Current Affairs Quiz Today – 03rd Feb 2021

ANS: (B) 1 and 3 only

Explanation:

• Ekamra Kshetra is a series of ancient sandstone temples, heritage ponds and water tanks in Bhubaneshwar in Odisha.
• It is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been listed as a tentative site in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
• The 13th-century Sun Temple also known as the “Black Pagoda” which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in Puri, Odisha.

ANS: (D) None of the Above

Explanation:

All the given statements are correct.

• ATMA stands for Agricultural Technology Management Agency.
• A Centrally Sponsored Scheme “Support to State Extension Programs for Extension Reforms”, popularly known as ATMA Scheme, is under implementation since 2005.
• The scheme promotes decentralized farmer-friendly extension system in the country.
• Under the scheme, grants-in-aid are released to the State Governments with an objective to support State Government’s efforts to make available the latest agricultural technologies and good agricultural practices in different thematic areas of agriculture and allied areas to farmers.
• Scheme objective: The scheme aims at making extension system farmer-driven and farmer accountable by way of new institutional arrangements for technology dissemination in the form of an Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) at the district level to operationalize the extension reforms.

ANS: (B) 2 only

Explanation:

• Chauri Chaura incident led Gandhi to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) from Bardoli in February 1922.
• Many Congress leaders like Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das were against the calling off of the movement as they felt that success was being gained in the country.
• When Gandhi stopped the Non-Cooperation movement (NCM) after the Chauri-Chaura incident, Bose called it a “National Calamity”. H was against Gandhiji’s decision.

ANS: (B) 2 only

Explanation

• Recently, the government accepted the 15^th Finance Commission’s recommendation to maintain the States’ share in the divisible pool of taxes to 41% for the five-year period starting 2021-22.
• Vertical Devolution (Devolution of Taxes of the Union to States):
  • It has recommended maintaining the vertical devolution at 41% – the same as in its interim report for 2020-21. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
  • It is at the same level of 42% of the divisible pool as recommended by the 14^th Finance Commission.
  • It has made the required adjustment of about 1% due to the changed status of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into the new Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
• Horizontal Devolution (Allocation Between the States):
  • For horizontal devolution, it has suggested 12.5% weightage to demographic performance, 45% to income distance, 15% each to population and area, 10% to forest and ecology and 2.5% to tax and fiscal efforts. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

ANS: (A) Textile sector

Explanation

• The Centre has proposed a Scheme of Mega Investment Textiles Parks (MITRA) to enable the textile industry to become globally competitive, attract large investments, boost employment generation and exports. This will create world-class infrastructure with plug-and-play facilities to create global promoters in exports.
• Along with the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, MITRA will lead to increased investments and enhanced employment opportunities. Hence, option A is correct.