Daily Current Affairs MCQ - January 15, 2021 - UPSC MCQ

The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation is conducting NCAVES India Forum (in a virtual format), in collaboration with United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), European Union and UN Environment.

• In 2017, the European Union initiated a project, “Natural Capital Accounting and Valuation of Ecosystem Services” (NCAVES) in 2017 to help nations advance the knowledge on environmental-economic accounting that can help in ensuring sustainable economic growth.
• The NCAVES Project is being implemented in five countries – India, Brazil, China, Mexico and South Africa - by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD).
• The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has taken up several initiatives under the NCAVES Project during the past three years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the pan India rollout of COVID-19 vaccination drive on 16th January, 2021.

• This will be the world’s largest vaccination program covering the entire length and breadth of the country.
• The vaccination programme will use Co-WIN, an online digital platform developed by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which will facilitate real time information of vaccine stocks, storage temperature and individualized tracking of beneficiaries for COVID-19 vaccine.
• A dedicated 24x7 call centre – 1075 – has also been established for addressing the queries related to COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine rollout and the Co-WIN software.
• Adequate doses of both COVISHIELD and COVAXIN have already been delivered across the country to all States/UTs with the active support of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
   

Hisar Airport was inaugurated under RCS-UDAN.

• First flight to the newly constructed Hisar airport in Haryana from Chandigarh was flagged off under the Regional Connectivity Scheme – Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) of the Government of India.
• The flagging off marks the operationalization of 54th airport under the UDAN scheme. To date, 307 routes and 54 airports including 5 heliports and 2 Water Aerodromes have been operationalized under the UDAN scheme.
• Belonging to the Government of Haryana, Hisar airport is a public licensed airport that is suitable for 18 seat type aircraft.
• The airline Aviation Connectivity & Infrastructure Developers Pvt. Ltd (Air Taxi) was awarded the Hisar – Chandigarh – Hisar route under the UDAN 4 bidding process. The airline has become the first startup airline of the country to assist the nation with Air Taxi services.
• The Inauguration Marks Commencement of Country’s First Air Taxi Services from Chandigarh to Hisar.

India’s first indigenous 9mm Machine Pistol has been jointly developed by DRDO and Indian Army.

• The weapon is named “Asmi” meaning “Pride”, “Self-Respect" & “Hard Work”.
• Infantry School, Mhow and DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune have designed and developed this weapon.
• The Machine Pistol fires the in-service 9mm ammunition and sports an upper receiver made from aircraft grade Aluminium and lower receiver from carbon fibre.
• The weapon has huge potential in Armed forces as personal weapon for heavy weapon detachments, commanders, tank and aircraft crews, drivers/dispatch riders, radio/radar operators, Closed Quarter Battle, counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations etc.
• This is also likely to find huge employability with the central and state police organizations as well as VIP protection duties and Policing.
• The Machine Pistol is likely to have production cost under rupees 50000 each and has potential for exports.

Fifth Indian Armed Forces Veterans Day was celebrated as a recognition of the services rendered by the first Commander-in-Chief of Indian Armed Forces, Field Marshal KM Cariappa, OBE who retired on 14 Jan 1953.

• Army commemorates Armed Forces Veterans Day on 14 January each year as a mark of respect and recognition of the services rendered by our veterans.
• This day also coincides with the retirement date of Field Marshal KM Cariappa, OBE, the first Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Army.
• The first Armed Forces Veterans Day was organised on 14 January 2017.
• The aim is to strengthen the bond between the Ex-Servicemen and the serving personnel. This is also a forum to enhance the satisfaction levels pertaining to issues of pension and welfare of veterans and their Next of Kin.
• Field Marshal Cariappa had seen action in Iraq, Syria, Iran and Burma winning many laurels and accolades during his sterling career.
• Field Marshal Cariappa was the Chief of Army Staff from 15 January 1949 to 14 January 1953.
• For his illustrious career and contributions to the Nation, he was accorded Field Marshal's rank in 1986.
• Despite his advancing age, he made many visits to the front line troops to boost their morale and motivate them. He was active till his last breath on 15 May 1993, at the age of 94 years.
   

