Daily Current Affairs MCQ - 31st March, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

• Hydrogen is the lightest and first element on the periodic table. Since hydrogen's weight is less than air, it rises in the atmosphere and is therefore rarely found in its pure form, H2.
• At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a nontoxic, non-metallic, odourless, tasteless, colourless, and highly combustible diatomic gas.
• Hydrogen fuel is a zero-emission fuel burned with oxygen. It can be used in fuel cells or internal combustion engines. It is also used as a fuel for spacecraft propulsion.

Occurrence of Hydrogen:

• It is the most abundant element in the universe. The sun and other stars are composed largely of hydrogen.
• Astronomers estimate that 90% of the universe's atoms are hydrogen atoms. Hydrogen is a component of more compounds than any other element.
• Water is the most abundant compound of hydrogen found on earth.

• India is the largest producer of generic medicines in the world.
• India's ongoing 'Vaccine Maitri' campaign, which aims to provision COVID-19 vaccines to countries both near and away from its immediate neighbourhood, is one of the most important recent initiatives to leverage its science technological advantages the furtherance of its foreign policy objectives.

With a view to enhancing ease of doing business and transparency, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has revamped its Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum (IEM) portal. The upgraded portal offers single IEM for one company to capture details of all its locations and sectors.

• This Single form will facilitate filling of investment intentions (IEM-Part A) and reporting of commencement of production (IEM-Part B) in a seamless manner.
• Any amendments to the IEMs may also be done easily with respect to previously filed IEMs. This entire process avoids duplication in filling information.
• All approvals will be communicated on emails and SMS in purely paperless manner to applicants. Simultaneous information shall also send to concerned State Governments.
• The G2B portal can be accessed at http://services.dipp.gov.in for the purpose of submitting application and obtaining the IEM certificate.
• DPIIT operates the G2B Portal for receiving application of Industrial Entrepreneurs to file an Industrial Entrepreneurs Memorandum (IEM) under Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.
   

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare digitally participated in a panel discussion on vaccine production and distribution across Asia at the "World Immunisation and Logistics Summit".

• The HOPE Consortium's World Immunisation & Logistics Summit opened on March 30, 2021 to enhance collaboration in the world's approach to tackle COVID-19 and ensure a healthier future for all.
• The two-day virtual Summit, hosted in by Abu Dhabi, kicked off under the patronage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, with the participation of acclaimed global healthcare and philanthropic leaders, decision-makers, experts and senior government officials, to explore a unified global approach to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

HOPE Consortium spearheaded by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, who has led the formation of the emirate-wide consortium, the HOPE Consortium brings together leading brands to deliver an end-to-end solution to distribute COVID-19 vaccines globally.
 

• Primary deficit is the revenue deficit net of interest payments and the implication is that the government is unable to contain recurring expenditure such as subsidies and other discretionary expenditures within the limits of recurring non-debt revenue. 
• So, the primary deficit ratio is the leading indicator for the revenue deficit ratio to follow. Increasing the primary deficit is the surest route to higher revenue deficit and unsustainable debt servicing in the future.

• A "carbon credit" (also known as a "carbon offset") is an electronic and serialized unit that represents one ton of CO₂ equivalent that is reduced, avoided, or sequestered from projects applying an approved carbon credit methodology.
• Decarbonization means the reduction of carbon. More specifically, the term refers to converting the economic system or individual carbon emitting entity converting to reduce the carbon intensity of its (direct or value chain) emissions over time.

The Investment Opportunities report for India's Healthcare Sector NITI Aayog releases.

• The report outlines the range of investment opportunities in various segments of India's healthcare sector, including hospitals, medical devices and equipment, health insurance, telemedicine, home healthcare and medical value travel.
• India's healthcare industry has been growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of around 22% since 2016. At this rate, it is expected to reach USD 372 billion in 2022.
• The expansion of private players to tier-2 and tier-3 locations, beyond metropolitan cities, offers an attractive investment opportunity in the hospital segment.

On Tuesday, dust-laden winds swept through Delhi, lowering air quality and increasing the concentration of coarse particles in the atmosphere.

• According to forecasts, strong winds that are carrying dust to Delhi from Rajasthan are expected to continue until Thursday.
• The concentration of particulate matter of 10 micrometres (PM10) — coarse particles suspended in the air — was 341 micrograms per cubic metre air (µg/m3) as of 5pm, against the 24 hour acceptable limit of 100 µg/m3.
• The spike in PM10 concentration shows the impact of dust-laden winds on air quality, which, according to the Centre's Early Warning System for Delhi, is expected to largely remain in poor category for the next five days.
• Weather and environmental experts said a cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan and high temperatures over the past few days in northwest India is contributing to this phenomenon.
• Delhi witnesses long-range transport of dust nearly every year from Rajasthan, and even from Afghanistan, during summer months.
   

The Convention on Cybercrime, also known as the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime or the Budapest Convention, is the first international treaty seeking to address Internet and computer crime (cybercrime) by harmonizing national laws, improving investigative techniques, and increasing cooperation among nations. The Council of Europe drew it up in Strasbourg, France, with the Council of Europe's observer states Canada, Japan, Philippines, South Africa and the United States.
 
Since 2018, India has been reconsidering its stand on the Convention after a surge in cybercrime, though concerns about sharing data with foreign agencies remain.

• The first time a butterfly species was discovered by an all-Indian research team from the Western Ghats.
• The discovery of the species Nacaduba sinhala ramaswamii Sadasivan, 2021 in the Agasthyamalais in the Western Ghats a decade ago has now found place in the Journal of Threatened Taxa.
• The new taxon of Lycaenid butterflies belongs to the Nacaduba genus.
• Line Blues are small butterflies belonging to the subfamily Lycaenidae and their distribution ranges from India and Sri Lanka to the whole of southeastern Asia, Australia and Samoa.
• Lepidopterology is a branch of entomology concerning the scientific study of moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies.