Daily Current Affairs MCQ- June 10, 2024 - UPSC MCQ

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued Request for Selection (RfS) for Selection of Green Ammonia Producers for the production of Green Ammonia in India through cost based competitive bidding under Mode 2A of Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme.

About SIGHT

• It is a subcomponent of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (under Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), aimed at bolstering domestic electrolyser manufacturing and green hydrogen production.
• Financial commitment: The programme has an outlay of ₹ 17,490 crore until 2029-30.
• Dual incentive mechanisms: Incentive for Electrolyser Manufacturing
• Implementation: The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) is responsible for executing the scheme.

National Green Hydrogen Mission

• It was launched on 4th January 2023 with an outlay of Rs. 19,744 crores up to FY 2029-30.
• It will contribute to India’s goal to become Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) through clean energy and serve as an inspiration for the global clean energy transition.
• The Mission will lead to significant decarbonization of the economy, reduced dependence on fossil fuel imports, and enable India to assume technology and market leadership in Green Hydrogen.

Hence option a is the correct answer.

The Health Ministry along with the IRDAI are launching the National Health Claim Exchange (NHCX), a digital platform which will bring together insurance companies, healthcare sector service providers and government insurance scheme administrators.

About National Health Claim Exchange (NHCX):

• National Health Claim Exchange (NHCX), a digital platform which will bring together insurance companies, healthcare sector service providers and government insurance scheme administrators.
• It aims to enhance efficiency, transparency, and accuracy in claims processing by facilitating the exchange of health insurance claims data among various stakeholders, including payers, providers, beneficiaries, regulators, and observers.
• The integration with NHCX is expected to enable seamless interoperability of health claims processing, enhancing efficiency and transparency in the insurance industry, benefiting policyholders and patients
• The NHCX aligns with the goals of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, which aims to simplify the health insurance claims procedure and create a unified digital platform for healthcare services

Hence option c is the correct answer.

The third Glasgow Dialogue on Loss and Damage took place at the 60th Session of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB60) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn, Germany this week.

About Santiago Network for Loss and Damage

• It is a global initiative established in December 2019 to support developing countries in averting, minimizing, and addressing loss and damage caused by climate change.
• The network aims to catalyse technical assistance from various organizations, bodies, networks, and experts to enhance the capacity of vulnerable countries to manage climate-related loss and damage

Key Features:

• The Santiago Network provides technical assistance to developing countries for addressing climate change-related loss and damage by offering access to knowledge, resources and expertise.
• It aims to build capacity by connecting vulnerable nations with technical assistance providers, including civil society, NGOs, and the private sector.
• The network also plays a crucial role in facilitating the effective use of the Loss & Damage Fund from COP28.

Hence option c is the correct answer.

About UN High Sea Treaty

• It is also known as the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). It is a landmark legally binding treaty adopted by the United Nations in June 2023.
• The treaty aims to protect and sustainably use marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, which cover nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans.
• The high seas are those areas of the world’s oceans that are outside national jurisdictions.
  • They constitute a huge chunk of the world’s oceans and are home to a wide variety of biodiversity. Despite this, less than two per cent of the world’s high seas are protected by law.
• So far only 7 countries — Belize, Chile, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Palau and the Seychelles — have ratified the treaty.
• The treaty will become international law only when it is signed and ratified by at least 60 countries. India has neither signed nor ratified the treaty.

Key Features

• Establishing large-scale marine protected areas to conserve 30% of land and sea by 2030
• Creating a framework for sharing benefits from marine genetic resources and technology transfer
• Implementing clear rules for environmental impact assessments
• Requiring free, prior, and informed consent from indigenous communities for accessing marine resources
• Setting up a clearing-house mechanism to share information and best practices among parties.

Hence option a is the correct answer.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) recently started automatic electronic payment of duty drawback amounts directly into exporters’ bank accounts.

About Duty Drawback Scheme:

• It is a trusted and time-tested scheme administered by CBIC to promote exports.
• It rebates the incidence of Customs and Central Excise duties, chargeable on imported and excisable material, respectively, when used as inputs for goods to be exported.
• The duty drawback provisions are described under the Customs Act, 1962.
• This WTO compliant scheme ensures that exports are zero-rated and do not carry the burden of the specified taxes.
• It is a crucial program to help exporters offset some of the costs accrued during the export process, particularly in the supply or value chain.
• The following are the eligible goods for the duty drawback:
• To export goods imported into India
• To export goods imported into India after having been taken for use
• To export goods manufactured/produced out of imported material
• To export goods manufactured/produced out of indigenous material
• To export goods manufactured /produced out of imported or indigenous materials.
• The following are the minimum criteria to claim for processing drawback claims:
• Any individual must be the legal owner of the goods at the time the goods are exported.
• He/she must have paid customs duty on imported goods.
• Duty drawback is available on most goods on which customs duty was paid on importation and which has been exported.

Key Facts about Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC):

• CBIC (erstwhile Central Board of Excise and Customs) is a part of the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• CBIC administers all the indirect tax-related matters in India.
• It deals with the tasks of formulation of policy concerning levy and collection of Customs, Central Excise duties, Central Goods & Services Tax and IGST, prevention of smuggling and administration of matters relating to Customs, Central Excise, Central Goods & Services Tax, IGST, and Narcotics to the extent under CBIC's purview. 
• The Board is the administrative authority for its subordinate organizations, including Custom Houses, Central Excise and Central GST Commissionerates, and the Central Revenues Control Laboratory.
• It also ensures that taxes on foreign and inland travel are administered as per the law, and the collection agencies deposit the taxes collected to the public exchequer promptly.

