30th May 2025

Explanation:

• Modified Interest Subvention Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme. It is aimed at ensuring the availability of short-term credit to farmers at an affordable interest rate through Kisan Credit Card (KCC).
• Under the Scheme — Farmers received short-term loans of up to 3 lakh through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) at a subsidised interest rate of 7%, with 1.5% interest subvention provided to eligible lending institutions.
• Additionally, farmers repaying loans promptly are eligible for an incentive of up to 3% as Prompt Repayment Incentive (PRI) effectively reducing their interest rate on KCC loans to 4%.
• For loans taken exclusively for animal husbandry or fisheries, the interest benefit is applicable up to Rs 2 lakh.
• The scheme is implemented and monitored by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Through Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Cooperative Banks and Private Sector Banks operating in rural and semi urban areas, they ensure that the interest subvention benefits reach the farmers.

Explanation:
Dark patterns refer to deceptive design practices used in websites and apps that intentionally lead users into making choices they might not have made otherwise. These tactics often manipulate users into actions such as purchasing items, subscribing to services, or sharing personal data without fully realising the consequences. Unlike user-friendly design, which aims to facilitate and enhance the user's experience, dark patterns are employed to benefit the business, often at the expense of the user’s best interest.

Explanation:

• The Deputy Speaker presides over the Joint Sitting of both the Houses of Parliament, in case the Speaker is absent from such a sitting.
• The Deputy Speaker has one special privilege that is whenever he is appointed as a member of a parliamentary committee he automatically becomes its chairman.

Explanation:

• Article 93 for Lok Sabha and Article 178 for state Assemblies state that these Houses “shall, as soon as may be”, choose two of its members to be Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
• The Constitution neither sets a time limit nor specifies the process for these elections. It leaves it to the legislatures to decide how to hold these elections.
• In Lok Sabha and state legislatures, the President/Governor sets a date for the election of the Speaker, and it is the Speaker who decides the date for the election of the Deputy Speaker. The legislators of the respective Houses vote to elect one among themselves to these offices.
• The second statement would have been correct if the Deputy Speaker was not there in the statement. As the election of Deputy Speaker is decided by the Speaker, so this statement stands incorrect.

Explanation:

• Sodium-ion batteries use sodium ions in the cathode and sodium salts in the electrolyte instead of lithium-based components.
• Sodium-ion batteries currently have lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries, not higher.
• These batteries are safer due to their non-flammable nature and resistance to explosions or short circuits.
• Sodium is more abundant and cost-effective than lithium, making these batteries more sustainable in the long run.