Answer: B
Explanation:
● There are four Abodes in Himalayas collectively referred as "Char Dham Yatra" which includes four holy shrines of Hindus: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
● Pindari Glacier, located in the Kumaon Himalayas, is the source of the Pindar River, which confluences with the Alakananda River at Karnaprayag.
● All of these temples are situated within the Garwhal region of Uttarakhand.
● Among four sacred sites Kedarnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva while Badrinath is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. On the other hand, Yamunotri and Gangotri are dedicated to Goddess Ganga and Yamuna rivers respectively.
● The high-altitude shrines remain shut for around six months every year, opening in summers (April or May) and closing with the onset of winter (October or November).
● It is believed that one should complete the Char Dham Yatra in a clockwise direction. Hence, the pilgrimage starts from Yamunotri, proceeds towards Gangotri, onto Kedarnath, and finally ends at Badrinath.
● Some devotees even do a Do Dham Yatra or a pilgrimage to two shrines - Kedarnath and Badrinath. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

3. With reference to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, consider the following statements.
1) Additional days of employment can be provided in drought/natural calamity notified areas.
2) Applicants can be from rural or urban households.
3) There is a provision for unemployment allowance if employment is not provided within the stipulated time after registration.

Answer: B
Explanation
● The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, guarantees 100 days of work each financial year to any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work at the statutory minimum wage. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
● In addition to this, there is a provision for upto additional 50 days of unskilled wage employment in a financial year in drought/natural calamity notified rural areas. The State Governments may make provision for providing additional days beyond the period guaranteed under the Act from their own funds. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
● The act makes it obligatory for the State to give rural households work on demand. In case such employment is not provided within 15 days of registration, the applicant becomes eligible for an unemployment allowance. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
● The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) was initiated as directed in MGNREGA to implement the mandate of the Act.
● The Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) is monitoring the entire implementation of the MGNREGS in association with state governments.

4. Consider the following factors.
1) Subsidized power supply
2) Usage of combine harvesters
3) Narrow gap between rice-harvesting season and wheat-sowing season

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Answer: D
Explanation
● Stubble burning is the process of intentionally setting fire to the straw stubble that remains after grains, like paddy, wheat, etc., have been harvested, to remove them from the field to sow the next crop.
● This is commonly practiced by farmers of Punjab and Haryana.
Evolution of stubble burning
● During the late 1970s and early 1980s, which was the Green Revolution era, Punjab and Haryana shifted from their traditional crops (maize, pearl millet, pulses and oilseeds) to the wheat-paddy cultivation cycle. Free or subsidized power supply for groundwater extraction plays a role here in the shift. Hence, factor 1 is correct.
● In Punjab and Haryana, while the paddy crop is usually harvested between the first and last weeks of October, the wheat crop is sown from the first week of November.
● Paddy harvesting and threshing are labor-intensive and in case of shortage of cheap labor machines like the Combined Harvester are used which only pick the plant’s top part (panicle) and leave the remaining stalk of about 2-3 feet (stubble) standing in the field. Hence, factor 2 is correct.
● With only 10-15 days between the rice-harvesting season and the wheat-sowing time, farmers often burn the stubble to quickly eliminate the paddy stubble. Hence, factor 3 is correct.

5. Consider the following landmark judgements

1. Justice Puttaswamy Vs Union of India case - Recognised that transgenders are equally entitled to the rights in the constitution
2. Lily Thomas Vs Union of India case - Right to Privacy was recognised a fundamental right
3. National Legal Services Authority Vs Union of India case - Automatic disqualification of MPs/MLAs in case of conviction with sentence greater than 2 years

Answer: D
Explanation
Justice Puttaswamy Vs Union of India case - Right to Privacy was recognised a fundamental right
National Legal Services Authority Vs Union of India case - Recognised transgenders are equally entitled to the rights in the constitution
Lily Thomas Vs Union of India case - Automatic disqualification of MPs/MLAs in case of conviction with sentence greater than 2 years.

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1. Mission Karmayogi is a/an

Answer: D
Explanation
About the Mission
● Launched in 2020, Mission Karmayogi is a nationwide programme to lay the foundation for capacity building of civil servants. Hence, answer is option D.
● Officially called the "National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB)", the mission plans to transform human resource management in the country.
● Mission Karmayogi aims to prepare the Indian civil servants for the future by making them more creative, constructive, imaginative, innovative, proactive, professional, progressive, energetic, enabling, transparent and technology-enabled.
● The fundamental focus of the reform is the creation of a ‘citizen centric civil service’ capable of creating and delivering services conducive to economic growth and public welfare.
● It shifts the focus from “Rule based training to Role based training”. Greater thrust has been laid on behavioral change.
● NPCSCB will be governed by the Prime Minister’s Human Resource Council, which will also include state Chief Ministers, Union Cabinet ministers and experts. This council will approve and review civil service capacity building programmes.
iGOTKarmayogi
● The Mission Karmayogi programme is delivered by the digital platform called iGOTKarmayogi.
● The platform enables officials to explore, acquire and certify their competencies that are critical to discharging their duties.

2. With reference to Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), consider the following statements.
1) PKVY aims at promoting organic farming in the country.
2) The scheme focuses on end to end support to organic farmers.
3) The scheme promotes the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) form of organic certification.

Answer: B
Explanation:
● The Government of India has been promoting organic farming in the country through a dedicated scheme namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2015-16. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
● The scheme stresses on end to end support to organic farmers i.e from production to certification and marketing. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
● Under PKVY, farmers are provided financial assistance of Rs 50,000 per hectare/3 years.
● The scheme promotes the Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) for India (PGS-India) form of organic certification that is built on mutual trust, locally relevant and mandates the involvement of producers and consumers in the process of certification. PGS–India operates outside the framework of Third Party Certification. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
○ The National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) ensures that products grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides can be certified and recognized not only in the domestic market but also for export, particularly to the EU and Switzerland.
○ The NPOP has been officially acknowledged by international bodies, thereby enhancing the acceptance of Indian organic products globally.
Funding Pattern:
● Funding pattern under the scheme is in the ratio of 60:40 by the Central and State Governments respectively.
● In case of North Eastern and Himalayan States, Central Assistance is provided in the ratio of 90:10 (Centre: State) and for Union Territories, the assistance is 100%.

3. With reference to the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), consider the following statements.
1) PMMY provides loans to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises.
2) The loans are awarded on a collateral-free basis.
3) Under PMMY, loans are extended only by Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)