Daily Current Affairs MCQ- March 27, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), New Delhi, celebrated World Down Syndrome Day by organizing a free Webinar open for all, in association with the Down-Syndrome Federation of India.

• Dawn syndrome is a genetic disorder, caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21 also known as trisomy of chromosome 21.
• It is one of the leading causes of genetic disorders around the world.
• Types of Down syndrome: There are three types of Down syndrome.
  • Trisomy 21: About 95% of people with Down syndrome have Trisomy 21. With this type of Down syndrome, each cell in the body has 3 separate copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual 2 copies.
  • Translocation Down syndrome: This type accounts for a small percentage of people with Down syndrome (about 3%). This occurs when an extra part or a whole extra chromosome 21 is present, but it is attached or “trans-located” to a different chromosome rather than being a separate chromosome 21.
  • Mosaic Down syndrome:  Mosaic means mixture or combination. For children with mosaic Down syndrome, some of their cells have 3 copies of chromosome 21, but other cells have the typical two copies of chromosome 21.
• Treatment: Down syndrome is a lifelong condition and it cannot be cured. Early therapy programs can help improve skills.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB) to recover environmental compensation from Bhilwara municipal council for its failure to take action to remedy the pollution of River Kothari.

• The Kothari River raises from the Aravalli hills near Devgarh in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan.
• This river is one of the tributaries of river Banas which joins it at Nandrai in Kotri tehsil.
• The Meja dam on the Kothari river provides drinking water to the Bhilwara district.
• The most open wells in villages near the Kothari river, which flows along the industrial belt, had chromium, lead, iron, zinc and sodium above the norms set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, Poisoned Water.

Hence both statements are not correct.

Recently, the Prime Minister of India presented a sandalwood Buddha statue to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during the latter’s two-day state visit to India.

• The Buddha figure, made of pure sandalwood, has hand carvings along with traditional designs and natural scenes.
• In this posture, Buddha is sitting in ‘dhyana mudra’ under the Bodhi tree.
• Indian Sandalwood is a dry deciduous forest species native to China, India, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines.
• It has been an important part of Indian culture for centuries and is widely regarded as one of the most valuable and prized woods in the world.
• Major Growing areas in India: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh these three States have commenced joint action to stop illegal sand mining in National Chambal Sanctuary.

• National Chambal Sanctuary lying at the tri-junction of three states Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• It is home to the critically endangered Gharial, the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges River dolphin.
• Chambal supports the largest population of Gharials in the wild.
• Chambal River is one of the tributaries of the Yamuna River and the most pollution-free river in India.
• It originates at the Singar Chouri peak on the northern slopes of the Vindhya mountains.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Recently, Long-tailed duck species have been spotted at the iconic Wular Lake, Kashmir after 116 years. 

• The attractive Long-tailed Duck is found in the high Arctic and spends winters mostly along ocean coasts. 
• They are amazing divers—able to swim down as deep as 200 feet to forage.
• Unlike other ducks, Long-tailed Ducks do not use their feet to propel their dives, but they flap with partially opened wings. 
• It is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
• Wular Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia. It is located in the Bandipora district in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The lake basin was formed as a result of tectonic activity and is fed by the Jhelum River.
• Conservation Status

IUCN: Vulnerable

Hence both statements are correct.

2 only

Explanation: The Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005 does not require the information seeker to give valid reasons for seeking information from a public authority. The Act aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the functioning of public authorities by empowering citizens to access information held by them. The second statement is correct. The Act requires every public authority to computerize their records and proactively publish certain categories of information, making it easily accessible to the public, so that the need for filing RTI applications is minimized.

Prime Minister will inaugurate the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Area office and Innovation Centre at a programme in Delhis Vigyan Bhawan.

About International Telecommunication Union (ITU):

• It is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies.
• It is an intergovernmental organization that coordinates between governments and private sector bodies with respect to global telecommunication and information communication technology (ICT) services.
• It was established in 1865  as International Telegraph Union.
• In 1947 the ITU became a specialized agency of the United Nations.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Membership: It has a membership of 193 countries and nearly 800 private sector entities and academic institutions.
• Functions:
• allocate global radio spectrum and satellite orbits;
• coordination and setting of technical standards related to telecommunication/ICT;
• strive to improve access to ICTs in underserved communities worldwide;
• India and ITU: India has been an active member of the ITU since 1869 and has been a regular member of the ITU Council since 1952.

Hence both statements are correct.

The INS Androth, the second in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), was launched recently.

About INS Androth:

• It is an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC).
• It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata for the Indian Navy.
• Primary Role: To conduct anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low-intensity maritime operations, and mine-laying operations. 
• It is also capable of full-scale sub-surface surveillance of coastal waters and various surface platforms and coordinated ASW operations with aircraft.
• Features:
• It is about 77.6 meters long and 10.5 meters wide and requires a draught of only 2.7 meters.
• It is propelled by three diesel-driven water jets.
• It can attain a maximum speed of 25 knots.
• It carries lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines, a close-in weapon system (with a 30 mm gun), and 16.7 mm stabilized remote-controlled guns.
• It will be fitted with hull-mounted sonar and a low-frequency variable depth sonar.

Hence both statements are not correct.

Ministry Of Food Processing Industries recently informed that the PMFME scheme has received over 1,02,515 loan applications so far.

About PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME):

• It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2020 with an outlay of Rs.10,000 crore.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• Duration: It will be implemented over a 5-year period from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
• Fund Sharing: The expenditure under the scheme would be shared in a 60:40 ratio between Central and State Governments, a 90:10 ratio with North Eastern and Himalayan States, a 60:40 ratio with UTs with legislature, and 100% by Centre for other UTs.
• Objectives: 
• Formalization of micro units by means of GST, Udyog Aadhar, and FSSAI registrations.
• Financial assistance to individual units for the upgradation of food processing facilities.
• Quality improvement and skill development through training and technical knowledge.
• Financial assistance to Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), and producer’s cooperatives for setting up common infrastructure facilities.
• Branding and marketing support to FPOs, SHGs, and producer cooperatives.
• Support and assistance in availing bank loans and preparation of detailed project reports (DPR)
• Financial Support:
• Support to Individual micro-units:
• Micro enterprises will get credit linked subsidy at 35% of the eligible project cost with a ceiling of Rs.10 lakh.
• The beneficiary contribution will be minimum of 10% and the balance from the loan.
• Support to FPOs/SHGs/Cooperatives:
• Seed capital will be given to SHGs ( at Rs. 4 lacks per SHG) for loans to members for working capital and small tools.
• Grant for backward/ forward linkages, common infrastructure, packaging, marketing & branding.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, an Inter-Ministerial delegation from India led by the Department of Commerce participated in the second Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) negotiating round in Bali, Indonesia from March 13-19, 2023.

• Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) is an economic initiative launched by United States President Joe Biden on May 23, 2022.
• IPEF has fourteen member states: Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States and Vietnam.
• During the Bali Round, discussions covered all four pillars of the IPEF: Trade (Pillar I); Supply Chains (Pillar II); Clean Economy (Pillar III); and Fair Economy (Taxation & Anticorruption) - (Pillar IV).
• India participated in the discussions related to Pillars II to IV. 

Hence only statement 1 is correct.