Demonetization of High Value Currency Notes in India

As per the 2011 estimates, out of every 10,000 currency notes in circulation ,4 notes are fake currency notes in India. Similar studies appeared in the past as well but no previous government had shown the will, resolution and audacity to rise over petty politics and take radical steps against this malaise, until our very own Prime Minister - Mr. Narendra Modi made an astounding announcement on 9th November 2016 to withdraw the legal tender status of Rs 500/- and Rs 1000/- currency notes in India. Further Rs 500/- notes were replaced by new a form of notes with enhanced security features whereas Rs 1000/- notes were replaced by Rs 2000/- currency notes.

This is like a 'surgical strike' on the terror financing from across the border and through the international terror organizations. This will also mask the menace of flow of black money in India, which in recent years has been rising like a snowball.

The country solutes the strength, courage and wisdom of Mr. Modi for bringing the anti national elements to their foot .

Let's attempt a question on this topic.

Question 1

Which one of the following features does not forms the part of recently issued series of Rs 2000/- currency note in India?

a) Swachh Bharat logo with slogan on the reverse side.
b) Portrait of Mahatma Gandhi in the centre of obverse side.
c) Motif of Chandrayaan on the reverse side.
d) Ashoka Pillar emblem on the right of obverse side.

Question 2

Which of the following is/are the expected outcome/outcomes of withdrawing the legal tender status of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes in India?

a) Real estate, education and healthcare facilities will become affordable for common citizens.
b) Circulation of counterfeit currency may come to an end.
c) Funding for arms smuggling, espionage, terrorists will be choked.
d) All of the above

Question 3

Image of which of the following Indian heritage sites has been made the theme of new series of Rs 500/- note?

a) Parliament estate
b) Red Fort
c) Rashtrapati Bhawan
d) India Gate

Question 4

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

i) The base colour of the Rs 500/- note is magenta.
ii) The base colour of the Rs 1000/- note is stone grey.

a) i only
b) ii only
c) Both i and ii
d) Neither i nor ii

Answers

1) c, The reverse side of the note will have the Motif of Mangalayan, which reflects the country's first venture in the interplanetary space.
2) d
3) b
4) d, The base colour of the Rs 1000/- note is magenta while that of Rs 500/- note is stone grey.

Reference : https://paisaboltahai.rbi.org.in/
  

One Rank One Pension

The issue of OROP in India is social, economic and political. While the veterans demand the modification in the key provisions of recently approved OROP framework, the government of the day is worried regarding the huge toll on state finances that this new form of expenditure will take. Amidst this tussle, the suicide of an ex-military personnel has brought the focus on the plight of military pensioners once again in the national mainstream.

Let's attempt a question on this topic.

Question 1

Which of the following provisions related to OROP is incorrect?

a) Implementation from 1st July 2014.
b) The base year for calculation of pension is 2013.
c) Equalisation of pension every 5 years.
d) Pension will be fixed as the average of the maximum and minimum of the new retirees.
e) Inclusion of military personnel who have taken the premature retirement (PMR).

Answer

1) e.

International Trade Agreements

Last Updated : 15th December 2016

The world is witnessing a new era of international trade agreements with partnerships like Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) are forging across continents. These agreements hold potential to enhance the trade among the member countries multifold and in addition helps in building more people to people contact.

However, on the flip side, these agreements pose serious threat to non-member countries as after signing these agreements, non-member countries will become virtually excluded from the global trade. Exclusion of civil society groups while arriving at a consensus on these agreements has also stocked a anti globalization movement in various parts of the world.

Let's attempt few questions from this topic.

Question 1

Recently, the discussions on Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) have been stalled because of fierce opposition in the Europe. The TTIP is a proposed agreement between European Union and which of the following countries or groups?

a) Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
b) The United States of America
c) India
d) Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS)

Question 2

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada was recently in news. Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to CETA?

a) The agreements aims to boost the trade between the two through the removal of around 98% of tariffs on all goods.
b) The agreements forges cooperation in areas ranging from regulations, to financial services and telecoms.
c) To come into force , the agreement requires ratification by all the member states of the EU.
d) The agreement has been universally ratified by all the 28 member states of the EU.

Question 3

Which of the following are/were the principle objections to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)?

a) Lack of democratic legitimacy.
b) A separate Investor-state dispute settlement courts.
c) Persistent fear of impact of globalization on domestic industries and communities.
d) All of the above.

Question 4

Which of the following is/are the reasons for the stalled negotiations on the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which commenced in 2007?

a) Lack of consensus on Mode 4 access for service professionals on the EU side.
b) Lack of consensus on FDI liberalization on the Indian side.
c) Both a and b
d) Neither a nor b

Question 5

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ?

a) TPP has United States but not China Whereas RCEP has both United States and China as its members.
b) TPP is a regional trade agreement among 12 Pacific Rim countries Whereas RCEP is a regional trade agreement among members of ASEAN and its 6 FTA members.
c) 7 Asia Pacific rim countries are common to TPP and RCEP.
d) TPP is more stringent than RCEP in terms of conditionalities.

