Daily Current Affairs MCQ- June 14, 2022 - UPSC MCQ

Union Minister of Agriculture informed Lok Sabha about the Agriculture Voltage Technology.

• Agri-voltaic system of 105 KW capacity was developed by ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur.
• This technology can increase the income of farmers by generation of electricity and growing of cash crops simultaneously on the same piece of land.
• Under component-I of KUSUM (Kisan Urja Suraksha Utthan Mahabhiyan) scheme, there is a provision for installation of agri-voltaic system in farmers’ fields with a capacity ranging from 500 KW to 2 MW.
• Moreover, National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) has also documented 13 operational agri-voltaic systems in the country managed by different solar PV functionaries and public Institutes.

Hence both statements are correct.

A contract for construction & delivery of Eleven Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile (ACTCM) Barges has been concluded with M/s Suryadipta Projects Private Limited, Thane, an MSME on 05 March 2021.

• The Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile Barges will be inducted in Indian Navy to undertake the mission needs for embarking/ disembarking Ammunition, Torpedo & Missile etc.
• These barges will be built under the Classification Rules of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).
• Delivery of Barges is scheduled to commence from May 22.
• The project adds another milestone to the Atmanirbhar Bharat & Make in India initiative of the Government of India.

Hence both statements are correct.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has achieved an important milestone in the development of Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System by proving the land-based prototype on 8 March 2021.

• The system is being developed by Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) of DRDO.
• AIP has a force multiplier effect on lethality of a diesel electric submarine as it enhances the submerged endurance of the boat, several folds. Fuel cell-based AIP has merits in performance compared to other technologies.
• While there are different types of AIP systems being pursued internationally, fuel cell-based AIP of NMRL is unique as the hydrogen is generated onboard.
• The technology has been successfully developed with the support of industry partners L&T and Thermax. It has now reached the stage of maturity for fitment into target vessels.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, Indian Navy and Industry for the achievement.

Hence both statements are correct.

NITI Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) India released a new report ‘Mobilising Electric Vehicle Financing in India’.

• It highlights the role of finance in the India’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and analyses that the transition will require a cumulative capital investment of USD 266 billion (Rs 19.7 lakh crore) in EVs, charging infrastructure, and batteries over the next decade.
• The report also identifies a market size of USD 50 billion (Rs 3.7 lakh crore) for the financing of EVs in 2030—about 80% of the current size of India’s retail vehicle finance industry, worth USD 60 billion (Rs 4.5 lakh crore) today.
• End-users currently face several challenges, such as high interest rates, high insurance rates, and low loan-to-value ratios.
• To address these challenges, NITI Aayog and RMI have identified a toolkit of 10 solutions that financial institutions such as banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), as well as the industry and government can adopt in catalysing the required capital.

Hence both statements are correct.

The Supreme Court asked the government to explain why it had not set up an “independent environment regulator” to oversee green clearances.

• The top court had ordered the setting up of a national environment regulatory body to ensure independent oversight of green clearances way back in July 2011 in Lafarge Umiam Mining Private Limited v. Union of India, commonly known as the ‘Lafarge mining case’.
• In 2011, the court had asked the Centre to appoint a national regulator for appraising projects, enforcing environmental conditions for approvals and to impose penalties on polluters.
• The court had made it clear that till such mechanism was put in place, the Environment Ministry (MoEF) “should prepare a panel of accredited institutions from which alone the project proponent should obtain the Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and, that too, on the Terms of Reference to be formulated by the MoEF”.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

There has been over 72% increase in the number of persons arrested under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act) in 2019 compared to year 2015, data provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in the Lok Sabha show.

• As many as 1,948 persons were arrested under the UAPA in 1,226 cases registered across the country in 2019. From 2015 till 2018, the cases registered under the Act annually stood at 897, 922, 901 and 1,182 respectively, while the number of arrests was 1,128, 999, 1,554 and 1,421.
• In 2019, the highest number of such cases were registered in Manipur (306), followed by Tamil Nadu (270), Jammu & Kashmir (255), Jharkhand (105) and Assam (87) cases.
• The highest number of arrests in the same year were made in Uttar Pradesh (498), followed by Manipur (386), Tamil Nadu (308), Jammu & Kashmir (227) and Jharkhand (202).
• The government had declared 42 organisations as terrorist organisations and listed their names in the First Schedule of the UAPA
• Only 2.2 % of cases registered under the UAPA between 2016-2019 ended in convictions by court.
• Cases under the UAPA are investigated by the State police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• Under the UAPA, getting bail is rare and the investigating agency has up to 180 days to file a charge sheet.

Hence both statements are incorrect.

• Zonal Councils are the statutory bodies established by the state reorganisation act 1956.
• The act divided the country into five zones- Northern, Central, Eastern, Western and Southern and provided a zonal council for each zone. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• Organizational Structure:
  • Chairman: The union Home Minister is the Chairman of each of these Councils.
  • Vice Chairman: The Chief Ministers of the States (but not of UTs) included in each zone act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time. Hence statement 2 is not correct.
  • Members: Two members from Union Territories included in the zone, nominated by the Governor as a member of the respective zonal council.
• As per Section 17(1) of States Reorganisation Act, each Zonal Council shall meet at such time as the Chairman of the Council may appoint on this behalf. Hence statement 3 is not correct.

• Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, also known as Herpes Zoster Oticus, is a virus infection of the geniculate ganglion (7th cranial nerve) of the facial nerve that occurs when a shingles infection affects the facial nerve. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • Only about five to 10 out of every 1,00,000 people will develop Ramsay Hunt Syndrome every year, making it an extremely rare disorder.
• When the nerves get inflamed, they lose their ability to function, leading to temporary facial palsy or paralysis. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
  • There are 12 cranial nerves in the body. Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is a viral infection impacting the 7th cranial nerve that is involved in facial movements. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.
• Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is caused by reactivation of varicella zoster virus that has previously caused chickenpox and shingles in the patient.
  • This virus belongs to the herpesvirus group and can stay in the body as a latent infection.
  • Varicella Zoster Virus can get reactivated due to weakening of the immune system.
• The disease is not contagious but can lead to chickenpox in those not vaccinated for the disease.

Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises inaugurated two technology centres at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, three extension centres of big technological centres and seven mobile Udyam Express.

• The Ministry of MSME has rolled out the Technology Centres Systems Programme to develop the competitiveness ecosystems of MSME in the country.
• These Technology Centres will train more than 16 thousand students annually and have infrastructure for training and production.
• The minister also launched the 7 Udyan Express Mobile Vans with a view to provide assistance to MSME in remote areas and also make aware the youth of rural areas about government’s schemes.

Hence only statement 1 is correct.

The Parliament gave its nod to the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 with Rajya Sabha passing it. The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill last month.

• The legislation seeks to amend the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The Act contains provisions to deal with domestic and international arbitration and defines the law for conducting conciliation proceedings.
• The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 provides for the following:
  • to grant unconditional stay of enforcement of arbitral awards, where the underlying arbitration agreement, contracts or arbitral award is induced by fraud or corruption;
  • to omit Eighth Schedule of the Act which laid down the qualifications, experience and norms for accreditation of arbitrators; and
  • to specify by regulations the qualifications, experience and norms for accreditation of arbitrators and the said amendment is consequential in nature.

Hence both statements are correct.