Daily Current Affairs MCQ- August 24, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has dismissed an appeal filed by Cloudtail India Pvt. Ltd. challenging the Order passed by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) with regard to violation of the rights of consumers by the company.

• It is a quasi-judicial commission in India which was set up in 1988 under the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
• The Commission is headed by a sitting or a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India or a sitting or retired Chief Justice of the High Court.
• The Act mandates the establishment of Consumer Protection Councils at the Centre as well as in each State and District to promote consumer awareness.
• The Central Council is headed by the Minister In-charge of the Department of Consumer Affairs in the Central Government, and the State Councils by the Minister In-charge of Consumer Affairs in the State Governments.
• It also provides for a 3-tier structure of the National Commission, the State Commissions and the District Commissions for speedy resolution of consumer disputes.
• Its head office is in New Delhi.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, scientists developed a new methodology, called Equal Contrast Technique (ECT), to analyze images of the Sun in white light can help obviate temporal and latitudinal variations in observations related to instrument and sky conditions.

• It is known that there are large numbers of regions of weak magnetic field on the sun which vary with time.
• These can be studied using magnetograms and Ca-K line images of the sun as there is strong correlation between the magnetic field and the Ca-K line intensity of the region on sun.
• The magneto-grams are available for short period and the characteristics of the instrument are changing with time.
• Ca-K line images are available for long period at Kodaikanal observatory (KO), for more than 100 years with no change in the optics of the instrument.
• Similarly, other observatories in the world, such as Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO) have this type of data for about 70 years.
• Using the data obtained at Kodaikanal observatory the scientists have shown that correlation between derived plage area (bright region in the sun’s chromosphere) from the Ca-K images and sunspot number is excellent, even on daily basis, over a period of about 100 years for the first time.
• Significance:
• This type of accurate analysis of the historic time series of Ca-K images can be useful for reliable and accurate investigation of variations on the sun and the effect of this on the climatic condition of the earth.
•  It helps in understanding the dynamics of the sun, solar cycle variations, dynamo processes in the convection zone and resulting long term climatic variations on the earth.

What is Magnetogram?

• It is an image taken by an instrument which can detect the strength and location of the magnetic fields on the Sun.
• In a magnetogram, grey areas indicate that there is no magnetic field, while black and white areas indicate regions where there is a strong magnetic field.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, Tejas, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) LSP-7 successfully fired the ASTRA missile off the coast of Goa on August 23, 2023. 

• It is an indigenous Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile.
• It is to engage and destroy highly maneuvering supersonic aerial targets.
• It is designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and other laboratories of DRDO.
• The indigenous Astra BVR firing from home grown Tejas fighter is a major step towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Central Government recently constituted a nine member committee with a view to overhaul the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

About Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO):

• It is the R&D wing of the Ministry of Defence, Govt of India, with a vision to empower India with cutting-edge defence technologies and a mission to achieve self-reliance in critical defence technologies and systems.
• It is India's largest research organisation. 
• Formation: The organisation was formed in 1958 from the amalgamation of the then already functioning Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO). 
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• It has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.
• Major Projects:
• DRDO's first project for the Indian military was in surface-to-air missiles (SAM) known as Project Indigo. However, it received little success and was therefore discontinued. 
• Since being set up, DRDO has achieved many successes in developing major systems and critical technologies like aircraft avionics, UAVs, small arms, artillery systems, EW Systems, tanks and armoured vehicles, sonar systems, command and control systems and missile systems.
• In 2016, It successfully tested its first indigenously developed heavy-duty drone, Rustom 2, which is an unmanned armed combat vehicle developed on the lines of the US's Predator drone.
• DRDO co-developed INS Arihant, India's first nuclear ballistic missile submarine, which became operational in 2018.
• In March 2019, DRDO developed India's first anti-satellite system that made India one of the space superpowers.
• DRDO has also developed several ballistic missiles under its Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, which includes missiles like Prithvi, Trishul, Agni, Akash and Nag.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Central Government is expected to soon launch it’s awaited ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikar’ scheme.

About Mera Bill Mera Adhikar Scheme:

• It is a Goods and Services Tax (GST) invoice incentive programme that offers cash incentives for uploading invoices.
• It would initially be introduced in the states of Assam, Gujarat, and Haryana, as well as the UTs of Puducherry, Daman & Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
• Objective: To encourage customers to request a bill whenever they make purchases.
• How does the scheme work?
• All invoices issued by GST-registered suppliers to consumers will be eligible for the scheme.
• A monthly and quarterly draw of lots will be made, and winners will be eligible for cash reward prizes beginning from Rs 10,000 to up to Rs 1 crore.
• The minimum purchase value for the invoice to be considered for the lucky draw is Rs 200, and individuals can upload a maximum of 25 invoices in a month.
• The 'Mera Bill Mera Adhikar' mobile app will be made available on both IOS and Android platforms.
• The invoice uploaded on the app should have the GSTIN of the seller, invoice number, amount paid and tax amount.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Central Government of India is considering a minimum export price (MEP) for a host of specialty rice, including the basmati variety, to ensure that unscrupulous traders don’t ship excess quantities abroad.

