24 March : Daily Current Affairs Quiz

Answer: Option B - Karnataka

Explanation:

• Byadgi chilli, primarily grown in Karnataka, is famous for its deep red color, wrinkled texture, and high pigment content (Capsanthin).
• It is widely used in spice blends, oleoresin extraction, and food coloring. Recently, its prices have plummeted due to oversupply, stockpiling, and stricter export regulations, causing financial distress to farmers.
• The chilli is harvested from December to March and requires moderate irrigation and pest control management.

Answer: Option A - Bt Cotton

Explanation:

• Bt cotton is the only genetically modified (GM) crop approved for commercial cultivation in India since 2002 to resist bollworm pests.
• GM mustard, developed with public funding, was approved in 2022, but its commercial release is on hold due to judicial review over safety concerns.
• Other GM crops like Bt brinjal and GM rice have not been approved for cultivation due to biosafety and environmental concerns.

Answer: Option D - Central Government

Explanation:

• The 2019 amendment to the RTI Act, 2005 empowered the Central Government to decide the tenure, salaries, and service conditions of the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) and Information Commissioners (ICs).
• Previously, their tenure was fixed at five years or until the age of 65, but this amendment removed the fixed term.
• This change raised concerns about the independence and autonomy of the RTI framework.

Answer: Option C - Reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs)

Explanation:

• The Mandal Commission, established in 1979 and implemented in the 1990s, recommended 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in government jobs and educational institutions to promote social justice.
• It was based on Article 340 of the Indian Constitution.
• The implementation led to widespread protests and legal challenges but significantly shaped India's affirmative action policies.
• It is unrelated to interstate relations, river disputes, or state reorganization.

Answer: Option C - Syama Prasad Mukherjee

Explanation:

• Syama Prasad Mukherjee was not associated with the Praja Socialist Party (PSP); he was the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951, which later evolved into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
• In contrast, Ram Manohar Lohia, J.B. Kripalani, and Acharya Narendra Deva were key leaders of PSP, advocating socialist principles and opposing Congress dominance in post-independence India.