Ans: D

Exp:

A recent study by Oxford University’s Saïd Business School (SBS) has lauded India’s PRAGATI infrastructure monitoring system for accelerating 340 projects worth $205 billion across the country and bringing about economic transformation.

• The study entitled “From Gridlock to Growth: How Leadership Enables India’s PRAGATI Ecosystem to Power Progress”.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation), as the name suggests, is aimed at starting a culture of Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation. 
  • It is a multi-purpose and multi-modal platform that is aimed at addressing common man’s grievances, and simultaneously monitoring and reviewing important programmes and projects of the Government of India as well as projects flagged by State/UT Governments.
• Statement 2 is correct:  It is a 3-tier system involving the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Union Government Secretaries, and Chief Secretaries of the States (promotes cooperative federalism).
  • It is also a robust system for bringing e-transparency and e-accountability with real-time presence and exchange among the key stakeholders. The platform was launched on March 25, 2015.
  • The platform facilitates real-time transparency and accountability among key stakeholders to monitor the progress of government schemes.

Ans: B

Exp:

Scientists, policymakers and industry representatives who participated in the 13th edition of the three-day National Seed Congress (NSC) resolved to work more on innovative seed technologies for farmers in the country. The focus will be on hybrid and biofortified crops, stress-tolerant varieties, and accelerated breeding cycles.

• The theme of this year’s NSC is ‘Innovating for a Sustainable Seed Ecosystem’.

• • Statement 1 is correct: Biofortification involves increasing the nutrient density of food crops through plant breeding, agronomic practices, and biotechnology.
    • Biofortification is the process of improving the nutritional content of food crops. 
    • This is done to increase the levels of essential vitamins and minerals in the crops.
    • Biofortification primarily targets staple crops like rice to provide essential micronutrients, especially to populations with limited access to diverse diets.

• Methods of Biofortification:

• • • Agronomic Practices: Using specific farming techniques to enhance nutrient content in crops.
    • Conventional Breeding: Selecting and crossbreeding plants with high nutrient levels to produce more nutritious crop varieties.
    • Biotechnology Approaches: Advanced methods like genetic engineering and genome editing are used to directly modify the genetic makeup of crops for better nutrition.
• Statement 2 is correct: Biofortification is recognized as a nutrition-sensitive intervention to reduce deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, improving overall public health.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: Bt brinjal is an example of a transgenic crop, not biofortification. Bt brinjal is not the first biofortified crop commercially available in India, but it was the first genetically modified (GM) food crop to be approved for commercial cultivation in India
  • Initially, only conventional biofortified crops were explored, until the development in 1999 of Golden Rice as the first biofortified staple crop that was genetically engineered to tackle vitamin A deficiency.

Ans: C

Exp:

Recently, the protest was organised by the Bhartiya Kisan Parishad (BKP) along with other farmer groups, and it was being held to demand compensation and benefits related to agricultural reforms, including a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price.

• Statement 1 is incorrect: MSP does not have statutory backing; it is a policy decision and not enforceable by law.
  • MSP is a form of market intervention by the Government of India to insure agricultural producers against any sharp fall in farm prices during bumper production years.
• Statement 2 is incorrect:  The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) announces the MSP for certain crops on the recommendation of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The applicability of MSP is not just limited to kharif crops.
  • Crops Under MSP → CACP recommends MSPs for 22 mandated crops and Fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane.
  • Mandated crops include → 14 crops of the kharif season, 6 rabi crops and 2 other commercial crops.
  • Kharif Crops (14) → Paddy, Bajra, Jowar, Maize, Arhar (Pigeon Pea), Ragi, Moong (Green Gram), Groundnut-in-shell, Urad (Black Gram), Soyabean, Niger seed, Sunflower, Sesamum, Cotton.
  • Rabi Crops (6) → Barley, Wheat, Gram, Rapeseed/Mustard seed, Masur (Lentil), Safflower
  • Other Commercial Crops (2) → Copra & Jute
  • In addition → MSP for Toria and de-husked coconut is also fixed based on MSPs of rapeseed & mustard, and copra, respectively.

Ans: D

Exp:

In a landmark conservation move, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has granted in-principle approval for the designation of Madhav National Park in Shivpuri district as a Tiger Reserve. 

• This is set to make Madhav the 9th tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, with an official notification from the state government now pending.
• Statement 1 is incorrect: Madhav National Park is located in Madhya Pradesh.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The park’s vegetation includes Northern tropical dry deciduous mixed forests and Dry Thorn Forests.
  • Wet Evergreen Forests and Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests are not characteristic of this region.

Ans: C

Exp:

India has scrapped the windfall profit tax on domestically-produced crude oil and exported jet fuel, diesel, and petrol, due to declining international oil prices. 

• Statement 1 is correct: A windfall tax is a tax levied by governments against certain industries when economic conditions allow those industries to experience above-average profits. 
  • Windfall taxes are primarily levied on companies in the targeted industry that have benefited the most from the economic windfall, most often commodity-based businesses.
• Statement 2 is correct: The primary aim of the Windfall Tax is to redistribute excess profits for the greater social good and fund social welfare schemes.