Daily Quiz

Solution (b)
Explanation:
• P.K. Thungan Committee (1989) proposed electoral reforms and devolution of more power and functions to Panchayats. (Option (a) is incorrect)
• The Ram Nandan Prasad Committee, established in 1993, was tasked with identifying the criteria for the creamy layer among Other Backward Classes (OBCs). It recommended income and social status criteria to exclude affluent members of OBCs from reservation benefits. (Option (b) is correct)
• The Indrajit Gupta Committee, set up in 1998, dealt with state funding of elections and electoral reforms. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• The Swaran Singh Committee was established to review the functioning of the Indian Constitution and recommend amendments. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/on-reservations-and-the-obc-creamy-layer-explained/article68458087.ece#:~:text=The%20reservation%20at%20present%20stands,the%20central%20government%20remain%20unfilled.

Solution (c)

Explanation:

• While Uganda is taking steps towards renewable energy and environmental conservation, it has not recently passed legislation imposing mandatory curbs on emissions from large fossil-fuel heavy industries or requiring climate adaptation plans from towns and villages. (Option (a) is incorrect)
• Ethiopia is actively engaged in reforestation and renewable energy initiatives, but it has not recently enacted the specific legislation mentioned. (Option (b) is incorrect)
• South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, signed into law legislation that imposes mandatory curbs on emissions from large fossil-fuel heavy industries and requires climate adaptation plans from towns and villages. This legislation aligns with South Africa’s commitments under the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. (Option (c) is correct)
• Kenya is making strides in renewable energy, particularly with geothermal and wind power, but the recent legislation imposing mandatory emission curbs and climate adaptation plans is not from Kenya. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/what-is-south-africas-new-law-on-climate-change/article68458069.ece#:~:text=South%20Africa%20submitted%20its%20first,350%2D420%20MtCO2e%20by%202030.

Solution (a)

Explanation:

• Aquilaria malaccensis is a species of tree that produces agarwood, which is highly valued for its fragrant resin used in perfumes, incense, and traditional medicines. Agarwood is used in high-end perfumes and incense. (Option (a) is correct)
• Aquilaria malaccensis is not specifically used as a medicinal plant in Ayurveda. Plants like Ashwagandha and Tulsi are commonly used in Ayurveda. (Option (b) is incorrect)
• Aquilaria malaccensis is not related to coral reefs. Coral reefs like the Great Barrier Reef are marine ecosystems composed of coral. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• Aquilaria malaccensis is not a variety of rice. Varieties of rice grown in Northeast India include Joha and Bora rice. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/cites-eases-export-of-agarwood-from-india-move-to-benefit-lakhs-of-farmers/article68457796.ece#:~:text=Since%20agarwood%20is%20cultivated%20in,Manipur%2C%20Nagaland%2C%20and%20Tripura.

Solution (b)

Explanation:

• Titan is a moon of Saturn. It is the largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest moon in the Solar System. Titan has a thick atmosphere and is known for its lakes and rivers of liquid methane and ethane. (Statement 1 is correct)
• Ariel is a moon of Uranus, not Saturn. It is one of the five major moons of Uranus. Ariel has a surface with canyons and ridges, indicating past geological activity. (Statement 2 is incorrect)
• Triton is a moon of Neptune. It is the largest moon of Neptune and has a retrograde orbit, meaning it orbits Neptune in the opposite direction to the planet’s rotation. Triton has geysers that spew nitrogen gas, indicating active geology. (Statement 3 is incorrect)
• Enceladus is a moon of Saturn. It is known for its icy surface and geysers that eject water vapor and organic molecules, suggesting the presence of a subsurface ocean. Enceladus is considered one of the most promising places in the Solar System to search for extraterrestrial life. (Statement 4 is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/does-uranuss-moon-ariel-also-have-an-underground-ocean/article68456198.ece

Solution (d)

Explanation:

• The Great Conveyor Belt, also known as the thermohaline circulation, involves the movement of warm and cold water across the global oceans, driven by temperature and salinity differences. The Gulf Stream is part of this system, carrying warm water from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic. (Statement 1 is correct)
• By moving warm water from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles toward the equator, the Great Conveyor Belt helps to balance the global climate. This circulation helps moderate temperatures in Europe, making the climate milder than other regions at similar latitudes. (Statement 2 is correct)
• Increased freshwater from melting polar ice can alter salinity and temperature gradients, potentially slowing down or disrupting the thermohaline circulation. Such disruptions could lead to significant changes in weather patterns, such as more severe winters in Europe or shifts in monsoon patterns. (Statement 3 is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/surprising-dark-oxygen-discovery-could-ensnarl-deep-sea-mining-explained/article68452653.ece