Daily Quiz – 25th Jan 2024

NATO Countries Purpose & Objectives:

1. Political: NATO encourages democratic principles and allows its members to consult and work together on defence and security-related matters to solve disputes, foster trust, and, ultimately, minimize conflict.
2. Military: -NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under the collective defence clause of NATO’s founding treaty – Article 5 of the Washington Treaty or under a United Nations mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organisations.

• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.
• Headquarters of Allied Command Operations: Mons, Belgium.

Explanation:

Constitutional Provisions:

• Part XV (Article 324-329) of the Indian Constitution:It deals with elections and establishes a commission for these matters.
• Article 324:Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission.
• Article 325:No person to be ineligible for inclusion in, or to claim to be included in a special, electoral roll-on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex.
• Article 326:Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be based on adult suffrage.
• Article 327:Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures.
• Article 328:Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature.
• Article 329:Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.

Structure of ECI:

• Originally the commission had only one election commissionerbut after the Election Commissioner Amendment Act 1989, it was made a multi-member body.
• The Election Commission shall consist of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)and such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the President may from time-to-time fix.
• Presently, it consists of the CEC and two Election Commissioners.
• At the state level, the election commission is helped by the Chief Electoral Officer who is an IAS rank Officer.

Explanation:

• The model code also prescribes guidelines for the ruling party either at the Centre or in the state to ensure that a level field is maintained and that no cause is given for any complaint that the ruling party has used its official position for the purposes of its election campaign. So, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Therefore option (a) is the correct answer.

Explanation:

Jal Jeevan Mission recently achieved 50% completion milestone. Jal Jeevan Mission is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. The program will also implement source sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management, water conservation, and rainwater harvesting.

Statement 1 is correct: In a move to attain “Gram Swarajya”, the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, the Jal Jeevan Mission aims to empower the Panchayati Raj Institutions and communities by engaging them in water supply schemes from the very beginning. Over 9.59 Crore rural households spread across States/ UTs are getting water within their premises. Women and girls these households are now free from the century-old drudgery of walking long distances in scorching heat, rain, and snow in search of water.

Statement 2 is correct: ‘Har Ghar Jal’ is a flagship program of the Union Government, implemented by Jal Jeevan Mission under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, in partnership with States/ UTs to ensure tap water connection in every rural household by 2024.

Statement 3 is correct: The goal of Jal Jeevan Mission is to provide a functional household tap connection to every household with a service level at the rate of 55 liters per capita per day.

Explanation:

Pobitora wildlife sanctuary:

1. Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the flood plains of River Brahmaputrain the district of Morigaon in the state of Assam.
2. It harbors the highest density of Rhinoin the world and the second highest concentration of Rhino in Assam after Kaziranga National Park.
3. It is often called ‘Mini Kaziranga’because of the similar landscape and the sizeable population of the one-horned rhino.
4. Fauna:Leopard, Leopard cat, Fishing cat, Jungle cat, Feral Buffalo, Wild pigs, Chinese pangolins, etc.
5. Flora: Its maximum consists of the wet savannah of Arundo donax and Saccharum. The remaining area is covered by water bodies.

Explanation:

• Location: STR is located within the Mayurbhanj District, in the Northernmost part of Odisha.
• It is surrounded by high plateaus and hills, the highest peak being the twin peaks of Khairiburu and Meghashini (1515m above mean sea level).
• It was declared a 'Tiger Reserve' in the year 1956 and included under the national conservation programme 'Project Tiger' in 1973.
• The STR, along with a 'transitional area' of 2250 sq. km, was included as a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO in the year 2009.
• Terrain: The terrain is mostly undulating and hilly, interspersed with open grasslands and wooded areas.
• Vegetation: It is a mix of different forest types and habitats, with Northern tropical moist deciduous dominating some semi-evergreen patches.
• It is the only landscape in the world that is home to melanistic tigers.
• The region around STR is home to a variety of tribes, including Kolha, Santhala, Bhumija, Bhatudi, Gondas, Khadia, Mankadia and Sahara.

Flora:

1. An astounding 1078 species of plants, including 94 species of orchids, are found here.
2. Sal is the dominant tree species here.

Fauna: Leopard, Gaur, Elephant, Langur, Barking and Spotted Deer, Sloth Bear Mongoose, Flying Squirrel, Porcupine, Turtle, Monitor Lizard, Python, Sambar, Pangolin etc.

Explanation:

Location: 

The Kerch Strait is a strait connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
It separates the Kerch Peninsula of Crimea from the Taman Peninsula of Russia's Krasnodar Krai.