13 July 2023

Q. Take into account the following statements about the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism:

1. The OECD came up with the idea.
2. With effect from 2026, it proposes to charge goods with a high carbon footprint, like steel and cement.

Which of the aforementioned statements is true?

• 1 only
• 2 only
• Both 1 and 2
• Neither 1 nor 2

B – Explanation

• Statement 1 is false, but 2 is true
• The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is a policy that the European Union wants to implement starting in 2026 to charge carbon-intensive goods like steel and cement.
• Large economies that are heavily dependent on coal, such as Brazil, India, South Africa, and China, together known as BASIC, have reaffirmed their right to use fossil fuels in the interim while transitioning their nations to sustainable energy sources in the long run.
• It is an import tax depending on the quantity of carbon emissions generated during the production of the targeted good. As a carbon tax, it reduces emissions. It has an impact on exports and production as a trade-related measure.
• It runs the risk of turning into a protectionist tool that unfairly shields domestic sectors from international competition in the name of “green protectionism.”
• If all goes according to plan, EU importers will be required to purchase carbon credits equal to the carbon price that would have been charged in the EU if the products had been made there.
• According to the auction prices in the EU carbon credit market, the price of the certificates would be determined. The quantity of commodities and embedded emissions in those goods imported into the EU would determine the annual number of certifications needed.

Q. Which of the following nations is related to the Moscow framework of negotiations?

• Ukraine
• Afghanistan
• Syria
• India

B – Explanation

• India attended the most recent session of the consultations on Afghanistan held in the Moscow format.
• Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and India make up the Moscow format, one of the several platforms for conversation on Afghanistan. It was established before to the Taliban’s capture of Kabul.
• P. Singh, the joint secretary in charge of the Ministry of External Affairs’ division for Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, attended the discussions on behalf of India.
• Facilitating the process of national reconciliation in Afghanistan in order to bring about peace is the main goal of the dialogues under the Moscow framework.
• The participants in the discussion talked about matters pertaining to Afghanistan, such as the current humanitarian crisis and the continued support efforts of many stakeholders, intra-Afghan dialogue, and the formation of an inclusive and representative government.

Q. Which of the following states/UTs is home to Pangong Tso Lake?

• Jammu and Kashmir
• Ladakh
• Uttarakhand
• Himachal Pradesh

B – Explanation

• An endorheic (landlocked) body of water with a long boomerang form is Pangong Lake.
• It is situated at a height of approximately 4,200 metres (13,800 feet) above sea level.
• With a length of more than 135 km, it is a transborder lake that stretches over eastern Ladakh and western Tibet.
• For a long time, Pangong Tso has been a source of ongoing conflict between China and India. One-third of the 135 km long boomerang-shaped lake is owned by India.
• The brackish water lake, which was created by a glacier melt, freezes in the winter and features mountain fingers from the Chang Chenmo range.
• India has consistently statemented the area between Fingers 4 and 8, which is where it believes the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to be, and has reaffirmed this position on numerous occasions. The initial incident in May 2020 marked the start of the protracted standoff and took place on the North bank, which has a significantly different concept of LAC than the South side. Near Finger 3 is a permanent Indian Army position. East of Finger 8, there is a base for the Chinese.
• Speed boats used by both sides to patrol the water also lead to clashes. Prior to the 2020 incident, border standoffs were often settled in accordance with the norms established to ensure peace and tranquilly.

Q. Which of the following countries is covered by the Amazon Rainforest?

1. Brazil
2. Bolivia
3. Peru
4. Uruguay
5. Ecuador
6. Colombia

Select the right option from the list of codes below:

• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
• 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
• 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6

C – Explanation

• The majority of South America’s Amazon basin is covered by the moist broadleaf tropical rainforest known as the Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle, or Amazonia.
• The Amazon region of South America is home to almost a third of the planet’s remaining tropical rainforests. The Amazon rainforest is home to 10% of all the wildlife species we are aware of, as well as likely many more that we are yet unaware of, while making up only around 1% of the surface of the world.
• Brazil contains 60% of the world’s rainforest, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and, to a lesser extent, by French Guiana, Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
• The Amazon rainforest is a treasure trove of diverse life and contributes around 20% of the oxygen in the atmosphere.
• Numerous indigenous people there live there and depend on the trees for their survival.

Q. Which of the following ministries houses the office of Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks?

• Ministry of Industry and Commerce
• Science and Technology Ministry
• Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution Ministry
• Corporate Affairs Ministry

A – Explanation

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks, more commonly known as the Indian Patent Office, is responsible for overseeing the country’s patent, design, and trademark laws.
• The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, the Designs Act, 2000, and the Patents Act, 1970 are all administered by the Controller General, who also provides advice to the government on topics pertaining to intellectual property rights.

