Daily Current Affairs (MCQ's) | 04-03-2023

Q1. Consider the following statements with respect to the Loktak lake

1. It is known for its floating circular swamps, which are called phumdis in the local tongue

2. The lake houses the only floating national park in the world, the Keibul Lamjao National Park

3. The endangered brow-antlered deer or sangai is found in this national park

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

a. 1 and 3 only

b. 1 only

c. 2 and 3 only

d. 1, 2 and 3

Answer (d)

Explanation:

This is the Loktak Lake known for the scattering of biomass swamps and the location of the world’s only floating national park. The name of the swamps and parks in the Loktak Lake are Phumdis and Keibul Lamjao respectively.

The largest freshwater lake in Northeast India, the pristine Loktak Lake is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Manipur. Known for its floating circular swamps, which are called phumdis in the local tongue, the lake invites tourists from far and wide for its ethereal beauty. These swamps look almost like islands and are a mass of soil, organic matter and vegetation. The lake houses the only floating national park in the world, the Keibul Lamjao National Park, which is the last refuge of the endangered brow-antlered deer or sangai, Manipur's state animal. In addition, the lake shelters about 230 species of aquatic plants, 100 types of birds and 400 species of fauna like barking deer, sambar and Indian python. Loktak is a visual treat for birdwatchers, who can find species like black kite, East Himalayan pied kingfisher, northern hill myna, lesser eastern jungle crow, Burmese pied myna and lesser skylark.

Q2. Modern polo is said to have originated from Sagol Kangjei a traditional sport from the state/union territory of

a. Manipur

b. Assam

c. Sikkim

d. Ladakh

Answer (a)

Explanation:

The Game And The Horse

Modern polo is said to have originated from Sagol Kangjei, a sport indigenous to Manipur, in which players ride horses, specifically the Manipur Ponies, which are referenced in records dating back to the 14th century.

The Manipur Pony is one of five recognised equine breeds of India, and has a powerful cultural significance for Manipuri society. The Marjing Polo Complex has been developed as a way to conserve the Manipur Pony.

The state government’s Manipur Pony Conservation and Development Policy 2016 refers to the mythology around the Manipur Pony:

“The Manipuri pony has been indispensable with Manipuri society for its socio-cultural association for centuries. Its antecedents, however, are not clear, as one source stated Tibetan ponies as its ancestors while another source stated its origin to be a cross between Mongolian wild horse & Arabian. However, all agreed that it was derived from ancient stock. In some manuscripts, it is referred to as Mangal-sa or Mongolian animal. In Manipuri mythology, the Manipuri pony was regarded to have descended from “Samadon Ayangba” the winged steed of Lord Margjing, one of the guardian deities of Manipur,” the document states.

Q3. Which of the following national parks is considered the first national park of the World?

a. Jim Corbett National Park

b. Dachigam National Park

c. North Button Island National Park

d. Yellowstone National Park

Answer (d)

Explanation:

Yellowstone celebrates its 151st anniversary: The complicated history of the world’s first national park

Yellowstone National Park, which celebrated its 151st anniversary earlier this week, is widely considered to be the first national park in the world. Its visitors’ brochure says, “The first US national park was born, and with it, a worldwide movement to protect places for their intrinsic and recreational value.”

Located in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho, it was established by the 42nd United States Congress with the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. It spans an area of over 9,000 sq. km comprising lakes, canyons, rivers, iconic geothermal features such as the Old Faithful geyser, and mountain ranges.

Q4. Which of the following states are considered the last remaining habitats of the Great Indian Bustard in India?

a. Madhya Pradesh and Odisha

b. Rajasthan and Haryana

c. Maharashtra and Karnataka

d. Gujarat and Rajasthan

Answer (d)

Explanation:

New Power Lines Plan Could Further Endanger The Great Indian Bustard

A draft notification issued by the Central Electricity Authority last month on construction of electric lines in the habitat of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard in Gujarat and Rajasthan has raised concerns because it could endanger the species, less than 100 of which survive. The last date for receiving public comments was Friday. The power lines are critical for evacuation of solar power to the electricity grid. The draft appears to be an attempt to sidestep a 2021 Supreme Court order that seeks to protect a species that may have well become India’s national bird, if not for concerns over misspelling its name.

Q5. Which of the following organisations has released the Women, Business and the Law 2023 report?

a. International Monetary Fund

b. The World Economic Forum

c. The World Bank

d. UN Women

Answer (c)

Explanation:

India scores 74.4 in World Bank index on working women

The laws affecting the Indian working woman’s pay and pension do not provide for equality with Indian men, dragging India’s score in a World Bank index on the life cycle of a working woman down to 74.4 out of a possible 100.

A score of 100 on the Index means that women are on an equal standing with men on all the eight indicators being measured, according to the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2023 report. India scored higher than the 63.7 average for the South Asian region, though lower than Nepal which had the region’s highest score of 80.6. Of the 190 economies covered in the Index, only 14 scored a perfect 100: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

For India, the Index used data on laws applicable in Mumbai, viewed as the country’s main business city.

“When it comes to constraints on freedom of movement, laws affecting women’s decisions to work, and constraints related to marriage, India gets a perfect score,” the report said.

However, India lags behind when it comes to laws affecting women’s pay, pension and work after having children, constraints on women starting and running a business, gender differences in property and inheritance.