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

China led global coal power expansion in 2021, with about 25,000 MW of new plants, followed by India with about 6,100 MW

India’s Coal Reserves:

• India holds fifth-largest coal reserves in the world. 
• Commercial coal-mining industry has been in operation since 1774, launched by the East India Company along the Damodar River in West Bengal.
• 70% of India’s coal supply comes from the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
• State-owned Coal India Limited has a virtual monopoly on coal mines in India, which produce roughly 75% of the coal burned in India’s coal-fired power stations.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Union Cabinet has approved the revision of project outlay for setting up of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) from Rs.1435 crore to Rs.2255 crore as equity infusion to meet regulatory requirement.

• The Cabinet also granted in principle approval for future fund infusion to the tune of Rs.500 crore for meeting regulatory requirements and technological upgradation.
• India Post Payments Bank did a nationwide a launch by on September 1, 2018 with 650 branches/controlling offices.
• IPPB has enabled 1.36 lakh Post Offices to provide banking services and has equipped nearly 1.89 lakh Postmen and Gramin Dak Sevaks with smartphone and biometric device to provide doorstep banking services.
• Since the launch of IPPB, it has opened more than 5.25 crore accounts, out of which, 77% of accounts are opened in Rural areas, 48% are women customers with around Rs.1000 crore of deposit.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

The Union Cabinet has approved a Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) project for upgrading 2G mobile services to 4G at security sites in LWE areas.

• The Project envisages upgrading 2,343 left Wing Extremism Phase-I sites from 2G to 4G mobile services at an estimated cost of Rs.1,884.59 crore (Excluding taxes and levies).
• This includes O&M for five years. However, BSNL will maintain the sites for another five years at its own cost. The work will be awarded to BSNL because these sites belong to BSNL.
• The Cabinet also approved funding of operations and maintenance cost of LWE Phase-I 2G sites by BSNL for an extended period beyond the contractual period of five years at an estimated cost of Rs.541.80 crore.
• The extension will be up to 12 months from the date of approval by the Cabinet or commissioning of 4G sites, whichever is earlier.

Benefits

• The upgradation will enable better internet and data services in these LSW areas. The proposal is in line with the goal of providing mobile connectivity in rural areas.
• It shall also fulfil the communication needs of the security personnel deployed in these areas.
• In addition, delivery of various e-governance services, banking services, tele-medicine; tele-education etc. through mobile broadband shall be possible in these areas.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accorded approval to the opening of a new Indian Mission in Lithuania in 2022.

• Lithuania is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe.
• It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea.
• Lithuania shares land borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, Poland to the south, and Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia to the southwest. It has a maritime border with Sweden to the west on the Baltic Sea.
• Its capital and largest city is Vilnius.

India-Lithuania relations

• Opening of Indian Mission in Lithuania will help expand India’s diplomatic footprint and deepen political relations and strategic cooperation. It will also provide market access for Indian companies and bolster Indian exports of goods and services.
• India recognized Lithuania (along with the other Baltic States of Latvia and Estonia) on 7th September 1991 after acceptance of their independence by the erstwhile USSR.
• Diplomatic relations were established with Lithuania on 25th February 1992.
• Lithuanian language, which is the oldest living Indo- European language, has a lot of similarities with Sanskrit hence signifying possible close ancient links.

Hence, option (b) is the correct answer.

Perseverance Rover

• About:
  • Perseverance is the most advanced, most expensive and most sophisticated mobile laboratory sent to Mars.
  • It is different from previous missions because it is capable of drilling and collecting core samples of the most promising rocks and soils and setting them aside in a "cache" on the surface of Mars.
  • It is the centerpiece of NASA's Mars 2020 mission which also included the small robotic and coaxial helicopter Ingenuity. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Power Source:
  • A Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) which converts heat from the natural radioactive decay of plutonium (Plutonium Dioxide) into electricity. Hence statement 2 is correct.

• Pradhan Matri Fasal Bima Yojna was launched in 2016 and is being administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• It replaced the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS). Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• Aim:
  • To provide comprehensive insurance cover against the failure of the crop thus helping in stabilizing the income of the farmers. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Scope:
  • All food & oilseed crops and annual commercial/horticultural crops for which past yield data is available.
• Premium:
  • The prescribed premium is 2% to be paid by farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5% for all rabi crops. In the case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium is 5%.
  • Premium cost over and above the farmer share was equally subsidized by States and GoI.
  • However, GoI shared 90% of the premium subsidy for Northeastern States to promote the uptake in the region.

Role of Governors in State Universities

• In most cases, the Governor of the state is the ex-officio chancellor of the universities in that state. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• While as Governor he functions with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, as Chancellor he acts independently of the Council of Ministers and takes his own decisions on all University matters. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

In the Case of Central Universities

• Under the Central Universities Act, 2009, and other statutes, the President of India shall be the Visitor of a central university.
• With their role limited to presiding over convocations, Chancellors in central universities are titular heads, who are appointed by the President in his capacity as Visitor.
• The Vice Chancellor too is appointed by the Visitor from panels of names picked by search and selection committees formed by the Union government.
• The Act adds that the President, as Visitor, shall have the right to authorize inspections of academic and non-academic aspects of the universities and to institute inquiries.

• Recently, World Immunization Week 2022 was celebrated from 24^th to 30^th April 2022. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• World Immunization Week is a health campaign coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and celebrated in the last week of April, every year.
• The theme of this year is Long Life for All. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It aims to unify people around the idea that vaccines make it possible for us to follow our dreams, protect our loved ones and live a long, healthy life.

• Chenab river rises in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh state. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The river is formed by the confluence of two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga, at Tandi, 8 km southwest of Keylong, in the Lahaul and Spiti district.
  • The Bhaga River originates from Surya taal lake, which is situated a few kilometers west of the Bara-lacha la pass in Himachal Pradesh.
  • The Chandra River originates from glaciers east of the same pass (near Chandra Taal).
• It flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before flowing into the Indus River. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Feroz Shah Tughlaq

• He was born in 1309 and ascended the throne of Delhi after the demise of his cousin Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq.
• He was the third ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty that ruled over Delhi from 1320 to 1412 AD. Tughlaq was in power from 1351 to 1388 AD. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• He was the one who started the imposition of Jaziya. Jaziya' or 'Jizya' implies a per capita yearly taxation historically levied in the form of financial charge on permanent non-Muslim subjects of a state governed by Islamic law to fund public expenditures of the state. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• He provided the principle of inheritance to the armed forces where the officers were permitted to rest and send their children to the army in their place. However, they were not paid in real money but by land.
• The British called him the ‘father of the irrigation department’ because of the many gardens and canals that he built.