1. Consider the following statements with respect to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
1. It is an attached office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is headed by Director General of Foreign Trade.
2. This Directorate, with headquarters at Mumbai, is responsible for formulating and implementing the Foreign Trade Policy with the main objective of promoting India’s exports.
3. It was formed in 1991 when the LGP (liberalisation, globalization, and privatization) policies of the government took off.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
(a) 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer-c
Explanation-
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) organisation is an attached office of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and is headed by Director General of Foreign Trade.
Right from its inception till 1991, when liberalization in the economic policies of the Government took place, this organization has been essentially involved in the regulation and promotion of foreign trade through regulation. Keeping in line with liberalization and globalization and the overall objective of increasing of exports, DGFT has since been assigned the role of “facilitator”.
The shift was from prohibition and control of imports/exports to promotion and facilitation of exports/imports, keeping in view the interests of the country.
DGFT HQ- New Delhi -110011
Organizational Set-up
This Directorate, with headquarters at New Delhi, is responsible for formulating and implementing the Foreign Trade Policy with the main objective of promoting India’s exports.
The DGFT also issues scrips/authorization to exporters and monitors their corresponding obligations through a network of 38 regional offices and an extension counter at Indore.
DGFT HQ and many of its regional offices are ISO 9000:2008 certified Organizations. All regional offices provide facilitation to exporters in regard to developments in international trade, i.e. WTO agreements, Rules of Origin and anti-dumping issues, etc. to help exporters in their import and export decisions in an internationally dynamic environment.
Functions of DGFT
• Implementing the foreign trade or EXIM policy of the government.
• Providing a complete database of all exporters and importers in India.
• Granting of the Exporter Importer Code (EIC) Number to exporters and importers in India. (The EIC Number is a ten-digit number that is needed for people to export and/or import.)
It has the authority to prohibit, restrict and regulate importers and exporters.
Regulating and permitting the transit of goods from India to adjacent countries according to the bilateral trade agreements.
Promoting trade between India and her neighbouring countries.
Granting permission of free export wherever necessary.
It plays a vital role in controlling DEPB rates. (DEPB: Duty Entitlement Pass Book. DEPB Scheme is an export incentive scheme of the GOI given to exporters.)
Handling quality complaints of the foreign buyers of Indian export products.
Formulating or adding new codes in the ITC-HS Codes. (ITC-HS codes are also known as Indian Trade Clarification based on Harmonized System of Coding. These are codes given to export/import products.)
https://dgft.gov.in/about-us/about-dgft
2. Consider the following statements with respect to the SWAYAM Prabha Portal.
1. It is a group of Direct-to-home (DTH) channels devoted to telecasting of high-quality educational programmes.
2. The INFLIBNET Centre maintains this web portal.
3. The DTH Channels shall cover Higher Education, School education, Curriculum-based courses, and Competitive exams preparation.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
(a) 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer-d
Explanation-
SWAYAM Prabha Portal
The SWAYAM PRABHA is a group of 32 Direct-to-home (DTH) channels devoted to telecasting of high-quality educational programmes on 24X7 bases using the GSAT-15 satellite.
Every day, there will be new content for at least (4) hours which would be repeated 5 more times in a day, allowing the students to choose the time of their convenience.
The channels are uplinked from BISAG, Gandhinagar. The contents are provided by NPTEL, IITs, UGC, CEC, IGNOU, NCERT and NIOS. The INFLIBNET Centre maintains the web portal.
SWAYAM Prabha is an initiative of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
The DTH Channels shall cover the following:
a) Higher Education: Curriculum-based course contents at post-graduate and under-graduate level covering diverse disciplines such as arts, science, commerce, performing arts, social sciences and humanities, engineering, technology, law, medicine, agriculture, etc. All courses would be certification-ready in their detailed offering through SWAYAM, the platform being developed for offering MOOCs courses.
b) School education (9-12 levels): modules for teacher’s training as well as teaching and learning aids for children of India to help them understand the subjects better and also help them in preparing for competitive examinations for admissions to professional degree programmes.
c) Curriculum-based courses that can meet the needs of life-long learners of Indian citizens in India and abroad.
d) Assist students (class 11th & 12th) prepare for competitive exams.
https://www.swayamprabha.gov.in/index.php/about
3. Consider the following statements with reference to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA).
1. The Central Zoo Authority with its headquarters in New Delhi was established in 1992 under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
2. It is chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Environment, and Forest & Climate Change of Government of India.
