Daily Current Affairs MCQ- May 13, 2023 - UPSC MCQ

Recently, the deadline of the PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Uttham Mahabhiyan) to install 30,000 MW solar power capacity in rural India by 2022, has been pushed to March 2026.

• PM-KUSUM Scheme was launched in 2019.
• The scheme envisages income generation for farmers from their infertile land with the establishment of solar power plants.
• Aim: To help farmers access reliable daytime solar power for irrigation, reduce power subsidies, and decarbonise agriculture.
• The Scheme consists of three components
  • Component A: 10,000 MW of solar capacity through the installation of small Solar Power Plants of individual plants of capacity up to 2 MW.
  • Component B: Installation of 20 lakhs standalone Solar Powered Agriculture Pumps.
  • Component C: Solarisation of 15 Lakh Grid-connected Agriculture Pumps.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, scientists have traced the mechanisms of the toxic action of cobra venom.

• Cytotoxins (CTXs) are an essential class of the non-enzymatic three-finger toxin family and are ubiquitously present in cobra venoms.
• These low-molecular-mass toxins, contributing to about 40 to 60% of the cobra venom proteome, play a significant role in cobra venom-induced toxicity, more prominently in dermonecrosis (local effects).
• Some CTXs are also responsible for depolarizing neurons and heart muscle membranes, thereby contributing to cardiac failures frequently observed in cobra-envenomed victims. Consequently, they are also known as cardiotoxins (CdTx).
• Interestingly, the proportion of cobra venom CTXs varies dramatically across different cobra species.
• Usually, venoms from African spitting cobras have a higher proportion of CTXs than the Asiatic cobra ones, indicating geographical variation in snake venom composition.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Recently, the Vice President of India said Parliament is the “North Star” of democracy.

• The North Star is also known as Pole Star.
• It is a very bright star — around 2,500 times more luminous than the Sun.
• It is part of the constellation Ursa Minor and is around 323 light years away from the Earth.
• The Northstar is less than 1° away from the north celestial pole, almost in direct line with the Earth’s rotational axis.
• It appears to sit motionless in the northern sky, with all the other stars appearing to rotate around it.
• Its position and brightness have allowed humans to use it for navigation since late antiquity.
• The elevation of the star above the horizon gives the approximate latitude of the observer.
• Upon crossing the equator to the south, however, the North Star is lost over the horizon and hence stops being a useful navigational aid.

Hence both statements are correct.

Recently, the State Governments and Union Territory administrations in India celebrated World Wetlands Day (WWD) at all 75 Ramsar.

• World Wetlands Day is observed on 2nd February every year all over the world to commemorate the signing of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 1971.
• India is a party to the Convention since 1982 and has so far declared 75 wetlands as Ramsar sites covering 23 states and Union Territories.
• At present, the state of Tamil Nadu has a maximum number of Ramsar sites (14), followed by UP which has 10 numbers of Ramsar sites.
• The 2023 theme for World Wetlands Day is Wetland Restoration.
• The theme of 2023 highlights the urgent need to prioritize wetland restoration. It is a call on an entire generation to take proactive action for wetlands, by investing financial, human and political capital to save the wetlands from disappearing and to revive and restore those that have been degraded.
• India has the largest network of Ramsar Sites in Asia, making these sites a critical ecological network for the conservation of global biological diversity and supporting human well-being.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The story of Dhamaal performance traditions reveals the rich and complex mixing of cultures in a world shaped by human movement and history.

• Dhamaal is a mix of Sufi and African (mostly East African) musical and dance traditions.
• It refers particularly to the spiritual practices of the Siddis of Gujarat.
• Usually, Dhamaal songs and dances are performed to celebrate the anniversary of the birth and death of spiritual leaders.
• They are performed in two ways 
  • Dance Dhamaal: It is performed in both sitting and dance positions and the focus is more on the sounds of the instruments.
  • Baithaaki Dhamaal: is performed in the sitting position and the focus is more on the lyrics and less on the musical instruments.
• The spiritual songs that are sung during the Dhamaals are known as zikrs.

Hence both statements are correct.

The chief of SpaceX recently said that SpaceX may attempt a Starship rocket system launch in March.