The Union Minister of Science & Technology inaugurated a new institute of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) i.e. CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR), in New Delhi.

• The new institute has been established consequent to the merger of two prestigious institutes of CSIR namely, CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Information Resources (CSIR-NISCAIR) and CSIR-National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (CSIR-NISTADS).
• CSIR-NIScPR will serve the society with its core areas of science communication and policy research which has proved to be so important during the Covid19 pandemic.
• The MISSION of the institute is to promote STI policy studies and science communication among diverse stakeholders.

The Union Minister for Science & Technology dedicated an Innovation Portal, developed by National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India to the nation.

• The National Innovation Portal (NIP) is currently home to about 1.15 lakh innovations scouted from common people of the country, covering Engineering, Agriculture, Veterinary and Human Health.
• In terms of domain areas, presently the innovations cover Energy, mechanical, automobile, electrical, electronics, household, chemical, civil, textiles, Farm / cultivation practice, storage practice, plant variety, plant protection, poultry, livestock management, nutraceuticals etc.
• Innovation Portal is a step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and an excellent resource for students, entrepreneurs, MSME’s, Technology Business Incubators (TBI’s) and common people engaged in a variety of occupations.
• National Innovation Foundation (NIF) – India is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

The third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY 3.0) will be launched on January 15 in 600 districts across all states of India. The launch will be done by the Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

• Spearheaded by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), this phase will focus on new-age and COVID-related skills.
• Skill India Mission PMKVY 3.0 envisages training of eight lakh candidates over a scheme period of 2020-2021 with an outlay of Rs. 948.90 crore.
• The 729 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs), empaneled non-PMKK training centres and more than 200 ITIs under Skill India will be rolling out PMKVY 3.0 training to build a robust pool of skilled professionals.
• “Skill India Mission” launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15th of July 2015 has gained tremendous momentum through launch of its flagship scheme PMKVY to unlock the vision of making India the ‘Skill Capital’ of the world.

Himachal Pradesh frequently witnesses forest fires during dry weather conditions. This month, a forest fire which started near Kullu raged for several days before being brought under control.

• Except for periods of precipitation in monsoon and winter, the forests remain vulnerable to wildfires. Forest fires are a recurrent annual phenomenon in the state, and most commonly occur in Chir Pine forests.
• In the summer season, forest fires occur frequently in the low and middle hills of the state, where forests of Chir Pine are common.
• During the post-monsoon season and in winters, forest fires are also reported in higher areas, including parts of Shimla, Kullu, Chamba, Kangra and Mandi districts, where they usually occur in grasslands.
• Natural causes such as lightning or rubbing of dry bamboos with each other can sometimes result in fires, but forest officials maintain that almost all forest fires can be attributed to human factors.
• When the grass is dry, even a small spark, such as someone dropping a burning matchstick, torchwood or a bidi/cigarette, can cause a massive fire. A spark can also be produced when dry pine needles or leaves fall on an electric pole.
• Also, when people burn their fields to clear them of stubble, dry grass or undergrowth, the fire sometimes spreads to the adjoining forest.

On January 11, Chatham House, the century-old UK-based policy institute published a report titled “Global Britain, Global Broker”, proposing a blueprint for Britain’s future foreign policy after Brexit.

• The report groups India on the other side of a “new divide in international affairs — between open societies where citizens have the capacity to fight for their rights and those where these rights are denied”.
• Along with Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, India is classed as one of the “difficult four” countries, destined to count among the UK’s “rivals” or “awkward counterparts” as it pursues its global goals.
• The report is “in no way a statement on behalf of the UK government.”
• Part of the justification for labelling India ‘difficult’ centres on a critique of India’s domestic political developments.
• The report also states that India is a reluctant supporter of liberal democracy, is “ambivalent” about human rights abuses within other states, and possesses “a long and consistent record of resisting being corralled into a ‘Western camp'”.