Daily Current Affairs MCQ- July 6, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah called the cooperative model a middle path of economic development.

Regulation of Cooperatives

• The item “Cooperative Societies” is in the State List (via entry 32).
• Hence, states have been empowered to enact legislations to regulate cooperative societies.
• However, multistate cooperative societies are regulated by the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002.
• No state government official can exercise any control on multistate cooperative societies.
• In 2002, the then govt announced a National Policy on Cooperatives to support the promotion and development of cooperatives.
• The central govt is planning to bring a new cooperative policy soon.
• In July 2021, a new ministry of cooperation was created for cooperative societies in the country.
• It has been created with the vision of ‘Sahakar se Samriddhi’ (prosperity through cooperatives).

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

Centre has directed to stop the work on the proposed Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) in view of “lack of consent” by other States.

• The proposed Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) is set to benefit 13 districts of Rajasthan through interlinking of three rivers. The project stipulates transfer of excess water from the Chambal river basin to the regions facing water scarcity.
• Rajasthan has been demanding the national project status for ERCP for quite some time.

Hence both statements are correct.

The NIA has taken over the probe into the June 28 killing of tailor Kanhaiyya Lal in Rajasthan's Udaipur over a social media post supporting suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Now, the Union Home Ministry has handed over to the agency the investigation of a similarly executed murder of pharmacist Umesh Kolhe at Amravati in Maharashtra on June 21.

• NIA is a central agency mandated to investigate all the offences affecting the sovereignty, security and integrity of India, friendly relations with foreign states, and the offences under the statutory laws enacted to implement international treaties, agreements, conventions and resolutions of the United Nations, its agencies and other international organisations.
• These include terror acts and their possible links with crimes like smuggling of arms, drugs and fake Indian currency and infiltration from across the borders. The agency has the power to search, seize, arrest and prosecute those involved in such offences.
• Headquartered in Delhi, the NIA has its branches in Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur, Jammu, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Chennai, Imphal, Bengaluru and Patna.
• The agency came into existence on December 31, 2008, and started its functioning in 2009, in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in November 2008.

Hence only statement 2 is correct.

• Stand Up India Scheme was launched in April 2016 to promote entrepreneurship at the grass-root level focusing on economic empowerment and job creation. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It aims to leverage the institutional credit structure to reach out to the underserved sector of people such as SCs, STs, and Women Entrepreneurs.
• The SC/ST and/or women entrepreneurs; above 18 years of age are eligible under the scheme. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Loans under the scheme are available for only Greenfield projects. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

• Alluri Sitarama Raju was an Indian revolutionary involved in the Indian independence movement.
  • He was born in present-day Andhra Pradesh in 1897 or 1898.
  • He became a sanyasi at the age of 18 and gained a mystical aura among the hill and tribal peoples with his austerity, knowledge of astrology and medicine, and his ability to tame wild animals.
• At a very young age, Raju channelled the discontent of the hill people in Ganjam, Visakhapatnam, and Godavari into a highly effective guerrilla resistance against the British.
• He became involved in anti-British activities in response to the 1882 Madras Forest Act, which effectively restricted the free movement of Adivasis (tribal communities) in their forest habitats and prevented them from practicing a traditional form of agriculture known as podu (shifting cultivation).
• Rising discontent towards the British led to the Rampa Rebellion/Manyam Rebellion of 1922, in which he played a major part as a leader. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • The Rampa Rebellion coincided with Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement. He persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking.
  • But at the same time, he asserted that India could be liberated only by the use of force, not non-violence. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• He was nicknamed "Manyam Veerudu" (Hero of the Jungle) by local villagers for his heroic exploits. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• In 1924, Raju was taken into police custody, tied to a tree, and shot by a public execution, effectively ending the armed rebellion.

• The Environment (Protection) Act, (EPA) 1986, establishes the framework for studying, planning, and implementing long-term requirements of environmental safety and laying down a system of speedy and adequate response to situations threatening the environment.’
• The EPA Act was enacted under Article 253 of the Indian Constitution which provides for the enactment of legislation for giving effect to international agreements. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • Article 48A of the Constitution specifies that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.
  • Article 51A further provides that every citizen shall protect the environment.
• The Central government as per the Act has the power to direct:
  • The closure, prohibition or regulation of any industry, operation or process. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • The stoppage or regulation of the supply of electricity or water or any other service.
• Non-compliance or Contravention to any of the provisions of the Act is considered as an offence. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Mekong River

• The Mekong River is the longest river in Southeast Asia, the 7th longest in Asia, and the 12th longest in the world. It has a length of about 4,350 km.
• Rising in southeastern Qinghai province, China (eastern part of Tibetan plateau), it flows through the eastern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Hence statement 1 is not correct.
• It forms part of the international border between Myanmar (Burma) and Laos, as well as between Laos and Thailand. The river then flows through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam before draining into the South China Sea south of Ho Chi Minh City.
  • Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, both stand on its banks.
  • About three-fourths of the drainage area of the Mekong lies within the four countries the river traverses on its lower course—Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Hence statement 2 is correct.

• Recently, the Indian Navy commissioned a new Indian Naval Air Squadron 324 at eastern Naval Command.
• It has been named "KESTRELS," which are birds of prey and have good sensory capabilities, symbolising the aircraft's and air squadron's intended role. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The unit is the Eastern Seaboard's first Naval Squadron to use indigenously designed and built Advanced Light Helicopters. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• It's equipped with ALH MK III helicopters which have state-of-the-art equipment which includes modern surveillance radar and electro-optical sensors. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

India added 540 species to its faunal database in 2021 taking the total number of animal species to 1,03,258. The country also added 315 taxa to the Indian flora during 2021, taking the number of floral taxa in the country to 55,048.

• Of the 540 faunal species, 406 are new discoveries and 134 new records to India. Thirteen new genera were also discovered in 2021. Among the new species discovered is one species from mammal, 35 reptiles and 19 species of pisces.
• The new mammal species discovered is Crocidura narcondamica, a white-toothed shrew, from Narcondam Island of the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands.
• Among the reptiles discovered in 2021, notable is Boiga whitakeri, or Whitaker’s cat snake, from the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu.
• The most number of new discoveries was from the faunal group Hymenoptera, an order of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants, in which 80 species, including one new genus, were discovered.
• With 1.03 lakh species of fauna, India contributes to 6.1% of faunal diversity in the world.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

In Odisha, scientists are now fine-tuning their research to make a presentation for the Geographical Indications (GI) registry of Kai chutney.

• Applied under food category, the GI tag will help develop a structured hygiene protocol in the preparation of Kai chutney for standard wider use. Geographical Indications labels enhance the reputation and value of local products and support local businesses.
• People often keep a safe distance from red weaver ants as their sting inflicts a sharp pain and reddish bumps on the skin. Despite this, weaver ants are popular among the tribes of Mayurbhanj district in Odisha for the mouth-watering dish made of them — the Kai chutney.
• This savoury food item, rich in proteins, calcium, zinc, vitamin B-12, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, copper, fibre and 18 amino acids, is known to boost the immune system.
• Weaver ants, Oecophylla smaragdina, are abundantly found in Mayurbhanj throughout the year. They make nests with leaves of host trees.

Kashmir saffron, which is cultivated and harvested in the Karewa (highlands) of Jammu and Kashmir, has been given the GI tag by the Geographical Indications Registry. The spice is grown in some regions of Kashmir including Pulwama, Budgam, Kishtwar and Srinagar region of J&K.

“chiniya” variety of banana at Hajipur is yet to receive GI tag.

Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.