across emerging technologies (applied AI, quantum technologies and undersea capabilities).

Article Link: U.S., U.K., Australia form new partnership

Solution (c)

Recently, a study examined folk varieties of Indian rice that can supplement the nutritional demand of important fatty acids in undernourished mothers.

These rice varieties are: 

• Athikaraya, Dudh-sar, Kayame, Neelam samba, Srihati, Maharaji and Bhejri are known in folk medicine to enhance milk production in lactating women.
• Kelas, DudheBolta and Bhutmoori are rich in iron and can be included in diet of mothers to treat anaemia.
• Seven rice varieties of North East India — Meghalaya lakang, Chingphourel, Manuikhamei, Kemenyakepeyu, Wainem, Thekrulha, and Koyajang — has the potential to resist leaf and neck blast disease in rice plants.

Rice contains various classes of fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, starch and a small amount of protein.

These rice varieties can be more cost-effective and reliable than marketed formula foods.

High-yield hybrids pushed out indigenous rice varieties and many of these varieties, called landraces are nearing extinction in India.

Article Link: Folk rice: Researchers spot dozen Indian paddy varieties that can boost nourishment

Solution (c)

National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL) has been set up by banks to aggregate and consolidate stressed assets for their subsequent resolution. NARCL will acquire stressed assets worth about Rs 2 lakh crore from various commercial banks in different phases.

NARCL has been incorporated under the Companies Act and has applied to Reserve Bank of India for license as an Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC).

PSBs will maintain51% ownership in NARCL.

NARCL is intended to resolve stressed loan assets above ₹500 crore each amounting to about ₹ 2 lakh crore. In phase I, fully provisioned assets of about Rs. 90,000 crores are expected to be transferred to NARCL, while the remaining assets with lower provisionswould be transferred in phase II. It intends to acquire these through 15% Cash and 85% in Security Receipts (SRs).

Article Link: Government sets up ‘bad bank’ to clear the NPA mess

Solution (d)

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a political, economic, and security alliance.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Charter, formally establishing the organization, was signed in June 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003.

Its members are: China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The Heads of State Council (HSC) is supreme decision-making body in the SCO, it meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organisation. 

Military exercises are also regularly conducted among members to promote cooperation and coordination against terrorism and other external threats, and to maintain regional peace and stability. 

The SCO is the largest regional organisation in the world in terms of geographical coverage and population, covering three-fifths of the Eurasian continent and nearly half of the human population.

Article Link: Indian Military Contingent Participates in the 6th Edition of Exercise SCO Peaceful Mission 2021 at Orenburg, Russia

Solution (a)

The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 recognizes the rights of the forest dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers to forest resources, on which these communities were dependent for a variety of needs, including livelihood, habitation and other socio-cultural needs.

Objective of the Act:

• To undo the historical injustice occurred to the forest dwelling communities
• To ensure land tenure, livelihood and food security of the forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers
• To strengthen the conservation regime of the forests by including the responsibilities and authority on Forest Rights holders for sustainable use, conservation of biodiversity and maintenance of ecological balance.

The act identifies following rights:

• Title rights – i.e. ownership – to land that is being farmed by tribals or forest dwellers as on 13 December 2005, subject to a maximum of 4 hectares; ownership is only for land that is actually being cultivated by the concerned family as on that date, meaning that no new lands are granted.
• Use rights – to minor forest produce (also including ownership), to grazing areas, to pastoralist routes, etc.
• Relief and development rights – to rehabilitation in case of illegal eviction or forced displacement;[15] and to basic amenities, subject to restrictions for forest protection.
• Forest management rights – to protect forests and wildlife.

Section 6(1) of the Act provides that the gram sabha, or village assembly, will initially pass a resolution recommending whose rights to which resources should be recognised (i.e. which lands belong to whom, how much land was under the cultivation of each person as on 13 Dec 2005, etc.). This resolution is then screened and approved at the level of the sub-division (or taluka) and subsequently at the district level. The screening committees consist of three government officials (Forest, Revenue and Tribal Welfare departments) and three elected members of the local body at that level. These committees also hear appeals.

Article Link: J&K to implement Forest Rights Act, 2006