Option (a) is correct

Explanation:

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the merger of Vistara with Air India as well as allowed Singapore Airlines to acquire 25.1% stake in the erstwhile national carrier.
• Statement 1 is not correct: It is a statutory body of the Government of India responsible for enforcing the Competition Act, 2002, it was duly constituted in March 2009.
• Statement 2 is correct: It is under the aegis of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
• Statement 3 is correct:The Commission consists of a Chairperson and not more than 6 Members appointed by the Central Government.
• Eligibility: According the Competition Act, 2002, the Chairperson and every other member shall be: 
  • A person of ability, integrity and standing; 
  • Who has been, or is qualified to be, a judge of a High Court, or 
  • Who has special knowledge of, and professional experience of not less than 15 years in international trade, economics, business, commerce, law, finance, accountancy, management, industry, public affairs, administration or in any other matter which, in the opinion of the Central Government, may be useful to the Commission.
• It acts as a quasi-judicial body which gives opinions to statutory authorities and also deals with other cases.

Option (b) is correct

Explanation:

• As part of India’s ‘Aarogya Maitri’ initiative to provide essential medical supplies to friendly countries, the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka,presented state-of-the-art Arogya Maitri Cube. 
• These medical cubes have been indigenously developed under the Project BHISHM (‘Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri’).
• These cubes contain essential equipment and supplies, such as an operation theater, a mini-ICU, ventilators, blood test equipment, an X-ray machine, a cooking station, food, water, shelter, a power generator, and more. 
• The special cage can hold 36 mini-cubes filled with supplies needed for 100 people to survive for two days. 
• There are two of these cages, called master cubes, which can be joined to support 200 survivors. 

Option (c) is correct

Explanation:

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor outlined that the adoption of the Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) can make cross-border payments efficient.
• A central bank digital currency (CBDC) is the digital form of a country’s fiat currency.
• Statement 1 is correct:CBDC can be transacted using wallets backed by blockchain.
• Statement 2 is correct:These are legal tenders issued by a central bank.
• Features of CBDC:
  • CBDC is a sovereign currency issued by Central Banks in alignment with their monetary policy.
  • Freely convertible against commercial bank money and cash.
  • Fungible legal tender for which holders need not have a bank account.
  • Expected to lower the cost of issuance of money and transactions.
  • Payments effected through CBDC would be instantaneous and final
  • Reduced reliance on clearing corporations and other settlement infrastructure could cut down energy consumption.

Option (b) is correct.

Explanation:

• According to a research conducted by the New Delhi-based think tank, the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), a significant portion of off-Budget borrowing undertaken by states that control distribution companies is allocated to cover the costs of electricity subsidies.
• Statement 1 is correct: Off budget borrowings are used by the Centre to finance its expenditures while keeping the debt off from its annual statement. It acts as a debt to the Central Government and the principal and interest is paid by the Central Government.
• Statement 2 is not correct: The off-budget borrowings are loans that the government does not take directly, but public institutions borrow after the Centre’s order. This is not reflected in Centre’s borrowing and hence is not part of its fiscal deficit.
• Statement 3 is  correct: Off-budget financing is excluded from the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act which sets a target for the Centre to establish fiscal discipline and reduce its fiscal deficits.

Option (d) is correct

Explanation:

• An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health.
• A few well-known examples include;
  • Water hyacinth
  • Zebra mussels
  • Burmese pythons
  • Gaint Salvinia 
• These species can cause costly economic and ecological damage each year including crop decimation, clogging of water facilities and waterways, wildlife and human disease transmission, threats to fisheries, increased fire vulnerability, and adverse effects for ranchers and farmers.