• It is the price below which an exporter is not allowed to export the commodity from India.
• It is imposed in view of the rising domestic retail / wholesale price or production disruptions in the country.
• It is a kind of quantitative restriction to trade. 
• Government fixes MEP for the selected commodities with a view to arrest domestic price rise and augments domestic supply. 
• This is intended to be imposed for short durations and is removed when situations change.
• The removal of MEP helps farmers / exporters in realising better and remunerative prices.
• MEP was first implemented on basmati rice in FY11 to deter exports, is typically implemented to contain surging domestic prices because of production disruptions.
• Legal backing:
• As per section 5 of the The Foreign Trade (Development And Regulation) Act, 1992, the Central Government may, from time to time, formulate and announce by notification in the Official Gazette, the export and import policy and may also, in the like manner, amend that policy.

Hence option (b) is the correct answer.

Ukraine recently said it destroyed a Russian S-400 anti-aircraft system on the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

About S-400 Air Defence Missile System:

• The S-400 Triumf (NATO: SA-21 Growler) is a mobile, surface-to-air missile system.
• It is one of the world’s most advanced air defence systems that can simultaneously track numerous incoming objects.
• It was developed by Almaz Central Design Bureau of Russia.
• The system entered service in April 2007, and the first S-400 was deployed in combat in August 2007.
• India signed a US$ 5.5 billion deal with Russia in October 2018 to acquire five S-400 systems.
• Features:
• It is equipped with four different missiles that can engage enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles, and AWACS planes at 400 km, 250 km, the medium-range 120 km and the short-range 40 km.
• The system can simultaneously engage 36 targets.
• The system is a large complex of radars, control systems and different types of missiles.
• The highly automated S-400 has radars that can pick up an incoming object up to 1,000 kilometres away, track several dozen incoming objects simultaneously and distribute the targets to appropriate missile systems.
• The command post detects, tracks and identifies the target. Then, the tracked object is taken over by manned anti-aircraft missile systems of the complex, which launch the counterattack. 

Hence option d is the correct answer.

The Pench Tiger Reserve recently introduced cycle safaris, allowing visitors to experience the beauty of nature on wheels.

About Pench Tiger Reserve:

• Location: The Reserve is located in the southern reaches of the Satpura hills in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh and continues in Nagpur district in Maharashtra as a separate Sanctuary. 
• It is named after the Pench River, which flows from north to south through the Reserve.
• It comprises of the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park, the Pench Mowgli Sanctuary and a buffer.
• The area of the Pench Tiger Reserve and the surrounding area is the real story area of Rudyard Kipling's famous "The Jungle Book". 
• Terrain: It is undulating, with most of the area covered by small hills and steep slopes on the sides. 
• Vegetation: The undulating topography supports a mosaic of vegetation ranging from a moist sheltered valley to an open, dry deciduous forest.
• Flora: The reserve boasts a diverse range of flora, including teak, saag, mahua, and various grasses and shrubs.
• Fauna:
• The area is especially famous for large herds of Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur (Indian Bison) and wild boar.
• The key predator is the tiger,followed by leopard, wild dogs and wolf.
• There are over 325 species of resident and migratory birds,including the Malabar Pied Hornbill, Indian Pitta, Osprey, Grey Headed Fishing Eagle, White Eyed Buzzard etc.

Hence option b is the correct answer.

Uncertainty looms large over Hemant Soren’s continuation as Jharkhand Chief Minister as he is likely to be disqualified by the Governor as Member of the Legislative Assembly; the Governor has received the Election Commission of India’s opinion on the question.

• The case against him has its roots in a mining lease that he gave himself as a Minister for Mines in 2021. The BJP complained to the Governor on February 11, 2022, that this act was in violation of Section 9(A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• On August 25, the ECI wrote to the Governor that Mr. Soren could be disqualified under Section 9(A). The awarding of a mining lease to himself was a brazen act of self-service, misuse of office and breach of people’s trust.

Section 9A in The Representation of the People Act, 1951

• Section 9A in The Representation of the People Act, 1951 deals with Disqualification for Government contracts, etc.
• It says that "A person shall be disqualified if, and for so long as, there subsists a contract entered into by him in the course of his trade or business with the appropriate Government for the supply of goods to, or for the execution of any works undertaken by, that Government."

Hence both statements are correct.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recorded a conviction rate of 67.56% in 2021, compared to 69.83% in 2020, according to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) annual report.

• The CBI registered 680 regular cases and 67 preliminary enquiries last year, while it had registered 589 regular cases and 87 preliminary enquiries in 2020.
• Last year, court judgments were received in 360 cases, which included 202 convictions, 82 acquittals and 15 of discharge from allegations. In 61 matters, cases were disposed of on other reasons. At the end of the year, a total of 10,232 cases were pending in various courts.
• In 2021, investigations were pending in 982 cases, whereas the figure stood at 1,117 the previous year. The probe was finalised in 798 regular cases and 86 preliminary inquiries last year.
• Of the total cases instituted last year, 457 pertained to various charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. They involved 549 public servants, of whom 221 were gazetted officers.
• As per the report, 102 cases were registered for demand of bribe by public servants for showing favour and 40 for possession of disproportionate assets. Of the 747 cases, — 133 were taken up on court directions and 37 on references from State governments and Union Territories.
• The CBI said that in 2021-end, 177 cases were pending for grant of sanction for prosecution under Prevention of Corruption Act.

Hence both statements are correct.