Answer: B

Explanation:

Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will chair the 53rd GST Council meeting in New Delhi today (June 22, 2024). The GST (Goods and Services Tax) Council is a constitutional body established under Article 279A (1) of the Indian Constitution by the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

As per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution, the GST Council had to be constituted by the President within 60 days of the commencement of Article 279A. This Council is a joint forum of the Centre and the states. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

The Council is chaired by the Union Finance Minister and includes the Union Minister of State for Finance and the Finance Ministers of all the states. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Mata ni Pachedi is a traditional cloth painting art form from western India that depicts goddesses on cloth. The painting is associated with the Vaghri community of Gujar at, who traditionally lived along the Sabarmati river. The name comes from the Gujarati words Mata meaning "mother goddess", Ni meaning "belonging to", and Pachedi meaning "back". Hence, statement 1 is incorrect while statement 2 is correct.

Answer: C

Explanation:

According to Drik Panchang, Sant Kabir Das Jayanti is being observed today. Sant Kabir Das, a well-known Indian mystic poet and sant was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh during the 15th century. Kabir emphasized the unity of God and the underlying spiritual unity of all humanity.  His poetry and teachings promote love, compassion, and tolerance across religious boundaries. Kabir composed his poems in the vernacular Hindi language, known for their simplicity and depth of spiritual insight. His verses are collected in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism, indicating his universal appeal and influence. His compositions include Bijak, Kabir Granthawali, Sakhi Granth and numerous dohas (couplets) that encapsulate his spiritual wisdom. Bhakti poets like Kabir challenged caste discrimination and authoritarianism, advocating surrender to God and spiritual equality. Hence, option (c) is correct.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Bibek Debroy, the chief of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, advocates for a reassessment of India's official poverty line. The United Nations defines poverty as the deprivation of choices and opportunities, constituting a violation of human dignity. It encompasses several critical dimensions: inadequate capacity to effectively participate in society, insufficient resources to provide for basic needs such as food, clothing, education, healthcare, land for sustenance, employment, and access to credit. Hence, statement I is correct.

According to the World Bank, poverty is categorized into absolute measures. Initially defined in 1990 as living on less than $1 per day, the benchmark was revised in 2017 to $1.90 per day, known as the International Poverty Line for extreme poverty. Hence, statement II is correct.

Here, statements I and II both are correct and statement II is not the correct explanation for statement I. Hence, option (b) is correct.

Answer: C

Explanation:

The Delhi High Court stayed the bail granted to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case, following an urgent plea by the Enforcement Directorate challenging the trial court's decision. Section 45 of the PMLA stipulates that bail cannot be granted for offenses under this law unless specific conditions are met, underscoring that bail is an exception rather than the norm. This provision mandates that the public prosecutor be heard in all bail applications; if the prosecutor opposes bail, the court must apply the twin test. The twin test requires the court to ascertain whether there are reasonable grounds to believe the accused is not guilty and whether the accused is unlikely to commit any offense while on bail. Hence, statements 1 and 2 both are correct.