Current affairs December 2024

Notes 175 Pages

Union Public Service Commission (Main)

Current Affairs

Contributed by

Umesh Majumdar

1

December MCQ Compilation

1. Consider the following statements about National Social Assistance Programme
(NSAP)
1) National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare programme being
administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
2) This programme is being implemented only in rural areas.
3) NSAP represents a significant step towards the fulfilment of Article 41 of the Constitution
of India
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1,2 and 3
Answer: A
Explanation
About NSAP
● Launched in 1995, the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a welfare
programme being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development. Hence statement
1 is correct.
● This programme is being implemented in rural areas as well as urban areas. Hence
statement 2 is incorrect.
● NSAP represents a significant step towards the fulfilment of Article 41 of the Constitution
of India which directs the State to provide public assistance to its citizens in case of
unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want
within the limit of its economic capacity and development. Hence statement 3 is correct.
● Presently NSAP comprises of five schemes, namely –
○ Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS),
○ Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS),
○ Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS),
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○ National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS) and
○ Annapurna.
Eligibility and scale of assistance
● For getting benefits under NSAP the applicant must belong to a Below Poverty Line (BPL)
family according to the criteria prescribed by the Govt. of India. The other eligibility criteria
and the scale of central assistance under the sub - schemes of NSAP are as follows.
● Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): A monthly pension of
Rs.200/- to old age BPL persons in age group 60-79 years and Rs.500/- to old age BPL
persons of age of 80 years and more.
● Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): A monthly pension of
Rs.300/- to BPL widows aged 40-79 years and Rs.500/- upon attaining the age of 80 years.
● Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): A monthly pension of
Rs.300/- is given to disabled BPL persons aged 18-79 years and Rs.500/- upon attaining the
age of 80 years.
● National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS): A one-time assistance of Rs.20,000/- to the
surviving members of a BPL family upon the death of the primary breadwinner.
● Annapurna Scheme: 10 kg food grains (wheat or rice) is given to those BPL elderly who
remain uncovered under IGNOAPS.
Why in News?
● The Ministry of Rural Development conducted a nationwide review of the National Social
Assistance Programme recently.

2. The main objective of the Zero Defect and Zero Effect (ZED) Scheme is
a) Providing affordable loans to street vendors.
b) Assessing the MSMEs for their process in achieving Zero defects in their products and
processes.
c) Providing health insurance to COVID-19 frontline workers.
d) Implementing Direct Benefit Transfer for procurement of food grains by the Food
Corporation of India.
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Answer B
About the Scheme
● Zero Defect and Zero Effect (ZED) is a certification scheme. The MSMEs are assessed for
their process in achieving Zero defects in their products and processes. Similarly the
process which they adopt for production should not affect the environment.
● There are three stages of assessment based on which the MSMEs will be graded for
certification under five categories as Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond and Platinum.
● The cost of certification in grading shall be subsidized by Government of India up to 80%
of the expenditure and financial assistance is provided for interested MSMEs for Gap
analysis, Handholding and consultancy for improving their rating and adopting measures for
moving towards zero effect.
Objectives
● Scheme Endeavours to Attain the Following Key Goals
○ To promote and encompass ZED manufacturing processes in the MSMEs;
○ Encourage to attain a continuous momentum in improving the sector that contributes to the
success of Make in India initiative;
○ Reassure to adapt Quality tools and systems, thus promote energy-efficient manufacturing;
○ Make sure that the MSMEs are constantly upgrading their tools and processes to obtain
better products;
○ Most importantly, the acclimatization to ZED protocol to have a minimalist impact on the
environment.
Why in News?
● The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has announced that more than 20,000
MSMEs had registered with intent to adopt the principle of the Zero Defect Zero Effect
Scheme.

