Weekly Current Affairs Quiz: 21/03/2022 to 26/03/2022

EXPLANATION: 

• Nathdwara Painting refers to a painting tradition and school of artists that emerged in Nathdwara, a town in Rajsamand district in the Western state of Rajasthan in India.
• Nathdwara paintings are of different sub-styles of which Pichhwai paintings are the most popular. 
• Pichwai Painting: They are mainly made to hang in Hindu temples of the Pushti-marg devotional tradition, especially the Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan, built around 1672. The word pichwai derives from the Sanskrit words pich meaning back and wais meaning hanging.
• These paintings are cloth paintings hung behind the image of the Hindu god Shrinathji.
• The Nathdwara school is a subset of the Mewar school of painting and is seen as an important school in the 17th and 18th century miniature paintings. Hence option (c) is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) on February 21, 2022 released a policy proposal titled as, Draft India Data Accessibility & Use Policy, 2022. The policy will be applicable to all data and information created, generated, collected and/or archived by the Central Government. It would also allow State governments to adopt its provisions. Its operationalization will be achieved through the establishment of an India Data Office (IDO) under MEITY for overall management, with each government entity designating a Chief Data Officer. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The proposals of the Draft Data Accessibility Policy have been in the spotlight for permitting the licensing and sale of public data by the Government to the private sector. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.

EXPLANATION:

• A Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS), a payload on-board Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter, has detected solar proton events which significantly increase the radiation exposure to humans in space. When the Sun is active, spectacular eruptions called solar flares occur that sometimes also spew out energetic particles (called Solar Proton Events or SPEs) into interplanetary space. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• Most of these are high-energy protons that impact space systems and significantly increase radiation exposure to humans in space. They can cause ionization on large scales in Earth's middle atmosphere. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Many intense solar flares are accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), a powerful stream of ionized material and magnetic fields, which reach Earth a few days later, leading to geomagnetic storms and lighting up the polar sky with auroras. Hence statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• In a crucial development for quantum technology in India, a joint team of experts from the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi demonstrated the Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) link for a distance of over 100 kilometers. QKD, also called Quantum Cryptography, is a mechanism to develop secure communication. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• The conventional cryptosystems used for data-encryption rely on the complexity of mathematical algorithms, whereas the security offered by quantum communication is based on the laws of Physics. In the QKD, encryption keys are sent as ‘qubits’ (or quantum bits) in an optical fiber. Hence statement 2 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), called on global governments to adopt a new ‘Fire Ready Formula,’ as it warned that incidences of wildfires would rise in the future. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• Integrated wildfire management was key to adapting to current and future changes in global wildfire risk, the UNEP said in its report released jointly with non-profit GRID-Arendal. The report was released ahead of the resumed 5th session of the UN Environment Assembly. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• The new formula envisages that 66 percent of spending be devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness and recovery. The remaining 34 per cent can be spent on response. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.

EXPLANATION:

• A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of Internet traffic. DDoS attacks achieve effectiveness by utilizing multiple compromised computer systems as sources of attack traffic. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• DDoS attacks achieve effectiveness by utilizing multiple compromised computer systems as sources of attack traffic. Exploited machines can include computers and other networked resources such as IoT devices which have been infected with malware, allowing them to be controlled remotely by an attacker. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.

EXPLANATION:

• World leaders will come together online and in Nairobi, Kenya, next week, in what is described as a ‘critical moment’ in progress towards the first ever global treaty to combat plastic waste.
• The US, generates more plastic waste per person than any other country in the world, joined with France in calling for a global agreement that recognizes the importance of curbing plastic waste at its source.
• Negotiators are hammering out the framework for a legally binding plastic treaty that diplomats say is the most ambitious environmental pact since the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
• The exact scope of the treaty remains to be defined.
• There are competing proposals being drafted ahead of a three-day UN environment summit starting Monday in Nairobi. Hence statements (1) and (2) are incorrect.

