Q. 1. Consider the following statements:
- Basmati rice has been India’s top agri export items since 2021-22.
- Non-basmati rice has been second largest agri-export items since 2021-22.
- Pulses have been India’s top agri imports since 2021-22.
How many of the above statements are true?
- (a) Only 1
- (b) Only 2
- (c) 1 and 2
- (d) Only 3
Ans: (b)
Source: Falling far exports: Concerns (Indian Express, November 6)
Explanation:
- Marine products have been India’s top agri-export items since 2021-22. Vegetable oils have been India’s top agri-import items since 2021-22.
- India’s agricultural exports have seen a decline of 11.6% from April to September this year.
- Restrictions and bans imposed by the Government on various commodities, including wheat, rice, and sugar, are factors contributing to this fall.
- The global prices have also eased since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- India’s farm exports hit record highs of $50.2 billion and $53.2 billion in 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.
- This marked an end to the declining trend observed from 2013-14 to 2020-21.
- The same years, 2021-22 and 2022-23, also witnessed record import values of $32.4 billion and $35.7 billion.
- India’s farm trade, especially exports, has a strong link to global prices.
- The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food Price Index (FPI) escalated from 96.5 points in 2019-20 and 102.5 points in 2020-21 to 133 points in 2021-22 and 139.5 points in 2022-23.
- A similar trend was seen in India’s agricultural exports, which decreased from $43.3 billion in 2013-14 to $35.6 billion in 2019-20 as per FPI, before ascending in alignment with the FPI’s surge in 2022-23.
Q.2. The Law and Justice Party (PiS) had been often in the news for its ultra conservative right-wing policy. The party is based in which of the following countries?
- (a.) Poland
- (b.) Turkey
- (c.) Switzerland
- (d.) Germany
Ans: (a)
Source: What are the challenges for the new Polish government? (The Hindu, November 7)
Explanation:
- Poland’s multi-party Opposition coalition won a majority in the Parliament’s lower house (Sejm) on October 15. The voter turnout was a record 74.4%.
- The Opposition coalition also won a majority in the upper house, the Senate.
- The ruling ultra-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party lost after an eight-year term.
- In 2016, the PiS government proposed a total ban on abortions, leading to public protests.
- The government temporarily withdrew the proposal due to the protests.
- However, in 2020, the constitutional tribunal removed parts of a 1993 law permitting abortions in cases of foetal disabilities, leading to more protests.
- Recently, leaders of Polish opposition parties formed a coalition government, providing a four-year governance roadmap.
- The coalition won the majority of votes in the October election.
- Donald Tusk, a former prime minister and leader of the largest opposition party, the centrist Civic Platform, is their candidate for prime minister.
Q.3. Consider the following statements:
Consider the following statements:
- Statement-I: The Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) aims to establish a comprehensive system for monitoring and securing maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific.
- Statement II: Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) has greatly improved situational awareness in the Indo-Pacific.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
- (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
- (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
- (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Ans: (b)
Source: Quad’s IPMDA initiative proof of our commitment to a free Indo-Pacific (The Hindu, November 7, 2023)
Explanation:
- The Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative, introduced by the Quad group, is dedicated to supporting a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
- IPMDA aims to create a thorough surveillance and protection system for maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific region.
- It also strives to ensure the security of important sea communication lines.
- This initiative encourages collaboration between nations with similar interests in the region.
- The Quad group, which consists of Australia, Japan, and the U.S., announced IPMDA at the Tokyo summit in early 2022.
- One of its core objectives is to monitor “dark shipping”.
- It also aims to produce a quicker, broader, and more accurate real-time maritime picture of activities in partners’ waters.
- The initiative integrates three key regions in the Indo-Pacific: the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is crucial for global trade and the economic well-being of many countries.
- Over 75% of international maritime trade and half of the world’s oil consumption pass through the IOR.
- The region faces numerous challenges, including maritime terrorism, piracy, human trafficking, smuggling, unauthorised fishing, arms smuggling, and poaching.
- Addressing these challenges requires increased awareness of maritime activities in the region to enhance the effectiveness of security agencies.
- The Indian government established the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram on December 22, 2018, to promote collaborative efforts towards maritime safety and security.
- The IFC-IOR, run by the Indian Navy, monitors the Indian Ocean and its adjoining seas, producing various periodic reports.
- Reports include Weekly Maritime Security Updates (WMSU), Monthly Maritime Security Updates (MMSU), Half Yearly Overviews, and Annual Reports.
- These reports are available online and provide comprehensive information on maritime safety and security issues.
- The Centre also publishes online weather forecasts, warnings, and specific subject-related studies and reports.
Q.4. Consider the following statements:
- Statement I: NFSA is a rights-based food security scheme.
- Statement II: Pradhan Mantr-Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY), a part of NFSA, can’t be discontinued or amended without the approval of Parliament.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Ans: (c)
Source: NFSA and PM’s free grains promise for 5 years: what it means, costs (The indian Express, November 8, 2023)
Explanation:
- The National Food Security Act (NFSA) was implemented on July 5, 2013.
- The Act ensures “access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices” to half of the urban population and 75% of the rural population in India under the Targeted Public Distribution (TPDS).
- The NFSA covers an estimated 67.5% of the nation’s population.
- The number of beneficiaries in each state, both rural and urban, is determined using the latest census data from 2011. This implies approximately 81.35 crore people can benefit from the Act.
- Unlike the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY), which is an executive-announced scheme, the NFSA is a rights-based scheme under the law of Parliament.
- The PM-GKAY is a pandemic-relief measure that provided an additional 5kg of free foodgrains to all NFSA beneficiaries from April 2020. It was discontinued from January 1, 2023.
- Though the PM-GKAY was stopped, the NFSA continued to supply heavily subsidised foodgrains for free until the end of 2023.
- Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the central government’s free foodgrains scheme PM-GKAY for another five years.
Q. 5. With respect to the National Food Security Act (NFSA), consider the following statements:
- Quantity of foodgrains, given to Priority Hosueholds (PHs) depend on the poverty level
- There are two categories of beneficiary households under the NFSA
- Each AAY household is entitled to receive foodgrains according to the number of family members
How many of the above statements are true?
- (a) Only 1
- (b) Only 1 and 2
- (c) Only 2
- (d) All of the above
Ans: (c)
Source: NFSA and PM’s free grains promise for 5 years: what it means, costs (The indian Express, November 8, 2023)
Explanation:
- The National Food Security Act (NFSA) benefits two groups: Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households and Priority Households (PHs).
- Each AAY household receives 35 kg of food grains every month, regardless of family size.
- PHs receive food grains based on the number of family members.
- Each member of a PH household is allocated 5 kg of food grains per month.
- Therefore, larger families under the PH category receive more food grains.