Plutus IAS ‘Weekly Current Affairs: Quizzes, 23 to 28 January, 2023

EXPLANATION:

• Innovations for Defense Excellence (iDEX), the flagship initiative of the Department of Defense Production.
• The iDEX framework was launched by the Prime Minister in 2018 with the objective to provide a platform of co-creation and co-development in the defense sector, engage start-ups and develop defense and aerospace set up in the country.
• The iDEX is being implemented by the Defense Innovation Organization (DIO), established under the Department of Defense Production. Thus, option (d) is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Ganga Sagar Mela takes place every year around Makar Sankranti festival. On the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti, the pilgrimage takes a dip in the holy water of Ganga in the morning while worshiping Lord Surya. So, statement 1 is correct
• Ganga Sagar island, is the largest island in the Sundarbans archipelago. So, statement 2 is correct.
• The mela has great religious and spiritual significance among Hindus. Every year, Gangasagar Mela attracts thousands of pilgrims from all around the world. It takes place at the Sagar Island or 'Sagardweep' in the state of West Bengal. So, statement 3 is correct

EXPLANATION:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the world’s longest river cruise – MV Ganga Vilas – and inaugurated the tent city at Varanasi. It will travel 3,200 km in 51 days to reach Dibrugarh via Bangladesh, sailing across 27 river systems. So statement 1 is correct
• MV Ganga Vilas is the first indigenously made cruise vessel to be made in India. The cruise has three decks, 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all the modern amenities.
• It will cover a distance of 3,200 km in roughly 51 days reaching Assam’s Dibrugarh through Bangladesh. Built with a unique design and a futuristic vision, the MV Ganga Vilas will meander across various prominent destinations that lie across the Ganges along with river Hooghly. So statement 2 is correct
• The Antara Luxury River Cruises operates MV Ganga Vilas. Cruise journey is going to bring many spiritual, multinational and natural experiences as it will cover destinations like Kashi, Patna Sahib, Bodh Gaya, Vikramshila, Dhaka and the Suderbans. “Those seeking spirituality will cover destinations like Kashi, Bodh Gaya, Vikramshila, Patna Sahib and those wanting to witness the natural diversity will cover destinations like Sundarbans and the forests of Assam. So statement 3 is incorrect.

EXPLANATION:

• Neelakurinji, a shrub, is found in shola forests of the Western Ghats. The shrub is endemic to the Western Ghats.The Neelakurinji flowers bloom between July and October. So statement 1 is incorrect.
• “Neelakurinji flowers take a long time to pollinate, so it takes up to 12 years for the flower to bloom. So statement 2 is correct.
• In botany, this is known as the 'survival mechanism' of plants. The long time needed for pollination avoids complete destruction by predators and climate change. Thus, this plant has found a way to save its species by making this change in itself. So statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• India and Nepal on December 16 began the 16th edition of the joint military training exercise to share theoretical and practical experiences in jungle warfare related to counter-terrorism military skills as well as disaster management.
• The 'Surya Kiran' exercise is conducted annually in Nepal and India. The 15th edition of the joint exercise was held in Pithoragarh, India. So, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The joint military exercise includes relief work and medical treatment as part of the disaster management and counter-terrorism practices. During the joint exercise, the soldiers will put into practice theoretical knowledge of jungle warfare relating to counter-mutiny and counter-terrorism military skill and disaster management, according to the Nepal Army headquarters. So, statement 2 is correct.
• India and Nepal on December 16 2022 began the 16th edition of the joint military training exercise to share theoretical and practical experiences in jungle warfare related to counter-terrorism military skills as well as disaster management. A team from the Indian Army arrived in Nepal on Wednesday to participate in the "Surya Kiran" military training exercises taking place at Saljhandi in the Rupandehi district of Lumbini Zone near the Nepal-India border. So, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Nobel Prize 2022 for Economics has been awarded to three US-based economists ‘for research on banks and financial crises. So, statement 1 is correct.
• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2022 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel to Ben S. Bernanke, Douglas W. Diamond and Philip H. Dybvig “for research on banks and financial crises.”
• The work for which Ben Bernanke, Douglas Diamond and Philip Dybvig are being recognised has been crucial to subsequent research that has enhanced our understanding of banks, bank regulation, banking crises and how financial crises should be managed, the academy said in its announcement. So, statement 2 is correct
• Unlike the other prizes, the economics award wasn't established in Alfred Nobel's will of 1895 but by the Swedish central bank in his memory. The first winner was selected in 1969. So, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• In July 2020, India and the Republic of Namibia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the Namibian government agreeing to donate the eight felines to launch the programme. This is the first time that a wild southern African cheetah will be introduced in India, or anywhere in the world. The introduction of Cheetah in India is being done under Project Cheetah, the world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project. So, statement 1 is correct.
• Project Cheetah was approved by the Supreme Court of India in January 2020 as a pilot programme to reintroduce the species to India. So, statement 2 is correct.
• In September 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a coalition of cheetahs into the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Eight cheetahs, five of which are female, were flown from Windhoek, Namibia, to Gwalior.
• The concept of bringing the cheetah back was first put forth in 2009 by Indian conservationists, along with Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), a not-for-profit organization, headquartered in Namibia, which works towards saving and rehabilitating the big cat in the wild. So, statement 3 is incorrect .

