Daily Quiz 23 November 2024

Answer: A
Explanation: The European Central Bank has taken up a project to create a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
• Statements 1 and 2 arecorrect:Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are digital forms of money issued by central banks. They are designed to provide a secure and convenient alternative to physical cash and to make digital payments easier for individuals and businesses. CBDCs are backed by the central bank, which means they hold the same value as traditional fiat currencies and can be used in the same way. It is a digital form of national currency issued and regulated by a country’s central bank, representing a digital version of physical cash and legal tender. It can also be programmed for certain selected users or within a specific region of a country.
• Statement 3 is incorrect:Assets and liabilities are two fundamental elements of a company’s financial health, and are reported on its balance sheet. A bank’s assets are the things it owns that bring value, while its liabilities are the debts and financial obligations it owes. RBI has also launched e-rupee, a digital version of currency notes. CBDC/e-rupee appears as a liability on the RBI’s balance sheet. Finance Act 2022 amended the RBI Act, enabling it to introduce Central Bank Digital Currency. CBDC is generally defined as a digital liability of a central bank that is widely available to the general public.

Answer: B

Explanation:

• Statements (a),(c) and (d) are correct while statement (b) is incorrect:Black Buck also known as the Indian antelope and is endemic to India & Nepal. Males are characterised by their striking black and white coloration, with a dark brown to black coat on their upper body and white underparts. Females are generally lighter in colour, with a tan or fawn coat. Male blackbucks have long, corkscrew-shaped horns but Females generally do not have horns. Blackbucks are social animals and live in herds. They are herbivorous and primarily graze on grasses, herbs and leaves. In India it is found in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. The Bishnoi community and blackbucks share a deep cultural and environmental relationship.Protection status:
• IUCN Red List: Least concerned.
• Wildlife Protection Act of 1972: Schedule I

CITES: Appendix III.

Answer: B

Explanation: The RBI has directed FPIs to obtain necessary approvals from the government and concurrence from the investee companies when their equity holdings go beyond the prescribed limits.

• Statement 1 is incorrect:According to theForeign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019, an FPI’s investment in any company must not exceed 10% of the total paid-up equity capital on a fully diluted basis. If an FPI’s investment surpasses this limit, it must either divest the excess holdings or reclassify them as FDI within five trading days from the settlement date of the trade causing the breach.
• Statement 2 is correct:The Indian investee company must also consent to the reclassification to ensure compliance with FDI sector-specific conditions, including sectoral caps, restrictions on certain sectors and government approvals.
• Additional Information:

Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI): FPIs are investors who hold a stake in a country’s financial assets, such as stocks and bonds, without gaining significant control over the companies they invest in. The current cap for FPIs is below 10% ownership in a listed firm.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): FDI involves investing directly in the production or business in a country by a foreign entity, by acquiring a significant ownership stake (more than 10%) in a company. FDI is a more stable form of investment compared to FPI, as it involves a long-term interest in the economy.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Option (c) is correct: Japan has launched the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat, to the International Space Station (ISS) on November 5, 2024. Developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, this 10-cm³ satellite is made from honoki magnolia wood. LignoSat aims to test the viability of wood as a sustainable, biodegradable material for space exploration, offering potential solutions to reduce space debris and pollution. The satellite was launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule to the ISS, where it will undergo rigorous testing to evaluate how wood performs in the harsh conditions of space. Takao Doi, a former NASA astronaut, and Koji Murata, a forest scientist at Kyoto University, conceived the idea of a wooden satellite in 2017. The two researchers were motivated by the growing environmental challenges posed by traditional satellite materials and the increasing amount of space debris.

Answer: A

Explanation:

• Pair 1 iscorrectly matched:The Musi River is a major tributary of the Krishna Riverin the Deccan Plateau, flowing through Telangana, India. The Musi River originates in the Ananthagiri Hills near Vikarabad, Rangareddy district. The Musi River flows through Hyderabad, dividing the city into the old and new cities. Other major tributaries of the Krishna River include the Ghataprabha, the Malaprabha, and the Bhima. The river has been in news due to a proposed clean-up drive.
• Pair 2 is incorrectly matched:The Godavari River originates in Trimbak, Maharashtra, and drains into the Bay of Bengal. It forms a large delta below Rajahmundry.The principal tributaries of the river are the Pravara, the Purna, the Manjra, the Penganga, the Wardha,the Wainganga the Pranhita (combined flow of Wainganga, Penganga, Wardha), the Indravati, the Maner and the Sabri.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: The Chenab River is a major river that flows through India and Pakistan. It originates near the Bara Lacha Pass in the Lahul-Spiti part of the Zaskar Range. The Chenab is also known as the Chandrabhaga River in its upper reaches.The main tributaries in its passage uptoKishtwar are the Thirot, the Sohal, the Bhutnallah, the Liddrariand the Marusudar. The Marusudar is the biggest tributary of the Chenab and meets the Chenab at Bhandalkot.