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3. Consider the following statements PM Formalisation of Micro food processing
Enterprises Scheme (PM FME Scheme)
1) The focus will be on women and SC/ST owned units and those in Aspirational districts.
2) The scheme provides credit linked grants to enterprises with provision of seed capital to
SHGs for meeting working expenses and purchase of small tools.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer C
About the Scheme
● In 2020, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries launched the PM Formalisation of
Micro food processing Enterprises Scheme (PM FME Scheme) for providing financial,
technical and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing
enterprises.
● With an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore, it was launched as a centrally sponsored scheme aimed
at covering two lakh enterprises over five years from 2020-21 to 2024-2025.
● During the first year of implementation, the total expenditure will be borne by the Central
government, but in successive years centre and states will share the expenditure in a
60:40 ratio.
Objectives
● Under the scheme, capacity building of entrepreneurs will be undertaken through
technical knowledge, skill training and hand holding support services. Credit flow to micro
food processing industries will be strengthened along with support for their integration
with organised supply chains by providing brand and marketing facilitation.
● Apart from individual entrepreneurs, support will also be extended to Farmer Producer
Organizations (FPOs), SHGs, producers co-operatives and co-operative societies engaged in
food processing activities.
Potential of the scheme
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● The focus will be on women and SC/ST owned units and those in Aspirational districts
and a cluster-based approach (e.g. Mango in UP, Tomato in Karnataka, Chilli in Andhra
Pradesh, Orange in Maharashtra etc.) will be followed to reap the benefit of scale in terms of
procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products. Hence
statement 1 is correct.
● The scheme provides credit linked grants to enterprises with provision of seed capital to
SHGs for meeting working expenses and purchase of small tools. Hence statement 2 is
correct.
● The scheme is set to transform the unorganised micro food processing enterprises for the
larger benefit of rural people and rural economy.
Role of Micro food processing industries
● Micro food processing industries represent the unorganised food processing sector
comprising nearly 25 lakh units. Nearly 74 percent of the total employment in the food
processing sector comes from these units.
● Micro food processing enterprises are a major contributor to the rural economy as nearly 66
percent of these units are located in rural areas and about 85 percent of them are
family based enterprises supporting the livelihood of households.
● These units play a significant role in checking rural-urban migration.
Why in the News?
● 876 micro-food processing individuals have been trained in 13 States/UTs through 34 Food
Processing and Entrepreneurship training sessions under the PM Formalisation of Micro
Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme till date.

4. The term Stablecoin is related to which of the following ?
a) Smartphone spyware
b) Newly discovered flightless bird species in Andaman Islands
c) Climate change coalition for new age climate governance
d) Digital currencies that are backed by a fiat currency
Answer: D
Explanation
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● Stablecoins are digital currencies that are backed by a fiat currency such as the US dollar,
thus giving it an intrinsic value.
● From an investor point of view, stablecoins become easier to understand considering the
underlying reserve asset.
● There is also a case being made by sovereign governments for stablecoins such as Tether,
USD Coin and Diem (proposed by Facebook’s parent company Meta) given that it could
increase the reach of their fiat currencies in the digital ecosystem.

5. ‘Samagra Shiksha’ subsumed which of the following schemes?
1. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
2. Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan
3. Teacher Education
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
Explanation:
● Samagra Shiksha is an overarching programme for the school education sector extending
from pre-school to class 12. The scheme has been prepared with the broader goal of
improving school effectiveness measured in terms of equal opportunities for schooling and
equitable learning outcomes.
● It subsumes the three Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik
Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
● It was introduced in the Union Budget, 2018-19.
Objectives
● The major objectives of the Scheme are
○ Provision of quality education and enhancing learning outcomes of students;
○ Bridging Social and Gender Gaps in School Education;
○ Ensuring equity and inclusion at all levels of school education;
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○ Ensuring minimum standards in schooling provisions;
○ Promoting Vocationalisation of education and
○ Support States in implementation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education
(RTE) Act, 2009;
Why in News?
● The Ministry of Education has given information about financial assistance provided to
States/ UTs for various ICT and Digital initiatives for setting up ICT labs, smart classrooms,
etc. under Samagra Shiksha.