EXPLANATION:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had cautioned individuals and small businesses against falling victim to the mushrooming unauthorized digital lending platforms and mobile applications on promises of getting loans in a quick and hassle-free manner. It consists of lending through web platforms or mobile apps, by taking advantage of technology for authentication and credit assessment. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Banks have launched their own independent digital lending platforms to tap in the digital lending market by leveraging existing capabilities in traditional lending. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• They charge excessive rates of interest and additional hidden charges. Hence statement 3 is incorrect.

EXPLANATION:

• Russia used a Vacuum bomb during the invasion, claims Ukraine. A vacuum bomb, sucks in oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, producing the effect of a small nuclear weapon. It typically produces a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than that of a conventional explosive. It is capable of vaporizing human bodies and is known as the father of all bombs. Hence statement 1 is correct
• It is the world's most powerful non-nuclear bomb and has a blast equivalent to more than 44 tons of TNT. The destructive weapon is dropped from a jet and detonates mid-air. Other names: Aerosol Bomb, Fuel-air explosive, Thermobaric. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.

EXPLANATION:

• The project is aimed at extending mental health training to 6000 One Stop Centers (OSC) functionaries across India. The project would emphasize on the psychosocial well-being and aim to improve the mental health of women in India.
• The project which has been outlined meticulously by NIMHANS based on the requirements projected by the Ministry will be imparted in two formats.
• One format will focus on basic training for all OSC functionaries including the security guards, cook, helpers, case workers, counselors, center administrators, Para medical staff etc.
• It helps in guiding principles and challenges in managing trauma in case of sexual violence.
• The project emphasise on assessment of mental distress, disorders and suicidal tendency and ethical and professional principles in counselling. The Street Manoraksha project was launched by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development. Hence statements 1 and 2 are incorrect.

EXPLANATION:

• In India, 100% FDI has been allowed for roads and highways sector allowed under the automatic route. Recently, the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry has set a target of road construction worth Rs 15 lakh crores in next two years. The Ministry also aims to achieve the target of 40 kilometers per day of highway construction, in the current year. Hence statement 1 is correct. 
• In India, 74 % FDI has been allowed for Banking in the Private sector while 20 % is allowed for the banking of public sector. Hence statement 2 is correct and statement 3 is not correct. 
• The government of India has allowed 100 % FDI for Credit Information Companies (CIC) like CBIL. Hence statement 4 is also incorrect. 

EXPLANATION: 

• The idea of moving towards GST was first mooted by the then Union Finance Minister in his Budget speech for 2006-07. Initially, it was proposed that GST would be introduced from 1st April 2010. The Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers (EC) which had formulated the design of State VAT was requested to come up with a roadmap and structure for GST. Joint Working Groups of officials having representatives of the States as well as the Center were set up to examine various aspects of GST and draw up reports specifically on exemptions and thresholds, taxation of services and taxation of inter-State supplies. Based on discussions within and between it and the Central Government, the EC released its First Discussion Paper (FDP) on the GST in November, 2009. The Finance Minister laid down 1st April, 2010 as the date for the introduction of GST in the country.The assignment of concurrent jurisdiction to the Centre and the States for the levy of GST required a unique institutional mechanism that would ensure that decisions about the structure, design and operation of GST are taken jointly by the two. To address all these and other issues, the Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill was introduced in the 16th Lok Sabha on 19.12.2014. Hence statements 1 and 2 are correct. 
• As per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution, the GST Council has to be constituted by the President within 60 days of the commencement of Article 279A. The notification for bringing into force Article 279A with effect from 12th September, 2016 was issued on 10th September, 2016.
• As per Article 279A of the amended Constitution, the GST Council which will be a joint forum of the Center and the States, shall consist of the following members: -
  • Union Finance Minister - Chairperson
  •  The Union Minister of State, in-charge of Revenue of finance - Member
  •  The Minister in-charge of finance or taxation or any other Minister nominated by each State Government - Members. Hence, statement 3 is correct and statement 4 is not correct.