Daily Quiz 05 September 2024

Answer: A

Explanation:

• Statements 1 and 2 are correct: The Union govt recently announced the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) for central government employees. Under the UPS, Government employees will get assured pension of 50% of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months prior to superannuation. Minimum tenure of service for pension – 25 years. A minimum pension of ₹10,000 per month is assured for those who complete at least 10 years of central government service. The next of kin of the deceased employee will receive 60% of the pension that the employee was getting just before his/her death. A lump sum payment in addition to gratuity benefits will be provided at the time of retirement.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Under NPS, central government employees contribute 10% of their basic salary, while the government contributes 14%. Under the UPS, enployees contributionthe government’s contribution will rise from 14 percent to 18.5 percent. Under the NPS, which covers employees who joined service post January 2004, contributions are defined but benefits depend on the market.

Answer: A

Explanation: A recent study has raised concerns about the increasing frequency of mass wasting events in Tibet’s Sedongpu Gully since 2017, with implications for India’s northeastern states due to the region’s proximity and river systems.

• Row 1 is correctly matched: Gullies are landforms created by surface runoff which erodes deep into the soil, especially on the hillside.The Chambal basin in Madhya Pradeshis the region in India that has the most severe gully erosion. The Chambal River has caused severe gully erosion in the region, leading to the formation of ravines called Bihads. The erosion has resulted in the loss of agricultural land and the displacement of entire villages.
• Row 2 is incorrectly matched: The Sedongpu Gully is located in the catchment area of the Sedongpu Glacier in Tibet. It drains into the Yarlung Zangbo, or the Tsangpo River, near where it takes a sharp turn called the Great Bend,while flowing around  Namcha Barwa to create a gorge 505 km long and 6,009 metres deep. It is one of the deepest gorges on the earth.

Row 3 is incorrectly matched: Kanwar Lake is located in the Indo-Gangetic plains of northern Bihar, India and is fed by the confluence of the Gandak, Bia, and Kareh rivers. It is a residual oxbow lake, formed due to meandering of Burhi Gandak river, a tributary of Ganga, in the geological past. It covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains in the northern Bihar State.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Statement 1 is incorrect while Statement 2 is correct: A Lakhpati Didi is a Self-Help Group member who earns an annual household income of Rupees One Lakh (Rs. 1,00,000) or more. This income is calculated for at least four agricultural seasons and/or business cycles, with an average monthly income exceeding Rupees Ten Thousand (Rs. 10,000), so that it is sustainable. The primary goal is to empower women by providing them with opportunities to become financially self-sufficient. The scheme offers training in various skills such as plumbing, tailoring, weaving, LED bulb making, drone operation, and repair to equip women with the necessary skills for entrepreneurship. Women are encouraged to start micro-enterprises that enable them to earn a sustainable income of at least ₹1 lakh per annum, thereby improving their economic status.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Lakhpati Didi is not a scheme but an output of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).

Answer: C

Explanation: The Union government has decided to modify the criteria for granting classical status to languages. Special centres set up for the promotion of designated classical languages are demanding autonomy in their functioning to better carry out their functions.

Option (c) is correct: Currently in India, 6 languages enjoy the ‘Classical’ status: Tamil ( 2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014). The criteria for a classical language currently is: The language must have early texts or recorded history dating back 1500-2000 years, the language must possess a significant body of ancient literature or texts that are considered a valuable heritage by its speakers and the literary tradition of the language should be original and not derived from another speech community.Sanskrit is the oldest of the classical languages. All the Classical Languages are listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. The 8^th schedule of the constitution lists the official languages of the Republic of India. The Eighth Schedule lists 22 languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili, and Dogri.

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Option (d) is correct: Kambala is a buffalo race performed in a slushy paddy field. It is a popular traditional sport in Coastal regions of Karnataka. Cockfighting is a blood sport that involves placing two or more specially bred birds, known as gamecocks, in an enclosed pit to fight for entertainment and gambling. The traditional names for cockfighting in India are Seval Sandai in Tamil and Kodi Pandem in Telugu. Jallikattu which is also known as “eruthazhuvuthal”, is a bull-taming sport, played in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Nagarni Spardha is an annual oxen race held in small farming villages in India, particularly in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. It is a centuries-old tradition, taking place at the peak of the rainy season and organised by village committee.