3. It is a statutory body whose main objective is to enforce minimum standards and norms for upkeep and health care of animals in India zoos.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
(a) 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer-c
Explanation
Central Zoo Authority (CZA)
The Central Zoo Authority with its headquarters in New Delhi was established in 1992 under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to oversee the functioning of zoos in the country with the view to enhance their role in conservation.
In India, the Zoos are regulated as per the provisions of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and are guided by the National Zoo Policy, 1992.
The Wild Life Protection Act was amended in 1991 to establish the Central Zoo Authority.
Central Zoo Authority is headed by Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India.
The main objective of the Central Zoo Authority is to enforce minimum standards and norms for upkeep and healthcare of animals in the Indian zoos and to control the mushrooming of ill conceived, ill planned zoos, to monitor and evaluate the existing zoos and to suggest ways and means for the improvement of zoos in the country so that they can be transferred into potent centres for ex-situ conservation of endangered wild fauna.
http://cza.nic.in/page/en/introduction
4. Consider the following statements with reference to the Advance Authorisation Scheme.
1. It allows duty free import of inputs, which are physically incorporated in export products.
2. The Advance Authorization Scheme is available to either a manufacturer exporter directly or a merchant exporter tied with a supporting manufacturer.
3. The Ministry of Finance may exclude any product(s) from the purview of the scheme by means of public notice.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
(a) 2 and 3 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer-b
Explanation-
Advance Authorisation Scheme
An Advance Authorisation is issued to allow duty free import of inputs, which are physically incorporated in export product (making normal allowance for wastage).
In addition, fuel, oil, energy, catalysts which are consumed/ utilised to obtain export product, may also be allowed.
DGFT, by means of Public Notice, may exclude any product(s) from purview of Advance Authorisation.
Duty free import of mandatory spares upto 10% of CIF value of Authorisation which are required to be exported/ supplied with resultant product are allowed under Advance Authorisation.
Advance Authorisations are issued for inputs and export items given under SION.
These can also be issued on the basis of Adhoc norms or self declared norms.
Advance Authorisation can be issued either to a manufacturer exporter or merchant exporter tied to supporting manufacturer(s) for:
(i) Physical exports (including exports to SEZ); and/ or
(ii) Intermediate supplies; and /or
(iii) Supply of goods to the categories mentioned in of FTP
(iv) Supply of ‘stores’ on board of foreign going vessel/ aircraft subject to condition that there is specific SION in respect of item(s) supplied.
Advance Authorisation can also be availed by sub-contractor to such project provided name of sub- contractor(s) appears in main contract.
http://dgftcom.nic.in/exim/2000/policy/hbppol1/2009-2010/chap04.htm
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-banned-hydroxychloroquine-export-just-before-trump-modi-call/article31264079.ece
5. Consider the following statements with reference to the Operation Sanjeevani.
1. India has supplied tonnes of essential medicines to Mauritius as assistance in fight against COVID-19.
2. The IAF aircraft activated this Operation and lifted these medicines from airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Madurai.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer-b
Explanation-
Operation Sanjeevani
India has supplied 6.2 tonnes of essential medicines to Maldives as assistance in fight against COVID 19.
The medicines were delivered by a Hercules C-130J-30 aircraft of Indian Air Force.
These medicines and consumables were procured from eight suppliers in India but couldn’t be transported through any other means due to the 21-day lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19.
At the request of the government of Maldives, the IAF aircraft activated Operation Sanjeevani and lifted these medicines from airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Madurai before flying to the Maldives.
Among other things, these medicines include influenza vaccines, anti-viral drugs such as lopinavir and ritonavir which have been used to treat patients with COVID-19 in other countries.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/iaf-airlifts-62-tonne-essential-drugs-to-maldives/article31240436.ece