Q. Take into account the following statements about the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS):

1. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ flagship initiative is called TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme).
2. It is an effort to help the best athletes in India.
3. The plan aims to boost these athletes’ training so they can take home medals at the Olympics.

Which of the aforementioned statements is true?

• 1 and 2 only
• 2 and 3 only
• 1 and 3 only
• 1, 2 and 3

D – Explanation

• The statements are all true.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ main initiative, TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme), aims to support India’s best athletes.
• The goal of the Scheme is to improve these athletes’ training so they can compete for medals in the Olympics.
• The Scheme now supports 269 TOPS Development Group athletes across 12 sports disciplines, together with 104 TOPS Core Group athletes across 13 sports disciplines, including Hockey (M & W) teams.
• The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) was launched by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) in September 2014 to enhance India’s performance at the Olympics and Paralympics. This was updated in April 2018 to create a technical support team to oversee the TOPS athletes and offer all-around assistance. The programme is fully operational and has been providing potential athletes identified for the 2020 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games with all necessary support, including overseas training, international competition, equipment, and coaching camps in addition to a monthly stipend of Rs. 50,000/- for each athlete.

Q. Mata Ni Pachedi, a pottery-textile puppet folk dance that was recently seen in the news, belongs to which state?

• Gujarat
• West Bengal
• Madhya Pradesh
• Rajasthan

A – Explanation

• Due to its similarity to the South Indian painting style of Kalamkari and use of the same brush (kalam) made of bamboo, Mata ni Pachedi is also known as the Kalamkari of Gujarat.
• The phrase “behind the mother goddess” (mata ni pachedi) refers to a piece of cloth that serves as the goddess’ temple.
• According to the legend, when the nomadic Vaghari population of Gujarat, who worship Mata, was forbidden from entering temples, they built their own houses of worship using cloth-based drawings of the Mother Goddess (Mata).

Q. Which of the following states manufactures the Kinnauri Shawl that was recently featured in the news?

• Uttarakhand
• Uttar Pradesh
• Himachal Pradesh
• Andhra Pradesh

C – Explanation

• The Kinnaur district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is where the Kinnauri Shawl is a particular style of shawl made.
• The geometric patterns on the shawls are well known.
• The shawl was registered by the Indian government in October 2010 in accordance with the 1999 Geographical Indications of Goods Act.
• These shawls are woven with colours that have legendary origins and are known for their elaborate geometric patterns that depict religiously significant objects.

Q. Take into account the following statements about the mission of Artemis:

1. By 2024, NASA hopes to have astronauts on Mars thanks to the Artemis programme.
2. Currently, three Artemis missions are in flight, and Artemis 1 is a test flight without crew.

Which of the aforementioned statements is true?

• 1 only
• 2 only
• Both 1 and 2
• Neither 1 nor 2

B – Explanation

• The first statement is untrue.
• The Artemis mission from NASA, which is named after Apollo’s mythological twin sister, is hailed as the next step in lunar exploration.
• NASA hopes to send people to the moon with the Artemis programme by 2024, and the first woman and person of colour will also be sent there.
• The second statement is true.
• The first of the three Artemis missions, Artemis 1, successfully launched on November 16, 2022, and was an unmanned test voyage around and beyond the Moon.
• Humans will travel the furthest in space ever on Artemis 2, a crewed mission beyond the Moon.
• The first female and first person of colour astronauts will be launched aboard Artemis 3 to the Moon, where they will spend a week conducting research.

Q. Which of the following states/UTs is the patan patola scarf from?

• Punjab
• Gujarat
• Jammu and Kashmir
• Himachal Pradesh

B – Explanation

• PM Narendra Modi recently gave Italian PM Giorgia Meloni a “Patan Patola Dupatta” (scarf).
• The 11th century saw the beginning of the ancient craft of double ikat or patola weaving on pure silk. The colours and designs on the Patola fabrics are equally vibrant on both sides.
• This peculiar quality is the result of a complex and challenging dyeing or knot-dying technique called “bandhani” that is applied to the warp and weft separately before weaving.
• The Salvi family from North Gujarat is one of the foremost practitioners of the vanishing art form.
• The weaving procedure: Rosewood and bamboo strip-based hand-operated harness looms are used to weave patola. The weaving frame is angled. The Rajkot Patola, woven on a flat loom, is the other patola that is frequently worn.