About SpaceX Starship:

• Starship is a super-heavy-lift rocket and spacecraft built to carry immense cargo and numerous astronauts into deep space.
• Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry up to 150 metric tonnes to Earth orbit reusable and up to 250 metric tonnes expendable.
• Starship is the collective name for a two-component system consisting of the Starship spacecraft (which carries the crew and cargo) and the Super Heavy rocket. 
• The rocket is made of stainless steel and runs on liquid methane. 
• It is 164 feet (50 meters) tall and has a diameter of nine meters.
• Starship is intended to evolve into a fully reusable launch and landing system.
• The Starship launch system is powered by the Raptor engine, a reusable methalox staged-combustion engine.
• It is built by SpaceX, which is an American spacecraft manufacturer.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Central government is likely to increase the dearness allowance (DA) for its over one crore employees and pensioners by four percentage points to 42% from the existing 38%.

About Dearness Allowance (DA):

• What is it? DA is a cost of living adjustment that the Government pays to public sector employees and pensioners.
• Why is DA paid? To curb the effect of inflation.
• How is DA calculated?
• It is calculated as a percentage of the basic salary.
• DA for Central Government employees is calculated differently than that of public sector employees.
• The formula to calculate the DA was changed in 2006 by the Government.
• DA % for Central Govt Employees = {(All-India Consumer Price Index average (Base year 2001 =100) for the last 12 months -115.76)/115.76} x 100
• DA % for Public Sector Employees = {(All-India Consumer Price Index Average (Base year 2001 =100) for the last 3 months - 126.33)/126.33} x 100
• Since DA is based on the cost of living, this salary component is not fixed. DA varies from employee to employee based on their presence in the urban, semi-urban, or rural sectors.
• Taxability:
• DA is fully taxable for individuals who are salaried employees. 
• It is compulsory to declare the tax liability concerning DA when filing an ITR.

Hence both statements are correct.

Adani Enterprises recently decided to call off its ₹20,000 crore follow-on public offer and return the money it had collected from investors. 

About Follow on Public Offer (FPO):

• What is it? FPO is a process wherein a company already listed on a stock exchange issues new shares to existing investors or shareholders.
• It is also known as a secondary offering. 
• Purpose:  
• FPO allows a company to raise additional funds through the issuance of new shares. 
• Companies use FPOs to diversify their equity base and raise capital for business. 
• This capital can be used for multiple purposes, such as to meet the company's expenses, business expansion, debt reduction, etc.

What is Initial Public Offer (IPO)?

• When a private company first sells shares of stock to the public, this process is known as an initial public offering (IPO). 
• An IPO means that a company's ownership is transitioning from private ownership to public ownership. 

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

A recent study has found widespread infection of white-tailed deer with the SARS-CoV-2 virus across the U.S. State of New York. 

Key facts about White-tailed deer:

• They are the smallest members of the North American deer family.
• Scientific name: Odocoileus virginianus
• Distribution: They are found in North America from southern Canada through Central America.
• Habitat:
• Includes areas along streams and rivers, mixed woodlands, farms, forests, and burned shrub fields.
• Open areas are used only when thick shrubs or forests are nearby.
• Features:
• It is tan or brown in the summer and grayish brown in winter.
• It has white on its throat, around its eyes and nose,  on its stomach, and on the underside of its tail.
• Only male deer grow antlers, which are shed each year.
• They are excellent runners. They can run at speeds of up to 30 miles an hour.
• IUCN Status: 'Least Concern’

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

ISRO's Small Satellite Launch Vehicle SSLV-D2 carrying EOS-07, Janus-1 and AzaadiSAT-2 satellites was successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Station, in Sriharikota.

About AzaadiSAT-2:

• It has been developed by about 750 girl students across India.
• They contributed to the design and construction of the satellite built by Chennai-based startup Space Kidz India.
• The girls received training both online and, in some cases, in-person.
• Experiment materials were sent to these girls and they were guided on how to use it.
• “SpaceKidz developed basic and simple experiments that students can learn and assemble with the simultaneous support of their science teachers. 
• Objective: It aims to measure various health data like temperature and reset count from 75 student experiments installed inside the satellite. 

Hence only statement 2 is correct.