Ans: D

Exp:

• Recently, the Cabinet approved the continuation of Niti Aayog’s flagship initiative Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), with an enhanced scope of work and allocated budget of Rs 2,750 crore, till March 31, 2028. Option ( d ) is correct.
• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is Government of India’s flagship initiative to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across the length and breadth of our country. 
• AIM’s objective is to develop new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy, provide platforms and collaboration opportunities for different stakeholders, and create an umbrella structure to oversee the innovation & entrepreneurship ecosystem of the country.
• AIM has launched the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) program which is a state-of-the-art space established in a school with a goal to foster curiosity and innovation in young minds, between grade 6th to 12th across the country through 21st century tools and technologies such as Internet of Things.

Ans: A

Exp:

Government of India announces the commencement of a historic year-long celebration to commemorate the 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution of India, a milestone that reflects the remarkable journey of our democracy and the enduring legacy of our founding principles and Constitutional values starting on Constitution Day (Samvidhan Diwas), 26th November 2024. 

• These celebrations are being conducted under the campaign tagline “Hamara Samvidhan, Hamara Swabhimaan”
• Statement 1 is correct: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2015 notified the decision of the Centre to celebrate 26 November as ‘Constitution Day’.
• Statement 2 is not correct: The Constituent Assembly of India was set up in 1946 under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946
  • The First meeting of the constituent assembly was held on  December 9, 1946.
  • On 29th August, 1947, the Constituent Assembly set up a Drafting Committee under the Chairmanship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to prepare a Draft Constitution for India.
  • On 26th November 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India which came into effect on 26th January 1950.

Ans: B

Exp:

Even as loan write-offs by scheduled commercial banks reduced by 18.2 per cent in the financial year 2023-24, over one-fifth of the banks saw an increase in the amount of the loans written-off in the year ended March. 

• Loan write-offs is a process of removing bad loans from the books of banks after making adequate provisions for them
• Writing off a loan essentially means it will no longer be counted as an asset. It is done to clean up the balance sheet of banks and reflect their true financial position.
• Statement 1 is not correct: Assets classified as an NPA for a period less than or equal to 12 months are Sub-standard Assets..
• Statement 2 is not correct: Assets that have been non performing for a period exceeding 12 months are Doubtful Assets.
• Statement 3 is correct: Banks stop recovery attempts after writing off a loan.

Ans: C

Exp:

The Department of Atomic Energy has installed the Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) Observatory in Ladakh. 

• Statement 1 is correct: The MACE telescope will observe high-energy gamma rays such as supernovae, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts. This newly installed facility will complement global observatories and is an important feature in strengthening India’s position in the field of multi-messenger astronomy.
• Statement 2 is not correct: It is indigenously built by Baba Atomic Research Centre with support from Electronic Corporation of India and other Indian industry partners
• Statement 3 is correct: MACE, which is installed at Hanley in eastern Ladakh is considered as the largest imaging Cherenkov telescope in Asia as well as the highest in the world for being installed at an altitude of 4,300 metre. 

Ans: C

Exp:

• The Supreme Court  granted the Union government four weeks to decide on the long-pending mercy plea of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a Babbar Khalsa sympathiser convicted in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh
• Mercy petition’ is a formal request made by someone who has been sentenced to death or imprisonment seeking mercy from the President (Article 72) or the Governor (Article 161)
• Statement 2 is correct: There is no time limit given in Article 72 and 161 for Mercy Plea.
• Constitutional Provision:
• Article 72: President shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence—
  • In all cases where the punishment or sentence is by a Court Martial.
  • In all cases where the punishment or sentence is for an offence against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the Union extends.
  • In all cases where the sentence is a sentence of death.
• Article 161: Governor of a State shall have the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or remissions of punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence against any law relating to a matter to which the executive power of the State extends.
  • These Articles have no binding effect on the President and the Governors of the states to accept all the Mercy Petitions.
• Statement 1 is correct: There is no statutory written procedure for dealing with mercy petitions.