Daily Quiz

Solution (b)
Explanation:
• The right to life has been addressed in cases like ‘Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India’ and ‘Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation’. (Option (a) is incorrect)
• The case ‘M. Nagaraj v. Union of India & Ors’ is related to the issue of reservation in promotions for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in government jobs.
• The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of reservations in promotions but added that the state must provide proof of backwardness, inadequacy of representation, and overall administrative efficiency. (Option (b) is correct)
• The right to privacy was significantly addressed in the landmark case of ‘Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) and Anr. vs Union of India’. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• The creamy layer concept was primarily addressed in the case of ‘Indra Sawhney v. Union of India’ (also known as the Mandal Commission case), which dealt with the exclusion of the creamy layer from the benefits of OBC reservation. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/sc-allows-sub-classification-of-sc-st-for-reservation-9488223/#:~:text=In%20a%20landmark%206%2D1,the%20less%20privileged%20among%20them.

Solution (a)

Explanation:

• Article 109 of the Indian Constitution allows Money Bills to be enacted as law with only the Lok Sabha’s approval. The Rajya Sabha can make recommendations on the Bill, but these recommendations are not binding on the Lok Sabha. (Option (a) is correct)
• Article 110 defines what constitutes a Money Bill. It specifies the subjects that a Money Bill can cover, such as imposition or abolition of a tax, regulation of borrowing, appropriation of funds from the Consolidated Fund of India, etc. (Option (b) is correct)
• Article 112 deals with the annual financial statement or the Union Budget. It requires the President to present an annual financial statement of the estimated receipts and expenditures of the Government of India. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• Article 108 pertains to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament. It allows for a joint sitting to resolve deadlocks between the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on ordinary Bills. (Option (d) is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-verdict-on-the-money-bill-that-india-awaits/article68474194.ece#:~:text=In%20the%20coming%20weeks%2C%20a,without%20the%20Rajya%20Sabha's%20approval.

Solution (c)

Explanation:

• Bt toxin and Cry1Ac are genes used in genetically modified crops like Bt cotton for pest resistance. These genes produce proteins that are toxic to certain insects. Bt cotton contains Cry1Ac gene, which provides resistance against bollworm. (Option (a) is incorrect)
• EPSPS and CP4 genes are used in genetically modified crops like Roundup Ready soybeans to provide resistance to the herbicide glyphosate. Roundup Ready soybeans are engineered to tolerate glyphosate, allowing farmers to use the herbicide to control weeds without harming the crop. (Option (b) is incorrect)
• Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11) is a genetically modified mustard hybrid that contains the alien genes Barnase and Barstar. These genes are used to create a male sterile line and restore fertility, facilitating the production of hybrid seeds.
• The Barnase gene causes male sterility in the plant, while the Barstar gene restores fertility when crossed with the Barnase-containing plant, enabling the creation of hybrid mustard varieties. (Option (c) is correct)
• Cry2Ab is another Bt gene used in GM crops for pest resistance, and NptII (neomycin phosphotransferase II) is used as a marker gene in many GM crops for antibiotic resistance. Cry2Ab is used in some Bt cotton varieties for enhanced pest resistance, and NptII is used as a selectable marker in genetic engineering. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/contested-harvest-on-india-and-genetically-modified-food-crop/article68473513.ece

Solution (a)

Explanation:

• India does have 3.3GW of pumped storage capacity. Major pumped storage projects in India include Nagarjunasagar, Kadana, Kadamparai, Panchet, and Bhira. (Statement 1 is correct)
• Kadamparai in Tamil Nadu is an off-river type of pumped storage. It uses two reservoirs at different levels to store and generate power. The Kadamparai pumped storage project operates in a closed loop system where water is pumped from a lower to an upper reservoir during surplus power and released to generate electricity when needed. (Statement 2 is incorrect)
• China leads the world in terms of pumped storage capacity, with 50GW supporting 1,300GW of wind and solar energy. China’s substantial pumped storage capacity helps balance its massive renewable energy output. (Statement 3 is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/budget/heres-why-union-budget-2024-promised-policy-on-pumped-storage/article68471636.ece#:~:text=India%20would%20therefore%20need%20to,projects%20could%20become%20pumped%20storage.

Solution (b)

Explanation:

• The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024 includes provisions for creating a disaster database at both the national and state levels. This database will encompass disaster assessment, fund allocation details, expenditure, preparedness and mitigation plans, risk registers according to type and severity of risk, and other relevant matters as determined by the Central government. (Statement 1 is correct)
• The Bill makes provision for the constitution of an “Urban Disaster Management Authority” for state capitals and large cities with municipal corporations, except for the union territories of Delhi and Chandigarh. This authority will specifically focus on urban disaster management, addressing the unique challenges faced by densely populated urban areas. (Statement 2 is correct)
• The Bill empowers the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA) to prepare disaster plans at the national and state levels, respectively. This marks a shift from the earlier practice where disaster plans were made by the National Executive Committee and the State Executive Committees. (Statement 3 is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-to-introduce-bill-to-amend-disaster-management-act-plans-on-for-creation-of-disaster-database-at-national-state-level/article68471722.ece