Answers

1) b
2) d, Regional legislature of Wallonia, the francophone Belgian region has objected to the agreement.
3) d. In early negotiation phase, the CETA was criticized for being prepared and negotiated in secret, excluding key stakeholders such as labour unions, consumer associations and other civil society groups. This rendered it a zero democratic legitimacy.
4) c
5) a , TPP has United States but not China Whereas RCEP has China but not United States as its member.

Urbanization in India

The recently concluded UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development or Habitat III has provided comprehensive guidelines to India's urban policy. The challenges of a rapidly urbanizing world and of providing people with equal opportunities in cities were the central themes at the conference.

Let's attempt few questions on this topic.

Question 1

Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to urbanization in India?

a) 31% of the population in India is urban according to Census 2011.
b) 26% of the workforce is Urban according to Census 2011.
c) Slums represent 17% of urban households in 2011.
d) All of the above

Question 2

Which of the following policy initiatives is not related to urbanization in India?

a) Smart City Mission
b) AIM
c) AMRUT
d) Housing for All

Answers

1) d
2) b, AIM stands for Atal Innovation Mission. AMRUT stands for Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Recently, the National Zoological Park of India, situated in the capital city, was shut down after the reported deaths of nine water birds from Avian Influenza. There is an increased threat of the spread of the infection from water birds to domestic poultry and India's has rightly started taking the corrective measures in this regard.

Efforts are underway to ensure adequate availability and stock of flu masks and Tamiflu. In addition to these, the Department of Animal Husbandry has set up biosafety laboratories at various locations.

Let's attempt few questions on this topic.

Question 1

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to the 'Avian Influenza'?

a) It is a viral infection caused by viruses like A(H5N1) and A(H7N9).
b) Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) is a vaccine against H5N1.
c) The disease usually spreads from bird to bird or bird to humans.
d) In extreme cases, the disease may lead to respiratory distress.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to ' Tamiflu (Oseltamivir)' ?

i) It is an antiviral drug which checks the multiplication of flu virus in the body and reduces the symptoms of the flu.
ii) Tamiflu acts as a substitute for the flu vaccine.
iii) Tamiflu is also used in treatment of 'swine flu'.

a) i only
b) All of the above
c) i and iii only
d) i and ii only

Answers

1) b. There is no vaccine against H5N1. Oseltamivir is used for the prevention and treatment of influenza caused by influenza A and B viruses.
2) c

Further information : Swine Influenza (Wikipedia)

India's Nuclear Triad

With ability to deliver nukes from aircraft, missiles and submarines, India has gained strategic clout in its defence capabilities. With hints of Indo-Russian agreement on the lease of a second nuclear submarine, the strategic significance of India in Asian and Asian Pacific region is going to gain prominence.

Let's attempt few questions on this topic.

Question 1

Which of the following is/are the India's indigenous nuclear submarine?

a) INS Arihant
b) INS Abhinav
c) Both a and b
d) Neither a nor b

Question 2

Which of the following fighter planes of Indian Air Force is/are capable of delivering a nuclear bomb?

a) Mirage 2000
b) Sukhoi-30 MKI
c) MIG-29
d) All of the above

Question 3

Fill in the blank.

India has the ________ series of missiles, capable of delivering nukes, with ________ boasting of a range of over 5000 km.

a) Prithvi, Prithvi- III
b) Agni, Agni-V
c) Brahmos, Brahmos-2
d) Nag, Nag-II

Answers

1) a, INS Arihant : The Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear is capable of firing K-15 ballistic missiles with a range of 750km and the K-4 missiles with a range of up to 3500 kms.
2) d
3) b

Kigali Accord

Question 1

The 'Kigali accord' is related to which of the following options?

a) Counterterrorism
b) Climate Change
c) Multilateral Trade
d) Poverty Elimination

Question 2

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to the 'Kigali accord'?

a) The agreement amends the Montreal Protocol of 1989 to allow it to eliminate hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
b) U.S. and European Union will freeze the production and consumption of HFCs by 2018.
c) India will freeze the production and consumption of HFCs by 2018.
d) China, Brazil and South Africa will freeze the production and consumption of HFCs by 2018.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)?

i) Heat trapping capacity of  HFCs is more than thousand times that of carbon dioxide.
ii) HFCs come under the category of ozone-depleting substances.
iii) HFCs account for less than 5% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the world.

a) i and iii only
b) All of the above
c) ii and iii only
d) i and ii only

Answers

1) b , The 'Kigali accord' is related to phasing out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) over the next 30 years.
2) d, China, Brazil and South Africa will freeze the production and consumption of HFCs by 2024.
3) a