6. Pehchan Scheme recently seen in the news is associated with which of the
following?
a) Aims to create a junction in the form of a platform for all portals and websites of the
Department of School Education
b) A platform for market intelligence for Indian exporters and entrepreneurs on global
markets
c) An initiative to register and provide identity cards to handicraft artisans and link them to
a national database.
d) To promote effective delivery of public services and implementation of schemes of
Ministry of Labour and Employment
Answer: C
Explanation
About the Scheme
● ‘Pehchan’ cards scheme is a part of the initiative of the Union Textile Ministry to register
and provide identity cards to handicraft artisans and link them to a national database.
● Launched in 2016, it is a new upgraded ID card for artisans that is linked with their Aadhaar
numbers and bank accounts so that they can receive direct cash transfer benefits.
● The scheme was planned to facilitate the benefits of various schemes of the Union
Government to flow directly into their accounts.
● Besides, the ID card enables the artisans to avail easy loans at lower interest rate.
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Why in the News?
● 27.80 lakhs handicrafts artisans across the country have been registered under the
PAHCHAN scheme this year.

7. Consider the following statements
1) It is a crop of tropical and subtropical areas requiring uniformly high temperature for its
growth.
2) It is a drought-resistant crop ideal for arid climates and requires an average annual rainfall
of 50- 100 cm.
3) It requires at least 210 frost-free days in a year for its optimal growth.
The above description refers to which of the following crops?
a) Sugarcane
b) Rice
c) Cotton
d) Groundnut
Answer: C
Explanation
● Cotton is a global commodity that is produced all over the world and a single tonne of cotton
provides year-round employment for five people on average. It occupies just 2.1 % of the
world’s arable land, yet it meets 27% of the world’s textiles need.
● In addition to its fibre used in textiles and apparel, food products are also derived from
cotton like edible oil and animal feed from the seed.
● It is a crop of tropical and subtropical areas requiring uniformly high temperature for its
growth. Cotton is a drought – resistant crop ideal for arid climates
● Cotton plants need sufficient rainfall in the early stages of growth, but sunny and dry
weather is required after flowering. Rainfall should be moderate, ranging between 50-
100 cm
● Cotton is one of the main raw materials for the cotton textile industry. Cotton grows well
in drier parts of the black cotton soil of the Deccan plateau.
● It requires high temperature, light rainfall or irrigation, 210 frost-free days and bright sun-
shines for its growth. It is a kharif crop and requires 6 to 8 months to mature.
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● Major cotton-producing states are - Gujarat, Telangana,Maharashtra,Madhya Pradesh,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Why in the news?
● Recently, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has requested the Union Textiles Minister to direct
the concerned ministries to remove import duty levied on cotton.

8. With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, consider the
following statements.
1. It is the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
2. It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of the country to the National
Skill Qualification Framework.
3. Under this Scheme, Training and Assessment fees are completely paid by the Government.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: C
Explanation:
● Statement 1 is incorrect: Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is the flagship
scheme of the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The scheme was
launched in 2015.
● The objective of this Skill Certification Scheme is to enable a large number of Indian youth to
take up industry-relevant skill training that will help them in securing a better livelihood.
● Individuals with prior learning experience or skills will also be assessed and certified under
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).
● Statement 3 is correct: Under this Scheme, Training and Assessment fees are completely
paid by the Government.
● Statement 2 is correct: It aims to align the competencies of the unregulated workforce of
the country to the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
Why in the news?
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● Recently, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced a pilot
project to train 2,500 street food vendors in Delhi under the Recognition of Prior Learning
(RPL) component of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0.

9. Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?
a) Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable energy and has a
lower carbon footprint.
b) Brown hydrogen is produced using coal where the emissions are released to the air.
c) Grey hydrogen is produced from natural gas where the associated emissions are released
to the air.
d) None of the above.
Answer D
Explanation
● Green hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water using renewable energy (like Solar,
Wind) and has a lower carbon footprint.
● Brown hydrogen is produced using coal where the emissions are released to the air.
● Grey hydrogen is produced from natural gas where the associated emissions are released
to the air.
Hence all the statements are correct.

10. Consider the following statements about the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi
Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
1. BIMSTEC came into existence through the Bangkok Declaration.
2. India is a founder member of BIMSTEC.
3. BIMSTEC is a sector-driven cooperative organization with 14 priority areas of
cooperation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
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Current affairs December 2024

Current affairs December 2024

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