Ans: B

Exp:

The 25th edition of Nagaland’s famed Hornbill Festival is now underway amidst a wide public debate on relaxing the 35-year-old liquor prohibition law for the duration of the festival.

• About Hornbill

• • • Family of birds found in tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia.
    • India is home to nine species of hornbills. 
    • Northeastern region has the highest diversity of hornbill species within India

• Great Indian Hornbill 

• • • Statement 1 is Incorrect: Great Hornbills are found in three separate areas in South Asia; The Western Ghats, The Himalayan foothills in Uttaranchal to south Nepal Bhutan and northeast India.
    • Statement 2 is correct:  Great Indian Hornbill is the state bird of Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala.

• Significance:

• • Cultural symbols of some ethnic communities in the northeast → Specifically the Nyishi of Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Statement 3 is correct: Hornbills are often referred to as ‘forest engineers’ because they play a key role in seed dispersal, contributing to forest biodiversity.

Ans C

Exp:

The IDR features external debt statistics and analysis for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that report to the World Bank’s Debtor Reporting System (DRS).

About International Debt Report 2024

• • Statement 1 is Incorrect:  The International Debt Report (IDR) is a longstanding annual publication of the World Bank featuring external debt statistics and analysis for the low- and middle-income countries that report to the World Bank Debtor Reporting System (DRS).

• Key Highlights

• • Statement 2 is Incorrect: Total external debt of Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) LMICs decreased by 2.4% in 2023. 
  • Factors Driving Indebtedness: High Interest Rates – Tight monetary policies in high-income countries pushed interest rates to a 20-year high.
    • Bangladesh and India experienced over 90% increases in interest payments in 2023.
  • Other Factors: Inflation, depreciating currencies, and global economic uncertainty due to armed conflicts and trade fragmentation.
  • Impact of rising debt: Budget strain impacted critical sectors like health, education, and environmental programs.

Ans: B

Exp:

Recently, Reserve Bank of India governor Shaktikanta Das said that de-dollarization is not India’s objective as part of the BRICS bloc.

Advantages/Challenges of De-dollarisation

• Statement 1 is Correct: Reducing dependence on the US dollar helps mitigate the risks associated with changes in US economic or political conditions.
• Statement 2 is Correct: Diversifying reserves reduces vulnerability to fluctuations in the US dollar and interest rate changes, thus improving economic stability.
• Statement 3 is Correct: By decreasing reliance on the US dollar, countries reduce the influence of US monetary policies, which may otherwise have significant effects on their economies.
• Statement 4 is Incorrect: As developing countries transition away from the US dollar, they may face heightened exchange rate volatility, which could impact trade, investment, and capital flows. 

Ans: D

Exp: 

Recently, Congress MP Hibi Eden has submitted a notice to move a privilege motion against BJP MP Sambit Patra for his remarks calling Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi “traitor of the highest order”, asserting that the usage of “completely defamatory and unparliamentary words” has clearly violated constitutional norms

Article 105 of the Constitution which provides for the powers, privileges and immunities of the Houses of Parliament and of the Members and the Committees thereof reads as follows:—

• Statement 1 is Correct: Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and to the rules and standing orders regulating the procedure of Parliament, there shall be freedom of speech in Parliament.
• Statement 3 is Correct: No Member of Parliament shall be liable to any proceedings in any court in respect of anything said or any vote given by him in Parliament or any Committee thereof, and no person shall be so liable in respect of the publication by or under the authority of either House of Parliament of any report, paper, votes or proceedings.
• In other respects, the powers, privileges and immunities of each House of Parliament and of the Members and the Committees of each House, shall be such as may from time to time be defined by Parliament by law, and, until so defined, shall be those of that House and of its Members and Committees immediately before the coming into force of section 15 of the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978.
• Statement 2 is Correct:  The provisions of clauses (1), (2) and (3) shall apply in relation to persons who by virtue of this Constitution have the right to speak in, and otherwise to take part in the proceedings of a House of Parliament or any Committee thereof as they apply in relation to Members of Parliament.

Ans: D

Exp:

Recently,  Supreme Court fixed in January a detailed hearing of a petition seeking to bring down the permissible water level of the Mullaperiyar Dam, situated in the Cardamom Hills of the Western Ghats, from 142 ft to 120 ft to obviate the possibility of the dam breaching

About Mullaperiyar Dam

• Statement 4 is Correct: The Mullaperiyar, a 126-year-old dam, is located on the confluence of the Mullayar and Periyar rivers in Kerala’s Idukki district.
• The dam stands at the height of 53.66 metres and 365.85 metres in length.
• The dam is owned, operated and maintained by Tamil Nadu.
• Tamil Nadu maintained it for several purposes, including irrigation, drinking water supply and hydro-power generation.

About Periyar River

• Statement 1 is Correct: The Periyar River is the longest river in the state of Kerala with a length of 244 km.
• It is also known as ‘Lifeline of Kerala’ as it is one of the few perennial rivers in the state.
• Statement 2 is Correct: Periyar River originates from Sivagiri hills of Western Ghats, in Tamil Nadu and flows through the Periyar National Park.
• Statement 3 is Correct: The main tributaries of Periyar are Muthirapuzha, Mullayar, Cheruthoni, Perinjankutti.