Prelims Specific Questions
1)In the context of the Indian parliament, which of the following will lapse on the dissolution of Lok Sabha?
- A bill passed by the Lok Sabha but pending in the Rajya Sabha
- A bill pending in the Rajya Sabha but not passed by the Lok Sabha
- All pending assurances that are to be examined by the Committee on Government Assurances
Select the correct answer from the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 3 only
2)With reference to Buddhism, which of the following statements is not correct?
(a) There are three principal elements in Buddhism: Buddha, dhamma, and sangha.
(b) Buddhism rejects the authenticity of the Vedas.
(c) Tipitakas have been written in prakrit language.
(d) In various Buddhist texts, Buddha is also known as Tathagata and Sakyamuni.
3)Which of the following statements best describes Pigovian Tax?
(a) It is a tax placed on any good which creates negative externalities.
(b) It is a tax levied on purchase and sale of securities.
(c) It is a tax levied upon digital assets legally recognised in India.
(d) It is a tax that unlisted startups are required to pay on their additional earnings.
Answers :- A, C, A
Prelims Specific News Items
1) India and the Maldives conducted the 4th Defence Cooperation Dialogue (DCD) in Male on March 19, 2023. The dialogue was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and his Maldivian counterpart, Chief of Defence Force, Maldives National Defence Forces Major General Abdulla Shamaal.
This DCD is the highest institutionalised interactive mechanism between the two countries. Its significance in chartering the future course of relations between both the Armed Forces was highlighted by the importance given to the talks by the two nations.
About Maldives:- Maldives is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and India. It is composed of 26 atolls, which are groups of islands formed around a coral reef. The islands are scattered across a vast area of the ocean and are home to numerous marine species, including turtles, dolphins, and various types of fish.
Between Lakshadweep and Maldives comes 8 degree channel
The Maldives has a total area of 298 square kilometers and is one of the lowest countries in the world, with an average elevation of just 1.5 meters above sea level. The islands are vulnerable to rising sea levels caused by climate change, and the government has taken measures to address this issue.
The capital city of Maldives is Malé, located in the Kaafu Atoll. Other important atolls include the North and South Malé Atolls, Ari Atoll, Baa Atoll, and Lhaviyani Atoll.
The country is also home to several coral reefs, such as the Hanifaru Bay and the Addu Atoll, which are popular diving and snorkeling spots.
Overall, Maldives is known for its picturesque white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and diverse marine life, making it a popular destination for tourists and travelers from all around the world.
2) PM Matasya Sampada Yojana :- The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India is implementing Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana – A scheme to bring about Blue Revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India at an estimated investment of Rs. 20050 crores for holistic development of fisheries sector including welfare of fishers. PMMSY is being implemented in all the States and Union Territories for a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
PMMSY is designed to address critical gaps in the fisheries value chain from fish production, productivity and quality to technology, post-harvest infrastructure and marketing. It aims to modernize and strengthen the value chain, enhance traceability and establish a robust fisheries management framework while simultaneously ensuring the socio-economic welfare of fishers and fish farmers.
3) ST Sangamam :-
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has highlighted the bond between Gujarat and Tamil Nadu being celebrated under Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam. The ST Sangamam, the Prime Minister said, celebrates ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.’
4) L20 Group :- The Labour20 (L20) engagement group’s inception meet, as part of India’s G20 presidency, today began deliberations in Amritsar, Punjab on key issues concerning the global workforce to provide direction to the G20 nations and institutions to focus on development reaching to the last person.
5) Laccase :-
An enzyme called laccase generated by a group of fungi has been found capable of degrading a variety of hazardous organic dye molecules that are regularly drained into waterbodies after dying clothes in the textile industry. This observed characteristic which the scientists termed substrate promiscuity can have deep implication in designing enzyme-coated cassettes for treating heavily dye-polluted water through a natural solution to make the environment greener.
Laccase, was known for its capacity to degrade various organic molecules. Hence the scientists saw a scope in using it to develop a technology to treat/degrade the dye effluents emanated from textile industries.
6) Alma-Ata Declaration on Health – 1978 ( Primary Health )
Key takeaways from the declaration:
- The declaration touches upon the crucial aspect that PHC should not function in vacuum and there has to be cohesion between all tiers of healthcare so that the services given to patients are not limited.
- The declaration also takes into cognizance the growing threat of lifestyle and non-communicable diseases.
- The declaration asks all member states to make “bold political choices” for health across sectors.
- It also seeks a multi-sectoral action that includes technology, scientific and traditional knowledge, along with well-trained and compensated health professionals, and people and community participation is needed to strengthen primary health care and provide quality “health for all”
Astana Declaration 2018 :-
The new primary health care declaration affirms the “commitment to the fundamental right of every human being to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health without distinction of any kind”, and reaffirms the commitment to the Alma-Ata core principles.
7) Background radiation:-
Background radiation is the radiation that is emitted from natural sources such as rocks, sand or mountains.
What are the major sources of it:-
The majority of background radiation occurs naturally from minerals and a small fraction comes from man-made elements. Naturally occurring radioactive minerals in the ground, soil, and water produce background radiation. The human body even contains some of these naturally-occurring radioactive minerals.
