Daily Current Affairs MCQ- August 22, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, cabinet gave approval for the continuation of the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) with an approved outlay of Rs.8139.50 crore.

• It has been approved by the Government of India as a new Central Sector Scheme in 2017.
• Under the scheme guidelines of NESIDS, 100% centrally funding is provided to the State Governments of North Eastern Region.
• The funding is provided for the projects of physical infrastructure relating to water supply, power and connectivity enhancing tourism and Social infrastructure relating to primary and secondary sectors of education and health.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) will soon announce the results of the research award proposals it had invited to study the impact of various schemes and public policy initiatives of the Union government. 

• It was established in the year of 1969 by the Government of India to promote research in social sciences in the country on the recommendation of Prof. V. K. R. V. Rao Committee.
• It is an autonomous organisation funded by the Ministry of Education
• Functions: It provides grants for projects, fellowships, international collaboration, capacity building, survey, publications etc. to promote research in social sciences in India. 
• The Council aims to:
• Review the progress of social science research and give advice to its users;
• Sponsor social science research programmes and projects and administer grants to institutions and individuals for research in social sciences

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, UNICEF said that since 2017, a spike in conflict and displacement in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is pushing children into the worst cholera crisis. 

• It is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
• It remains a global threat to public health and an indicator of inequity and lack of social development.
• Symptoms
• It is an extremely virulent disease that can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea. 
• Profuse watery diarrhoea, Vomiting,  Leg cramps etc
• The disease can spread rapidly in areas with inadequate treatment of sewage and drinking water.
• Currently, there are three WHO pre-qualified oral cholera vaccines (OCV), Dukoral, Shanchol, and Euvichol-Plus. 
• All three vaccines require two doses for full protection.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) recently signed a performance-focused memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). 

About Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA):

• It is a Mini Ratna (Category–I) non-banking financial institution under the administrative control of Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). 
• It is a Public Limited Government Company established as a Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFC) in 1987.
• REDA has been notified as a “Public Financial Institution” under section 4 ‘A’ of the Companies Act, 1956 and registered as NBFC with Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• REDA is primarily engaged in promoting, developing and extending financial assistance for setting up projects relating to new and renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency/conservation.
• Motto: ENERGY FOR EVER
• Objectives:
• To give financial support to specific projects and schemes for generating electricity and/ or energy through new and renewable sources and conserving energy through energy efficiency.
• To maintain its position as a leading organization to provide efficient and effective financing in renewable energy and energy efficiency/ conservation projects.
• Funding: IREDA generates its revenue through the interest and principal repayments from the projects it finances, as well as by raising funds from the market and through borrowings.

Hence both statements are correct.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first vaccine that protects newborns from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

About Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV):

• It is a common respiratory virus.
• RSV is one of the most frequent causes of childhood illness. 
• It usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms.
• Premature infants, babies younger than 6 months old, people above age 65 and people who have a compromised immune system, chronic lung disease or congenital heart condition can get a more severe case of RSV.
• A severe infection leads to pneumonia and bronchiolitis. 
• Transmission: RSV spreads from person to person through:
• The air by coughing and sneezing;
• Direct contact, such as kissing the face of a child who has RSV;
• Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands;
• People who have an RSV infection are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days. But sometimes infants and people with weakened immune systems can continue to spread the virus for as long as 4 weeks.
• Symptoms: The symptoms of RSV infection usually start about 4 to 6 days after infection. They include
• Runny nose
• Decrease in appetite
• Cough
• Sneezing
• Fever
• Wheezing
• RSV can also cause more severe infections, especially in people at high risk. These infections include bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Hubble Space Telescope recently captured an image of the irregular galaxy ESO 300-16 located at a distance of 28.7 million lightyears in the southern constellation of Eridanus.

About Irregular Galaxy:

• An irregular galaxy is a galaxy that does not have a distinct regular shape, like a spiral or an elliptical galaxy.
• They range from dwarf irregular galaxies with 100 million times the Sun’s mass to large ones weighing 10 billion solar masses.
• They also contain abundant amounts of gas and dust.
• Formation: There are many ways in which an irregular galaxy can be formed.
• For example, one can result from a collision between galaxies. When this happens, gravitational forces between separate galaxies interact, which causes an irregular type of rotation.
• A young galaxy can also take an irregular form, suggesting that it has not yet reached a symmetrical rotation.
• Irregular galaxies born from galaxy interactions or collisions typically host a mix of older and younger stars.

Key Facts about ESO 300-16:

• It is an irregular galaxy located at a distance of 28.7 million lightyears in the southern constellation of Eridanus. 
• It is made of many tiny stars all clumped together, surrounded in a diffuse light. In the central, brightest part there is a bubble of blue gas.
• The galaxy is surrounded by mostly very small and faint objects, though there are bright stars above and to the left of it, and a string of galaxies nearby.

Hence both statements are correct.

State-owned hydro power giant NHPC recently inked an initial pact with RITES to construct railway siding for a 2,880 MW Dibang multipurpose project in Arunachal Pradesh.

About Dibang Multipurpose Project:

• It is a flood control cum hydroelectric power project planned to be developed on the Dibang River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, in Arunachal Pradesh.
• At 2,880MW installed capacity, it will be the country’s biggest hydropower facility.
• It is being developed by India’s state-run National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
• Dibang hydroelectric plant makeup:
• The project envisages the construction of a 278m-high and 375m-long concrete gravity dam, which will be the highest dam structure in the country.
• The dam will create a 43km-long reservoir with a gross storage capacity of 3.85 billion cubic metres.
• It includes 6 Nos. Horseshoe-shaped head race tunnels of length varying from 300m to 600 m with 9 m diameter, an underground Power House, and 6 Nos. horseshoe-shaped tail race tunnels of length varying from 320m to 470 m with 9m diameter.

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has recently amended its rules on carriage of disabled passengers.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA):

• DGCA is the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation, primarily dealing with safety issues.
• It was accorded a statutory status under the Aircraft (Amendment) Act, 2020.
• It is responsible for regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards.
• It also co-ordinates all regulatory functions with International Civil Aviation Organisation.
• Headquarters: located in New Delhi with regional offices in the various parts of India.

Hence both statements are correct.

A recent example of heteropessimism in India is men trending #MarriageStrike on Twitter when the Delhi HC was hearing a plea to criminalise marital rape.

• Heteropessimism can be defined as public declarations of dissatisfaction with heterosexual relationships, by people who continue to be in those relationships.
• Heteropessimism has been caused and shaped by larger social, economic and political currents.
• the realisation for heterosexual people that dating is really hard (and in many cases, violent or even fatal), and the hard-won prize of marriage is not what it was touted to be, can lead to disillusionment from romantic relationships.

Hence both statements are correct.

China launched the second of three modules to its permanent space station, in one of the final missions needed to complete the orbiting outpost by year's end.

• The 23-tonne Wentian (“Quest for the Heavens”) laboratory module was launched on the back of China’s most powerful rocket, the Long March 5B from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Hainan. The launch was "a complete success".
• China began constructing the space station in April 2021 with the launch of the Tianhe module, the main living quarters, in the first of 11 crewed and uncrewed missions in the undertaking.
• The Wentian lab module, 17.9 m long, will provide space for experiments, along with the other lab module yet to be launched — Mengtian (“Dreaming of the Heavens”).
• Mengtian is expected to be launched in October and, like Wentian, is to dock with Tianhe, forming a T-shaped structure.

Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.