EXPLANATION:

• The G20 forum was established in 1999 by the finance ministers and central bank governors of seven countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K., and the U.S. after a meeting in Washington DC. The uniting factor was the 1997-98 financial crisis and its aftermath. So, statement 1 is incorrect.
• On December 1, India assumed the presidency of the G20 forum, taking over from Indonesia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a “huge opportunity for India”.
• “India must utilize the opportunity of G20 leadership by focusing on global good and welfare. Be it peace or unity, sensitivity towards the environment or sustainable development, India has solutions to challenges related to all such things,” he said during his radio show Mann ki Baat. So, statement 2 is correct.
• The G20 Summit is held annually under a rotating presidency, which currently rests with India for 2023.Today, G20 members account for more than 80% of the world’s GDP, 75% of global trade and 60% of the population of the planet. So, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi commissioned the first indigenous aircraft carrier as INS Vikrant in September 2022. During the event, the Prime Minister also unveiled the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan), doing away with the colonial past and befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage. So statement 1 is correct.
• INS Vikrant is designed by Indian Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Vikrant has been built with state-of-the-art automation features and is the largest ship ever built in maritime history of India. So statement 2 is correct.
• The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier is named after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first Aircraft Carrier which had played a vital role in the 1971 war. It has a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery, involving major industrial houses in the country as well as over 100 MSMEs. With the commissioning of Vikrant, India will have two operational Aircraft Carriers, which will bolster the maritime security of the nation. So, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The 18th edition of Indo - US joint training exercise “YUDH ABHYAS 22” is scheduled to be conducted in Uttarakhand this month So, statement 1 is correct.
• Exercise Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and USA with the aim of exchanging best practices, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures between the Armies of the two nations. The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (USA) in October 2021. So, statement 2 is correct
• US Army soldiers of 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the ASSAM Regiment will be participating in the exercise.. The training schedule focuses on employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate. The schedule will include all operations related to peace keeping & peace enforcement. The troops from both nations will work together to achieve common objectives. So statement 3 is incorrect.
• The joint exercise will also focus on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. Troops from both nations will practice launching of swift & coordinated relief efforts in the wake of any natural calamity

EXPLANATION:

• ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ is being organized in Varanasi (Kashi) from 17th November to 16th December,2022 with the objective to rediscover, reaffirm and celebrate the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi – two of the country’s most important and ancient seats of learning. Kashi Tamil Sangamam celebrates many aspects of the historical and civilisational connection between India’s North and South. So, statement 1 is correct.
• Kashi Tamil Sangamam is being organized by the Ministry of Education, Govt of India in collaboration with other ministries like Culture, Textiles, Railways, Tourism, Food Processing, I&B etc and the Govt of UP. The programme aims to provide an opportunity for scholars, students, philosophers, traders, artisans, artists and people from other walks of life from the two regions to come together, share their knowledge, culture and best practices and learn from each others’ experience. The endeavour is in sync with NEP 2020’s emphasis on integrating the wealth of Indian Knowledge Systems with modern systems of knowledge. IIT Madras and BHU are the two implementing agencies for the programme. So, statement 2 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in a historic Programme marking ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi on 26th December, 2022
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi participated in a historic programme organised by Ministry of Culture marking ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi today. During the programme, the Prime Minister attended a ‘Shabad Kirtan’ performed by about three hundred Baal Kirtanis. The Prime Minister also flagged off a march-past by about three thousand children in Delhi on this momentous occasion. The march-past was taken out from Major Dhyan Chand Stadium to India Gate (Kartavya Path). So statement 1 is correct
• On 9th January 2022, the day of the Prakash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Prime Minister had announced that 26th December would be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’, to mark the martyrdom of sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh - Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji.
• Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that India is celebrating the first Veer Bal Diwas, today. It is a day of a new beginning for the nation when we all come together to bow our heads for the sacrifices laid down in the past. “Shaheedi Saptah and Veer Bal Diwas is not just a cauldron of emotions but a source of infinite inspiration”, the Prime Minister said. So statement 2 is correct.