Hence both statement 1 is correct.

Enterprises globally are adopting Large Action Models (LAMs) that understand complex goals communicated with natural language, and they follow up with autonomous actions to achieve them.

About Large Action Models (LAMs):

• LAMs are advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) models. 
• LAMs are designed to understand and execute complex tasks, based on what users want.
• Unlike large language models (LLMs), a LAM combines language understanding with logic and reasoning to execute various tasks.
• LAMs learn from massive datasets of user action information and use this data for strategic planning and proactive action in real-time.
• These models utilise advanced machine learning techniques, including deep learning and reinforcement learning, which enables them to learn from vast datasets and improve their decision-making capabilities over time. 
• By analysing past and present actions, LAMs can make educated predictions about future outcomes, thereby assisting in planning, strategy, and real-time decision-making in complex environments.
• Their application ranges across numerous fields, from personal assistants, autonomous vehicles, and robotics to healthcare as well as financial modelling.

What are Large Language Models (LLMs)?

• A LLM is a type of AI program that can recognize and generate text, among other tasks.
• LLMs are trained on huge sets of data—hence the name "large."
• LLMs use a type of machine learning called deep learning in order to understand how characters, words, and sentences function together. 
• They have the ability to infer from context, generate coherent and contextually relevant responses, translate to languages other than English, summarize text, answer questions (general conversation and FAQs), and even assist in creative writing or code generation tasks. 

Hence option c is the correct answer.

Recently, scientists discovered a hidden ocean which is 700 km below earth's Surface located within a mineral called ringwoodite.

• It is a fascinating mineral that exists in the Earth’s transition zone.
• It has a unique crystal structure that allows it to absorb water and hydrogen, acting like a sponge. This mineral can hold a significant amount of water.
• It is a rare type of mineral that forms from olivine under very high pressures and temperatures.
• The weight of hundreds of kilometers of rock and very high temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 Fahrenheit) break down water into its components.
• When the minerals containing this water reach certain depths, they break down in a process called dehydration and release the water to form magmas.
• Such "dehydration melting" is common in the shallow mantle and forms the source for magmas in many volcanoes.

Implications for Earth’s water cycle

• The discovery of this deep-water reservoir has significant implications for our understanding of the Earth’s water cycle.
• It suggests that water can be transported to the Earth’s surface from deep within its mantle, contributing to the water found in oceans, rivers, and lakes.
• This internal water source could also play a role in volcanic activity and the formation of new crust.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, a patient suffering from Parkinson’s plus syndrome has undergone ahigh cervical spinal cord stimulation.

• It is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifest in a similar fashion to Parkinson’s Disease.
• It is also called atypical parkinsonism, refers to a group of neurodegenerative movement disorders that resemble idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) with certain distinguishing clinical and pathophysiological features.
• They attack the brain cells and nerves and lead to movement disorders, just like Parkinson’s.
• There are several conditions that are categorized as Parkinson’s Plus Syndrome, some of which include;
• Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), and Corticobasal Ganglionic Degeneration (CBGD).
• The cause of Parkinson’s Plus Syndrome is unknown, with a combination of genetic and environmental factors usually held responsible.
• Symptoms
• Tremors in one hand
• Balance and coordination problems
• Difficulty walking or shuffling gait
• Stiffness in the jaw or reduced facial expressions
• Treatment: Medication can help some people move more easily and feel less stiff. 

Hence both statements are correct.

The Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong recalled Everest Fish Curry Masala from India alleging the presence of a pesticide called ethylene oxide at levels exceeding permissible limit.

• It is a flammable gas with a somewhat sweet odor. It dissolves easily in water.
• It appears as a clear colorless gas with an ethereal odor.
• Ethylene oxide is a man-made chemical that is used primarily to make ethylene glycol.
• Applications: A small amount (less than 1%) is used to control insects in some stored agricultural products and a very small amount is used in hospitals to sterilize medical equipment and supplies.
• Health impacts: It mainly impacts human central nervous system causing depression and irritation of the eyes and mucous membranes. Chronic exposure to ethylene oxide in humans can cause irritation of the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs, and damage to the brain and nervous system.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, scientists announced the discovery of 160 marine species after exploring the Salas y Gómez region.

• It is an underwater mountain chain in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean.
• It lies in a west-east orientation. Its western end intersects the East Pacific Rise inside the Chilean Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Easter Islands and its eastern end adjoins the western end of Nazca ridge.
• Ecosystems in this region are isolated by the Atacama Trench, the Humboldt Current System, and an extreme oxygen minimum zone. 
• Waters surrounding the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges are mostly located in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), with smaller portions located in the national waters of Chile and Peru. 
• This region hosts unique biodiversity with some of the highest levels of marine endemism on Earth.
• It is one of the many global locations under consideration for being designated as high seas marine protected area upon the ratification of the UN High Seas Treaty. 

Hence option (a) is the correct answer.