Daily Current Affairs MCQ - February 12, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports informed Lok Sabha about Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram.

• The Scheme Rashtriya Yuva Sashaktikaran Karyakram (RYSK) is an ongoing Central Sector Scheme.
• The budget allocation of the scheme RYSK for the year 2020-21 is Rs.486.48 Crores.
• It is an umbrella scheme. The 7 sub-schemes under scheme RYSK are:
  • Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan.
  • National Youth Corps.
  • National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development.
  • International Cooperation.
  • Youth Hostels.
  • Assistance to Scouting and Guiding Organisations.
  • National Young Leaders Programme.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Ministry of Labour & Employment has appointed Shri S.N. Subrahmanyan, CEO and Managing Director, L&T Ltd, as the Chairman of the National Safety Council for a period of three years.

• National Safety Council is a non-profit, self-financing apex body at the national level in India.
• Its Objective is to generate, develop and sustain a voluntary movement on Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) at the national level.
• It is an autonomous body, which was set up by the Government of India, Ministry of Labour and Employment in 1965.
• It was registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and subsequently, as a Public Trust under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950.
• Hence both statements are correct.

The Government has launched a campaign namely Kalam Program for Intellectual Property Literacy and Awareness Campaign (KAPILA) for Intellectual Property Literacy and creating patent awareness on 15th October, 2020.

• The objectives of the scheme include
  • creating awareness regarding Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in Higher Education Institutions(HEIs),
  • enabling of IP protection of inventions originating from faculty and students of HEIs,
  • development of Credit Course on IPR,
  • training program on IPR for faculty and students of HEIs and
  • sensitization and development of vibrant IP filing system.
• So far, total 46,556 users have been registered for KAPILA.
• Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

Both the Governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have mutually complained against each other about new projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers without submitting their Detailed Project Reports (DPR) to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) respectively for appraisal and clearance.

• An Apex Council was constituted under the AP Reorganization Act, 2014 for deciding on water relared inter-state matters. The second meeting of the Apex Council was held on 06.10.2020 under the Chairmanship of Minister (Jal Shakti) with CMs of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• In the meeting, it was decided that both the States shall submit the DPRs of new projects to KRMB/ GRMB for appraisal and subsequent sanction by the Apex Council.
• Taking up of new projects by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in Krishna or Godavari rivers is in violation of section 84(3)(ii), 85(8)(d) and para 7 of the Eleventh Schedule of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014.
• Hence, both the States have been asked to not go ahead with new projects in Krishna or Godavari rivers till the projects are appraised by KRMB/GRMB and thereafter a sanction of Apex Council is obtained.
• Hence both statements are correct.

India Post, Mumbai Region, in collaboration with the Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai releases a Special Cover on World Cancer Day (February 4).

• Objective: To save millions of preventable deaths each year through raising awareness and by pressing governments to take action against Cancer.
• Organized by: Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), an International non-governmental organization (NGO) that exists to help the global health community accelerate the fight against cancer. It was founded in 1933 and based in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Origin: World Cancer Day was established by the Paris Charter adopted at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millenium in Paris in 2000.
• Theme: In 2019, Union for International Cancer Control, launched a new 3-year campaign with the theme: “I Am and I Will.” The campaign is an empowering call-to-action urging for personal commitment and represents the power of individual action taken now to impact the future.
• Hence both statements are correct.

The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) received the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) for the Indian Army from Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC).

• The LUH is a three-ton class new generation single engine helicopter indigenously designed and developed by Rotary Wing Research and Design Centre of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)  with features suitable for operations in the diverse operating conditions unique to India.
• The LUH will replace the ageing fleet of Cheetah/Chetak helicopters operated by the Services.
• The LUH is powered by a single turbo shaft engine Ardiden 1U from M/s. Safran Helicopter Engine (SHE), France with adequate power margins to accomplish high altitude missions in Himalayas with ease.
• LUH is equipped with Smart Cockpit Display System (Glass Cockpit), state-of-the-art HUMS (Health & Usage Monitoring System) and is designed for various utility and armed roles.
• Hence both statements are correct.

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has issued the guidelines for floating structures with a vision to set up world-class floating infrastructure all along the coastline in the upcoming projects.

• The guidelines sets out technical aspects for implementation of Floating Jetties or Platforms for Marinas, Minor Harbors, Fishing Harbours or Fish landing centers, Waterdomes and such other similar facilities in coastal areas, estuaries, waterways, rivers and reservoirs.
• These guidelines may also be suitably utilized for floating pontoons or platforms in various waterborne systems and floating wave attenuators or breakwaters for Minor Harbors or Fish Landing facilities.
• Floating structure because of its inherent advantages is an attractive solution and it is being promoted by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
• The benefits of floating jetties or structures over the conventional quay and fixed concrete structures include its cost-effectiveness, faster implementation, easily expandable and re-locatable and having minimal environmental impacts.
• Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has successfully implemented few projects including setting up of passenger floating jetties in Goa, water-aerodromes at Sabarmati River and at Sardar Sarovar Dam for the seaplane services which are working satisfactorily.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

A global collaboration for the world’s largest radio telescope took formal shape with the constitution of an Intergovernmental Council.

• The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) project, spanning two continents and involving the participation of 20 countries, is expected to be ready for carrying out observations towards the end of this decade.
• Its goals are: studying the universe and its evolution, the origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism, and dark energy and evolution of galaxies.
• It is proposed to be built in two phases, with an estimated 1.8 billion euros required for phase-I, planned over the next ten years.
• Headquartered and controlled from the UK, the SKA is not a single telescope but will be an array of antennas strategically designed and set up in South Africa and Australia.
• The telescope in South Africa will have 197 dishes, each 15 metres in diameter, and will be located in the Karoo region.
• The telescope in Australia will have 1,31,072 antennas, each measuring 2 m high. They will be installed on the campus of the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory operated by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
• India is also participating in SKAO through the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Hence both statements are incorrect.

The 1st High Level Dialogue (HLD), co-chaired by the Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and the European Union Executive Vice-President & Trade Commissioner Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, was held on 5th February 2021.

• Commitment to the establishment of this Dialogue was a major outcome of the 15th India-EU Leader’s Summit held in July 2020, with an objective for a Ministerial level guidance towards the bilateral trade and investment relations.
• The Ministers also agreed to meet within the next three months, with an objective for reaching consensus on a host of bilateral trade & investment cooperation issues viz. a bilateral Regulatory Dialogue; an India-EU Multilateral Dialogue to explore further possibilities of cooperation; etc.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit district have booked the mother and brother of a farmer who had died during the farmers’ agitation in Delhi, under The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, after his body was allegedly draped in the national flag.

• The law, enacted on December 23, 1971, penalises the desecration of or insult to Indian national symbols, such as the National Flag, the Constitution, the National Anthem, and the Indian map, as well as contempt of the Constitution of India.
• Section 2 of the Act says that whoever disrespects the Indian National Flag or the Constitution of India shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
• As per the Act, disrespect to the Indian National Flag includes using the Indian National Flag as a drapery in any form whatsoever except in State funerals or armed forces or other para-military forces funerals”.
• Section 3.22 of The Flag Code of India, 2002 reads: “The Flag shall not be used as a drapery in any form whatsoever except in State/Military/Central Paramilitary Forces funerals hereinafter provided.”
• The flag can only be used during a funeral if it is accorded the status of a state funeral. Apart from police and armed forces, state funerals are held when people who are holding or have held office of President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister, Chief Minister pass away.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.