Daily Current Affairs (MCQ's) | 02-07-2022

Q1. Consider the following statements about the ISRO’s PSLV Orbital Experimental Module (POEM) platform

1. A platform that will help perform in-orbit experiments using the final stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
2. The PSLV is a three-stage rocket-

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (a)

Explanation:

• The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module is a platform that will help perform in-orbit experiments using the final, and otherwise discarded, stage of ISRO’s workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
• The PSLV is a four-stage rocket where the first three spent stages fall back into the ocean, and the final stage (PS4) — after launching the satellite into orbit — ends up as space junk.
• However, in the PSLV-C53 mission, the spent final stage will be utilised as a “stabilised platform” to perform experiments.

Q2. Consider the following statements about the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021

1. It banned certain single-use plastics
2. It also prohibits the use of Plastic carry bags
3. It gives EPR legal backing to Extended Producer Responsibility rules

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer (c)

Explanation:

Enforcing the plastic ban well

• The world is choking on plastics. From the mountains to the ocean trenches, tiny plastic particles are everywhere, affecting human and animal health, the environment, and biodiversity.
• India took a leap forward to contain this scourge by operationalising the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, which bans the manufacture, import, stocking, sale, distribution, and use of single-use plastic (SUP) items.
• The ban on SUPs, a glaring example of the world’s throwaway culture, is significant because these products are non- biodegradable and difficult to collect and recycle.
• While headlines focus on the use of plastics, the truth is that the lifecycle of plastics — extraction (they are made from fossil fuel), transportation, refining, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal — involves processes that are polluting.

More is to be done:

• India’s SUP ban is a work in progress because it is not a blanket one. Only 21 items, including plastic straws, plastic flags, plastic cutlery and so on, have been removed from the Plastic carry bags, for instance, will still be available, though the thickness has been regulated.
• India also has no definite data for the average plastic waste In 2015, the government said India generated 9.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, but the Centre for Science and Environment believes this is a gross underestimation.
• The ban on SUPs will not be successful unless all stakeholders — the government, industry, and consumers — do their bit. While the government needs to support alternatives to SUP products (at present, these are not cost-effective), the industry has to come up with design changes in packaging to do away with or reduce plastic.

• In addition, the government must plug the gaps in the Extended Producer Responsibility rules under which it is the responsibility of a producer for the environmentally sound management of the product until the end of its life, and strengthen the human resource shortfall in pollution control boards so that they can conduct proper and regular inspections.
• Consumers must also focus on reducing, reusing, and recycling to ensure that SUPs don’t end up in landfills.

  

Q4. Consider the following statements about the Windfall tax

1. Windfall tax is, simply, a tax levied on companies whose financials have been boosted purely by luck, or events for which they are not responsible
2. Recently, the government imposed a windfall tax on exports by oil refiners and producers

Which of the above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (c)

Explanation:

Centre imposes windfall tax on crude, hikes duty on gold

• The government imposed a windfall tax on exports by oil refiners and producers, announcing levies of ₹6 per litre on every litre of petrol, ₹13 on every litre of diesel, and ₹23,250 on every tonne of domestically produced crude oil in a decision aimed at increasing local supplies and boosting its The customs duty on gold too has been hiked from 10.75% to 15% because of a significant spurt in imports.
• The tax was imposed after the companies were seen to be making “abnormal” profits since oil prices have shot up in global markets due to geopolitical turmoil, the Union finance ministry said.
• India was considering a windfall tax on petroleum products, state-owned as well as private, to offset the ballooning public expenditure on fuel, food and fertiliser subsidies amid skyrocketing inflation.

• The decision was taken after private refiners curtailed or stopped the domestic supply of transportation fuels and resorted to exports to make profits. This led to an increased demand load on pumps of state-run oil marketing companies while private firms made huge profits by selling abroad.

Windfall tax is, simply, a tax levied on companies whose financials have been boosted purely by luck, or events for which they are not responsible. For instance, energy companies have benefitted from the global spike in energy prices on account of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Q4. Consider the following about Girmitiyas

1. “Girmitiyas” or Indentured Labourers, is the name given to the Indians who left India in the middle and late 19th Century to serve as labourers in the British colonies.
2. GIRMIT is a corrupt form of the English word “Agreement”.

Which of the above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 2 both
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer (c)

Explanation:

“Girmitiyas” or Indentured Labourers, is the name given to the Indians who left India in the middle and late 19th Century to serve as labourers in the British colonies, where the majority eventually settled. GIRMIT is a corrupt form of the English word “Agreement”. Labour emigrating under the Agreement or Girmit was a “Girmitiya”.During the colonial period (British period) millions of indentured labourers were sent to Mauritius, Caribbean islands (Trinidad, Tobago and Guyana), Fiji and South Africa by the British; to Reunion Island, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Surinam by the French and Dutch and by Portuguese from Goa, Daman and Diu to Angola, Mozambique to work as plantation workers. All such migrations were covered under the time-bound contract known as the Girmit Act (Indian Emigration Act). However, the living conditions of these indentured labourers were no better than the slaves.

The second wave of migrants ventured out into the neighbouring countries in recent times as professionals, artisans, traders and factory workers, in search of economic opportunities in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei and African countries, etc. and the trend still continues. There was a steady outflow of India’s semi-skilled and skilled labour in the wake of the oil boom in West Asia in the 1970s. There was also some outflow of entrepreneurs, storeowners, professionals, and businessmen to Western Countries.

Third-wave of migration, composed of professionals like doctors, engineers (1960s onwards), software engineers, management consultants, financial experts, media persons (1980s onwards), and others who migrated to countries such as the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Germany, etc. These professionals enjoy the distinction of being one of the highly educated, the highest-earning and prospering groups. After liberalisation, in the 90s, education and knowledge-based Indian emigration have made the Indian Diaspora one of the most powerful diasporas in the world. In all of these countries, the Indian diaspora has been playing an important role in the development of the respective countries.

Q5. Consider the following statement about migration in India according to Census 2011

1. The number of internal migrants in India was 450 million.
2. Interstate migration dominates Intrastate migration.
3. Intradistrict migration dominates Interdistrict migration.

Which of the above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 1 and 3 only
3. 1, 2, and 3
4. 3 only

Answer (b)

Explanation:

The number of internal migrants in India was 450 million as per the most recent 2011 census. This is an increase of 45% over the 309 million recorded in 2001. This far exceeds the population growth rate of 18% from 2001-2011. Internal migrants as a percentage of the population increased from 30% in 2001 to 37% in 2011.

Despite the significant increase in internal migration recorded in 2011, the nature of movement remains relatively unchanged since 2001. The bulk of the movement (62%) is within the same district. Another 26% is between districts within the same state. Only 12% of movement is inter-state.

Q6. Which of the following reasons are considered for the low rate of interstate migration in India?

1. Non-portability of entitlements such as the Public Distribution System (PDS).
2. Absence of preferential norms in educational
3. Domicile requirements for state government

Choose the correct option from the codes given below

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 1, 2, and 3
4. 1 and 3 only

Answer (d)

Explanation:

Inter-state migrants represented only 4% of the population in India in 2011, a rate almost unchanged since 2001. For those moving in less than 5 years, this value was even smaller at around 1% for both censuses. This was significantly less than the five-year interval inter-state migration rate of almost 10% in the US and nearly 5% in China (despite the internal movement controls there known as the hukou system). According to a research paper, India has the lowest rate of internal migration in a sample of 80 countries.

The low rate of inter-state migration is a cause for concern since it indicates that the optimal allocation of human resources across the regional dimension is facing friction. A World Bank paper, using 2001 census data, attributes the low rate of internal migration to

• Non-portability of entitlements such as the Public Distribution System.
• Preferential norms in educational institutions.
• Domicile requirements for state government jobs.

With the introduction of Aadhar-based benefits, the issue of benefits portability may be addressed. More detailed analysis, using customized surveys (rather than relying on the census or other general data), is required. This could lead to policy options to enhance rates of inter-state migration to boost optimization of human resources in the spatial dimension and thereby reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity.