1. Consider the following with respect to the National Food Security Act, 2013.
1. The Act legally entitled the population to receive subsidized food grains under the Universal
Public Distribution System.
2. According to the Act, Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to meals and
maternity benefits of not less than Rs 6000.
3. The implementation of the scheme comes under the ambit of the Ministry of Agriculture and farmer’s welfare.
1. The Act legally entitled the population to receive subsidized food grains under the Universal
Public Distribution System.
2. According to the Act, Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to meals and
maternity benefits of not less than Rs 6000.
3. The implementation of the scheme comes under the ambit of the Ministry of Agriculture and farmer’s welfare.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
38%
A. Only one
44%
B. Only two
15%
C. All the three
2%
D. None of the above
Answer: A
Explanation:
● The National Food Security Act, 2013 was notified on 10th September, 2013 with the
objective to provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by
ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a
life with dignity.
● Statement 1 is incorrect: The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural
population and upto 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds of the
population.
● The eligible persons will be entitled to receive 5 Kgs of foodgrains per person per
month at subsidised prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per Kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains. The
existing Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households, which constitute the poorest of the poor
will continue to receive 35 Kgs of foodgrains per household per month.
● Statement 2 is correct: The Act also has a special focus on the nutritional support to
women and children. Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to meals and
maternity benefits of not less than Rs 6000. It is however restricted to two children only.
● Children upto 14 years of age will be entitled to nutritious meals as per the prescribed
nutritional standards. In case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals, the
beneficiaries will receive food security allowance. The Act also contains provisions for
setting up of grievance redressal mechanism at the District and State levels
● The eldest women of the household of age 18 years or above will be the head of the
household for the purpose of issuing ration cards
● Statement 3 is incorrect: The implementation of the scheme comes under the ambit of the
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (not under the Ministry of
Agriculture and farmer’s welfare).
Explanation:
● The National Food Security Act, 2013 was notified on 10th September, 2013 with the
objective to provide for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by
ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a
life with dignity.
● Statement 1 is incorrect: The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural
population and upto 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under
Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), thus covering about two-thirds of the
population.
● The eligible persons will be entitled to receive 5 Kgs of foodgrains per person per
month at subsidised prices of Rs. 3/2/1 per Kg for rice/wheat/coarse grains. The
existing Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households, which constitute the poorest of the poor
will continue to receive 35 Kgs of foodgrains per household per month.
● Statement 2 is correct: The Act also has a special focus on the nutritional support to
women and children. Pregnant women and lactating mothers will be entitled to meals and
maternity benefits of not less than Rs 6000. It is however restricted to two children only.
● Children upto 14 years of age will be entitled to nutritious meals as per the prescribed
nutritional standards. In case of non-supply of entitled foodgrains or meals, the
beneficiaries will receive food security allowance. The Act also contains provisions for
setting up of grievance redressal mechanism at the District and State levels
● The eldest women of the household of age 18 years or above will be the head of the
household for the purpose of issuing ration cards
● Statement 3 is incorrect: The implementation of the scheme comes under the ambit of the
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (not under the Ministry of
Agriculture and farmer’s welfare).
2. The terms ‘neutral’, ‘calibrated tightening’, 'accommodative' sometimes seen in the news are related to
choose the correct answer
Anonymous Quiz
17%
A. Fiscal policy
66%
B. Monetary policy
10%
C. External trade
6%
D. Inflation
3. With reference to Ashtamudi Lake, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1) It is located in the state of Kerala.
2) The Kallada river is a major river which drains into the Ashtamudi lake.
1) It is located in the state of Kerala.
2) The Kallada river is a major river which drains into the Ashtamudi lake.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below
Anonymous Quiz
14%
A. 1 only
21%
B. 2 only
63%
C. Both 1 and 2
2%
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: B
Explanation:
● These terms indicate the central bank’s monetary policy stance on deciding policy rates like
repo rate.
● “Accommodative” indicates that the central bank is telling the market to expect a rate cut
anytime, “neutral” means that RBI could either increase or reduce repo rates as per liquidity
conditions, “calibrated tightening” means that a cut in the repo rate is unlikely in the current
rate cycle.
Explanation:
● These terms indicate the central bank’s monetary policy stance on deciding policy rates like
repo rate.
● “Accommodative” indicates that the central bank is telling the market to expect a rate cut
anytime, “neutral” means that RBI could either increase or reduce repo rates as per liquidity
conditions, “calibrated tightening” means that a cut in the repo rate is unlikely in the current
rate cycle.
Answer: C
Explanation
● Both the statements are correct.
● Ashtamudi lake is located in Kollam District of Kerala.
● It is a gateway to several backwaters in Kerala.
● The Kallada river is a major river which drains into the Ashtamudi lake.
● The lake is surrounded by vegetation such as mangrove forests, coconut groves, and palm trees.
● Munroe Island, a cluster of eight tiny islands, lies in the Ashtamudi Lake.
Explanation
● Both the statements are correct.
● Ashtamudi lake is located in Kollam District of Kerala.
● It is a gateway to several backwaters in Kerala.
● The Kallada river is a major river which drains into the Ashtamudi lake.
● The lake is surrounded by vegetation such as mangrove forests, coconut groves, and palm trees.
● Munroe Island, a cluster of eight tiny islands, lies in the Ashtamudi Lake.
4. Consider the following statements.
1. A country has a trade deficit when the value of its imports exceeds the value of its exports.
2. In the year 2023-24, India recorded a trade deficit with its largest trading partner.
3. The US is India’s largest trading partner in 2023-24.
1. A country has a trade deficit when the value of its imports exceeds the value of its exports.
2. In the year 2023-24, India recorded a trade deficit with its largest trading partner.
3. The US is India’s largest trading partner in 2023-24.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
Anonymous Quiz
10%
A. Only one
66%
B. Only two
23%
C. All the three
2%
D. None of the above
choose the best answer
Anonymous Quiz
3%
A. Russia-Georgia War
22%
B. Crimea Annexation
68%
C. Russia-Ukraine War
7%
D. Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
5. Kursk Oblast became a strategic location in global news due to its involvement in which of
the following conflicts?
the following conflicts?
Answer: B
Soln:
● India has recorded a trade deficit with nine of its top 10 trading partners, including China,
Russia, Singapore, and Korea, in 2023-24.
● A country has a trade deficit when the value of its imports exceeds the value of its exports.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
● China has emerged as India's largest trading partner with $118.4 billion of two-way
commerce in 2023-24, edging past the US.
● The data also showed that the deficit with China ($85 billion), Russia ($57.2 billion), Korea
($14.71 billion), and Hong Kong ($12.2 billion) increased in the last fiscal compared to 2022-
23, while the trade gap with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Indonesia, and Iraq narrowed.
Hence, statement 2 is correct and statement 3 is incorrect.
● India has a trade surplus of $36.74 billion with the US in 2023-24.
● America is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. The surplus is also
there with the UK, Belgium, Italy, France and Bangladesh.
● India's total trade deficit in the last fiscal narrowed to $238.3 billion as against $264.9 billion
in the previous fiscal.
Soln:
● India has recorded a trade deficit with nine of its top 10 trading partners, including China,
Russia, Singapore, and Korea, in 2023-24.
● A country has a trade deficit when the value of its imports exceeds the value of its exports.
Hence, statement 1 is correct.
● China has emerged as India's largest trading partner with $118.4 billion of two-way
commerce in 2023-24, edging past the US.
● The data also showed that the deficit with China ($85 billion), Russia ($57.2 billion), Korea
($14.71 billion), and Hong Kong ($12.2 billion) increased in the last fiscal compared to 2022-
23, while the trade gap with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Indonesia, and Iraq narrowed.
Hence, statement 2 is correct and statement 3 is incorrect.
● India has a trade surplus of $36.74 billion with the US in 2023-24.
● America is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus. The surplus is also
there with the UK, Belgium, Italy, France and Bangladesh.
● India's total trade deficit in the last fiscal narrowed to $238.3 billion as against $264.9 billion
in the previous fiscal.
Answer: C
Explanation
● Kursk Oblast has been in the news due to its strategic location near the Russia-Ukraine border.
● Kursk Oblast is a region in Russia that shares its western border with Ukraine.
● It lies in the southwestern part of Russia, with the city of Kursk as its administrative center.
Explanation
● Kursk Oblast has been in the news due to its strategic location near the Russia-Ukraine border.
● Kursk Oblast is a region in Russia that shares its western border with Ukraine.
● It lies in the southwestern part of Russia, with the city of Kursk as its administrative center.
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Which of the following statements is correct regarding windfall taxes?
choose the correct answer
Anonymous Quiz
3%
A. Windfall taxes are generally permanent and unchangeable.
88%
B. Windfall taxes are designed to capture additional revenue experiencing unexpected profit surges.
4%
C. Windfall taxes are applicable to all sectors uniformly.
6%
D. Windfall taxes are only imposed during economic booms.
Answer: B
Explanation
● Windfall taxes are designed to tax the profits a company derives from an external,
sometimes unprecedented event— for instance, the energy price-rise as a result of the
Russia-Ukraine conflict. Hence option B is the correct answer.
● These are profits that cannot be attributed to something the firm actively did, like an
investment strategy or an expansion of business.
● Governments typically levy a one-off tax retrospectively over and above the normal
rates of tax on such profits, called windfall tax.
● One area where such taxes have routinely been discussed is oil markets, where price
fluctuation leads to volatile or erratic profits for the industry.
● They are not necessarily permanent, applicable to all sectors uniformly, or restricted to times of economic booms.
Explanation
● Windfall taxes are designed to tax the profits a company derives from an external,
sometimes unprecedented event— for instance, the energy price-rise as a result of the
Russia-Ukraine conflict. Hence option B is the correct answer.
● These are profits that cannot be attributed to something the firm actively did, like an
investment strategy or an expansion of business.
● Governments typically levy a one-off tax retrospectively over and above the normal
rates of tax on such profits, called windfall tax.
● One area where such taxes have routinely been discussed is oil markets, where price
fluctuation leads to volatile or erratic profits for the industry.
● They are not necessarily permanent, applicable to all sectors uniformly, or restricted to times of economic booms.
2. With reference to the PM Vishwakarma scheme, consider the following statements.
1. It is a Central Sector Scheme fully funded by the Central government.
2. It aims to provide end-to-end support to artisans and craftspeople.
3. The scheme covers both rural and urban areas.
1. It is a Central Sector Scheme fully funded by the Central government.
2. It aims to provide end-to-end support to artisans and craftspeople.
3. The scheme covers both rural and urban areas.