Daily Current Affairs MCQ - February 26, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

In the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 is an enzyme called the main protease, which drives its replication once it infects the human cell. For the first time, scientists have completed a 3D map that reveals the location of every atom in the molecule of this enzyme.

• SARS-CoV-2 expresses long chains of proteins. When these chains are broken down and cut into smaller strands, it enables the virus to reproduce.
• This task is performed by the main protease. Its structure consists of two identical protein molecules held together by hydrogen bonds.
• If a drug can be developed that inhibits or blocks the protease activity, it will prevent the virus from replicating and spreading to other cells in the body.
• Researchers used a technique called neutron crystallography. The site containing the amino acids where the protein chains are cut, these experiments revealed, is in an electrically charged reactive state — not in a resting or neutral state, contrary to previously held beliefs.

Significance of research:

• It is the first time anyone has obtained a neutron structure of a coronavirus protein.
• it is also the first time anyone has looked at this class of protease enzymes using neutrons.
• the fact that the protein chains are cut at a site that is in an electrically charged reactive state, rather than neutral, was a surprise finding.

Hence both statements are correct.

Spelity Lyngdoh Langrin — the face of the decades-long anti-uranium mining movement in Meghalaya — had passed away at her home in Domiasiat area of South West Khasi Hills district. She was 95.

• She was considered an icon in Meghalaya for turning down a multi-crore offer from the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL), a Public Sector enterprise that wanted to mine her land.
• “Money cannot buy me freedom,” Langrin had famously said, rejecting the offer.
• Over the years, Langrin’s name has become synonymous to the anti-uranium mining movement — her face often plastered over banners during anti-uranium protests in the state.
• India’s largest and richest uranium deposits are located in Domiasiat and Wahkyn areas of Meghalaya.
• The Domiasiat uranium deposit, also known as “Kyelleng-Pyndengsohiong-Mawtahbah” region, was discovered in 1984 and has approximately 9.22 million tonnes of high-grade uranium ore deposits.

Hence both statements are correct.

The 206th Session of the Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU will be held from 1st to 4th November this year. It will be an Extraordinary Virtual Session, which is being organised in place of a full-fledged in-person Statutory Assembly of IPU due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Inter-Parliamentary Union is an international organization of national parliaments. Its primary purpose is to promote democratic governance, accountability, and cooperation among its members.
• The organization was established in 1889 as the Inter-Parliamentary Congress. Its founders were statesmen Frédéric Passy of France and William Randal Cremer of the United Kingdom.
• As of 2020, the national parliaments of 179 countries are members of the IPU, while 13 regional parliamentary assemblies are associate members.
• Headquarters is at Geneva, Switzerland.

Hence both statements are correct.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on Valmiki Jayanti.

• Valmiki, also known as Lal Beg or Bala Shah, is celebrated as the harbinger-poet in Sanskrit literature.
• The epic Ramayana, dated variously from the 5th century BCE to first century BCE, is attributed to him, based on the attribution in the text itself.
• He is revered as Ādi Kavi, the first poet, author of Ramayana, the first epic poem.
• The Balmiki sect of Hinduism reveres Valmiki as a patron saint, with a plethora of temples dedicated to him.

Hence both statements are correct.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has launched two-layered "Happy Diwali" printed face masks made of pure Muslin fabric, a high quality and ultra-fine cotton fabric handmade by traditional Khadi artisans of West Bengal.

• Muslin is a cotton fabric of plain weave.
• It is made in a wide range of weights from delicate sheers to coarse sheeting.
• It gets its name from the city of Mosul, Iraq which the Europeans believed to be its place of origin; however, its origins have now proved to have been farther east — in particular Dhaka in Bangladesh.
• In 2013, the traditional art of weaving Jamdani muslin in Bangladesh was included in the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated various projects under Integrated Development of Kevadia in Gujarat. He inaugurated Arogya Van and Arogya Kutir. He also inaugurated the Ekta Mall, and Children Nutrition Park.

• Arogya Van has 5 lakh plants of 380 different species spread over an area of 17 acre.
• Arogya Kutir has a traditional treatment facility named Santhigiri wellness centre which will provide healthcare based on Ayurveda, Siddha, Yoga and Panchakarma.
• The Ekta Mall displays a diverse range of handicrafts and traditional items from all over India symbolizing unity in diversity and is spread over 35000 sq. ft. The mall consists of 20 Emporia each representing a specific state in India and is built in just 110 days.
• Children Nutrition Park is the world’s first ever technology driven nutrition park for children and is spread over an area of 35000 sq. ft.
• A Nutri Train runs across the park to various exciting theme based stations. It will raise nutritional awareness through various edutainment activities like Mirror Maze, 5D Virtual reality theatre and Augmented reality games.

Hence both statements are correct.

NITI Aayog, Ministry of Power, Rockefeller Foundation, and Smart Power India launched the ‘Electricity Access in India and Benchmarking Distribution Utilities’ report.

Key findings of the report:

• As much as 92% of customers reported the overall availability of electricity infrastructure within 50 metres of their premises; however, not all have connections, the primary reason being the distance of households from the nearest pole.
• Overall, 87% of the surveyed customers have access to grid-based electricity. The remaining 13% either use non-grid sources or don’t use any electricity at all.
• The hours of supply have improved significantly across the customer categories to nearly 17 hours per day.
• Nearly 85% of customers reported to have a metered electricity connection.
• Access to electricity is observed in 83% of household customers.
• A satisfaction index was created to assess the overall satisfaction level of customers with utility services. The study suggested that a total of 66% of those surveyed were satisfied––74% of customers in urban areas and 60% in rural areas.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Centre has issued a notification laying down safety requirements such as visual display, handrail and seat belt anchorages for construction equipment vehicles (CEVs).

• This is to ensure safety while these vehicles are running on public roads along with other vehicles, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) said.
• Certain safety requirements are already mandated for construction equipment vehicles under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989.
• The new norms will be rolled out in a phased manner — Phase-I (April 2021) and Phase-II (April 2024) — as per the notification.
• This Standard aims to introduce AIS (Automotive Industry Standard) 160, to introduce several safety requirements including visual display requirements, requirements for operator station and maintenance areas, non-metallic fuel tanks, minimum access dimensions, and others.
• Hence both statements are correct.

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), with an objective to develop the financial products and financial services in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC) has prescribed the regulatory framework for listing of Depository Receipts (DRs).

• The framework provides for listing of DRs by companies that are listed in FATF compliant jurisdictions (including India). The framework enables the eligible listed companies to raise capital through issuance and listing of DRs on the stock exchanges in GIFT IFSC.
• Additionally, the framework enables eligible companies having DRs listed on any exchange in a FATF compliant jurisdiction to list and trade such DRs on the stock exchange(s) in GIFT IFSC as an additional venue for trading, without any fresh public offering.
• A depository receipt is a foreign currency denominated instrument, listed on an international exchange, issued by a foreign depository to a domestic custodian and includes global depository receipts (GDRs).
• The framework comes after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in August said that the markets regulator would soon implement the Depository Receipt Scheme 2014. The liberalised norms for DRs were issued in 2014 but could not be implemented due to concerns raised by Sebi.
• This will give Indian companies increased access to foreign funds through American Depository Receipt (ADR)/ Global Depository Receipt (GDR).

Hence both statements are correct.

The Centre has streamlined the procedures to submit statements regarding the working of a patented invention on a commercial scale, giving additional flexibilities to the patentee.

• The Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2020, which came into effect on October 19, 2020, has further streamlined the requirements related to filing of Form 27 and submission of verified English translation of priority documents, which is not in English language.
• The rules were amended following a Delhi High Court order on the matter in April 2018.
• As per the new rules, a patentee gets flexibility to file a single Form-27 in respect of single or multiple related patents. Where a patent is granted to two or more persons, such persons may file a joint Form-27.
• Moreover, patentees would now be required to provide ‘approximate revenue/value accrue’ while authorised agents would be able to submit Form-27 on behalf of patentees, the release said.
• The time available to patentees for filing Form-27 has also been extended to six months, against the current three months, from the expiry of the financial year. Patentees will not be required to file Form-27 in respect of a part or fraction of the financial year.
• There are also important changes with reference to Rule 21 on filing of priority documents. If the priority document is available in WIPO’s (World Intellectual Property Organisation) digital library, the applicant would not be required to submit the same in the Indian Patent Office.

Hence both statements are correct.