31st August 2024

Explanation - Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a system that powers multiple bank accounts

into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features,

seamless fund routing and merchant payments into one hood. It also caters to the “Peer to Peer”

collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience. Each

Bank provides its own UPI App for mobile platforms.

Explanation - The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is indeed an intergovernmental organisation that

brings together countries in the Pacific Ocean to enhance cooperation and address regional

issues. Australia and New Zealand are among the founding members of the Pacific Islands Forum.

The organisation was established in 1971. The primary focus of the PIF is to promote economic

and political stability in the Pacific region, addressing issues such as climate change, sustainable

development, and regional security.

Explanation - The Bureau of Police Research and Development was raised on 28th August, 1970,

through a resolution of Ministry of Home Affairs with a mandate to promote excellence in policing, promote speedy and systematic study of police problems, apply science and technology in the method and techniques by the Police. It replaced Police Research and Advisory Council (1966), with the primary objective of modernisation of police force. The Government of India also decided to create National Police Mission under the administrative control of BPR&D to transform the police forces in the country. BPR&D is also ensuring the administration of prison reforms in India.

Explanation - The scheme shall provide a medium - long term debt financing facility for

investment in viable projects for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community

farming assets through interest subvention and financial support. Under the scheme, Rs. One

Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans to Primary

Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Marketing Cooperative Societies, Farmer Producers

Organisations (FPOs), Self Help Group (SHG), Farmers, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose

Cooperative Societies, Agri-entrepreneurs, Startups, Aggregation Infrastructure Providers and

Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public Private Partnership Project. Loans will be

disbursed in four years starting with sanction of Rs. 10,000 crore in the year 2020 and Rs.

30,000 crore each in next three financial years. All loans under this financing facility will have

interest subvention of 3% per annum up to a limit of Rs. 2 crore. This subvention will be

available for a maximum period of seven years. Further, credit guarantee coverage will be available for eligible borrowers from this financing facility under Credit Guarantee Fund

Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for a loan up to Rs. 2 crore. The fee

for this coverage will be paid by the Government. In case of FPOs the credit guarantee may be

availed from the facility created under FPO promotion scheme of Department of Agriculture,

Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DACFW). Moratorium for repayment under this financing facility

may vary subject to minimum of 6 months and maximum of 2 years. The National, State and

District level Monitoring Committees will be set up to ensure real-time monitoring and effective

feed-back. The duration of the Scheme shall be from FY2020 to FY2029 (10 years).

Explanation - The minimum age of marriage is distinct from the age of majority which is

gender-neutral. An individual attains the age of majority at 18 as per the Indian Majority Act,

1875. In 1929, The Child Marriage Restraint Act set 16 and 18 years as the minimum age of

marriage for girls and boys respectively. The law, popularly known as the Sarda Act after its

sponsor Harbilas Sarda, a judge and a member of Arya Samaj, was eventually amended in 1978

to prescribe 18 and 21 years as the age of marriage for a woman and a man respectively.

Currently, the law prescribes that the minimum age of marriage is 21 years and 18 years for men

and women respectively. The minimum age of marriage is distinct from the age of majority which

is gender-neutral. An individual attains the age of majority at 18 as per the Indian Majority Act,

1875. For Hindus, Section 5(iii) of The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, sets 18 years as the minimum

age for the bride and 21 years as the minimum age for the groom. However, child marriages are

not illegal — even though they can be declared void at the request of the minor in the marriage.

The Special Marriage Act, 1954 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 also prescribe

18 and 21 years as the minimum age of consent for marriage for women and men respectively.