Daily Current Affairs MCQ- November 29, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

International Solar Alliance’s Fifth Assembly to be held in New Delhi from 17th to 20th October, 2022

International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• It is an international organisation with 109 member and signatory countries.
• It works with governments to improve energy access and security worldwide and promote solar power as a sustainable way to transition to a carbon-neutral future.
• ISA’s mission is to unlock US$ 1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030 while reducing the cost of the technology and its financing.
• With the signing and ratification of the ISA Framework Agreement by 15 countries in 2017, ISA became the first international intergovernmental organization to be headquartered in India.

Hence both statements are correct.

ISRO’s humanoid Vyommitra’s skills get a lift-off with digital grey matter.

• ‘Vyommitra’, is a humanoid designed and developed by the ISRO to fly aboard unmanned test missions ahead of the Gaganyaan human space-flight mission, is undergoing pre-flight ground tests.
• ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU) has successfully integrated it with a computer ‘brain’ which enables it to ‘read’ control panels aboard the unmanned test flights and communicate with the ISRO ground stations.
• The AI-enabled robot, which can withstand vibrations and shock during the flight, has been designed to resemble a human with facial expressions and speech and sight capabilities. It is a half-humanoid lacking lower limbs.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

PM Modi calls for giving boost to One District One Product scheme & further develop Aspirational Districts.

• ODOP was launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, to help districts reach their full potential, foster economic and socio-cultural growth, and create employment opportunities, especially, in rural areas.
• This initiative is carried out with the ‘Districts as Exports Hub’ initiative by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce.
• There may be more than one cluster of ODOP products in one district. The States would identify the food product for a district, keeping in perspective the focus of the scheme on perishables.
• The ODOP product could be a perishable Agri produce, cereal-based product, or a food product widely produced in a district and their allied sectors.
• The ODOP launch date is January 24, 2018, by the Uttar Pradesh Government, and due to its success, was later adopted by the Central Government.

Hence both statements are correct.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared a citizen’s response to Ayushman Bharat Scheme highlighting the health insurance cover of 5 lakh rupees for all Indian citizens.

• The Prime Minister remarked that the benefits of the scheme can be availed all over India.
• Ayushman Bharat is National Health Protection Scheme, which will cover over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families (providing coverage upto 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.
• Benefits of the scheme are portable across the country and a beneficiary covered under the scheme will be allowed to take cashless benefits from any public/private empanelled hospitals across the country.
• It will be an entitlement-based scheme with entitlement decided on the basis of deprivation criteria in the SECC database.
• States would need to have State Health Agency (SHA) to implement the scheme.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance has on Thursday released the 7th monthly instalment of Post Devolution Revenue Deficit (PDRD) Grant of Rs.7,183.42 crore to 14 States.

• The Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grants are provided to the States under Article 275 of the Constitution.
• The grants are released to the States as per the recommendations of the successive Finance Commissions to meet the gap in Revenue Accounts of the States post devolution.
• The eligibility of States to receive this grant and the quantum of grant for the period from 2020-21 to 2025-26 was decided by the Fifteenth Commission based on the gap between assessment of revenue and expenditure of the State after taking into account the assessed devolution during this period.

Hence both statements are correct.

National Lok Adalat will be held on 12 November across the country to dispose off pending cases through settlement.

• Lok Adalat is one of the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms, it is a forum where disputes/cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised amicably.
• Who conducts? National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA) along with other Legal Services Institutions conducts Lok Adalats.
• Status: Lok Adalats have been given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
• Fees: There is no court fee payable when a matter is filed in a Lok Adalat.

Hence both statements are correct.

India abstained on a draft resolution in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka which was adopted.

UN Human Rights Council

• What is it? It is an inter-governmental body within the UN system.
• Location: It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.
• Establishment: It was founded in 2006. It replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR).
• Functions:
  • It investigates allegations of breaches of human rights in UN member states.
  • It addresses important human rights issues such as freedom of expression, women's rights, LGBT rights, and the rights of racial and ethnic minorities.
  • The UNHRC works closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Hence both statements are correct.

NOPEC bill, the U.S. legislation that could open members of oil producing group OPEC+ to antitrust lawsuits has emerged as a possible tool to tackle high fuel prices.

• NOPEC bill, which passed a Senate committee 17-4 on May 5, is intended to protect U.S. consumers and businesses from engineered oil spikes.
• The bipartisan NOPEC bill would tweak U.S. antitrust law to revoke the sovereign immunity that has protected OPEC+ members and their national oil companies from lawsuits.
• If signed into law, the U.S. attorney general would gain the option to sue the oil cartel or its members, such as Saudi Arabia, in federal court.
• It is unclear exactly how a federal court could enforce judicial antitrust decisions against a foreign nation.

Hence both statements are correct.

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurates Competition Commission of India’s Regional Office (West) in Mumbai.

• A statutory body established under the provisions of The Competition Act, 2002.
• Established in: 2003.
• Composition: A Chairperson and 6 Members appointed by the Central Government.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.
• Preceding agency: Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission.
• Mandate: To implement provisions of The Competition Act, 2002 which –
  • prohibits anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position by enterprises
  • regulates mergers and acquisition (M&A) which can have an adverse effect on competition within India. Thus, deals beyond a certain threshold are required to get clearance from CCI.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The country's female Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) dropped to same level as males

• India has registered a decline in female infant mortality rate.
• In sixteen states, IMR remained higher for female babies than male but the gap had reduced since 2011. According to Sample Registration System Statistical Report 2020, Chhattisgarh had the highest gap in 2020, with a male infant mortality rate of 35 compared to female infant mortality rate of 41.

Infant Mortality

• Infant mortality is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday.
• The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births.
• In addition to giving us key information about maternal and infant health, the infant mortality rate is an important marker of the overall health of a society.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.